23. Christopher #2
The pasture is marked off by an electronic fence the herd can’t pass through, but I have a remote device to create an opening through which I can enter.
It’s early enough in the evening that the herd hasn’t bedded down for the night, so I weave my way through the cattle and notice one of the large bulls is limping.
Using a virtual screen, I flag him and order veterinarian service.
“Chris!” Maria shouts.
I feel something push against my butt. My heart rate goes through the roof, and I whoosh out of the pasture, jumping over the electronic fence in one big leap.
Maria dashes out of the truck and rushes to my side. “Are you okay?”
“Just fine.” I clutch a hand to my chest, take a couple of deep breaths, and feel my heart return to normal. “Possum was pranking me. That bull is territorial, but he’d never hurt anyone.”
I kiss her, then walk to the rear of the truck and grab four pouches from the box on the truck bed, along with two wineglasses and a blanket. The pouches are purple and marked alcohol by volume twenty percent.
When I return to where Maria waits, she’s still glaring at Possum. I motion to her. “Come with me.” I lead the way to the other side of the pasture fence, away from the cattle, and spread out the blanket. “Relax.”
Maria throws one last dirty look in Possum’s direction, then stretches out on the blanket and kicks off her shoes.
I hand her a pouch and a wineglass.
She studies the label. “What’s this?”
“Did you ever drink alcohol as a mortal?”
“Granddaddy had a still and made tequila. He baked agave roots, fermented the results, and then distilled the spirits. So yeah. I’ve tasted the stuff.”
“Well, this is better than homemade tequila. Ari came through on his promise and delivered a case of alcohol-infused clone blood last night.”
She unscrews the cap and pours the ruby liquid into her wineglass. “This is the special dark wine he mentioned?”
“Yup. Go ahead, try some.”
She takes a sip. “That’s mighty good.” She takes another. “I can feel it already.” She takes a deep breath, and I can see the tension ease from her body.
I smile and pour my own. “You see, straight liquor doesn’t affect us.
Got to process the alcohol through a mortal and drink their blood.
The Lux make this special clone variation—alcohol-infused dark wine.
” I join her on the blanket and clink our glasses.
This is the most normal I’ve felt since the Collapse.
“I have another surprise for you. Wait here.” I head back to the truck and grab a large gold box with a bright blue bow on it.
Then I drop the package in front of her.
“I promised to find you more luxurious lingerie. Took me a while, but I got it.”
She finishes her glass and sets it aside on the grass, then tugs at the ribbon and opens the box. “Oh my.” She holds up a black lace bra and matching bikini panties. Underneath is a similar set in red. “These are gorgeous. Thank you.”
Hope rises in my chest. “You like them?”
“I do.” She gives me a lingering kiss. “But I think they’re a gift to yourself more than me.”
“Maybe.” I laugh. She knows me by now. I definitely want to see her in them, but instead offer her a second pouch rather than push. “Have another?”
“I think you’re trying to get me tipsy to take advantage of me.”
“Smart woman.”
After our second pouch, she returns to the truck, disappearing behind it for a moment, only to reappear wearing the black lingerie set.
I suck in a breath. “You’re gorgeous.”
Her panties come off as easily as they went on, but she still wears the lacy, see-through bra.
Running my hands over her breasts is sexy as hell, the texture of the lace a little stiff, and her nipples pebble under my palms.
She sighs. “That feels so good.”
“Yeah,” I say.
We make love under the dome’s night sky. The stars shine above as she rides me. I don’t want to jinx us, but I’ve never felt happier.
Another two weeks pass in this gentle rhythm.
It’s been five weeks since Maria and Zinnia joined my life, and though that’s a drop in the bucket, it feels like I don’t remember life before them.
I think I was far lonelier than I realized.
It’s the only explanation I can give for how drastically different I feel.
For the first time in my life, I have purpose. My music provided purpose, of course, but this is different. Taking care of Maria and Zinnia was terrifying weeks ago. But now? I’m ready for the responsibility. In fact, I want it.
Tonight is Zinnia’s first trip to preschool in India.
We each kiss her cheek goodbye, and after she vanishes, we head off on our scavenging excursion.
Later that night, as Maria packs the kitchen goods, I make a sweep upstairs and rummage through the jewelry boxes and chest of drawers in the master bedroom for valuables.
Then I see it.
I open the dusty, faded velvet box, and find a gorgeous solitaire in a platinum ring setting with smaller diamonds circling the central stone. Pristine. Never worn. I slip the box into my pocket and don’t let Maria see it when I return downstairs.
