Cohen squeezes my hand and I can feel his support.
“Of course, I do. He’s my dad. He has always been this strong, unbreakable man in my life. Knowing that he’s hurt, breaks my heart,” I admitted.
“Everything will turn out ok. I just feel it,” Cohen said.
I nodded, hoping that he was right. All I could do was stay positive.
“So, I have something to tell you,” he said, changing the subject. I was grateful for the transition, talking about my dad just made me feel terrible and guilty that I wasn’t there with them. “I talked to my family again about you,” he began.
We walked past the port for the ferry and moved toward the beach area. We began to walk along the rocky shore as the waves crashed against the shore.
I felt a lump form in my throat and I prepared myself for the worst. I knew this thing between us was too good to last. Of course, I wouldn’t be good enough for even a zombie guy.
“Ok,” I said, nodding for him to continue.
“Why do you look scared?” he asked, giving me a curious glance.
“I’m not scared, just preparing myself,” I admitted.
“Preparing for what?” he asked again. He narrowed his eyes at me and waited for my response.
“For you to say we can’t see each other anymore,” I blurted out.
“Why would I say that?” he asked, jumping up.
I stood, too, making clear eye contact with him. “Because, I know how dangerous it is for you to be with me. I can understand why your family would be upset,” I said, looking down at our feet.
Cohen placed his hand under my chin and forced me to look up. “I told you, Henley. I am not going to lose you. Just listen to what I have to say. Please?” he asked.
I felt bad for snapping at him and slowly sat back down so he could talk. Once we were both seated again, he continued. “ As I was saying, I talked to my family and they want to invite you over for dinner.”
His words were the last thing I expected him to say. They wanted me to come over for dinner?
“Wait, what?” I asked, clearly confused.
“Yes, they understand what you mean to me. They want to get to know you. As much as my family strives to keep us hidden and safe, they understood that it was important for me to live, too. My siblings and I deserve to find happiness, just as my parents had.”
He was melting my heart into a puddle as he talked.
“You really mean that?” I asked.
I was still waiting for him to drop a bomb that he was just kidding, but it never came.
“Of course, I do,” he smiled. “How about tomorrow night. It will be Friday and we can spend the weekend together, too,” he finished, his face beaming with happiness.
I rushed him and threw my arms around his neck. “Cohen, that is incredible!” I exclaimed.
I had never been the type of girl to become sentimental or gush over some guy. But, Cohen wasn’t just some guy and this was a huge moment. I knew what he was risking by allowing me into his life. Even more, I knew what his family was risking, too. Knowing all of that made this moment so much more important. The gratitude of his sentiment meant more to me than he would ever know.
“You know, before I met you I felt like I was living in one of those snow globes,” he said, holding out his hand and mimicking shaking a snow globe.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Seriously? You mean, like the ones with some type of setting inside and you shake it?”
“Yeah, those,” he smiled.
“Why?” I asked, curious for his reasoning. I had never heard anyone say anything like that before.
Cohen stopped walking and looked out at the water for a moment. I was so curious about his answer, that I wanted to prompt him to continue. But, I didn’t. I stared a little bit longer at him, watching how his golden eyes seemed to light up as he looked at the rough water slamming into the rocks and concrete boulders of the ferry port. It was as though he were once a caged animal, and now that he was free, he couldn’t stop looking at the world around him.
Finally, Cohen looked back at me and began. “My family tried so hard-- too hard probably-- to protect me from the dangers of the world. I wasn’t allowed to play outside as a child. I couldn’t go to public school until this year. It took so much begging to get them to agree to it. I felt like there were these people, who I didn’t even know, but feared all the same, who were watching me. Like I was on display or something. Then, someone would shake up our life, and we would have to flee again, moving to the next town. I just wanted someone to put us down and let us live our lives. Now, I feel like I have a chance for that to happen. I think that is why my parents want to meet you.”
“I am going to be so nervous,” I admitted, after I released him from my hold.
Cohen slipped his hands down to my waist and I felt goosebumps rise on my arms. “Don’t be nervous. Just be the incredible person I know you are and they will love you,” he said, smiling.
Love.
That word, love, sparked something inside of me.
Was that even a possibility for us?
More than anything I had ever hoped for in my life, I hoped for that.
Chapter 17
Life can change in the blink of an eye. One minute, you are a lonely girl with nothing to look forward to except for escaping your small town. Then, before you know it, you are enthralled in an intense relationship with a guy who is a zombie.
The clock hanging on the kitchen wall told me I only had thirty-minutes left before I needed to be at the Cohen's house for what I was sure would be an eventful evening. After all of the time we had spent together, I still hadn’t met his parents yet.
To be honest, I had no idea what to expect.
I walked down the small hallway leading to the living room and stopped at the full-length mirror on the wall. The reflection staring back at me portrayed a confident girl. My hair had been curled, thanks to Amy who had come over earlier to help me get ready. For once, I let her help me get dressed. Usually, I dressed in comfortable jeans and t-shirts, but for tonight, I knew I should try and make a good impression. So, I allowed Amy to force me into a pair of ankle length black jeans, a silver top that flowed and bounced when I walked, and a pair of black wedges. I almost didn’t recognize the girl before me. But as my legs shook from nervousness and I had to gulp back the fear rising in my throat, I saw a glimpse of the girl who I truly was.
