Chapter 20

Outbreak - Day 5

Schriever AFB

Colorado Springs, Colorado

 

Brook opened the door to the metal Quonset hut she would be calling home for the unforeseeable future. Her eyes were still transitioning from the brutal Colorado sunshine to the mineshaft-like gloom inside the prefab metal dwelling when she was attacked around the waist by her diminutive eleven-year-old Raven.

“Mommy!” the pigtailed girl squealed in delight. Brook scooped her up and squeezed her tight. It had been many hours since mother and daughter had been together.

“Wow, you look like shit,” said Annie Desantos, who lay sprawled uncomfortably on top of a lumpy well-used mattress, nine-plus months of pregnant woman belly gloriously on display.

“Says the beached whale to her friend,” Brook replied, tight-lipped, suppressing a grin. Both women laughed after the exchange.

Annie’s daughters Serena and Sierra came running with sunburned Dmitri in tow.

“Have you heard anything about our Dad?” the twins inquired in unison.

“And what about my Dad?” Raven asked, her brown eyes relaying anxiety and sadness. It was enough to make Brook want to cry. She held back the tears and looked away, covertly wiping her eyes before looking back at the kids.

“Well girls,” after putting on her positive face, Brook bent at the waist so she was speaking directly to Serena and Sierra at their level, “I haven’t been told anything yet, about your Daddy or Raven’s, but I’m sure we’ll hear inbound helicopters any time now.” Then the girls received a comforting hug from Auntie Brook.

Raven continued to cling on to her mom, trying to acquire her undivided attention.

“Raven, we’ve already talked about this - but we can revisit it if you wish?”

Nodding her head in the affirmative, Raven’s gaze bored into her mom’s until Brook acquiesced and reassured her anew.

“If I know your Dad as well as I think I do, he’s looting a Toys “R” Us as we speak so that he has something special to give you when we are reunited.” Brook made sure to end the conversation on a positive note, because Raven had a tendency to only remember the last words spoken. Brook chalked it up to her daughter being eleven. “Your Dad is on his way as we speak and I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns with Mike in the same helicopter.”

Serena and Sierra beamed at the mention of their Dad, and jumped up and down in a display of giddy anticipation.

Brook gave the kids her best comforting smile and told them to go play. Then she turned her attention to Annie. Brook’s voice took on a more serious tone as her nurse’s training kicked in. “Have you had any contractions?”

“No, not today, I did have a spell of Braxton Hicks before the outbreak. Thank God the little guy didn’t come before the outbreak happened. I would’ve probably been at the hospital fighting those things off with a scalpel in one hand and a newborn in the other... thank God for small miracles.”

“Refresh my memory, when was your due date?”

“One week ago.” Annie arched her eyebrows.

“Shit. Pardon my French, kids.”

“No prob Mom,” Raven smartly retorted.

Brook asked Annie, “Do they have any obstetrics-related medical equipment here?”

“Nope, the doctor said that the infirmary is only for inpatient stuff, small emergencies. Even though this is a big base, everybody went to the Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs to have their needs met.”

“That’s not gonna fly,” Brook said, a trace of concern creeping into her “work” voice.

“I don’t think we need to worry anyway. The girls were delivered without complications.” Annie’s glass was usually half full no matter the situation.

“All it takes is one little rupture on the uterine wall and you could bleed out. Besides, this is a boy we’re talking about and you know as well as I do how much of a pain in the ass our boys can be,” Brook said, winking at Annie.

“What can we do? I sure as hell don’t want to go to a hospital... not with those things walking around.”

“I’m going to go and talk to Colonel Shrill and try to get us the basics, at the least. If I have to, I will go off the reservation on this one.” Brook gave Annie a pat on her leg, gently rubbed the boy in her belly and made direct eye contact with her, communicating what couldn’t be said aloud with the kids near. “Keep an eye on Raven until I return...?”

Annie nodded, fully aware that Brook might be away for a while.