Not Dead in the Heart of Dixie (85 page)

I suddenly thought of the young soldier who set up the washing machine. I talked Mick's ear off about the boy until he got up, put on his boots, and went to find out if the boy was still alive.

He came back half an hour later and confirmed that they boy had, indeed, made it through. I asked if he knew the boy’s name and he said yes. He is Timothy Stein, and he's from South Carolina, and that's all Mick knows, and I should “hush about it now cause he's not going back to find out Tim's shoe size or anything else.” That information was good enough for me, so I left the subject alone.

The men were true to their word. They cleaned every gun in the house and began sharpening all the knives. I wonder if they'll continue working on weapons tomorrow.

Chris Knellson almost had a coronary when Mick told his we have six hand grenades. He demanded to know where we got them and we told him about the stash map. He asked to see it. He looked it over, stood, and took it with him out the door without even asking.

That ticked me off and I hollered at him as he walked toward Josie's motorhome. I told him to be sure and return the map in the morning. He lifted his arm and waved without turning around or saying a word. I want that map back and he better bring it with him when he comes in for coffee.

Josie's one of the unfortunate women who has morning sickness at night. She told me that she vomits, brushes her teeth, and goes to bed. That's been her bedtime routine for the past week. I plan to tell Chris to make sure his doctor brings something akin to prenatal vitamins. I wish Josie could see an obstetrician. I wonder if they have one at home base.

Flies are everywhere, especially near the animals. I've asked everyone to wear long sleeves and keep themselves sprayed with insect repellant if they intend to be out
side. We haven't seen any mutant flies, but they're probably out there lurking, waiting to come in and bite us all. I've given thought to adding insect repellant to our laundry rinse water. I need to think it over a little more before I do.

I found Larson and Anna
, kissing on the back porch after supper. I told them to get their lips away from each other and go home. Larson asked me not to say anything to Rona. I winked at him and said “that's what Aunties are for.” He grinned and gave me a hug.

I won't tell Rona what I saw
, but I fully intend to tell her she better keep an eye on them. I hope she'd do the same for me if she saw Jesse and Carisa in the same position.

Isaac's having a hard time dealing with the death of Nicholas. He feels somewhat responsible for all the Gypsy Traders. He spent an hour in Carisa's room
, talking with Sabrina. I don't know what he said to her, but she came out of the room for supper and sat at the table for a few minutes before heading back. My heart aches for the child. She is a sweet girl and she's lost so much. I wish I could find her biological mother and punch her in the face several times.

I've swallowed another Benadryl
, and it's starting to kick in.

Bye for now.

Friday
, April 25

Chris Knellson and the three important folks have been in the motorhome since 7:00 this morning. I saw breakfast go in
, and I saw dirty dishes come out an hour later. The fact that they've been in there so long is beginning to worry me. I'm praying there's no horrible new happenings, but I'm almost expecting bad news.

Serena Wilkerson visited after breakfast and told us that Vicki, Dale, and Tricia are doing fine and eating well.

Tom Sulligent was prepared for his wife's death, but he wasn't prepared for the emptiness it left in his heart and soul. He's grieving.

He took supplies and went to stay in one of the empty house trailers. He asked that he be left alone with his grief for a few days. Of course, Serena and Brody intend to leave him be.

Ian and Shawna surprised us all this morning. They told us that they asked the minister from the fence crew to perform a marriage ceremony tonight. I was shocked.

I tried to talk to them about the eight year difference in their ages and drilled them with questions 'til I was satisfied they were made for one another.

So, we'll have a “spur of the moment” wedding celebration tonight. Nana and Emma are in a tizzy. Nana has Elaine, Marisa, and Rona in the kitchen, making up little cakes and cookies along with a wedding cake.

Emma locked herself and Shawna inside the sewing building because Emma says that Shawna must have a wedding dress to pass down to her children.

Ian and Rick plan to head to town and find a jewelry store to loot. Ian said he's bringing back the biggest diamond ring he can find for his bride. I told him to bring back every piece of jewelry and any other frivolous items like fancy statues or collectibles he can find. We can have a stash for birthdays or other events. He thought that was a great idea and agreed. He said he's always wanted to rob a jewelry store. He's beaming, and grinning from ear to ear. Rick just rolls his eyes and goes with the flow.

I grabbed Rick's arm as he walked out the door and told him to find a tuxedo shop and bring home everything they've got. I also asked that, if he had the time, he could raid a bridal shop and bring
home all the fancy dresses for brides, bridesmaids, and pageants. He rolled his eyes again, but I'll bet we get tuxedos and fancy gowns. You just wait and see.

I wanna feel happy. I'm almost there
, but I'm still mourning the loss of Hisa. I wonder if I'll ever stop.

Carisa asked to borrow my computer so she can design and print out a wedding certificate. She just came in the door, so I'm handing the computer over to her.

See ya later

2:00 PM...

Knock me over with a feather.

Jason and Marisa announced that they'll be getting married with Ian and Shawna tonight AND that they are expecting a baby in December.

I stared at them forever, then I burst out in tears. I was crying so hard that I couldn't talk. They couldn't tell if I was happy or freaking out. It took several seconds before I could put a smile on my face and indicate to them that I am thrilled. A little worry popped into my mind about Marisa giving birth in these conditions
, but I put it out of my mind for the moment and stood to give her a huge hug.

We were jumping around the room. I sang “I'm gonna get a new grand baby” while Marisa sang “I'm gonna get a husband and another kid” to the tunes of good old rock 'n roll songs.

