by Unknown
Over the years my dad had amassed an incredible amount of medical and research supplies, including microscopes, centrifuges, an ultrasound machine, even a portable x-ray machine. The room next to his office looked like a startup lab at a small hospital. During the next ten days we put all of it to good use, along with calling in favors from everyone we’d ever known at the hospital lab. Because two of the days were Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it made sneaking samples in and out of the hospital even easier.
We figured out early on that Woody was not contaminated, but was a carrier…lucky me. My furry buddy was poked and prodded, x-rayed and scanned, while eating as much bologna and carrots as he could hold, until dad had all the information he needed. Not wanting anyone else to inadvertently become contaminated, we made a huge habitat that took up over half of my parent’s backyard. The little shithead seemed to love his new home.
Somewhere in our search for answers my dad began to see a pattern, and that pattern led him to a hypothesis. One he wasn’t sharing…but that was really nothing new. Over the next few days, every time I came into the room he all but hid his notes from me or found some inane errand he could send me on. Mostly, I ended up hiding in the basement trying to come up with how I was going to spend the next fifty years hiding from the world. (Yay me!)
Before I made my grand re-entrance into the world, Mom and Dad had decided to have their annual New Year’s Eve blowout. They thought it would be good for everyone that was still ‘normal’ to have something to look forward to. Since I had come back, the conversation concerning canceling said party had been constant, until I finally put my foot down.
“There is no way I am letting y’all cancel the party! No way!” I growled through gritted teeth, trying hard to not lose my temper.
“But Zoey, it’s not fair for us to ask you to hide all day and night while we party,” Mom answered, looking like she might cry.
“Fair? What the hell about any of this has been fair? Y’all decided you were having this party and my coming back should not change that. I’ll watch movies and sneak out to torment Woody. I’ll be fine. You just can’t cancel; too many people are counting on it. I’ve heard all the messages and listened as everybody you’ve ever known that isn’t contaminated or dead has said how excited they are.”
I stopped and watched my parents silently communicate as only people that have been together for fifty years can do. It made me sad to think I’d never share looks like that with Danny. Shaking my head, I pushed those feelings away. No time for a pity party.
“Okay, Zoey. If you’re sure,” Dad relented.
“I’m sure.” Thank God that was settled.
New Year’s Eve came. Mom and I spent the day cleaning and decorating while Dad stayed locked in his study. I tried to sneak in when he came out for lunch, but he’d outsmarted me by locking the door. Which I have to admit, frustrated the hell out of me.
I finished plating the food and setting up the buffet table while my parents got ready. Mom came down first, wearing an amazing red velvet dress that fit her perfectly. Dad followed in black pants, a white shirt, and red vest that matched Mom’s dress. When he kissed her on the cheek I had to smile. It was the coolest thing to see that after fifty some odd years together–they were still so much in love. It was time to make my escape.
“All right, you two, I’m heading down. Be good. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” I giggled and winked as they each kissed my cheek.
“We love you Zoey girl,” Mom smiled.
“Yes, we do,” Dad agreed as I headed down the stairs to my night of eighties movies and Nanny reruns.
Somewhere between the end of Sixteen Candles and the beginning of Pretty in Pink (Forgive me. I love Molly Ringwald) I fell asleep for the first time since becoming a ‘not-quite’ zombie girl. My dreams starred Danny. I relived our first date, our first kiss, the first time we made love…every first we’d had before I died.
For some reason my addled brain was showing me the first time we’d made love for the third time–not that I needed a reminder. (I know what you’re thinking. Do not go all Freud on me. And FYI, just to prove that God has a sense of humor, I could still get all hot and bothered. Oy vey! )
Anyway, deciding to just enjoy my trip down memory lane, I quickly realized this time was different…more realistic. I could actually feel Danny’s hand on my arm and hear his voice, like it was right next to me, not part of a dream. It was really kinda cool but a little disconcerting. I figured it was just another freaky side effect of my ‘condition’.
