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Herc was right in the end. George returned back to the ward and I was able to get over my spiked anxieties. And a month later we got the news that thanks to the blood samples from George, as well as the blood work from me and Alex (plus apparently from Aaron who’d been giving samples of his blood to search for the immune gene or protein) not only was a vaccine made, but a working cure for those infected with the virus. A couple months later, the virus known as Influenza X was officially declared eradicated from the planet, and we were free to leave the ward
Don’t get me wrong, I was SO glad to be out of that god forsaken place, but at the same time, it was bittersweet. So much had changed during my time spent in the ward, and all of us present changed too. We’d lost some friends, but gained new ones at the same time. George, Martha, and Jackson returned home to their estate in Virginia while Herc, Alex, and I returned to our homes in New York. Alex ended up leaving his dorm on campus and Herc moved in as well after my brother returned from France so our simple little home had grown by 3 since the virus began. I didn’t mind it, even though I was living with a bunch of men, but they were my new family (besides Laf who’d already been my family)
George and Martha offered to take little Phillip when Alex and I went back to school and as much as Alex wanted to keep his son with him, he knew he’d never be able to focus on college being a single father to a newborn baby. So Phillip went to the Washington’s, but Alex made sure to visit his son whenever he could and promised once he had a steady job and was out of school that he’d bring Phillip back to New York and the Washington’s agreed. Plus I think the family needed to have a little one in the house, especially now that Patsy was gone
As recommended by our old nurses, Alex and I were placed into a group therapy to help us cope with everything that had happened since y’know, we’d lost our friends and loved ones, and my whole knife incident still had the staff worried long after I was released. At first we both hated it, but eventually grew to tolerate and even enjoy going, and I even met a smoking hot chick who’d come from South Sudan as a refugee (for various reasons) and was working as a model for a black owned agency. And the best part?? She was a lesbian
The two of us hit it off quickly and soon we were official. And perfect timing too, because then I had a date for my brother and Herc’s wedding. Oh yeah, they were now OFFICIAL officials. The wedding was at an outdoor venue in New York and the Washington’s flew up to come, bringing little Pip with them so that he could see his father who was also in attendance. Alex decided to remain a single father for now and lo and behold once we finished school he kept his promise and started interning as a lawyer before getting hired not too long after, taking Pip back under his care now that he had a steady job and a roof over his head
The Washington’s lived a normal life, despite having to take care of little Phillip while Alex was at school. Jackie had a bit of trouble adjusting to being an only child but he grew up to become a successful businessman and took over his father’s company when he retired. As we all got older we spent less and less time with the Washington’s down in Virginia but I made sure to visit as often as I could with my brother and brother in law along with their adopted daughter. As soon as they found out that their request for adoption went through Herc pressed to name the little girl Patsy and Laf was quick to agree when he heard the story of the Washington girl who passed from the virus
As for me?? Well I moved to my own apartment with my girlfriend and began working as a Nurse at the nearby Children’s hospital. I never thought I’d want to work with children, but my choice came after attending a small funeral held at the Washington estate for Patsy where they sprinkled her ashes in the large garden where she’d always be close to home. I never wanted to have to put any parents, friends, brothers or sisters through what the Washington’s went through with the loss of Patsy so I vowed to do all I could to save children from Patsy’s fate. I like to think she’d agree with me
Well, that was my crazy adventure. Keep an eye out for me if you come to the Big Apple and if you pass through Virginia give a nice hello to the Washington’s for me k?? Stay safe out there everyone, I hear there’s some other virus passing around somewhere else and I can tell you personally that shit like this ain’t a joke. Hope y’all enjoyed my story and learned something valuable from it cause I sure as hell didn’t