Following, still examining the bird, she cast her eyes over his purchases, “This’s a lot of food for only the two of us.”
“Yeah, but we can freeze part of it t’ make it last longer. Plus, it’ll be nice for us t’ keep some traditions. Or start some new ones,” he smiled again, still aware of her tension.
Shoving the creature into the fridge, Bailey turned and exited the small space, leaving him to put the remaining items away. “Amanda posted another picture of her belly. That girl is getting huge,” she made the comment, only half expecting a response. “So I guess she’s really pregnant. The boys are doing great; they rode four-wheelers today.”
“Yeah, I saw it while I was in line at the store; H-E-B was packed,” he informed her, ignoring her remark about his ex-girlfriend. “I had t’ wait in line almost an hour t’ check out.”
“You didn’t go to Wal-mart?” she queried, switching on the news.
“Oh, hell no, that place woulda been even worse,” finished with the unpacking, he grabbed a bottle of water to join her on the couch, “Anyways, I’m off until Monday. A four-day weekend; woohoo.”
“I’m not. I work every night, not counting tomorrow,” she frowned at the screen. “Have you seen this?”
“It happens every year,” he watched the flickering story while flopping down on his end, “I’m surprised you never heard of it. What’s th’ death toll at?”
“They haven’t said. We used to get the flu shot every year, when mom was alive; religiously. Of course, where we lived, it was already cold by now, not still sixty degrees outside,” she sighed.
“You can still get one, if you want,” he tried to appease her, “But it’s not guaranteed. I really think these rogue viruses are gettin’ more common, an’ there’s not really any point in vaccinations. Hell, they may even be makin’ it worse, with people thinkin’ they’re immune, only t’ find out they’re not.”
“It’s depressing,” she switched the channel.
“Yeah, well, it is what it is,” the blond stood to go change clothes, “I’m headin’ t’ the gym.”
“Me, too,” she agreed, moving to put on her own shorts and tank as well.
Taking her place on the treadmill next to his, she queried, “How do you know this isn’t a pandemic? Or the start of one?”
Caleb shrugged, setting his machine, “I don’t. But every year, the death toll is something like thirty or forty thousand in the US alone.”
“Wow,” she breathed, “That’s a lot of people.”
“Not in the big scheme o’ things,” he countered evenly. “It’s fine, little bit. Really; I don’t want you to be worried about this,” he stated firmly, having noticed her increased amounts of hand washing. “That giant bottle o’ hand sanitizer you added t’ that suitcase you carry will protect you.”
From the corner of her eye, she could see his ear to ear grin, and wondered if it was the cleanser or her bag that had caused it. “Well, I hope so. I can’t save the boys if something happens to me,” she finished with an exaggerated sigh.
“Well,” he continued to smirk, “I tol’ you to leave all o’ this end o’ the world business to me. I’ll let you know when it’s serious enough t’ worry about.”
Staring straight ahead, her mood did not improve; yeah, you keep saying that, but it’s getting hard to do when there’s never any good news to be had.
Bailey awoke the following morning in a foul mood. She had read the directions for cooking the turkey the night before, and had discovered that it would, in fact, be exceedingly simple. But that’s not the point, she told herself angrily. Putting the hefty pan in the oven, it would take several hours to bake. Setting up a few of the other items, she continued to seethe over his attitude.
It bothered her that he wanted to pretend like the world was spinning on as normal. But everything is not normal; I can feel it. However, verbal confrontations with him got her nowhere, so she saw little point in continuing the debate.
The dishes set, she accompanied him to the gym for her daily lesson, where she took out some of her anger on him by more physical means, punching him as hard as she could when she attacked him. Once that had been completed, they ambled back to the apartment, the sun already up and the temperature nearly fifty. “You don’t find this strange?” she mumbled as they climbed the stairs.
“What’s strange,” he grinned, pretty sure she referred to the weather.
