Colt got a small smirk, “I think we have enough real things to deal with, right?”
Beth sat there listening then smiled. “Now that we got that cleared up and thank you for making me feel much better….what do you think about this guy? You are quite right about him mysteriously coming out of the woodwork…. Has Alden even thought about this? Because Colt, Alden is our leader, whether we want it or not. I will admit that I am growing to love him.” Colt looked at her and raised his brow. “Not like that but like the love of a Dad. He’s knowledgeable and I think very protective of his ‘Cupcakes’.” She snickered when saying cupcakes then continued, “I just don’t know about Heath.”
Colt smiled, he was very happy he got Beth to stop crying, “We will see what Heath’s deal is in time, for now about we try to get some sleep, I think we have the second watch so we need rest.” He tugged gently on Beth’s arm, “You okay laying in here again, I kind of liked having you close”
Beth smiled, laid down in the crook of his good arm, “I think I could get use to this.”
Colt kissed the top of her head, “Me too.”
Outside, Ceara sat by Charlie listening to everyone else talking, she glanced over at the cabins then wondered where Heath would be sleeping. There were three cabins and each had two bedrooms so that meant there were no empty areas for him. Her eyes settled on her and Charlie’s cabin, she began to wonder if she should ask Charlie about the night before. She sat silent for a few more minutes then she leaned over to Charlie, “Ah, can we take a walk? I want to talk to you about something.”
Charlie looked nervous and looked to Alden; Alden shrugged and smiled, “I ain’t got no more idea than you do.”
Charlie stood up, “Yeah, sure, where did you want to go?”
Ceara looked around, “Just to the woods a little bit. Maximus, come on!”
Maximus ran to join them as they walked away from the group. Once they were well away from the group Ceara turned to Charlie and he still had a confused look, he started before she could, “Did I do something wrong?”
Ceara smiled, “No, nothing like that but I just didn’t want to ask this in front of Alden or Tabitha, they would make fun of us either way it goes.”
Charlie looked even more confused, she sat on a log and looked up at him, “I was just thinking, well there is three cabins and only two bedrooms in them, so that doesn’t leave anywhere good for Heath to stay.”
Charlie held up his hands, “Hang on Ceara, we can’t just turn him out… he is normal, like us. How can you want to just kick him out?”
Charlie was getting angry before Ceara had a chance to stop him. She jumped up, “NO you ass!!! That isn’t what I was saying!!! GOD YOU ARE SUCH A MAN SOMETIMES!! All I was going to ask was if I could start sleeping in your bed and we could give Heath my room.” She cocked her head to the side glaring at him, “You feel like a jerk yet?”
Maximus was looking at each not sure what he should do, so he just growled in general, Ceara snapped at him, “You shut up too!”
Maximus laid his head back down. Charlie shifted, kicking leaves around, “Well, yeah I do feel like a jerk, OK? But you could have started off better than you did.”
Ceara shook her head, “What should I have said Charlie, I want to sleep with you so let’s use the excuse of giving Heath my room?”
Charlie smirked, “I like that better.”
Ceara couldn’t help but smile, “You need to hush, that isn’t what I was wanting anyway. I am not ready to have sex with you; I don’t know how many women you have been with but me I am pretty picky.”
“Yeah, well it ain’t as many as you seem to think and I don’t just have sex with any girl wanting to jump in my bed.” He knew he worded that wrong the minute he said it.
Ceara had turned red and it wasn’t from embarrassment, “Really?? That is how you see me, just any girl… Nice Charlie!” She turned storming off back to camp, “Forget it!! Alden can figure out where the guy is going to sleep!” She had made it ten feet before Charlie had her, he pulled her back to facing him, “Let me go!”
“No, you took that wrong!! I didn’t mean it like that; just listen to me, please!” Ceara shook out of his grasp but didn’t move. “Ceara, I haven’t been in a relationship like this before, I care a lot about you ok? I don’t know if it’s love or not, but I know I want you with me. Honestly, I was a bit jealous that you are thinking so much about Heath that you are worried about his comfort.”
