Chapter 5: The New Normal

 

Everyone in the cabin watches on Jenni’s laptop as the new president of Plaza Pharmaceuticals announces that before her death, their dear friend and neighbor Miranda had figured out the formula for a vaccine. The trials had already been started in animals and were showing great success. Human test subjects would be next, and they needed volunteers of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds.

“Well, I won’t be doing that shit…” Tony interjects, shaking his head.

“Oh, Tony. You know Miranda was smart as hell. She probably tested it on herself!” Says Jenni.

“Uh-huh, and have you forgotten that she’s dead?”

“Maybe they worked out the kinks.”

“Whatever, I don’t trust it. They can test all the politicians and their families first.”

“Tony…” Mark scolds.

“I’m serious, man!”

“Don’t you think we should? I mean think about it…our town will never be the same after all the destruction. We’ve gotta do something. If for nothing else other than our kids. We need a vaccine to this virus” Jenni argues.  

Everyone looks at each other with trepidation as the link pops up to sign up for the vaccination trials.

“I’ll do it…”Holly whispers.

“So will I” Deidre declares.

“Ditto…” Jenni agrees, looking at Tony and Mark. Tony heaves a deep sigh, returning his wife’s gaze.

“Fine…” He concedes.

“Then it’s agreed?” Holly asks.

“Hell, alright…” Mark finally says.

Everyone takes out their phones, signing up for the vaccination trials.

“If I die from this, I’m haunting every single one of you…” Tony remarks, shaking his head.

“Think positive, Babe…” Jenni smiles.

“Well, it looks like we’ll have to go to the city to get the vaccination. We can’t bring anyone, who’ll watch the kids?” Holly asks.

“Well maybe Jenni and Tony can go first, then you, me and Mark” Deidre suggests.

“Why do we have to go first?” Tony demands.

“Or…however you want to do it, Tony. Me and Mark will go first, how about that?” Deidre sighs. Tony, sensing her annoyance gives a quick nod, not wanting to be jumped by the women he was overly outnumbered by.

The next day, everyone receives verification of their participation in the vaccination trials. They have approximately one week to travel to the city to begin the process. The group agrees that Deidre, Holly and Mark will go the next day and Tony, along with Jenni, will go the day after. As they discuss their plans, everyone seems to be uneasy about the looming trials.

“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?” Jenni asks, quietly.

“Woman, after all that convincing you did yesterday, you’re backing out now?” Tony asks. She glares at him in annoyance.

“I guess I didn’t think it would happen so fast…”

“Look, I trust Miranda’s work. If she was close to the vaccine with her research, I’m damn sure her colleagues perfected it after she died” Holly answers.

“Miranda was a researcher before she ever stepped foot in an office. We went to school together, and she was so absorbed in chemistry. I’d be dumb if I believed she wasn’t close to creating that vaccine…” Deidre whispers.

“We all went to school with her…well, except you, Holly” Mark says.

“Still, do you really think she’d let us down now? Even in death?” Holly asks the group. They all gaze at one another.

“Nah, of course she wouldn’t. Those two boys meant the world to her. If anything, she was doing it to give them a chance to survive” Tony concedes.

“Well, then we should do it…for Miranda” Deidre asserts. Everyone nods in agreement, putting their anxiety to the side for the greater good.

Later that night, as they are drinking wine on the porch, Tony and Jenni stare into the abyss of the quiet lake.

“Fall weather is coming…” Jenni sighs.

“Can you believe this has been going on since the spring?” Tony asks. Jenni shakes her head.

“You know…I didn’t want to believe that a virus could essentially tear everything apart. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”

“Well, we were probably due for it. You have all these wack ass doctors trying to play God, and then they come up with something they can’t get rid of.” Jenni sighs at her husband’s statement.

“You’re right. There’s no telling how that virus escaped a lab.”

“We’re just going to have to adjust to this new normal. Until an actual vaccine comes through, we’ll have to try our best to survive.”

“Do you think our house is still standing?”

“Hard to say. If it is, we will still have to fix it up again.”

“Where are we gonna get the money for that?”

“We’ll survive, Jenni, we always do. We’ve been through this since we were kids.”

“Yeah, from the time you knocked me up” Jenni laughs. Tony joins in the laughter.

“I thought your pops was gonna kill me.”

“He almost did.”

“Well, all I had to do was agree to marry you…after you finished college.” Jenni smiles fondly.

“He wanted me to be a doctor so badly. I guess a hygienist was good enough considering I had to take maternity leave. Oh, how I miss that man.” She sighs. Jenni sinks into memories of her father, who had adored her from the beginning and did everything he could to make sure she had a good life. Now that there was such uncertainty in the world, she wished he was still there for her like he’d been so many times before.

“Yeah, I guess near the end he decided he would like me a little bit.”

