Contagious (26 page)

“Yeah, well, I don’t care
,” Bianca said. “Right now, I don’t care.”

“You have to. You don’t have a choice.”

Bianca fought with everything she had to stay strong, but she felt it. She felt how drawn Joel was. How his energy was just gone. The walk took the remainder from him.

With an ‘ah’, Joel titled his head back. “That feels good. The sun feels good. Thank you.”

“It’s a beautiful day, despite everything,” Bianca said.

Joel grabbed her hand. “I know things are bad. I know … I’m not …”

“Joel, stop.”

“No listen. I love you. I have loved you for fifty-one years.”

“I love you, too but …Fifty-one? Joel we’ve only been married twenty-four.”

“Yeah, but didn’t I always say I was leaving after we hit fifty years together.”

“You did.”

“I’m not making it to fifty, babe. So I’m pretending now.”

Her head lowered.

“You’re tough. This bug was tough. But life is gonna go on. It goes on
,” he said weakly. “The world didn’t end. It’s just gonna be a little quiet for a while.”

And then it drew quiet.

Bianca didn’t want to acknowledge the sudden silence. Her mouth tightened and she inhaled with a shiver and an ache. The second Joel’s head hit against her shoulder, she knew.

He was gone.

That fast.

He left.

There was a tenseness that shot through her body, causing her to shake. A tenseness caused by the scream of pain she wanted to unleash. It rumbled in her chest and escaped in the form of a heartbreaking groan. She clutched tightly around Joel, pressing her mouth to his head and she held on.

“The world may not have ended, Joel.” She closed her eyes. “But mind did. My world just ended.”

The last that Ava recalled, she was sitting on the floor, her back against the side of the sofa chair, while leaning toward the window to peek out the slight drapery opening. Then she passed out.

She had a vivid dream. She dreamed of Cassie and Calvin, it was so real. They stood with their father on the top of a hill. She reached and ran for them. It was hard to make out Darren, but the twins were easy to see. Calvin wasn’t sick and Cassie’s hair was like she wore it as a child.

“Wait.” Ava held out her hand and ran to them. But they slipped from her vision and walked over the hill. She couldn’t get
to them and she tried. Pushing it so hard in her dream to run, she felt it against her legs and jolted awake.

She panted, almost in panic as she struggled to move her legs. She had to get her bearings. Where was she? And then as she coughed, the weight of her sadness crushed her when she realized she was sick and she was dying.

Ava didn’t recall having a blanket or a pillow as she sat on that floor. Maybe she had gotten them and forgot. Was her mind leaving her as well?

Sitting up some, she saw it. It probably had fallen from the covers when she jolted awake. An Ambassador Suites’ envelope with her name on it. It was right next to her on the floor.

Her eyes were blurry, but the print was large. It wasn’t Landon’s handwriting. He could barely write.

With shaking hands, she opened the envelope and pulled out the folded sheet of paper.

As soon as she unfolded it, even without reading, her hand lowered, eyes closed and her lips quivered.

Get it together. She thought to herself. She was struck with more emotions because the letter came from someone she didn’t expect.

Ava,

I am so sorry you are sick. It makes me unbelievably sad. You are one of the coolest women I have ever met. And Landon, well, he’s just the coolest little kid. I know he is sad right now and so are you. I also know you’re scared. I would be. Know, as you fight this, we have it in check with the little guy. He knows you love him. We got this. Let that be the least of your worries.  You are so brave. I admire you for all you have done for your kids and it’s killing me that you are alone. I don’t care if you want that, no one should be alone. I’ll respect that you don’t want anyone in there, but know I am here. I am not leaving. That way if you need someone, need anything, all you have to do is reach out. Make no mistake, I believe in you and I am holding on to the one percent. You’ll beat this, Ava, if anyone can, you will.  I’m praying too. I haven’t asked God for much in my life, so I figure He may pull through.  Until you are better, if you need anything, even someone to hold your hand. I am here.

Your friend,

JJ

Just as Ava finished reading the letter, she heard the soft picking of a guitar. It was close. She reached for the drape, pulling it open some. When she did.., she saw JJ, holding his guitar, sitting on the floor, back against the railing, right outside the window. He hesitated in his guitar playing and peered up at her.

She couldn’t speak, couldn’t say anything. Emotional and grateful, she lifted the letter, brought it to her lips, and then clutched it to her chest as she said, ‘Thank you.’