Now, I don’t know about you, but a sex dream is never a good place for my parents to be. Add yelling and screaming and my sweet memory turned into a scene from a National Lampoon movie.
My eyes flew open to find Danny kneeling at my side, tears streaming down his face while my mom paced in front of the TV screaming that he had no right to be in the basement.
As I shook the cobwebs of sleep away, I could hear my dad at the top of the stairs, “Not to worry, Barb’s fine. She just found a dead rat. Let me take care of it and get her calmed down. Bob, find these people some dance music and, Minnie, please make some more punch. Be right back.”
I heard his footsteps before I saw him. He hit the basement floor and headed straight for my Mom, who smacked him on the arm and scolded, “Really? You told them I was scared of a rat? And a dead one at that?” (Leave it to my mother to focus on the imaginary dead rat in the room.)
My dad rolled his eyes and I looked at Danny, who had yet to say anything. Now, I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that for the most part, I just say whatever comes to mind. My best friend in college used to say my filter was faulty, and I guess she was right. It only works about forty percent of the time. This time fell into the other sixty.
I took his hand in mine, glad to see he willingly let me, and turned in my chair so I could look into his beautiful blue eyes. Damn! I had missed those eyes. Before I could fall any farther in love or worse yet, ugly cry with no tears, I said the first thing that came to mind. “Long time no see. Guess you’re wondering what the hell’s going on?”
All my befuddled boyfriend could do was nod and grip my hand like I might disappear if he let go.
“Well, I was dead and then I woke up, but I don’t want to eat anyone like the others. Actually, I don’t want to eat anything. Dad and I found out that Woody the Raccoon infected me. I slept for the first time since I woke up just before Mom screamed. And now you’re caught up. So, how have you been?” Had I needed to breathe, I would have been wheezing by the time I finished. But as it was, I just talked faster than I ever had and then freaked out when Danny pulled me over the arm of the chair and into his lap.
He slammed his lips onto mine and I could feel him pouring everything he was into our kiss. All his fear, anger, and pain, but mostly the love he confessed to me and to my parents. I pushed at his chest, trying to get him to stop. (Shouldn’t he stop? Shouldn’t he have questions? Be scared of me? Something?) Instead, he deepened our kiss with a single-minded determination, and I soon found that even though I may be not-quite dead, I could still ‘feel’, and what I was feeling was wonderful.
Of their own volition my lips relaxed and I started kissing him back. My hands found their way into his hair and l had to remind myself of my newfound strength so no one got hurt. I couldn’t help myself; he tasted so good, felt so good, and was just so good, that I opened completely to the love of my life. I sighed as he ate at my lips and met his tongue with my own, adding to the sensuality of our kiss. It was one of the best feelings…ever…dead or undead or not-quite dead.
My dad rather loudly cleared his throat and Danny and I broke apart like two teenagers caught necking. Then I giggled like said teenager. It occurred to me that if this situation had occurred a month before, I would’ve been blushing a beautiful shade of red, but in this case I felt none of the telltale signs of said embarrassment. Thankfully, Dad’s comment derailed my train of thought. “I’m sure you two have lot
s to talk about.” He looked at me and wiggled his eyebrows before continuing. “Your mother and I are going back to the party. We’ll check on you after our guests have left.”
Mom giggled and waved as Dad grabbed her hand, pulling her up the stairs. Danny leaned his face towards mine again but this time I was ready. I put both palms on his chest and held him at arm’s length. “Whoa, there cowboy. Don’t you think we should talk?”
He slowly shook his head, covered both my hands with his, and spoke in the most reverent tone that my slowly beating heart actually pumped an extra time or two. “There’s nothing to talk about. I have you back. If it is for an hour, a day, a week, or a year, I have you in my arms. I’m not wasting one second of it talking about things I don’t understand and probably never will. I love you, Zoey Miller, more than I ever thought I could love another person. The day you died a part of me died right along with you.”
