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Then I heard an apology in my mind.

Sorry. I saw you were worried about telling him so I thought I’d help.

Merrick was standing in the kitchen doorway with a glass of juice. Relief swept over me. I mouthed him a ‘thank you’, as I swiped my cheeks with my hand.

Anytime, you know that. I’m headed down to the new hall to get Jeff. Be back in a bit for us to leave. Relax. Get some coffee and don’t worry so much. He winked. I love you.

I nod and mouth ‘love you’.

“Gross,” Danny joked. “Get a room.”

He laughed as I punched his arm. We sat and talked for a while, Celeste joining us for a bit and it took all my strength to grab her and calm her before she could scream when we told her about Merrick and I. I knew she’d keep our secret and she hugged me at least seven times before I could get away.

And she cried. I’d never seen her cry before and it warmed my insides to know she cared that much about us.

I explained that she couldn’t tell a soul and she agreed. Danny hugged her to him with an affectionate and amused face on for her tears when I left to go find Merrick. I looked back over my shoulder and couldn’t help but think that they looked so sweet. Then it’s time to leave. Our first trip out with Marissa.

I had hoped it’d prove to be useful, without the pain and visions this time.

Merrick - Da Dum Da Dum

She said yes.

Yes. Yes, she will marry me. She didn’t even hesitate. What did I do to deserve this girl?

Enough, just accept it already. As crazy as it was, she loves me. She loves me like I love her. Well, maybe not like that but, close. She looked happy and she was so cute fretting over telling Danny.

I knew Danny would be ok. It was always been so funny to watch them. As protective as she was over him, he was with her too. She never saw it until now.

And Trudy was a Godsend. That ring was so perfect for Sherry, petite, beautiful and sentimental. I couldn’t believe how intuitive she was. She just knew, knew I wanted to do this for Sherry.

The only person I talked to about it was with Jeff and that was a very brief and quiet conversation and all I did was tell him I was thinking about what it would be like to be married. That was all, but, Trudy was a very understanding and open lady just offering it to me, no questions, no mocking, nothing. Like she had knew or heard me somehow. She just put it in my hand with her sweet twangy smile, told me her husband gave it to her, winked and walked away.

How in the worlds did Phillip turn out to be such a jerk with a woman for a mother like that? Matter of fact. I’d ask Max right now.

I saw Max down the hall with Jeff going over some of the plans for the new beams.

“Hey. About ready?” I asked.

“Yep. Ready,” Jeff answered.

“Hold on Jeff. Max?”

“Yeah?” Max answered, not looking up.

“Tell me about Trudy, her husband.”

“Well,” he said standing upright and scratching his chin. “Honestly, there isn’t much to tell. He used to be good to them. The first fifteen years of their marriage was great, in Trudy’s eyes. Then he lost his job and they lost their first home to foreclosure. He was never the same after that. He was pretty hateful. He died eight years later. Trudy had four other sons, Phillip is the youngest. Her husband didn’t set a very good example for them after he started drinking and...well, other things. I know Phillip is a jerk, and I’ve talked to him once already about Sherry.”

“You have?”

“Yes. You can’t keep me out remember?” He poked at his head and smiled. “You were worried because Sherry was upset about him...staring...a lot.”

“Oh. Yeah. Well thanks, just curious.”

Merrick. Let’s go. Times a ticking.

“Alright, let’s go,” I answered Jeff out loud.

It was becoming more natural to speak that way with even the Keepers unless I was thinking about it.

So, Trudy gave me the ring from the best part of her marriage, wishing us a well blessing. Poor lady. I guess I can’t help but feel a little bad for Phillip too, though that doesn’t excuse any of his behavior towards Sherry.

As we walked back I remembered earlier, asking Danny if I could have his blessing to marry Sherry.

I had walked back into the kitchen, saw Danny and Trudy talking. Trudy was strangely smiling widely, like she knew something was up. I wondered if she knew I proposed already? But how?

“Danny. Can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked him.

I was still holding my cup of coffee Trudy made for me earlier because I didn’t have the heart to tell her I didn’t like coffee.

“Sure man. What’s up?”

