by Eve Langlais
“I hate to say it ‘cause I love her, but short of a calamity, that girl ain’t gonna budge.”
Fred said aloud what Brody feared to think. What’s it going to take to get her to move on?
He thought he found the answer the next day. Boy was he wrong.
Chapter Ten
Hannah lurched out of the bed she shared with Brody and barely made it to the bathroom before she heaved into the white porcelain. When the convulsions stopped, she sank to the floor with her head resting on the seat and closed her eyes.
Oh fuck.
She couldn’t deny the evidence of her missing period and new nauseous state. I’m pregnant. Hannah dared not tell Brody yet. She knew what he’d say. He’d immediately want to pack her up and move them to the settlement where there was both a doctor and midwife, not to mention medical supplies. The worse part? Hannah knew she should go but, opening her eyes and looking around at the peeling wallpaper, so familiar because she’d helped her mother hang it, she knew she couldn’t.
How can I leave the only home I’ve ever known? Not to mention all my memories of Mom and Dad. Hannah sobbed silently, afraid to wake Brody. Her mind and emotions spun; she felt scared and confused.
A shadow fell over her and a moment later, strong arms wrapped around her and carried her back to bed. Brody snuggled her under the sheets and spooned her, stroking her hair back from her forehead.
“When were you going to tell me you were pregnant?”
His words shocked her. How did he figure it out so quickly?
“I might not be. It could just be a tummy virus.”
Brody jumped up from the bed, and he paced the room, his body taut with anger. “Dammit, Hannah. Don’t screw with me. I know you’re pregnant. You know what this means, don’t you?”
“It changes nothing,” she said mulishly.
“Changes nothing?” He stopped pacing and gave her a stunned look. “Are you out of your fucking mind? This changes everything. Hannah, you’re pregnant. You can’t stay here and expect to birth a baby with just me to help you.”
“I don’t see why not. Women used to do it all the time.”
“And the infant mortality rate used to be stupidly high. What, you’d intentionally kill our child because you’re too stubborn to leave this goddamn house?”
Hannah got mad, despite knowing he was right and she was wrong. “If you don’t like it, just leave then. It’s what you do best, isn’t it? I knew you could never stay. First sign that things might be better elsewhere and off you fucking go again. Well, good-bye. I don’t need you. I don’t need anybody.”
“I’m taking your uncle to your sister,” he said his voice quiet, but his eyes blazed. “And when I get back you and I are going to have a long talk. I meant what I said. I won’t leave you. But dammit, I am going to prove to you that staying here is foolhardy. I won’t put you or the baby in jeopardy.”
And with those parting words, he left. Hannah refused to go downstairs and see her uncle and Brody off. She was not in the mood to listen to either of them.
Stupid men, think they know everything. I don’t need them. I’ll do just fine on my own.
A part of Hannah didn’t expect him to return, the angry words they’d exchanged had been ugly, but even as she thought that, she fervently hoped he’d come back. Please let him choose me this time.
One lonely day stretched into two. The pump on the well broke, and she was reduced to hoisting buckets up by herself, a chore that made her back ache. She burned her dinner and ate alone with only a dim candle for light and companionship. She ruefully thought of the Amish village where she’d played cards and conversed for the first time in years with someone other than Fred and Beth. I don’t believe it, but I actually miss it. It was fun.
Needing distraction, she flipped through the photo albums of younger, happier days. She wasn’t really paying attention when she had a sudden revelation. Oh my god, it’s not this house that made me happy, it was my family and friends. Stunned, Hannah put the photo album down and walked through the house she’d called home for over twenty years. For the first time, she wasn’t comforted by its solid presence. She missed the love and laughter that used to echo within its walls, and she finally realized that by staying, she wouldn’t get that happiness back. Her family was gone for good, unafraid to start a new life, a better life, and if she wanted the joy that came from being with them, she needed to join them. And even more, she needed to trust in Brody. He would give her all the love she needed if she’d only let him.
Amazed by this revelation, Hannah waited impatiently for Brody to return, her anxiety of earlier so foolish. Of course he’s coming back. I’m his family, me and the baby. And he loves me no matter how dumb I can be sometimes.
On the third day of Brody’s absence, she packed some special photos of her family to take with her when she heard the sound of bikes.
He’s back, and I’ll bet Beth’s come with him to help convince me. Smiling she went out to the front porch eager to see their faces when she told them of her decision. Shading her eyes, she peered into the distance and counted three bikes approaching. And judging by the flags fluttering from their tails, none of them was Brody’s.
