Chapter 22-Family love

She sat in a hospital bed with a heavy mask on her face, blowing air into her airway. She' d never wound up going into true distress and the docs contributed her respiratory symptoms to anxiety and fear. Her oxygen level never dropped below 95% and she didn't have the signs that would lead them to believe she was respiratory compromised. A sedative helped the matter. She allowed the team to stabilize her and apply the mask oxygen to ensure ease of beathing. 

Where did Jayson go? She understood Jay's panic and fear, but being left with the love of her life only to have him skedaddle made her nervous. The healthcare team had put him out, of course. They ran numerous tests once she had transferred, and all gave hope for a positive resolution for this disaster of a night. The voices in her head had silenced once she had been revived. Jay kept her heart beating and her lungs full of air. He'd been strong and calm in the midst of chaos and he commanded the team like their lives depended on it. Their lives did depend on it. Thankfully he was there, strong and knowledgeable, calm and cool and collected till the EMS crews arrived and took over. She'd been in and out of consciousness when the distress calls were made, 'man down' had gone out over the airwaves. The determination had been made that the team was in need of EMS for injury unrelated to the dead that lay exterminated around them. 2 team members were in trouble and had been stabilized till crews arrived and swept them off in rescue vehicles. 

She put on her call light, asked for someone. Anyone. 

The full picture of her injury had yet to be determined, pending test results. She had numerous phone calls asking her status and she couldn't answer. She needed peace, quiet, and someone to sit next to her to make sense of it all. Between tests and scans and consults, she sat alone with her mask on and breathed. Her left leg had zero movement, but she felt a static radiating from her left lower back to her foot. The tips of her toes on both feet had wounds. She had burns down both her legs, the left worse than the right. She sat in pain, dosed when time was due with IV dilaudid. The narcotic in addition to the sedative had her head swimming. She was relaxed yet loopy. Regardless, she was grateful for the meds, the attention, the care. She tried like hell to remember staff names to give them all proper credit. 

Jay was permitted, in the middle of the night, once the tests were done, to sit bedside. He looked solemn and remained quiet, pensive in his chair. She had a gut feeling he didn't want to sit next to her, but he had to due to the legalities of their relationship. They were married in the eyes of the law, so her husband got to sit next to her and make calls and update everyone. 

"Where's Chess?" She asked high on meds. 

He didn't answer. Chess had gone home with his fiancée and his baby with one on the way. Jay reminded her Chess had no responsibility to her other than friendship now. Ok. Reminded, she felt alone despite her company. Hospital staff found her a monitored bed in a private room. Being the Zombie Goddess had its perks, and she lay monitored, assessed and cared for in a private hospital room in Lancaster, Pa. The staff maintained a professional manner and were impeccable with their care. She'd been bound and wrapped and tested and all the results would be discussed with her, her husband, family, her bosses, and the news media in the morning. She longed for sleep that never came. Working nights, she was well rested and having been momentarily dead, then revived, she was admittedly kind of scared to go to sleep. Jay stayed at her side and any need she had he tended to. If he could not, then he sought the staff. As the sun rose, breaking thru the clouds, streaking pinks and orange hues onto the morning landscape, she and Jay took a quiet moment to assess her with Tavin on the phone. Head to toe, Tavin got a picture of what they all were dealing with. 

Eyesight had been blurry but resolved overnight. Glasses in place she could see without difficulty and attested to that. She would need a new pair of glasses for work. Her special glasses had been fractured beyond repair by the blast. She felt self-conscious about wearing glasses, but thanked God above she hadn't been wearing contact lenses that could have been melted onto her eyeballs. 

Hearing, her sense was diminished. The need to raise a voice or speak directly into her ears was evident. Her ear drums had possibly burst, but she would heal. They'd reassess in the morning and in the future. In the meantime, she would use written communication or hand signals or point to her needs on a visual chart. 

She could move her arms freely and without deficit. Unlike her legs, she had full use and sensation. Fingertip to shoulder, no deficit. She attested to that. 

Mid back on the left side, her burn was covered with Silvadene cream and a dressing. She had overheard the docs stating the burn was minimal and should respond well to the cream and treatment applied. Her back didn't hurt and she felt no burn sensation. 

Superficially, she had second to third degree burns on her lower extremities. Significantly worse on the left as opposed to the right. Both extremities had been assessed and treated by medical personnel, and she was receiving IV antibiotics to prevent infection. Discussion about grafting would take place when the medical team reassessed on morning rounds. For now, she lay wrapped and with minimal oozing on the treatments in place, which gave her hope and a positive discussion on rounds in the morning. 

Her primary physical deficit was that of her left leg. She had no sensation other than numbness, static. Minimal voluntary movement. The right was fully functional. She was, according to the overnight nurse, scheduled first thing, for a CT and an MRI. For now, her breathing and circulation, what would be of utmost importance, was in good shape. She wore a cardiac monitor for detection of arrythmias, and if observed, would be addressed as they arose. 

Her toes, the tips were blasted off when the lightening passed thru her body and exited. That didn't sound really pretty, but the wounds seemed superficial to the trauma team assessing her. At the moment, both feet were wrapped, treated and covered. The blast wounds were more significant on the left as opposed to the right. Her burns were painful, hence the dilaudid. Originally her order called for every 8 hours as needed, but was increased to every 6 hours as needed, then every 4 hours as needed. An order for every 2 hours as needed was written for the overnight hours till morning arrived when they could further assess her needs and pain. As she healed, eventually, the need for narcotic management would decrease. 

Internally, they were not privy to test results. They knew that she had no blood clots in any extremity. They knew her lungs would be further assessed as the days wore on. They knew she didn't need intubation. The healthcare team had scanned the body parts that would need scanning and assessing, including her brain. She had a couple small hemorrhages in her brain that would need monitoring and rescanning in the coming days. But to place drains or intervene right now was unnecessary. 

The knife her trainee had held in his hand sparked this trauma. It leapt off him and onto her. She suffered the worse injury and had died as a result of it. Her sisters were ejected from her thru an electrical shock. She was alone in her head for the first time in a very long time. 

"Jayson, my dad can take over from here, if you don't want to. If it's too hard for you. I completely understand."

"I love you, too, Julia. You're my friend. I can handle this. We can." Jayson had argued. Jayson had taken care of Julia over the course of time and space and felt equipped to do so again and again. If anyone should, then it should be him. He felt strongly about that. 

But he felt alone and sad too. He had lost his girl, his woman, his wife all over again. They all had. Even though they rallied around her, wished her well, prayed for her healing and strength, they all quietly mourned Julia Morgan. Julia Fry did as well. She had learned from her, cohabitated in a hive-mind with not only her but the renowned Julia that preceded them both in the future. She had a wealth of knowledge and experience from the two that she was grateful for. She mourned the fact that she was not done learning. They had intricate parts of their personalities to impart on Julia Fry and she was not done learning in any capacity. How was she supposed to recover without them? How was their absence going to affect her in her growth from that point on? She felt terrified.  She felt less than. How would she fit into this family without one or both? Had she made a mistake informing them that the Julias were gone? 

The RN in her care dosed her with another round of IV narcotic. 

She drifted off to La-La land. She heard Jay requesting a Xanax for her.  

She awoke after her scans were completed with the medical team around her. Jay stood at bedside. All she had heard was the team saying, give it time. Until time came, she'd need round the clock care. Who? What? How? She drifted off to sleep. 

48 hours later she muttered the words, 'no more narcs or sedatives'. Two days had been a blur to her. Two days someone else had been in charge of her medical care. Who had spoken for her? Jayson. Who had remained at her bedside? Jayson. Who made it overtly clear that he could manage her care and life as it transpired? Jayson. She had decided enough. She could manage. She felt overmedicated. She put a stop to it. She took control. If she had learned anything from either sister, it was to stand figuratively on her own 2 feet. 

While Jay had slept at home in the care of Shy, she sobered from her narc, benzo cloud. She spoke for herself. She learned her own medical prognosis and she chose to have the hospital social worker reach out to rehab facilities that would make her whole again. She did not know that that her guys had chosen to take care of their own and make her recovery and rehab part of their lives, too. She was unaware that her future wellbeing had been made part of their day, their week, their lives. Having been unconscious made her vulnerable and subject to their decisions. She was again terrified. 

She roused and called the only person she trusted in the world not to lie to her. She called Chess Morgan. He advised her to trust Jayson. Call Jayson. She needn't call Jayson because he called her first. She wondered if Chess reached out to him, but he hadn't. The social worker called and informed him of the reservations Julia had about returning home in her present condition as well as her wishes regarding placement in a rehab facility. 

"We talked about the options, Julia." 

"Who did? You and who else? You didn't discuss the plan with me."

"Yes, I did. The social worker, the doctor, the physical therapist and us, we sat in your hospital room at lunch time and put the plan in place. We googled the rehab facilities and they're all old folks homes. The reviews were terrible, except that one place. They went through the home health options and the outpatient therapy schedule. You were there and you had input, so to say to me that I'm randomly forcing you to do something is unfair. I wouldn't do that to you. None of us would." 

"Where are you today anyway, Jayson?"

"Work, Julia. I went back to work. I'm not injured." He paused. "You really don't remember having that conversation yesterday afternoon?" 

She started quietly crying, "No, Jay. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. I gotta go. I'll be by after work." 

Within 5 minutes, her nurse was at her bedside, drawing labs and doing neurological assessments. The hospitalist was on his way to the unit to assess her as well. Another brain scan later, minimal changes and improvement in regard to the infarct areas. When Jay arrived after work, the doc dropped in to discuss the concerns Jay had presented regarding Julia's lethargy over the last 48 hours, specifically the lapse in memory. Doc said she was healing, gaps in memory could be expected. All narcotic and anxiety medications were officially discontinued. She had been seen again by neurology and had new orders for Neurontin for her nerve pain and tramadol, a nonnarcotic pain medicine. No sooner had the doctor and neurologist left the room that psych had entered. She'd been consulted due to the traumatic event. Every time the psychiatrist attempted to see her, she'd been otherwise occupied. The psychiatrist spent nearly an hour in the room with her and Jayson. She talked clearly and positively about her accident and injury. She felt nervous about therapy and regaining the use of her left leg. She'd been through a couple therapy sessions at bedside and felt that she should have more movement and sensation 72 hours later. When she brought up her fears about going home that surprised Jayson. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone.  She didn't want them to feel obligated to her. Jay took her hand and covered it with his. 

"Don't tell me to be quiet."

"I didn't, Julia." He looked sideways at her, surprised by her statement. The psychiatrist observed that she pulled her hand away. 

"Julia, do you feel you'll be in a safe environment at home?" 

"Of course, yes." She replied quickly. "I'm not scared of anyone or anything there." 

