Chapter 29
Family Matters
Cam
While they enjoyed chicken sandwiches, home fries, and pickled cucumbers in the cafeteria, Cam realized it had to be later in the afternoon than he’d thought.
Shadows had begun to bend through the windows, and the nervous energy and excitement that had seemed to sustain everyone was beginning to wane.
Still, the general mood was jovial.
“I kind of can’t believe this place is real,” Ginger was saying. “It’s, like, almost normal in here. Like we’re all at college together or something.”
They all laughed, and Dette got them all debating what classes they’d be taking and their majors.
Then the group was joined by Manny and Key, both looking tired but clean and content—Key somehow still managing to look like a badass in a Rick Astley shirt.
“Baby, are you Rickrolling me right now?” Dette asked, rising from her seat to kiss her wife.
“Never.” Key slid her arms around Dette and hugged her tightly. “And forever.”
“Gross,” Cam groaned, mostly because they expected him to.
“Parents,” Ginger echoed with a knowing look at Cam. “Why?”
Ripper, from his seat beside Ginger, snickered.
By then, Manny had his hands on Jen’s shoulders, and she reached up to cover his hands with hers. “You all okay?” he asked gruffly.
She tilted her head back to look up at him. “We really are.”
Manny kissed her forehead and smiled at Ginger and Zachary. “That’s good.”
He sat down by Ginger and gave them a nudge. “How about the food?”
“It’s actual bread. And this homemade ketchup is fantastic.” Ginger sighed around a mouthful of potato. “Ten out of ten, no notes. Also, we’ve decided that we’re all in college together.”
Manny chuckled. “I still haven’t finished paying off my student loans, but okay.” He paused. “Jeez. That’s weird to think about.”
“Don’t worry,” Zachary deadpanned. “Pretty sure there’s a moratorium on student loan payments due to the zompocalypse.” He grinned at Allie.
“Way to use that very fashionable portmanteau,” she said to Zachary approvingly, but then she sent Cam a lovely, conspiratorial smile that warmed him from the inside out, so he couldn’t even mind.
“Zompocalypse cancels out all debt,” Ginger said. “Absolutely.”
“Yup,” Gray said. “It’s in the Constitution. Fine print.” He pinched his thumb and forefinger together. “Very fine.”
A chorus of laughter sounded out for that one. Even Rachel laughed.
“I am loving this vibe,” a cheerful voice said from behind them.
Cam turned to see Frankie beaming at them, hands on her hips.
“But I’m here to check on this one.” She went over to the youngest member of the crew.
“Ginger, I’d like you and your mom to come to the hospital after you’re done eating.
Your wounds are healing, but I want to give you a thorough exam and give you and Jen some supplies. ”
Ginger smiled up at her. “You’re a doctor and a strip-search specialist? This place really does have it all.”
Frankie chuckled. “Not quite a doc, but close enough. Want to walk with me?”
Ginger inhaled the last of their food in record time as Jen looked on fondly. Cam grinned into his plate. Teenagers and their appetites.
“Ready!” Ginger replied.
“See you all later,” Frankie said, and she exchanged a glance with Allie, Cam was sure of it. He hoped that meant good things.
The three of them headed off, and Key walked around the table to sit by Cam and nudge him with one shoulder. “Hey, honey. You okay?”
He swallowed a bite—Christ, the chicken was juicy and amazing—and nodded. “Okay.”
“Good.” She leaned over to him and spoke low, loud enough for only Cam, Allie, and Dette to hear. “Mal wants to talk to you and Allie before we bunk down tonight.”
Sooner than he’d hoped, but it made sense. Cam nodded, and Allie, although she suddenly looked very nervous, nodded too.
“How is he?” Cam asked. “I mean, how is he acting with you?”
“He’s...” Key shrugged, her eyes widening as she thought for a second before she added, “Better than he has been? Seems less antagonistic? I think some major stuff has gone down since the last time we were here. Something he didn’t want to send in a courier message.”
That could mean almost anything, good or bad. Cam exchanged glances with Allie.
Dette slid back down into her own seat. “Did you tell him about Allie?”
“I did. About the dreams,” she clarified. “He was intrigued and not really surprised, but I’m not totally sure what he’s thinking right now.”
“And Odie?”
Key rolled her eyes. “Not yet. Mal promised to have him come to the meeting, too, but says he’s on a project in another building.”
“At least he’s here. And safe, mami.” Dette picked up her fork and pointed it at Key. “After these last few weeks, I’ll take it.”
“What do you think he’ll want from us?” That was from Allie.
It was a quiet and totally reasonable question, yet a jangle of fear erupted in Cam’s chest.