Ceara sucked air through her teeth and Charlie knew he had to change the way he was explaining this. “I know you care for me; I know you want to be with me. I am a jerk, just like you said, but it is only because I don’t know what the hell I am doing. I worked on boilers, swept and mopped floors. That’s what I know. I…. well I haven’t dated or been around women much, except the Sisters, so I don’t know how to…. Errr….. talk to girls.”
He shuffled his feet looking down at the ground, he knew he had let out more than he wanted but it was too late now. Looking back up, he gave Ceara a half smile, “Now, back to your question, yes… if you still want too after this, I would love for you to move into my room.”
Ceara looked to the ground; she didn’t want to look at him yet. Did she still want to stay with him? Charlie lifted her chin with his forefinger, looked deep into her eyes, “I’m sorry, I don’t like hurting you.”
Ceara swallowed and nodded just enough that he knew she understood. The mood changed before either realized it, Charlie leaned in and started kissing her. Five minutes later and breathless they separated, neither knowing what to do. Charlie cleared his throat, “They are going to wonder where we are and I think Colt and Beth forgot they had first watch. We can go back and tell Heath our idea and then take first watch for the others.”
“Ok, if you want to.” Charlie looked sideways at her; he didn’t know why she sounded so distant now. It was like she was thinking of anything but the camp. He reached down taking her hand, “You ready?”
“Ah-huh”
Alden sat sipping his coffee with Heath as they watched the two young kids walk off. Heath looked up at him, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a good cup of coffee.”
Alden smiled, “Yeah me too.”
Tabitha piped up quickly, “Hey I made that pot.”
Alden took another sip, “yeah I know, I have to give you cupcakes a lesson on coffee 101. Yours is just a tad on the weak side, Ceara’s is a lot on the weak side. Colt and Beth’s are a bit on the strong side and Charlie’s been with me long enough he’s almost got it down.”
Tabitha got up from the table and smacked Alden in the shoulder, “Okay Grandpa, I’ll pay more attention tomorrow morning when you make the first pot.”
She picked up the last of the plates and cups. Turning to Heath, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, “I have to admit he does make the best coffee I’ve ever tasted in my life.”
Heath turned and smiled at her, “Really?”
Tabitha nodded her head, “If you’re finished with that I’ll take your plate.”
Heath smiled and handed it to her, “Yes thank you. That was a great meal. You guys eat like this every night?”
Tabitha picked his plate up, “Nope, you’re company, tomorrow you night you’ll be family so it will be beans and squirrel meat again.” She turned and headed into her cabin.
Alden took another sip and looked around the camp. Tonto had placed himself at the end of the woods where he had a view of most of the buildings including the shed, along with the tree line. Heath started to look around also, noticing the big red dog, “So let me guess you named him Clifford right?”
Alden turned to him with a confused look, said in a gruff tone “who the hell is Clifford?”
Heath turned a bit red himself, “Well…. Errr… he’s a ….Never mind. So whose dog is he anyway?”
“He’s no one’s but he’s been my partner for many years. Tonto and I served in the same unit in Iraq. When I retired he decided he wanted to
retire too, so we left together. I got my pension and he got to keep a quality of life he was used to.”
Heath looked at the dog and then back to Alden. “So you’re retired military, no wonder you’re in charge.”
“I’m not in charge, as you say, these kids are free to leave anytime they want. They’re also free to do whatever they want, so long as they don’t cause harm to one of the others or piss me off.” As Alden spoke he pulled his 45 out a placed it on the table then his knife. “Young man we need to have a discussion, a sort of Q and A period. You see when everything went to hell in a hand basket, I headed here. I ran into Charlie and the others just sort of floated in one by one. We’ve been together for a while and those kids have grown kind of fond of each other.”
Picking up the knife he started to carve in the table and looked up, “Truth is I’m kinda fond of them too. So I’m just a little bit of the protective old man right now.”
Heath’s eyes followed the knife and then returned to Alden’s, “Shoot, what do you want know I got no secrets to hide.”
