The Infected (Book 2): Karen's First Day Read Online Free PDF Page A

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sheepishly.
    “That’s right. If you’re going to do something bad, don’t
get caught.” Cliff nodded his head at her. Eve was a very smart kid. Both
parents knew she was much smarter than they were at that age. After the initial
disappointment wore off, the lesson they wanted to teach had morphed. As the
week of suspension dragged on the lesson went from: “Do not ever do anything
bad ever again.” to a more realistic “Don’t get caught, dummy.” Maybe it was
the wrong thing to teach the child. Who knew? Over the last nine years they had
become keenly aware that they were making up most of this parenting shit up on
the spot.
    “We are really good parents.” Tina looked at her husband.
In comparison, they were light years ahead of the people that raised them.
    “Really, really good parents.” Cliff gave her a little
smooch on the cheek.
    “You guys are dorks,” Alex giggled into her hands. She was
repeating something her older sister said way too often.
    “Wow, you kiss your mother with that mouth?” Tina acted
like she was more shocked than she really was. This kind of language had been
popping up more and more ever since Alex started going to school. “You think
you’ll get any extra shifts this month?” Tina asked as she touched Cliff’s
shoulder with a gentle pat.
    He hesitated with his answer. “Maybe, boss says there’s a
new strip mall going up at the edge of town. If he gets the bid we’ll be
floating in cash.” He muscled the cart straight again.
    His wife read him like a book. He was keeping something
from her but she didn’t want to get into it now so she kept the conversation
rolling.
    “When I finish nursing school we’ll be really rolling in
the cheddar. No more store brand shit.” She moved in fast for another smooch
and Cliff met her halfway. There was something in his eyes every time she asked
about his work or if she mentioned becoming a nurse.
    “Mama, you said a bad word,” Eve shook a disappointed finger
at her mother.
    “Which one? Store brand? That’s not a bad word.”
    “Not that word.” The kid played right into Mama’s game.
    “Your Mama never says any bad words. You only think she
said it.” Cliff winked at his wife.
    “That’s right. Your ears must not be working. Call the
doctor we got a girl that can’t hear,” Tina said as a devious smile stretched
across her face.
    “You guys are so weird,” Eve, pointed at a store brand
box of mac and cheese.
    “Yep, grab four.” Tina nodded at her daughter.
    The girl’s little hands snatched the boxes down off the
shelf.
    “Mama, can we have tuna fish for sandwiches?” Alex
squatted down in front of the cans of fish.
    “Yes, get five of the ones on sale.” Tina playfully
bumped hips with Cliff and knocked him off course.
    “Hey, this thing is hard enough without you pushing me
around,” he said as he bumped her right back.
    “You guys stop it. You’re embarrassing me.” Eve dropped
the boxes of macaroni into the cart.
    “Dat way,” a tiny hand popped out of the fake car and
Brea pointed for them to go right. She was a real big help. Alex dropped her
cans of discount tuna into the back of the cart. Something caught her eye at
the front of the store.
    “Mama, Daddy, look,” Alex, pointed her little hand back
down the aisle. The two parents took their time to turn and see what she was
talking about. It’s not very often that a five-year-old finds something
interesting that is actually interesting to the parents. It was a man. He stood
hunched over and pressed up against the window just to the left of the electric
sliding doors. The doors remained shut. He hadn’t set off the sensor.
    Cliff and Tina had to do a double take and if a record were
playing music in the store it would have scratched to a halt. The man was
dressed in his Sunday finest. A black suit and tie, but the thing that caught
their eye was the fact that he was missing a good portion of his face. His body
swayed back and forth.