JJ forced a smile, but it was sad, she saw it on his young face.

The letter gave her strength and it even felt like a dose of medicine. After pulling the curtain, Ava, still holding that letter, rested back and closed her eyes.

<><><><>

She still held his hand, and Joel’s head was rested on her shoulder as they sat on the bench. From Rayne’s perspective, they looked like any couple, enjoying an evening. That was the case and for as much as he hated to disturb Bianca, it wasn’t good for her.

Rayne called her name and his voice cracked. “Bianca.”

“We’re just enjoying the sunset. The temperature dropped
,” she said softly.

Rayne moistened his lips and took another step toward her. “When Cassie died, you and Joel
were awesome with Ava. She …”

“I know where you going with this, Rayne. I know.” She lowered her head, sighed out and then glanced up to Rayne with saddened eyes. “I can’t bring myself to leave him. I can’t. I can’t stand up. If I let go, I know I’ll never hold him again.”

Rayne didn’t know what to say.

“My heart is broken. How am I going to go on without my Joel
? How?”

“I don’t know. There are no easy answers. That’s cliché, I know.”

“He was a good man. A very good man.”

“He was the best,” Rayne said. “He made me laugh like no other. I used to love to irritate him by being loud because I knew that got me a free lunch.”

“He knew that,” Bianca said. “He used to say, goddamn, Rayne will be by today. Better make extra on the buffet. And he loved to make you think he was bothered by going to see you wrestle. Truth was. He loved it.”

“I know. He’d scream louder than anyone.” Rayne finally drew closer and laid his hand on Joel’s shoulder. “I can’t even begin to know what you’re feeling. Know that I am sorry.”

“I’m sorry for everyone that didn’t get a chance to know him,” Bianca said softly. “What are we going to do with him? I can’t put him in the trailer.”

“We’ll bury him. We will.”

“I know you need to take him. Can I have just a little more time? Please? Just a little more time with my husband.”

“Yeah.” Rayne leaned in and placed his lips to the top of Bianca’s head. “I’ll be back.”

He backed up and began to leave the area.  Rayne knew he had to bring Joel in, but a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt. Although he was certain, a few more minutes would never be enough to replace the lifetime with him she was losing.

They had not been forgotten or abandoned, even though, three days after everyone died, Rayne believed they were.

It was barren in Independence, Ohio, so much so that he was able to go to the hardware store and get shovels. He saw a few people out. More than that, he saw bodies on the curb, in dumpsters and left in the back of trucks. The smell permeated Independence.

Rayne wished he could dig holes for all the deceased, but that would take a lot, and he did make graves for those he was close to. The remainder of the dead were left in the mobile lab, crammed in there. They had a service and then set the mobile lab aflame.

That was the signal. Within two days, a military truck pulled up. They believed the site had been abandoned. It was good to see them, because it told Rayne the world hadn’t died with the virus.

Not yet.

<><><><>

As promised, a medical professional showed up at the hotel. The military told them to stay put until FEMA was back on the ground. Recovery plans were being instituted and they had the supplies. It was best to wait it out at the hotel.

Captain Lane, a Marine Corp medical officer, arrived at the hotel ironically about the same time the Emergency Broadcast System started to report the news. Bianca was torn, she needed him to check Landon and the others, but she wanted to hear the news.

They said something about fueling stations, when they’d open and where they were. But she missed it, because at that point he was giving her a physical examination.

“You’re fine.” Captain Lane told her. He was a striking older man, who wore a uniform. Signifying to Bianca that things were getting back in order, he said “I’ll send someone with your results if we find anything.”

“What about the boy?”

“Which one?”

“The little one.”

“He’s fine. So’s the singer. I know you’re worried about the virus. It has lost its luster. Reports coming in now are of a milder form. But if you didn’t get sick in this place …” He looked around, “chances are you won’t.”

“Are we immune?” Bianca asked, her head turned to the sound of annoying thumping. “Excuse me.” She turned her head to JJ who was bouncing a small rubbed ball against the wall. “JJ. Stop that. What are you doing out here?”

“I wanted to hear the radio with Rayne.”

“Well you’re not hearing it with that noise. You’re on watch anyhow.”

“Aw.” He whined.

“Go. Now.” She pointed. “On watch.”

Captain Lane shook his head. “He’s not your son?”

