"That sounds like a worthy cause," Prudence said.
"I just thought if someone had been there to reach out to Veronica-" Samantha had to bite down on her lip again to keep from crying. She set Jackie down to walk beside them to wipe at her eyes. "It's so easy for children like her to fall through the cracks and turn into angry, violent adults. Our goal is to help them in childhood before it's too late."
"That must be rewarding work."
"Sometimes it is. Other times it can be frustrating. Some of these parents make Jonas Pryde look tame," Samantha said, her lip curling in disgust. Jackie squeezed her hand, as if sensing her mother's anger. "Well, anyway, I've had to take a leave of absence for a little while, until after the baby is born. What about you? Are you still the head matriarch around here?"
Prudence laughed at this. "Mostly I'm a figurehead anymore. The first couple years were rough. It seemed like we had a crisis every day. But slowly everyone started to get the hang of it. I only have to settle one or two disputes a month, which is good, because dealing with Molly can be a full-time job. I'm not sure from where that child gets her energy. Sometimes I wonder if she really isn't a reincarnated Molly." Prudence shook her head while Samantha snorted. "That reminds me, how's Rebecca doing? I don't get a chance to visit with her much anymore."
"She's confused, like all girls her age. She'll figure things out eventually." Samantha didn't think it appropriate to mention anything about Callie or what they'd been doing when Samantha opened the bedroom door.
"It's such a shame what happened to her. Let her know that we're all praying for her."
"I will," Samantha said.
The path widened as they reached the town, which had doubled in size over the last eight years. A second line of shops intersected the originals to form an 'L' shape around the square and old church. Most surprising of all were the electric lights on inside each building and one storefront with televisions, radios, and other appliances. "Wendell figured out how to wire everything about four years ago," Prudence explained. "Something about using heat below the surface. I don't know, it's too technical for me. You'd have to ask him about it."
Prudence went on to explain that the dormitories where they'd grown up since the great hurricane were now used for storage and as emergency shelters. "Some people wanted to raze them because they were symbols of the old days, but it would be such a waste. The bigger problem is that the children like to get in there and play."