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“Uh..”

“Well...”

“We were just-”

“I don’t care what you were
just
doing,” she said mockingly. “You all need the stew beat out of you! You scared me half to death thinking the Lighters had come up from the ground or something.” She grabbed her chest, steadying her breaths. “Now, what in tar nations are ya doin’?”

“Sherry started it, Mrs. Trudy,” Danny said cutting me an evil sideways smile.

“Snitch!” I yelled back at him.

Everyone laughed and started brushing themselves off. We all looked around at each other and laughed some more at our unseemly appearances. E We were covered head to toe in dirt and smiling, showing teeth that were blindingly white against the contrast of dirty skin.

Mrs. Trudy announced that lunch was ready but she guessed we’d all need to clean up first.

We washed our hands and ate our sandwich lunches but when it was time to go back to work, I wasn’t allowed. They said I had worked hard enough already today but could sit and be the water girl if I wanted. Merrick, Danny and Jeff were the culprits to this idea.

Funny, they were my main targets in the dirt war.

“So, I can dirt fight but not actually work?” I asked Merrick sarcastically.

“Yes,” he said smiling and then seeing that I was going to disagree he said, “Sherry, just let me have my way. You don’t need to overdo it and hauling dirt is hard work.”

“I’m ok to do it.”

“Don’t fight me on this,” he said huskily trailing his hands down my arms, smiling that smile that sends me goose bumps.

He knew I would cave, and so did I. It didn’t take much, especially with him laying on the irresistibility pretty thick.

“Fine. Fine,” I said, sighing after a minute, not wanting to argue.

In truth I was feeling a little tired but didn’t feel it was fair to everyone else who didn’t get a break. So I was the water girl for the rest of the afternoon, getting people a cup of water from the jug when they wanted a drink. Exciting stuff.

It was very weird having people treat me this way. Even into the next week, I was still getting sweet smiles, Celeste constantly playing with my hair and spending time with me, Trudy refusing to let me help in the kitchen, insisting I needed to take it easy still. Jeff, Calvin and Ryan were always checking on me. And Danny and Merrick... Don’t even get me started.

A few good scares and people got antsy. As much as I appreciated it, I was ready for things to just be normal again. Well, as normal as it could be these days. We needed to start looking for others again.

The hall wasn’t done but well underway and the rooms had already been dug out. Merrick was spending an insane amount of time there, along with Jeff. I checked on them frequently.

“Hey, studs,” I announced as I walked into there workspace, holding two bottles of sweet tea out for two very dirty guys.

Jeff was the closest and it felt like I hadn’t seen him in days. He picked me up with his dirty self and hugged me.

“Hey you. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” he said as he squeezed me.

“Ditto.”

He placed my feet back down and looked me over.

“Look at you. You look so much better. And hey look, you can barely even see the scar on your eye anymore, but that one...” His eyes drifted to my shoulder. “I think you’re stuck with that one.”

“Yep, I noticed that too.” I ran my fingers over my eye. “Grateful for small favors.”

“How do you feel?”

“Great, a lot better, thanks, but I think you guys are working too hard. Why don’t you let someone else take over for while?”

“Danny and some of the others are already working nights on it. We need to get it done,” Jeff said, graciously taking the bottle I offered to him. “Thanks.”

I walked over to Merrick with his bottle. He was shirtless too and I could easily see the large red splotch still covering his left arm making me twinge with guilt and, of course, that stupid bull tattoo on his chest.

As I glanced back, I saw Jeff had his shirt off too, but I hadn’t noticed. Jeff was a very handsome black man. I mean very. As Celeste would say he was hot with a double t. His body was about twenty seven or so, he wasn’t sure exactly how old his body was, as most Keepers didn’t. His body was built and rugged. However, when he was next to Merrick, there was no comparison for me.

“Hey, I’ve been missing you,” I told him, handing over the bottle.

“I know,” he said apologetically, giving me the sorry face. “Me too, sorry. It’s gotta be done, though,” he explained taking a few big gulps from the bottle.

“So does another shopping trip. Trudy says to tell you we’re days away from empty.”

