Another NaNoWriMo Attempt

Kairena stood in the middle of the room watching her preschoolers run around. Recess was always their favorite time of the day, and nap-time which followed was always hers. "Why can't we go outside, Miss Rena?" one of her preschoolers asked, tugging softly on her pant leg with a pout on his face.
"Honey," Rena said, picking him up and hugging him "it's too windy out there, and the dust is all in the air. We don't wanna get all sick or hurt from that stuff flying around in the air, do we?" she bopped him playfully on the nose and he giggled.
"No. We don't want sick!" he exclaimed. She laughed softly and nodded, setting him back on the floor to run and play with his peers. She loved these kids, patting her stomach softly, she bit her lip and held back a small sigh. It had been three years since the incident, but it still hurt at this time of year, it would probably always hurt.

Recess ended, and she pulled out a book. "Everyone, find your mats." she announced to the class, scolding every now and then when one of them took too long to put down the toy they were entranced by, or just refusing to go to their nap mat. After all the children were settled, Rena cracked open the book and read, softly and slowly to lull the children to sleep. Soon after nap-time, it would be time for them all to go back home to their parents, and for Rena to go back home to her empty apartment. "I live for this job.." she breathed to herself after all the children were soundly asleep and she could stop reading.

The thirty minutes of nap-time passed all too fast, and soon parents were arriving to pick their children up, and take them from Rena; she felt a sense of loss everyday after school, and Fridays were the worst. It just so happened to be a Friday, and walking out of the classroom, Rena sighed sadly. She drove back to her apartment and climbed the stairs slowly. It was going to be another night alone, taking sympathy and console in her two best friends, Ben and Jerry. She'd watch old movies, and do nothing of interest or importance. She wouldn't go out, wouldn't get invited anywhere, and wouldn't receive any phone calls; unless they were from her mother.

Settling into the couch, she pulled out her cellphone and clicked through the contacts until it fell upon "MyLove Aiden" she looked at it, and felt as if her throat was going to close up. Her eyes filled with tears, and the memories began flooding her mind in spite of her attempts to block them out. She should just delete his number, she thought, before her mind was engulfed by the past.

The wedding dress felt tight against her skin, but it was silky and soft.
"When he sees you in this, he's not gonna be able to take his eyes off you." she heard her friend say from somewhere behind her, but all she could do was stare at herself in the mirror and smile. She couldn't believe she was marrying the most amazing man on the planet. She couldn't believe she'd made him fall for her. Her heart was pounding, and he cheeks were flushed from excitement.
"It's almost time." she heard someone else say, and that was when the wedding march started. She stepped into the room and everyone's eyes fell on her. Walking down the isle, she felt like an angel, ascending to heaven. Her eyes sparkled, but something looked wrong about her groom. He was wringing his hands and his eyes were darting around. He'd looked at her once, and since then his eyes had been avoiding her at all costs.

Her heart began to sink. Was he having second thoughts?

She reached him, and tried to grab his hand in hers, but he pulled it away.
"This is the worst time to do this, but.. I can't do this."

Those words needed no more explaining as all the color drained from her face. His hands fell to his sides and he said he was sorry once more, but the words barely reached her. The last thing she remembered before everything went fuzzy and black, was him walking out. He followed the path she had just taken and left through the doors of the church. That was the last time she saw him.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she fell back into reality, the darkness of her small bedroom closing in on her. She hugged a pillow tight to her chest as the ice-cream she'd retrieved upon entering the small apartment melted slowly on the table, drooling down the sides of the carton just as her tears drooled down the soft contours of her cheeks. "Why'd you have to leave?!" she exclaimed to herself, a show playing idly in the background began to drown out her sobs until she lay silent and emotionally exhausted in a puddle of her own sadness.

