There's something happening here,
But what it is ain't exactly clear,
There's a man with a gun over there,
Telling me I got to beware
-For What It's Worth; by Malia J
Everyone had their own beginning. It could've happened before the outbreak, or after. In all honesty, it depended on the person. For me, it happened before; but close enough to the fall where the line between old and new was blurred.
It was a week before my mother's birthday, down in Montgomery, Alabama.
(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧
"Are you excited for your birthday?" I turned to look at my mother, Deanne. She and I were in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes from lunch. Despite it only being a week before her official birthday, a good number of family members traveled from across the country to see her. Some could only stay for a few days, others could stay until Deanne's actual birthday. My siblings and I were some of the few who could stay until the very end.
"I suppose." There was a wistful tone in my mother's voice, one I knew too well. "It's hard to believe how old I've become."
"You're not old, Ma." I turned my head back to the dishes I was working on. "You're still pretty youthful."
"Cariño, you're too kind."
I couldn't help but chuckle at that. My mother only used Spanish when she was in an endearing mood. I tried to remind my mother on a near daily basis that she shouldn't let her age get to her, that she was still doing fine, even if she was getting older. She knew better than to believe me, but she appreciated the kind words.
"I can't believe how many people made it down here," I said, glancing out the kitchen window. "I would've thought the airlines would've denied them."
With the bug having gained so much traction in the last months, I was positive that airlines would've shut down and cancelled any future flights. I was certain that, in order to stop the spread of the bug, no one would be allowed to go anywhere unless it was by car. But even that was pushing it.
"Your cousins said that their flights kept getting pushed back," Ma said. "They had to cancel and find a different way to get here. Not to mention your Aunt Francesca said she had to drive here. The airport near where she lives shut down not even a month ago."
"I didn't know that."
"She didn't want to raise concern."
Chewing on my bottom lip, I thought it over. So airlines were starting to shut their doors. Maybe they were trying to push it out for a little while longer. I couldn't say for sure.
"Either way," Ma said, "I'm happy we've got our family here. It's only a shame your father couldn't make it."
"You know he'd want to be here, Ma." I looked at her sadly. My father, Austin McCoy, was in the hospital. He'd contracted the bug back in the beginning, and it didn't help that he was working through other medical conditions, as well. When I came down for Ma's birthday, I wanted to go to the hospital to visit him, but I was stopped from doing so. All hospitals and walk-in clinics had quarantined themselves from the uninfected. They were either filled with the sick and medical personnel, or they were running tests on how to slow everything down. "You meant the world to him, even after the divorce."
"I know," she murmured. "I just wish the doctors would tell me how he's doing. They haven't called me since his admission."
"I'm sure he's doing fine," I said, looking down for a moment. "He has to be."
"He had his pulmonary hypertension," Ma sighed. "Then he got sick. I don't know what to think of this."
Running a hand through my hair, I tried to think of something to say. I felt my fingers tangle in my curls, the unruliness of my hair tugging slightly as I combed through the knots.
"He'll get better. He's in a hospital." I looked at Ma, trying my best to look and sound hopeful. "They're full of medicine and doctors. If something happened to him, they would've told us."
Turning the sink off, Ma took a dish towel and dried her hands. Not once did she look at me. Her sad, brown eyes stayed on the soapy water in front of her, on the few dishes that remained from lunch. Her lips pursed together, the wrinkles on her face having deepened some. My parents still held a very strong relationship, even after they divorced. I knew that. They refused to leave things on bad terms, and that was probably the most adult thing to do. But when my father got sick with his hypertension, and then got the bug, things became difficult.
"He's with us in spirit," Ma whispered. "That's what counts."
*:・゚✧ ✧゚・: *
My parents met each other when they were both teenagers. My mother had immigrated to the states from Peru when she was a girl. She grew up in Alabama, her and her parents moved around a lot, going from place to place before settling in Montgomery. When my mother met my father, they were in high school. Naturally, my mother was older by eighteen months, and she didn't actually think my father was at all cute until she graduated.
By the time my father graduated high school, that was the moment he started dating my mother.
Time went on, and they eventually married and had six kids. They'd always tell the story of how they met and started dating, joking about how they were too busy being kids to notice their feelings for each other. My siblings and I thought the story was funny, so did our parents.
It was only after over twenty years of marriage that my mom and dad chose to divorce. The spark that once kept them together had disappeared. They didn't feel the same way for each other, so they both amicably agreed to separate. Since the older kids were already over eighteen at the time of the divorce, they didn't have to worry about any legalities. Me and my younger brothers had to figure out which parent we wanted to live with, despite the joint custody agreement my parents settled with.
Everything about that time was difficult. Having to get used to visiting my father every other weekend, living with my mom for most of the time, being confused about why my parents chose to divorce. . .I was only thirteen at the time. I didn't know what was going on, and I had trouble adapting. Most of my friends came from broken families, or maybe even blended families, and some of them hated it. I was afraid that if my mom or dad chose to remarry, that I'd be miserable with my new stepfamily. They never did, though. That was a relief.
"You okay there, Tami?"
My thoughts came to an abrupt end when I heard my brother's voice. Turning, I met the curious gaze of my youngest brother, Matteo. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, his hazel eyes glittering curiously, almost cautiously, at me. It was almost like he knew what I was thinking.
I had gone outside to kind of get a bit of fresh air, in hope of getting away from any noise so I could have a moment to really think. And not the backyard, where a majority of my family was, but on the front porch where I could sit on the porch-steps and absently look at everything. But, of course, Matteo was quick to notice my absence.
"I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile on my face. "Why?"
"You looked like you were thinking a little too deeply there." Walking over, Matteo stood next to me, letting out a big huff. "Not to mention you don't look too happy."
"It's been a long day, I guess," I responded.
"It's not even three yet," Matteo added.*
"I know."
"What's really wrong?"
"Ma was talking about dad again."
Sitting down beside me, Matteo nodded. "Yeah," he murmured. "It's not the same without him."
"I just wish we could visit him," I stated. "If the hospitals weren't quarantined. . ."
"You know I'd be right there with you," Matteo exclaimed. "But this bug has every doctor freaking out. They don't want it to spread anymore than it already has."
"Yeah."
"Look, come back inside. Aunt Francesca's going to be telling one of her stories soon and it'd be nice if you were there."*
Giving a small nod, I tried to push away all the previous thoughts from my head. I had to keep up a happy face for the family.
(A/N):
Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I was having major writer's block, so I was having a hard time figuring out what I wanted written and how I wanted it written. . .so I don't know. What do you guys think? Leave constructive criticism on what you think I've done well in and what I should improve on.
Nothing in TWD belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the cell phone I use every day. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, be sure to leave a PM or a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.
Since it took me so long to actually post this chapter, that means the season 9 premier of TWD has already been aired. What did you guys think of it? Did you like it? Did you not like it? I know this current season is the one where Rick either dies, or just leaves the show for an undisclosed amount of time. Maybe he'll return (if he lives), maybe not. But how do you guys feel about season 9 knowing that Rick is going to leave?
Also, the actor who played Hershel in the earlier seasons, Scott Wilson, died a few days ago! Or yesterday. . .but it was recently. From what I understand, he struggled with cancer and it eventually took him. To me, it's sad that Scott Wilson died, because I thought he was amazing as Hershel. I guess the only good thing out of this is he'll be remembered positively for all the good he's done on-screen and off-screen.
Be sure to leave a random fact in the review section. It can be on something new or on something old. That's up to you guys.
I'll see you later.
Keira Mariano