“Let’s go sit on the stairs.” I led the way and he followed, straight faced with his hands in his pockets.

Not suspecting anything.

“Ok. What’s up?” he asked again as we sat down.

“Well, how is everything with you and Celeste?”

“We’re good.”

“You’re not just with her because she’s the only one that you can be with, are you? Because if you are, that’s just-”
“Uh, no. Thanks for the vote of confidence, dude.” He laughed. “Is that how you see me? Is that how I treated girls when you used to watch...” I raised my eyebrow at him. “Ok, maybe, some. Celeste is different. Yes, I admit, I liked her at first just because she was young and cute, but now, I feel like she… belongs to me. I would’ve went after her if I’d known her before all this.”

“Ok. I just want you to be careful. Be happy.”

He eyed me curiously.

“What?”

“Ryan told me about the conscience thing, the buzzing. Do you still have that with me?”

“Of course. You’re still my charge.”

“But I thought that because of everything going on, you know, you all just kinda watch out for everyone. I thought you weren’t just...my Keeper anymore,” he said shrugging.

“Well that’s how I feel about it too. That we should be here for everyone but it’s not that easy. My conscience doesn’t buzz for everyone.”

“Hmm.”

“I’m...sorry? I don’t want you to feel weird about it, I know it’s awkward, and I’ve tried to tone it down but, I can’t help my still being some protective of you to-”

“No. No, it’s fine,” he assured and waved me off. “I understand you don’t have any control over that, I told you, Ryan told me all about it. I just don’t want you to feel like you
have
to be like that. Like with Sherry, I know you feel just as responsible for her as you do for me but she’s not your charge and you don’t, uh, buzz for her.” He rolled his eyes apparently at something he’d said. “But it’s fine, whatever you need to do I’m fine with it and you don’t have to worry about just me and Sherry. We’re all family now.”

Good jump-in point as any would have been.

“Ok, thanks. Um, speaking of family, I know I asked you about Sherry a few weeks ago. Well, I have another confession.”

“Uh oh. It can’t be
that
bad.”

“It’s not. Sherry is planning on telling you but, she was worried you would be angry. See...I asked her to...marry me last night. She said yes.”

I waited for the reaction. Maybe I had read Danny wrong, but Sherry was wrong. His smile was huge and happy.

“Hey, man! That’s great! Wow. I can’t believe it. I have a brother in law!”

He slapped me on the back while he spoke. Typical congratulatory male manner.

“Thanks. I just want to make her happy. I know you know how great she is, but I just...” for some reason I couldn’t speak.

The words I was searching for to explain to her own brother how great she was and how much I loved her and wanted to make her happy just didn’t exist.

“I know how much you love her. I couldn’t be happier, really. She’s lucky. And so are you,” he said proudly.

“Absolutely, I am.” I reached for his hand to shake but he grabbed me in one his hugs usually reserved for family and Sherry.

He confirmed my thoughts.

“Welcome to the family, man.”

As we walked back to the kitchen, right before he saw Sherry and ran to her, beaming, I could’ve sworn I saw Phillip sitting in the hall out of the corner of my eye, but when I looked back, there was just dark shadows.

Swift Kick In The...

We were getting ready to leave now, all of us, the supply run and the search party. I turned the ring on my finger, around and around. It didn’t look like an engagement ring. Seemed I’d have a new piece of jewelry to fidget with.

No one would think anything of it. We decided to keep it quiet until we actually got married, of course Trudy knew, and Danny and Celeste, and all the Keepers who wouldn’t stay our of Merrick’s mind, so, that was about everyone anyway.

Trudy was in the kitchen and I made a break for her to thank her but Jeff caught me first, grabbing me sideways, I didn’t see him and he startled me.

He picked me up and swung me around in his big bear hug, per the usual. I guess I just looked pick up-able and swing-able.

I wondered what in the world was on his mind this time and then he spoke to me, only me and I felt like an idiot for not remembering the Keepers mind.

Congratulations! Merrick can’t stop thinking about it. You’ll be getting hugs all day from the rest of the Keepers.

“Thanks. I don’t know why but...I kinda thought you might be disappointed.”