Alden set the knife down and placed his hands around his cup, “The other night there was one helluva firefight near here, did you know about it?”
Heath shook his head, “No, I do know I’d heard motorcycles and trucks a few days back, over that way”, pointing to where the battle had been, “but I never went over there. I don’t know it just didn’t feel right, you know?”
Alden nodded. “Why haven’t you picked up a weapon?”
Heath sighed, “I did, I had a couple of shotguns and a pistol but they were pieces of crap. Some people buy guns and never take care of them, so after I used them a couple of times they just… I don’t know broke and I didn’t know how to fix them, and was afraid if I did they’d blow up in my face. The Rangers I buried each had a 38 but they only had about 50 rounds of ammo and I used that in the first two days shooting zombies.”
Alden got up and retrieved the pot from the fire pouring himself a cup, he held up the pot offering some more to Heath who nodded. As he sat back down and took a sip, he looked directly in Heath’s eyes, “Now the big question, you said you were trying to get back east and get your kid. You still plan on doing that?”
Heaths jaw tensed and his eyes went cold, “Yes sir that’s my plan.”
The two looked at each other for a minute then Alden spoke, “You know kid, the odds right now don’t look good.”
Before he could finish Heath stood up, “LISTEN HEAR OLD MAN, I DON’T NEED YOUR DOOM AND GLOOM BULLSHIT. MY KIDS ALIVE, I KNOW IT AND I INTEND TO FIND HIM”
Alden looked up at him, “Sit down, son,” His voice was low and quiet, “We all had family just last month, some of the ones here had to bury their own. From what I’ve seen of this ‘outbreak’ is it don’t give a rats ass if you’re rich, poor, black ,white, young, or old, if you get bit you’re done. So I’m not being mean or trying to dissuade you from going and doing what you think you have to do. Just know this; what you found in K.C. will probably be as bad or worse wherever you’re going. What’s more you may just end up getting yourself killed just trying to get there. There’s strength in numbers son, and anyone who is still smart enough to be alive is not going to be where they were when all this shit started. You’ll be looking for a needle in a haystack.”
Alden took a sip of coffee and let all he said sink into Heath’s head, “One more thing, people who have survived will be heading down south for warm weather. The grid is gone and we’re all back to caveman days.”
Alden poured Heath another cup as he watched the tears come forth as he sat back down. Putting his hand on Heath’s shoulder Alden’s voice was almost tender, “It’s a damn hard thing for you to deal with. We’ll get you a bed or something tonight in one of the cabins and we can talk more in the morning.”
Charlie and Ceara came walking up out of the woods as Alden was pulling his hand back. Charlie looked at Ceara, “I don’t know what happened but Alden seems to like the guy or he would never have touched him like that.”
Ceara nodded as they approached the table she put on her best smile, “So… what are you doing Alden, telling Heath here that were more like the Addams family instead of the the Walton’s?”
Alden grinned, “Oh I don’t know, I’ll tell you as soon as you tell me why you and boy wonder there went walking off to the woods.”
Ceara blushed as Charlie began stammering, “ err uhh err… we, we was just talking Al, seriously.”
Alden busted out laughing, “Relax son, this ain’t the Spanish inquisition. We ain’t going to put you in stocks over a little hand holding and kissing.”
It was Charlie’s turn to blush. Tabitha had watched the conversation between Alden and Heath from the window and was coming back out just as Ceara and Charlie walked up. Hearing the conversation she giggled, “Awww, Ceara… you passed first base? Next thing you know, our two puppies will be slamming a home run heater and poppin that sweet little cherry of his!”
Alden turned his head and spit the coffee that was in his mouth across the ground. Looking at the two young lovebirds Alden’s face went to a frown, “I’m only going to say this once, any guy here gets a girl pregnant and I will personally put his nuts in a homemade stock.”
Alden got up and winked at Tabitha as she continued to giggle. Charlie looked at Ceara, she had put her hand over her mouth as her face was full red now, “Let it go, Honey,” she said to him.
