Chapter 10 – Shadows

For six days my little sun couldn't shine over me.

A few minutes after Pet was brought to the caves, I was smiling from ear to ear at the prospect that soon I would see Wanda again. I was still alone with her in the hospital when Mel came back and she immediately mirrored my smile. Right behind her came Doc and Jeb, who talked excitedly about the new arrival.

"So this is going to be the new face of our friend?" Asked Jeb excited. "Well, Melanie, I have to admit you did a great job! When Wanda wakes up with this little face, nothing will be impossible for her!"

"It's too early to think about raids, Jeb. We are well stocked and Wanda will need time to readjust." I said, trying to gain as much time as I could until I'd have to break the bubble that I was creating around her.

"Yes, yes, of course. Speaking of which ... Doc, how long do you recommend waiting?"

I was praying that Doc would say something like "After returning, Wanda will need six months to rest ..." when this answer came:

"Given what happened to Jodi, we shouldn't wait too long. A few days will be enough..."

"Wait? A few days? For what?" I asked, already suspicious that that I'd hate the answer.

The smile disappeared from Mel's face with the same ease with which it was born. It looked like a scene viewed in reverse.

"Oh, bugger!" She complained.

"Mel? What's this?"

"Oh, Ian, I'm sorry. I thought I'd made that part clear for you. Wanda doesn't want to be a parasite. We need to give the new host time to wake up, if she's still here."

"Okay. What if she wakes up? And then, what do we do? Go after another body?"

"If that's what it takes. Until we get a body that is exclusively Wanda's."

"Honestly, I see your mouth moving and all I can hear is 'bla, bla, bla ... we will drop one more bomb on Ian's head ... bla, bla, bla ... We will exchange the body of his girlfriend as one changes clothes!' "

"Oh, come on, Ian! You're acting like a child! It seems like I'm talking to Jamie. No, wait a minute. Jamie wouldn't be so immature! You know very well that Wanda couldn't bear to feel that she suppressed another host. That was why she didn't want to stay here in the first place! I think we can wait a bit to ensure that doesn't happen.

"Don't give me that, Mel. Jodi's body almost died!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Ian." Interrupted Doc. "That's why we'll wait less time. We won't take risks like we did with Jodi. That was my irresponsibility!"

"You bet it was, Doc! And I won't let you do it again!"

"I gave my word to Wanda once and I've failed. I won't let you stop me to ensure the will of my friend again, all because of your romantic instability!"

Even Melanie who, at that time, was about to hand over the post of president of my fan club to anyone who cared more about me than a banana peel, glared at him indignantly. She grabbed my wrist as if to ask me to calm down and gave Doc an earful.

"Romantic instability? Doc! That's a lack of consideration!"

"Consideration for all of you is what brought me to this crossroads, to begin with!"

Jeb watched everything with his usual poker face, but when he saw that things were really heating up, he had to leave his comfortable position of voyeur to intervene.

"Calm down, you three! Behave! You are all on the edge, and with good reason. But we're all on the same side here. We all want the best for Wanda and we can't leave our reasons and our wills to exceed hers. And that's what you're doing, Ian!"

"But, Jeb!"

"But nothing! We'll take good care of the body. And if Doc, or any of us, thinks she is getting too weak, we'll insert Wanda immediately. But we need to give a chance to this girl. Think about it, Ian. Her chances are slim. We can not take the few she has!

"Sunny was very weak when she woke up." I said, in a last weak effort not to lose the argument. But, at that moment, I knew it was my anxiety talking. Deep down, I already understood that they were right.

"She woke up weak, but within hours she was already walking around like the new queen alien in town! She's fine, Ian. And so will this girl here. We will watch her closely. You're already practically living in the hospital. What difference does a few more days make?" Jeb asked in a way that looked like the answer was ready in the question.

I didn't answer, but Mel, whose anger had passed, kept her hand on my arm and put the other on my shoulder. She looked me in the face, that intimate contact between us still uncomfortably familiar, and made a motion with her head that looked like a question. I exhaled hard, letting go of all the air I didn't even know I'd been holding, then looked at her and put my head down, defeated.

"All right, then. Doc, prepare the girl. I'll want to watch this. And those who want to stay here will also have to behave. You need us to call someone for help?"

"No. I think Mel knows what to do, don't you?"

"I know. And Ian can also help. Will you?" Mel asked weakly elbowing me in the ribs and trying to make me change my defeated expression.

"Yes, I can help you. With this part I always agreed." I said still insisting on my bad mood.

When Pet was removed, Mel held her carefully in her hands as I held the tank where she would be placed. We both looked at her fondly.

"Thank you." Mel said.

"Yes. You don't know what you're doing for us, but we will always be grateful anyway. May you live many and long lives in peace!"

We closed the tank and placed it carefully separated from the others. Wanda would want to see her when she woke up, we were sure.

Doc closed the cut and lay the body again in a position where we could see her face. While she was asleep before, there was life in that face. Now, it was as if the clouds had darkened the little sun. Her pretty face was completely lifeless and the delicate body lay awkwardly on the cot.

"Now all we can do is wait and take care of her" said Doc

And I prepared for the next days of shadows.