“It’s supposed to be cold,” she stated matter-of-factly.
“Naw, it’ll be even warmer than this down south. The boys’ll be out playing an’ riding horses, an’ who knows what all. Snow,” he considered for a brief moment, “I think I’ve seen maybe twice in my whole life, down at The Ranch.” He could tell she missed Illinois, and wished he could do something to make her feel more comfortable.
Settling into a kitchen chair after his shower, he watched as she prepared the rest of their meal. “You really have turned out to be a fantastic cook,” he complimented, offering her an olive branch.
“Yes,” she agreed absently, noting his bare chest, while continuing to go through the process of putting the green beans and potatoes on the stove. “I actually enjoy it. Like you said, it’s different eating a meal that I made. More satisfying, I guess you could say,” and a small smile teased her lips.
Finished with the necessities at the moment, she sighed, picking up on his efforts to make amends. Deciding to play along, she suggested quietly, “Would you like coffee or cocoa?”
“Sure,” he grinned, “Whatever you feel like, I’ll take some, too.”
Putting on a pan of milk, she brought it to a boil and cut off the burner. Then she took out two mugs, mixing the dark liquid and adding a few marshmallows. Caleb studied her, “Someday you’re gonna make a super mom. Did yours teach you t’ do that?”
“No,” she shook her head, “Nanna did. Or the maid, but hers wasn’t the same. My mother didn’t really have time for us.”
“That’s too bad,” the blond shook his head, “My mom always liked doin’ little things like this for us,” he stabbed at the white goo. “And she liked you, I think.”
The girl sucked in a deep breath, “I’d really rather not talk about the people at The Ranch. They wanted to kill me, remember?”
“Not all of them, little bit. An’ besides, it wasn't outta malice, or anything like that. They wanted t’ protect their lives; their hard work. That’s all. wasn't anything against you,” he sighed, damn; that’s exactly what I wanted to avoid.
“Well, assuming I would give them away, or do anything to hurt them was wrong, no matter what their excuse.”
“Yes it was,” he agreed, taking a sip of the hot liquid, “An’ given time, I think they woulda seen that they could trust you. If you hadn’t needed t’ finish school here, you woulda had time t’ show ‘em.”
“Hmmp,” she grunted, flicking on the set to discover the parade broadcast. The sight brought another small flicker of a smile, “We used to watch these; it was one of the few things we did as a family.”
“Oh yeah?” he grinned, “I like traditions. They help bind us to our families an’ friends. We used t’ gather aroun’ at th’ diner for a huge meal. An’ each of us’d stand up an’ tell one thing we were thankful for. Everyone did it, no matter how young.”
“And what are you thankful for, Caleb?” she glared at him, expecting something that would undoubtedly piss her off.
“I’m thankful I met you,” his blue eyes stared into her soft green orbs. “I know you prolly find it hard t’ believe,” he sighed, allowing his focus to flitter away, “But you’re a much better friend t’ me than anyone else ever has been.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she couldn’t resist the urge to push for a fight, “I bet your bride to be would be so broken hearted to hear that.”
He busted out with a loud laugh, “Well, my bride t’ be will be in for a shock when I get that whole situation straightened out. I’m gonna make her get tested, an’ then I’
ll have proof that th’ kid ain’ mine. An’ besides, I tol’ you; I’m not marryin’ her.” He rubbed the outside of his lips for a moment, studying the girl across from him, “I wonder who the father is,” he finally admitted in a soft tone.
A jolt of electricity shot through her, as Bailey recalled the night they had heard a couple going at it in the barn, “You don’t think that was her, do you?” she spoke of the event, assuming he would know what she referred to.
“I dunno,” he shrugged. “All I know is, it’s gonna be a huge mess when the shit finally hits the fan.” He grinned again, feeling a twinge of joy that she had finally reached a point of at least considering he could be telling the truth; now that’s something I’m really thankful for.
