Page 5 of Say You'll Stay

“Fine.”

“Really?”

She sighs. “No, not really.”

“Hurting?”

She only nods, watching him cross the room to dig in a new bag, pulling out a ziplock filled to the brim with pills.

“Got anything you could want in here.”

“Are you a drug dealer? Sorry. That came out wrong. I didn’t mean—”

He snorts. “No, it’s my friend’s stash. Wade is always prepared.”

“Is he coming back soon?”

“Don’t think so.”

He doesn’t offer details, and she doesn’t pry, but she’s relieved there won’t be another man joining them. She’s having a hard enough time adjusting as it is.

“I can’t take anything other than aspirin. Not when she’s nursing.”

“Figured. Got some Advil in here near the bottom. In its own little bag.”

After a few moments, he victoriously hands her two Advil-shaped pills. It won’t eliminate all the aches, but it’s a hell of a lot better than nothing. She swallows them dry and longs for the moment when they kick in.

“That guy in the subway. You know him?” He slides her a few tentative glances.

“He was my husband.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m not.” She pauses, remembering what led them to that potential tomb. “We heard there was a safe zone not far from here. Doctors. Food. Fences. But then he got bit, and we were surrounded. Escaped to the subway and then everything happened so fast. I had no choice. He was going to kill us both.”

It’s no secret that someone hurt her. The bruises she can’t hide in short sleeves and her lip that still throbs from where Jason smacked her after he’d been bitten, saying it was her fault for not moving fast enough, are proof of that. Her indifference should connect a few dots, and Cole nods knowingly.

“You’ll get no judgment from me. They aren’t them anymore when they turn. If you hesitated, you wouldn’t be here.”

She doesn’t want to think about that anymore, so she changes the subject, hoping he’ll let her. “You said your friend’s not coming back. Is he…”

“Ran off after some woman. Been looking for a week, but it’s only getting worse out there. I gotta keep moving. Might’ve waited too long already.”

“You’re leaving? To where?”

“We had a plan to start heading east. Lots of farmland out that way. Me and him, we grew up in the system together. There was this place our foster parents took us once. Only once. Acres of land, fruit trees for miles. We’ll have a better chance out there. You have anyone you’re trying to get to? Family? Friends?”

“No. It’s just me and Lucy now.”

Her face has fallen and she can’t control it. He didn’t say this was permanent. One night might be all they get. She couldn’t fault him for that. They are a burden, plain and simple. Eating precious resources and sounding the alarm every time Lucy cries. All her promises about keeping quiet were only a desperate lie. Babies cry. No matter what. There’s going to come a time when she can’t stop it and they both know that.

Cole gets up to peer out the window, speaking to the glass instead of her. “Never said anything about booting you two out on your own, but—”

“But?”

“No guarantees here. Hell, I could step out that door and get bit tomorrow. Don’t go expecting any heroics. I can’t promise to keep you safe and if something happens…”

“I understand.”

---