Ethan Monroe’s words kept Flora Bloom and the others laughing the whole way. Amid their cheerful chatter, ti flew by. The sun wasn’t scorching, but it was already high in the sky.
Flora had been feeling hungry for a while. The group pulled over by the highway, hopped over the guardrail, and found a safe spot to start a fire.
Flora’s space was like a treasure chest, fully stocked with everything needed for survival.
She took out a large pot big enough for five or six people, a bag of flour, a carton of eggs, a few bright red tomatoes, and a dewy head of napa cabbage. Pots, bowls, ladles, basins, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar—all the kitchen essentials were there. She even produced a large bucket of water needed for the dough drop soup, placing everything on a picnic blanket spread on the ground.
"I’m craving so dough drop soup."
Flora’s mouth watered just thinking about the tomato and vegetable dough drop soup her mother used to make. You had to beat a few extra eggs into the flour to make the dough especially tender and delicious.
She was pregnant now and needed all the nutrition she could get. The flour contained starch, the eggs had protein, and the vegetables provided vitamins. A bowl of vegetable dough drop soup contained all these nutrients. It was delicious, satisfying, and kept you full for a long ti.
Flora didn’t know how to cook, so after she laid everything out, Jade was supposed to start cooking. But Ethan Monroe swooped in and claid the role of head chef.
"Auntie, leave the cooking to . Just you wait and see what I can do."
Ethan Monroe didn’t stand on ceremony with Jade. He snatched the bag of flour from her hands and began to mix the dough.
"Mom, don’t fight him over it. I’ve had Old Monroe’s cooking before, and it’s just as good as yours. You can relax."
Flora sat on the picnic blanket, took a tomato, and began to eat. Then she passed one to everyone else.
She had harvested far too many vegetables and grains in her space. Even after setting aside rations for Vert and the golden cicada, plus three als a day for five adults and one child, they probably couldn’t eat everything in over half a year.
After the others washed their hands with the water Flora provided, Jade took a bite of a tomato, and her eyes instantly lit up.
"Flora, where did you get these tomatoes? They’re delicious! Not sour at all, just sweet and fragrant, and so big. Oh dear, they weren’t grown with artificial sweeteners or sothing, were they?"
The more Jade ate, the more she felt sothing was off, and her brow furrowed.
Flora laughed and explained, "Mom, don’t worry. These tomatoes are absolutely free of pesticides, hormones, and stuff like that. I guarantee they’re all-natural. A friend of mine grows them, and they’re the kind of quality good enough for export. There’s nothing wrong with them."
’Flora had no intention of telling her mother she’d grown them in her space. For one, her mother saw her as soone who knew nothing about farming, so she wouldn’t have been believed. For another, she didn’t even know how to begin explaining the space to her mother. And so, this little white lie ca to be.’
’Besides, Lex Cross’s words from before they left kept echoing in her mind. If soone with malicious intent were to find out about her space, it would be a fatal disaster. She’d rather the people closest to her remained in the dark. That way, if her secret was ever exposed, it wouldn’t bring them any harm.’
"Oh, is that right? Then you must not have many. We should eat them sparingly. And save so for your brother."
The Flora of the past had completely inherited Jade’s simple, trusting nature, believing whatever anyone told her. Fortunately, that ant the present Flora didn’t have to waste her breath with any further explanations for her mother.
Flora pushed another tomato into her mother’s hand and said, "Don’t worry, my friend gave lots and lots. They’re all in my space. Besides, I’ve already saved plenty for my brother. You all just eat up."
Flora watched Caleb cautiously nibbling on the large tomato in his hand. She patted his head, her eyes filled with maternal affection. The boy had been quiet ever since he joined them. He was always so careful when he ate and, aside from Flora, didn’t dare to interact much with anyone else. It was heart-wrenching to see.
"Go on and eat. It’s really sweet."
Caleb lifted his little head, his big eyes blinking. He used his small hand to nudge Flora’s, which was holding a tomato. "You should eat too, Sister. Little sister is hungry."
The mont he spoke, Jade was the first to freeze. She stared at her daughter, blinking a few tis. "What ’little sister’?"
Nibbling on his tomato, Caleb reached out with one hand and patted Flora’s stomach.
"You have to eat too, little sister, so you can grow up big and strong."
This ti, it wasn’t just Jade whose face darkened; Caleb Bloom’s expression was completely rigid.
But even so, Jade looked tentatively at Caleb and said, "Now, children shouldn’t say such things. What do you an, ’little sister’? Your Sister Flora is still a young, unmarried woman!"
Of course, the child had no idea what "a young, unmarried woman" ant. Caleb kept his eyes on Flora’s belly, continuing his conversation like a little grown-up.
"Be a good girl in there, little sister. Eat lots so you can grow big and strong."
"Has the boy lost his mind?" Caleb Bloom asked Flora, his face dark.
’Flora hadn’t intended to hide the pregnancy from her parents, but these were trying tis. She didn’t want anything to slow down their progress, so she quickly ca up with an excuse to cover for the situation.’
’I’ll just wait until we find my brother and the dust has settled for our family. I’ll tell them then.’
"Mom, Dad," Flora began, "Caleb’s mother was pregnant with his little sister when she and his father lured away the zombies to save him. So you see... please don’t hold it against him."
Hearing Flora’s explanation, Neal Wallace and Ethan Monroe, who both knew the truth, tactfully kept quiet. One suddenly beca very focused on making the dough drops, while the other used it as an excuse to go "help."
Jade and Caleb Bloom stared at Flora with doubtful expressions for a long mont. In the end, however, their faith in their daughter won out, and they didn’t press the issue. Instead, their gazes shifted to Caleb, now filled with sympathy.
"Sigh... at such a young age. The poor thing."
Jade turned and gently stroked the top of Caleb’s head. "Caleb," she said softly, "you have to be strong, okay? Even though your mommy and daddy are gone, we’re here now, and we’ll take care of you."
Caleb glanced at Flora’s belly a few tis, then looked thoughtfully up at her. He saw Flora give him a little wink, and he tilted his head, a look of dawning comprehension on his face as he thought for a mont.
Then he looked up at Jade.
"Thank you, Auntie Jade."
Just then, Ethan Monroe called out at the perfect mont, "Food’s ready!" The aroma of the dough drop soup instantly filled the air. Flora, who was already starving, felt her appetite surge at the delicious sll.
The large pot of dough drop soup yielded seven or eight large, steaming bowls. Flora herself finished two of them.
Ethan Monroe had a hearty appetite and also finished two bowls. Neal Wallace’s appetite had grown since his superpower awakened, so he and Caleb Bloom each had a bowl and a half. Jade and Caleb, who were small eaters, each had half a bowl.
In an instant, the entire pot of dough drop soup—broth, dough, and all—was devoured. Jade took charge of washing the dishes. Flora offered to help, but Jade stopped her. As a mother and a full-ti homaker, Jade felt that since she hadn’t been able to cook, washing the dishes was a necessary way to make herself feel useful.
Flora was happy to take it easy. Once the others finished washing and packing up, she gave a little wave of her hand and stored everything in her space. Back over the guardrail they went.
It was then that the group established their respective roles for the journey ahead.
Having won everyone over with his dough drop soup, Ethan Monroe was the obvious choice for head chef. Naturally, Jade beca the backup chef, swapping duties with Ethan from ti to ti to give everyone a change of flavor.
Neal Wallace and Caleb Bloom were assigned to guard duty, taking shifts for night watch. Caleb was made the general helper, with the additional duty of shouting an alarm if he spotted danger. Finally, Flora had the easiest role: she was responsible for providing food and water, as well as handling logistics and dical care.
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