"Your body language says otherwise." Jay mumbled, setting his hand on her bed. At that moment, she glanced at his wedding band. She glanced at her wedding ring. Their initials tattooed on their fingers. 

"Well, when you covered my hand, it's what I thought you meant." She whispered. An awkward silence fell between them. "Plus, I'm a little nervous about intimacy in my current condition." She blurted out. It's all she could think of to excuse the slight behavior. Until she was reminded, she forgot they were married. Jay hadn't attempted to touch her, hold her, caress her, or hand hold. 

"Getting ahead of yourself there, Julia." Jay smiled, letting her fold her hand over his. Her sweaty, hot little palm rested against the back of his hand. 

"Mr Keller, it's a concern that is valid." The psychiatrist offered, drumming her pen on the tablet in front of her. 

They sat through an awkward discussion about intimacy and how to approach the subject honestly and openly as a couple. The psychiatrist closed out her conversation by reinforcing communication. She left them a card and advised they could set up office visits for any future concerns. 

"Communication." Jay repeated to her. "Open, honest communication."

"Open and honest." She whispered into the space around them.

"I love you, too. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you get better. Like I would for her, Julia. I honestly fell in love with your little ass once and I thought of you as a great friend and equal on the flipside. You are not alone in this. If you want to go to a physical rehab, then go. I can support you there as well. We all will." Jay said, squeezing her little hand in his. 

The fact they had all discussed her future among them and her current health dilemma warmed her heart. The loss of their matriarch no matter how fucked up was put on the back burner as the current Julia recovered. Jay stood from his chair, left her little hand go. 

"I'll let you know by morning, Jay. Thanks for thinking of me." She mumbled. 

He kissed her forehead. "My Julia. If you only knew how much your family loves you." 

Chapter 21-Mother Nature

She hated to be put in a position that required her to make life or death decisions. She glanced around her surroundings, in the dark, a team of 2 was what County considered safe. Nothing she couldn't handle herself, but under today's circumstances was unheard of. 2 people on an incident with no back up. She heard the whirring hum and she secured the newb safely in their vehicle. In the rear of their tactical van with all the modern conveniences, she hid. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK...this is not fair. She'd called for some sort of back up. She'd alerted the powers that be that she and Templeton were alone, had handled the Knowles Ave incident, but were now on code red for a nest. Short of blowing up the local mini mart for the second time, she felt trapped. She dialed Jay. She dialed Tavin. No one was coming. The whirring was ominous, sending tremors through her gut. She remained calm and cool for Templeton's sake, but inside she was terrified. Post-apocalypse, this would be a no brainer. She'd sit in her hiding spot, let that nest carry right on past her and all would be well till she located it in its hiding spot in the morning. But thanks to their Philadelphia interference, that was no longer protocol. 

"Get out your phone." She whispered, thinking her one and only salvation started his own business. She had fallen on her sober sword, getting the brass to extend Chess an olive branch. She needed him. She would never say that aloud, but her right hand was off being father of the year and making a name for himself with her back up. She felt alone and scared and ignored and purposefully singled out. She had Templeton. She wished at least for someone of Alex's caliber to be at her side. But Templeton was new and terrified. 

Templeton held his phone up. 

"Dial this number, please." She stated each number in the 800 number on that stupid magnet that Jayson had stuck on her fridge. To her surprise, he answered. 

"Chess? " She whimpered. 

"Julia?" He asked, sounding confused. 

"Fuck, I need help." She whispered. 

"Where are you?" No hesitation, no questions, no price quotes, nothing. A simple question requiring a simple answer. Templeton gave him an address. They both heard him moving, "Gimme ten, fifteen minutes at most. I'll be there. How about you two drive away?" 

"Who's helping you?" She asked under her breath.

"I got people." He sent out a page and within 10 minutes, the first response arrived, parking next to their tactical van. Chess arrived five minutes later. Their gear out geared her and Templeton's county supply. She was pissed. Chess took over at that moment, giving directives and orders, which she also followed. She needed a unit and she needed more hands. The 800 number was dialed out of necessity, to save their lives and the lives of Maverick/Oaks citizens. He had a man on the street in transit that located and then led the nest to a secure and predefined area. They then descended upon the nest and eradicated it. Together. 

"I know when I need help." She whispered at his side. 

"Anytime, Julia. I mean that." 

Chess only answered the call and he only answered to himself. He didn't break any laws. 

"This is like EMS calling a private ambulance company to answer its calls. What were you thinking?"  Her boss railed at her over the phone when he got around to answering her call. It was then she nearly quit and took her talents elsewhere. Instead, Chess took her cell and ripped the captain a new asshole. He could do that now that he was no longer a county employee. Financially, the county was strapped and barely making budget. She and Chess both understood that. Chess was well into the first quarter of his independent business and had the personnel that the county couldn't hire. He had the gear the county could not afford and he would, as of the next day, have the reputation that the county could not achieve even with her pretty face. He would waive his fee graciously and they'd have a joint presser. If not, he'd have his own. He made his phone calls post incident and he wrapped up his incident and would charge accordingly. The Manganelli's would retrieve these bodies. His security would secure the area and the scene and control any perimeter. His clean up crew would arrive as soon as the scene was clear and they'd be paid. But the extermination fees would be waived. They had to be. The county couldn't legally be charged whether he liked it or not. He could take it to court as his legal team had already done twice and won a healthy reward in full. 

This was the exposure his business needed and with her pretty fucking face at his side, then they'd only garner public support and for all intents and purposes, county support because they'd called him in the first place. Julia could spin this bullshit any way she chose, but he'd only take the win from being involved. It would appear they worked in tandem, making each other look good. 

"Offer still stands, pretty girl." Chess smiled. "You and Templeton would be safer with me." 

"What's the offer?" Templeton asked. 

"Stop by the office and see Jesslyn for an app. I'll sit with you and go over the package." Chess grasped his shoulder. "You're new and you need time. Don't let this get you down. You are working with the best. Tonight was not her night." 

Chess took her aside. "You're out here with a kid on orientation, Julia? Which means by any standards, you were alone. Where's Jay?"

"I called Jay. I called Tav." 

"I'll talk with them. You could've been killed out here with the newb." 

"He did a great job, old virus. Nest, he was not ready, Chess. I take responsibility for this."

"If you ever need help, you do the same fucking thing you did tonight. You call. I will never leave you hanging and I mean that. Even if I don't answer, my guys will. They got you like I do. I suggest you chat with Jay." 

"He's got the fucking flu, Chess. So does Tav." 

"If I had the flu, I'd drag my sick ass outta bed." 

"Just tell me you love me. Fuck." She growled at him.

"I do love you. And you could say the fucking same." 

"I love you too. Thanks." 

In time for the presser in the morning, the scenes had been cleared. The incidents, both old and new virus, had been reported, documented and cleared. Chess and Julia stood alongside one another, apparently from 2 opposing teams, and joined their efforts for the news media. Both local and regional reported on their extermination of the threat with little to zero property damage. Chess and Julia both replied to endless questions about their tandem effort and Chess added his comments, polite and professional, showcasing that private and county could both work along each other's side and protect the citizens of their hometowns. Kelly took numerous phone calls for interviews regarding the incident and Chess accepted every single one. He acknowledged he waived fees for the county saving the county thousands. Unclear whether that would be extended in the future as he didn't work for the county, and he had quit the job just for 'reasons like this. Staffing is an issue. Safety is an issue." He paused during one interview and stole one of Jayson's humanity quotes, "Is there a price to be put on human life?" Or something like that, he felt like saying. He couldn't quote him verbatim, obviously. He hadn't been listening. Business picked up swiftly after that and all his interviews went swimmingly. He met with and hired Templeton, pairing him up with experienced and well-trained individuals who could afford him the time and the effort to train him properly. Julia was irate. She had liked the kid and wanted more time with him. But John Templeton jumped ship. He made more money part time with Chess' company than he would full time with the county. 

In the beginning, Chess whole life amounted to the business 24/7. Any phone call, any problem, any interview, any situation, he made himself available. His team made themselves available. They participated in local and county wide events. He and his team members consulted throughout the state and responded to any call they got. Their phones never stopped ringing; their pagers never stopped beeping. He was hiring and training and dealing with issues and problems and legal issues and reaping the rewards left and right. He had Tavin at his side full time by the end of the first quarter and divided up the responsibility. Despite Jesslyn being his partner, she could not step in and handle shit. Tavin worked a couple nights and as needed with county EMS, because he loved his job as a medic and a leader. He didn't want to lose his skills, so the part of his life he severed was school. Chess was pissed. "When am I supposed to fit that in?" Tavin yelled at him. There was not enough time in the day for any of them. 

When they felt overwhelmed, he wished he had Julia and Jay on board. He reached out to them monthly. They declined. 

Julia was the one who suffered the most. Her life amounted to a uniform. She was in her uniform 24/7. How had the County devolved into what amounted to a 2-person crew on each shift. She was on call 24/7. She managed to run a house, a marriage, raise Tia and take what little care of Alex he required, food shopping, laundry, homework, keeping her family happy and comfortable, taking care of Shy as needed and dealing with whatever else came up. She also took the cert courses and continued education courses for the guys in her life and that included Chess Morgan. She had no private life and no peace. She moved and lived with little to no rest and had the responsibility for everything resting solely on her shoulders. When Jay and Tav were sick with the flu, they got to rest and take the time off, but when she fell ill, she dragged herself on meds into work in a uniform with fever and cough. No one tended to her and if they did, they were shot down and rejected. Julia took the business of the dead seriously. She overextended herself in every aspect of her life until the spring when mother nature put her in her place. 

She was once again training new hires. She was the woman in charge and had a crew of 4 additional souls to manage, train, offer advice and keep track of. She was exhausted and she was overwhelmed, but she managed to carry her trainees through the local park and baseball field. The rain pounded them, but she kept them focused and exterminated the dead easily. The dead were not her issue that evening. Nature was. As the crew waited for the ME, the Manganelli's and an end to this spring, super soaker of a night, the late spring sky started rolling with thunder. Lightning strikes lit the night sky, giving ample light to the field in question. One of her trainees had spotted someone who had not been put down and she and the trainee went to the soul mid field in the rain and thunder and lightning. As her trainee put down the soul on the field, she thanked him for having a trained eye and keeping them safe. A good job. Mid-sentence, lightning struck and sent both her and her trainee off the ground and onto the field several feet away from where they stood. The rest of the team watched in awe as the team leader and their newbie coworker sprawled onto the grass 20 feet apart. Jayson, who'd been on the call with her, took the team into action, arriving at their fallen and starting resuscitation efforts. 911 had been called and was in transit. When a team member fell, it was treated as if an officer was down, especially if the cause was not related to the dead in their vicinity. There were protocols in place for an incident that got out of control. This was not in fact an incident out of control. Both team members received lifesaving efforts, and those efforts were successful for both Julia and the trainee. Both were taken via ambulance to Mav general and treated. Julia was stabilized and since her burns were more extensive, she was prepped for transfer. Both survived. Both were admitted for their injuries sustained that night on duty and both were excused from duty pending their outcomes. Both had burns on their bodies. Both were assessed and had neurological deficits. Both had internal injury. Both were lucky to be alive. 

