Page 128 of The Warmth of Our Closest Star

The line went dead and it took me a moment to let my cellphone slide from my ear. Staring at the chyron on the television, I turned the volume back on. For what seemed like hours, I was glued to the screen, standing in the den, watching doom scroll across the screen. Finally, what was only minutes later, I turned the television off and sprang into action.

Peter had asked me to do something—and I trusted Peter. I knew that if he told me to do something, it was important. It took me a few minutes to find an old t-shirt I could fashion into what passed as a face mask. It looked ridiculous, and I knew I would be ridiculed when I got to the grocery store, but I did as Peter instructed.

It took me only a few minutes more to clear my work day with my boss. Within the first month of moving back home, I’d been made a manager, supervising a team of a few dozen interpreters. I knew it wouldn’t be easy on my team to have me absent for a day without warning, but Peter had been clear. When I advised my boss that I could be reached via my cellphone, if necessary, he approved my day without further question.

Once that was done, I got dressed and hurried down to the car. A mild panic picked at my brain as I sat in the driver’s seat, imagining what was going on in the world. The news can never be relied on for a clear and honest picture. The worst of the worst is what is always shown. Unless downplaying everything fits the narrative more. I’ve never been a conspiracy person or someone who loses their head thinking about how corrupt news organizations and politicians are, but I knew that there was only one way to find out how much I needed to panic.

So, I started the car and drove to the grocery store.

Peter stood in the pantry, looking around at everything I had purchased, chuckling to himself at the fully-stocked shelves. It was possible that I’d gone a little wild in the grocery store two days before. However, when I’d seen for myself how so many foods had been completely sold out, I couldn’t control myself. I’d managed to stay calm for the most part, however. Peter had told me to get enough groceries for a few weeks. What I’d purchased for us would easily last a month or two. At least as far as non-perishable items went.

“We’re going to be eating a lot of pasta and beans and rice,” he said.

We hadn’t even taken his suitcases down to the basement to start washing his clothes yet. The moment he had walked in the door, we had debated whether or not we should hug and kiss—concerned about whether or not we should stay apart for two weeks. In case he had somehow caught COVID-19 during his journey back home. It had proved impossible to stay separate. The two of us finally rushed into each other’s arms, clutching at each other, kissing and holding each other, proclaiming how much we loved and missed each other.

After far too much holding each other in the foyer, I asked Peter to come to see if I’d gotten enough for us to get by. He immediately began laughing when he stepped into the pantry. I didn’t really need an answer after that, but I waited for his verdict anyway.

“But we like those things, so…,” Peter trailed off.

“I bought the pasta they had, so we have a variety,” I said with a shrug. “People had bought most of the pasta. The ramen. Milk. Bread. If it was something you only have to add water to and heat to make a meal, it was gone. Ground beef and sandwich meat were gone.”

Peter turned to listen to me.

“No one was buying fresh produce, so I bought a lot,” I said. “I sliced and chopped and put a lot in bags in the freezers. The same with tomatoes so that we’d have the ingredients for easy pasta sauce. Whole chickens and pork butts were still available, so, I did the same with those.”

Peter laughed.

“I heard toilet paper is—”

“Gone,” I shook my head.

We both laughed.

“Of all things…”

“I know,” I agreed. “It was stupid, but no one was behaving poorly. Not at the store I went to. They were all just concentrating on getting the items they needed. I talked to Alex. He said people are acting crazy in some places down there but he hasn’t had any issues. Except with getting toilet paper.”

Peter chuckled and glanced over his shoulder at the pantry once more.

“Well,” he said with a sigh, “you took care of us. Like you always do.”

“I did my best,” I said. “I ordered some face masks, but I have no idea if we’ll get them or when.”

Staring at me for a few moments, Peter examined my face as though he had never seen it before.

“Are you okay, Enzo?” he asked softly.

“I’m scared,” I said without thinking. “I’m really scared, Peter.”

He moved over to me and took me in his arms.

“I am, too.”

“We’ll be okay together, right?” I asked, though I knew there was no way for us to see the future in such uncertain times.

“We’ll be okay,” he said, though I knew he was thinking the same thing. “Maybe it won’t be as bad as the news and everyone is making it out to be, right?”

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