a shelter had been wiped out almost completely, many dead, many missing. About the only good news was that there hadn’t been the kind of rioting and looting one would ordinarily associate with a city in chaos. Most likely because the would-be rioters and looters had either been smart enough not to venture out or had paid the ultimate price if they had.
Not surprisingly, the city’s residents—and those unfortunate visitors who were now stuck here—weren’t too happy about the quarantine. There was no rest for our weary police officers, who had to take to the streets in record numbers to keep the peace. The Centers for Disease Control had been called in to examine volunteers who appeared to be “infected” with whatever fictitious disease the powers that be thought we all had. I suspected the quarantine would stay in effect even if the CDC doctors gave everyone a clean bill of health. I think the federal government had no idea what to make of the situation or what to do about it, so they were waving their hands like magicians, trying to make it look like they were taking action when they were in fact just as lost as the rest of us.
All day long, everyone watched the slow progress of the sun across the sky, trying to prepare for whatever the night would bring. Once the sun set, there would be no such thing as an off-duty police officer, and even those who were retired or still in training would be pressed into action. There was to be a four o’clock curfew, by which time everyone except law enforcement or emergency personnel was required to remain indoors. Every ambulance and fire truck would have a police escort, and teams of utility workers were assigned armed guards who would protect them should they have to roll out to keep the power on.
At around three o’clock, my dad finally had a brief chance to take a breather. He looked like he needed to sleep for about a week, and the stress was deeply etched into the lines of his face. I wished I’d taken my mom up on the offer to stay with her in Boston, because the one thing my dad didn’t need was the extra stress of worrying about me.
“I don’t know when I’m going to be able to make it home tonight,” he told me. “I don’t want you home alone, but I know it can’t be comfortable for you sitting around the office all day.”
To tell you the truth, it was getting pretty old. There was nowhere super comfortable to sit, and I couldn’t just rifle through our pantry and fridge when I wanted a snack. Not to mention that I couldn’t stretch out on my bed or walk around barefoot or sing along with the music on my iPod. Not without embarrassing myself, that is.
I’d thought Dad’s words were a preamble to an apology, but I discovered he had actually made a plan—without consulting me first, of course.
“I’ve invited Luke to come over and spend the night in the guest room,” he said, and my jaw dropped open in shock.
“You what?”
“I talked to his mother earlier today, and it turns out his dad was on a business trip in Chicago and now can’t get home. And the hospital is going to need all hands on deck tonight, so she has to go in, and she doesn’t want to leave him alone any more than I want to leave you.”
I was too busy gaping at him to respond. I mean, seriously, could I be hearing him right? Had he really asked my best friend’s boyfriend to spend the night at our house? Talk about awkward. Though admittedly, Dad didn’t know about my secret crush on Luke, so he probably didn’t realize just how epic the level of awkwardness was.
“Let me get this straight,” I said. “You’re inviting a teenage boy to spend the night alone with me at our house.”
Dad waved his hand dismissively. “This is Luke we’re talking about. I know he’s trustworthy. And I know you are, too. Dr. Gilliam will feel a thousand times better knowing he’s not alone in their house while she’s at work.”
“And you think I’ll be safer with Luke there. No disrespect to Luke or anything, but we have Bob. And we have a gun.” I could see from the look on his face that Dad was surprised by my resistance. I knew I was being unfair, making things more