How many times had she been deemed by self or others lucky to be alive? As she lay conscious and in pain in a hospital ER, awaiting transfer to a regional hospital that was sufficient to treat her, she floated on a cloud of morphine and damn near died for a second time that night. She had too much morphine, dosed by two different ER staff in error to alleviate the pain from her burns. She was treated for overdose and the effects reversed, then she was switched to dilaudid altogether to treat her pain. They were at the time unsure whether morphine was a true allergy, or an error had occurred. Her trainee only suffered minor injuries, minor burns, and never had lost consciousness. Julia had taken the brunt of the lightning strike. Through her narcotic haze, she only asked whether her trainee was alive and well? Did he survive? Is he ok? She was insistent and rejected transfer till staff gave her an update on his condition. 

Jayson stayed at her side the entire time. He transferred in the ambulance to the regional hospital in Lancaster. Soaking wet, he eventually dried out and refused to separate from her. They gave him a pair of scrubs at the hospital when they arrived. She remained awake and alert throughout even though she floated on a dilaudid high. He had to step out when they arrived in Lancaster and he made numerous phone calls and gave updates on her condition. Alive and talking but high, he texted to everyone. A crowd of family and friends arrived in Lancaster's hospital waiting room. Reporters arrived to the hospital grounds. Lurkers and fans and stalkers alike arrived to get up to date info and be nosy.  By sunrise, County and state officials held press conferences. They explained her injury as well as her trainee's injury though less severe. All were relieved to hear she'd survive this. That her trainee would also survive this injury. 

Once the narc wore off and Julia was treated and given a room to stay in, she waited for someone to sit aside her. That person was, of course, Jayson. She felt weird and she told him as much. For the first time since the Julia's had jumped her, she felt alone in her head. 

"You're high on dilaudid, babe." Jay said, taking hold of her hand. 

She accepted that excuse for the moment, but in her head she felt different. She felt alone. She heard nothing but her own thoughts. No intrusive thoughts or voices heard. When Jay tired, head out for food and and to update everyone who waited, Tavin stayed with her. 

"Lightening." He stated. 

"Yep." She nodded. "I got hit here-" She pointed at her left side. "And it shot through my legs and into the ground." She showed him her bandaged legs. "My lungs-they're monitoring my lungs for burns like my legs, but I'm breathing ok. It's a little rough and it's hot to breathe in." She admitted. "They keep drawing blood gases and they keep sticking me." Tears welled in her eyes. "Listen, Jay doesn't believe me, but I'm alone, Tavin." 

"No, we're all here. There's a crowd in the lobby, Jules." 

She whimpered. She pointed at her head. "In here. It's just me." 

"Me who?" He asked curiously.

"Julia Fry.  Not Julia Morgan...er, Keller, his wife and not old Julia. She's-they're silent. They're gone." 

"The lightening, you think? The electrical shock? It jolted them out?" 

"Maybe." She shrugged. "I'll give it some time and see if they come back." She shrugged, tears rolling over her cheeks. "What's this mean if it's just me?" 

"I don't know. We'll figure it out like we always do, ok." He answered. "Are you in pain?" 

"Yeah." She nodded. She took a deep breath, and he could hear her wheezing. "Get me a nurse, please. It's hot." She rubbed her chest and tried to stay calm. She took a deep breath and another. He was nervous. He got up and went for the nurse like she had asked. 

"Please, she can't breathe." Tavin alerted the staff at the desk. "She's in trouble." Staff had already started to mobilize as he approached the desk, her monitors already told them what she knew and what he announced. He left the ICU and head back to the lobby with the rest of his family. Jay would take over from this point and even he was told to wait in the ICU lobby for any word. The mood went further south when he was asked to confirm her code level, the lengths that he would want them to go to in order to keep her alive. He was familiar with the questioning, and it wasn't their first time with the code level determination. He sat alone and waited what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly he felt grateful they'd transferred her as the news was announced that her lungs seemed ok and she hadn't been intubated. Although there had been no fire, she had breathed in the heat and that could cause damage, scarring, additional complications that superseded the burns she sustained. The next 48 to 72 hours would tell the medical staff more and give them a clear picture of the extent of her internal and external injuries. She had scans, tests to rule out blood clots, lab work. A central line was placed and they gave her meds to keep her sedated and also treated her with antibiotics to prevent infection taking place in the burns. Burns that would become wounds on her lower back and legs. It was too early to discuss skin grafts, but the docs cautioned him that may be a step in the healing process. As the family cleared out, Tavin was the only one who remained with him for him and not necessarily her. 

"She said something to me before you went in." Jay announced suddenly, breaking the unending silence in the waiting room.

"What's that?"

"She said they were gone." 

"She mentioned that to me too."

"The voices in her head. Julia and old Julia. It was just Fry in there. It's why I left. I had to get out of there. When she said that, I felt like I was about to suffocate." 

Tavin stared at him oddly. "So-uh-we're sitting next to Fry's bed?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I love the little one to death, but I just lost my girl all over again and it's selfish, but I'm really fucked up right now." 

"We all love little Julia." Tavin nodded. "Does Chess know yet?" 

"I'll do right by her. I swear I will, but what's this mean if-"

"Jay, it's too soon to worry about it." 

"And it's too late for him."

"I like you better selfish, ok. For once." Tavin groaned. "Quit worrying about everyone else right now. This affects her and you. End of story. She's your fucking wife." 

"Where do you think she is right now?" Jay leaned back in his seat and stared at the ceiling. 

"Well, if what you say is true, then two of the three have met their maker. And she's got a long road ahead of her." 

"Why's it gotta be so fucked up? I just want normal everyday life." 

"Well, brother, if you want normal, faithful, private, sweet, emotional, kind, caring, selfless, kinda dull company with pretty long hair and other special attributes that I know nothing about, then there she fucking is." 

"She is kinda sweet."

"In an innocent way." He shrugged. 

"And I did kinda fall for her on Stef's flipside, you know." 

"Aware." Tavin nodded. 'So is she, aware of that fact. Went both ways if you tell the story right." 

"Damn." Jay mumbled. "What are we even talking about? Gonna bring her home like a puppy?"

"Jayson." Tavin said sharply. "Why don't you talk to her when she's awake and make a decision on life when she can add to it? What the fuck does she want? It's her fucking choice, Jayson. She has to feel comfortable at home with us and the life we created that is not the life she participated in. Everything should rightfully change because of who she is, not because of who her adopted family is. Just like Jody. She deserves the respect and the freedom to make independent choices and live with the consequences. We have to guide her, encourage her, correct when needed and let her live the life of her choice. She's not bound to us by any connection that I know of. They're different women in just about every aspect other than the physical one I'd assume."

"Oh, well, that-"

"I don't want to know, Jayson."

Jay sat silent.

"I hate to say this out loud, but take a page out of Chess' book and keep your fucking private, private. He was insistent and radical about it. Copy and paste, Jay. Respect the woman. Try something fucking different. We all could use a little of that. And since our girl has moved on, at least temporarily, jump county ship and join us please." Tavin calmed and stared at the same drop ceiling as his brother. "That's all I'll say about that."

"We'll wait till she's awake." Jay said less than enthusiastically.

"We have no choice. As Jo would say, where's the loyalty lie? We'll all find out." 

Chapter 20- Are You Gonna Go My Way?

As soon as Thanksgiving weekend ended, Chess made sure to drop by the Bond residence and chat with Mr. and Mrs. Bond. Hayley answered the door with Shy on her hip. Unsure why he'd arrived, she let him inside the house and let him take Shy off her. He doted on her and loved her and cooed at her just like her dad would. "Thanks for the visit, why are you here, Chess?" 

"Here to see your parents." He answered as she led him to their kitchen. She made him a cup of coffee, he'd smelled it upon entrance. Since his drug and alcohol days had abruptly ended, he accepted it gratefully as she took Shy off his chest. 

"Why?" 

"Jay said something about Zombie proofing." Chess answered, sipping the coffee. 

"I got a 9 mill." She shrugged. "We'll be ok." 

"Do they?" He asked. 

While he waited for the parents to arrive home from work, he made small talk with Hayley. He thought long and hard over the weekend and realized he needed someone smart with an education in business management and health administration to assist him with his start up. The family business was in its infancy in his brain and wanted to pick someone's college educated brain for ideas or direction. He needed guidance and since Julia wasn't handing over any binder or plan, then he thought he'd get in bed with the enemy, so to speak. Hayley may be off limits to Jay outside the realm of Shy, but she was not off limits to him. Every time he laid eyes on Hayley, he was painfully reminded of their betrayal years ago, her and Jay, but he remained calm cool and collected in her presence. God damn, she was pretty and still out of his league. She knew that and blew him off as soon as her dad got home from work. Mom followed shortly afterward, and they conducted tour of the house. He didn't need a tour, not much had changed since his last visit to the Bond home. He sat with both mom and dad Bond post tour and offered tips and pointers. They wanted action not tips and pointers. Dad showed him all the gadgets he'd purchased from the infomercials on zombie proofing and zombie deterrents. He had no idea any of that nonsense existed. He advised him to throw it all away, which frightened him. Hay's mom was much more sensible about the matter. Simple and easy ways to monitor and prevent entrance. She had been doing research of her own and she was on point with the zombie proofing. Chess advised him to listen to his wife, excluding himself from the picture altogether. Mr. Bond didn't want to hear that, so Chess wrote down everything plus a few extra tips that Mrs. Bond hadn't mentioned. 24/7 monitoring inside and outside the home that would send alerts to all linked monitoring devices. An alarm or two that would loudly alert them to not only living but dead intruders on the property. All the safety devices that monitored living could be utilized or enhanced to monitor the dead. A safe room, pending a call to authorities like Julia or Jayson, that was reinforced and had necessities for all the family members. Needn't have bars or over done zombie proofing, they couldn't turn knobs or handles. 

"What about the nests?" Her dad asked nervously. 

"Nests by nature would descend on people outside, not inside. As long as you're dark, the house is dark and you're well-armed, then you should be alright." 

"Well armed." Mrs. Bond repeated.

"In this day and age, I'd advise anyone who's legally and mentally competent to have a firearm at their disposal. There are safety courses and firearm training, and safety courses recommended." Chess nodded. "Unless you plan on jumping the dead with a short kitchen knife and risking your life and everyone around you." 

"Mom, I have a firearm, so as long as I'm home, we'll be safe." Hayley told her. 

