Part 248: Together Part 1

The rain went through it’s constant downpour outside the caves. The survivors that remained inside where busy talking about various things. The mood was practically the same from the beach; everybody was happy to be alive. Walt and Shannon were talking up a storm. The young black boy was constantly thanking Shannon for taking care of Vincent while he was away. Micheal watched his son from the back of the cave. He couldn’t express the joy in his heart, the relief at seeing Walt not only okay but unmolested. He though it might be tramatizing to the young boy for being kidnapped and taken from his father. However, at the moment he seemed to be adjusting well to the ordeal they went through yesterday. The smell of a warm cup of coffee flooded his senses and he turned see Yolanda holding two cups; one in his direction. “Oh,” he smirked, “Thank you.”

“Luckily thanks to the Liberation, we got quite a decent supply now.” She smiled, sitting down next to him.

Micheal sipped on his coffee, enjoying the taste but missing the cream he could have placed in it back in the normal world. Yolanda gently took a sip and then held it her eyes, letting her eyes fall on the black man to her right. “You okay?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, I am fine,” he smiled, “I was just worried about Walt.”

“He seems okay,” Yolanda pointed out.

“Yeah, I know. It doesn’t seem normal but . . .I guess I should be thankful.”

“If he wants to talk, I am sure he’ll come to you.” She said, slowly touching his leg.

Micheal took another sip of the hot coffee and looked at her. “Thank you, Yolanda,” he smiled, “For everything.”

“Hey,” she said, with a shy smile, “I like Walt too. I didn’t want anything to happen to him anymore than you did.”

“No, it’s more than that. My son has become attached to you.”

Yolanda sighed, rubbing the coffee cup. “You are referring to that moment he called me Mommy.” She whispered.

“He relates to you, Yolanda. You’ve become an anchor in his life.”

“But his real mother . . .”

“Is dead, God rest her soul, “ Micheal put the cup down on the ground, “But as much as a child need a father’s influence, he also needs a mother’s.”

Yolanda felt a surge of cold run down her lower back. “Micheal, what are you asking me?” she whispered.

Micheal took a sigh and smiled. “What do you think of New York City?” he asked.

“It’s . .uh . . very nice. Very picturesque.”

“You have been?”

“Not that much. Mostly on layovers from my airline job. I did enjoy Central Park.”

“How would you like to enjoy it every day?”

Yolanda started to blush, “Micheal, again, PLEASE . . .what are you asking me?”

“No commitments, Yolanda. Just come stay with me and Walt. Maybe you will like it there. If not, you are free to go. No hard feelings.”

Yolanda smirked and gently reached over, rubbing the black man’s cheek. “Maybe you need a woman more than Walt needs a mother.” She grinned.

“Maybe I do,” he smiled, “Someone to keep me on my toes.”

“I . .uh . .I don’t know where this might go, Mike but I’m willing . . .to try it out.”

“Come what may, Yolanda?” Micheal smiled.

The woman shook her head in agreement. “Come what may.” She whispered.

“What are you guys talking about?” Walt said, seemed to all of a sudden appear before them.

The couple giggled at being so lost within each other they didn’t notice him coming. Micheal grabbed him son and pulled him toward him, embracing him. “I got some exciting news, buddy,” he said.

“What’s that?” Walt responded.

“Yolanda . ..has decided to come and live with us in New York.”

“Really?” the boy’s eyes lit up as if it was Christmas.

“You betcha,” she replied, winking at him.

“Oh, wow,” he said, leaning over and hugging her,” This is gonna rock!”

Yolanda laughed, embracing the boy. She felt a little guilty, almost hypocritical over what has happened. It was nearly a month that she chastised Marita for letting Eddie call her Mom. Now it seemed that she fell into the roll for Walt, almost as if it was meant to happen. She agreed go with them to New York and possibly even form a family. Later, she vowed she would apologize to Marita for telling her not to take Eddie under her wing. She did anyway and the boy became better for it.

Yolanda really hoped she could do the same for Walt.


In the side cave, Karliegh just got done finding a decent shirt she could wear after wearing what she had on the plane for over a month. The group of people she had been placed with seemed like an okay group of people. Everybody was helping; almost practically going out of their way to make sure they felt secure and at ease. Karleigh leaned down and looked around for some socks and managed to find some pink ones. She giggled to herself as she felt the owner of the socks probably left them behind cause they were hideous. But she needed some comfort, wearing nothing but sandals for the past month.

As she placed them on, Mandy stepped into the area. “Hey,” she smiled.

“Oh, hey, “ Karleigh stood up, “Mandy, right?”

“Yes, nice to meet you,” the two girls shook hands.

“Find everything you needed?”

“Yeah, your dressing room is bland but it at least has all the clothes in one place.”

Mandy giggled, then held up a white bottle of a soap dispenser. “Well, anyway, my friend Shannon and I were going to wash our faces, and thought you might like to join us.”