He grunted with unhappiness. He knew I would probably insist on going and win because of my previous times doing it and being one of the very few non-specials here. I needed to go.

Plus, I couldn’t stand sitting there and being told to take it easy all day. Short, fragile people with a proneness to incidents should have responsibilities too.

“Yeah. Alright, well let’s stop for the night, Jeff. We gotta work up a plan. Supply runs are gonna get harder the more people we have,” Merrick said, downing the rest of the tea.

“I’m all for that. Let’s go get some grub. I’m famished,” Jeff agreed, wiping his mouth and throwing his shirt back on.

He got up and shot out of the hall in no time.

Merrick laughed at him and threw his shirt over his shoulder, grabbed my hand, linking our fingers in a slow caress as we shifted slowly down the hall. Very slowly.

I hadn’t seen him in days and at night after a shower he’d slink into bed and pass out from exhaustion in mere seconds. I felt bad for him, his human body, giving him limitations he wasn’t used to. Poor guy. Filthy as he was, I wanted to kiss those lips. I missed those lips.

Shortly after showers and dinner, we all sat elbow to elbow in the commons room and discussed the shopping to be done and the next trip to find others. I was happier than I’d been in days, sitting next to Merrick on the floor against the wall, his arm twined with mine, his hand on my thigh, so warm and comforting as always.

Calvin finally got a friend, the new boy, the son, Franklin. They were eating on the stairs. I was happy for him, but sad too. He hadn’t asked me to play with or sing to him in a very long time. I kinda missed him.

I never told Merrick what that dream had been about, that it was about the Taker but that he had asked me to bring him Calvin. I didn’t understand except that I felt protective of him, like I used to with Danny.

“Well, no Keepers should do the shopping, since Sherry saw the Taker in the store. We’ll stick to the searching,” Jeff started the meeting.

I wanted that job too. Let the others do the shopping. I was interested in finding others like us.

“We’d prefer,” Jeff pointed between him and Merrick. “That we take Sherry, Phillip and...Marissa, with us on search trips. The rest of you that aren’t Specials or Keepers, can alternate on shopping duty. The rest can do hall duty. Is that good for everyone?”

A few nods and it was set. Merrick didn’t seem to fight it this time. He must have meant what he said about me always being with him from now on, no matter what.

Someone started the record player and I felt my head start to fall and bob, then Merrick got up and pulled me with both hands. Everyone else was busy or resting as he guided me to our room.

I assumed sleep was on the agenda since most of his day had been spent digging but once inside, I saw he had a lone candle lit in the corner on a saucer. He knelt beside me and pulled me down to kneel in front of him. I didn’t even remember him getting up to do all this.

The tiny room smelled of warm vanilla.

I smiled and reached for him in thanks for his romantic gesture but he was shaking. Before I could ask what was the matter, he reached up with both hands and framed my face gently. He searched my face with his gaze for a long time and I remained quiet and waited. Something was up, something important, and he was trying to sort it all out so I just waited. Then he spoke, still holding my face as he smiles at me and began.

“Sherry Elizabeth Patterson. I love you so much. If I hadn’t broken the rules and watched you, falling in love with you all these years, I’d be lost. You are all that is good and right and beautiful in the world. You are the love of my eternally long life. I couldn’t love anyone or anything more and no matter what you say now, I can’t live without you. Please, make me the happiest...
man
...ever in the universe. Say you’ll marry me.”

I was completely shocked but for once in my life but I was absolutely certain at the same time. It had been only waiting four short months for me but an eternity for him to find each other. Not to mention that was the most perfect proposal I’ve ever heard. For once ‘universe’ didn’t sound cheesy, because it was true.

There was no out of body experience, no shaking with indecision. I was certain that Merrick was the one for me and that I would say yes before the words were even spoken, I knew it. I couldn’t even question his sanity for wanting to be with me, not right then. All I could do was yell my answer with conviction.

“Yes! Of course I will! Yes!” I said grabbing him for an enthusiastic hug.

That was apparently more than he had hoped for, his smile was ear to ear. After he squeezed me and kissed every inch of my face, he leaned me back to sitting and opened his fist to reveal a shiny object in his hand.

