The Emerald Virus (16 page)

    
Maiya blushed and said, “Okay, Mom.”

     
A few minutes later they had all gathered in the dining room. It was a comfortable
room furnished with a large table with ten padded chairs around it, and a
fireplace at one end. George and Andy were both impressed with how cozy it was
for such a large room.

    
Ed started the conversation by saying, “First, tell me what happened to you. I
walked out to look at the truck and there is a scratch across the back bumper
and something that looks a lot like a bullet hole in the tailgate.”

    
George spoke up and told them everything he could remember about the incident;
except for the fact that he was sure Maiya had fatally wounded the driver. When
he finished he looked at Maiya and Andy and asked them if he had missed
anything.

    
Andy said, “These guys were terrific. I know they both had to be as afraid as I
was, but they did what they had to do. I don’t think we had any choice in the
matter at all. Those men for some reason decided to attack us and we defended
ourselves. I was very proud of both George and Maiya for how level headed they
stayed.”

    
Ed said, “I know how hard it is to stay calm in those circumstances. I can’t
tell you how thankful I am for the two of you being there for our girl. I feel
her mother and I taught her well, but we didn’t teach her how to survive a
running gun battle. I’m proud of all three of you for what you did.”

    
Beth, who had been quiet up until now said, “I don’t know what to say. I’m
quaking inside even though I know the danger is past. I can’t imagine how scary
that must have been.” She looked at George and Maiya who were sitting side by
side and had been holding hands throughout the story and continued, “But it
looks like other things have been happening as well. Maiya perhaps you can talk
to your father and I about you and George.”

    
Maiya looked at her mother and then her father and smiled and said, “George and
I have known each other since I took that job in Atlanta last year. George was
already working there. On the drive we discovered that we had both been
attracted to each other but because of our differences, and because of work, we
didn’t pursue a relationship. We realized after spending the last couple of
days together, that we had made a mistake. I don’t think we have time to do
anything about it except enjoy each other’s company. But I feel very strongly
about George and I think he feels the same about me, so I’m going to hold onto
him while he’s here.”

    
George said, “I wish we had more time, and I wish we could have let you know
before we got here how we feel about each other. This isn’t the right time for
surprises, but this caught us by surprise also, so the best we can do is ask
you to understand. It’s important for me to say that nothing has happened
between us. I have too much respect for your daughter to rush into the physical
side of things, and I have no intention of disrespecting the two of you while
I’m here.

   
“The three of us talked before we got here and if it is okay with you I would
like to spend tomorrow here with Maiya and leave for home on Saturday. Andy has
agreed to stay until then and I think my parents will agree as well. But Andy
and I do need to call them to make sure they’ll understand. That will give Maiya
and me one last day together. If I was by myself I might consider staying
longer, but Andy is here also and it would be unfair to our parents to have
both of us away for too long.

    
“However, I know this is a surprise to you so, if it doesn’t work for you, Andy
and I can leave in the morning as we had originally planned.”

    
Beth looked at Maiya and said, “You told me on the phone that he was impressive
and I see that you weren’t exaggerating at all.”

    
Maiya smiled and said, “Does that mean George and Andy can stay the extra day?”

    
Ed spoke up and said, “The boys can stay for as long as they’d like.”

    
After dinner George and Andy called their parents to let them know they would
be home a day later than they had planned. While not excited about the
prospects of the boys being gone for another day, they understood the reason.

    
Maiya’s parents and the three young folks spent the evening in the living room
sitting around and talking about anything and everything, but mostly the virus.
George and Andy were both surprised about how comfortable they felt with Maiya’s
parents. George realized they were just really nice people. Her father was a
retired Dallas police officer who now ran his own security business while her
mother taught nursing at a local college. They were both down to earth; there
was nothing theoretical about their world.

    
At one point in the evening both Maiya and Beth went to the kitchen to make
popcorn for the group and Ed looked at the boys and said, “I have an extra 9mm
handgun and plenty of ammunition for your trip home. I have a friend who has
stocked his basement in preparation for the next war. I’m going to visit him
tomorrow and see if I can talk him out of one or two items that might prove
helpful if you get in another skirmish.”

    
Ed went on to say, “I’ve enjoyed meeting the two of you this evening. I always
knew Maiya had a lot of common sense, but as a parent you always worry about
your children, and with whom they might fall in love. Maybe I’ve worried too
much. George, you seem perfectly suited for Maiya, and if you can make her
happy during these last few weeks I’ll be grateful.

    
I want you to know that her mother and I understand that all of the normal
rules won’t work as we approach the end days. I think the two of you should
take whatever advantage you can from what’s left of life. You can do so with my
blessings. All I ask is that you protect her as best you can, and you’ve
already proven you can do that.”

     
George said, “Thank you sir. I don’t know what to expect to tell you the truth.
I’ve never fallen in love before, and I’ve never prepared to die before. I’m
just thankful I’ve met a person like your daughter. Maiya and I will have to
work things out somehow.”

    
As he finished saying this Maiya and Beth came into the living room carrying
bowls of popcorn. Beth was smiling and said, “Alright, what have you men been
talking about without us?”

    
Ed said, “Actually we’ve been talking about George and Maiya. Sweetheart, I’ve
been telling George how happy I am that you and he will have at least a little
time to spend together. It isn’t much, but the two of you seem so happy
together that I’m glad you’ll have some time.”