“You shouldn’t have let him fool you. He loved you.” Tony scoffs.

“I’m serious! When I got pregnant, you made sure you immediately did what you had to do to support us. I’m forever grateful you didn’t leave me high and dry with a baby.”

“Now why would I have done that? I loved you then…I love you even more now.” Jenni turns her head, gazing at her husband.

“I love you too, you big ass teddy bear.” She giggles, taking his hand.

******************************************************************************

Mark watches as his wife makes devastated faces at the news coming from the other side of the conversation on her phone. Some of the nurses at the hospital were keeping her posted on the chaos in town. He was so glad that he finally got the skepticism out of his system. He thought it was all a political stunt, but apparently, this virus was destroying the world and everything in it.

Deidre hangs up her phone with a heavy sigh.

“What’s going on?” He inquires.

“Hospital’s been taken over by the state. We are officially on furlough.”

“What? But you have sick leave, tons of it!”

“It doesn’t matter. Mark, what are we gonna do about money?”

“We have savings…”

“Well, yeah, but who knows how long this furlough will go on? We might not even have a house anymore!” A stressed look crosses Deidre’s face. Mark sits down on the bed next to her.

“Deidre, we’ve lived together three years and you’ve never worried about this before. What’s going on? We always make it.” Deidre looks down.

“Deidre? Look at me” he orders. She takes a deep breath.

“Because, in seven months…there’s gonna be three of us.” Mark gives her a confused stare.

“What?”

“I thought I was, but wanted to confirm at the hospital. They put me into quarantine before I could get the results.”

“So? When did you get the results? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to say anything until I got the results, and I just got them now from Mary Lynne. She said she found the printout at the ER desk.”

“Still, why didn’t you tell me you were thinking this was a possibility? God!”

“What good would it have done?!”

“I sure as hell would have thought about things differently! And anyway, I thought we agreed that you were going to be on birth control until all this shit was over with?!” Deidre stands up angrily.

“You’re blaming me for something I can’t control?! You know it doesn’t always work 100%!” Mark huffs.

“Look, I’m sorry, but I didn’t think you would keep secrets from me like this. I’m not angry about you being pregnant…I’m angry because you kept it from me.” Mark gets up, afraid to look his wife in the eyes. How in the hell were they going to navigate this?

“I need some air…” He sighs, leaving out of the room.

Deidre puts her head in her hands. Did he ever once consider how she felt? She didn’t want to be pregnant during this outbreak. Now, she didn’t even have a choice. She plops back on the bed, hugging her pillows. Now more than ever she needed her husband, he couldn’t abandon her now. Her eyes begin to grow heavy as the weight of emotional exhaustion bears on her.

Mark opens the sliding doors leading to the deck. Overwhelmed, he takes a tattered pack of cigarettes, sliding one out into has hands. He had quit smoking when he and Deidre had gotten married, but he kept a spare pack for emergencies. This was definitely one. He knew that he wouldn’t stay mad at her long, he never did. He was more hurt than angry that she kept this from him. Taking a drag from his cigarette, Mark tries to come up with a solution. There had to be one…right?

*********************************************************************************

While sitting at the kitchen table, Holly notices her phone ringing. Wondering who could possibly call her, she answers it quickly.

“Hello?”

“Holly…” Chase’s tired voice rings out.

“Chase…I’m so glad you’re okay!”

“I’m okay…they flew me to the city to help with the vaccination trials. I…saw your name on the list. I was happy to see that you survived this.”

“Well…trying to anyway.”

“Listen, I want to ask you a question…” He says timidly.

“Yes?”

“Did you mean what you said? On the voicemail?” Holly takes in a deep breath. What was the point of lying to herself anymore?

“Yes, Chase. I meant what I said.” She hears him heave a sigh of relief.

“Will you come stay with me?”

“My friends are here with me at the cabin…I can’t just leave them.”

“Why not? I’m assuming you’re talking about your married friends. They have each other. What you don’t have is me, and I want you here.” Holly thinks for a minute, then without hesitation, she gives her answer.

“Yes, Chase. I’ll come stay with you.” Hell, at this point, what did she have to lose? And who knew if this vaccine was really going to work? She might as well have some sort of bliss.

“When are you coming for your appointment? I’ll be sure to bring the keys when I see you. They set me up in a house just outside of the city.”

“Tomorrow” Holly whispers in disbelief.

“I can’t wait to see you.”

“I can’t wait to see you either.”

“Well, until tomorrow…good night, Holly.”

“Good night.” Holly hangs up before she changes her mind, but she knew she was doing the right thing. Why was she so afraid of it? All of a sudden, excitement begins to course through her veins. Maybe this time, she would find something that lasts.

As Holly, Deidre and Mark take the trip to the city, Deidre looks back at Holly with a sly smile.

