The System

“It could be anything. A heart attack, blockage…”

“Really, I feel better. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. I should get my mom—”

“No!” Ethan snapped and he grabbed Ainsley’s arm. She looked at him to his hands and he released her. “Please? I want to finish this. I want to enjoy the rest of this night. It matters to me.”

They paused and the music played in the background: The soft undertones of saxophone, the crooner singing smoothly.

“I’m worried about you,” Ainsley said in a soft voice. “Do you see how everyone worked their tails off today to make this happen? That’s because they’re worried too.”

“I thought it was because they believed in true love.”

“Ethan—”

He lowered his head. “The joking is just because…” he paused and looked back up. “How else am I supposed to go on like this? With everyone waiting around for me to die?”

Ainsley didn’t say a word.

“Are you done with di

She nodded. “Yes. And I’m done with the juice too. Let’s go in. You lay down. Thanks for di

“That’s not it,” he said. “What a lame date. Music and taco soup.”

She bowed her head and took a deep breath. When she raised her head, her eyes were pleading, worried. “Here’s the thing, Ethan. I like you. I believe in you. And I want you to live, dammit. This scares me. You’re not well.”

Tears welled in Ethan’s eyes. He felt the surge of emotion build in his chest; he hadn’t felt this close to losing it since he first saw Lucy bursting forth through their doors and barreling toward him—her joyous celebration at their reunion marred by his knowledge of what she was about to discover.

“The world is awful. Dark,” Ethan said.

“You’re forgetting the new rule,” Ainsley reminded him with a smile.

“And I just wanted this. For all of us. So we could forget.”

“It’s not fair to forget.”

“What kind of future is this for us?” Ethan asked. He let a tear roll down his cheek, he didn’t care anymore. “What if no one comes?”

“They’ll come for you,” Ainsley said and she patted his shoulder. “Your family won’t desert you.”

“They’ve already deserted me,” he said and his voice rose, and trembled. “I have strangers who have seen me at my worst. It’s not supposed to be like that. You’re not supposed to be alone at the end. You’re supposed to have the people you love.” He wiped at his cheek angrily.

The porch door swung open and closed and Ethan and Ainsley turned and saw Dean standing in the shadows. He was holding a beer can in his hand; he tilted his head back and finished it.

“Hope I’m not interrupting,” Dean said and he watched as Ethan wiped his eyes. “I was just thinking you guys might be ready for the grand finale?” he asked and he stepped forward into the light.

Ethan said they were. And Ainsley turned and looked at him, her eyes lingering.

Dean walked over to the far part of the King yard—grabbing an extension cord, he unplugged the stereo and plugged in a video projector. The bright blue light from the projector illuminated a white sheet hung on the fence with white clamps. Ethan rolled over to the part of the yard where they had set up the equipment and pointed his finger toward the sheet.

“Di

Ainsley brightened at the thought of a film. “You don’t know what kind of movies I like,” she teased.

“Too bad,” he replied. “This part of the date is for everyone.”

Darla, Teddy, and Joey poured out of the house and Doctor Krause was quickly on their heels. Even Darla had a smile on her face. She clapped Ethan on the shoulder and gave him a little squeeze.

“Nicely done, kiddo,” she said. “Who would’ve thought, huh?”

The group arranged pillows and beanbags, and out from the shadows, Dean and Joey helped bring forward a couch. Together they helped Ethan move from his chair to the sofa, propping his leg up. Ainsley sat down below him. She put her arm up along the side, and Ethan slipped his hand into hers.

She tried to tug away, but he gripped firmer.

“Fake date,” she reminded him. But Ethan ignored her.

Dean stood before the blue screen and cleared his throat. “Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the Whispering Water’s neighborhood showing of Star Wars.”

Teddy jumped up and down, his face beaming with pure excitement. “Oh, it’s real! It’s real!” he said and then he rushed up to Ethan and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Thank you, Uncle Ethan. It’s all I’ve wanted for my whole life.”

Laughing, Ethan unhooked his hand from Ainsley’s and hugged the child back. “I know, Teddy. I picked it just for you.”

The boy beamed with excitement and went back to sit on Darla’s lap. “He picked it just for me,” Teddy whispered.

“Courtesy of our dear James Spencer…who opted out of this evening…but did wander back to Pacific Lake high school to raid the audio-visual equipment,” Dean continued. “We present for you. A movie.”

Everyone cheered.

“I’m here,” a voice called from the back and Spencer ambled over, sitting down with his back against the couch, next to Ainsley. Everyone paused and looked at him and he shrugged. “Come on, I’m not going to turn down a movie.”

Dean hit the play button and the movie began. The familiar music blasted from a set of six-inch speakers.

The opening gave Ethan chills and he motioned for Ainsley to sit up beside him on the couch. She shook her head. He pleaded with his eyes and she relented, snuggling up between Ethan and the arm of the couch; he rested his head against her shoulder, leaning back into her body.

“You did good,” she whispered to him.

“It seemed so unfair for the kid to never watch it.”

“Not just that,” Ainsley said. “The whole night. Thank you. It was a good fake date. You care about us. Really, I mean it. Thank you.”

With his eyes on the screen, Ethan sighed. “Maybe it wasn’t so fake.”

“The truth,” Ainsley replied ominously. “All a ploy to watch a movie. I get it. You could have just asked. Spencer would’ve gone back to the school to get a projector if you had traded him something of value.”

“Wouldn’t bet on it,” Spencer interjected and Ainsley waved him away. “I’m not always in such a generous mood.”

“Private conversation,” she replied.

Ethan shook his head and his hair rubbed against her shoulder. Then he shifted and looked at her. The light of the projector illuminated her eyes—he could almost see the entire movie playing as a reflection. “I’m scared,” he whispered.

She turned to him. Her lower lip in a pout. She brought her hand up and patted his head in a sisterly way. “We’ll take care of you,” she replied. “My mom’s a good doctor…”

“No,” Ethan replied. His eyes were drawn to the movie for a moment and then he looked back up at Ainsley. “I’m scared I’ll never get a chance to really live. To get married. To have kids. To have a future. I don’t care if the world is gone…if we’re the only ones left. It’s not selfish to still want something good—”

He wondered if this is what Grant felt like the night he spent at their house. Feeling, for the first time, like there were things he’d never get to do. It was emotionally draining and he knew he wasn’t handling it well.

“Oh, please, Ethan—”

“I’m serious.”

She shifted and lowered her voice, shooting looks out at the other survivors, who seemed to be enthralled with the film. “Please stop trying to make everything out to be something bigger. The best way to get back to normalcy is to stop comparing what we don’t have anymore. Please. I’m begging you.”

“You can feel it, then,” he replied. “You’re scared too.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She made a move to leave, but he put his hand out and grabbed her knee.