Love Virus

Chapter Thirty

The Bowen family cabin.

Recommended song - Everything I own by Bread. (It's an oldie but a goodie)

March 13, 2020

Allison's POV

The final bag was zipped and she put them by the front door for Adam to pack to the van. She had tried to minimize what she packed to realistically what they would need. Allison was not one to pack "just in case", not with 3 kids. She packed minimum. As long as they had warm clothes, snowsuits  and suitable gear to play outside, that was good. Little trickier packing for Josie, with all of the diapers, wipes, dippys, clothes, extra clothes, but she managed to pack it with efficiency as well. She folded up the playpen and put it by the door with warm blankets sitting on top.

She set the Keurig and put in a latte pod. Josie would wake up in about 1/2 an hour so she had a bit of time to enjoy some coffee. The halls were filled with family photos. Adam, the kids, Garrett, their wedding pictures. She smiled. How lucky am I? She thought blissfully.

She studied each photo, reflecting on every memory that came with the photo. Immensely proud of her family she could feel tears welling in her eyes. Happy, thankful tears.

Adam had come into her life when she was at her lowest. Her self esteem was non existent and she was barely holding on. Garrett and her had just been reunited for about a year and times were so difficult for them. Money was scarce and they were both deeply traumatized from their childhood.

At 19, she was going to college and being the sole provider and guardian for her deeply troubled 13 year old brother. Garrett wasn't a bad kid, far from it actually. He was kind, thoughtful, never argued with her and helped around the house without being asked. She was just overwhelmed with coping with his trauma. She worried about him constantly and wished they could get a little window of hope.

That window of hope came in the form of Adam. He was in his internship to be a doctor and had been on his rounds in the burn unit when Garrett had come in for his yearly checkup.

Adam loved telling the story and he had told Mason and Jace so many times they could recite it word for word.

"Mom came into the waiting room with Uncle G and you walked by, looked at her, stopped and couldn't take your eyes off of her because she was so pretty." Mason or Jace would say and Adam would always correct them "she is still so pretty".

For Allison it felt like she was hit by lightening. He was dazzling, gorgeous, the biggest smile, he was perfect.

Garrett loved the story. To hear them tell it they sounded like they would look like models or movie stars when in fact they are really quite average looking.

For Allison and Adam, however, they are the most beautiful person the other had ever seen. The inner beauty of each shines through and their love is really what makes them beautiful.

They became a couple quickly, there was no dancing around the subject and messing around with "does he like me? Oh I hope she calls." There was none of that.

Adam asked Allison out for coffee and after that they were inseparable.

At 13, Garrett absolutely adored his soon to be brother in law. Adam was kind anf fun, helped him with his teenage angst and homework. Adam and Allison were his refuge, his safe place and Adam always included him.  He was an excellent support for both of them with his kindness and simple sense of fun.

His parents were amazingly kind from the moment they met and did whatever they could to ease Allison's burden. It wasn't just giving  financial help, it was the thoughtful gestures that went a long way. They helped out with the extras for Garrett's schooling and field trips. It wasn't over the top but it helped tremendously.

There were moments of doubt at the early stages of their relationship. There were times that she felt unworthy to receive such love. Allison had dark shameful secrets that nobody knew, not even Garrett. Secrets that he still doesn't know about. .

Adam never looked at her with judgement. He never looked at her with pity. Explaining that the past was out of her control, she played no part on the direction it went BUT the time they had now was for them. It was their life to fill with as much love and joy and peace and that would be her life because that is what she deserved. Adam never left her with any doubt how treasured she was. 

She smiled looking at the picture of her and Garrett taken a few years before. He was a changed man since meeting Alfie. Confident, happy, becoming more outgoing, looking forward to a future. Allison knew what a positive role Alfie had on him. Not just Alfie, but Liam, Noah, their parents, Tyler.

How he had forgiven Cal amazed her. Her first reaction when Garrett said that he had invited Cal and Sam to the cabin was anger. She didn't want to be in the same room with him.  Not a word was spoken for that moment and she thought of the people in her life that helped her that she felt shame that her first response was to be mad.

If Garrett was gracious enough to forgive and move past it then she would absolutely make that effort as well. She had three young impressionable sets of eyes on her so leading by a good example was important.

She ran up to Josie's room and grabbed a small bag, filling it with toys, wipes, a couple knitted blankets and a stuffed animal. Leading by example meant welcoming Cal and Sam into their family she thought happily as she carried the small bag  she made up for Sam and put it with the other bags by the door.