Page 74 of Beyond Redemption

I took the seat beside her, glancing around at everyone else seated or in the process of sitting. Janet did the same for Camille as she had for Liis, loading up a plate and setting it in front of the mother with a baby in her arms. My brothers laughed, chatted, and happily pointed to serving dishes piled with food, steam rolling up from each.

Donna set a plate in front of me.

“What is this? My food’s not cut,” I teased.

She feigned a scowl, wagging a large wooden spoon at me. “Your mama ever whooped you with one of these? Now you eat, boy.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, picking up a fork.

I didn’t realize anyone else had been paying attention until laughter swelled around the table.

“If she didn’t, she should’ve,” Travis said, amused.

Plates emptied and then filled again, fried chicken stacked high, potatoes drowning in gravy, large spoonfuls of green beans heaped onto plates. Someone passed biscuits down the line, someone else reached for the mac and cheese, and within seconds the table was full in a way that felt almost excessive. But no one held back. For a while, no one talked about anything going on above us. It was just family, food, and light roasting—just like old times.

“Tommy!” Travis said. “You’ve brought us to paradise, brother!”

The table agreed. Even Trenton.

I focused on the plate in front of me, on something simple and tangible. Heat, salt, texture; details that didn’t ask anything from me except to notice them. I sniffed and cleared my throat.

Liis reached for my knee under the table. “Just enjoy it, honey,” she whispered.

I nodded, taking another bite of food.

Olive leaned over, glanced at my brothers then back at me, offering a single, subtle wink. “Looks to me like you’re well on your way to forgiveness,” she whispered.

I pressed my lips together and grinned. There was hope after all.

I glanced over at Liis, at Stella tucked against her, at my brothers, at the women moving around us as if this were the highlight of their day. It was like we’d gone back in time, to when life was simpler, when my brothers came to me for advice, their wives playfully ribbed me, to when they didn’t mind if their children ran to me for a hug. I felt like family again, and it was such a relief it almost hurt.

“You enjoying it yet?” Liis whispered again.

A quiet breath left me, not quite a laugh this time, but close enough. “Working on it.”

***

By the time we made it back to the room, the family began to shift into their nighttime routines. The overheads had dimmed to a low amber, enough to see without drawing attention to the fact that there were no windows. Air moved through the vents in a steady, controlled cycle, the only constant sound beneath our movements.

Liis checked the crib, smiling at the sight of Stella sleeping as if it were for the first time. She adjusted the blanket by less thanan inch, more instinct than necessity, then stood there a second longer than required, watching for any change.

I reached for my sidearm to secure it away out of habit but remembered—as I did every night since we’d been here—that it was no longer in my possession.

“Forget again?” Liis asked without looking at me.

I grinned, caught. “You do it too. I’ve seen it.”

She glanced back, one brow lifting just enough to call it out without pushing. “Just the first night.”

“The General wanted us armed again before we came down here. We should remind Naomi sooner rather than later. With people sniffing around outside, I don't want to waste time trying to flag someone down to access them.”

Liis nodded. “Agreed. It’s not like her to forget. Something must be up. We should request it in the morning.”

“You want to shower first, or should I?”

“You go,” Liis said, glancing down at the crib.

“We could share,” I said with a wry smile.