“Heavens no. But I’m here if he needs me. We’re going to go west to look for his mother
and for Landon’s grandmother.” She walked with him, escorting him to the doors.

“Sixty percent of the population fell to this virus. We lost even more when we burned out cities. Chances are …”

“We know. We’re ready. But it’s a chance we have to take.”

“Agreed.”

“Captain. What about our recovery patient?”

“Doing fine. Vitals are normal. No signs of the virus.”

“That worries me. They are still comatose.”

“No worries yet.” He laid her hand on her shoulder. “I’ve seen recoveries come out of the coma in a day or two, and there are some that aren’t out yet. Your guess is as good as mine. No two people are the same in this. But they will recover and wake. Their body is just healing.”

“Thank you.”

After he left, she walked over to Rayne. “Anything?”

“Yeah, roads are opening up next week. Fueling stations at the same time. We’re limited though. It may take a while to get west.”

“It's not like we have anything else do to.”

“With a time frame I can ration out the food and pack the shuttle.”

“Thank you. Speaking of rations, I’m gonna make Landon lunch. You hungry?”

“Nah, I’m good. Thanks.”

Bianca felt better about things. She worried less about Landon and was happy to tell him that he could roam more freely. She debated on not leaving the hotel, because everywhere she looked was Joel. But if Joel was alive, he’d tell her she was nuts.

She missed him and leaving the hotel didn’t make her excited, it made her sad, because it was more of Joel she was leaving behind.

<><><><>

Thump.

Thump.

“Damn it.” The ball bounced.

The thump of the hollow sounding object, followed by the hard running footsteps, caused Ava to open her eyes with a gasp.

She shifted them left to right then sat straight up and wheezed.

Thump … bounce … bounce.

“Oh my God!” JJ said with shock and excitement. “You woke up! You … woke up.”

“I didn’t die?” She gasped. “I didn’t die… Oh shit. I didn’t die.”

With a ‘ha-ha!” squeal of delight, JJ ran to her, kissed her on the cheek, told her to stay put and raced out of the
ballroom.

Barely sitting, Ava heard him screaming, “She’s awake! Hey, she’s awake!”

Awake? Ava thought, no, she was alive. She touched her chest and the cot, she took in her empty surroundings. She was on a single lone cot in a huge empty ballroom. An IV was still attached to her arm. She wasn’t dead. No way was heaven a grand ballroom.

She didn’t know what to do, to think, all she could do was laugh in gratefulness.

<><><><>

“Do not stand up.” Rayne told her. “You’ve been out for over a week. Baby steps to the potty. Okay?”

With Landon on her lap, in  an embrace she didn’t want to release, Ava nodded. “How … how did I beat this?” And before she could get a response, she answered her own question and looked at JJ. “One percent.”

Bianca pointed at JJ. “Thank him. We all honored your request to stay away. He didn’t. He kept checking on you.”

Rayne added. “We kept yelling at him to leave you alone. To let you have peace. He kept repeating that damn one percent.”

“And was I right?” JJ asked. “Basic math. One percent survived. One more person had to make it. And when room person 424 walked out of his room, we knew he wasn’t sick. You were it. The one percent. You didn’t die. You never got worse,” JJ said. “I knew it. So we moved you down here. So we could all watch and take good care of you.”

Ava looked around. “Where’s Joel?”

Bianca sadly replied. “He didn’t make it.”

Ava’s hand shot to her mouth. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too,” Bianca said. “But ... you did. Your son is very lucky.”

“No, I am.” Ava kissed him. “Thank you. Thank you all so much.”

Rayne leaned down to her and kissed her on the forehead. “Glad you’re back.”

“But you need to rest,” Bianca said
, “gain your strength and then we move out.”

“Where?” Ava asked.

“West. We're gonna look for your mom and JJ’s mom. Neither has answered the phone but we’re gonna try. I have family in California.”

JJ said. “It’s a search and find.”

“For life,” Rayne added, “and we learned life goes on. The world survived.”

Ava took a breath through her nose and looked upon those around her with heartfelt gratefulness. She was grateful they were there for her. They pulled her through and she had lived. In the short time that had passed, they became more
than just people. They were friends and now her family. She was holding her son again, something she thought she’d never have.

The world had received a good  cleansing and like Ava, was given a second chance at life. She couldn’t speak for the world, but she was going to enjoy every single breath and every living moment of her precious second chance at life.

<><><>

End