"What if you're not and we're home with the baby?" 

"Then you have a safety plan in place and make a phone call. It's simple really." 

"When can you get all this done?" Mr. Bond asked Chess, averting his attention from Hayley. 

"By the end of the week I can have a written plan and have the necessities. The firearms and training, you'll need to accomplish in your spare time." 

Chess sat at the Bond's kitchen table and chatted about life, Layla, Jesslyn, how his parents were doing, work or the lack thereof, the weather, the marine Corp life...Mr. Bond asked for a price for his time and knowledge and Chess answered honestly, free of charge. In fact, Jayson, as a county rep, should have redirected Mr. Bond and then assisted where needed. They didn't need Chess Morgan in the least. In fact, their daughter could have resolved their issues. "You will incur costs, but it'll be with the cable company for the surveillance and-" He would make the calls for them but told them they could call themselves. 

Chess reassured them he'd stop by and give the house another follow up tour and ensure they were safe and covered. He gave both of them his number and they could call for any questions or concerns after the fact, including tips and guidance on firearms. He said he'd want someone to treat his parents similarly if need be. But his parents were different. His parents could fire weapons without regard for taking the life of the dead. His parents lived with Ray who had already proven himself despite his mental illness. He had faith in his small family at home to take care of their own and without hesitation and that included Jesslyn. If left to her own devices, Jesslyn could and would protect Layla and herself and the family. She wouldn't appreciate it or want to, but she would step up. They'd had this conversation over the course of the few weeks since Layla had made her entrance into the world. They had a plan for the home and the family home should the need arise. 

"I think our insurance will cover most of this." Mrs. Bond said quietly as Mr. Bond started adding up the financial aspects in his head.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" Chess asked softly. 

"Our insurance company reached out after Philadelphia. We pay extra on our premium to safeguard our home and we can also-" Mrs. Bond explained the insurance aspect to him. It seemed that the insurance companies saw a need and stepped in to reap the benefits of that undead need. He felt a heat rise up in him. He could charge insurance companies for incidents taking place within the home and if homeowners took necessary steps to safeguard their homes, then they would pay to meet insurance company requirements. Cha-fucking-ching...Chess thought. He could provide a service and invoice customers for doing so. He felt charged with excitement momentarily but he also felt dumb as hell because he had no idea what to do. No business acumen to think of, no education other than his experience to go on. That's where Hayley stepped in. Long after Mr. and Mrs. Bond had ended the conversation, sated with his solutions and his zero fee, Hayley started running her mouth and for once, Chess listened. They sat down with pen and paper while amusing Shy and came up with the business plan. Thanks to Kevin for paying for that degree of hers, he left the Bond home with Hayley's updated numbers in his phone, miniscule tasks to be completed by the end of the week he had hired Hayley, given her the first job out of college. He didn't respect her as a girlfriend, but if that brain of hers was correct in any way shape or form, then they were in business. Where's the need right now? She asked him. Their hometown had their own crew and plan in place with the county. "Where's the need? Where are people suffering? How can we alleviate that suffering?" 

1. Certifications

2. Firearm certifications.

3. Was there the need for background checks? There were laws that they couldn't get around and hiring ex-felons or those with criminal backgrounds would be a hindrance. 

3. The business plan that focused on all the gross stuff no one wanted to deal with. Branches of the business that dealt with expert and swift clean up, security post incident to alleviate the pressure on local PD's, volunteer fire departments. Consulting and guidance within the guidelines of the insurance company requirements, insurance itself and someone licensed to sell it and deal with all the paperwork that accompanied it. He and Hayley sat at her kitchen table and on a notebook, they scribed every plausible and conceivable aspect of the business, including that 800 number that Jayson wanted since forever. There was no law that said a private citizen could not report an incident within the home or outside the home to a private company with certified operators. As long as the certifications were all in place and the paperwork was in order and ready to show to any authority who demanded it, all should be legal to proceed. That's where the Manganelli's entered the chat. They had a lawyer that could advise him and keep the business legit, which was what Chess wanted. 

4. Staff. He had an office secretary in Jesslyn. He had a PR chick in Kelly who would handle anything that involved public statements and inquiries to the business. He'd put out feelers for operators, if not full time, then on call for situations that would arise. Chess wanted new faces that he could train to speak just like him and sound just like him. A blank slate meant less autonomy. 

5. A social worker, someone to reach out to the public and provide counseling and direction. Grief counseling, anxiety related counseling and not only for the public, but for the staff as well. He didn't want his people scarred or losing their minds. The human psyche was fragile and once broken, hard to piece back together. 

Chess went home and told Jess about everything. Jess gave him more ideas and by the time Layla went to sleep he added more suggestions in his notebook. By the time Layla roused from slumber, half that notebook was filled and he knew what needed to be done. He started making phone calls. He put feelers out. He took the information that Hayley provided and the ideas that Jess had given and created the dream. It was a risk and he'd need to run the money part, how much would he need to start up?  Did he have enough money to front this operation even if it meant he was penniless at the end and starting over from scratch? 

"You have the money, Chess." Jesslyn said, tucking him into the spot on the sofa. She covered him with a blanket. 

"I only got so much, Jesslyn."

"I just liquidated a porn estate. I'll be your partner and secretary." She smiled. She ran her hand through his hair as he drifted off to sleep at the completion of his night shift. He wasn't sure he'd heard her right.

Weeks passed. The financials were all sorted out. The feelers resulted in a skeleton crew of former vets and some newbies that would need training. He had, over the course of a month, dissolved his entire life and created an entire new existence. The season transitioned from Turkey to Santa and his table meeting was coming up on him quickly. He reached out a few days before Christmas and had everyone agree to a time and location. He didn't have to come up with the speech of a lifetime as the plan was written by him and two females that he would have never guessed would be as involved as he'd allowed. He had no qualms about working with females, he wanted them smart and strong in physicality and mentality. Jody had opted out and traveled back to parts unknown with the fine ass Antonia strong physically and mentally in her own right. He evidently preferred to be her #2 as opposed to his #2. Chess understood the choice. He had no way to prove he was who he was and could not operate under the same conditions here as he did there. He missed his friend tremendously but replaced him with Tavin Keller. Jesslyn was correct about Tavin's role in his life and his work. When there was no Jo, Tavin filled his shoes just fine.  He did not need Jay or Julia and formulated this plan with the idea of excluding the couple whether they chose differently or not. The general public would prefer her face, but he was equally as well reputed. His name not necessarily his face would get them through the first quarter, during which they had to prove themselves and garner the public trust and admiration. He would have to push the envelope where that was concerned only he was unsure how to accomplish that thus far. 

They met as a group on Christmas Eve. He and Jess had Candace and Ray watch Layla while they went to Tavin's house. Jess had put Layla down for sleep and they knew they couldn't be gone too long because Lay had yet to start sleeping through the night. She would sleep longer intervals, but not entirely through the night. They were both tired and drawn from double duty as business creators-partners and parents. Once everyone was seated, they waited at the table for the last visitors. 

"We're all here." Julia said, taking a seat beside Jayson. 

"Not yet." Chess replied, looking at his cell. "We're waiting on two more people." He smiled at Jess, knowing full well these last persons would not be considered part of the table under previous circumstances. These persons would possibly set Julia off, thus the lack of information on their last bodies to sit in the empty chairs. Hayley's job at this table was merely to sit quietly and listen, add if only asked to do so. Similarly, Kelly was to keep her mouth shut and only reply to business related questions, not personal. Hayley was picking up Kelly and they were en route. 

Since Alex sat aside Jay, the group knew that Jody wouldn't be making an appearance. They all wanted that, but the universe didn't align for it. He'd been invited but declined at Thanksgiving. Having everyone released from familial obligations on Thanksgiving gave Chess the freedom not to consider anyone's feelings in the decisions or plan he made. They could simply opt in or out and then adjust to the decisions made. 

The ladies appeared a few minutes later, welcoming themselves through Tavin Keller's front door. Hayley and Kelly sat in the empty chairs, said hello and then muted as Chess had asked of them. Jess also sat on mute, but more from intimidation than any other reason. He asked they keep this short and sweet and advised them that Layla still doesn't sleep through the night. There would be no family occasion other than the one he'd requested. They all had children and responsibilities. Where do the loyalties lie? Jody would ask if present. Was loyalty even a thing among them anymore? 

"There is one man missing." Chess stated looking around the table. Jody's absence was felt by all. "He's indicated his choice. Royal pussy always wins." 

"Understood." Tavin said, the rest nodded in agreement that Jody chose to leave with Antonia and strive for greatness elsewhere. 

"Alex, as soon as you're of age, you have the choice to join either team and that will be your decision." Chess advised him.

"Understood." Alex nodded. "Thanks for letting me sit."

"You've been an invaluable part of this family and table. Either team would be happy to have you on board. If you choose otherwise, so be it. We'll all make do and understand."

"Ok." 

Chess dropped his folder on the table, and he listed out the entire business plan for them. Top to bottom, services that would be rendered and the details that it would take to complete it. He indicated where in part this money was coming from, including grants, loans and his own personal portfolio as well as that of his partner, Jesslyn. The shock written on their faces when Jesslyn's liquidated estate was put on the table didn't go unnoticed. Due to time constraints, any questions about her father and his business dealings and estate could be answered at a later time. All their curiosity had peaked on that statement. "The money that she made from this liquidated estate did not in any way, shape or form amount to anything near what she's owed from that motherfucker."

"Agreed." Julia said loudly. 

"So, my partner and office secretary-Jesslyn." Chess motioned to his right. "My other secretary and PR chick, Kelly." He pointed to her next. "My public health administrator/expert, Hayley. Fresh graduate from Temple University." He pointed at her next. "There's me, I'm in charge." He said, looking around the table. "Tavin?" 

"So let me get this straight," Tavin said, looking directly at Kelly. "You plan on taking the current table to Pittsburgh Metro and surrounding counties and along with her my son, three hours away." 

"Actually," Chess said, leaning against the table and folding his hands in front of him. "Actually, not at all. That's the part of the plan that the three of us have changed for all those concerned." Chess admitted, referring to Hayley and Jesslyn. "I admit I was selfish at first and wanted to relocate this table to an entirely different area. But what I have planned here can be done anywhere and expand out. So, no. I will not be in the business or mindset to separate parents from children or grandparents from grandchildren. Spouses from spouses, ex spouses, etc..." 

"I accept." Tavin nodded, leaning back in his seat. "I can arrange my schedule at work initially to work around this and as it picks up, I can transition." 

"Glad you said that because I may need a pretty face and since I cannot have hers, then I will have to use yours. I'll have to appeal to a certain clientele and since Jo took his pretty self to parts unknown, then you're gonna have to step up." 

"No," Julia shook her head. 