“I uh...of course don’t have a real ring,” he said apologetically, like he could actually purchase such an item in these circumstances.

“Merrick, you know me better than that, I don’t care about-” He put up a thumb over my lips to holt my speech.

“I know that. Trudy gave me this, for you. This was her one year anniversary gift from her late husband.”

He pull the small shiny thing from his palm and I heard my breath catch. It was a little silver ring, with two circles connected and crossing over each other in the middle.

As he slipped it on my finger he explained, for him it meant two worlds coming together. Colliding. Making room for the other.

The tears were falling before I knew it, or felt them. It was so perfect. Ah, I loved it! He smiled gratefully at my reaction and I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him, tears still streaming. I could taste them when our lips parted and opened together.

His hands and lips were enthusiastic but gentle, this was about more than lust. I was beat, as I’m doubly sure he was and the kissing wasn’t like normal, the electricity wasn’t overwhelming, it was just present, like a sweet reminder. There were more important things right then than desire.

I pulled back to breath, pressing my face into his neck. Was I dreaming again? Merrick was always present in my good dreams lately. Maybe he’d shake me awake in a minute before I got too worked up over it.

No, it was real! I couldn’t believe it.

“What are we gonna do?” I asked, in no way disparaging.

“I’m taking you on a search trip, alone. We are going to find the first open church and throw a fifty at the preacher who’ll just marry us with the words and forget the paperwork.” He sounded so confident, so collected.

“Wow. Got it all planned out, huh?” I said, not able to stop the spreading smile at his cunningness.

“Yes. And I’m fine with it if you won’t want to tell anyone around here. It can be our secret. I know they are kind of on your case, about me,” he said and looked down at his hands.

“Hmmm. Keep it a secret that the best guy ever asked me to marry him?”

“Sherry, I know you’ve gotten some flack for me not being...human. Just like I did with you for
being
human. It’s ok. I understand and I don’t care. I just want to marry you.”

“Like I said, this is the end of the world as we have know it. It shouldn’t matter to anyone what I do anymore if it makes me happy. And I am happy. Very. If you’re comfortable with it, I am.”

“Honey, I’m the happiest man alive. There is no one I wouldn’t want to tell.”

He smiled, rubbing his fingers over the ring on my finger where it would stay.

I was about to cry again when he wiped my cheeks with his thumbs, kissed me softly on my eyelids and lips, then pulled me down next to him. The burgundy sleeping bag being pulled up to me by the strong hands that watch over me, would be over me forever.

When the time came to tell Danny, the next day, I felt sick. Not because I had doubts or was ashamed but Danny was the only family I had left. He felt like he had to protect me, and even though he likes Merrick, a lot, this was different. Way different. I mean, it had only been four months, even though the world was crazy, it was still soon if you thought about it for a nineteen year old to be getting married.

However, even though I kinda sorta explained my uneasiness to tell Danny, Merrick seemed very excited about the whole thing. I had no idea he had any desires for this kind of human stuff. He assured me Danny would be fine and happy for us.

Merrick went to get breakfast, leaving me to finish dressing. When I was done, I headed for the commons room.

I saw Danny coming around the kitchen corner. I suddenly couldn’t breath. I couldn’t disappoint the one person I had left in the world other than Merrick.

But that was silly! He wouldn’t be mad but before I could speak Danny grabbed me in a big hug, pulling me off the floor.

“Congratulations,” he whispered in my ear.

“Wha-? Merrick,” I realized.

“Yeah. He said you wanted to tell me, but thought I’d be angry. Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know,” I said as I fidgeted with my necklace charm. “I just imagined telling mom and dad, and seeing disappointment on moms face for whatever reason. Not dated long enough, not vegan enough, not independent enough, not human enough, not alien enough. Then I just couldn’t tell you. I’m sorry. I know that’s stupid,” I said through tears, already running down my face.

“Don’t cry, shorty. I’m happy, if you’re happy. It doesn’t matter what other people think. I know you love him, and I know he loves you. That’s all that matters, right?”