“What? Did you find a place to make love?”
I nearly choke on my own spit. “Not really. Why?”
“The way you’re smiling. You look like the cat that got the cream, as my granny would say.”
I slip my arms around her waist and pull her to me. “I was thinking about how lucky I am.”
My joy is interrupted when the comm buzzes in my ear, and Ms. Kalina’s name appears on a virtual readout.
Zinnia isn’t due home for another two hours. I figured we had plenty of time to return to the ark and use our own bed for a change. Lately, Zinnia has a habit of interrupting us at home whenever we close the bedroom door, so we’ve made use of more than one scavenge site to make love.
I groan a little. Did she get homesick that fast?
“Hello, Ms. Kalina. Is Zinnia okay?”
“She’s fine. Is Maria available to join the conversation?”
A few clicks of my tongue to turn off privacy mode, and the virtual screen appears. I angle it for Maria to see, too.
Worry washes over her face. “Ms. Kalina, what’s wrong? Is Zinnia ill?”
From our quiet talks, I know that’s one of Maria’s major fears. After losing Gabriel to illness, she’s afraid the same will happen to her daughter.
Ms. Kalina shakes her head. “Not at all. Please, don’t worry. Zinnia is fine. We are just dealing with a socialization problem, and we need your help at home to teach her skills she missed out on living without other children around.”
“What happened?”
“Let me emphasize that what happened was normal behavior we see in all children. She discovered a toy in the toy box, became enamored with it, and refused to share it with others. The situation escalated faster than we anticipated. She became so upset, we sent her home early with the toy.”
Maria’s brow is still furrowed. “What should we do?”
The first thing that comes to mind pops out of my mouth. “Send her to bed without supper?”
“Christopher!”
“Hey, that’s what my mom would have done.”
Ms. Kalina tsks. “We never punish for not sharing. Never. Punishment will create a negative association with sharing.”
Shame clutches at my throat. My mother was quick with the paddle when she thought I wasn’t playing nicely with others. Is that why I’m bad at sharing my things? Zinnia has asked to play with my musical instruments. I’ve refused, afraid she might damage them again.
I clear my throat. “So, what do we do instead?”
The anger in Maria’s eyes softens, and she redirects her gaze to Ms. Kalina. “Our small community shared everything in the Titan compound. But except for me and my two husbands, the rest of the community members died before Zinnia was born. How do you suggest I teach her?”
“I sent her home with a picture book about sharing. When you read it with her, be in a happy place. It’s not a reprimand. But it illustrates the steps we go through to teach sharing.”
I scratch my head. “Steps? Someone’s broken this into a system?”
Ms. Kalina smiles. “Indeed. Simple steps. Model good sharing behavior. Teach her that other playmates will ask, ‘Can I have a turn when you’re done?’ Emphasize Zinnia doesn’t have to relinquish the toy right away but does so when she is done with the toy.
Sometimes the turn doesn’t come. Which is all right.
But when she is done…we need to give positive reinforcement for letting go. ”
“Like what?”
“‘Look how happy Mommy is that you shared your toy with her.’ Start there. The book will model other steps if she continues to refuse, and she can certainly have her own toys at home that remain there and aren’t shared, but the toys at school are all shareable.
Whatever you do, do not force sharing. We’ll work with her on the same steps.
If the parents and school are in alignment, the issue quickly resolves. ”
Maria’s eyes brim with tears, so I finish the conversation. “Thank you, Ms. Kalina. We appreciate everything you’re doing for Zinnia. Goodbye.”
I terminate the vidcon and take Maria in my arms. “Why’re you crying, Sunshine?”
“I never thought Zinnia would get to be around other children. This is a dream I never even imagined. But—” She crumples against me, her tears wetting my t-shirt. “To be told I haven’t taught her how to be around others on her very first day… I’m a terrible mother, aren’t I?”
“No, you aren’t.” I pat Maria’s back. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard her say. “You’re a great mother who did a wonderful job raising Zinnia under harsh circumstances. You have every reason to be proud.”
“But—”
“You heard Ms. Kalina as clearly as I did. She said Zinnia’s behavior is normal for all children, regardless of whether they had playmates.”
Maria sniffles. “She did say that. Do you think it’s true, or was she just being kind?”
“I bet it’s true. And I also bet Zinnia felt overwhelmed by the other kids and clung to the toy because it resembled something familiar.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
She smiles at me, nodding as her tears slow.