Let them go! Cowpertown would be better and stronger without them.
Maybe some just wanted to make a visit, show off grandchildren to grandparents, then come back. Probably . . in which case they had better make sure that Sansom or somebody gave them written clearance to come back. Maybe he ought to warn them.
But he didn’t have anyone to visit. Except Sis and Sis might be anywhere unlikely that she was on Terra.
Bob and Carmen, carrying Hope, came in to say goodby. Rod shook hands solemnly. “You’re coming back, Bob, when you get your degree . . . aren’t you?”
“Well, we hope so, if possible. If we are permitted to.”
“Who’s going to stop you? It’s your right. And when you do, you’ll find us here. In the meantime we’ll try not to break legs.”
Baxter hesitated. “Have you been to the gate lately, Rod?”
“No. Why?”
“Uh, don’t plan too far ahead. I believe some have already gone back.”
“How many?”
“Quite a number.” Bob would not commit himself further. He gave Rod the addresses of his parents and Carmen’s, soberly wished him a blessing, and left.
Margery did not come back and the fire pit remained cold. Rod did not care, he was not hungry. Jimmy came in at what should have been shortly after lunch, nodded and sat down. Presently he said, “I’ve been out at the gate.”
“So?”
“Yup. You know, Rod, a lot of people wondered why you weren’t there to say goodby.”
“They could come here to say goodby!”
“Yes, so they could. But the word got around that you didn’t approve. Maybe they were embarrassed.”
“Me?” Rod laughed without mirth. “I don’t care how many city boys run home to mama. It’s a free country.” He glanced at Jim. “How many are sticking?”
“Uh, I don’t know.”
“I’ve been thinking. If the group gets small, we might move back to the cave just to sleep, I mean. Until we get more colonists.”
“Maybe.”
“Don’t be so glum! Even if it got down to just you and me and Jackie and Carol, we’d be no worse off than we once were. And it would just be temporary. There’d be the baby, of course I almost forgot to mention my godson.
“There’s the baby,” Jimmy agreed.
“What are you pulling a long face about? Jim . you’re not thinking of leaving?”
Jimmy stood up. Jackie said to tell you that we would stick by whatever you thought was best.”
Rod thought over what Jimmy had not said. “You mean she wants to go back? Both of you do.”
“Now, Rod, we’re partners. But I’ve got the kid to think about. You see that?”
“Yes. I see.”
“Well”
Rod stuck out his hand. “Good luck, Jim. Tell Jackie goodby for me.
“Oh, she’s waiting to say goodby herself. With the kid.”
“Uh, tell her not to. Somebody once told me that saying goodby was a mistake. Be seeing you.”
“Wellso long, Rod. Take care of yourself.”
“You, too. If you see Caroline, tell her to come in. Caroline was slow appearing; he guessed that she had been at the gate. He said bluntly, “How many are left?”
“Not many,” she admitted.
“How many?”
“You and me and a bunch of gawkers.”
“Nobody else?”
“I checked them off the list. Roddie, what do we do now?”
“Huh? It doesn’t matter. Do you want to go back?”
“You’re boss, Roddie. You’re the Mayor.”
“Mayor of what? Carol, do you want to go back?”
“Roddie, I never thought about it. I was happy here. But”
“But what?”
“The town is gone, the kids are gone and I’ve got only a year if I’m ever going to be a cadet Amazon.” She blurted out the last, then added, “But I’ll stick if you do.”
“No.”
“I will so!”
“No. But I want you to do something when you go back.”
“What?”
“Get in touch with my sister Helen. Find out where she is stationed. Assault Captain Helen Walker got it? Tell her I’m okay . . . and tell her I said to help you get into the Corps.”
“Uh . . . Roddie, I don’t want to go!”