by Tara Brown
“She’s going to sleep with your brother,” Milo said with a wrinkled nose when I got to him.
“Yes, yes she is. And I don't want to know.”
“Don't blame you. Anyway, Helen arrived a couple of minutes ago. The helicopter went and got her this morning. She isn’t happy with us.” He gave me a side-glance as we rushed across the base. “I think she was flying under the radar on purpose.”
“She wanted to stay alone in Kansas? When the kids die, she can go back there. She has nothing but time.” I was meaner than I had a right to be.
He led me through a tiny line of soldiers to a door that said Personnel Only. A guy caught Milo’s eye, smiling at him in the way people smiled when they wanted you to smile too. Because they wanted to see you smile. I'd gotten the look from West a lot. I hadn’t recognized it until it was too late. Now I cherished those memories.
“I said I didn't want to come. I’m not some gosh-darned babysitter.” Helen’s voice made my chest loosen up the grip it had around my heart. I hurried forward. “Zoey, what the hell—” I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed. She hugged back. I didn't know why seeing her made me emotional. Maybe because she would understand the loss we’d had. Or maybe because she was the first person to be nice to us the entire trip across the country. “My word, kid, you are skinny.” She pulled me back. “And looking weird. You sick?”
“No.” I wiped the single tear that had escaped my eye.
Stan moved in between us and earned a face rub from Helen before he turned and went to the host of animals she’d brought that were sniffing everyone.
“Well anyway, I don't appreciate you kids telling these morons I was still around.” She pointed her thumb over her shoulder at the group of kids and pets behind her. It had tripled in size. “I already had my hands full.”
“We’re bringing others,” one of the military guys said. “We found five others. They’re being flown here too. You won’t be alone.”
“The important thing, Helen, is the kids won’t be alone. You and the older kids can tend to the babies for one week. Come on,” Milo charmed her.
“This is some shit!” She was not being won over, not even by Milo’s cute grin. But after a second of being stubborn, she sighed and slumped her shoulders. “Fine. But I’m not taking care of a single kid until the final week. I’m off duty until then. And you can take care of the kids I brought with me.” She waved a hand in the air and stormed off.
“Get her a house,” the guy who’d been with the major when we deplaned barked. I assumed he was now in charge.
The dogs, cats, farm animals, and birds followed her. The kids tried but young soldiers led them in a different direction.
“Thank you,” the guy in charge, who might have been twenty-eight, said to Milo and me.
“Yeah.” Milo shrugged. “I’m just glad the babies will be okay. She might seem all piss and vinegar, but she’s kind. Trust me.”
“I know. My grandma was the same. Crotchety and hateful, but on the inside, heart like you wouldn’t believe. We have five other planes about to land. One even came from Trenton, on the East Coast. Apparently, they have a bunch of kids.”
“Why are you guys doing this?” I accidentally asked, letting my suspicions about the base slip out.
“Our master chief,” he answered quickly as if it had been sitting on his tongue. “When it was confirmed this was what was happening, he was left in charge. That day he was promoted to major, he gave everyone the choice. We could leave the base and be with our families for the last weeks of our lives. Or we could do the one thing we signed up with the American military to do: Make a difference. Save lives. Keep Americans safe. He said this was a test. God was testing us, making the babies die last. And he was watching to see what we did with that.”
“How many left?” Milo asked, glimpsing back to where the guy he’d smiled at was standing at the door.
“No one. Not a single man or woman left this base, except when it was their week to die.” He shook his head slowly, pride dripping from him.
“No one?”
“No,” he answered Milo softly. “Proudest moment I’ve had in my ten years here.” His eyes drifted to me. “So remember what we gave up the week you and your brother and what’s left of us are here. Remember the sacrifice we made and treat those kids with some respect and love because God is watching you.” He turned on his heel, bringing that feeling of discomfort back.
After a moment, one of the soldiers who’d been standing near us during the weird conversation muttered, “He has two kids. Three and one.”
“That makes sense.” Milo pointed at the door. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah, I have to get back to Jack and Rozzy before she lures him into a closet and leaves the kids unmanned. Come on, Stan.” I patted my leg and whispered the next sentence as we strolled out, “God’s watching.”
“He sure is.” Milo chuckled and nodded his head at the guard he was eyeing up.
When we were out of listening distance, I nudged him. “What about Hunter?”
“What?” He acted surprised I was calling him out. “Sometimes a bit of physical comfort can help heal emotional distress.” He sounded sincere but the twinkle in his eyes made me laugh at him.
“Whatever.”
“You mean to tell me that in the next two weeks you won’t do a single thing that might be considered physical with anyone, because of West?” he asked dubiously.
“No. I won’t. But I’m not like you and Rozzy.” I furrowed my brow. “I take sex seriously. Y’all like messing around. I don't.”
“That’s because you just had sex for the first time. And unfortunately, you had sex with the second hottest guy I’ve seen in my life. So now the bar is unreasonably high. You will never have sex again. I’m sorry.” He laughed and linked his arm into mine. “And Hunter was the love of my life. But I don't want to love him.” He pointed a thumb behind us. “I just want—”
“Dude—I get it. I don't want to know. Just do you.”