Cursing herself for being stupid, she ducked into the house and slammed the door shut. Grabbing the shotgun, she ran into the kitchen and thumbed the lock there too, glad Brody had repaired the door after she’d blasted it. She prayed the strangers on the bike hadn’t seen her.
With sweaty hands, she checked the shotgun chambers and waited. The sound of the bikes approaching got louder and louder, then faded, as they drove on past the house.
Hannah sagged with relief and remained inside for the next few hours, just in case. Around dinner time, she finally unlocked the kitchen door to make a run to the well. Good thing she’d decided to move, this no running water problem was getting annoying real fast.
When she got back to the house, she locked the door behind her again and started chopping up veggies for her supper. A sound from the living room had her pausing. What the hell was that?
Clutching the knife, she inched out into the hallway quietly. She didn’t hear any more noise. Chiding herself for being jumpy, she strode to the living room and then stopped dead in shock as a scruffy man looked over at her from the photo album he was flipping through.
“Hello there, pretty girl.”
Hannah swallowed her fear and in a voice that trembled just a little said, “Please leave. My boyfriend will be back any time now.”
“Ooh, Look at me I’m shaking in my boots.” The stranger leered at her. “You know how long it’s been since I’ve had a woman?”
Hannah felt panic clawing at her and waved the knife at him in shaking hands. “Don’t come near me. Please just go. Brody will hurt you if he finds you here.”
Moving quickly, the thug knocked the knife out of Hannah’s sweaty grasp. She watched with horrified eyes as it spun off out of reach. “Well, since your boyfriend is coming then we’d better leave quickly. Oh and to make sure he doesn’t follow…” With a nasty smile, the scruffy man flicked a lighter and lit the edge of the photo album. Hannah, in the grips of an intense terror, whirled to run only to smack into another intruder who smelled like he hadn’t bathed since the end of the world.
Brody, help me!
Chapter Eleven
A sense of foreboding had Brody driving fast and hard, weaving through the obstacle course that led home.
The trip with Fred had taken him longer than expected having to go slower with the old man and making more frequent stops. Fred had been welcomed by a tearful Beth. Joel had also promised to watch over him. Brody had wanted to return to Hannah then but had been further delayed in the hunt for a new wheelchair for Fred, unable to leave him until he knew the old man was mobile.
Brody had finally left first thing that morning, anxious to return to his stubborn kitten and unable to shake a feeling of dread.
A dread that turned into horror when he saw t
he smoke billowing in the sky where Hannah waited.
Accidental fire or intentional? The question plagued him as he had to choose between stealth and speed. Knowing how careful Hannah was about all things flammable, he opted for sneaking in. He stashed the bike and hot footed it into the fields that led right up to the house, the long stalks offering him concealment.
He held his handgun in one hand with the safety off and as he prowled through the forest of corn, the rustle of his movement masked by a breeze, he mentally prepared himself for what he might find.
When he reached the edge of the field, he crouched down and crept forward. The smell of smoke drifted thickly here, and he could see the orange and red flickers of flames as they hungrily devoured the old farmhouse. An icy hand squeezed his heart, and he almost ran out into the open, but common sense prevailed. Hugging the edge of the field, he kept moving and was rewarded with the raucous sound of laughter. His eyes scanned the trio of men as they passed a bottle and pointed at the burning house. A lump on the ground moved, and one of the men reached down. Brody heard a whimpering cry.
Hannah!
With no thought for his own safety, he charged at the bastards, determined to save the woman he loved.
* * * * *
Hannah saw him first, like a dark shadow flowing from the corn field, one who stalked with a determined purpose, for her. A cowboy born of the apocalypse taking the law into his own hands.
Brody aimed his hand gun and fired. With a gurgling sound, one of the scumbags who’d accosted her dropped. Hannah scrambled backward on the ground as the leader reached down to grab her.
“Stupid fucking bitch.” Those were his last words as Brody’s next shot took him out too.
The third attacker fled into the deepening twilight, but Hannah only had eyes for one person.
“Brody,” she breathed, so happy he’d come back and saved her from a fate worse than death.
He tucked his gun into his waistband and swooped her up into his arms. Only when he’d marched a fair distance from the burning house did he unclench his jaw enough to speak. “Did they hurt you?”
“No. You arrived just in time.”
Brody didn’t respond. He just kept walking, and Hannah wondered where the hell they were going but, exhausted and in a bit of shock now that the danger had passed, she just lay her head on his shoulder and let herself relax in his embrace.
His destination turned out to be his bike.
“Can you hold on?”
Nodding, she clambered on behind him and held him tight as he carefully drove ‘til they reached the town’s only motel.