“Are you excited?” She asks. Holly scoffs.

“About being poked and prodded? Not really.”

“No! I’m talking about moving in with your boo! I can’t believe you never told us you and Chase were getting it on!” Holly shakes her head with a laugh.

“And that’s the way we wanted it.”

“My question is if the pharmaceutical company hired him to work with the trials, why are they furloughing the nurse?” Mark asks angrily. Holly shrugs.

“Deidre, maybe you could get a job helping with the trials too” Holly suggests.

“That’s a hell of a commute” Mark says.

“Well, from what Chase says, they put you up somewhere outside the city.” Deidre looks over at Mark.

“That could be an option.”

“Well, I guess we could see.”

Once they arrive at the facility, they are immediately directed to separate examination rooms. Holly fills out the insane amount of paperwork that’s required to participate in the trials.

Just as she finishes up, she hears a knock on the door.

“Did you bring your bags?” She hears a familiar voice say. Looking up in absolute shock, she sees the tall figure she had missed for a month. He still looked the same. Even his tired, big brown eyes were still the same.

“I told you I was staying, didn’t I?” She smiles playfully, the chemistry between them brewing as if it were the first time all over again. He moves over to kiss her, gently taking her face in his hands.

“I missed you…” He whispers in her ear before kissing her again.

“I missed you too” she replies with a smile.

“Hold out your hand…” he commands. Holly obliges him, opening her hand slowly. Chase plants a single key in her palm.

“I’ll text you the address. Make yourself at home. I’ll be there at seven.”

“Okay.” She gives him one last smile before he slides out of the room.

After being tested, interrogated and finally injected with the vaccine, Mark and Deidre drive Holly to the address Chase sent to her.

“So, good news!” Deidre says to Holly.

“What’s that?” Holly asks.

“I will be able to get a job as a pediatric nurse for the children who will be test subjects, and since I took the vaccine, I’ll be able to start right away! And you were absolutely right…Mark and I will be moving here next week.”

“That’s great!” Holly exclaims as they pull up to the nice-sized house.

“Whoa. Doc is getting the royal treatment!” Mark observes.

“I hope ours is half as big is this one…” Deidre murmurs.

After Deidre and Mark have made sure that Holly is safely in the house, she walks around the spacious house in disbelief. She couldn’t believe she’d be staying here…with Chase. She never imagined she’d be here. She always thought that she was destined to be alone. Now, here she was. She didn’t have to beg for the love or affection, she didn’t even have to beg to move in. He just…wanted to be with her, and that was a hell of a change from her love life in the past.

She finally settles down on the brown leather couch with a glass of wine, reveling in the fact that it took a damn pandemic for her to realize she was loved. She promised herself she would enjoy every second, every minute, every hour and every day of this new life.

Dustin sits on the porch staring at the photo of his mom that he’d brought with him. She still lingered on his mind even though it had been a month since she died. It felt so lonely without her. Nicole was great and took good care of them, but no one would ever replace his mom. Suddenly, he feels a hand on his shoulder.

“Missing your mom?” Leslie asks, taking a seat next to him.

“A little.”

“I know. I’m sorry…but at least you know she died for something she believed in. She wanted to make sure that you and Jake had a future. Doesn’t that count for something?”

“How do you always know what to say?” Dustin smiles at her. She shrugs.

“My parents are lawyers.”

“Do you think your dad’s still out there?” Leslie sighs.

“I don’t know. So much has happened, and I think if he were alive, he would have tried to find us by now. I think it’s just gonna be us and my mom.” Dustin nods.

“Well…I guess that’s okay.”

“It will be…we are a family. We always have been. Hey, remember when we were little in the summertime and our parents would have cook-outs?” Leslie inquires.

“Yeah…remember that God-awful potato salad Kimmy’s mom used to bring?” They both laugh as Leslie takes his hand.

“Look, there’s nothing wrong with missing your mom, but you gotta remember the good times too and be hopeful that there will be more.”

 “What are you guys out here talking about?” Jake interrupts, startling both Leslie and Dustin.

“The good times…” Dustin says with a smile.

Later that evening everyone sits at the table savoring the southern fare Nicole spent most of the afternoon cooking.

“Ms. Nicole, I saw where they want people for the vaccine trials…I want to do it” Jake says, suddenly. Nicole looks up at him slowly as if she is having a hard time processing what he’s just said.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Jake…” she answers.

“Why not? Mom created it. She was close to getting it right…she would have wanted me to” Jake argues.

“Jake, I just don’t think it’s a good idea right now. Look, honey, we need to just focus on getting out of this situation the best way we know how. That’s what your mom would have wanted.” Jake huffs.

“I’m almost eighteen, I don’t need your permission anyway.”

“Jake!” Leslie scolds.

