Impossible

Chapter 9

This was swiftly followed by the owner of the second scream, who sprinted towards Addison, nearly bowling her over, and hugged her waist. Little Zoey Necrodopolis. She was laughing and chortling more than she had in her entire life, repeating over and over again "I'm gonna be an aunt!", "I'm gonna be an aunt!","I'm gonna be an aunt!", bringing a smile to both Addison and Zed, who strode over to the pair and caringly hugged Addison from behind, as Zoey quickly let go and gasped - "I didn't hurt the baby, did I?" she asked fearfully, as the couple smiled and shook their heads, bringing the childish smile back onto Zoey's face as she embraced them once again.

For the rest of them, shocked would have been an understatement. As a few minutes had passed, letting the words eventually sink in and allowing Bonzo and Bree's families to make their way to the kitchen so to give them all some privacy (and gush over the couple more). Eventually, Zevon's broke into a grin strongly resonating Zed's as he slowly got up from his seat and embraced the trio closely. "Well I certainly didn't expect this so soon" Zevon said quietly so to not grab his daughter's attention, earning a smile and slight laugh from the couple. "But...I'm proud of you, and still love you both. I promise I will help you both, any way I can". The sheer kindness of Mr Necrodopolis (plus the hormones) managing to bring tears of joy to Addison's eyes.

The circle of love was eventually broken by the awkward, stinted cough of Missy, causing Zevon to usher Zoey into the kitchen. He knew all too well how ruthless Missy had been during the old days of Zombie segregation, as he began to pray for Addison and his son. Z help them both.

Missy simply walked up to Addison, (causing Zed to almost back away slightly) almost lost for or choking on her words. After a period of breathless and intimidation, Missy finally managed to spit out in an almost hushed, emotional and husky tone. "I'm so proud of you Addie" as tears began to form in the corners of both mother and daughter's eyes. "And to think for over fifty years" Missy continued on to say "Our ancestors believed that humans and zombies were incompatible and destined to be bitter enemies, this just proves..." Missy paused to blubber slightly and wipe a fragile tear from her eye, as did the few overly emotional adults eavesdropping on the conversation. "This just proves that not only are zombies and humans meant to be together, but the integration program will now be able to withstand all opposition from the political idiots who try to run against me in the mayoral re-election" Of course this line received many blank, confused stares (and an added scowl from Eliza), causing Dale to immediately rush to his wife's side and calm her down immediately by placing a steady hand on her shoulder, snapping her back to her daughters reality. "But really," Missy continued, her calm, motherly demeanour returned, "I can't wait to be a grandmother, however soon it may be, and you both are so " she stated as she also embraced her beautiful daughter, proceeded to place a hand on Zed's shoulder and made her way to the kitchen, already planning what the nursery was going to look like ("I'm thinking a light green with pastel pink doves")

Now came Dale's turn, probably the most dreaded of them all. If Zed could have shrunk or become invisible at that point in time, you bet he would have. Anything to avoid the gaze of his girlfriend's father, his child's grandfather. As Dale's eyes met with his pregnant teenage daughter's, the tension in the air became so thick, it became almost impossible to breathe. "So..." Dale started cautiously "You're going to keep it then?". Any other day, Addison would have utilised her new found confidence or her hormonal anger, but she knew since her first Zombie Mash, her first act of rebellion, that her parents were not one's to trifle with. "Yes, and I hope to raise this child with the same amount of love and effort that both you and Mom did when raising me" Addison boldly replied with a small, caring smile beginning to grow on her face. Dale did not reply, instead he said all with one action that many years ago would seem unthinkable. He walked up to the overconfident fullback now hiding in plain sight behind his daughter, looked him square in the eye, as any father would to his daughters boyfriend, and took him straight into a pure, Seabrook hug. "Look after her, after both of them" Dale whispered into Zed's ear, acceptance ringing throughout his head. "I will, sir" Zed replied as they pulled away. "Now," Dale went onto say, slapping Zed on the back, "I believe this calls for a celebration"

The small family party mainly centred in the kitchen, with the moms quickly whipping up a celebratory lunch big enough for everyone, watching their daughters like hawks, making sure they were neither feeling ill nor giving into their cravings. All conversation now revolved around Addison, Bree and the small miracles of life, happily growing inside of them. It seems everyone was content with the circumstances of the pregnancies, both age and pairings. This was the new, accepting Seabrook, everyone knew to get used to it. Everyone was completely thrilled...

Everyone except Eliza.

For the entire duration of the party, Eliza just remained her classic, sarcastic self, which seemed like it wouldn't have raised so much suspicion. But Zed, Addison, Bree and Bonzo knew; They knew Eliza would probably be the most excited and most flustered of the group, I mean, she had be campaigning for zombie equality pretty much since the day she was born, but on that day, she was as silent as the grave. No words, no praise, no shock even, her face just seemed so...sullen.

Whilst even Bucky joined with the festivities, Eliza simply stood by the side-lines or in the corner of the room, probably brooding, definitely not celebrating, certainly not happy. Addison and Bree also seemed to notice this amid the crowded chaos surrounding them in the house. So when Eliza excused herself, bolted upstairs and hadn't come back down for a considerable amount of time, they knew something was up.

"Hey, me and Bree are just going to check on Eliza if that's okay" Addison asked her mother, breaking her away from the current conversation of baby names, of course too absorbed in the possibilities to care. "Yes, of course Addie dear" Missy said with a warm smile, whilst Addison quickly dragged Bree away from Bonzo and his parents and up the stairs, mentioning that they should both check on Eliza, with her mother shouting up to her "We're going to have a discussion about those names when you get back", earning a shared, knowing smirk from both Zed and Addison, who had already decided on the names they wanted, intending to surprise all when the baby was born.

As Addison and Bree took each step, their concern for their friend only grew stronger, pushing any positive thoughts further and further from their minds. With the many possibilities floating around their minds as they climbed higher and higher, they'd almost forgotten about every stupid impossibility they had thought of. Like Bree had theorised that Eliza was just waiting to share some better and happier news. That was an impossibility. Addison had thought that maybe Eliza just wasn't happy for her best friends. That was an impossibility. Even Bonzo thought she had begun working for a secret organisation that she couldn't tell any of her friends about. That was definitely an impossibility. None of them had though that Eliza would be hiding behind the big urn at the top of the staircase, practically in tears, her eyes full and her stomach nearly empty. That could have been an impossibility, but it wasn't.