Hours passed, she was in a state somewhere between consciousness and dreams when she heard the unfamiliar ring of her cellphone; it felt like it had been forever since she had heard those tones, and her head lifted at the sound of it. In the dreamlike state she was in, Aiden was the only thing on her mind when she groggily answered: "Hello?"
"Hey." the voice on the other line was unfamiliar, and she sat up in her bed trying to make sense of the man speaking to her.
"Who is this?"
"Your nephew?"
"Huh?" she was utterly confused, she leaned up, yawned and wiped the sleep from her tired eyes. "Oh." she stated dumbly and then let a stiff laugh roll out of her. It sounded foreign coming from her, and she continued. "Tobias?"
"Yes." he sounded impatient, and only paused for a second. "Auntie, some crazy shit's going on where me and Leo are, so..." he paused again, sounding hesitant. "Well, I know it's been a long time since we've spoken, but we were wondering if we could come stay with you. I know it's short notice. We're already in town." she froze, looking around her house in horror. She knew that everyone thought she'd lost it after Aiden left, but if anyone saw the state of the place.

"You're already in town?" she repeated, "when did you get here? How?" her voice was cracking and the horror she felt was showing; she couldn't very well turn away her nephews, she was all they had in the world except for each other. "Well, of course you guys can come stay." the foreign laugh escaped her lips again and she leapt off of her bed and began throwing things where they should be trying to find a little order in the disaster that had become her home. Dirty clothes were strewn everywhere, Ben and Jerry's containers which had never found their way to the trash were scattered across her floor, pictures of Aiden were everywhere, hidden in plain sight to remind her of what she'd lost and what she had to try and get back. Her head was spinning, and when she reached the livingroom she thought she might faint; nothing had changed. There were still clothes of his littered around, their engagement picture still sat on the mantel as a constant heart ache which she hadn't noticed in months, if not years. "It's been three years..." she whispered to herself, looking around at all the mess and clutter. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd used this room for another other than to drop her stuff, or to walk through. The couch looked abandoned and a layer of dust adorned every surface.
"What?" she heard Tobias say on the other line "What's been-" but she cut him off.
"Nothing, Tobi, nothing." That laugh, again.
"Okay, well, we're at the train station..." he trailed off, and paused, waiting for her to understand his meaning. Hoping his aunt would be willing to come and get them, it would be a long walk.
"I'll be there soon." Was all she replied before hanging up the phone and beginning to try and put her place in order. She began by grabbing all of Aiden's things and tossing them quickly into her room, it still looked like a mess though. Tears were threatening her eyes again, and she could barely breath by the time everything of his was stowed away. Why was he everywhere?

Racing to the train station, Kairena's mind was elsewhere. Her nephews danced through occasionally, reminding her that she was going to have to entertain, but it was mostly dominated by the house. Her things mingling with her ex-fiance's; it didn't seem like her home, it seemed like a bad dream that she was stuck living in, every day. She was slowly wasting away to nothing, floating from her job, to the home which she felt she didn't even belong in. The thought made her feel lost, like she had no place in the world anymore.

BEEP

Another car honking their horn brought her back to reality and she quickly swerved back into her lane, she needed to stop zoning out while driving. She could see the train station just down the road, and she took the left into the parking lot. That's when Kairena saw her nephews for the first time in three years. Tobias had shaggy brown hair that fell in soft waves across his forehead, his dark grey eyes looked alert and his skin was tanned from the bright California sun that he usually lived under. Leo looked very different, his hair cut almost down to his scalp, dull green eyes boredly surveyed the parking lot, and his skin was pale from spending too much time inside; they were like polar opposites and she smiled. At least some things never changed.

Stepped out of the car, Kairena called to the boys. "Tobi, Leo!" she drug out the "o" sound, like she had when all three of them were younger. Three years had done a lot, for all three of them. In her minds eye, she could see them as they had been, and she once again got lost in a memory.

