“Thank you baby,” Debbie said smiling then asked, “So what is the problem with Stephanie?”
“It just feels weird,” Bruce admitted.
“Bruce what if I told you Stephanie is happy just being near you. Stephanie may be thirty and smarter than everyone here put together but socially she’s still a teenager. I have talked to her and know her better than you do and her childhood sucked. Sure her parents were rich but she grew up alone and being as smart and pretty as she is didn’t help. At the private schools she went to, Stephanie was ostracized because of that. So she lost herself in study. You ‘the mighty Bruce’ were the first person that treated her like a normal person, just to talk to her and be a friend. Not because she was pretty or smart, she was just a person. Then you taught her stuff she didn’t think girls were supposed to know shooting guns, hunting, fishing and stuff.” Debbie told him. Bruce stared at Debbie as she continued, “I’m not going to lie Bruce, the first time I saw her I wanted to get rid of her. I even told Stephanie that when she finally told me she was in love with you.”
Bruce slid his chair back from the table, “She told you?”
“Yes she told me. Then she said she was going to leave the farm knowing she would die out there or worse.” Debbie answered then continued. “She wanted me to know because she felt I would be mad at her. Stephanie almost died when I told her that I already knew. That’s when I told her if she tried to leave I would beat her ass.”
“So you then told her she could sleep in our bed?” Bruce asked not believing what he was hearing.
“More or less,” Debbie replied.
“Why was I not informed?” Bruce asked feeling like a pawn on a chess board.
“Well to be honest, I reckoned you’d never figure out that Stephanie was in love with you,” Debbie answered honestly.
“Thanks,” Bruce replied dryly.
“Baby, I didn’t mean that to be ugly. Stephanie is just happy being close to you,” Debbie replied.
Bruce looked at Debbie with a flat expression, “What if she wants sex?”
“It takes two to tango,” Debbie said.
“Exactly and this tango boy already has a partner,” Bruce replied in a sassy voice.
Debbie laughed saying, “Bruce, you are one of the few men who believe in monogamy. But I do remember a time when you asked me something.”
“We aren’t talking about that time. I got popped remember, and bullshit Mike does also,” Bruce shot off.
“He does now. Mike had an affair the second year they were married,” Debbie told Bruce. Bruce just looked at Debbie in abstract horror.
“He never told me. I’m going to kick ass. How could he do that to Nancy?” Bruce said standing up.
“Well she was having one at the same time. Mike told her and Nancy told him. They put it behind them and moved on,” Debbie said grabbing Bruce’s arm pulling him back to his chair.
Bruce just shook his head as Debbie brought him back to topic, “Back to Stephanie, that first night you had your arm around her in your sleep when she woke up. Stephanie told me she had dreamed that for years and I could see that it made her happy. Bruce, I have your heart so I’m not worried; why are you? She just wants to be a part of both our lives. I thought Stephanie would find someone like you, then, this virus screwed that up. Unless you have a twin, you are the only way Stephanie can have a little happiness. I’m willing to share a little bit of you with her, can’t you?”
Bruce narrowed his eyes looking at Debbie, “Who are you and where is my wife?”
Debbie laughed answering, “Right here.” Debbie said then became serious, “Bruce I’m going to tell you something. Right before Stephanie left for Atlanta she had a one night stand with some asshole she met at a bar. Stephanie did it just to see if it would make her forget about you, which it didn’t.”
“So,” Bruce said.
“Bruce that was her first and only time to have sex,” Debbie replied.
Bruce jumped back out of his chair stepping back, “Holy shit!”
“Exactly baby, so can’t we give her a little bit of happiness?” Debbie said with a pleading look.
“So all along you were doing this because you felt sorry for her and not so the kids would tell us?” Bruce asked.
“Kind of, but I have other reasons,” Debbie replied.
“Well what are they?” Bruce asked.
Debbie dropped the smile off her face, “My reasons,” Debbie replied in a flat voice.
Bruce held up his hands in surrender seeing the wrath of Debbie near “Ok.”
Debbie apologized looking at the floor, “I’m sorry baby but I think you can only handle so much at one time. I will tell you the other reasons some other time. Ok?” Inside Debbie was smiling.
Bruce sat back down saying, “I can live with that because I’m now in sensory overload.”
“That’s ok baby I will always be with you,” Debbie said patting his hand.
