What Comes After

June 18

Charles came to my house today. He knocked on the door sometime in the morning. I must have looked sad or angry because the first thing he asked was, "Is this a good time?"

"Yeah," I said and yawned. "What's up?"

"You look tired. Maybe I should tell you later."

"Tell me what?" I asked, now more awake.

"Well you were wondering about getting a job," he said. "Well I've found something for the both of us."

He pulled out a flyer. I looked at it. "Gardening?" I said. "At the community garden?"

"It'll be fun," he said. "With all the bees and bugs and everything gross."

"You know you're disgusting," I said.

"The great outdoors is great," he replied.

"And you never considered becoming a park ranger because..." I said.

"I hate going outdoors—"

"But you literally said—"

"I was just joking," he said. "Still want to do computer engineering."

"What computers? Do you think the world is going to get better?"

"I hope so," he said. "I miss watching anime."

"I miss the internet," I replied.

"If we tried to list everything that we missed, we'd probably die before we get to the end."

"Yeah," I said. "When does this job-slash-volunteering thing start?"

"Next week," he said. "It's from two to three pm on Wednesdays and Fridays."

"Okay," I said. "I'll see you there."

He left afterwards. I told Mom and Dad about the job, but the best response they could muster up was a weak "Good job" before they kept on worrying about Mira. The only time that she wasn't worrying about Mira was when we went to get the food. Then she went back to worrying about Mira. I wish she would come back home already.

June 20

Mira is back.

She came sometime in the afternoon. Mom heard the rumble of the engine (sometimes, she has great hearing) and ran outside to greet Mira. The first thing she said was, "Don't ever do that to me again."

The second was, "I'm glad that you're back."

Mira had to unwrap herself from Mom. "Geez Mom. You don't need to overreact like that. I was gone for like five days only."

"Five days are five too many," Mom said. "And with everything that is going on, it can get dangerous out there."

Dad stepped into the conversation. "Mira, what you did was reckless and dangerous. Do you know how worried we were?"

"I'm an adult," she said. "I can go wherever I want without telling you. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"All for a boyfriend." Dad scoffed. "A college boyfriend that you never told us about that you just abandoned us for."

"First of all, I didn't abandon you guys. I left a note on the kitchen counter. Second, I never told you guys because I knew that this is exactly how you guys would react. Third of all, guess what I brought you guys."

She opened the trunk. There were boxes with jams and pickles bobbing in clear glass jars. "Leon and his family have a farm up on the mountains and they're a big fan of off the grid living."

"We're not a charity case," Dad said, all stubborn. "We've got enough food."

"No," Mom said. "We're not going to return the food. The more food the better. Now you better start unloading the van."

Mom and Dad unloaded the van while May and I pretended to disappear, so we wouldn't have to do any work. I looked into the boxes of food. There was everything; canned peaches, syrupy strawberries, pickled green cucumbers, rich tomato paste. Grandma could probably make a feast out of it. I felt a tap on my shoulder when I was looking at the jars. It was Mira. "Can we talk?" she asked.

"Uh, sure," I replied. "So, how was your trip?"

"Fine," she said. "You know, the usual, rolling hills and other stuff." We sat there in silence after that for one excruciating minute.

"I feel like you wanted to talk with me about something more important," I said.

"Yeah," she said.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay," I said. "I'm sorry for doing that to you."

"Thanks," she said. "But I feel like we need to stop the lying. Please, no more secrets between us— just like when we're younger."

I looked at her before staring at the ground before my eyes finally settled at the wall behind her. "I can't promise that," I whispered.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I just don't like when people know my secrets. I just feel too vulnerable," I wanted to say, but instead, I said, "I just can't."

She sighed. "Just try not to keep the important stuff away."

"Okay," I said and changed the subject. "Is he coming down? You know, Leon, to meet us."

"I'm not sure we're ready yet," she said.

"You guys seem pretty serious."

"Yeah, I guess we are," she said.

"So Leon," I added. "Pretty strange name, isn't it"

"Not really. His mother named him after her favorite actor in that TV show. I'm forgetting the name."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The one with those people. Oh you know what, never mind."

"Still have no idea what you're talking about."

"I give up," she said.

Mom and Dad fixed a big meal for Mira's return. We got some stir fried noodles with bits of pork and canned corn while Dad made some canned okra and potatoes. For dessert, we had a piece of chocolate though I noticed that May took two pieces. I didn't tell Mom and Dad. Let today stay as a happy day.

June 21

"You guys need to do something other than laying around all day," Mom said.

"But there is literally nothing to do," May said. "Nothing at all."

"Pick a hobby and do it," Mom said. "Didn't you like photography in middle school? Go and take some photos."

"But Dad isn't doing anything."

"Your Dad is meeting with other people in our neighborhood. They're discussing what they would do with the houses close to the water and other important items. So I better see you with Dad's camera tonight unless you have a better idea."

"Fine," Mira said. "So annoying."

"And Neal," Mom said. "What do you want to do?"

"Didn't I literally tell you that I got a job?"

"Oh, yeah," Mom said. "How long is it?"

"Two to three on Wednesdays and Fridays."

"That's not a lot of time," Mom said. "You better find something else to do and not waste time."

"Yeah, whatever," I said.

"Colleges like that," she said. "And that's important."

"Not like they even exist," I wanted to retort back, but I kept that to myself.

But she had me thinking, do colleges and universities still exist? What is the world outside of our neighborhood? My world after the Mooncrash had been confined by the rolling waves and the border of houses by the end of the town. Who knows what's out there? What happened with all the other places? I want to ask Mira, but everything is too awkward between us.

My job-slash-volunteering thing is starting tomorrow. I feel like I'm going to regret making this decision.