"I won't try to convince you two." Chess looked at Julia and Jay. "I think he'd agree, if you-" Chess quieted. "Understood. So, we're all agreed on our decisions?" 

"If I what?" 

Chess shrugged. "Like I said, we're firm on our decisions?" 

"There's still time to think about it." Alex said, looking to Julia and Jay. 

"It's not worth undoing everything for 5 grand pay difference." Julia said.

"Someone else would step in and handle that for you." 

"So, I am replaceable."

"We all are." Chess nodded. He paused, "Jules, I think we all want the same thing. Doesn't matter where who does it. I think that having a liaison here would be great. Only difference is I am independent and you're county. You don't have to mend fences with the Manganelli's, because they're now independent as well. Their prices are going up. Any calls I get, we get a cut of that. They're good people only you never saw them that way." 

"They gave you your job back." She hissed at him. 

"I don't want it back and I am clean as evidenced by the last 2 piss screens I gave them." 

"Then why can't you-"

"Money." He tapped the book in front of him. "A fuck ton of money. I shoulda done this here before the county ever got involved. Your county now has competition." 

"I have this on lock, Chess. We do." She motioned to Jayson. "We all do. These people are cooperating and-"

"I'll keep you in mind for special assignments." 

"Ok." She shrugged. "Whatever that means." 

"Jay, are you sure?" Tavin asked. 

"I'll do something prn and maybe some outreach stuff, whatever you need." Jay shrugged. "You got part of me, not all of me. That's the best I can do." Jay smiled. "He's not the only one with a pretty face, you know." 

He opened his folder and he slid a magnet down the table to Jayson. He caught it. Jay smiled. "That's our 800 number, brother." 

"Fucking right." He grinned. 

Chess looked at Julia. "You got one? An 800 number?" 

She smirked, "It's called 911, Chess." 

"Ok, well, if anyone wants a good Christmas dinner, mommy's cooking. You're all welcome, if you don't have plans." He offered before the table dispersed to their vehicles and went home. 

Chess and Jess let Ray and Candace roll out after a discussion about the meeting. Ray was offended he was left out, but Chess convinced him he had a special assignment for the family. Chess admitted he had plans for the everyone in the future. If the business took off like the projections showed, he would be able to purchase land, build on it and include dwellings for his entire family and their significant others. That would be paramount if the time came that the dead overran them, then the compound idea would flourish. If not, then they could come and go freely till the shit hit the fan. 

They checked on Layla, sleeping soundly in her crib for a change, then returned to the master bedroom to change into pajamas and lay down with the monitor on as loudly as possible. As if Layla's squawking cries would not be heard by either of them over any monitor available on the market. 

"Chess," Jess whispered aside him in bed. The darkness of the room enveloped them. The door ajar to hear the baby despite the monitor. 

"What's up?" he asked, squeezing her body closer to his beneath the blankets.

"I stopped bleeding." She stated, wiggling her ass against his firm erection. "Want another blow job or do you wanna fuck?" 

She needn't ask as he lowered the pajama bottoms and went to work. It was a quick job as he hadn't been laid properly since well before Layla's birth. He gave her embarrassingly the best 60 seconds he could offer before coming hard inside her warm snatch. "Gimme a few minutes and we'll properly fuck, babe." He said, leaving his soft dick inside her. He thought if he could do a couple lines, he would fuck her all night. But, no. They waited in the dark, in the silence, kissing and fondling till his dick grew inside her. He made love to her for near an hour, letting Jess enjoy herself. It's been weeks since they'd indulged in each other. A couple weeks early, believing she'd healed and the bleeding had ceased. They'd quick'ied in the shower a couple times, but nothing that was enjoyable other than him coming in a record speed. 

"I love you, Chess." She repeated as his solid 8 inches embedded inside her. "I love you, Chess." 

"I love you, Jess." 

Two weeks later, at her OB-GYN appointment, she complained of feeling tired and sick. She was nauseated at the appointment and her breasts felt more full than usual. The doc initially said not to worry about it, but then asked if she had been sexually active prior to the appointment. When Jess answered honestly, the doc ran labs.  Jess got a phone call the next afternoon informing her that her pregnancy test was positive. She was pregnant and expecting their second baby. 

She looked to Chess after that phone call with tears in her eyes. She was nervous about telling him. The entire world was upside down at the moment. "Chess, the GYN called." She trembled a little. 

"OK, so." 

"I'm pregnant."

His reaction was as overwhelmingly positive as her pregnancy test. "Shit, Kyra is on the way." Chess gasped. 

"What?" She asked in his tight embrace, confused by his excitement and happiness. 

"I know this isn't the greatest time." He said. "We need to pack an overnight bag and take a drive up to Rochester. There's a story I need to tell you. There's something you need to see." 

Within 24 hours, he'd run some errands while she packed their overnight bags. They loaded themselves and Layla into the truck and took the drive north to Rochester, NY. They stopped only once at a rest stop to relieve themselves and tend to Layla. A 90-minute delay gave him enough time to book a room at the same place he'd stayed with Fry on Julia's exit from the planet. An entirely different room, but the same circumstances led them there. He and Jess carried the infant car seat to the memorial. He told her the entire story, start to finish, on the ride while Layla slept. "You could have told me this at home." Jess remarked in the January frigidity of Rochester at an elementary school. They returned to the truck and he drove them to a cemetery. He told her she could stay in the truck as dusk fell across the land, but she got out, leaving Layla in her car seat asleep in the truck. They visited side by side graves of Layla and Kyra Morgan, leaving flowers and his tears. The day had been overwhelming for him again. Jess, true to form, stepped in and comforted him. He'd taken their lives, but his girls would live on and create a different future for their family. 

Later, in the motel room, he watched as Jess fed Layla. He admired her across the room. He watched his daughter suckle the tit in her mouth. Jess watched TV and was oblivious that Chess watched them. She lay Layla in her bed provided by the motel. He put himself against his woman's chest. He took her nipple in his mouth, suckled as did his daughter, tasting his girl briefly. He lay against her, then reached in his pocket, withdrawing a ring that he had chosen on his errands before they left Maverick. He asked her to marry him and showed her the ring from his pocket. A modest 2 carat round cut diamond ring. He received a positive response from his request. Tears and surprise and happiness and joy. He chose to wife her and she accepted. Once she replied in the affirmative, the clothes came off easily. They made love and fell asleep against each other till Layla roused them from slumber after sleeping through the night for the very first time. 

The weekend after New Year's they had a party and anyone who wanted to join them could do so. He sent out invitations to everyone he knew that he'd feel comfortable having in his home he shared with Jesslyn. He knew it was cramped and there was no where to hang out, a small 2 bedroom row home was big enough for Jess and her mom, but the growing family of soon to be 4, they'd need to relocate. So the party was at Mommy's house. Normally his parents were low key, but the New Year meant new beginnings and positive, responsible, legit changes. He wasn't sure if everyone would show up or if no one would show up. As optimistic as Chess tried to be for the first time in his life, he was nervous as hell. He had to beg and cajole one more party out of his mom before she could return to her normal state of affairs. 

A small crowd formed and the people he wanted to show up, showed up. If only to show their face momentarily, then so be it. Shelby made her way through the door and everyone knew who she was, but they wondered why she was there. Cookie at her side and a handful of the vets from his team. Ben was last through the door. He needed people, his people. If they were still enlisted or ever wanted to quit, he wanted them to know where to go after the fact. 

Chess found Tavin on the deck and gave him his directive, double checking that he was single and available to possibly take one for the team. "I thought we didn't like her, man."

"I would do it, but I got my chastity belt on here." 

"This is where my pretty face comes into play." 

"If things don't go to plan, maybe." He shrugged. "It's not your face I'm interested in anyway." 

They finished a smoke and head back inside. Jesslyn and Hayley greeted everyone with kids attached to them. Drinks were passed around and the cards came out. While they played cards and had a night of it, small talk was made. A handful of fresh faces arrived an hour or so into the gathering, his new employees were welcomed inside and offered food and drinks, get to know each other on a personal level. The newbs saw faces they had only heard about or seen on TV. They got to hear stories and gossip and memories and hopefully, Chess thought, they'd hear all of it and want to create those moments for themselves one day. He made key points that they could all be faced with some shit at anytime and all stood ready and willing to break up the gathering and take care of business. Above all, the evening was fun. Jesslyn a made friends with Cook, Cook obliged him asking the favor of a lifetime and promising to never bother her again for any favors. He and Shelby had a chat and he had to humble himself, make excuses and seek some sort of forgiveness or come to some sort of truce, because he had favors to ask of her as well. She'd heard all about his business venture and his outlook on getting involved changed. He dropped his ego, said what he hoped were the right things and asked she call for any zombie related bullshit that she needed help with. She'd get a bonus for the recommendation, but the fees would be pricy. She agreed and suggested he'd be on a trial basis initially and if she liked his work, then she would reach out. 

"So you think that was all her? Gotcha." Chess shrugged. "I'll agree if you agree." Numbers were exchanged. Handshakes exchanged. 

Tavin moved in to chat with her for the 3rd time and she shut him down. "I like what you came up with here." She smiled, taking a sip of her beer. "If I was straight, I'd be on it, fellas. If you're trying to get me laid though, I prefer the blond over there." She pointed out Hayley. 

"She's bougie and selfish." Chess mumbled, taking her arm and leading her to Hayley.

"Yeah, you'd have a better time with me." Tavin laughed. 

 "Hay, have you met Shelby yet?" He scooped Shy off her hip and moved on with Tavin away from them. 

"Where the hell is her dad?" Chess asked, thinking he had his own baby to tend to. Nonetheless he mingled with Shy on his hip drooling till Jay arrived and took her off his hands. Chess filled him in as they watched Shelby and Hayley talk and flirt. "Where's Jules?"

"She said, and I quote, fuck you." He shrugged. "I brought Alex though." He paused, "So, are we drumming up business, boss?" 

"Mending fences and drumming up business, yeah. I got with each of them, extended an offer, even if it is as needed." 

"You got experience here for sure." 

"Possibly some of the most legally dangerous people on the eastern seaboard." 

They literally stood on the safest street in all of Lancaster County. The damage that could be done among the individuals in that room was indescribable. 

Chapter 19 Happy Holidays

Once his girls were home and settled in, visitors came and went, dropping by to see Layla and check up on Jess. His family took time out of their lives to indulge baby mama and create a fuss over her, hold the baby, and drop off a meal or two. He stayed grateful they all stopped by and showed interest, but he felt left out of the celebration. He felt the family seemed dismissive of him because of his ideas and they didn't want to address his ideas. Perhaps he had waited too long. He had a feeling that things weren't going to go his way. No one asked how he was doing. No one asked if he needed anything. The only inquiries he received were about work, his suspension. Had he heard from anyone? He hadn't expected any word over a weekend about his status as a county employee or what their course of action would be. 