Mick was on watch out front and came in to see what the commotion was about. When we told him the news, his face went white and he had to sit down in the recliner, but he was grinning from ear to ear.

It was news to Amber and Michael as well. They were running all around the room
, and Amber suddenly stopped in her tracks and told Michael that the new baby was “gonna be like her and him all mixed into one.” Then, she turned to Marisa and said “It BETTER be a girl.” Everyone laughed.

Amber begged to be the flower girl and Marisa told her she could. Jason asked Michael if he wanted to be the best man. Michael looked excited for a moment
, and then he frowned and said he “didn't wanna wear no itchy suit.” He stomped off to Carisa's bedroom.

Carisa came to the kitchen to find out what was wrong with
Michael and we told her the news. She started dancing with us and singing “I'm gonna be a new Auntie.” I swear, my girls are definitely “mini-me's.”

As for the freaking out part? I left that to Nana and Emma and they were doing it well. Emma snatched Marisa's arm and led her to the sewing building to be held hostage with Shawna.

I sank down in the recliner, on Mick's lap, and cried tears of joy into his chest. I started praying right then and there. I prayed for our future and the future of our children and grandchildren. I prayed for every HDI in the world to suddenly disappear along with all the bad guys. I prayed for the Chinese and the North Koreans to suddenly realize their horrible lapse in judgment and turn around, get back on their ships and head to their own countries. I prayed for everything good in life to fall on our heads. I sat on Mick's lap for an hour before his legs got numb and he had to get up.

I was headed out the door to share the news with anyone and everyone when Rick and Ian came up the driveway in the delivery truck. I asked if they'd found anything
, and they led me around to the back.

They opened the doors
, and it looked like several weddings and a few proms had thrown up in there. I asked about the jewelry, and Ian handed me a heavy gym bag. I almost went blind when I looked inside.

He showed me the ring he picked out for Shawna. It was a huge single diamond on a simple gold band. I knew she would love it.

I told them to take the truck to Emma's building, knock on the door, and show Emma what was inside.

The last thing I saw was Rick backing up with his hands in the air while Emma was laying a big ol' kiss on him. I bet he'll never forget it.

I found Rona and Elaine picking up casings from the front yard and told them the news. They were thrilled. I told them to hurry in the house 'cause Nana was freaking out and she needed help. They hurried inside.

I came in here to look at pictures in Amber's baby album. I got carried away and looked through Marisa's and Carisa's as well.
The world seemed nice again for a couple of hours and I lost myself in memories.

I realized what time it was and headed out to work on laundry. I prayed with all my heart that the bad guys stayed away tonight and left us to celebrate. I'm gonna pray, and pray, and pray.

I hope there's something nice in that trailer for a middle-aged woman to wear. I'd love to knock Mick's socks off.

Chris is still in the motorhome with the important folks and that scares me. Josie is pacing the driveway, waiting for him to finish his meeting and fill her in on the news. After Josie
gets the news, I'll get the news.

I fear the news. I really do.

See ya later.

11:30 PM...

Both Shawna and Marisa asked Mick to give them away. He looked humbled and nodded his head to each of them. Then, he had to go to the outhouse. I'll bet Mick was feeling a little emotional. Whaddya think?

Instead of two separate weddings, the girls decided to have a double wedding. I thought Nana was gonna kiss their feet because that meant she only had to make one wedding cake.

Nana is my mother, and my idol. I wish I could cook like her, plan like her, teach like her, and make everything perfect like her. In my next life, I wanna be Nana, Emma and Hisa all rolled up into one.

The wedding cake was stunning. It was four layers and Nana used the corners of baggies to pipe decorations all over. It was simple and elegant. Marisa and Shawna both loved it.

Remember all those instant camera's Mick took from Walgreens when we first began looting? Well, we used every photo on every single one of those
cameras. It may be years and years before Shawna and Marisa are able to have pictures from their wedding. Someone, someday will figure out how to develop them.

Pao says he wants to be that person. He wants several more
cameras and supplies from a photography studio to experiment with. I hope we can get that for him. I have complete confidence that he'll figure it out.

Emma found dresses in the conglomeration of formal attire that Ian and Rick brought home. She removed a little here, added a little there, glued a few sequins and pearls all over, and made Shawna and Marisa very, very happy.

She made veils from sheer fabric she removed from an extra wedding gown. The veils were attached to fake ivy vines and they looked beautiful on the heads of our brides.

There were several child sized
tuxedos and one of them fit Michael perfectly except that it needed to be hemmed. Even with my poor sewing skills, I was able to do a good job.

We found a very small pageant dress that we had to take in and remove length for Amber to wear. She twirled like a ballerina 'til she got dizzy.

Carisa was maid of honor for Marisa, and she wore a royal blue pageant dress with tons of sequins. It was strapless. I had to look through my lingerie drawers and find a strapless bra she could wear with it.

Ian was dressed in a tux and his best man was Rick, of course.

Rick was also in a tux and the women couldn't take their eyes off him.

Mick wore a tux
, and he was gorgeous. I wanted to rip it off and have my way with him.

There wasn't a tux big enough for Dane
, so he wore blue jeans, a western shirt, and his cowboy hat. He looked scrumptious as well. Elaine dressed to match him in a western style skirt with a frilly little blouse.

My dress scared the crap outa me. It was royal blue, halter style, and covered in sequins. It showed a lot of skin. I wanted to grab a coat to go over it but Mick asked me not to. He said I looked gorgeous and not a day over thirty. Have I ever mentioned how much I love that man?

Anyone who wanted to attend was welcomed. The living room and front porch was full of people and the minister made me cry as he read those sweet words from the bible.