Bruce looked at Debbie asking, “Is Angela in love with me too?”
Smiling Debbie replied, “Not yet.” Bruce just wanted to run and hide. Seeing Bruce’s reaction Debbie continued. “Bruce, Angela has always loved you as a friend but losing Alex, it has made her scared. When Angela found out Alex was gone, she grabbed Cade and ran to our room. There was no one there Bruce, she went there because she felt safe with her baby there, in our room. She knows we’ll protect her and Cade at all cost. I never asked her to stay, but be damned if anyone is asking her to leave.”
“Well, let’s see if we can slowly get her in the barracks and maybe find someone to fix her up with before it happens,” Bruce offered.
Debbie stood up with a pissed off expression, “Bruce, I’m going to act like you never said that. She’s accepting the loss and hasn’t cried herself to sleep in days. Angela will leave when she wants too. If she asks you to strip and run barking at the moon, then I better see a white ass running around in the dark barking. If you hurt either of those girls feelings, let’s just say you will see my wrath and it won’t be pretty.”
Bruce bowed his head in defeat, “Ok, whatever you say baby.”
Debbie walked over to Bruce rubbing his shaved head, “Thank you baby. Does it really bother you that much?”
“It’s weird but no it doesn’t bother me that much. It’s just with those other women in the bed I can’t get lovin,” Bruce told her.
Debbie lifted his face up to look at her saying, “Bruce you’ve brought four kids into this family, three of which are still in our bed.”
“Yeah but I could lock them in the closet. That’s kind of hard with Angela and Stephanie, they know how to open a door,” Bruce replied.
“Come on stud muffin let’s get some sleep,” Debbie said turning to get her wet clothes off the floor.
Bruce grabbed her pulling her in his lap, “We’re alone now.”
Debbie kissed Bruce then told him, “Bruce, how can you think about sex now? I’m freezing.”
“Three things first, I always think about getting some lovin from you. Second, you’re in bra and panties now. Third, I know you’re cold,” Bruce said looking at Debbie’s chest.
Debbie playfully slapped his arm then kissed him saying, “Bad boy,” as she got out of his lap. Turning around Debbie said, “Bruce, I have mud in the crack of my ass because you wanted to go G.I. Joe today, I’m filthy.”
Bruce gave up and helped get all their clothes and gear together. They both took off running through the rain to the house. Making it inside, they were soaked again. Nobody was downstairs so they headed to their bedroom.
Angela, Stephanie, the twins, PJ and Cade were all asleep in the bed. Debbie and Bruce laid their wet clothes on the floor heading to the bathroom. They jumped in the shower washing the day away. As they were drying off, Debbie grabbed Bruce and pulled him down to kiss him. Bruce got him some lovin.
Chapter 28
Training continued over the next two days as it rained, finally stopping the third morning. Bruce w
as woken up by a soft knock at the door. Bruce growled as he got out of bed looking at the clock reading 0523. ‘This better be good’ Bruce thought. He had moved wake up to 0700 to give everyone some extra sleep. Bruce opened the door to find Millie there.
“Bruce, I’m sorry to wake ya early but we need ya out back, in the field where the cows be,” Millie told him.
“Ok Millie, let me get some clothes,” Bruce said leaving the door open heading to the closet. Millie looked at the mass of bodies in the bed smiling as she waited on Bruce. Bruce came out with his vest on but not buckled up, wearing shorts, no shirt and flip flops carrying his rifle and led Millie down the hall.
Millie fell in beside him asking, “How can you sleep with all those people in your bed?”
“It’s not easy,” Bruce replied yawning.
“You and Debbie be really good people,” Millie told him. Bruce just scoffed as he opened the back door and the cold damp air hit him.
Bruce shivered heading across the patio. “What is it?” Bruce asked Millie as they headed to the back of the property.
“A woman hung herself last night,” Millie said.
Bruce stopped, asking, “What?”
“We were going to milk the cows and find a girl hanging in a tree inside the pasture,” Millie told Bruce.
“Did you tell the guards?” Bruce asked heading to the field.
“No, because all they’d do is get you,” Millie replied.
“You could’ve gotten Mike,” Bruce informed her feeling cheated out of sleep.
“She’s already dead, we don’t be needin’ a doctor,” Millie answered.