Nonetheless, he took care of Layla and Jesslyn and withdrew to the recesses of his anxiety ridden mind. It had only been a few days, but he had stopped smoking weed. It wasn't for lack of supply, he had plenty. Part of him wanted to see if Jimmy Darth or he, himself, could work something out to reverse the suspension. If that meant cleaning himself up and thereby cleaning up his piss, then so be it. But the more he looked at the world around him through sober eyes, the more cringe he felt. He quieted, withdrew, felt strange. It dawned on him that perhaps he was depressed. He didn't feel relaxed anymore. He felt jittery, nervous, uncomfortable in his skin. The caffeine he added in weed's place only served to stir up his brain more. He suddenly couldn't sleep on top of everything else. Being a new dad with a newborn who also had sleep issues, he didn't mind the insomnia much. Infact, insomnia stopped by to visit at the perfect time. It allowed for Jess to rest, and he could dote on his favorite girl in the world. He didn't realize how attached he would be to the baby. He'd been around babies and had cared for babies sporadically over the course of his life, but to have his own little baby on his chest, breathing hot milk breath in his face elated him. A week after Layla was born, he started feeling teary eyed. Shortly after the tears developed, he started crying. While alone with Layla in the middle of the night in what he believed to be the privacy of Jesslyn's living room, he cried as much if not more than the newborn herself. 

"Chess, don't you have anywhere to be?" Jesslyn asked him as she lifted the baby off his chest. 

Chess switched from vertical to horizontal and pulled a blanket over him. "No." He wanted a nap now that his night shift had ended. "Where do you want me to go?"

"Well, work? Did you quit doing whatever you do?" 

He pulled out his cell and opened up the bank app on his phone. He handed it to her. "We're alright." She handed it back to him, words escaping her. He opened up another app and handed the phone back to her. "We're alright." Got a garage full of supplies too, Jess. He thought as she handed his phone back to him. She waited. "What?" He asked her. 

"Well, is there more or should I-"

He opened the stock app. He showed it to her. He had no clue about stocks, bonds, or how it all worked, but he paid someone to know what it all meant. "Still alright." He felt she needed reassurance. "As 'alright' as I am, you're a hundred times more alright on your own." He made a mental note to get hold of the lawyer to find out how things were going with the liquidation of her inherited estate. 

"What's going on with you, Chess?" She asked him, touching his shoulder softly. 

He didn't respond, started quietly crying till he cried himself to sleep. 

He roused from slumber a couple hours later when Layla started squawking. He wanted to take her, but Jess shooed him away toward the steps. She told him to shower, shave, clean himself up. She tended to Layla and had her quiet by the time he returned downstairs. She prodded him again for an answer, asking what was wrong with him. He sighed, sat her down on the sofa with the baby and started another pot of coffee. Sarcasm...he thought..."Postpartum depression, Jess." Funny how you can live with someone and not have a clue what was going on inside their head. Chess felt like clueing her in, but held back for the time being. "You're still healing. Are you comfy?" He asked her, running soapy water in the sink to do the dishes. He saw the clothes basket by the laundry door. While the water ran in the sink, he loaded the washer, careful to separate out the baby clothes and linens from their own laundry. She had mentioned the baby had her own detergent. 

"Chess, you're not the hired help. I can-"

He held a hand up at her and waved. "I got it. You just had the baby."  

"I can do some things, Chess. You don't have to wait on us hand and foot." 

He gave her an unfavorable facial expression. "I want to. Not cause I have to." He did the heavy lifting, chores, simple stuff that needed to be done. He had been trying to let her rest, sympathize with her healing and she still was in some pain. He had her focus, make a list of things they'd need or were running low on. He did suggest she could make dinner later on, but also suggested they could order out if she didn't feel up to it. He admitted he wasn't much of a chef and the meals the family brought had been eaten. She agreed she'd whip up something quick and easy. 

"But you shouldn't have to. Are you in pain? Have you had anything this morning yet?" 

Once the few chores had been taken care of and dinner set out to defrost, there wasn't much more to do than sit on the sofa together and hang out with the baby. Their activity amounted to watching daytime TV or Law and order. When they tired of that, they stared at Layla for a while. When she'd wake, they'd make a fuss over her, hold her, talk some nonsense to her, then lay her back in her bassinette when she drifted off to sleep again. Jess took a Percocet induced nap with Layla around 330pm, which left him wide awake, sipping coffee and playing on his phone. Around 4pm, Tavin stopped after work, letting himself through the door that they hadn't locked. He looked over the baby and Jess, then suggested they catch a smoke on the deck.

"So." Tavin started the conversation. 

"So." Chess repeated, feeling kind of happy to have the company, but surprised to have Tavin standing there. 

"Jess called me this morning." 

"She did?" He asked, which surprised him too. "Why?" He looked over his shoulder and through the slider to the sofa. "She's ok." He said, spying her asleep on the sofa. "Is she ok? She didn't say anything." He started feeling nervous again. 

"She called about you." He shrugged. "She said some stuff, um...are you ok?" 

Chess detailed the days since having been home with Jess. He left out the selfish internal misery and his issues, thinking she had complained to Tavin about him for some reason. He had taken on a lot of Lay's care and he sat up with her at night so Jess could rest. He was taking her feelings into consideration and her condition and he swore that he was doing everything he was supposed to do.

"She isn't complaining." Tavin interrupted him. "She didn't call me about that." He paused. "She's worried about you. Said your sad, you won't stop crying." He spoke quietly, sounding serious and trying not to make him as uncomfortable about this conversation as Tavin felt. Of all the people Jess could have called, she chose Tavin. Chess stayed silent a minute or two. He neither confirmed nor denied, just shrugged it off. "She said you might wanna talk to someone who has, and I quote, 'been through some shit'." 

"What shit you been through exactly?" Chess asked curiously. 

"Julia running her damn mouth probably told her some shit after Tare was born. Kelly went in the psych ward, remember? I lost my mind for a minute. Explored my mommy issues with Julia in fact. That was fun." 

"I bet." 

"So," Tavin hummed. "Do you need to talk or?"

"Just got shit on my mind is all, nothing to do with her or Layla. I quit smoking weed. I haven't had a drink either." 

"Fuck, you're withdrawing?" 

"Probably." He answered, wondering if he smoked and drank enough to go through withdraw. "I'm fucking sober. Like a week. I replaced it with the world's worst self brewed coffee. I'm all amped up on caffeine." He chuckled a little. "I can't self-medicate and all my issues that I bury under weed, coke and a fuck ton of alcohol have taken up space in my mind. The boredom doesn't help with that either. I'm not busy right now and I planned on not being busy till she feels better." 

"Oh, well that explains it then."

"I can't fuck it all away either. All my preferred coping mechanisms are...not available." 

"Could have told her all that and saved me the trip." 

"I don't wanna bother her. I'm trying to make this easy for her." 

"Ok, well don't be mad, she just thought you would wanna talk to another dad." 

"Why didn't she call my dad then? He's across the street. He's been through some shit too. I talk to my dad every day." Chess paused. "Not that I don't appreciate the chat or company that won't vomit on me or bleed near me. I haven't ever had so much conversation about a period in my life." 

"So you're hands on there, dad?"

"100%, absolutely."

"So, what can I do?"

"Nothing that I can think of." Chess answered, because there wasn't anything Tavin could do. He had to make sense of everything for himself.  

"Need a meeting?" Tavin asked as they head back inside Jess's house. Half joking-half serious. 

"I don't think that'll help with my nerves, no. I got will power. I can control myself." 

"What are you controlling yourself for exactly?" 

He explained that he hadn't heard from the county or Jimmy Darth in regard to the outcome of his suspension. He feared the resolution would be similar to what they laid out for Julia with the counseling and the mandatory drug screens. He'd rather be safe than sorry and he worried aloud whether he'd started too late to clean himself up. If he were to return to the county, he could at least advise that he'd taken baby steps toward solving the problem. 

"So fucking what." Tavin sighed. "Seriously? A week ago you stood your obnoxious self in my house and asked us to-" He quieted down. "Why bother if you're just gonna throw yourself on the sword and go back to killing dead senior citizens at farmer's markets?" He looked a little stunned as Tavin quieted again. He'd been the first to mention that since he'd brought it up. "You wanted to table it, got everybody thinking about it, Chess."   

"No one said anything, so I figured-"

"You said Thanksgiving at your parent's house. You gave us time to think it over." 

"Where's Jo then? Alex went to get him, but I figured he didn't come back-"

"You don't know." Tavin smiled. "They didn't bother you with it." He shook his head. "I knew you'd be pissed off." 

"They?"

"Oh, wait till Thanksgiving. Wait till you see the fine piece he brought home. I think when you lay eyes on her, you'll know his answer."

"Who, Tavin?" Chess asked, baffled by the secrecy. 

"All I'm gonna say is he loves him some royal pussy." 

"Where's he at?" Chess asked, thinking if he was at Tavin's he'd drop by. 

"Oh, they're in Florida." He answered. "The drama over that-let's just say, the tension is thick. Bullshit, if you ask me. Julia's pissed. Kelly is beyond pissed. Me and Jay are sitting back watching it all go down. The holiday should be interesting." 

Tavin filled him in and he believed nothing could surprise him anymore. Once Tavin left, he felt grateful he had been absent and oblivious to it all. He also had a sense that Tavin would side with him since he felt so strongly about the matter. The others, though, would be a tough sell and Tavin advised him to come up with the speech and plan of a lifetime to sway the county employees. He thought back to the fortress, Jo was his right hand, but the more he talked freely with Tavin, he recalled he had started to come around, grow into the flipside self that they all once knew and loved. In order to sway Jay, he'd have to get him out from under Julia and that would be near impossible. 

He had a week before Thanksgiving to come up with that speech and plan. But first he bothered his right hand, Jo. Tavin wasn't even in his car yet and he had Jo's phone ringing. "Motherfucker, what is in Florida?" Chess demanded to know once Jo answered his phone. 

 Jo replied one name, Antonio Freeman, and didn't have to explain any further which generation of royal snatch he had in his company. Jo was short on details but simply mentioned she had wanted to meet her dad. In order to get the girl on board with jumping to the flipside, Alex had baited her with her father's location, age, workplace, high school, general whereabouts. She'd get the once in a lifetime opportunity to immerse herself in Antonio's life for a few days. Jo could relax for a few days while she infiltrated the boy's life. 

"Could have stopped by." Chess told him. 

"She's pushy. When she gets something in her head, she goes with it and where she goes, I gotta go." 

"Like her damn mom."

"I get paid to follow her fine ass around, Chess." Jo replied. "Threat level is low here. No one knows who she is." 

