I can't sleep. Everything Livvy told me, and worrying about Jess has made sure I'm not going to be able to sleep now. Besides, I'm fairly certain I did enough sleeping over the last week or so that I should be good for the next month.
Ed and the boys were back from wherever they spend their days by the time I left Jess and Livvy's. He didn't seem surprised that I was gone, but he was when I asked him what they did all day. I knew about the survival lessons, of course, but surely they must be finished with those now? And what crew is Ed on?
"I'm on the cleaning crew." He told me.
Cleaning crew? What do you do on a cleaning crew when you're 140 kilometres in the deep bush? Sweep out the campsites? Empty outhouses?
"Or dig new ones," he said. "We just do whatever has to be done."
Okay, but it seems like a terrible waste of his talents as an electrician. But again, what need is there for an electrician out here? He's right, things need to get done, and somebody has to do them.
Jason still gets taken to the gun range every day for practice, but he's also on a hunting party. Don't worry, Mom, orange vests for everybody; nobody wants an accident. He's apparently a very good shot now, and quite proud of that fact, he told me.
Daniel goes with a supervised group of younger kids, checking traps and fishing. "I caught the biggest fish out of everybody yesterday, Mom!"
And frogs and turtles for the stewpots, too. At that point I made a firm promise to myself to never ask what I'm eating. Ignorance is still bliss.
I told him that I spent the day with Jess while Livvy was out, and that I've been caught up on a few things. I didn't expound on what those were. What Livvy failed to tell me, I'm sure I'll figure out fast.
"Is Jess okay?"
Yes, she'll be fine, Ed. She's just been feeling poorly and Livvy thought she could use the company. A sour stomach, she'll be over it by tomorrow, I'm sure.
"That's good. I know how much she means to you."
When the boys were asleep, we made love, and it was almost as good as before we left town. I really needed to know he didn't hate for mentally abandoning them.
But I still can't sleep. And I think if I leave the lantern on any longer, I'll end up waking everybody up.