Charlie was nervous and looked back to the group, “Well…. Err you see…”
Ceara stepped in quickly, she could see how nervous Charlie had become, “Heath, Charlie and I would like to offer you the use of my bedroom.”
Heath’s eyes went wide as did Alden and Tabitha’s. Ceara suddenly realized what she said as Heath said, “I don’t want my nuts in a stock and I hardly know you.”
Alden was almost bent double laughing as Ceara started to stammer. “ No… no.. wait just a minute.”
Tabitha was laughing so hard she could hardly speak, “Wow sister, I didn’t know you were that way, I mean damn, I know he’s cute but shit, the first night.”
Heath was laughing by now as Ceara stomped her foot, “Now you all just wait one GODDAMN MINUTE. What I mean was Charlie and I will share his room and Heath can have mine.”
Alden had poured his last cup of coffee for the night as he looked over took a sip and raised an eyebrow looking at Charlie, “We’re back to my original statement.”
Charlie looked at Ceara then at Alden, “Yes Sir,” he said quietly.
Heath smiled and stood up walking over to Charlie and Ceara, “I want to thank you for your offer. I will try and be a perfect guest.”
Alden looked at the group, “Charlie, you and Ceara have first watch so you can go get Heath settled and grab a nap, Tabitha and I will have second watch and Colt and Beth will have third. Heath, you get a pass tonight, I figure you need your sleep you’ve had a rough time of it. Tomorrow we’ll talk more.”
Ceara looked at Charlie and took his hand, then looked to Heath, “C’mon we’ll get you settled in.”
Charlie and Ceara headed to the cabin as Heath grabbed his bag and turned to Alden, “I want to thank you for all you’ve done.”
Alden smiled, “As I said, we’ll talk more in the morning.”
As Heath turned and walked away Alden looked at Tabitha, “So what do you think?”
Tabitha smiled, “I’m holding back Al, I’m just not as trusting as you are. Maybe I’m not that good at judging people.”
Alden put a log on the fire and the two turned and walked into their cabin as Maximus and Tonto took their positions by the fire.
Chapter 7 – Lemmes
The night was cloudy and thunder rumbled in the distance, Ceara watched the tree tops thrash in the wind. She pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her knees and looked over to Charlie, “I always loved storms but I don’t think I will love them so much if we are stuck out here in a downpour.”
Charlie chuc
kled but he was also looking at the brewing storm. “I’ll go get up a tarp if it starts to rain too much. I don’t think it would be very good to let our guns get wet.”
“Maybe you should go ahead and get it, Alden and Tabitha will need it, even if we don’t.”
Charlie got up and headed to the ladder, “Keep your eye’s peeled, Alden said there may be more than the normal amount of Wanderers around with all the noise we made the last couple of days.”
Ceara rolled her eyes but Charlie didn’t see it, “I know what he said, I listen to him too.”
Charlie disappeared down the ladder and she could see him in the moonlight going through his van, a few minutes of looking and he was headed back up the ladder to rejoin Ceara. He threw the tarp down and sat on it, they both fell into a silence just watching the woods.
Ceara started watching Charlie, every few moments she stole a glance at him. Charlie sighed, “What, why do you keep looking at me like you don’t know me?”
Ceara jumped, she hadn’t realized it was that obvious, “Well, I was just thinking about the woods….”Charlie turned red but stayed silent, “and what happened after we got back.”
Charlie looked out to the woods, “What about it?”
Ceara was worried about telling him what was really going on, but if they were going to be together, he had a right to know. “It was just that, well, you said that you don’t invite just any woman that wants in your bed in it, and I thought you have a right to know that Tabitha was wrong…. I’m not a virgin, I’ve only had sex once but I didn’t want to lie to you even if it was by not telling you the truth.”
Charlie kept his eyes on the forest, “You told me that before, so I knew it. The other time you were mad at me you told me, but Tabitha wasn’t talking about you….”
Surviving Day By Day (Book 2): Fears, Flames, and Future Page 10