He said not a word as he led her into the room, but his hands and mouth spoke for him as soon as he shut the door. He took her into his arms and kissed her with urgency.
Just as frantic, she clung to him, her hands pulling at his shirt. But he was too impatient and, to be honest, so was she. He unbuttoned her pants and pushed them down ‘til she could step out of them.
“Brace yourself,” he whispered, turning her so her backside was spooned into his groin.
Shuddering with desire, Hannah placed her palms on the wall and bent forward, pushing her ass against his hard shaft.
He reached between her legs, and she heard him grunt when his fingers ran across her already slick cleft. Spreading her nether lips, he guided his cock into her, his thick pulsing length making Hannah sigh.
His hard length stroked her, pumping into her silken folds. Hannah loved the feel of his hands on her hips as he pounded her faster and faster. His rapid breathing was more erotic than any spoken words. His lips latched onto the back of her neck and sucked the tender skin making her shudder. And he pumped her faster and harder, his velvety length slamming into her even as his fingers dug into her soft flesh. Knowing his pleasure lay just a few thrusts away, Hannah took one hand off the wall and, licking a finger, found her clit and rubbed it. When he came with a bellow, driving himself to the hilt inside of her and holding it, Hannah followed, her orgasm rippling around his pulsating length.
His hands moved from her hips to turn her around so he could hug her and bury his face in her hair. They embraced tightly for several moments.
Finally he spoke. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take you so rough.”
“It’s okay. In case you didn’t notice I like it too.”
“When I saw the house on fire and saw you in danger…” His voice trailed off and he hugged her chokingly tight. “I can’t lose you, Hannah. I love you too much.”
“I love you too, Brody.”
“I’m sorry about the house. I wish I could have gotten there sooner and saved it too.”
“Who cares about a stupid old house. At least we’re both safe.”
Brody pulled back. “Who are you, and what have you done with my kitten?” he asked incredulously.
“Yeah, well, I had an epiphany when you were gone. Turns out it wasn’t the house and stuff that I loved so much. It was my family. Without Beth and Fred and you, well, it was just a house. I was going to tell you when you got back, but then shit happened.”
“So we’re moving to the settlement where Beth and Fred are then?” he asked almost timidly, as if afraid he’d misunderstood.
“I will follow wherever you want us to go. Except for a major city,” she amended shivering. “They’re just creepy.”
Hannah’s ribs were crushed again, and he burned her with a scorching kiss, an embrace that turned into a much slower bout of lovemaking.
And after cradled in his arms, Hannah smiled. This is home.
Epilogue
Three years later…
Hannah smiled as she watched Brody chase Duncan across the front lawn, his shrieks of laughter the most beautiful sound in the whole world.
After an easy pregnancy but a hard labor she’d thanked the stars she’d had a midwife for, she’d birthed her nine and a half pound baby boy. She and Brody had spent a terrified year waiting to see if he’d succumb to the virus or other childhood illnesses they no longer had vaccinations for but, at just over two and a half, Duncan was a sturdy little boy with a smile brighter than sunshine.
She and Brody had been welcomed into the settlement with open arms. A house had been found for them with plenty of bedrooms for children-hint, hint. Fred had elected to stay in the boarding house with other “folk closer to his generation,” as he liked to say. Beth had lived with them for a little while before getting engaged and marrying Mike. The happy couple had been blessed with a little girl just the year before.
After her year of solitude, Hannah had found to her surprise that she quite enjoyed the community they’d joined. Everyone chipped in to take care of the chores that needed tending from farming, to livestock, to blacksmithing, the early results which had been laughable. Their village had grown as other survivors had made their way to them. Even more fantastic, they’d made contact with another thriving group a few days’ drive from them. In a joint effort, there were work crews going out every few days, intent on clearing the path between the two colonies for quicker movement.
The world might have died with a sneeze but through hard work and plain old stubbornness, people were recovering and adapting. Gone was the stress of money and working for faceless corporations. Now everybody worked for themselves and the neighbors they lived and shared with.
And even better everyone was happier. Smiles and laughter were the music that replaced the hustle of the old world.
Rubbing her distended stomach, Hannah walked down the porch steps to join her two favorite people in the world. Life had never been better, especially since she had her very own apocalypse cowboy there to remind her every day of why she was so blessed.
Author Bio
Eve lives in Bowmanville, Ontario, with her family consisting of three kids, two cats, one guinea pig, and her hubby. She’s a homebody at heart who loves reading, video gaming, swimming, and spending time with her family. She hopes you’ll visit her home on the web at http://www.evelanglais.com a
nd drop her a line, because she loves to hear from readers.
***
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Document creation date: 13.07.2012
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