Page 76 of Say You'll Stay

“I know. Still hurts.”

They let her soak until the water turns warm and then wrap her up in a clean towel to doze on her mother’s chest. Nestled together on the sofa, while rain pelts the rooftop, she indulges in holding her child close, despite the risk of worsening the fever.

Olivia hasn’t slept much since this began. She only dozed off due to exhaustion, but now it catches up to her and pulls her under, leading to the best dream of her baby laughing. It’s bright and musical, a sweet smile lifting those chubby cheeks.It’s not until Cole calling her name pulls her back to reality that the overwhelming sadness encompasses her again and the tears begin anew.

It wasn’t real. She may never hear that sound again.

“No, look. Look at her,” he says, crinkling a bag of chips he must have found somewhere in this house. And just like that, everything is right with the world again when Lucy laughs from her spot on Olivia’s chest, watching Cole as he makes noise with the paper.

“She isn’t hot anymore, either. Check.” He’s unable to keep the smile off his face and sure enough, when she holds a hand to her daughter’s forehead, the fever has broken.

“Does this mean what I think it means?”

“Has to. It’s been too long. If she was gonna turn, it would have happened. Fever’s gone. She’s laughing.”

“Oh my god. How?”she whispers.“It can’t be immunity or she wouldn’t have gotten the fever, right?”

“Whatever she’s got, it’s enough to fight it off.”

Lucy, unimpressed with her own abilities, is focused on the bag that Cole allows her to squeeze, causing it to drop onto the sofa moments later, eliciting another round of laughter as if it is the most hilarious thing.

Not only does Olivia want to smother the baby with affection, but she also wants to do the same to Cole, whose support has quite literally kept her from falling apart. She wraps a hand around the back of his neck, tugging him closer until their lips press together in a salty kiss. His tears mingle with hers as that facade falls away and his emotions betray him.

“We can’t tell anyone,” Olivia breathes into the space between them. “Not Wade when we find him. Not anyonewe meet, not even her until she’s old enough to understand. Promise me.”

They both know how easily the wrong people would take advantage of her for their own benefit. She’s safe from the virus, but the remaining threat is everyone else. Her blood may as well be liquid gold and they’d stop at nothing to get at her.

“Never,” he agrees. “I promise.”

All this time she worried she’d brought a child into this world predestined to succumb to the virus, but it turns out she delivered a miracle. The first generation to develop resistance begins here.

* * *

They left most of their supplies other than one small bag at the community. They have only a few diapers for Lucy, and no towels, blankets, or food for themselves. They’re starting from scratch and the first destination is a travel stop off the beaten path.

“These places have everything,” Cole says. “Truckers would pull in and get a shower, a burger, souvenirs for their wives, and an oil change.”

Cautiously, after tapping the outside wall a few times with the shotgun butt as a warning, they enter a combination drugstore and mini-mart. Home goods line one wall and useless trinkets sit on the other in between shelves of candy bars.

“Not bad. Still got some stuff we can use.” Cole pulls a set of sheets from the plastic, fashioning a sling for Lucy. “Not as fancy as the other one, but it’ll do.”

“My arms thank you.” Olivia groans in pleasure as the weight of the baby is lifted. “She’s getting big.”

“Growing fast. Not five pounds of potatoes anymore.”

“Did you just call Lucy a potato?”

“What? I like potatoes.”

There’s a single pack of diapers on a far wall and a backpack with a tear in the front that they grab, anyway. Olivia takes several Slim Jims, chapstick, a few pink snow balls, and a pack of underwear.

“Jackpot!” He holds up a can of sardines, opening one for Flower to eat on the floor. She inhales the tiny fish at light speed, making little humming noises of pleasure, while Cole stuffs several cans into a bag.

Olivia picks up a pack of boxers, nudging him with her elbow. “Looks like your style.”

He snorts at the reindeer smiling happily from the fabric and Rudolph’s red nose gracing the crotch, but his attention shifts to a glass case, prompting him to wander over. “Might be a good idea for you to wear one. It would be proof for the next group we meet.”

She raises a brow as he slides open the top to access a variety of rings. “Well, that’s about as romantic as the first proposal.”

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