Day 13: Homecoming (pt 1)

Addison and Zed both jumped at the sound of knocking at the door. They shared a look, both excited and hopeful. Addison abandoned her simmering milk and went for the door, pulling open and breaking into a huge grin at the sight of her son. He towered over her, just like his father, and dropped his bag, spreading his arms wide to embrace his mother.

"Mom!"

Addison squealed, hugging her son for all she was worth. Zander had graduated the year before and had been home for approximately three weeks before going off to the eastern hemisphere, traveling from country to country, working with different volunteer organizations. His parents loved everything he did, but they hadn't seen him in person in a year and a half. Zander had called a few weeks ahead to warn them, and they had both screamed in excitement. Yet, nothing could match seeing their baby in person.

She burrowed her face in his shoulder, fighting the urge to cry. "God, I've missed you so much," Zander muttered.

"I missed you too," she whispered. She reluctantly pulled away from him and pulled him inside. "Come on, you must be freezing."

Zander chuckled, stepping inside and pushing the door closed. "Israel was pretty hot," he joked. "I almost forgot to pack sweaters!"

Addison laughed, though she already couldn't stop smiling. "Come on, we're making hot chocolate! Your grandparents dropped off imported chocolate."

"That sounds amazing."

Addison grabbed his wrist and dragging him back to the kitchen, letting him go in the doorway and jogging to Zed to take over with the cooking. Zed turned and beamed at his son, instantly pulling him into a hug. Addison smiled as her two favorite men (god, Zander was a man) hugged. She finished the hot chocolate, pouring three mugs while Zed and Zander talked. She moved the mugs to the table and they all sat down in their usual seats, only one other person missing.

"When's Zenia getting here?"

"A few hours, I think," Addison said. "You miss your sister?"

Zander laughed. "Surprisingly," he said. "But I missed you guys more. I really tried to visit for your birthday, Mom, but I—"

"You don't have to explain, we understand," Addison said. "Tell us about your travels! My little boy got to see the world! How was it?"

Zander did his best to describe his travels—from Botswana to Ethiopia to Madagascar and Malawi. He went up into India and foen to New Zealand, then back to Egypt and finally Israel. They moved to the living room while Zander told them a few stories about his travels, then asked about what they had been up to, his eyes shifting to his father.

A few weeks after Zander has first left, Zed had woken up in intense pain, his Z-band in the orange. They had gone to the merge by room first, where they stabilized him then sent them to Seabrook to go to Containment, where they were told that he was experiencing 'Severe Draggy Leg Syndrome,' where the nerves in his brain and legs and spine weren't communicating properly, resulting in intense pain and difficulty walking. They had prescribed him pills for the pain but there wasn't anything they could do to cure it, since it was just a 'Zombie thing.' A zombie thing that, if they remembered correctly, was one of the clearest signs that his life was coming to an end. He was nearly fifty and his hair was turning brown, soon to be grey, and he was walking with a cane. Zed's father had started his Draggy Leg Syndrome when Zed had gone to college, and lived about another twenty years. They tried not to think about it too much though.

"I'm okay," Zed said. "Don't worry about me, Kiddo."

Zander nodded slowly. "I thought you had to use a cane."

"I can walk around my house just fine."

"Except the stairs," Addison pointed out.

Zed gave her a short glare that she knew didn't mean much. She leaned into his side, embracing his warmth. "We've really missed you," she told her son. "It's so lonely around here."

"You should get a dog," Zander said with a smile. "Then you wouldn't be lonely."

Addison giggled and shook her head. "I've been telling you no about a dog for twenty four years, why do you keep trying?"

"You'll say yes, I'll crack you." Zander grinned and Addison shook her head.

The doorbell rang, and Addison got up, going over and opening the door. She beamed at the sight of her daughter and her husband. She turned back and shouted, "Zenia and Jack are here!"

She hugged her daughter and her husband, stepping to the side to let them inside. They hung up their coats and Addison said, "Zed's in the living room," purposely avoiding mentioning Zander was home. The three of them went into the living room and Zenia gasped at the sight of her brother sitting on the floor, talking and laughing with Zed.

"Oh my god!" she squealed, tackling her brother in a hug. Zander grunted as he fell back. "You're here! I hate you! Why didn't you tell me!"

Zander just laughed. "I love you too."