Bruce shook his head giving up and asked, “Who is it?”
“I don’t know, it’s one of the new girls that y’all rescued from the bikers. Late twenties early thirties, white, brown hair,” Millie said.
“Well, what do you want me to do about it now?” Bruce asked passing the barn.
Millie stopped causing Bruce to stop, “Bruce, you’s whining like’a bitch, now stop it. What are we going to do with the body and what are we goin’ to tell everyone?”
Bruce chuckled as he turned heading to the field with Millie in tow. It was dark, damp and cold which did little to improve Bruce’s mood as he opened the gate. Seeing flashlights, Bruce headed to them. As he approached someone shined the light at him.
“Get that fucking light out of my eyes!” Bruce barked a little harsher than he intended.
“Sorry sir,” a young male voice replied.
Bruce walked over as the young man shined the light on a woman hanging from a tree limb. Pulling his light off his vest, Bruce shinned it around on the ground. He saw a small stool that was used for milking the cows on the ground. Shining the light on the body, Bruce did not see anything suspicious.
Bruce turned to the young man and Millie. “Who found her?” Bruce asked.
“Lynn and I did. One of the dogs was here barkin’. Thinking one of the cows might be hurt we came over here,” Millie answered.
Bruce looked toward the fence realizing the roving guards wouldn’t have seen the body since they stayed along the fence. Bruce looked at the young man asking, “Who are you?”
“Joe,” he replied.
“Now, Joe what are you doing out here?” Bruce asked in a pissed off voice.
Millie answered, “He’s on kitchen detail today Bruce. Don’t be mean to him, Joe didn’t do nothin’.”
“I know that Millie. She did it herself, that’s, what has me pissed off,” Bruce said grabbing his radio. “Control this is big daddy one, you copy,” Bruce called.
“This is control,” a female voice replied.
“Have the roving guard wake every son of a bitch here up and tell them community center in fifteen minutes,” Bruce said dropping the mic.
“Millie go finish, I can handle this. Joe, go get one of the electric buggies and please run,” Bruce said turning to the body.
Joe took off in a dead run and Millie walked back to the kitchen. Turning around, Bruce looked at the young woman, her skin was already bluish-gray and her eyes were bulging. Giving a sigh, Bruce grabbed the stool and cut the rope as he stood on the stool. The body crashed to the ground. “I hope that hurt,” Bruce told the body. Bruce grabbed the body throwing it over his shoulder and headed to the gate. Halfway there, Bruce saw the lights from the buggy coming toward him. Bruce threw the body in the back with a thud making Joe cringe.
“Don’t be a pussy, this bitch wasted our time,” Bruce said climbing into the buggy adding. “Community center. Front door. Move.”
Joe stomped on the pedal. Spinning the tires, he headed out of the field to the center. The buggy was not even stopped when Bruce jumped out. Bruce turned around hearing his name called. Mike was running off the patio in shorts, flip flops and vest carrying Cassandra in one arm, rifle in the other, followed by Nancy carrying Joshua.
“Both of ‘em still sleep with you?” Bruce asked.
“Cassandra rarely sleeps with Susan anymore and Joshua wants to be with us too. It’s fair, so Susan can have a break. You know she watches the clan’s kids everyday and we want her to have some time with Conner alone.” Mike asked coming to stand by Bruce followed by Nancy. Nancy looked in the back of the buggy and screamed pulling her pistol. Hearing Nancy scream, Mike spun around, seeing Nancy pull her pistol, he raised up his SCAR.
“She’s dead, that’s the problem,” Bruce told them as they lowered their weapons.
“How’d she get in?” Mike asked with his heart beating a hundred miles an hour.
“We let her in Mike,” Bruce answered looking at them like they were crazy.
“Who the fuck let a blue in the farm? I’ll shoot them myself,” Mike yelled as Bruce looked at the body again.
“Watch your mouth Mike,” Nancy snapped.
“Damn, she does kinda look like a blue,” Bruce said out loud Mike and Nancy turned to Bruce.
“She’s not a blue?” Nancy asked finally lowering her pistol.
“No, she’s one of the girls we rescued from the bikers on the lake. She hung herself in the pasture. Millie and Lynn found her this morning. Just guessing, I figure she did it around midnight,” Bruce told them as the rest of the family came up. When everyone walked over Bruce filled them in.