Key sighed. “Nothing more than we’re willing to give. I hope.”
After another few minutes, Cam finished eating and stood, taking his plate and Allie’s over to the dishwashing station.
For the first time in a long time, he really felt full.
He’d eaten plenty at the Armory, but he always worried about taking too much at those gatherings.
The potential of depriving others always lingered at the back of his mind.
At the Plant, he always felt comfortable eating until his body was completely satisfied—it was a major perk.
Allie and Key were talking quietly when he returned to the table, so he stood beside Odette, putting his arm around her for a quick side-hug. She leaned into him for a moment.
Allie looked back up at him, and he smiled at her, hoping she was feeling more at ease. When her big brown eyes brightened with an answering smile, he felt the tingle of it in his toes. She dropped her gaze too soon, though, and picked up her glass of water.
Dette’s attention was back on her wife. “Do we need to take our stuff up before we go see him?” she asked Key.
“We’ve got some help on that front, thanks to Malcolm. They’re going to walk up with the others and put your stuff in your room.” Key first eyed Cam then Allie. “I hope it’s okay that you’ll be sharing. Since y’all are already used to... you know, being roomies.”
Allie seemed to choke on her drink, her face turning pink as she set down her cup.
Cam, mouth suddenly a little dry, nodded. “Sure, as long as it’s fine with Allie.”
“Ah... yeah. Yes,” Allie said, wiping her mouth. “I’m fine with that.”
Relief unfolded in his belly at her tone, which sounded embarrassed but eager—he hoped he wasn’t imagining that. And God, he hoped it meant what he thought it meant.
Dette grinned and shook her head, while Key sighed.
“Good,” Key said. “Finish up, you two. The sooner we can talk to my brother, the sooner I can get back to our room and a comfortable bed.”
Allie
Allie’s stomach was full, but her whole body was on edge.
Sharing a room with Cam sounded almost too good to be true—if they could get past all the stuff they needed to talk about.
Between the two of them, they seemed to be carrying enough mental and emotional baggage, new and old, to fill a U-Haul.
Maybe we could put all that on hold tonight and just... be together.
Maybe. And maybe they’d end up breaking off whatever this was between them before the night was through.
With that disheartening thought reverberating in her head, Allie resisted the urge to slide her hand into Cam’s as they walked alongside each other, heading to an upstairs lab where Malcolm waited to meet them.
When they walked in, a tall, solidly built man with a short Afro and a beard shot through with silver looked up from a microscope.
“Hey,” Malcolm said. “Gimme a sec.” He looked into the microscope again, made a notation on a sheet of paper, then came over to them. He was in a simple green button-down shirt and cargo shorts, with sandals on his feet. “Keyshawna.” He gave her a nod.
“Malcolm.”
A silence stretched between them until Mal chuckled and turned to Allie. “You’ll have to excuse my baby sister. She’s not so big on introductions.” He held out a large hand. “Malcolm Williams.”
She shook his hand, looking him in the eyes. He was much taller than her, but she liked his eyes and smile. “Allie Dawes. I’ve heard a lot about you and this place.”
He nodded. “A mix of things, no doubt, but I’m glad to hear it. We want people to know about the Plant.”
“Hey, you’ve got a twinsie.” He gestured at their identical Nirvana shits before giving Cam an exaggerated double take. “What took you so long to get back here, Cameron? I figured you were zombie chow. The other white meat.”
Mal bent a wide, shit-eating grin at Key, who narrowed her eyes.
“Seriously?” she snapped.
Obviously electing to ignore the other man’s baiting, Cam stepped forward and held out a hand. “It’s good to see you, Mal.” He even sounded like he meant it, to some extent.
Grin fading, Malcolm took the proffered hand, allowing Cam a grudging “You too.”
He led them over to a makeshift living area that contained an old couch, love seat, and chair grouped around a rug and coffee table in the corner.
“We’re doing well here, really, and the solar grid is starting to expand—we’ll be putting out more calls for people to be trained for installation and maintenance.
I hear you brought someone who worked in solar Before? ”
“Yup, plus another Spanish speaker,” Key said, perching on the arm of the couch while Cam and Allie settled onto the cushions. “He’s a teacher. We’ve got an elementary teacher too.”
“Awesome.” Malcolm nodded. “They sound like great additions, if they want to stay.”
“Speaking of wanting to stay,” Key began, her voice lowering.
Malcolm held up a hand. “Hold that thought. Let Odie speak for himself when he gets here.”
Key’s semi-patient facade was melting away quickly. “You know how I feel about my family being separated. We stay together. We always have.”