by Shelly Crane
“She does seem very Mother Hennish doesn’t she.”
I glanced over and saw that Lillian was looking at Sherry like a sister would with a smile to boot.
“Yeah, that’s a good word for it. Even more so now I’m sure than she was back then. She’s taken on a few more responsibilities lately.”
“Yes. I heard. Wow, so they found a little girl somewhere?”
“Jeff and Miguel did, and we all sort of adopted her but Sherry and Merrick are...I don’t know, her guardians. She loves them like parents and they love her too. She’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. Two feet of blonde, bubbly and gorgeous.”
“I can’t wait. I always wanted kids. I guess that’s not possible now,” she muttered quietly.
I looked at her, she must have seen something there, sympathy maybe because she quickly went into a spat of recants.
“I don’t mean because of my husband being gone, I just meant because, who would bring a child into the world like this ya know? I mean, that’d be pretty selfish. Wait... I don’t mean that. Crap. I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore,” she said, scrubbing her hands over her face in exasperation, or maybe it was embarrassment.
Either way, it was pretty cute. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her which she smiled and blushed at before she finished her explanation.
“I’m sorry. I’m a mumbler.”
“It’s ok. It’s refreshing actually. No need to hide how you really feel. We’re all friends here. Well, most of us.”
She must get my meaning about the Amazon woman and giggled, pushing her dirty hair behind her ear with her fingers. As we passed each room I motioned and pointed, telling her what each one was used for. We reached the bathroom door, I leaned against the doorframe with my shoulder and put my hands in my pockets.
“Thanks, Cain. And thanks for the tour. I’ll do my best to remember everything, but no guarantees.”
“No problem. I’ll just have to keep showing you until you learn it. I’ll leave you to it.”
She smiled at me, a real smile, as I walked away and I returned it. Nice girl. I walked away wondering how old she was, what she looked like not caked in dirt, is she really as sweet as she seems, will she be able to get over her husband, would she be the one able to replace Sherry in my thoughts. Gah, I hope so.
That night after everyone showered and the ladies slaved over making dinner for everyone, we traded stories. Everyone piled in the commons room, wall to wall, some people had to sit in the hall and on the stairs. I found my usual spot. Next to Sherry on the back wall. Ahem.
But oh wow.
When I saw Lillian emerge from the hall all scrubbed clean and hair brushed, I know I must have done some kinda girly gasp. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I almost asked Sherry who the creature was before it hit me. Her hair is seriously blonde where before it had been dingy and almost brown from mud.
Her skin is a sharp pale making her blue eyes very bright and blue, the thing you have to look at first when you see her. It looked like she was wearing some of Sherry’s clean clothes.
I also saw that I wasn’t the only one looking. Miguel, Josh, even Ryan and that new Keeper were looking as well, just as in awe. Hmmm. And she didn’t notice a one of us.
She came to sit herself cross legged on the floor in front of Sherry, sort of half turned to focus on us and whoever was speaking. I wanted to say something to show the others that I was closest to her. Something childish like ‘nana nana boo boo’ but I kept it to myself.
I tried to focus on Susan, who was speaking at the time. Everyone told their own story if they had one. Pap told our sad little pathetic story of before we got here. Maggie joined in of course to correct and yell at him about changing things to make them sound worse than they were.
Everyone laughed and carried on. It was light conversation mostly. No one went into great gory detail about the things that had happened. Lillian didn’t speak and no one else spoke of her husband. Sherry whispered to Merrick and he smiled at her, then she whispered to Lillian and she smiled to. Then Sherry got up, wobbly on her cast. I extended a quick hand which she took, she always took it. But she wouldn’t if she found out how I felt, one of my main reasons to keep quiet. I was wondering what she was whispering about when she turned to me.
“I’m gonna go get Lily, Cainy boy,” she whispered to me.
Gosh, I loved it when she called me that. I have no idea why. It was a stupid childish name but oh man, how I loved it. And she never spoke it where anyone else could hear it.