Naughty or Nice
Alissa Porter stared at her post, a small smile curling her lips; well, it’s about time, Bailey. She had promised the menfolk three months ago that she would help make the girl feel welcome in their little tight-knit community, but for the first time since, there had been a sign it might actually be working.
Sitting up straighter in her chair, she quickly typed out her reply to the girl’s comment. Her hand poised above the mouse, she read it again; yeah, that’s exactly what I wanna say. Satisfied, she hit the enter key, sending her message across cyberspace. Sending her words to the girl she genuinely hoped would one day be her neighbor and friend.
On the other end, Bailey stared at the screen, catching herself giggling along. Typing her own opinion, she continued to smile, noting how some of the other girls had joined in. Wow, this is nice. She caught a brief fit of laughter, her mind dragging up her old division for The Ranch members; naughty or nice. Yeah, you girls are all on the nice list; trust me.
Bailey had once thought of Facebook and her web of friends as the center of her universe. Surprising herself, she had almost found it cathartic the day she had pitched them to the wind, cleansing her life of the people who surrounded her, but knew nothing about her inner being.
In the weeks that followed, she had spied on the new friends on her list, strangely attracted to the people who held her brothers in their grasp; the group who had wanted her dead. The girl had gathered intel on the entire community, pouring over their profiles, and seeing them in a new light.
It saddened her after Amanda made her announcement, aware that the naughty list held far more names. It bothered her, seeing her posts, and the way the others responded to them. After the initial push, Bailey stopped visiting those pages, having gleaned all that she needed to know about them.
Choosing to visit the pages of the smaller group, the few Bailey considered to be her allies on the nice list, she spent time each week getting to know them little by little. Amazingly, once she started to dig, she discovered this small group of women appeared ready, if not eager, to accept her as one of them.
Alissa had reached out to the girl when she had physically been in their midst. Being a few hundred miles away might have put a dampener on her efforts, if it had not been for the ease of clicking a few buttons. Tagging her new auburn haired friend, the youngest Fox daughter included Bailey in a few posts and discussions about food, recipes, and the like. Soon, it seemed as if the solid brick wall that protected the clan still extended around the other girl as well, holding her there in spirit.
At first Bailey felt wary of their friendship, only interacting with them out of being polite and keeping her eye on them at the same time. She read much, but commented little. Soon however, the nice list had grown, including Alissa’s daughters, Judy and Lynnette. The pair of them had moved to The Ranch at around the age that the twins had joined the lot, so they had memories of the outside world as well.
With the altered dynamic, the younger trio delved deeply into debates over music and movies, and before they knew it, Amber and Rebecca Burns were a part of their small circle. Their discussions branched to include all sorts of interesting topics, and today’s post was the one Alissa had been waiting for. The one that made it obvious; Bailey viewed the group as her friends.
Flipping over to her list of contacts, she sent a private message to Peter, adding a link to the post; I think your Bailey will return to us. I gave my word that I would help, but please be sure I haven’t been an instrument in her destruction. I don’t know if I could live with myself if that were to happen.
A few days later, Pete sent his reply; no guarantees. She still has enemies here, so we will wait. Keep up the good work; it is appreciated. Bailey needs our friendship and love, either way.
Alissa stared at the response for a long time. She had liked the girl from the beginning, fully understanding what it was like to join the community after having lived and loved life on the outside of it. Putting her reservations aside, she continued to share their beliefs; about the world and what would become of it.
If They’re Right
Bailey crossed the street, rubbing her hands together to warm them. She had finally taken to wearing her jacket, as the temperatures were beginning to qualify as cooler. Smiling slightly at the giant Santa scene that covered the glass at the shop, she made her way inside.
“Hey, Mark,” she called as she passed him. Heading to the back, she shoved her bag in the locker to begin her shift. To her surprise, he followed her into the smaller room. “Is something wrong?” she queried.
