Dakota's Suite

Shortage

The dining room was filled with lively chatter. A long mahogany table was placed before us. Arched windows circled all around the dining area, allowing the sun to provide its natural light around in the room. Paintings of sunflowers lay decked in between each window. Even though this shared space with the kitchen, it didn't feel cramped at all. The floors were immaculately polished, as we could see every shine and detail of our reflection. Mirabelle must've appreciated a bright and optimistic house because that was the exact vibe I got.

We all sat at the dining table. Hannah made sure to go out of her way to introduce me to everyone else. I had met Wayne's wife, Tazara, and his two twin daughters, Jada and Alisha. They had sat on the same side of the table as us. Harper, apparently, was the eldest child in her family, the one Wayne had mentioned arriving here with. Her younger sister Rachel sat next to her across from us at the dining table along with their mother, Rose Moore. Mirabelle and Baez had sat across from each other through the ends of the table.

Harper, apparently, was also the same girl who gave me shit at the bathroom.

Of course, before breakfast, Wayne and I had gathered a few extra chairs to join at the table due to the high number of people eating altogether.

Daphne remained upstairs. According to Hannah, she stated that she wasn't hungry and would rather catch up on sleep. Which makes breakfast a hell of a lot more tolerable for me.

"Hold on, everyone, let us join hands." Mirabelle announced. Our eyes had met for a second, yet she didn't flinch when she realized I was staring back at her. A small smile grew across her lips as she extended her hands from side to side. "I like to say a prayer before eating."

"God knows we need it." Baez commented under his breath.

Hannah had leaned in next to me. "I know how you are about this sort of thing. Just go with it for now. We're safe here." She whispered.

Bryant sat on my right, next to Mirabelle. His head bowed before his steaming plate full of scrambled eggs, grits, sausage links, and a large biscuit adorned on the side. Not that I could blame him, the food actually smelled good, better than any meal I've smelled Daphne prepare in my entire life.

I hesitantly extended my hands to participate. Hannah took my left while Bryant glared at my right open palm in front of him. It was as if he was simply offended at the fact that I wanted to make physical contact with him or that I was next to him all in general. I kept my hand out, hoping that he would just cave in and be cordial just this once.

I opened my mouth to whisper to him, but my hand was quickly seized by another. A warm but firm hand. I glanced up to see Mirabelle staring back at her husband across the table, her smile never faltering. I stared back at her small hand that tightly held mine.

"Dear Lord, thank you for allowing us to come together once more for the morning." Mirabelle started with her eyes closed, her voice carried along the kitchen. "Thank you for allowing us to open our eyes once more, walk on our own two feet once more, and see the ones we love once more." She continued.

I personally didn't believe in God. I always felt that the concept of Christianity, a whole sweet-laced lie to prevent people from losing their sanity in this world, before it went to shit at least. The concept never made sense to me, why people turned to this non-existent man for all the answers when they were right in front of them all along. But when Mirabelle took my hand and didn't bat an eye, it made me appreciate a fellow Christian a little more, even if it's by blind belief.

"Amen." Mirabelle put a close on her prayer and opened her eyes. "I hope the food is up to your standards, everyone. I made plenty for seconds as well." She turned to me. "You need your strength."

Why is she being nice to me?

"Nonsense, Mira." Baez grumbled while he dabbed at his face with a napkin. "You're a good cook, sure as shit."

The silence was soon replaced by clinking forks, spoons, and lively chatter. As minutes passed, I wasted no time to enjoy the food in front of me, my taste buds thanking me for each seasoned bite it could indulge itself in. The sausage links were cooked perfectly, nothing about it tasted undercooked or over-salted. The eggs didn't have eggshell bits wedged in them, and it had a nice spicy aftertaste to it. I've made relatively decent enough food that I'd like to believe was a tad better than Daphne's, but Mira really outshined every dish I've made in the past.

Wayne had patted his wife's hand and proceeded to dab at the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "I hate to bring this up now, but since everyone's gathered here today, I'd like to give it a shot."

Mirabelle knitted her eyebrows and asked. "Is it good news or bad?"

"Neither." Wayne answered. "But I believe the sooner we do something about it, the better."

He continued. "Our group had just gotten bigger. Eventually, that'll be more mouths to feed. We should start preparing for what happens when we run out of food."

Baez included himself in the conversation. "We do need to reinforce the fence and find more medica-"

Mirabelle interrupted him. "My husband will not be going anywhere past the damn forest. Not after last time."

I raised my eyebrows at that last sentence she spoke. What happened the last time?

Baez rubbed the side of his neck. "Come on, Mira -"

"No." She firmly insisted. "You know how crazy it gets up there."

"Up there?" I finally decided to ask.

Mirabelle nodded and folded her arms across her chest. "The town up ahead. Baez got into it with these two younger folks who were looting the gas station several weeks ago. They both got the jump on him, and Wayne had to step in and handle them."

Baez tilted his head back. "Will ya stop that? I'm not that damn old Mirabelle. Wayne and I had a talk outside. The fence is wearing down. We need to refortify it. We have more mouths to feed, and you're diabetic. You need insulin."

Mirabelle shook her head, resting her elbows on the table and settling her chin on top of her hands. "I am being reasonable, I'm also saying that you're not going."

Her eyes narrowed directly at him. Buds of sweat had started to gather at Baez's forehead as his gaze went from her face down to his plate. He started to protest. "But I know where to-"

Mirabelle shot him a scowl, and Baez let out a heavy sigh.

Even though Mirabelle is justified for feeling how she feels about Baez going back out, I could also understand where Baez was coming from. From what it had sounded, the cities are also facing the same issue we are, probably even worse since there's a higher number of people. Within time, we'd run into a shortage and now seems like a good time to nip it in the bud.

"What if I go too?" I piped in. Everyone at the table, including Hannah, had nearly snapped their necks to look at me. Mirabelle's face had that same unreadable expression.

I already felt how this was going to be a decision I wish I didn't make.