None of the new ones had seen Lily between her naps and baths and such. Sherry was apparently excited to make a debut of her.
Lily had been detained in the kitchen with Marissa and Kay for the stories as they finished the dishes. Sherry wasn’t sure if they’d be too gory or upset her. I was just as excited as her. I knew everyone would fall in love with her just like we did.
She came back carrying the girl in her arms, on her hip, her tiny frame barely able to handle even Lily. It was quite comical to look at. But also sweet. I glanced around to get the reactions which were comical as well.
You couldn’t resist all that blonde hair and bashful smiles. They gasped and oohed and ahhed. Lillian’s was by far the best. The sweet womanly tears started to gather in her eyes but she dammed them back and smiled widely.
“Lily, this is the new people that are gonna live with us,” Sherry started and went around the room with the introductions.
Lily was a perfect little specimen. She smiled and waved her fingers at them and tucked her face shyly into Sherry’s neck when someone cooed at her. Our own little Shirley Temple. Since she’s been taken care of and Sherry brushes her hair regularly, which she wasn’t getting before, her hair has started to curl at the ends making her even more precious and doll looking.
Sherry put her down and she ran right to Merrick’s arms, outstretched for her. After Sherry sat back down I decided to go get ready for work. I still work at the diner/coffee shop. It’s a good cover to get things from the grocery store and be seen out in public. Soon the convenience store we live under will no longer be used or needed.
We’ve started tilling the ground for our garden. We decided to put it under a tarp cover with holes cut in the top for sunlight. It’s the only way to keep prying eyes from the sky from seeing the garden and coming to investigate but still let it get rain and sunshine.
It’s a good plan. I’m pretty sure it’ll work out fine. We put it out behind the shed. In fact it’s time for another grocery store run. End of the week. That’s how it goes these days. For the past few weeks we’ve been doing these end of the week store runs, preparing for when the need warehouses come and it’ll be a lot harder to shop.
I tell Jeff and Miguel as much before I head out. We agree that all the ones that can go will go in the morning. So far we have three sleeping rooms full of food. It won’t be enough. It won’t be near enough. But it’s a start.
I glance back to survey the crowd before I head up the stairs and see Lillian, throwing back her head and laughing at Lily. I smile and decide that I’m happy with our new guest.
Breaking New Ground
Chapter 4 - Lillian
I lay in the dark, in a new place, in my new room, alone. It’s late but I can hear talking in the hall. It’s a quiet place. You can hear everything. It’s hot. It’s too dark. It’s small.
It’s perfect.
What luck to find them. Sherry and Merrick and the rest. If I could see the ceiling I’d be staring at it. I wonder if it too is concrete, just like everything else.
I decide I’ve laid here long enough. I should have fallen right out but I can’t. My mind wont be still. I climb out of my pallet. I’m wearing Sherry’s t-shirt she loaned me though the sleep pants are a little short and crack my door open.
The people I heard talking are in the hall. Jeff and Miguel. At least I think that’s their names. They see me peeking and the severely handsome one speaks.
“Hey. Sor
ry. Did we wake you? Lillian, right?”
“Yes. No, you didn’t wake me. I couldn’t sleep anyway.”
Marissa pops her head out of a door, grabbing Jeff’s arm.
“Miguel. That’s enough planning for one night. Please let Jeff come back to bed now,” she said pleadingly, even as she’s pulling Jeff towards her through the door.
Miguel chuckles.
“Ok. Ok. I guess I need my own Sheila, so I can have someone to jerk me from my duties too!” Miguel yells as Jeff laughs and slips in the door, shutting it behind him without looking back.
Miguel rolls his eyes and turns back to me.
“Want to rock up to the kitchen for a bit? I make a mean cup of hot tea,” Miguel said and I was fairly certain I understood what he was saying so I nodded and followed him down the hall.
Miguel isn’t very handsome. He’s kinda nice looking but too rugged and sharp to be handsome. Not that I care what people look like. He seems really nice though. And has a nice smile.