Danny paused, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small, black velvet box. “I prayed every minute of every day since I dragged myself out of that cold, dark lake that God would bring you back to me. I got my miracle and I’m not wasting it.”
Completely dumbfounded, I watched as he opened the box, taking out the most exquisite engagement ring I’d ever seen. A princess cut diamond surrounded by rubies set in platinum.
He took my left hand from his chest and looked me right in the eye. “Zoey Anne Miller, will you spend whatever time we have left on this earth as my wife?”
I took a deep breath and held it. There was nothing I wanted more in the world than to be with this man, but I had no idea what the future held. I was a ‘not-quite’ zombie girl in love with a very living man. The word no started to fall from my lips and then I remembered something my grandma used to say. “Nobody knows what the future holds, Zoey. Make the most of every day. Love completely. If you find that one person that you can’t live without, hold on tight and enjoy the ride.”
I let out the breath I was holding and nodded.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes. It’s a yes, you goofball.”
Danny slid the ring on my finger, whooped like Texas A&M had just made a touchdown, and then kissed me until I saw stars. When his hand skimmed across my ribs I shivered instead of stopping him. It just felt too good.
With his hands gently holding both sides of my face, he laid his lips lightly on first one of my closed eyelids, and then the other. He kissed the apples of my cheeks and the tip of my nose. Each kiss was little more than a touch of his lips to my skin. It was as if he was promising to take care of me, to always be there for me. I felt like the world revolved around us in that moment.
He continued laying kisses on either side of my mouth and caught my sigh of satisfaction as he lightly bit my bottom lip. His tiny nips and tastes of my jaw made goose bumps rise on my skin. And when he sucked my earlobe between his teeth and bit down lightly, I almost came from the sheer pleasure of it all. I arched my back, pushing my lace-covered hardened nipples into his bare chest and ground my hips against his, searching for relief from the wildfire he was stoking within me.
His lips and tongue tormented the sweet spot behind my ear as he reached between our bodies, slowly unclasping my bra. His hands began to move frantically over my body, throwing my bra to floor and almost ripping my pajama pants from my body. There was a primal need growing between us. The need to feel every inch of one another. The need to be one.
His teeth grazed my collar bone and I whimpered. He sucked my nipple into his mouth and all thought fled from my brain. All I could do was feel. It was as if I would die (again) but this time, from pleasure. He released my breast with a pop and his lips were immediately on the other, giving it the same fierce attention.
I rolled my hips, trying to ride his very hard cock, but his jeans stopped my quest. Every rotation caused his cock to bump my excited clit, sending flashes of light through my vision. I needed to feel all of him.
I slid my hand inside his pants, ran my fingertips over the engorged head of his erection, and reveled as he shivered in my arms. Wrapping my hand around the shaft, I rubbed my thumb across the tip, spreading the drop of moisture from his excitement all around. Danny once again shuddered and slowly pumped his hips, running his dick across my palm.
I was amazed at the strength contained in his massive body. With his hands planted on either side of my head he held all of his weight off of me and continued rolling his hips. I felt the denim of his jeans slide between us as he used the motion to remove them.
When he threw his head back in pleasure all I could think of was licking every ridge and valley of the spectacularly corded muscles in his neck. He pushed against me and stopped, letting his head fall forward. I was immediately lost in those mesmerizing blue eyes.
Danny slowly lowered his body until he was braced on his forearms with only a few inches separating our lips. His cock slid from my hand, and in a barely felt move, he slipped slowly inside my wet warmth. Inch by spectacular inch, we became joined…one to the other. My inner muscles contracted, pulling him farther into me. Sweat gathered on his upper lip as he fought to go slowly. I loved him all the more for trying to be careful with me, but my excitement was almost out of control. I could feel my juices flow freely between us.
Seated completely within me, he held completely still. One perfect moment to be remembered for all time. Our souls became one. There would never be a time I would be without him again. My eyes slid shut but Danny’s urgent whisper had them flying open. “Look at me, Zoey, look at the man that loves you more than life itself.”