“You’re right, Jake. You are almost eighteen, and when you do turn eighteen, you can do whatever the hell you want. But for now, you are in my hands. Your mother made me swear nothing would happen to you and your brother. I intend to keep that promise.” Nicole glares at him with an expression that only a mother could give a child.

“You’re not being fair…” Jake answers.

“Fair or not, my mind is made up.” Jake and Nicole engage in a staring match until he finally gets up from the table in anger.

“You aren’t my mom, and you’ll never be. If I can find a way, I’m going.” He stalks up the stairs mumbling under his breath.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Nicole…” Dustin whispers apologetically.

“No need to be sorry for your brother, Dustin. I know you’re both still hurting. I also know that Jake is exactly like your mother. Won’t listen to anything.”

“You’re going to let him go?” Cami asks, fearfully.

“Oh! He can go, but he’ll have to find his own way there and back. I won’t participate in it…” She looks at the three teens.

“…And neither will any of you. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am” a chorus rings out from the three kids.

“Finish your dinner” she commands. They all eat in complete silence, wondering if there will be yet another crisis they’ll have to survive.

Later that night, Nicole sits on the side of her bed, her soul in turmoil. How was she going to keep these kids safe on her own? When she made this promise, she never knew she would be the only one to survive. She missed her husband desperately. They had vowed they would get out of this alive, only for him to be carted off the second they came to the city. She sighs as tears roll down her face.

Suddenly, she hears the female voice from the alarm alert that the front door is open. She leans her head back in frustration. What is it now? She grabs the small handgun on her nightstand and tiptoes down the stairs. Just as she approaches the foyer, two dark figures appear in front of her. Panicking, she fumbles across the wall for the light switch. Her eyes grow wide as she realizes who stand before her. It’s not real, it couldn’t be real…standing before her are her husband and Jack. Her eyes grow wide as if she’s seen a ghost.

“How…how did you…” she stutters, staring at the both of them who look pretty roughed up but not infected.

“We’re here, Baby” Brian says softly. She begins to hyperventilate, tears rolling down her face as her husband takes the gun from her shaking hands, laying it down on the side table. As soon as she feels his arms around her, she wails uncontrollably.

“Brian!” she yells through her tears.

“It’s me baby…I’m here….I’m here.” He squeezes her tightly. The two become so immersed in the moment that they don’t realize the stampede of footsteps coming down the stairs.

Cami stops in her tracks as she sees her father.

“Da…Dad?” She whispers.

“Cami…” He says with a tired smile as his daughter sprints into his arms.

“Daddy!” Cami sobs. She never thought she would be able to hug her dad every again, and now he was here. It all seemed like a dream.

After the tear-filled greetings, Nicole immediately warms up the leftovers from dinner, citing that both men looked like they hadn’t eaten in days.

“We thought you were dead!” Leslie says, sitting next to her father at the table.

“Well, we would have been. When they brought me to the hospital, they took my temp again and it was normal. I asked them to take me back to the office, but no one would take the risk.”

“Jack? How on earth…” Nicole starts.

“When things were starting to get bad at the hospital, I went outside to smoke what I thought would be my last cigar. I got locked out, no one was coming to the door and my ID badge wouldn’t work. So, after trying to get back in, I gave up. That’s when I ran into Brian.”

“Why didn’t you come back to the office?” Nicole asks.

“We couldn’t, Baby. We had to hide out from the asshole enforcers. They started to clear out once the vaccine trials started and knew it was our chance” Brian answers.

“By the time we got to your office, it was crawling with the infected. We figured you’d either died or ran off yourself.”

“How did you get here, though?” Cami inquires. Both men look at Cami.

“We walked, sweetheart.” Jack gazes at his daughter

“You walked? All the way here?” Nicole stares at them as they both nod.

“Where’s Miranda?” Jack asks. Everyone hangs their head in sorrow.

“She didn’t make it” Nicole says sadly.

“Damnit!” Jack responds. He looks at the two boys who seem happy they’re here but also sad that their mom wasn’t.

“We’ve got you, boys. We’ll take care of you” Brian declares. Suddenly, Jake begins to sob silently.

“Oh, Jake…” Cami takes him into her arms.

“We’ll be okay,” Dustin says quietly, “Mom made sure we would have a future.”

“Yes she did, Baby boy. Yes, she did” Nicole says, hugging him tightly.

As the days and weeks surrounding the vaccination trials go on, each family is accepting their new normal. Deidre and Mark were on the journey to a new beginning, taking advantage of opportunities that weren’t previously there. Holly and Chase, realizing the love they had for each other, were approaching a way of life that neither thought would ever be possible. Tony and Jenni held their kids close, thankful that they all were still alive and had each other. As for the kids, they gained strength through this obstacle, confident in their ability to approach the unknown and had three adults, who loved them dearly, guiding them every step of the way.