When Where and How to Love

Chapter 86. Invasion of walkers

Friday night

'The apocalypse', 'The end of the world', 'Total devastation', 'The end of all time'. These were just a few of the titles running through Juliana's head as she sat alone in her living room.

Perched in an armchair, with a baseball bat in one hand and a glass of Diet Coke in the other, the brunette stared at the wall display of family photographs and let her mind drift through the memories.

The first image that caught her eye was of a young Kara covered in mud. She smiled remembering the first time they had fallen into the pond, long before Valentina had become her girlfriend. She never would've guessed that this image of Kara would be the catalyst for her doomsday trip down memory lane.

Kara had been the first to fall victim. The first to succumb. Taken without warning, Juliana didn't have time to tell her how much she loved her. Her kangaroo had fallen into the hands of one of those awful creatures who threatened Juliana's world, and the brunette had been unable to prevent it.

With the bat in her hand the brunette rose from her chair and approached the wall. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the photograph of her new-born twins. In the image a proud Juliana held a daughter in each arm as she sat next to her sleeping wife's hospital bed.

Juliana set her glass on the side table and stroked the portrait with her free hand. She smiled at Anne's closed eyes as she slept, reflecting her peaceful nature. Contrary to her twin sister, Scarlet's eyes were open and puffy, eager to see everything. Who could've predicted that these very different personalities would be to blame for Juliana losing her daughters?

The brunette shook her head trying to rid herself of those thoughts.

Juliana slowly ran her fingers across the next photograph. Valentina had taken it shortly after they moved to their current home. An image of Juliana chasing after a naked little blonde as she ran down the street flashing their new neighbours. Maca had always been an attention seeker but the little owl had decided that running through the streets naked was the best way to introduce herself.

"My brave Maca," she said, caressing the portrait. "I told you not to go after her, I told you to leave her to me, that I would take care of that creature, but no," she sighed. "You ignored me, you went after her and now... and now..." she put her hand to her face trying to prevent her tears from falling. "And now I've lost you forever," she moaned.

Juliana turned her back to the portraits; she couldn't look at them anymore. She didn't want to but she knew she had to. She had to say her goodbyes to the youngest member of her beautiful family.

She looked back at the wall of memories to find the little wolf's enormous lashes. Juliana didn't know how her wife had managed to capture that look, but she had. Valentina had somehow caught the perfect portrait of their youngest daughter in conquest mode, and Juliana was proud to say her daughter's gaze had been focused on her.

She remembered that day like it was yesterday, long before their current disaster.

That day, Juliana had argued with the entire Carvajal army for most of the day. Her wife and daughters wanted to spend the holidays at their grandparents' country house, but after everything they had experienced the previous summer, the brunette refused to return. Juliana had offered them a vacation in Europe, she offered them a cruise to the Caribbean! She had even offered them a safari in Africa! But no! When the blondes decided something, it was impossible to convince them otherwise.

But Juliana was determined to win this time and refused to back down. The blondes had used their greatest tactics. Valentina even tried to bribe her with sex, offering to experiment with 'Pinocchio'. And despite the offer making Juliana weak at the knees, the brunette remained firm in her decision. They would not return to country house.