“Poor girl,” Nancy said.
“Poor girl? This bitch wasted our time and resources. This family risked its safety to rescue her. It would’ve been easier to just blow up all the buildings,” Bruce yelled.
Debbie looked at Bruce, “Baby we don’t know-.”
“Debbie!” Bruce shouted making everyone jump back, except Debbie. “Don’t try to justify this, you live or die. If you want to die, don’t waste our time. She could’ve just stayed and waited on the blues when we rescued her. It would’ve been one less to cover and gave the blues something to do while we escaped. There’s no more babying people, that’s what let this shit get out of hand. Everyone wanting someone to take care of them, not wanting to do anything for themselves and just depending on the government and others,” Bruce yelled at everyone.
Debbie just shook her head, “It’s ok baby, go throw your temper tantrum. Just don’t shoot anyone unless you talk to me first please.” Bruce was fixing to kick the body then realized he had flip flops on so he just stormed into the center. The family followed him as Debbie grabbed Angela and Stephanie.
“When he’s like that, don’t argue with him. Let him throw a temper tantrum and let it drop. If you try to rationalize with him, he gets mad at you. That was pissed off Bruce, can each of you tell the difference between irritated and pissed?” Debbie asked them and they nodded that they could tell the difference. “When Bruce goes past pissed, to asshole just leave. Not because he might hurt you but because you might shoot him. I’m so glad we don’t have elections now. Every four years, I really considered moving. I agreed with Bruce on the topics but, O-M-G, he would look for reasons to fight,” Debbie told them as she moved to the center.
Stephanie grabbed Debbie’s arm stopping her, “Don’t you feel sorry for her?” she asked pointing at the body.
“No, Bruce is right. She wasted our time and resources. Do you feel sorry for her Stephanie?” Debbie asked.
“Well kind of, she was a human being,” Stephanie replied looking at Debbie for guidance.
“Stephanie, Bruce almost died rescuing her. If we would’ve blown up all the buildings he might not have got hit with shrapnel or we could have gotten here faster. This is how she repaid us and we almost lost Bruce,” Debbie told her.
Stephanie looked at Debbie with shock. Then looking at the body she said, “Stupid bitch,” as she headed inside.
Debbie smiled at her then looked at Angela. “Don’t look at me, I agree with Bruce,” Angela said as she headed inside. Debbie smiled to herself thinking, either one will do fine, as she walked inside.
Bruce was at the head of the room pacing with his flip flops popping, waiting on the guards to tell him everyone was here. When the guards came in with the last group, they told Bruce this was everyone.
“Someone open up a radio, so those on guard can hear this,” Bruce barked. “First, last night a women hung herself in the back pasture. Now before anyone goes ‘awe poor girl’ let me just say. Fuck that bitch. I have a good mind to follow her to hell just to kick her ass.” Bruce stopped as a woman stood up saying, “Language, we have kids here.”
Bruce looked at the woman with something close to malice as he yelled, “Shut the fuck up and sit down unless you want to run this Mickey Mouse shit show!”
Debbie leaned toward Angela and Stephanie, “See that’s why you leave him alone. He will continue until he wins, and he will win because he does not shut up. He’s now in full asshole Bruce mode. If she’s smart, she’ll sit down.” The woman sat back down with a look of shock on her face.
Bruce looked at the room, “Yes I’m pissed off. She had a chance at survival and life. If you survive you carry on your family and friends lineage. That woman wasted our time and resources with her rescue, feeding her, guarding her and trying to train her. Let’s get something straight here and now. If you commit suicide, you’ll not be buried here. Your body will be taken off and thrown on the side of the road and your name will be stricken from our record. You will not be buried with those that gave their lives to protect and provide for us. If you feel depressed, talk to someone or reach down, grab your balls and squeeze ‘em hard. I get depressed, everyone does, that’s life. If something bad happened to you guess what? If you kill yourself, the fuckers that hurt you win, dumbass. I don’t care if it was blues, a gang or the fucking Easter bunny. I know any family members that are not here on this farm, are dead. None of them prepared for shit, I couldn’t go and get them, so they’re dead. Am I hurt, yeah, but be damned if I’m going to kill myself, then the infection won.” Bruce stopped because he was yelling and his throat was dry.
Blue Plague Survival Page 47