Yesterdays Gone: SEASON TWO (THE POST-APOCALYPTIC SERIAL THRILLER) (Yesterday's Gone)

kitchen counter, then turned to their pantry. “So, um, let’s see . . . I can make, um . . . snakes and meatballs.”
    “Snakes?!” Emily screeched, “Eeeew!”
    “You don’t like snakes? I thought all kids like snakes.”
    She giggled. “G-R-O-S-S, gross!”
    Brent laughed. He loved the girl’s goofiness. It reminded him a lot of how Ben was, or would be with a few years and a lot more language added to his personality.  
    “OK, no snakes. Let’s see. Um, oh, I’ve got it, how about some boiled worm stew? Do you like that?”
    Emily stuck out her tongue, “Yuck!”
    “OK, one last try, and then I give up,” Brent said, pretending to look high and low in the pantry. “Well, you have a whole jar of blueberry bumblebees! I bet those would make a great pie! Who doesn’t love blueberry bumblebee pie?”
    “I don’t want you to cook,” she said, her voice completely serious, as if he’d make her eat every disgusting dish he listed.
    Brent and Jane laughed at her frown.
    “OK, how about spaghetti, then? You like spaghetti?”
    “Normal spaghetti?” she asked.
    “Yes, normal spaghetti. No worms, or anything!”
    Yeah!” she said enthusiastically, “Can I help?”
    “If your mom says okay.”
    “OK,” Jane said. “And if you’re really good, I’ll let you help clean the dishes, too.”
    “OK!” Emily said, not getting the joke.
    “That’s good, because daddies aren’t so good at cleaning dishes,” Brent said with a wink at Jane.
    “That’s okay,” Emily said, in all seriousness. “I’m sure there are other things you can do well.”
    Brent laughed from somewhere deep in his belly.
    “What?” she said, not understanding why he was laughing.
    “You’re so cute,” he said, kissing her on the forehead.

    **

    As they ate dinner, and Emily and Jane talked about the day’s events, Brent’s earlier smile began to dull with the realization that he had to soon tell them he’d be leaving in the morning, and would gone for a week or so. Though he wasn’t sure why, it surprised him how much he expected to miss Jane and Emily, how much they’d come to mean to him in the months since fate set them all together. Their dinner routine was one of the few things he had left to look forward to. And now he was going to have to tell them he might not be back for a couple of weeks. Hell, he might not make it back at all, if things went bad out in the world, or if this Boricio guy didn’t want to be found.
    How do I tell them?
    Finally, mouth full of pasta, he decided to simply say it. “I’ve got some bad news,” he said, regretting his choice of words even as they were leaving his mouth. “I’m going on a mission with one of the other men, and I’ll be gone from the island for a week or so.”
    “What?” Jane said, her eyes big and watering with concern.
    “What do you mean?” Emily asked immediately, worry furrowing her brow.
    “I can’t say much about it, and I’m not sure where we’re going, but they need us to go on a run and I’ll probably be gone a week, two at most.”
    “Two weeks?!” Emily cried, making a sad face.
    “Is it dangerous?” Jane asked.
    “No, not at all,” Brent said, even though he was sure it probably would be. “Just a routine mission, everything will be fine. Believe me, if it were dangerous, they’d be sending more people. Not like they don’t have tougher guys than me in the Guard.”
    “I don’t want you to go,” Emily said, now in full pout.
    Brent felt uncomfortable, not knowing what to say, and wishing he’d thought out his messaging better before making his announcement. He should have known Emily would be upset.
    “I don’t want to lose another Daddy,” Emily said.
    Brent glanced at Jane, and felt his heart breaking.
    He slid his chair closer and hugged Emily. “Don’t worry, nothing will to happen to me. I swear.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Because I know everything, except maybe how to make good spaghetti,” he said, trying to make her smile, but she wasn’t playing ball.
    Brent wondered if he should tell the girl and her mother that her real daddy might still be alive. Wouldn't that ease the pain of Brent leaving? Wouldn’t that make them a little less sad?  
    Before the thought took root, the smarter side of him shut it down.  
    Don’t you dare give these people false hope! Even if her daddy is alive, even if Gina and Ben are alive, there’s no guarantee anyone will get off this planet! Keep your mouth