The sky was bright, shining high above the California sky. Her wedding dress had been discarded, and her mascara was streaking down her face from the tears she'd shed. Tobias' hand traveled a comforting path up and down her back as he hugged her, they'd always been close despite the age difference. "Shh, it's okay, Ki.." he sad softly, hugging her close to him. She just sobbed into his chest and let more tears run. Leo sat a few feet away, staring at them and trying to find something to say.
"Rena..." he began, before once again falling silent. "I..." he trailed off yet again. "He's an asshole." the next words out of his mouth warranted more sobs from his young aunt, and a death glare from his brother. Leo sighed and hugged his knees to his chest, staring at her and his brother; she looked at him through the crook of Tobias' arm and smiled reassuringly back at her. 'Sorry', he mouthed, she just smiled at him again and then buried her face back into her nephew's chest.

She was brought back to reality by a hug, both boys had thrown their arms around her enthusiastically. "Long time no see!" Tobias said with a smile. He'd grown so much in the past three years, she couldn't believe that he was already twenty-two. She hugged him tightly, and then wrapped her arms around Leo. He was nineteen now. Her smile was real, this was the first time she hadn't felt alone in three years.
"I've missed you guys!" she exclaimed, and started toward the car.
"We missed you, too." they said in unison.
"I was thinking..." Tobias trailed off and bit his lip, not wanting to bring up painful memories.
Leo, sadly, was not so tactful. "We thought we'd never see you again after Aiden left. We thought no one would. You kind of... disappeared." Ki sucked in a sharp breath of air as Tobias smacked Leo in the arm and scolded him quietly.

"It's fine. I deserved that." she stated matter-of-factly, "I mean, I did kind of ignore you guys for three years." her tone broke at the end and she sighed a little. "I'm sorry, you know." The boys nodded solemnly, and fell silent. Their footsteps seemed to echo around them as they continued on their treck to the car. It felt like forever.

As the doors to Kairena's little car were opened and the passengers climbed in, the atmosphere changed. Tobias was the first to speak, "So, Ki, I guess I should tell you the reason that we're here, eh?" She nodded, curious and started the car. "I wish I had better news to tell you..." he breathed, feeling like the world was about shatter around him. Kairena had had enough darkness in her life, and she wasn't the strongest person, he knew that much all too well.

"Well, first off, our town is..." he paused again, his brow furrowing, "we've been kicked out, pretty much. I mean, they don't know we left, we did before they shut down the train stations. Something's going around that's getting everyone sick. They're not really wanting anyone to come or go. People are getting sick." He paused again, and looked at her, hoping that she'd be able to take the next blow that was about to fall. "Mom's sick."

Kairena took her eyes off the road to look at him and bit her lip. "How sick?" She and her sister had never been really close, but she hated to think of anything bad happening to her.
"I'm not sure, Ki." he said "A lot of people are getting pretty sick. Nothing that seems too serious, but since it's such a huge outbreak, it's not really something they're wanting to mess around with, you know?" Kairena nodded again, and they pulled into her driveway.
"So, why'd you leave her?" she asked softly, not looking at either of the boys as it passed through her lips.
"She told us to!" Leo piped up from the backseat, already feeling guilty enough. "You know we'd never leave mom!" his tone was defensive, and Kairena could tell.
"I know, Leo, I know." she pulled out her phone, glancing at the screen.

"Tobias..." she breathed, stepping out of the car, he barely heard her and as Leo stormed away into the house, he stayed behind. "You know how I met, Aiden, right?" her heart was pounding and she could feel the sweat beginning to form on her palms. His eyes were clueless.
"I was visiting your mother, he was visiting his little sister who, as far as I know, still lives in Eureka. Do you think he knows about what's going on?"
"If she's sick..." he trailed off and sighed. "He probably doesn't have a clue, Ki." She let out the breath she'd been holding. She had been afraid of that.

