Around and in 2003.

     Indigo Sanchez wasn't always the type to overthink every little thing, but she liked to think she'd be ready when the zombie apocalypse finally came. There were, after all, about a dozen movies on the subject. But other than the jokes about stocking up on peanut butter and canned goods, Indigo didn't think much further than that. She never thought she'd have to.

     She'd be content with a simple life she somehow managed to achieve after everything — and by everything, she meant everything. Indigo became a young mom after high school to a beautiful girl named Mona, and her baby's father — Steven — was drafted into the army shortly afterward. Since her parents disapproved of the arrangement, which meant she was on her own. Just two little girls on their own in an already terrifying world without the zombies.

     Indigo raised Mona in the quiet cul-de-sac of a neighborhood not too far away from her work (once she could actually afford a house and not just some run-down apartment). She didn't have many friends, but she had a roof over her head and food for her daughter, so really what else could she ask for?

     She'd argue that her neighbor was better ready for the aforementioned zombie apocalypse than herself — well, really... better than anyone. Maybe it was the fact that he was also from the army, but she knew some people were just better equipped for the inevitable.

     If she thought Tommy was a bit weird, then she wasn't sure what to think of his older brother. Overall, Joel wasn't a terrible guy, matter of fact, she'd much prefer it if he were. But no, he was totally normal and somewhat peaceful, which made her feel better, since her daughter had taken strongly to his daughter, Sarah. For as long as any of them could remember, the two households were united by Sarah and Mona, the two girls growing up together side by side.

     Sarah and Mona were inseparable. Indigo knew she should have thanked the stars above for blessing her family with such an extraordinary girl, one that helped Mona in every way she could, including getting over her shyness and helping her talk to people. In many ways, Sarah Miller was special, everyone especially Indigo could see it. She had such a kind heart and immediately loved Mona like her own sister, which was something Indigo didn't take lightly, seeing as she didn't have contact with her own blood family anymore and she wanted her daughter to feel wrapped in as much love as she could ever know. Matter of fact, Indigo came to love Sarah like one of her own.

     The two would go from house to house, causing trouble in the neighborhood whenever they could, since they only lived across the street from each other. As they grew up, the young mother realized she didn't mind their antics, happy they had each other to keep company and safe on those long nights when Tommy, Joel, and Indigo were nowhere to be seen, busy with their demanding jobs and lives.

     Joel on the other hand, would say differently.

     But Indigo knew he was only teasing (at least, most of the time he was, anyway). Truth be told, he was wary of Indigo and Mona at first, but mostly because Indigo was so young when she moved into the home opposite his by herself. He didn't think he'd remember it at the time, but he couldn't get the image of the tanned woman hopping down from her beat-up truck, black hair cascading down her back as she swayed, clutching a toddler in her soft hands.

     He would tell you he was just looking out for his daughter. His worries came from a heart of gold. After all, he had Tommy to worry about, since his brother had become head over heels for Indigo the moment he saw her tending to the garden on her front lawn. Joel had to be smart; he didn't know who this woman was and where she came from, contrary to the other neighbors who would have believed her to be an angel from heaven above. (He could see why, she was unassumingly nice to every person she crossed paths with).

     "Dad," Sarah would whine, following her dad around their wide home as he dodged in and out of rooms. "Be nice."

     Joel would gruff quietly, always giving in to his daughters' requests. After all, who could say no to Sarah?

     At first, Indigo was admittedly a little more than worried about her daughter wanting to spend so much time at the Miller household, knowing that she had conflicted feelings about guys coming in and out of her life — or men in general — but this phase soon died down, starting with the playdates. Indigo would make her way to Joel's house after work, smoothing a hand over her pants or skirt (she wasn't big on bad impressions and told herself that it was the reason for combing her long locks or fixing her makeup right before walking across the street), and knock twice sharply. It always took a few moments for someone to answer the door, and she couldn't help but notice this time that Joel's wrists were decorated in braided colored string. Friendship bracelet making, no doubt.

     She also couldn't help but notice his shirt tightened around his shoulders, and upper back when he turned away from her, allowing her to glance at his muscles. Indigo's eyebrows furrowed for just a fleeting second.

     Even though this was the 2000s, and Britney Spears ran supreme, Indigo never overplucked her eyebrows, or did anything out of the ordinary, except dying a somewhat thick strand of hair behind her neck silver.

     "Hi," she mused. When he turned his eyebrows up at her and flicked his wrist as he leaned an arm against the doorframe — being just so communicative and expressive — she could really get a look at the glitter on her shirt. "I'm... so sorry..."

     Joel would shake his head at her each time she apologized for the littlest things, sick of it but also flattered that someone like Indigo would care enough about something like her little girl running around having fun with his own little one. "'S nothin'."

     "It is something," a smile grew on her serene face.

     But Mona wasn't like every mouth you feed. "Please, mami," Mona's begging mirrored Sarah's — that was something Joel would always remember — as she and Sarah peeked out from behind him. "Can we stay for just a little while longer?"

     "No, honey," Indigo would sympathetically tilt her head. "You'll see her at school tomorrow."

     "You're always welcome to stay for dinner," Joel would surprise Indigo, and himself, by extending this offer to her. Secretly, the girls always hoped their parents would hit it off, but so far, this was the biggest leap either of them would take.

     And it would stay that way.

     Indigo gave him the warmest smile she ever saw. "Maybe some other time," she feared she'd be overstepping a line. "Thanks for watching her," she practically hummed. Oh, maybe Joel could  love Mona the way Sarah does.

     The way Sarah did.

     "Course," Joel replied roughly. "We, uh... love having her 'round here."

     Sarah lept forward, completely oblivious to whatever was being exchanged between the adults through soft glances, flickering of eyes, and twitching of muscles as they stood in front of each other, waiting for someone to make the first move. Forgetting their children were there. "I can't believe you're leaving me here alone with him, again," the curly-haired girl groaned.

     "You know where to find me," Indigo reassured the girl. "I know us birds of a feather need to stick together."

     It was then Sarah suddenly wrapped her arms around the mother and daughter pair standing in her doorway, the only form of girlhood she'd ever come to know in her short years on this earth. Mona and Indigo let Sarah sink into them, hugging them for what felt like a warm eternity but was actually just a few passing moments. 

     It was funny, how Indigo walked into that neighborhood with one daughter and would end up with two.

FOR THE BETTER.