    
Maiya beamed and said, “Thank you Daddy that means the world to me”. She then
grew very serious and continued, “I’m really happy with George, and at the same
time I’m really sad for all of us. It seems so unfair that I just want to
scream, but I can’t even do that. “

    
Beth added, “I know what you mean, but all we can really do is try to keep our
lives together during these last couple of weeks. I’ll be with the people I
love the most and that will sustain me I think. Ed and I don’t have any other
decisions to make; we’ll be here until the end. But I think the two of you have
a choice and I think we need to discuss it openly.”

    
Ed said, “Your mother’s right of course. These kids have some talking to do.
Should we leave them alone for that?”

    
George looked perplexed and Maiya said, “Dad and Mom, I don’t think George can
stay here until the end. That would mean that Andy would have to drive back
alone and that isn’t fair to Andy.”

    
Andy said, “I’m perfectly willing to make the trip alone. I think what happened
on the way here was so abnormal that the odds of it happening again are very
small.”

    
George looked at Maiya and her parents and said, “I wish I hadn’t asked Andy to
come along on the drive. That would give me more options. On the other hand if
Andy had not been with us we might not be here at all. But, I can’t let Andy
drive back alone. If something happened to him I wouldn’t be able to forgive
myself for what I had done to him, and to our parents.”

    
Ed said, “I think both Beth and I understand that. There are really only two
options. One is for you and Andy to leave together and the other is for you and
Andy and Maiya to leave together.”

    
George said, “I don’t think I can ask Maiya to do that for me. I know how much
she loves the two of you, and now I know why. I can’t be that selfish.”

    
Beth now had tears welling up in her eyes and said, “George, it isn’t just a
matter of you being selfish, or of you asking Maiya to abandon us. We know she
wouldn’t do that unless we all talked about this. Ed and I talked before you
arrived about what was going to happen. We are both starting to feel a little
sick, like we are coming down with colds. I can feel my face starting to flush
just a little and by morning I think the two of us will have those terrible
symptoms.” Beth and Maiya were both crying now. Beth found she was choked up to
the point where she couldn’t talk.

    
She looked at Ed who continued, “We talked about how Maiya had described you George,
and we understood she thought highly of you. We understand the kind of person
you are and why our daughter has fallen for you. We realized if we liked you as
Maiya does that we would have this choice. So you can see that we were sort of
hoping you would be some kind of an idiot or something that would make this
easier.

     
“If we did not agree with Maiya’s choice, we simply would not be having this
conversation. But we do agree and we do like you, and we do want our daughter
to be happy these last few weeks. It’s all any of us can hope for.

    
“But there is more to it than just that. We are coming down with this virus
now, so we’ll be amongst the first in the family to die. I don’t think it’s
necessary for Maiya to have to see us go through that. I also don’t think I
need to see my baby go through this virus.

    
“Maiya, I’m not saying I want you to go. Your mother and I would be pleased if
you stayed. But I am saying there are other considerations and we think you and
George should talk privately and decide what’s best for the two of you.”

    
By now even Ed had tears in his eyes, and George was dumbstruck. He didn’t know
what to think, let alone what to say. He looked at Maiya who was crying freely
and he wrapped his arms around her.

    
She held him until she got herself a little under control and looked at her
parents and said, “We’ll talk. I love you two so much I can’t believe it. I
never thought there was a choice; I had accepted the fact that George and I
were just out of luck. You’ve given me more than I have a right to expect and I
don’t know what to say except thank you.”

    
George looked at them and said, “Ed, when my father talked with you on the
phone he turned to us and said you were a good man. I don’t know how he knew,
but I know he has good intuition and once again he’s right. The two of you are wonderful
to have made this offer. I don’t know what will happen but I can only thank you
from the bottom of my heart.”

    
Andy sat back in his chair and knew this was not the time for him to say
anything. He did realize though that he was watching something extraordinary
that had been brought about by the love of Maiya’s parents.

    
Maiya stood up and said, “I have to move around, I think I’m going to load the
dishwasher. Beth said, “I’ll help you.”

    
In the kitchen Beth said, “I know you need time to think and I don’t want you
to talk yet. But I did want to tell you that if you want to sleep with George
tonight it will be okay with your father and me.”

    
Maiya replied, “I would like him to be with me, but the same way we spent the
night at his house. I’m still a virgin mom and I want to talk to George before
we rush into anything. I know he’ll be okay with that.”

    
Beth looked at her and said, “I always thought you would talk to me when you
were ready for sex, but somewhere along the line I decided that you didn’t want
that. I’m glad to know I was wrong.”

    
“That’s funny. I always knew I would talk to you when it came time. But then it
never seemed like the right time. I’ve come close once or twice with guys I
really liked, but I always knew I didn’t love them. I’ve even started to worry
lately that there was something wrong with me. As it turns out I just hadn’t met
the right man yet. He’s great isn’t he?”

    
“Yes he is. He reminds me of your father as a young man, very capable and very
confident and very thoughtful. Your father never made a decision that favored
the short term if he thought it would create a long term problem. He always had
to think through everything first. Once in a while that was maddening,
especially when we were young. Now I understand that he simply found wisdom
early. It’s why I love him so much.”

    
“He and Andy look the same age, which one is older?”

    
“George is a year older than Andy, which makes Andy two years older than me.”

    
“It’s too bad Andy doesn’t have anyone. But on the other hand if he did he
might not have been able to make the trip, so I guess it all worked out okay.”