Helpless to deny him anything, I watched his every emotion as he showed me how much he truly loved me. Wrapping my legs around his waist I held tight as his casual in and out slide began, meeting him stroke for stroke. Our pace accelerated from one breath to the next. He was instantly driving in and out of me, pushing us both to the release we so desperately sought. I felt the well-toned muscles in his butt flex under my calves as he worked deeper and harder into me.
His hips shifted, causing his pelvis to bump my clit and his cock to rub the sensitive bundle of nerves at the top of my channel with every stroke. Thought became impossible. My orgasm was building, careening through my body like a runaway train, bigger than anything I could have ever imagined, and the whole time Danny held me captive with his gaze. “Come with me, Zoey.”
The feel of him deep inside, touching places I didn’t know existed, owning all that I was, completely undid me. My muscles contracted so tightly around him I had no idea where I ended and he began. “Trust me, Zoey. Let go and trust me. I’ve got you and I’m never losing you again.”
He groaned and thrust so hard I felt him bump my cervix. The exquisite sensation undid the last of my resolve. I did as my soon-to-be husband said…I let go and trusted.
We came together with such force our bodies shook. Lights flashed and colors resembling fireworks burst into the darkness, and then everything was black. I floated back to earth and smiled at the feel of Danny’s butterfly kisses on my face and neck.
He rolled to the side taking me with him, where I ended up sprawled across his body, boneless and spent. A peace I hadn’t known possible flowed through me. I squinted my eyes to find him looking at me with so much love, a lump rose in my throat. I swallowed a couple of times before I could speak. Even then, my voice sounded rough and gravely as I whispered, “I love you, Danny McBride.”
My man grinned like only a well-loved man can, and winked before snuggling us under the blankets and informing me we were never leaving the basement. But that was not to be. Although we did put that old couch through its paces before returning to civilization, we still had to go upstairs. Life did go on, even in my condition.
We decided not to rush into letting everyone know I was back and my parents agreed. Danny returned to work but spent every night and all his days off with me. While he was working, Mom and I planned our wedding and Dad holed up in his office, doing God only knew what.
After finding a wedding dress that didn’t make me feel like the Stay Puf marshmallow woman, and that Mom could fit to all my curves, it was decided that the ceremony would be in their backyard. Mom wouldn’t budge on the fact that we had to be married by an ordained minister and swore that Reverend Barnes was bound by God to keep our secret. I think she was confusing minister-parishioner confidentiality with doctor-patient, but he promised and I figured the Big Guy would make him keep his word.
A week before the wedding Danny came home early with a sneaky smile and then locked himself in the basement. After pounding on the door and threatening to leave him at the altar for almost an hour, he finally appeared; a large box wrapped in shiny silver paper with a huge white bow in one hand and the other hidden behind his back. “Sit down, Love. I have a surprise.”
I ran across the living room and plopped my ass on the couch, barely able to contain my enthusiasm. (I seriously love presents) He placed the box on my lap.
Throwing the bow to the side, I ripped through the paper like it was hot butter and then tossed the lid on the floor. What I saw had my brow furrowing. I looked up at Danny as I pulled the biggest, blackest, straw sun hat from the tissue paper. Completely speechless, I sat holding my hat and staring at my fiancée.
The bum laughed so hard he almost fell over, then pulled his hand from behind his back and handed me two first class tickets to Hawaii with a confirmed reservation for a beach front condo. In two moves I was off the couch and into his arms, squealing like a schoolgirl. “No way! No freaking way! We’re going to Hawaii?”
Trying to keep me from knocking us both onto the floor, Danny wrapped his arm under my butt and carried me to the couch. Sitting down and positioning me on his lap, he kissed my forehead before answering. “Yes, Sweetheart, you said your dream was to honeymoon in Hawaii.” He winked and chuckled. “Your wish is my command.”