The minutes passed, and it seemed both of them were breathless. Silent. "I have to call him..." Kairena finally breathed out, feeling a suddenly pain emanating from her chest. She felt like her heart might explode, tugging her phone out of her pocket, she clicked through the contacts to his name and pressed the call button. "Go on inside." she said to Tobias before putting the phone back to her ear. She didn't even notice as he walked away, could barely breath as every ring of the phone came through. Her mouth was dry, her heart was racing, she felt as if she was going to choke on each breath as she sucked it in, beginning to hyperventilate. Then, she heard his voice: "Hello?" he sounded completely unaware who was on the other end. She couldn't speak, her mouth, her lungs, and her senses were all failing her. Her throat was on fire from being so dry, her mind was racing and and dizziness she hadn't felt since the night he walked away from her overtook. She wasn't going to be able to say anything. "Hello? Is anyone there?" his voice broke the silence again.
"Yes." she croaked through dry lips, her tongue feeling thick and heavy.
"Who is this?" he sounded bewildered, she knew that he already had an idea of who it was, she knew that he at least somewhat knew the voice of the woman he'd spent five years of his life with.
"This is Kairena." she said, slowly, enunciating every word carefully trying not to choke, or let her voice crack, or burst into the tears that were threatening to creep out of her eyes.
"Oh." he didn't know what to say, and a silence fell over the line, she could hear the slight static through the phone and she took a deep breath.
"I know, long time no..." she paused, "no anything, really. I know this is out of the blue..." she paused again, trying to find the words and sucking spit from the corners of her mouth to try and cleanse her still dry throat. Her voice was going to crack, and then the onslaught of tears would overpower her will. "Have you heard what's going on in Eureka?"
"What?"
"What's going on in Eureka." she repeated. "Your sister still lives there, right?"
"Yes. But, I haven't heard what's going on, why? Does your sister still live there with her kids?"
"Yes. They're here actually, apparently, a lot of people there are sick and they've closed down transportation, in and out."
He was silent again, for a long time the only sound was the crackle of slight static, then he spoke. "Why haven't I heard about this?" Aiden's words came out slowly, as if he was entranced by something. "Is she alright?"
"I don't know, Aiden." Kairena replied softly, biting her lip. She could almost see him, his eyes would be widened with worry while his lips would be pressed into a thin line, thoughtful and trying to figure out what to do next, he would be silent for awhile, and she would wait.

His breath was coming in slow calculated gasps. He seemed to be trying to hold back tears, from what she could hear. "Don't worry." she said, breaking the silence. "I know that you worry a lot, but stop it. I'm sure she's fine, I mean, it's not like anyone's even died from it yet, just a whole bunch of people throwing up and stuff. Just one town, don't worry about it."
"How am I supposed to not worry?" he said, through gritted teeth.
Rena rolled her eyes and scoffed at him. "Because you worry, a lot. Because you over think, and it's stupid, Aiden!" he temper flared at him. "Just like when you..." she trailed off, letting herself calm down, letting the logical part of her mind take control.
"When I what?" he spat back, not his temper taking control. "When I left because you're a needy basket-case that can't do anything on her own? Yea. That makes me a worrywart."
"How were you not sure! We'd only been together nine fucking years, Aiden!" She growled back through the phone, taking another deep breath. "I don't want to have this fight with you. Just thought you'd like to know your sister might be sick." and with that, she hung up the phone and went into her house.
"You okay?" Tobias asked, looking at her with his calculating eyes as she threw herself onto the couch, exhaling a loud huff of air.
"I don't even..." she trailed off and shook her head, letting her long brown hair bounce playfully around her shoulders. "Let's not talk about it." Her heart was racing, now more from anger than anything else. He nodded and took a deep breath.

"I know you don't need any more bad news right now, Ki." he paused for a moment and caught her gaze, holding her eyes. "Mom's dead..." Ki looked around and saw Leo crying on the floor in her kitchen. She then noticed the tear stains that had been left from Tobias's few tears. "This is serious.." he breathed as realization set into her.

She felt tears welling in her own eyes, her breath was caught in her throat, and her stomach was churning violently. Her sister was dead.