Jo had stories and detailed the events as they played out for him in the future on the flipside. It was wild, but Chess listened. None of this had anything to do with him or even next gen. This was the gen that came after that. His children with Jess and Macy. The very baby who lay sleeping across the room from him played a part in what was coming, according to Jody. He heard all the facts and all the gossip. All was so much more interesting than anything the family could ever have imagined, and Jo had a front row seat for all of it. He had already told Chess he was heading back with his female companion and would claim a stake in the future in New York, not New Jersey. Chess heard the whole plan as they were in the midst of creating it. His companion had turned quite militant since her mother's death. "Once she took the time to read the books, then the damn journals that spawned the books, the plans, the secrets. She left nothing to the imagination and left out no details. She turned into this monster, the queen's daughter, the heir to the throne." Suddenly her heritage mattered, life was breathed into her and then a hatred for New York that ran through most Pennsylvanian's blood. "You, Chess, are the last item on her list. She plans on killing you and for now I'm going along with it. She doesn't know how tight we are. I will not allow that to happen. Don't worry." 

"Me as in me or me as in him, the king?" Chess laughed.

"Not you currently, no. She's unarmed anyways." 

"This got to do with Virginia?"

"Oh, damn." He laughed. "Kinda. But it's her thing. Pissed off about Antonio. She'll take revenge for her mom too." 

"What happened in Virginia, Jo? Please tell me." 

"You can read it. She brought the books home in her pack. Gonna need to burn them after, because there's some incriminating stuff in there that-"

"Ok, ok. Can't wait to read all about it." Chess couldn't wait though. "What did I do?" 

"You shot and killed Jayson for leaving the fortress with her to go to Virginia. But Queen didn't conquer Virginia, Julia Fry did and you always claimed that Fry was yours alone and didn't belong to Jay. It's all bullshit, because you all share among each other, always have. After you killed him and made an example of him and then further abused Fry within an inch of taking her life too, you decided to leave her there to 'rot in hell with the dead'. Meanwhile, she switched off, wifey was told a story about him being killed by a neigh sayer in Virginia. She raised hell in Jay's name in Virginia till she found out about the baby and you had her come home. Took her to Vegas, completely brainwashed and controlled her after she gave birth to zombie baby number two. Queen never knew about you killing Jay. Never went back to the fortress. It wasn't hers to return to. The only person who ever went back to the fortress was Fry or Morgan. It's how you knew what you could do with her and how you could manipulate and treat her. If she was home, it was not the queen. Queen wouldn't set foot there. She left once, on Fry's flipside, and never went back." 

Chess remained silent for once, processing all that. He hoped Julia had written down a more comprehensive timeline of events. 

"The books are at the house. Julia doesn't know about them, but the guys do and it's all they're talking about while the girls are angry and plotting." 

"Julia and Kelly."

"Queen is just mad because Toni arrived and left. Morgan is pissed off because I went and hooked up with her kid and I'm gonna leave her again. Fry could care less because you are the center of her little world and that's all they ever hear about. It all blew up the night after we got home. Kelly, well, I don't think she's over me yet." 

"So this is all your fault, Jo." 

"I think I hurt all their feelings bringing home my new girlfriend. Tia is the only one who isn't mad at me. She packed a little bag and wanted to come to Florida with us." 

"You bring her?" 

"Nah, she has school. The fam said no. I would have though. Gotta make it up to her when we get back next week. I'm planning a special day. Everything she likes to do, maybe an overnight somewhere special. She's still my girl, you know. I hate being away from her."

"Got a long wait for the princess, Jo."

"Don't make it sound so creepy. Weirder shit has happened, but I know where to draw the line, Chess. I can see and have the original if I want to visit Jersey. It's all good." Jody paused, tired of dishing dirt. "How's Jason from the gym?" 

That question threw Chess for a loop. They never talked about his extracurricular activity. "Uh, I'm concentrating on Jess right now. So that's dead in the water." He answered honestly as Jess stirred from her nap. 

"Who's that?" She asked, seeing he was on the cell. 

"It's Jody." Chess answered. He handed off the phone to her when she reached for it. They had a half hour conversation and she asked whether they were done chatting. Chess nodded, "I'll see him on Thanksgiving." Jess handed him back the cell. "We should have a talk, Jess." She looked a little worried as she accepted his hand to help her off the sofa. He followed her upstairs where she closed herself in the bathroom. He took a seat on the top step and brought up Tavin's visit. He reassured her he was not upset with her, understood and explained what was going on in his head the last week. She looked relieved once she emerged from the bathroom. She saw he was being truthful. He admitted he was going to fill her in, but didn't want to bother her with it. She had other things on her mind. She walked to where he sat on the step, placed her hand on his head and scrunched his hair in her hand. 

"I can be as here for you as you can be for me." She stated, reassuring him. She may not have any answers, but their relationship went both ways. 

"Why Tavin?"

"Well, he's your friend and he replaced Jo." She shrugged. "You and Tavin get each other. I watched it for years. At the farmhouse, at the fortress, you two lean on each other, confide in each other. What you have with Jo, you have with Tavin when Jo's not around." 

What? He was confused by that. What had she been seeing on their field trips that gave her that impression? 

"You are always annoyed with Jayson for one reason or another. You're really fucking bitter about handing over Julia to him. Ray wasn't quite right for this and -"

"I could have talked to my dad." He looked up to her. 

"Fuck it, Chess. Did he help or not?" 

"Yeah, actually."

"Feel better?"

"Yeah, actually. Put some things into perspective, him and Jo."

"I'm gonna make us dinner." 

The following day gave them their first excuse in a week to get dressed and leave the house. The baby's first doc appointment first thing in the morning where she received a clean bill of health. He verified with Jess that she felt well enough to run planned errands and she agreed she was, but wondered if they should take the baby out for any length of time. Neither knew the answer, so he dropped Jess off with his mom while Chess ran errands and then visited Tavin's house to retrieve a pile of novels. No one was home, so he welcomed himself inside and found the books in Alex's room. He flipped through the worn pages and scanned sentences. What he read, Alex shouldn't have been privy to. All their history, the beginning of hell, Caleb Downing and the stalking and the abduction, rape, murder, arson and the fallout of friendships and relationships from that was described in great detail. He flipped through another book and there was Shane Dixon's story for all to see, the details, the gang affiliations, drug running, prostitution and murders he had committed.  WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT PHILLY. How many times had he told her? He was so angry. The crimes she detailed with names attached could bring him and others he knew charges in the present. It couldn't be passed off as fiction. He tucked all the books in a pack and on his way out, he had a terrifying thought. How did she remember all that? So many years in the future, how did she recall names and dates and places, details of crimes that he was having trouble remembering even though he'd committed them himself? He swore the answer was in the journals. All this info was already written for her to reference in the future. That's when he started his search, a light one that included anywhere she could stash journals and notebooks. What he searched for could all very well be stashed at the farmhouse, and if that was the case, then so be it. 

He chose to take the honest route and call her. She didn't answer. He hit redial, no answer. He called Jo. "Where does she keep her journals?" Jo knew everything. That's why he hooked them up to begin with on the flipside and if he knew the flipside, then he'd know the real side too. If she trusted, then she trusted 100%. Since Jo was leaving in a week, he felt comfortable asking Jo to rat on her. "Where does your loyalty lie, Mayers?" He thought as he waited for an answer from him. Jo directed him through the house and he opened every closet, every drawer, every box he'd been directed to. "Is this everything?" He asked. Jo knew what he was doing. You gotta do this now? "Yeah, I fucking do. This...we can't have this in writing anywhere." Well, it's all in her head...she can still speak it. He felt sure he had them all and that she wouldn't go searching for them without cause. No one would and once he read through them and felt assured that what she'd written was on the up and up, then he'd return each and every one of them. It's her life, but it's not just me now. The published books not only served to tear him down, but his friend Tavin as well. She'd fixed the hell Jay put them through and saved his ass, but published secrets and private things that would have him and the brother locked up till their death. He tossed the bag of journals in the rear seat and was caught when Tavin came home. 

"Are you robbing us, Chess?" 

Chess held up the pack with the novels. "You didn't mention this." He growled at him. 

"Didn't think it was important." He believed Toni would take the books home with her. But if Toni wanted vengeance, then the books would be the way to go in the here and now. 

Chess rummaged through the pack and threw Tavin's own bio at him. "Page 80, brother." He pointed at the book. "Jesus fucking Christ, my eyes are burning from reading that." 

Tavin's eyes grew wide and he closed the novel. "Shut the fuck up." He obviously hadn't read his very own book. He and Jay had only focused on the 3-part autobiography.

Chess looked around them. "I knew it, but I didn't know all of it." He pointed at the book in Tavin's hand. "Brother, the shit we are doing right now is in that book. And the rest of these books." 

"I-uh-Jo brought them here." He whispered. 

Lies. "Royal pussy carries them around." Chess opened the rear door on the truck and pointed at the trash bag full of journals. "He didn't bring these. She been had these. She's been writing for years, Tav. Every fucked up and not so fucked up thing we ever did." 

"Chess, she's in there too. All the fucked up things she did-"

"Won't send her to prison." Chess said quietly to him. He swiped the novel out of Tavin's hand and returned it to the pack. He'd read them. It couldn't hurt knowing all the secrets that ever existed among them. 

Chess spent a good portion of his night shifts with Layla reading. Jess slept and Layla slept, he quietly read all the spicy books first. He left the zombie killing and gardening for last. In those 2 publications he found the sweetest parts of his wife with the greatest of expectations and hope. They were his favorite books and he set them aside, vowing to keep them from the burn pile. The other publications he found her brutal honesty appealing. He learned so much about how she thought and her fears and her torment that she'd never put into words for him. Perhaps she had for someone else? These books would be best sellers anywhere and anytime. When she penned these masterpieces, she had worked through the hell. She tried to make sense of it all at the end. The parts that angered him were few and far between and she didn't dwell on the Philly end of things too long in any book. These publications were never meant for his eyes. Anyone who read them in the future, who would really care or complain? No one, except for those he enraged in NY. Even then, the past was the past and he learned they paid dearly for all their misdeeds. The bad blood between Pa and NY was justified. They equally fucked each other over. Both families fucked around and found out. In the end they called a truce thanks to Julia spending a night with Derek Singletary. It had been Julia Fry all along that mended fences but caused a rift among the table. Julia Fry's evil deeds surpassed that of Julia Morgan's. In fact, the entire future had been a gamble on Julia Fry's part. If she hadn't done what she did, humans would have battled humans following the human's battle with the dead. If he learned anything reading the future plan, he learned Julia Fry was young, dumb and needed that guidance from the table. When she acted on her own, she needed help, their people lost people. She needed the written instruction. She couldn't think outside the box. She could not act on her own on their behalf. She couldn't measure up or play the part. Morgan on the other hand served to be a suitable, ruthless, cajoling, evil, mean and grudge holding temporary replacement. Julia Fry would always defer to the people around her, specifically Jayson. Morgan would act to benefit the people and hold the people in high regard. All swore loyalty to Jayson Keller and then to his memory. Chess had very little to do with anything in her life. He only reaped the benefits once Jay had been killed...by him. Jealousy, Julia had told him, was the strongest of human emotions. He loved his wife. He would do anything for his wife. All the Julia's he considered his wife, then once Jay was eliminated, they became his property. His only question had been, where was the original Julia during all this historical bullshit she wrote about? She merely penned the books, gathering info from all the written journals. She'd experienced and lived so little of it herself. Where had she been? Chess' mind wondered where she had holed up? She definitely pulled strings in the background. Had she been infiltrated by Fry and Morgan so much that she was off elsewhere? Or just a body housing the parasites? 