“I’m gonna do him.” He laughed harder, making me cringe.
“Stop. Y’all need to learn not to kiss and tell.”
“No, you need to learn to loosen up.”
“Maybe.” I relented a little, rubbing my fingers in Stan’s fur as we strolled back to the pool to find Rozzy and Jack deep in a conversation. “This is gonna be a long week,” I complained.
“I hope so.” Milo patted me on the back. “I leave you here. See ya back at the house later.” He turned and left, a little too much pep in his step. I knew where he was going. I shook my head and took my seat with Stan to watch the kids.
Someone had to be responsible.
It might as well be me.
It was a role I was used to.
37
My own happy ending
Celeste
The call to help bring in kids from the planes had us all milling around waiting on the tarmac. Apparently, dozens of them were coming. Adding to the hundreds we currently had. It was going to be an interesting week for Helen and the other old people. I didn't envy them.
The largest of the planes landed, filling the awkward silence between Bethany and me as we waited.
Hannah stood next to me, waiting to help. The kid loved babies and little kids. She was a godsend, considering how useful I was. Rozzy was worse. Neither of us liked them. Until Milo told us what the new major told him and Zoey, and I knew I had to try to be different. Maybe God was watching and maybe this was a test.
But as the plane opened and people started getting off, it wasn't just kids. There were heaps of teenagers, all holding babies and hands of toddlers. And animals. Some dogs, cats, pigs, and goats. It was like watching Noah’s ark unload. They came out in a stream, suggesting it was more than just a couple dozen. A hundred people and animals got off the plane, but I only saw one.
Glasses.
Sexy fro that was getting a little long.
Handsome face.
Leathe
r bag sitting crossbody on his hip.
A toddler on the other hip.
“DARIUS!” I screamed and broke into a sprint.
His eyes met mine, he stopped walking and stared.
An old lady next to him took the baby from him.
He broke into a run too, and we lived out one of those scenes from a movie. Had it started raining, the world would be complete for me.
“Celeste! He pulled me into his arms, hugging so hard it hurt. His fingers trembled and poked into my back. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“How is this possible?” I pulled him back, staring at him. He was a little thinner, but no worse for wear.
“My grandma”—he nodded at the old lady smiling at us with three kids around her and two in her arms—“she didn't die.”
“Oh my God!” I hugged him again. “This is so crazy.”
He held me tightly until we had to walk. We each took a baby from his grandma.
“Grams, this is Celeste.”
“The Celeste. I’ve heard your name many times.” She smiled mischievously.
“Oh.” That made my stomach tighten.
When we got to Bethany and Hannah, I introduced them.
Bethany gave him the eyes because she was a hateful witch, but Darius ignored her. He shook their hands politely and turned back to me, lost in me. He was killing me.
But there wasn’t time for formalities.
We took the babies and small kids to the daycare center where beds were set up and full-time care was provided in shifts by us all.
“This is amazing.” Darius scanned the massive center.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool.” I didn't bother mentioning that when we first arrived, we thought it was too good to be true, like assholes. It was too good to be true, but it was the one time that it just turned out to be good. “We’re lucky to be here.” That was a truth we were all aware of now.
There was good in the world.
We’d set out on a mission to find something worth seeing and loving and enjoying, and in the end, found it. But it wasn’t a view or an experience or place. It was humanity. We’d become our own miracle.
And in the moment I saw Darius standing in the daycare center, I realized that had come full circle for me.
This humanity and kindness and love—yes love—I hadn’t even been aware I was feeling, was worth the end of life. It was worth being the story we told when we sat around fires, if they had those in heaven. I was dying with people worthy of my death and my life. And I finally understood what the qualifications were for that position. It was why Zoey hadn’t stayed with her family, and I hadn’t stayed with mine. These were our people, the ones who earned the right to be our last experiences.
Darius slipped his fingers into mine, squeezing.
“Me and Bethany are on shift,” Hannah said, looking at the clock.
“And your grandma is sharing a house with Helen and a couple of other older ladies. They’re all like her.”
“So there are others?” his grandma asked softly. “I heard that. Wondered what we’d done wrong to end up like this.” She wasn't happy to still be alive. Like Helen. It was odd. I wondered what it meant. Why them? “I just knew when it happened, I better stay hidden or I’d end up an experiment.”
“Or on a base taking care of babies,” Darius said.
“At least there’s help here and running water and heat.” She was a brighter- side kind of gal.
“There sure is. And a comfy bed. We’ll take you to your house now. And I’ll show you where you’re staying.” I grinned at Darius. Rozzy was moving rooms . . .
“Have fun.” Hannah grinned at us, but Bethany, who had been silent since the slap, glared.
I gave a peace sign and turned away from them.
“So your sister seems pleasant,” Darius joked as we got outside into the crisp sunny day.
“She is a delight. And that’s a story for another time.”
His grandma smiled. “This is a wonderful thing the military is doing. Wonderful. I needed help, soon as those dogs, cats, and kids started showing up.” She sounded relieved as we climbed into the golf cart I’d taken. She was old and couldn't walk as far as we were going. Which was why it was so weird that she was chosen to stay alive. Or immune to this. She didn't move easily. How was she going to care for kids?