“So. I heard the bloke say you guys have been living in an abandoned house?”
“Yes. We found a three bedroom we’ve been staying at for about two weeks. We usually can’t stay somewhere for very long. Things haven’t been too bad until we started seeing those things all the time. The flying things?”
“Markers.”
I decide I’m totally in love with his accent.
“Yeah, those. Then one night a Lighter showed up so we figured we better move since Mitchell didn’t get a chance to kill it. That’s when we headed this direction.” Then I thought about what I just said and felt my face pale. “Oh God. I can’t believe I just said that. How cold of me.”
“No it’s not. It’s a Lighter. They aren’t human anymore love. Well, I guess that doesn’t matter. They don’t have humanity anymore is more like it. Like the Keepers do. Most of the Keepers have more humanity than most humans I know.”
“Yeah. Mitchell is really great, for sure.”
“Did I hear my name?”
I turned to see Mitchell, he saw us right as we rounded the corner into the commons room, as everyone called it.
“Yes, actually,” I said surprised at my relief to see him.
I had barely seen Mitchell since we’ve been here. He kinda took over the protector role of me since his charge and my husband died. I’m not sure how I feel about that now. I thought Keepers didn’t love. Couldn’t. But now, seeing Merrick and Jeff so happy and even intense in their relationships, it’s making me question Mitchell’s intentions.
What if his being so nice and sweet, all the touching and consideration has to do with more than being Keeperly?
“Hey, Lillian. How ya setting up?” Mitchell asked and came to stand beside me.
“Ok. This place is great. A nice hideout.” I wasn’t sure what to say.
I still felt out of it.
“Yeah, it is,” Miguel agreed. “All we got are little rooms and swag beds, but it’ll do, right? Me and my crew came here because of the flyer too, a few months back,” he said then poked his hand out to Mitchell. “Names Miguel. We didn’t get a chance to introduce ourselves earlier.”
“I’m Mitchell. Nice to meet you. I’m Lillian’s Keeper. Well...”
“It’s ok, Mitchell. He was my husbands Keeper. He died,” I explained.
“I see, I’m sorry. I lost my wife a year ago as well. I know how it is.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, it’s rough.” I didn’t know what else to say now either.
“Well, I’ll be in the kitchen if you still want that tea,” he said winking and smiled, already walking to the kitchen.
“Thank you.”
“So how are you really? You cleaned up nicely,” Mitchell said, looking me over.
He’d always been sensitive to my moods. He was always there for me. Good thing he wasn’t in the room earlier when Polly went off on me. He would have let her have it as he’s done on many occasions for my sake. I just can’t fight her. Not on that. Not over Michael. It’s seems so contradictory and I just let her do it to me every time.
“I’m ok. I’m just so tired and not able to sleep.”
“Come here,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the couch.
I go willingly. I know what he’s gonna do. He sits and pulls me down next to him, putting my head in his lap to scratch my head.
“How are you?” I ask after I get situated.
“I’m fine. It’s weird being here, especially finding Merrick and Jeff and the rest of them.”
“Yeah. Weird is a good word for it. It’s a nice place though. Perfect for what we need it for.”
“Yeah. I hear they’ve had some trouble, but things are better here than they were for us. We made the right choice coming here. Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be ok now.”
“I know,” I decide to go ahead and bring up the subject we’re avoiding, about Keepers, uh, dating. “So can you believe Merrick and Sherry? I wonder if they had something going on back at the warehouse.”
“Merrick used to watch Sherry. He wasn’t supposed to, we’re only supposed to watch our charge but...anyway. He was struggling with it all back then. I guess it worked out for him.”
“Looks like it. They look happy. It’s nice that people can still find each other, even with all this going on.” I wince at my words and wish I could take them back.
I’m not trying to provoke him into a confession but it’s looks like I am now. I try to hurry and change the subject.
“So, I overheard they are making a store run in the morning. I think I should go with them.”
