Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1584

The man with the scarred face grew more anxious. He turned to Elliot. “Elliot, let's speed up. I'll carry you.” Elliot was just as eager to get to the cabin, so he nodded. “Okay!” The man hoisted him onto his back and took off at a run towards the cabin. About ten minutes later, the cabin came into view, and Walter finally appeared. He stood in the distance, waving at them. “Elliot!” Elliot’s eyes lit up. “It's Walter!” The scarred man saw him too and quickened his pace, running over with Elliot on his back. “Walter!” Elliot called out excitedly. “Hey, hey.” Walter chuckled, taking Elliot from the scarred man's back and lifting him high into the air. “Look at you, kid! You've gotten sturdier in just over a month!” Elliot quickly asked, “Walter, have you seen Evan?” “I did, I did. Evan's with Bernard and the old lady right now. Quincy's at home cooking up a feast for you two.” He then turned to the scarred man and greeted him with a smile. “Come on, let's go home!” Walter started walking with Elliot in his arms, but Elliot, worried about tiring him, slid down to walk on his own. He held Walter's hand and asked as they walked, “Walter, didn't you guys see us enter the area yesterday?” “We saw you. We knew the moment you arrived. We were about to go check, but then we realized it was you, so we weren't worried and didn't head over.” Elliot was even more confused. If they knew it was them, they should have been even more eager to come find them, right? Especially Bernard. He would have been overjoyed to see them and would have come running. Elliot frowned. “Walter, did something bad happen here in the mountains?” A strange glint flashed in Walter's eyes, but he quickly covered it with a smile. “Nothing major. Quincy and I were out yesterday. When we saw you'd arrived, we rushed back.” “Bernard and the old lady were at home, but Bernard got sick. He hasn't fully recovered yet. He wanted to come get you, but your great-grandmother forced him to stay put.” Elliot’s face fell. “What's wrong with Bernard?!” The scarred man also frowned, looking at Walter with a worried expression. Walter feigned calmness. “A cold and a fever. Just a little bug. The old lady is looking after him, so you don't need to worry.” “A cold and a fever?” Walter nodded, sighing. “People get old. Our bodies aren't what they used to be. Getting a little sick is normal.” Elliot and the scarred man remained silent. When they reached the cabin, Walter called out, “I brought them back.” Quincy hurried out of the kitchen. Even though Elliot wasn't his successor, he was incredibly fond of the boy. “Elliot!” Elliot quickly greeted him, “Quincy.” Quincy beamed. “I didn't expect to see you again so soon. Are Emmett and the others doing well?” “Yes, they're great. Where's Bernard?” “In his room, talking with Evan.” Just as Quincy finished speaking, the great-grandmother emerged from Bernard's cabin, her face full of affection. “Elliot.” Elliot ran to her. “Great-Grandma!” The old woman chuckled. “Good boy, you've gotten taller.” Bernard and Evan also came out of the room. Evan's eyes were red and swollen, as if he had just been crying. When Elliot and the scarred man saw Bernard, they both froze. They barely recognized him. In just over a month, Bernard had wasted away to skin and bones. He'd always been lean, but this was a sickly, emaciated thinness. Elliot's eyes welled up. He ran and hugged him. “Bernard.” Bernard scooped him up and launched him into the air, catching the boy with effortless precision.