An emotional wreck.
I’m about to do another lap around the house when I hear my cell phone ring.
I quickly pick up my phone from the hallway table and see that my mom is calling.
“Mom?” I ask, excited to hear from her.
Instead, I hear a different voice on the other line.
“Henley, how are you?” a gruff and dry voice cracks on the other end of the line and tears fill my eyes at the sound.
“Dad! I’m good. How are you?”
“I’ve been better,” he chuckles lightly. “Doctors think I can come home next week. I hate that I am occupying all of your mom,” he sighs.
“I’m so glad to hear that you are coming home soon. I have missed you both, but don’t feel bad. Mom needs to be there with you. I promise I am fine. I have been hanging out with Amy, working, going to school, and I even have a new friend,” I admitted, a smile growing on my face.
“A new friend?” I hear my mom chirp on the line and realize dad must have the phone on speaker.
“Yes, it’s actually Cohen,” I say.
“Good. That boy is a hero. I’m glad to hear that you two are getting close,” mom adds.
“Have fun and we will be home soon. Doctors just came into the room, I gotta go. Love you, Henley,” my dad says.
“Love you both,” I say, and then the call ends.
With the news that my dad is coming home soon filling my heart, I now feel strong and confident to meet Cohen’s family.
****
Crossing the street, I feel a shiver run through me and I hope it is just from the cold air outside. I stand in front of Cohen’s door and knock.
The door opens and a smiling Cohen greets me.
“Henley, you are right on time,” he says.
He opens the door wider and I take a step inside. This feels monumental in a sense.
As I walk inside the house, my senses go into immediate overdrive as the garlicky aroma of pasta fills my nose. My mouth begins to water and I can’t help but to breathe in the wonderful scent.
“Something smells delicious,” I say, as we make our way through a brightly lit foyer. The two-story house has a large, open foyer with a glistening chandelier hanging over the entryway. The walls are painted an ash gray, and I am in awe of the modern look this house holds.
Bounding down the stairs, I see Collin with a cheesy grin. “Yeah, mom and dad have been cooking all day,” he says, slapping Cohen on the back.
He smiles as he passes me and heads into a large living room. He flops down on a large, white sofa and turns on the television.
“Ignore him. Collins is just mad because he has never been brave enough to bring any of the girls he’s been with, around,” Cohen says, eyeing his brother.
“Girls?” I ask.
From what Cohen had told me, I assumed none of them had dated before now.
“Yeah, Collin likes to date a lot, but he never brings them around. He’s never allowed any of them to get close enough to ever build a true relationship,” Cohen finishes.
He reaches down and takes my hand. “Come on, let’s go meet my parents.”
I smile, but I feel a lump in the pit of my stomach.
Cohen leads me through the foyer until we reach a large, open kitchen. Black appliances fill the space and white cabinets and counters offer a nice contrast to the dark appliances.
Standing next to the stove, I see Cohen’s mom. She has her black hair pulled into a neat bun and her khaki pants and blue, polo shirt make her look more like a teacher than a...zombie.
Cohen’s dad is placing round plates on the farmhouse style table to the left of the kitchen. He’s wearing a pair of loose-fitting jeans and a gray t-shirt. He’s far differently dressed than his wife, but I like their styles. Large, floor to ceiling windows outline the table area and lead into the brightly lit living room. This wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but I am pleasantly impressed.
Hearing our approach, both parents turn our way.
“This must be Henley,” his mother gushes. She wipes her hands on a dish towel and then makes her way over to us.
“Thank you for inviting me over,” I say, extending my hand to shake hers.
She’s not green or mumbling to eat brains like I had imagined in my nightmares. Instead, like Cohen, she is sweet and kind.
“If everyone wants to sit down, we can serve dinner,” Cohen’s dad states, smiling over at us.
We all head over to the table, and join Collin, Cara, and their dad. Cohen and I pull out our chairs as their mom places a pan of baked spaghetti and garlic bread on the table. Glasses filled with water are already on the table with our silverware.
I sit down and my mouth waters as I take in the savory dishes.
Cara offers me a forced smile. “So, we are inviting humans over now?” she asks, breaking the awkward silence that has descended over us.
I feel my heart begin to race and suddenly, that bravery and confidence that had taken over me earlier, was slowly falling away.
“Cara, can’t you be nice for once?” Cohen snaps.
I place my hand over his and squeezed. “It’s ok,” I whisper to him.
It’s not, but I want Cohen to calm down.
Cohen’s dad pushes his chair back and stands. “Enough, Cara,” he says, slamming his hands down on the table.
The dishes all rattle and I jump in my seat.
Cara throws her chair back and angrily leaves the room.
I feel like I should leave, but I don’t think my legs would work right now to help me walk away.
“I think we should explain for Cara’s outburst,” Cohen’s mom says, grabbing her husband's hand and gently helping him to sit back down.
