Praying for Grace by M. Lauryl Lewis

He tapped his temple with his index finger and winked at me.
    “Well you two can stand here all night if you want, but I’m all over that food,” said Boggs as he walked away.
    Gus put an arm around my shoulders and we followed. It was near-chaos around the tables as people piled food onto their plates. I tried to count heads, but with everyone crowding it was difficult. I guessed there were twenty or so, plus Gretchen and Katie who were still inside. I knew some people were guarding the perimeter, but it seemed as if numbers were overall less than what Gus had estimated the census to be.
    “I wonder where Abbey and Danny are.” I said casually.
    “Helping with Emmett. They’re coming up with Gretchen too. Hey, Zoe, go ahead and grab some food. Something’s wrong down in the bunker. I need to go check on them.”
    “What’s up?” I inquired.
    “I’m not entirely sure. I’ll be back soon though, ok?”
    “Yeah sure.”
    I watched as Gus set off toward a woman near the barbecues. He spoke to her briefly, she set her plate of food down on a nearby table, and she and Gus headed toward the bunker. They both seemed worried. Just before they disappeared into the stone building, Abbey and Danny appeared. He was carrying the baby and Abbey looked pale. I immediately began walking toward them.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked.
    Danny handed Emmett over to me before speaking. “There’s a kid down there who blew chunks all over the library area. It made Abbey sick to her stomach.”
    “Aw, Abs, I’m sorry.”
    “I’ll be fine. It was the smell. The fresh air’s helping.”
    “There’s a whole bunch of food over by the barbecues. Do you think you can eat?” I asked.
    Abbey nodded. “I’m sure I’ll manage.”
    “Want me to hold Emmett while you eat?” offered Danny.
    “You’re so sweet,” I said with a smile. “But you and Abbey go ahead. Enjoy yourselves.”
    I adjusted Emmett in my arms as the two teenagers headed toward the food. Emmett was getting heavier, to my delight. He’d been with us for over a week now and seemed to be out of danger of failing to thrive. I smiled down at him as he wriggled in my arms and stretched. I walked with him toward the gathering, hoping to fix myself a plate one-handed. I received a lot of smiles and nods from strangers. Moe walked up beside me and led me to a table where someone had prepared a plate piled with food for me. Boggs was waiting and pulled my chair out. He offered to hold the baby, but I declined. I was actually content to hold him after being apart from him most of the day. I watched as Abbey and Danny talked to a girl close in age while they ate. I was glad to see them making friends already. Using my free hand, I started eating the food on my plate. I stuck to the baked beans and potato salad since I could scoop those easily. I allowed Boggs to cut my chicken up for me, and eventually I caved and let him feed me a bite. I hadn’t had fresh meat in a long time and it nearly melted in my mouth. Gus walked up and from the look on his face, I guessed he had seen the exchange and misunderstood.
    “Hey Gus,” I said with a smile. “Everything ok?”
    “I think so. Sharron’s daughter got sick with some bad vomiting and has a fever. Sharron tucked her into one of the bedrooms and is making her some soup. It’s probably just the stomach flu.”
    “Think it’s contagious?” asked Boggs.
    “Pretty likely. Zoe, with being pregnant you shouldn’t go into their room. You and Gretchen will be more susceptible so make sure you use lots of hand sanitizer and steer clear of them the best you can.”
    “Ok.”
    “I’ll make an announcement to the others. Give me a minute and I’ll be back.” He paused in thought. “I’ll hold Emmett so you can feed yourself.” I noticed a moment of tension between him and Boggs.
    Gus walked to the center of the crowd and stuck two fingers in his mouth, ultimately producing an ear-splitting whistle. I hadn’t been aware