Socially Distanced: A Quarantine Novella

“Where do we go now?” Kendra asks as she looks up and down the street.

“Well, as far as I know, I still own a house an hour from here.” I check the pamphlet about transportation. “It looks like as long as we can get to the edge of downtown, we can find a ride over that way.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to get into the house?”

“I know where a key is hidden outside.”

“I guess that’s handy, but will it still be there?”

“Only one way to find out,” I say with a shrug. “Do you have any other ideas?”

“Just one.”

“What’s that?”

“I want to go to a store…”

“Yeah?”

“…and buy the softest toilet paper they have.”

I burst out laughing. Kendra grabs my hand, and we start to follow the growing line of people walking down the street, towards the transportation hub.

I don’t know what we’ll find when we reach my house. I don’t know anything about what’s in our future, but I feel hopeful about it. Even in our isolation, we were never really alone in the world. I know that one way or another, Kendra and I are going to get through it all.

Together.

Epilogue: New Life, Day 17

I lean against the porch rail, taking in the morning sun and inhaling deeply on an actual name-brand cigarette. I hear the door open behind me, and Kendra walks out, coffee cup in hand. She moves a few feet away from me and stretches out her arm.

I do the same, and our fingertips curl around each other’s briefly before Kendra graces me with her beautiful smile. We drop our hands, and she moves to press herself against me. She kisses my cheek and steals my smoke.

“I thought you were quitting.”

“It doesn’t count if I just take a puff off of yours.” She hands it back, blowing smoke out into the air.

“I’m pretty sure it does.”

“No, it does not. Just like movie popcorn doesn’t count when you’re on a diet.”

“Why doesn’t that count?”

“Because it’s all part of the entertainment experience.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Deal with it.” She steals my smoke again. “Speaking of movies, the theatre a few blocks from here is opening up again this weekend.”

“Oh yeah? Something you want to see?”

“Anything at this point.” She laughs.

“It’s the little things that matter.”

“Yes, it is. Above all, what matters is being able to see it with you beside me. Never apart.”

“Never apart.” It has become our mantra.