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“See you later, Nerit,” Travis said, giving her a fond smile.

“God willing,” Nerit answered.

It wasn’t until she was in her room with her old dog snoring in the corner that she realized Travis had been holding her up, giving her hip a rest, until she could move again. Collapsing into a chair, a book in hand, she lightly laughed and shook her head.

Maybe Travis was a better leader than she had given him credit for.

Cracking her romance novel open, she began to read.

3. Dangerous Times

Katie stared down at the baby clothes strewn across her bed and felt her heart beat just a little bit faster. Her hand settled against her slightly swollen belly as her gaze slid to Jenni’s anxious face.

“I did good, didn’t I?”

“Amazing. ” Katie gently touched a blue onsie and her heart beat even faster.

“I got blue, pink and yellow stuff. I figured we have it covered if it’s Jenni or Travis, Jr. ” Jenni picked up a little pink bonnet and set it on top of her head.

“Jenni, huh?”

“It’s only natural for the baby to be named after her auntie,” Jenni answered. She posed with the bonnet on her head. “Why wouldn’t she be named after my fabulousness?”

The bonnet fell onto the bed and Katie slowly picked it up. She traced the tiny lace with one finger then took a deep breath. “Oh, God. ” She sat down hard on the edge of the bed and tried to calm her trembling hands.

“Hey, you okay?” Jenni immediately crawled over the bed to Katie’s side.

“Yeah. Yeah. I think so. I just got overwhelmed there for a second. ” Katie forced herself to take another deep breath and felt embarrassed by the tears suddenly brimming in her eyes. “Maybe it’s hormones. ”

“Yeah, probably. ” Jenni smoothed Katie’s hair back from her face.

“You’re okay with having a baby, right?”

Katie was a little surprised by the question, but nodded. “Oh, yeah. I’m sure. I’m very sure. So is Travis. ”

Jenni kept silent as her fingers kept stroking Katie’s hair. She was obviously waiting for Katie to go on.

“We did decide this together. It was a conscious choice to take our chances. We’re trying to build a life together and this felt like the right thing to do. ” It was good to hear the words. Good to be reminded that this was a choice she made and she was responsible for what happened next. If there was a mantra Katie lived her life by, it was to live up to her potential and fulfill her responsibilities.

“Despite the zombies,” Jenni said in a soft, worried voice after a long, uncomfortable pause.

Katie bristled slightly. She was very much aware of the criticism by some about her choice to be a mother. “Yes. Despite the zombies. They are here to stay. I don’t see them going away anytime soon, do you?”

“No. . . ” Jenni sighed sadly.

“So what are we supposed to do? Stop living? Stop trying to be happy?

Stop trying to build a future just because the dead decided we taste really damn good?”

“Hey, you don’t have to defend yourself to me!”

Katie stood up, clutching the bonnet in one hand and turned toward Jenni. “Are you sure?” She hated the swell of anger filling her, but she couldn’t help herself. She was happy about the baby, overwhelmed at times, but she was happy. It was a piece of Travis inside of her and it made her feel closer to him than she had ever imagined. Before the dead began to attack the living, she had never seen herself as a mother. Her old life had not allowed much room for it. But this life, full of so much grief and terror, was also full of hope. The fort was secure now. It was a place of safety and community.

Jenni didn’t answer, her hands limp in her lap, staring off into nothing.

“Jenni?”

“My baby died. My baby was eaten,” Jenni said in a low voice. “I just don’t want anything to happen to yours. ”