The Oracle (Fargo Adventures 11)

– AFRICAN PROVERB –

Early the next morning, Remi stood next to Amal and Lazlo as Wendy and Monifa brought the children out to the front of the school to say good-bye. Before Remi or Amal could even think what to say, the girls ran forward, each working her way in for a hug. Jol, Zara, Tambara, and Maryam waited until the other girls cleared, then wrapped their arms around both women.

Remi stood back, smiling at them. “We had quite an adventure. You were all marvelous.”

“Yes, you were,” Amal said. “But let’s not do it again anytime soon.”

The four laughed and backed away as Wendy stepped in, saying, “Okay. Let’s give them some space. They have a long trip ahead.”

A moment later, Pete and Yaro stepped out of the office, both with small duffels slung over their shoulders. With Makao and his gang still on the loose, the Fargos weren’t taking any chances. They decided to caravan to Jalingo, Pete and Yaro in the truck, Sam, Remi, Amal, and Lazlo in the Land Rover. With the school well guarded, Pete and Yaro planned on spending the night in Jalingo and picking up the beds they’d ordered for the new dorm the following morning.

Sam loaded their bags in the back, closing the tailgate. “Are you ready, Remi?”

“Wait,” she said. “Where’s our youngest Musketeer?”

Wendy nodded toward the office. Nasha sat on the porch steps, a stick in her hand, tapping it on the ground. When she looked up and saw Remi watching her, she snapped the stick in two.

“Give me a minute.” Remi walked over to the office, sitting down next to Nasha. “Why didn’t you want to come say good-bye?”

Nasha shrugged but wouldn’t meet her eyes, instead watching Pete and Yaro, who were tying down the back of the canvas on the truck.

Remi looked over at them, then back at Nasha. “I’m not sure when I’m going to see you again.”

“Doesn’t matter.” She tossed half of the broken stick to the ground. “No one ever comes back.”

As much as Remi wished she could promise to find Nasha’s uncle—or, at the very least, find who might be responsible for her in his absence—she wasn’t about to raise her hopes only to have them dashed again. Still, she had to say something. “You know, sometimes people want to come back, but things happen. It doesn’t mean they ever stopped loving you.”

“What kinds of things happen?”

“Maybe they got in an accident and they didn’t have a way to call you. Or they didn’t have enough money.” Remi laid her hand over Nasha’s. “But that’s not going to happen to me. I’m coming back. I just don’t know when.”

“Never. Like everyone else.”

“Someday,” Remi said. “I promise.”

Nasha’s response was to whack the remaining half of her broken stick against the wooden step.

“I have a friend who needs my help,” Remi continued. “Just like I needed yours when we were in trouble. I promised her. You wouldn’t want me to break that promise, would you?”

“No …” She hit the step one more time and looked up at Remi, her eyes troubled. “But what if you were mad because your friend did something wrong? Could you break your promise then?”

“I’d try to find a way to make it right. Because that’s what friends do.”

She tossed the stick, her dark eyes shimmering. “Why can’t I go with you?” she said, her voice breaking. “I’ll try to be good.”

Remi’s heart twisted as she put her arm around Nasha’s thin shoulders. It was a minute before she could even get past the lump in her throat. “I’m going to miss you most of all,”

Nasha threw herself at Remi, pulling tight. “I’ll never forget you. Never.”

“I know.” Remi held her for several seconds, then gently pried her loose. “Now, go say good-bye to Amal. She’s going to miss you, too.”

Nasha wiped the tears from her cheeks and ran across the gravel, jumping into Amal’s outstretched arms. Where she disappeared to after that, Remi didn’t know. When they were in the car, pulling out of the gate, Sam looked over at Remi. “Something in your eye?”

She glanced in the side mirror, watching all the girls racing past the army trucks toward the gate, waving good-bye. “A lot of somethings.”

They were halfway to Jalingo when Remi’s phone rang. Expecting it to be Renee with news about what had happened to Warren, she was surprised to see Wendy’s number on the screen when she answered it. “Did we forget something?”

“It’s Nasha. I haven’t been able to find her since you left. Did she say anything to you?”