The Virus

Chapter Ten

“Your favorite,” she said, smiling big.

I took the plate from her and said, “You remember?”

“Of course. Your mother was always telling me how you cleaned your plate whenever she made pansit.”

“I miss her,” I said involuntarily. “A lot.”

            She gave me another sympathetic look. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears. She blinked them away and sent me off. I went back to the house without the cleaning supplies I left to get in the first place. Carter didn’t question me. I took a seat in a dusty chair and set the plate down. I stared at it until my stomach growled loudly.

“What’s under the foil?” asked Carter.

“Food,” I replied.

“Are you going to eat it?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to share?”

“No.”

            He sat in the chair next to mine and uncovered the plate.

“Where did you get the eggroll?” he asked, reaching for it.

I slapped his hand away. “It’s mine!”

“So what am I going to eat?”

“Not my eggroll,” I said, taking a big bite out of it. Just the way mom used to make them, I thought. “So good,” I said with my mouth full.

“This is torture. Let me have some,” said Carter, snatching the eggroll out of my hand.

            He took a bite and I glared at him.

“That was the only one,” I said.

“So?”

“I don’t want your germs.”

“You’ve already got them, remember?”

            I pouted. He was technically right. I left to get two forks since I had no choice but to share with him. I rinsed them in the sink that, surprisingly, still worked. I shook off the excess water and handed a fork to Carter. We ate. Carter pretended not to notice the tears streaming down my face. Too many memories, I thought.

            I cleared the trash to give myself something to do other than cry. After, I stood outside in the backyard watching the wind blow the palm trees every which way. I fanned myself with a palm frond I found on the ground.

            When I was younger, I’d always go down to the beach to think. I’d sit in the sand, close to the shore, and let the tide roll over my bare feet. I stare out and watch the sun setting behind the lush, green mountains. When I was done thinking, I’d pick up my sandals and walk back to the house barefoot. I’d track sand into the house and my mother wouldn’t even yell. She knew that when I came back, I was sorry for whatever I’d done. My mom would kiss me on the forehead and send me to my room. Good times. I felt compelled to go to the beach but I stayed put. Carter would’ve gotten worried if I just disappeared.

            The smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves soothed me. I let down my hair so that it could blow in the wind. I stood there for what could’ve been hours just watching the sun dip behind the mountains in a glow of tangerine, cherry, and violet light. I walked through the grass and back into the house.

“So where do I sleep tonight?” asked Carter.

“Wherever you want,” I said.

“In that case, I’ll go find the nearest hotel.”