Free Outbreak: Long Road Back by Robert Van Dusen

like you’re son’s doing great. He’s strong as an ox.”
    “Don’t I know it.” Frays said as she forced a smile. She was oh so relieved that the little guy was doing well and she did not hurt her son last night. “He kicks the crap out of me all the time.” Frays swung her feet off of the table and hopped down. She frowned slightly as she shrugged into her LCS and secured her M4.
    “I want to see you again same time next week.” Lieutenant Haskins said as she finished putting up the equipment and unplugged it from the wall. When she had done that she took out a notepad and scribbled something down. “Take this to the Dispensary on your way out. I’m authorizing you a couple extra Tylenol along with your vitamins today. No more than two every eight hours with food. Have a good day, Airman.”
    “Thank you, ma’am.” Frays said with another forced smile as she accepted the note and started to leave. “You too.” She walked quickly down the hall towards the lobby nervously folding the note Doctor Haskins had given her. She was more than a little distracted by her own thoughts chief of which was how she was going to handle the situation with Lacey. Frays was so distracted in fact that she would have walked right by Tom if the nurse had not caught her by the sleeve.
    “Hey, Frays.” he said a warm smile spreading across his face as he moved just a touch closer to the woman’s side. The expression faded quickly when he managed to get Frays to make eye contact with him. A cold chill ran down his spine. “How did the checkup go? Is everything okay, Frays?”
    “What? Oh, yeah!” a nervous little titter escaped her mouth. She shifted her weight from foot to foot. “The kid’s doing great. Thanks for asking.” Frays swallowed hard and looked around, trying to avoid eye contact. “Just great.”
    There was something in the way Tom looked at her that said he did not quite believe her. “Are you sure everything’s okay?” he said quietly moving just that much closer to Amy’s side. The medic waved down the hall he had come from. “You wanna see your brother for a minute? He’s right down the hall there. Carl’s doing pretty good but we’re gonna keep him another day or two just to make sure.”
    Frays glanced at her watch. It would not be too far out of her way and she could just stick her head in to make sure he was alright… “Cool, thanks.” She turned and started down the hall hoping that the man was not going to follow her. Frays rolled her eyes when she heard the man’s sneakers on the rubberized tiles behind her. “I can find it myself. The place isn’t that big.” Frays said a little harder than she really meant to.
    “Oh, yeah.” Tom said quietly with a small uneasy laugh. Frays could hear the disappointment in the man’s voice and she could have kicked herself. “I’ll see you later. Maybe I’ll catch you at lunch or whatever.”
    “Yeah, whatever.” Frays grumbled. She ducked into her brother’s room and was greeted with a miracle. Carl sat up reading a familiar looking copy of The Hobbit even though it looked like he had a big old eggplant stuck to the side of his face. She crossed the room in two quick strides and hugged him tight. “Hey, you idiot. How are you?”
    “Mmm. Kay.” Carl mumbled around the swelling in his face. He looked frustrated for a second then pointed at his sister and the lump in her belly. It took Frays a minute to figure out what he meant then she smiled and laughed.
    “I’m fine. Just had a checkup and had to get my vitamins and stuff.” she said quietly. Frays took her brother’s hand and held it tight. “Just had an ultrasound. The little guy’s healthy as a horse. I can’t really stay so I’m gonna get going. I’ll let Frannie know you’re up for visitors the next time I see her, alright?”
    Frays stopped a few doors down from her brother’s room and leaned against the wall. It was so good to see Carl doing so much better after only