"And if you ask it properly, it'll come." She looked at him. "I don't know if I called the flood or if the canyon sent it. Maybe both."
"Maybe the land was tired of men like Coleman desecrating it." "You believe that? That the land has will?" "I believe everything's connected."
"The rock, the water, the sky, us. And I believe that when you spend enough time listening, you start to hear what the world's trying to tell you." She smiled faintly. "My grandmother could call rain in a drought."
"Could make crops grow in dead soil. People said she was blessed. She said she just paid attention." "And you paid attention."
"I had a good teacher." The smile faded. "I just wish she could have taught me more before she died. There's so much I don't remember."
"Songs I only know parts of. Stories I heard once and forgot." Rhett moved closer, put his arm around her shoulders. "Then we'll figure out the rest together."
"Write down what you remember. Learn what we don't know. Make new stories." "You really think we'll get that chance?"
"I have to. Otherwise, what are we doing this for?" She leaned into him, and they sat like that while the fire burned low and the night grew cold. Above them, a shooting star streaked across the sky, bright and brief and beautiful.
"Make a wish," Ayah said. "I thought you didn't believe in that kind of thing." "I don't. But it doesn't hurt to try."
Rhett closed his eyes and wished for something simple. For them to survive. For the chance to build something that lasted. For Ayah to smile without the shadow of loss behind it.
When he opened his eyes, she was watching him. "What did you wish for?" she asked. "Can't tell you. It won't come true."
"That's superstition." "Maybe. But like you said, doesn't hurt to try." She kissed him then, soft and slow, tasting like coffee and smoke and hope.
When they finally pulled apart, Rhett realized his hands were shaking. "We should get married," he said. "For real. I mean, not just words I said to make Coleman angry."
Ayah blinked. "That's your proposal? We should get married?" "I'm not good at this, clearly." But she was smiling.
"Yes." "Yes?" "Yes. We should get married."
"When we get to Washington. When this is over. When we're not running for our lives." She took his hand. "Deal."