He was not a quick reader. He admitted to just about everyone that he only read one book throughout his entire life but now added a pile more in a week's time. He'd spent so much time reading and learning that he hadn't accomplished a damn thing regarding the plan or speech of a lifetime. He needed more time and since Jo was checking out, he decided to give himself till Christmas. He would go on hiatus, figure things out, formulate his business and let the pieces fall into place. He even considered and had registered for school, taking the CDL route like his dad did. He was revolted at the course his family had taken in a zombie apocalypse and wondered if he even cared about that anymore. He'd deal with it when the time came, keep his girls alive and live on their own. He didn't want anything to do with it. 2 weeks clean, he cut back the coffee and started drinking water. As Jess healed, he took to the gym, then cut out Jason as well. 

He'd gone through every single journal. There were no surprises there. He would return them in one piece to their author. When they agreed to not talk about Philly, she heeded that request. She knew better. He was grateful for that. Where that information was stored, hopefully on the flipside, he was unsure. He knew for a fact it wasn't with them in real time. If he learned anything from the books, it was that none of the Julia's wished to be anyone's property. Thanksgiving would come and be a celebration of Layla Louann Morgan, a memorial to Louann Gilligan, and a sendoff for Jody Mayers. No table, no drama. Just family and fun. He would have an in-person conversation with one or all Julia's for them and for his own sanity. Then she would hopefully have a few conversations of her own with the people that needed to hear her voice. He wanted to write a whole new chapter. He chose to set her free, thereby setting everyone free. 

Mom made Thanksgiving extra special this year. She decorated. Mom usually cooked and made a feast worth eating for the family. Whoever arrived to take part could do so. But she never made a splash like this year. Her granddaughter took center stage. Louann's egg also made the centerpiece at the unofficial table. Mommy cooked. Mommy drank wine. Mommy made the entire day special. No one had to lift a finger. She started early in the morning and she seemed invested in making this a memorable, happy occasion. She wanted her baby. She dressed Layla in the most Thanksgiving outfit available on amazon. She fussed and held and rocked and seemed happy. Chess spent time with his dad and Ray. He stocked enough alcohol for the entire alcoholic family. Then he waited nervously for people to arrive. Then he realized he didn't care if anyone showed up. 

Early afternoon the family settled in. Mommy invited Karen and Cal. The entire table arrived sporadically. Jay dropped off Shy at the in-laws and mentioned Hayley's dad wanted to chat about zom proofing the house. Since Hay had come to her senses and brought herself and the granddaughter home, he was vested in keeping the small family safe from undead harm. Chess made note to call Hay's parents and set up a time to zom proof. What that meant he wasn't sure, but Jay mentioned Hay's dad was a fan of all the zombie proofing gadgets he saw advertised on FOX News. He also made note that a consulting leg of his future business needed to be established with guidelines and professionals because parents and grandparents needed a plan of action to keep their homes unbreeched and their families untouched. Whether that meant fire arms or metal bars, he was unsure. He'd have to go on a case by case assessment. He grabbed his notebook and jotted down the thoughts he had. 

He spied Julia by the cooler, sipping a wine cooler. He indicated there was vodka on the counter if she wanted a stronger drink. She declined. He hadn't had one yet. He wanted a clear mind for the conversation he was about to have. He'd already told Jayson he wanted to chat with her, so while jay occupied himself with Jess and held Layla, Chess invited Julia and her wine cooler to the deck. 

"I have a confession to make." He admitted as he leaned against the railing. His eyes scanned the yard, glancing at the covered pool across the yard below. Every time he looked at that pool he remembered taking her ring off and letting her run with Tavin. Why'd he ever permit that? He knew he was leaving, knew she was a mess and would need someone. Left to her own devices...he'd found a suitable babysitter since Jay was deep in Jesslyn at the time. 

"A confession. Should be interesting, Chess. What's up?" 

He refocused his eyes on her as opposed to the pool. He told her about the books Toni brought home in her pack. He told her he'd read them. She didn't seem to care, shrugging it off. He had the books back in Toni's pack and would hand them over to her whenever she and Jo showed up. They weren't his to keep or burn, but he would inquire as to whether he could keep the gardening and zom killing reference books. Queen didn't seem bothered by his admission. He got a 'so what' feel from her. He then explained that there were details of their lives in those books that shouldn't be in their current time laying around. He added he'd taken her journals on top of the books, then apologized and had stacked them in a small tote to take home. 

"I didn't bring the books here and till a couple minutes ago didn't know Toni had. What's that got to do with me?"

"That's all your journals." This confession pissed her off, but she nodded and said Jay would haul it to the car. "Why keep them at all?"  

"Why take them at all? If you would have asked me-"

"I did call you and you never answer." 

"Sorry about that." She whispered. 

"So after you offed yourself we sat at the cabin me and you and Jo and we talked at the table." 

"Yeah." Queen and Fry hadn't been present for that chat. Morgan straightened up at the mention of their conversation. "Is this where you tell me you thought of how I owe you?"

"No. No. I haven't given much thought to that lately. I haven't really been given a reason to either."

"Then what are you getting at?"

"The ring. I put it in a safe deposit box at the bank. I don't know what to do with it and giving it to you with that monstrosity on your finger wouldn't make any sense. But it means something to us and it's safe in there."

"Thanks, I guess." She replied skeptically. He turned out his pockets, indicating he didn't have the ring on him. She didn't need the display, but let him carry on. "Are you alright, Chess?" 

"Yeah," He answered. "When I call, you have to answer." He stated in a blasé, matter of fact way. "Why don't you answer?" He paused, giving her a moment to think. "You are required to answer or is that something you do on purpose to get a rise out of me?" 

"Well, she-"

"Not she. You." He raised his voice, knowing which person he spoke to. "You are required to answer my phone calls and you are also required to fullfill any whim I have. Otherwise, you're not holding up your end of the bargain, which gets you in trouble, right?" 

"Technically." She answered, looking down at her feet. "But-"

He cut her off. "What am I supposed to do here?" He smiled, seeing she became nervous. "There's one of you in there that would jump at the chance." He poked her belly with his finger. 

"What do you want from me? Leave the county? Go with you after everything we, including you, have worked for?"

"I kinda think that you have to, Julia. Without me even asking." He reminded her. "But I haven't come to any conclusions or clarity yet on the matter, so I want to pause the table meeting till Christmas."

"We all have to come back on Christmas?"

"Nah, any table will do. I'm not ready. I been busy with Jess and Lay, so I'm a bit behind." 

"Ok. That all you wanted?" She asked, stepping away from him. 

"There's more." He replied quickly, which made her step back into place. He waited till she looked at him. She'd been avoiding eye contact for a reason. Misbehaving little...woman... Her eyes met his and he had to say it before he chickened out. He already had taken steps toward their complete separation. "I'm letting you go and I'm releasing you-us from the clause that we've created to rescind." He had learned a little something in the books. By the time he got to the only self help book she'd written for the future females of the world, he had in fact discovered how Julia, herself never had to be involved with him or return to the fortress. That simple sentence released her from the obligation and also released him from any obligation.  

"I agree." She nodded. 

"Honestly, the only agreement I will honor is the original agreement." He announced as he heard Layla's squawking cry through the closed door. He peered inside and saw several people moving toward the baby so he felt safe he was off dad duty till they got home and his night shift could resume. 

"Obviously." She smiled, looking the baby's direction as well. She separated from him, heading back into the Morgan family home. She spied Jay chatting with Uncle John and she thought truly about leaving the house at that moment in time. If it hadn't been that Jo and Toni had Tatia, she would have left with her tote. Jayson noticed she'd come back in the house. He joined her at her side. 

"Everything ok?" He asked, taking the empty wine cooler and fetching her another. He took the lid off and then handed it to her. 

"Jayson." She smiled, thinking over what Chess had just told her outside. She gazed up at him, waiting for his big brown eyes to catch hers. He smiled. "I'm letting you go and I'm releasing you from the clause that I've created to rescind."

"You're coming home with me though, right?" 

"Of course, Jay." She smiled. She glanced around him and saw Jess chatting with Candace. She left Jay and took a seat next to her sister wife. "I'm letting you go and I'm releasing you from the clause that I've created to rescind." 

"A little late for that, Julia." Jess giggled. 

"Needed to be said." She argued. "Chess has indicated he'd like to continue to abide by the original agreement. Under the right conditions, Jay and I will agree."

"What's that even mean?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Why must I explain everything to her? "Wifey, you do recall the original agreement among the 4 of us?"

"Oh that. Yes, fine. I agree to it." 

"Have you seen Tavin?"

"He just went out with Chess to smoke." 

Julia picked herself and her wine cooler up and returned to the deck. She plucked a cigarette from Tavin's pack and he lit it for her. "Hey, Chess, we agree, under the right conditions, to honor the original agreement. Thought you'd wanna know."

"Didn't tell you to ask around, but thanks for taking care of that." 

"I didn't ask Jay, but getting him on board won't be an issue." She turned to Tavin. "Hey, Tav. Um, I'm letting you go and I'm releasing you from the clause that I've created to rescind." 

Chess burst into laughter as surprised by the statement as Tavin was. "What the fuck are you talkin' about, Red?" He asked, baffled as they never created such an agreement. 

"Repeat it for me, please. Just say it so I know you know the words-" Julia whined. Tavin repeated that nonsense aloud for the three of them to hear. "Thanks, now go tell that to Kelly." 

"I'll think about it. What's the original agreement?" 

"If you gotta ask, then you're not invited." Chess advised him. 

The entire atmosphere inside the Morgan home had shifted. The dissolution of a years' old pact was lifted and the tension they didn't know existed, ceased. Four connected souls stood as individuals with free will again. They went to Sandy's table and took seats with their family. They put forth an effort to have a peaceful holiday. Christmas music played on Alexa. A football game on TV. Drinks and conversation about Layla and memories of Louann. Tavin had a quiet chat with Kelly, then joined the rest of the family at the table. They took seats aside each other and then joined the conversation.