Love in the Time of COVID

by atlanas_e_kildarin, Skyla Ladona (atlanas_e_kildarin)

Summary:

These are a collection of stories about Owen, Gaudet, and Gill during 2020 and 2021. “Miles of Earth and Sky,” the novel I wrote where these characters come from, was written during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2021 and edited fully in 2022. It is also available here on the archive. https://archiveofourown.org/works/31912564/chapters/79025230
So while I wrote the novel, I also worked on this series of short stories about the characters living through the pandemic. Writing the series was one of the ways I was able to process some of what my family, friends, and I were going through during that time.
The majority of these stories were written during the April 2021 NaNoWriMo.

Notes:

*Trigger Warning for this chapter*

2020 pandemic
Quarantine
A coworker getting COVID-19
Being told to stay away from work
References to bad customers at retail during 2020 at a grocery store.

Chapter 1: Out of Work

Summary:

Gaudet walks, exhausted, to his car after a long shift of working at a grocery store during the 2020 pandemic. He has a call to make to his partners.

Here is the main story set five years earlier: Miles of Earth and Sky https://archiveofourown.org/works/31912564/chapters/79025230

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Gaudet got to his car in the parking lot and got in. With shaking hands, he pulled out his cell phone. He gulped and dialed Gill’s number. After a few seconds, a voice answered. “What’s wrong?” Without really being conscious of it, this was how Gill usually answered calls from Gaudet, especially right now.. 

“Hi Sweetheart, are you busy?” Gaudet asked, trying to sound cheerful. 

Being falsely cheerful never worked on Gill. “What is it?”

Gaudet closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “A coworker at work had Corona,” Gaudet said. “I’ve been told to self-quarantine.” His hand shook. “I . . . I can . . . I can stay in my car to sleep if—”

“Gaudet, no,” Gill cut in quickly. “No, Babe. You’ve already been home with us. You’ve already been at work with that person. You’re coming home and not sleeping in the car.”

Gaudet covered his eyes and the stress of working longer shifts, at several depleted departments, and with angry and panicking customers made him shake. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. 

“No. No no, Gaudet. No .”

Gaudet heard Owen, an alarmed Owen, asking what was wrong. Then Owen had Gill’s phone pressed to his ear. “Gaudet?” Owen said worriedly.

“I’ve been told to quarantine,” Gaudet said shakily. 

“Do you feel sick?”

“No. But . . . y’all are going to have to quarantine too.”

“I know. We know.” There was a rustle of movement and Gaudet knew they were holding hands. “We’ll be ok. Come home. We’ll figure it out.” 

Gaudet drove home. The shaky crying he had been doing had been reduced to a numbness. It was 11:03 PM by the time he was home at their small two story peach house on Daffodil Drive. He got out of the car, tired, and went to unlock the door when Owen opened the door and gathered him close in a hug. Gaudet rested his head against Owen’s broad shoulder and shuddered. He felt exhausted. He felt drained. He felt tremors rushing up his limbs. Owen smelled like pasta and sauce and Gaudet remembered now that Owen would not be able to go into work. Likely, he’d have to tell work and the restaurant would have to quarantine. It was a complete mess. “I’m so—”

Owen squeezed him tighter and kissed his head. “Nope. Don’t.”

“Ok,” Gaudet mumbled and let himself be led inside, where Gill also hugged him tightly.