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Nick had just gotten back to the office when a kid tossed the latest copy of the newpaper at him. “Express,” the kid said as he dashed back out the door with an armful of papers.
“What’s happened?” Jean asked, looking up from her desk.
“First case of flu,” Nick told her. “And a couple raiders down by Creamery.”
“Flu?” Jean said with a nervous look. She reached for the paper. “Just one person?”
“So far.” Nick handed it to her. It was just one thin sheet of paper, but it held the most important news of the year. They hadn’t added the greater blow that the first case was Tillie.
“What should we do?”
“Same as every year,” Nick said with a shrug. He was debating whether he should tell her who the first patient was. It was the kind of news that was too painful to share. Maybe if he never spoke the words aloud, it would cease to be true. “Keep doing what we usually do.” He sat on the edge of her desk. “But I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Jean gave him a sad smile. “Feeling nervous?”
He couldn’t help thinking about last year’s version of the flu. People had spiked lethally high temperatures and died in a matter of hours after contracting it. He had been away on a bartering trip when they lost Susan. He didn’t get a chance to say good bye to her. He hadn’t even had a chance to let her know how much she would be missed. Every spring people died. It was a fact of life after Zero Year, but not something he could get used to. “I don’t want to lose you,” he said softly.
Jean came around the desk to hug him. “Nor I you.”
Nick held her tightly for a moment until he realized how hot she felt. He pulled back to look at her. “Are you okay?”
She wobbled a little when he let go of her. “A little dizzy now that you ask.”
Nick’s heart skipped a beat. “Maybe we should get you to the clinic?”
Jean patted his chest. “I’m fine, just skipped breakfast.”
“You shouldn’t,” Nick scolded. “It’s important for all of the people in charge to remain strong.”
“I feel guilty,” she said with a shake of her head as she went back to sit at her desk. “I have access to all the food I need.”
“And you make sure that it is distributed fairly. If you fainted or...whatever, who would take over? We’re stretched thin as it is.”
“Don’t scold,” Jean said.
But he couldn’t help himself. “Skipping one meal isn’t going to help anyone. Please don’t put yourself at risk. We need all the sane, capable people we can get.”
Jean chuckled. “You’re in a mood.”
Nick ran his hands through his hair. His shoulders were tight with tension and a headache was pushing against the back of his eyes. “Martin told me that the first case...” He met her eyes.
“Who?” she whispered.
“It’s Tillie.”
Jean didn’t react for a moment.
“You okay?”Nick asked.
“I don’t know. She was worried that this might be her year. I just thought...” she blinked quickly against tears that brightened her eyes. Silence fell between them for a long minute. Jean rubbed her face then pushed her hands through her hair. “If she’s...not available, then we need to figure out what she would be doing.”
“Okay, but I don’t know what Tillie does on a regular day. Haven’t a clue what she’d be doing today.”
“I expected her to come ask about supplies for the guards.”
“We can check in with Eunice.” Nick was glad to have an immediate task to hand.
“Right.”
Nick watched Jean as she put aside her grief to take control of the situation Her strength gave him a twin ache of pride and fear.