Winona hadn’t had lunch either. “Hopefully, there will be plenty of stew left for us. If not, I’ll take you to Knockers.”
She needed to get Grandpa home and check on the animals again, but first, she wanted to see if there was anything the volunteers needed. They had been shorthanded today, but she hoped they’d made at least some progress.
As they drew closer, she saw vehicles she recognized. That was Megs and Ahearn’s Outback. The red Forester belonged to Creed. “The Team is here.”
She parked, climbed out—and stared.
The six cabins the volunteers had started on this morning all had their walls and roofs, and the volunteers had begun work rough-framing the other four.
“Look, Grandpa. Look what they’ve done. The Team came to help, too.”
Grandpa glanced around. “They’ve been busy beavers.”
That’s when people noticed Winona. Work came to a halt, volunteers and Team members alike setting down their tools and gathering around her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thank you. Thank you all. This is more than I imagined. I’m so grateful. This will mean so much to Naomi.”
“How is she?” Megs asked.
“She’s doing better. They’re monitoring her.”
“I hope you took photos of the baby.” That was Sasha.
“I did. I need to get my grandfather something to eat, and then I’ll show you.” She led Grandpa to a picnic table. “Sit here, Grandpa.”
“I’ll get him some stew. It should be ready now.” Kat walked over to the cookfire, stirred the stew with a large wooden spoon, and dished some into a bowl. “Are you brave enough to be the first to eat it, Grandfather?”
Grandpa chuckled. “It smells good enough to me.”
While Grandpa ate, Winona shared the photos of her nephew. “They named him Shota. Grandpa says he looks just like Chaska when he was born.”
“He’s precious.” Smiling, Kat scrolled through the photos, then handed Winona’s phone to Sasha.
“Aww!” Sasha held the phone so Megs could see over her shoulder. “Look at all that hair. He’s so tiny.”
“Uh-oh.” Megs shook her head. “Hedoeslook like his daddy. He’ll be breaking hearts before he’s in high school.”
Laughter.
Winona thanked Kat and Gabe for making the meal and helped them serve it, filling bowls and handing them to volunteers, the rich scent making her mouth water. When everyone else had been fed, Winona filled a bowl for herself and sat beside Grandpa, who was now on his second serving.
The sun had sunk behind the mountains, the camp slipping into shadows, heavy clouds threatening rain. Some of the volunteers had built a campfire in a fire pit in the middle of the ring of tents and sat around it, one of them playing a guitar. Jason, Zach, and Gabe sat together at one table, ribbing one another. Most of the Team members sat at another, laughing and talking.
Winona closed her eyes for a moment, exhaled, willing herself to relax. She had so many reasons to be grateful today. So many people had helped her and her family—volunteers, her fellow Team members, Ellie, Dr. Peterson, the hospital staff.
She sent up a prayer of gratitude to Creator.
Pilamayaye.Thank you.
She made a spirit plate, setting aside a little bit of everything she was eating as an offering. When she’d finished her meal, she set the spirit plate on the porch of the Mess Hall, cleared the tables, and went inside to help Kenzie, who was three months pregnant, wash the heavy stew pot and other dishes.
By the time they had finished, it was dark outside. Winona thanked Kenzie, Megs, and the other Team members, who promised to be back in the morning if they weren’t toned out for a rescue.
“Taylor and Hawke wanted to be here, but Taylor is on duty, and Hawke…” Megs didn’t have to finish.
Austin Taylor was a park ranger and worked most weekends. Eric Hawke, the town’s fire chief, had been badly burned on one leg during the fire and wasn’t yet back to his regular routine.
“Thanks, Megs. This means so much to us.”