“Nope. You are an exceptional employee. I realize you’re graduating in a few months, and probably headin’ off to college after that,” he made the suggestion, pausing to see if she would fill in the details, but she had always been a private person, not sharing much of anything about herself; past, present or future.
When she failed to reply, he became blunt. “I need a new shift manager, an’ I was hoping you would take the spot. There’s a nice little raise that goes along with that, by the way,” he tacked on the incentive, hoping it would entice her.
“Mark,” she sighed, “I appreciate the offer, but I really can’t put any more on my plate.” He wasn’t aware of the turmoil that lurked in the back of her mind on a daily basis; no one was. There would be no way she could make room for anything else, even if it meant more pay.
Checking her reflection in the mirror, she dismissed him, leaving him standing in the office gaping after her. Arriving at her register, she swiped her card and began taking orders.
In between customers, she flipped the lobby television to CNN, which had become her norm. She couldn’t hear, since the sound had been muted, but she could see the text at the bottom from the captioning, and had been following the latest flu outbreak for days. Her mind never far from The Ranch as of late, she recalled Alissa’s latest post, considering, what if they’re right?
Taking her break, she had just taken a bite of her cheeseburger, when Caleb slid into the booth next to her, playfully pinning her in, “Hey, little bit.”
“Hey, Caleb,” she shot him a quick grin, then returned to eating her meal.
Adjusting to pull off his coat, he indicated the screen they faced, “Pretty crazy, huh? Eighteen more people died today in Boston. Who knows how many everywhere else? This’s the worst year yet, an’ it’s not even close to over.”
“Yeah,” she agreed between chews, finishing the burger and starting on the fries, “It doesn’t sound like many, when you hear about those pockets, but the totals,” she paused, emitting a small shudder, “It’s kinda creepy how the bodies seem to be piling up.”
“Yup,” her roommate accepted the tray from her co-worker, and began to unwrap his meal, “You need t’ go back yet?”
“Naw, I still have like six minutes,” her eyes remained glued to the screen, “Seventy-eight people in the last three days, in Washington State. That’s both ends of the country.” She shook her head slowly, side to side, “I don’t like this.”
“Would you mind if I got you a gift?” he changed the subject abruptly, “You know, for Christmas?”
Her head turned as if in slow motion, looking at him squarely, “Do you want one in return?”
/> Giving her a chuckle, he shook his head, “Not really, I jus’ had somethin’ picked out for you. Somethin’ you might like.”
“Scoot over,” she tapped him on the arm with the back of her hand, indicating for him to stand, “I don’t care if you do,” she made it to her feet, “But I can’t guarantee I’ll get you anything.” She frowned down at him when he sat, “You should have said something sooner, while I still had time to shop.”
“Naw, save your money,” he waved a fry at her, “It’s not a big deal.”
“Mmhmm,” she grimaced, returning to her register while pondering his offer. In the end, she had grown accustomed to his off and on behavior, and the way he seemed to oscillate between their relationship qualifying as a friendship, or something more. Today we must be on the more side, she considered with a tiny grin.
Caleb remained at the shop, relaxing in the booth and watching the broadcast. She’s right, this’s crazy; he shook his head at the scene. The number scrolled across the bottom, death toll reaches thirty-two-thousand. “Wow,” he whispered out loud, “That’s a lot for only this far along.” Still, it’s not a pandemic; at least not yet.
Walking together after she had clocked out, Bailey thought about his request, and his odd behavior. He had finished his studies right after the Thanksgiving holiday. However, he continued to come to the store and escort her home in the evenings, and that put her on edge.
“You don’t think anything would happen to me, do you?” her question caught him off guard.
“Whadda ya mean?”
“Well, you come over and walk me home every night, even though you don’t have to. If something was wrong, you’d tell me, wouldn’t you?” her mind flashed briefly to the Facebook pages she seldom pulled up any more, and wondered if there had been any more threats from down south.
The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set Page 24
