Denial

Joel works one month on, one month off. So now he’s home for at least a month, or maybe longer. I’m relieved. I couldn’t bear to be alone right now. During lunch yesterday, I suggested that we make a trip uptown and stock up more on canned food, bottled water, first aid supplies, beef jerky, ammo for our handguns (we both have permits to own hand guns), etc.

He gave me a look like I was crazy and said, “ammo? What for?”

Before my temper could make me say something I’d regret, I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and stepped outside for some fresh air. I cooled off while I sat out on the back deck, sipping and stewing. Why the hell was Joel being so, so... Grrrrr! I thought we needed supplies one way or the other, and the ammo was just in case. It certainly couldn’t hurt to be prepared; lots of other people were getting ready for the pandemic (outbreak?). What Grace told me about the Martin family was worrying me. Were Mr. Martin and his daughter still sick and stuck at home? Did they leave?

Remembering the haunting red eyes peering at me from my flower bed made my skin crawl. Be damned if I was going to let Joel’s denial and ignorance humiliate me into not being prepared. I was going to the store that afternoon whether he came with me or not. I was going to believe what I was hearing from Edward and Jamie, and what I saw with my own eyes.