Never. I am beginning to rethink a lot of things lately. You are a wonderful human, Sherry. Just what he needs and wants. I’ve never, in my thousands of years, seen a Keeper so happy and content and alive. We may live forever, but what’s the point if you don’t actually live? I know you love him more than life and you’ll make him happy. That’s all that matters to me.

I wanted to cry. For a split second I got hung up on the ‘thousands of years’ remark and realized that must apply to Merrick too, but I was already crying. Thanks Jeff, appreciate it. Jeff drew attention to us with his bear hug and people were looking at us, not hearing our silent conversation.

I sometimes forgot how funny we must look when we do this. Just staring into each others eyes like weirdo’s, when really I’m listening. Merrick and I did it quite often, but I never think about what it looked like to others.

Merrick rounded the corner, seeing our embrace. The big lug still hadn’t put me down and now they are the ones silently conversing and Merrick smiled widely. He walked over to us and Jeff placed me easily back on my feet. Merrick had apparently heard Jeff’s little speech to me and was as happy as I was about his warmth.

Merrick had seen me hug Jeff tons of times and never once looked jealous or uneasy about it, even though I seem to be the only one that he ever did that to. Jeff was still just Jeff. He was like...a favorite uncle, full of wisdom and opinions and advice but still fun to be around.

The mind reading thing between the two probably helped also, no secrets among Keepers. Jeff was so great for me to have in absence of my parents and any other relatives. He was definitely more sane than Margaret and Robert Patterson.

Mrs. Trudy finally caught me on the way out and I whispered a quick ‘thank you’ before heading up the stairs.

Kay smiled at me from the back wall.

I’m really happy for you, Sherry.

I smiled and nodded to her. This wasn’t so bad. What had I been so worried about?

Merrick, Jeff, Phillip, Marissa and I headed upstairs. We took the Jeep the newcomers brought with them, since they would need the van for shopping.

I was glad Jeff decided to bring Marissa but a little confused as to why. She was still a Special and none of the other Specials were allowed out of the bunker but I didn’t press.

She seemed genuinely remorseful for what she did to me and still very quiet and reserved but I needed to try to stop thinking like a human girl and more like a Keeper. Merrick was right. I trusted people a little too much.

We got in the Jeep, the sun was shining. It wasn’t cold at all, in fact it was blazing. Maybe that was the difference. The sun made that much of a difference these days as to affect the temperature this much.

Marissa drove and Jeff took shotgun, leaving me in a Merrick and Phillip sandwich in the back. I scooted as far left as physics would allow. Merrick seemed to understand and scooted as well, putting his arm over my shoulders as a shield. I heard Phillip snort but I didn’t look over.

Merrick, however, did.

“Is there a problem, Phillip?”

“Nope. Just dandy. Say, sugar, what’s that on your finger?”

“Trudy gave it to me. Actually...” feeling the need to reiterate to make sure that Phillip understands, “Trudy gave it to Merrick, who gave it to me.”

“That was my dad’s ring. She shouldn’t have done that,” he said bitterly.

“That’s too bad if you don’t approve,” I said flatly and cold, turning my body to face Merrick.

We had barely left the store driveway and he was already on the last nerve.

Merrick and I talked about Lighters more and some of the other creatures that could be making an entrance. Merrick wasn’t worried, I was just curious. I loved hearing about all the different things. You just didn’t know what was out there.

He explained that Lighters retain some of the memories of the deceased person’s body they go into, unlike the Keepers. Only Takers can absorb others, Lighters can’t do anything but kill. Specials, Lighters and Markers can be absorbed. Normal people can too but most just die and become Lighters if they snatch the body quick enough. That was one more reason they wanted the Specials, to feed the Taker with them and ruin any chances of whatever tasks may come out of them.

That makes me wonder if all the Lighters and Keepers were here yet. I asked. He said there would be no way to tell for sure but he doubted it. The Keepers and Lighters would be scrambling over bodies the second someone died but there was a lot of them. He explained that Keepers couldn’t concentrate on anything but their charge, because of their conscience when they were in trouble, so Keepers would have done anything to be first in a body to come here.