Helen’s house was a smaller one, a rancher with a sunny exterior. She opened the door with a scowl until she saw Darius’ grandma. “Oh my!” She exclaimed, her arms opened wide. “Another one.” The two old women hugged, no doubt living their own kind of relief and sadness simultaneously. “I am so relieved to see you. There are four of us now. Come in. We just fixed some tea and we’re putting Southern Comfort in it. Alcohol’s banned on the base, but Angie managed to smuggle some in.” She led his grandma inside and closed the door muttering, “No young people.”
We stared at the door and both of us burst out laughing.
It was a crazy way for people to meet and instantly love one another, but that was all there was left. At least here.
“Let’s leave them the golf cart. The house is a short walk,” I said, biting my lip.
“Okay.” He stared at my mouth. “But first.” He stepped closer, hovering over me with his strong hands lifting and cupping my cheeks. He lowered his face to mine, brushing our lips against each other softly. I melted for the half second he remained. “Now that that’s out of the way, tell me about your weeks.”
“Mine are insane. Tell me about yours.” I laughed, not sure how to tell the story. It was impossible.
“Went home the week school closed. Hung with my parents. We went to be with my grandma but then she didn't die. So I stayed at her place, helped with the kids and the animals who kept showing up. It’s been weird, man. My parents left the week they were going to pass, to be alone and not do it in front of me. My sister”—he furrowed his brow, taking a breath before continuing—“she was with one of her friends and the parents got into a car accident during some of the panic for gas. It was fast. They said it was fast.”
“Oh, Darius. I’m so sorry.” I knew his pain. In some measure, I understood what this felt like.
“Me too.” He squeezed. “Spill. I can tell it was bad. You’re different. You even look different. And your eyes are haunted like one of your mom’s characters. So tell me everything.”
“I don't know where to start,” I whispered, taking a detour to the empty playground. I sat on one of the swings and tried not to feel the coldness enveloping me. “My parents never called to say goodbye. Something happened and I’ll never know the answer to that. Julia killed herself. Rozzy and I decided to leave the city—”
“Rozzy’s with you?”
“Yeah. She’s watching some kids at the pool.”
“I’m glad you had her.” He sat on the swing next to me. We didn't swing, we just sat and stared out at the barren landscape and houses.
“Me too. Anyway, we met up with Milo and Stan, a realtor from Florida and his dog.” I glossed over the details, omitting things. Bad things. “We ended up in Virginia, some small town. We met Owen, West, and Zoey.” Their names hurt my throat. “We had an accident—”
“Can you stop summing it up and tell me the truth, please?” He turned my swing so I faced him. His eyes searched mine for stories I didn't want to give.
“Well, I was almost raped in Virginia Beach by some guys but Rozzy killed them.” Secret number one slipped out. “Then some racist asshole almost hurt Zoey so I shot him in the ear, missing his face which was where I was aiming. I meant to shoot someone in the face.” A sob left my lips in a chuckle. “Then we had the most magical two days ever at Milo’s aunt’s place. We drank coffee I love and ate MasterChef-worthy food and cuddled by the fire with wine. And I think some of the bad things sloughed off and I recharged.”
“Good God,” he said, but I couldn't see him properly because the tears in my eyes created shapes and changed how I saw the world.
“Then some psychos in a truck hit our friends—we had two trucks. We were behind them, watching. They killed the guys and Rozzy was trapped. Stuck in the truck.” I hated this story. I hated this part of life. “We fled, leaving her there. They were coming back. We couldn't fight them.” The same panic and pain filled me as I relived it. “We went back and she was gone. They took her.” Tears streamed my cheeks.
“Oh, Celeste—”
“We went and found her and saved her and the other people they had tied up in this barn. They were torturing them.” That secret was whispered as a slow, sickening smile crept across my damp face. “We burned them alive in their house. We bombed it with grenades and destroyed them and everything they had. And we came here. Milo can fly so I went to get Hannah, Beth, and Marshall, my nephew. And then you showed up.” I blinked away a tear.
“Jesus.” He got off his swing and came to kneel in front of mine, wiping my tears away. “I am so sorry.”
“Me too. Is it wrong that I just want this to be over?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Because we have six days and I want to remember every second of them.” He leaned in, kissing me delicately. I think he could tell I didn't want passion in this moment. Just comfort.
He lifted me off the swing and we walked to the house.
“I guess the aliens theory is out the window, huh?” he joked as we got to the door.
“I guess so.” I smiled, remembering all those weeks ago. Two people in a coffee shop, carefree and casually falling for one another. Weirdly, I didn't miss that girl. She wouldn’t have taken this guy by the hand, pulling him to her bedroom and closing the door.
She might not have removed his clothes and hers, and spent an afternoon doing everything she ever wanted to do with a beautiful boy.
She would have lived like she had time.
What a fool she was.
38
Happy Birthday
Zoey
“Happy birthday, dear Milo!” we sang and laughed and drank sparkling water from champagne glasses.
