Maybe, if anything, that’s something I can learn from him before we go our separate ways.
Chapter Twenty
~Before~
7 Weeks Earlier
My father arrives midway through our inventory of the medicine cabinet. Once we’re finished we’ll have to ration and figure out a schedule including the additional supplies. He hands over a bag of groceries, nothing much, mostly basics, sugar, flour…
“What the heck is this?” I ask holding up a red can.
“Canned milk.”
“Milk comes in a can? It’s all…warm.”
We add it to the table, knocking over half-full bottles of aspirin and allergy tablets. My mother’s eyes light up as much at the sight of the food as my dad.
His face is covered with a thick mask and he wears protective clothing from his fingers to his toes. His eyes narrow when he sees our organizing, but I know he must be pleased. He’s a planner—a trait he has tried desperately to instill in my mother. She all but runs into his arms once she really realizes he’s here and I’m overwhelmed by their connection. Suddenly, more than anything else, shit seems very, very real.
“Alex,” he says. “Come here.”
I give him a hug and look over his shoulder. I see we’ve got company. “Who’s that?” I ask, eyeing the men in a similar uniform. I feel underdressed. Exposed. What are they afraid of? Us?
“Some people from the lab—well, that one you know.” He pointed to one of the men. “I think you call him “LabGuy.””
He looks up and I catch sight of those killer blue eyes. “Oh, right, hey LabGuy, welcome to our lovely home. I’d offer you something to eat or drink but well, we don’t have enough.”
“Alex!” my mother cried.
“Too soon?” I smile weakly.
My father shook his head. “He’ll take your blood and give you the injection. I need to talk to your mother a bit.”
They disappear down the hall and LabGuy comes over with his weird looking lab kit/briefcase. The other guy waits by the door and I ask, “What’s his deal?”
“Security.”
“You and my dad got a security detail to visit the house?”
He nodded and pulled out his materials, arranging them on the table between us.
“Are you like apocalypse famous or something?” I wait for the crinkle by his eyes, the one that tells me he’s laughing at my jokes, but it never arrives. His normally bright, happy blue eyes are rimmed in red. He’s tired.
Per our routine I gave him my hand and let him swab it with alcohol, feeling the coolness before the sting of the puncture. “So tell me the truth, LabGuy, is this the last time I’m going to see you?”
“This is your last injection. That’s why it was important for us to come here today.”
“Am I the only one still getting these shots?”
His eyes tightened. “Classified, Alexandra, you know that.”
“I thought with the end of the world and all maybe you’d cave.”
He wrapped the Band-Aid around my finger and moved to give me the injection in the crook of my arm. “If it makes you feel better, if I could tell anyone, it would be you.”
“Aww, thanks, LabGuy, you know just how to warm a girl’s heart.”
I wince from the pressure of the injection, happy it’s the last one. This time I get a bandage with smiley faces on it. I watch as he packs up the equipment, feeling once again a heaviness in this moment. I lay my hand on his and meet his eyes. Quietly, I ask, “Things are bad, aren’t they.”