The next morning Ralph and Elizabeth fueled up one of the APC's we had retrieved from Edwards. They headed north, to check the various communities around the oil fields to look for survivors. Ralph had told me he thought he could complete the sweep in a month to six weeks. I agreed to discuss the Edwards settlement when he returned.
Gus loaded Jack and I into an airplane and we prepared for our trip back to Jennyville. After a three and a half hour flight, most of it piloted by Jack under Gus's close scrutiny, we landed outside the walls of Jennyville.
That evening as we sat down to eat our dinner Jack announced that he wanted to return to Wasco.
"Gus offered to train me to fly. Flying in the helicopter was amazing and it could be very useful for us. We could really use a helicopter in Appleton. We could use it for defense against the Zombies or roving packs of survivors that might try to raid and kidnap.
It would be useful for rescue or taking someone to Jennyville or Haven for medical treatment. You could get there in minutes. And minutes might mean the difference between someone living or dying. Gus said I could learn to fly fixed wing first then I could learn to fly helicopters. So, can I go back to Wasco June? Please," plead Jack. June and I just stared at Jack. I'm sure my jaw had dropped as Jack prattled on. Finally, June said, "This world is very different from the old world. At sixteen you're a man in this world. So you can make the decision for yourself.
My first husband was a pilot and I know flying meant everything to him. So I understand your wanting to fly. If Bill is OK with it, I guess I will agree with his decision. We need to discuss it after dinner, but I don't have any objection."
"Appleton doesn't have a good area for a landing strip like here at Jennyville or even Wasco where they land on the highway," added Jack.
"Enough, let's talk about it this evening Jack," I said while shaking my head.
After dinner Jack and I went for a walk around the Jennyville compound. I told Jack that I was concerned due to having spent over a month away from Appleton. I was afraid that this year's crop might suffer. The trees were probably loaded with an excess amount of fruit but he and I could fix that with a day or two of hard work. I asked Jack if he would stay for a week to help straighten up the orchard before he left.
"Do you mean it, Bill? I can really go? Are you sure you don't need me here to help with the harvest?"
"You know you will be missed, but we'll get by," I said.
As we walked back to Ralph's apartment where we were staying, I told Jack about the Edwards AFB settlement plan Ralph and I had discussed. I told him about Ralph's suggestion for me to run the Edwards AFB settlement.
"So, I guess June, Billy, Beth and I might be going back down south ourselves. That is IF, June agrees to leave Appleton," I said.
That night when we retired to our bedroom for the night I told June about Ralph's idea of establishing a settlement to control Edwards AFB. June said that someone probably should due to the fact that so many useful supplies and so much equipment are there. June said that the place needed to be organized and the equipment maintained since so much of it was irreplaceable.
Then I told her that Ralph had suggested that she and I relocate to the base and organize and run the settlement. June paused and stared at me then she said, "If that's what you want to do, I guess I'm in. That way we'll be closer to Jack. I've had enough of all the farm living that I need, how about you?"
So, what I thought might lead to an epic argument between us simply evaporated.
The next morning at breakfast, I told Rob about Ralphs plan to establish a settlement at Edwards and that June and I would relocate there.
"Great, I would prefer that we had some control over the distribution of the materials and supplies. And you guys were there, before any of the rest of us. So, I think it's only right that you stake a claim to it," Rob said. He also said that he would send a construction crew to start building a secure living compound.
"Within six months we should have a compound sufficient to repel gangs or Zombies up and running." said Rob.
A week later, June, Billy, Beth, and I loaded up our APC and returned to Appleton. We settled back into our quiet life just before the snow storms started in early November. The first winter was harder without Jack to help chop and bring in the firewood and all the other chores he performed and I had just taken for granted.
June said that the winter months weren't something she would miss about Appleton and I had to agree.
Pete and his wife had a nice little farm here in Appleton with a small but successful orchard. But our place was three times the size of his with a producing orchard and a small vineyard. Pete and his family were more than happy to take over our farm. It felt great to be able to do something nice for Pete. After all, through him, I had met June.
We were pleasantly surprised in Early May when Jack landed his newly acquired helicopter in the field behind the house. Jack and Mayor Marshall waved to us as they walked toward our house.
June ran out and hugged Jack and carried on as though he was the long lost son returning after years, instead of only seven or eight months. Jack had changed physically and he even talked and acted more grownup.
Mayor Marshall told us that he had just about finalized the plan he was going to propose to setup a trade center for each community. He said he wanted the representatives from each community to meet and to negotiate a value for their trade goods. He said each community could setup an exchange for holding the goods for credits in the new monetary system.
Mayor Marshall said Jack could fly the representatives from the mountain communities and me to Wasco in June, for a meeting to approve and finalize trade goods values between the communities. I told Mayor Marshall that I had a selection of local wines, juices, and lumber as well as some of last year's apples we had stored.
"I planned on sending everything but the lumber back to Wasco with him as samples. I planned on sending the lumber to Rob for evaluation since he controls the construction crews." I told Mayor Marshall
After lunch Jack flew Mayor Marshall back down to Jennyville. By dinner time Jack had returned and June was happier than she had been in months. Jack said Gus volunteered to fly Mayor Marshall back to Wasco. Jack said that he could be home for a month before leaving again. But sooner or later children leave home and start their own lives, and I guess like the many mothers and fathers before and after us we are never really prepared for that permanent goodbye and we were stalling it as long as possible.