Isolation | Book 4 | Holding On Jones, Nathan (best smutty novels txt) 📖

the rest on offer, then grabbed some plates and began browsing the tables, piling them high. With so many people there were no tables to eat at, and the few seats were all taken, so just about everyone was eating standing up or seated on any available patch of grass or even on the sidewalks.

They found their own spot on a street a stone's throw from the square, the kids settling down on the curb while the adults gathered in a loose circle to eat and chat, and occasionally exchange greetings with passing friends or neighbors.

It was a pleasant setting, reminding Ellie of the numerous corporate picnics and other similar activities she'd attended.

She'd just finished emptying her plate of some of the best food she'd had in a while, and was on her way back to the tables in search of dessert, when she caught sight of Darby seated in a wheelchair on the sidewalk at the edge of the square. He looked wan and tired, as if being part of the celebration with his injury was taking a lot out of him, but jubilant nonetheless.

On a whim Ellie changed directions and made her way over to talk to him. He noticed her approach and interrupted his conversation with an elderly couple to nod at her. “Mrs. Westmont. Good to see you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Mayor,” she said, offering her hand. “You're looking well.”

Darby twisted his lips wryly as he returned the handshake, his grip weaker than she'd expected. “Compared to being dead, maybe. But that's kind of you to say.” He turned his gaze out at the celebrating townspeople. “I couldn't miss this, even if I had to be wheeled out on a rolling bed.”

“Well I'm glad you're here, since most would say you're the man of the hour.”

“Oh?” He shook his head ruefully. “That's surprising, coming from you. I always felt like you disagreed with most of my decisions. One of my many critics.”

“We didn't see eye to eye on some things, sure,” Ellie said. She met his eyes firmly. “But whatever anyone could say about the way you led us through this disaster, we can't argue with the results. Stanberry never had a major outbreak, and almost all its citizens lived to receive the vaccine. That deserves to be recognized.”

Darby looked surprised, but pleased. “Well thank you, Mrs. Westmont. It means a lot to hear that.”

They chatted awkwardly for a few minutes, mostly about Darby's injury and recovery and the relief convoy's arrival. Then Ellie shook his hand again and excused herself; she could see that even her brief conversation with the mayor had tired him out, and she didn't want to push him too hard.

About the time she retrieved a slice of sheet cake and rejoined her family, who'd been joined by the Norsons and several other members of their group, Borden made an appearance up in the gazebo at the center of the park, holding a bullhorn.

“Citizens of Stanberry!” he called, repeating it a few times until he had the crowd's attention. “If you've got a cup, can, or bottle handy, raise it in a toast to Relief Administrator Gorstrom and the relief convoy who brought us this vaccine, as well as the brilliant, hardworking men and women who developed and produced it!”

Cheers rang out, and those holding drinks raised them in acknowledgement. Borden grinned as he raised his own plastic cup. “Let's raise a glass to our friends and neighbors as well! Stanberry has survived this pandemic miraculously intact, and now we can look forward to a future without Zolos!”

That prompted an even larger cheer, and Ellie reached out to hug her children as they jumped up and down around her.

“I won't bore you with a lengthy speech,” Borden continued amiably. “Let's get back to celebrating the end of this nightmare, folks.”

Suiting his words, he lowered his bullhorn and turned away to begin mingling among the crowd.

Ellie cut a bite of the cake she'd just retrieved and offered it to Hal on her fork, and he obligingly opened his mouth for it. “Happy birthday, honey,” she told him.

“Mmm,” he replied, chewing and swallowing. “You know Winn has a cake waiting for us back home when we're done here, right?”

“Even better.” She leaned against him, inviting him to put an arm around her, which he did. “What do you think, the vaccine make a good birthday gift?”

“The best.” He looked around at the crowds. “Although it won't change much for us here, will it? Aside from not having to be as careful around other people, and being able to travel again.”

“Not much,” Ellie agreed. “Except we won't have Zolos hanging over our heads. And that changes everything, even if we keep doing exactly what we've been doing.”

“It does.” He hugged her closer for a moment, then motioned. “Come on, I saw a few coolers with lemonade and other drinks. Let's grab some glasses so we can properly toast the relief convoy and the creators of the vaccine, like Borden suggested.”

Nodding, she gathered the children together and they set off into the celebration.

Chapter Seventeen

No Good Deed

Nick couldn't help but think that, given what a hurry Gorstrom had been in to get everyone vaccinated and supplies distributed so she could move on to the next town, it was odd that two days later the relief convoy still showed no real hurry to leave.

Part of that was due to the administrator's continued push for people to join the rebuilding efforts and relocate to the Gulf Coast. She'd already managed to convince over a thousand people, mostly from the main and survivors' camps. They had no real attachment to Stanberry, and seemed eager at the prospect of a return to more modern standards of living.

Surprisingly, Charlie, Val, Lila, and Chase were among that group. They seemed reluctant to leave the people who'd begun building new lives for themselves around the Norsons' house, but had decided to go even so. So they'd gone to give their names to the