I notice Collin begin to scoop a large helping of pasta on his plate before reaching into the basket filled with toasty garlic bread. He seems unaffected by the commotion at the table.
“Can we just try to not scare Henley away,” Cohen pleads with his family.
My mouth opens to say something, but I quickly shut it. I have no idea how to make this less awkward.
“Henley, let me formally introduce myself. My name is Clara and this is my husband, Lawrence. As I am sure Cohen has already told you, we are no longer human,” she begins, an anxious smile over her face.
Nodding my head, I smile. “Yes, he has explained the circumstances leading up to your...um...transition from human to…” I am unable to finish my sentence.
“Let’s just be honest here. We are zombies. Well, in the eyes of the chemical destruction team with the government, we are zombies. I like to think that we are a family who has faced some very unfortunate situations,” Lawrence states.
Finally, I feel like I can speak again. “I understand how difficult and strange it must be for all of you to allow me into your home. Cohen has told me your history. I am beyond grateful that you are allowing him to be in a relationship with me and let me in your lives,” I say, making eye contact with everyone.
Collin stops stuffing his face for a minute. “Don’t you think we are freaks?” he asks.
“Not at all,” I state.
“Are you afraid of us? The media and society has made the idea of zombies quite frightful,” Clara begins. “I have seen the television shows and movies where Zombies are brain eating, walking dead corpses. That is not who we are,” she finishes.
“I will admit, when Cohen first told me about you all, I was timid at first. I mean, hearing someone say they are a zombie because of a chemical disaster would make anyone freak out a little. But, Cohen is kind and protective. He has this soft side to him that loves literature and sees the world through a positive and hopeful lens. I could never be afraid of anyone like that,” I said, smiling over at Cohen.
Cohen laced our fingers together and sighed. “Wow, I didn’t realize you saw me like that,” he said.
For a brief moment, I forgot that we were surrounded by his family. Time seemed to slow down and it was as though Cohen and I were the only ones in the world. His face and sparkling, golden eyes were all I saw.
“That’s great and all, but what about the danger this puts our family in?” Collin asked, breaking my fantastic moment.
“Yes, this is the downfall of being who we are,” Lawrence states sadly. “When I began working for the military, I was eighteen. I was transferred to a top-secret jobsite in Richland, Washington. All I was told was that I would be engineering a specialized chemical that would be used in several atomic bombs. It all seemed logical and ethical at the time. The Cold War had just begun and this was what was needed for our country. I soon was asked to work on another top-secret project by a task force outside of the U.S government. There I was requested to make another chemical. However, once we began creating the chemicals, I quickly realized that something was terribly wrong. Men in my department began getting sick. Some with fevers, others were losing their speech. Soon, they began disappearing. I was told they were transferred or placed on sick leave. Later, I realized they had died or had turned out like me.... Zombies.
Once I realized the nature of the destruction we had caused not only to ourselves and our families, but the area of Richland, we began to express verbally how dangerous this was. The site was shut down, but it was too late. When I became infected, there was no way to stop the chemicals from killing my body. Instead of killing me though, it just stopped my organs f
rom functioning. My brain and heart still work, giving me the ability to talk and walk. But, I am no longer a human. The chemicals had spread to those living around Richland. Clara was infected and so was our unborn child, Cara. Rumors began to spread around the army bases that the government was attempting to cover up this disaster. I had heard horror stories that entire families were killed or were being used for testing to try and stop the chemical reaction from further spreading and creating zombies. I made a decision to take my family and leave. So, one night, we packed a few belongings and left. We knew eventually the government would come after us, so we decided to create a new alias. We moved all around the world. At times, they would track our locations and we would move again.
When we decided to move to Edison, it was to gain a fresh start in the last place anyone would expect us to be. Only a few hours away from Richland, they wouldn’t think of us returning to Washington. Our fear with Cohen introducing you to our lives brings several scenarios. If you were to tell anyone of our existence or location, our family could be captured and killed...or worse. You also run the risk of placing yourself in danger. I don’t know what they would do if they discovered that you knew about us.”
Lawrence stopped talking and held Clara’s hand. “I understand the need to be around other people. I could never leave Clara behind. We continued to have more children, hoping they wouldn’t be affected with the zombie virus, but they were. We are a family and I know that my children will want a family of their own one day. As much as it pains me to know I have created a difficult like for them, I truly do want them each to be happy,” he finished, tears pooling in his eyes.
I swatted away my own tears that threatened to fall. I never imagined how dreadful life must have been for them. How lonely they felt not being able to share their story or have friends. I understand Cara’s anger toward me. I see why Collin pretends like nothing bothers him. I empathize with Cohen and his need to keep me in his life. They want connections. They want life.
“I can promise each of you this; I will never tell a soul about you all.” I didn’t mention Amy knowing, but because I knew that would bring on another set of problems. Just building their trust with me was going to be difficult enough. “Cohen is special to me, and I want to show each of you that I see nothing more than a family when I look at you all.”
Shadowed (The Shadow and Moon Series) Page 10