“Oh, god, would I ever?” Karleigh touched her cheeks, “I bet my frigging acne is breaking out something fierce.”

“Not really but why wait for it?” Mandy motioned for her to follow.

As they walked out of The Dressing Room, the blonde noticed her friend Seth had just got finishing goofing off. He was putting his pants back on, slicking his hair back over his head. He saw Mandy and Karleigh look at him as they past. Seth then struck a pose, flexing his muscles. “Oh, please, “ Mandy said, playfully slapping him on the shoulder.

The girls arrived at the waterfall where Shannon had already begun washing her face. “Shannon this is Karleigh,” Mandy introduced them.

“Hey, “ she smiled.

“Thanks for sharing your soap.” The rich girl said, already starting to lather up.

“No problem, it was the least we can do,” Shannon smiled, splashing water on her face.

“We got any Noxema left?” Mandy asked.

“Not much, use it sparingly.”

“You think that moron Sawyer has any?”

“Nothing him, he probably does.” The tall blonde sighed.

“Huh?” Karleigh scrubbed her face with a rag, “Why would he have Noxema?”

“He collected a bunch of stuff so that we would be forced to trade with him,” Shannon gave a disgusted look,” It’s what he wants in returns that usually sucks.”

“What a low life,” she muttered, wiping her face off with the towel.

Mandy smiled, glad that Karleigh shared a contempt for Sawyer but it almost seemed, thanks to what happened with the Liberation, the southern man had mellowed out a bit. The new guy, Clay Kane, seemed to take Sawyer’s place as local annoyance. The blonde smirked, wondering how that would play out in the weeks ahead.

Mandy walked over to her area, gathering her stuff. She was anxious to get back to the beach, and back with the people she considered family. As the turned, she saw something strange. Out in the pouring rain was Alexander, sitting by himself up against a tree. The rain was dripping off his curly blonde hair, as he did nothing but stare at the ground. It never occurred to her how lonely he must feel. He had Andra and Flower, two girls he considered sisters but the rest of his tribe had been completely wiped out. Mandy felt sorry for him and wondered if their was any way she could make him feel less lonely.

She quickly rummaged through her stuff and found, of all things, McKay’s hat. She quickly put it on and grabbed a blanket, walking outside in the rain. She strode over to Alexander, feeling the soft cold rain touch her bare arms. The wild boy stared into the distance, until he noticed she had approached him. He then stood up, wiping the wet hair from his face. Mandy smirked at him, like a young boy trying to impress a girl. She then flapped out the blanket and put it around his broad shoulders. Alexander took the ends and pulled it tightly around his chest. “Merci,” he told her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Alexander looked confused. Mandy then reached over and manually moved his lips. “Thank . . .You,” she repeated.

Alexander squinted and then realized she was trying to get him to say it. “Tank . .you?” he replied.

“No, Thank. Thank.”

“Thank . .you.”

“Merci,” Mandy smiled, “Merci . .Thank you.”

“Merci,” Alexander pointed to him, then pointed to the blonde, “Thank you.”

“Well done,” she smiled, “That is the end of lesson one. We being lesion two tomorrow, now come in before you catch cold.”

Mandy took him by the arm, guiding him back into the cave. Karleigh sat down at her spot she made out for her. She saw her new friend take the Wild boy back into the cave. The rich girl smirked, wondering if she had a chance or would she bother? He was, after all, raised by himself in a jungle with no conception of the outside world. Karleigh wondered if they would have room for her on the beach. Since they seemed to be safe at the moment, she might have the time to work on her tan. Then a strange noise broke her concentration.

She looked over to the other side of the cave and saw the young man who rescued her, the one called Dutch, carving into a piece of wood. He would looked at her; smile and then go back to witling the piece of wood. Karleigh looked and realized he kept looking at her. “What are you looking at?” she asked him.

“Hmm?” he said, realizing she was speaking to him.

“I asked you a question, what are you looking at?”

“Uh . .nothing,” Dutch shied away.

Karleigh turned away and then looked back at Dutch only to find him staring at her again. She quickly got to her feet and stomped over to him. “What is your problem?” she demanded.

“I don’t have a problem,” he said, innocently.

Karleigh kneeled down to face him. “Look, “ she said, pointing her finger at him, “I know you saved my life so I am grateful but that’s where it ends, you understand me?”

“Wh . .what does that mean?” Dutch replied.

“Oh, my god, “ she stood up, rolling her eyes, “I am talking to a dumb ass.”

As she walked away, the surfer quickly stood up and said, “Cute socks, by the way.”

The rich girl turned around, only to see Dutch quickly walking away from her. She squinted her eyes, and crossed her arms. That was all she needed; a love sick surf punk following her around. She then turned and walked back to her spot, unable to not produce a smile.

It had been some time since someone complemented her on her socks, even if they weren’t hers.