Everything had calmed down three years after the infection. Towns were rebuild, schools, shops and eateries reopened, and radio, TV and newspapers were readily available from all over the country. Within the next few weeks internet would be re-established, as well as the phone lines.
The four survivors had decided to stay in the same town. It saved the hassle of moving, and the idea of losing one of them was heartbreaking now that they were all so close.
Nick had moved into a nice older style home six doors down from Rochelle, across the road from Ellis, and a block and away from Coach.
Ellis' house was a modest one story, three bedroom house with a nicely manicured front lawn, a perfect garden out the back as well as a tire swing and a barbeque area. Rochelle lived in a small duplex with Zoey and Louis, who the four of them had caught back up with. Francis was living in another apartment, but was planning to move in with Rochelle soon since they had been dating the last two years. Coach's house was small, but homely where some of his family from out of state would come and visit. It had four bedrooms, though Nick didn't know how the hell they all fit in the one story house as it was that small.
Nick, on the other hand, had to choose his house from necessity. He did not know that he was a father. The idea had never crossed his mind. Unfortunately for him, in quarantine CEDA and other organisations had been using the samples they took from survivors to match family members back up.
He was now a single dad to two young girls. The oldest was Charlize, who was fifteen, and Scarlet was nine.
Ellis had found it 'awesome' as it basically secured him as the 'cool uncle', then there was Aunt Ro, who hated the aunt thing as it made her feel old, and grandpa Coach. Because he wanted to be called that.
Nick had practically refused Zoey, Louis and Francis to be a part of the family. He didn't know them as well as his teammates, and he had a hard time trusting them. Why? He wasn't entirely sure himself.
Having children was hard for Nick, who knew nothing about kids. He was now a cook, a cleaner, a teacher and a single dad. In a strange way it had brought in a hell of a lot of respect for single moms, that was for sure.
Ellis was ridiculously helpful. He would come over with snacks for the kids, help them with their homework (not as often as he brought snacks) and had them all over for dinner twice a week to help Nick out and give Nick a break if he decided to stay home while Ellis babysat them. They loved Ellis, and he doted on the both of them, buying them small presents and spending time with them when he finished work.
Rochelle was always working (sure felt like it) being the editor of a newspaper and writing articles for magazines, that she didn't see the children that often, same went for Coach who would spend his days teaching at the local school, training after school, and on weekends he would either go to the kids' he trained sports games or visit family who resided in other parts of the country or they would visit him.
Zoey and Louis had tried to make an effort to help Nick out when he needed it, but Nick, who was still secretly pissed that Ellis had once liked her, had shut them out. Ellis had berated him for it, but he didn't care. He was grateful that Ellis was so great with the kids, and that the kids loved him back.