“Lillian. You know how I feel about that. I don’t like you going places where I can’t...keep an eye on you.”
“I know. But ,Mitchell, you aren’t my Keeper. I’m not a Special. Besides I won’t be by myself. Cain and a few others are going. I need to do what I can to help.”
He stops scratching and starts to run his fingers through my hair and on my neck, almost absentmindedly. He’s done this so many times to soothe me, it feels second nature.
“I know I’m not your Keeper, but I still feel responsible for you. But I also know you. You won’t feel good until you’ve done something to make yourself useful. I’m not...in a position to make you stay so...” He sighed, giving in. “Please be careful.”
“I will. Thanks for looking out for me, I appreciate it but you don’t have to. I’ve told you this before. I don’t want to be a burden to you just because Michael’s gone.”
“Lillian. That’s not what you are to me.” He was silent for so long, I wondered if he’d say more or leave it. Eventually he spoke again. “You may not be a Special, but you are special. Don’t forget that. I will always be here for you, not because I have to, but because I want to.”
“Thanks Mitch,” I said and squeezed his knee.
“You’re very welcome, Lil. Now sleep,” he said as he resumed scratching my head.
And I did.
The next morning, everyone was bustling around getting ready for the store trip. I had fallen asleep on the couch, on Mitchell’s lap, for the whole night. My neck stung with a kink but I pulled myself up slowly so as not to wake him.
He was so sweet. We both feel asleep last night and he’d stayed with me. I could see how uncomfortable it was. His head laid back awkwardly on the back of the couch. I smiled and silently thanked him for always thinking of me.
I turned after laying the afghan on Mitchell and ran right into Miguel. He grabbed my arm to keep me from falling.
“Oh! I’m sorry.”
“That’s alright. I got no qualms about catching the pretty ones,” Miguel said and winked, releasing my arm.
“Thanks.” I looked around. “So, everyone is going on the run?”
“Just about. Everyone that can go, at least. We got a lot of stocking up to do before the need warehouses screw it all up for us.”
“Yeah...” We slowly walked to the hallway together. “Well, I can go, I guess. If you need m
e.”
“You don’t sound so sure.”
“Well, Mitchell doesn’t want me to,” I admitted softly.
“Well, then. I wouldn’t go. Those Keepers seem to know what they’re talking about. If he doesn’t want you to, he must have a reason.”
“Hmm. Ok. Makes sense.”
“So.” He leaned on the wall beside me. “You’re pretty young, ay?”
“Yeah.” I ducked my head and tucked my hair behind my ear to cover my blush. My age has always been a sore spot for me, since I had been married so young so I try to joke. “But I can legally drink and rent a car.”
He laughed and nodded.
“True. So. Coming with? Jeff and I could always use another pair of hands.”
He looked at me expectantly.
“Um.” I glanced at the couch where Mitchell still slept. Then spotted my sweet tour guide, Cain, in my peripheral, coming from his room in the hall. He smiled at me and punched Miguel’s arm as he walked by. “I don’t think so. Next time. Definitely.”
“Ok. Maybe, uh, we can talk more later? When I get back?”
“Sure,” I said and smiled.
You couldn’t deny how nice he was.
“Alrighty, then. See you later, Lillian,” he tipped his head to me playfully.
“Miguel,” I said and did the same.
He laughed as he walked away. I turned and caught Cain’s gaze from the stairs as him and Merrick made their way out. He smiled at me again and even from this far, I could tell just how blue green his eyes were.
Merrick eventually pushed him forward and he disappeared along with the rest of them making their way out of the bunker. I kinda felt bad for not going, but for some reason, I felt like I needed this time off. This one time to just let someone else do what needed to be done. I needed this one time to show Mitchell that I cared about what he thought.
I thought about what I could do today, while everyone was gone. I saw Sherry, bouncing around in the kitchen in a mad dash to organize some breakfast before the others woke up. I smiled and saw her reaching for something on the shelf. The shelf she had no way of reaching, so I made my way to her. We had some catching up to do anyway.
