Chapter 18

Past

I grinned down at them, "Ya'll are the sweetest. Come here." I opened one arm, allowing all of them to squeeze in. I hugged them tightly, "Lilah is lucky to have some really caring cousins."

Sophia looked up at me, "Cousins?"

I nodded, "This group is one large family. The adults, minus me and Glenn, are aunts and uncles. Which makes you guys cousins."

Ansley was the next one to look up at me, "I am gonna be the best cousin ever."

"All of you will be."

Present

"All of you will be." Carl, Ansley, and Sophia looked up at me. Lilah cooed loudly, causing all of us to giggle.

Carl smiled at her, "Can I hold her?"

Sophia and Ansley started bouncing up, and down, "Yeah! Can we hold her?"

I laughed, "One at a time and you have to sit down." They ran over to the grassy area by the water truck and sat down. "Okay, Carl. You need to support her head with your elbow and you bottom with your other hand." I set her in his arms, then fixed it so that they were both comfortable.

Carl looked down at her and grinned. I sat down with them, feeling a little strange just standing over them. Sophia and Ansley gushed over Carl holding Lilah, which made me laugh. They were definitely becoming boy crazy teenagers. Ansley looked over at me, then back at Carl and Lilah.

I laughed, "Okay, Carl. I think that it's time to let one of the girls hold her."

He groaned, making the girls giggle and hold out their arms, "Fine."

I took her from Carl's grasp and set her in Sophia's arms, fixing her arms like I did with Carl. She cradled Lilah against her chest. Lilah's little hand came up and grabbed ahold of her shirt.

I turned to Carl, "Carl, can you do something for me?"

He nodded, "Sure!"

I smiled and jerked my head towards the car seat, "Can you take the car seat to Glenn and tell Isis to come over here?"

Carl jumped up, nodding his head, "Yes, ma'am!" He took off, scooping the car seat up as he went passed it.

Ansley looked at me and asked, "When am I gonna be able to hold Lilah?"

I leaned forward and held out my arms, signaling for Sophia to pass Lilah over to me, "Right now." I laid Lilah into Ansley's arms.

I sat back and smiled at them, not realizing my sister had walked up behind me, "So, what did you want with me, Ivy?"

I jumped and looked behind me, "Oh, shit! You scared me."

She laughed, "What do want, Ivy?"

I sighed, noticing Carl standing behind her, "Can you take Carl and Sophia to look for baby things? I know the others are looking, but I want the kids to help too. They are Lilah's cousins."

Isis looked between the two young kids, seeing them bouncing in excitement. She nodded, causing them to squeal, "Shh. I'll take you, but you guys have to listen to everything I say. Got it?"

They nodded, "Got it!" They followed Isis towards some of the cars that looked like they were headed in the other direction, trying to talk her ear off.

I looked back at Ansley, noticing the gloomy look on her face. I got up from the grass and held out my arms, so that I could take Lilah from her. She looked up at me, a frown very prominent on her face. I bent forward and took Lilah from her.

Getting Lilah settled in my arms, I turned to Ansley and said, "Why don't we help the others go through the cars?"

She looked away from me, "Whatever."

I sighed, "What's wrong, Ansley?"

She ignored me, heading towards a car far away from Carl and Sophia. I sighed and followed after her. I watched as she threw open the back door of a gray sedan.

I reached forward and grabbed ahold of her shoulder, "Ansley, stop."

She spun around and glared at me, "What?!"

I looked at her, "Stay here. I will be right back, then we will talk about what is bothering you."

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the sedan. I headed towards the RV, seeing Dale sitting with T-dog, "Dale, can you do me a favor and watch Lilah for a bit?"

He nodded, walking towards me, "Sure." He took her away from, "I will take her into the RV and try to get her to take a nap."

I nodded, gratefully, "Thank you." He gave me a kind smile, letting me walk away. I ran back to Ansley, hoping she hadn't snuck off while I was gone.

I had to slow down, so that I didn't freak any of the other group members out. I jogged around the water truck and over to the gray sedan. Luckily, Ansley listened to me and stayed where I left her. She was digging through a blue stripped bag with a frustrated look on her face.

I stepped up to her. "What is wrong with you, Ansley?"

She ignored me.

I sighed, "What is wrong with you?"

Silence.

I grabbed ahold of the blue bag and tugged it away from her, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

She glared up at me, "Nothing, okay? Can you stop asking?"

I tossed the bag away, "Bullshit!"

"It's nothing!"

"Bull."

"Stop."

"No."

"Stop."

"No."

She looked at me with sad eyes, "Please, stop."

I shook my head, "No."

She sighed and looked down at the ground. "You sent Sophia with Carl to look for baby things for Lilah."

I smiled, "Oh! I understand what is wrong." I rested a hand on her shoulder, "I didn't know, Ansley. If I had known, I'd wouldn't have had you go last."

She shook her head, "I don't know what you are talking about, Ivy."

"It is okay, Ans. It is only natural to start liking someone, especially at your age." I grab the blue bag and sit it down in between us.

She shrugs her shoulders, "Not for me."

I patted her head, "Ansley, you've spent most of your life with your grandfather. He isn't going to tell you about lady things, because it isn't comfortable for him. I was raised by a single father and I was a child in college, so I understand where you are coming from. I had to learn about sex, crushing, and love from books and social media. It was confusing and hard, but I got through and so can you."

She looked up at me with big eyes, "Would you help me?"

I nodded, "Yes. I am not going to let you survive the zombie apocalypse without knowing about your body, sex, love, and boys."

She blushed and kicked the bag. She groaned, "Ivy!"

I laughed and pulled her into a hug, "I'm gonna be like the older sister that you never wanted."

She smiled up at me, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Thank you."

"You're Welcome."

~A/N~

HEY THERE, HI THERE, HO THERE!

So, it has been a while. And I'm sorry about that. I've been working on this update for a couple of weeks, but I had a really bad panic attack as I was writing it. Then I had to put it aside so that I could focus on not having another panic attack. I'm so thankful for all of the people that have liked and followed and commented! You are all so amazing! I love you all! Sorry, that this was kind of short!

Thank you!

G-V Princess