Huntley, looking larger than life just as River had minutes before—even though it had felt like an eternity had gone by since they’d rushed back into the house—cradled my sister in his massive arms. She had something clenched in her arms, her face buried against it.
They moved further into view as he took her to the other ambulance.
“A dog?” I asked out loud.
I heard Stormi whimper and turned back to her, my knees quaking. My baby's face had been pale, but some of the color was returning and I felt a smidge of relief wash through me.
She seemed upset as she worked to say something behind the mask but it came out garbled. Before I could try and soothe her and get her to try not to speak once again, she said, “Puppy.”
I realized what she was asking. Stormi was worried about the small ball of fur that River was holding. Not sure how anyone was fairing, including the puppy, I wasn’t sure what to say, but Bronson beat me to it.
“They got the dog out of the house, sweetheart. You just rest now,” he said soothingly.
My lips quivered, tears threatening to burst free again. I needed to see my sister but I couldn’t bring myself to leave Stormi. “River.”
It was all I said and my husband knew what I needed.
“I’ll be right back. Let me go check on River and I will let you know what’s going on, but it looks like everyone is getting ready to head to the hospital.”
I watched as he took off running in my sister’s direction and I was stunned at what I was seeing. Before Bronson made it to my sister, Huntley ripped off part of his gear, took the puppy from her grasp, handed it off to another fireman, and jumped into the back with River.
Stormi whimpered again, dragging my focus back to her so I didn’t know what was happening, but what I’d just seen looked like something straight out of a movie.
“It’s okay, baby. Daddy will be right back.”
True to my words he returned to us in a few minutes. “They have her on oxygen, she has some burns, and they are heading out in a second to the hospital. And she’s not alone.”
“Huntley?” I said just his name, raising a question.
Bronson was shaking his head in disbelief almost and let out a small chuckle. “That man was barking orders for someone to take care of the dog and drive it to the emergency vet while telling the others there was no way he was sending River to the hospital alone. He did look a bit shocked when she mentioned her kids, but he said he’d handle that too.”
There was no way for Huntley to know about her kids. Nobody did but Bronson, me, and Capri, I didn’t think. It wasn’t my information to share and I had kept her personal life quiet.
Looks like the cat is out of the bag now.
I was thankful he was with my sister, but there was still a crushing weight on my chest.
Bronson reached out and took my hand in his, always knowing the second I needed the comfort. “We will be there with both of them, Cupcake. Your sister and our girl will be okay.”
Dave cut in right then, drawing my attention his way. “Lake, we gotta go. Are you coming with us?”
I looked back at my husband to confirm but his gaze was elsewhere.
“Bronson, what’s wrong?”
He shook his head as if clearing it and turned back to me. “Sorry, I was thinking about something Huntley said,” he mumbled. “Go with our girl and I will follow you.”
My face scrunched in confusion but then Dave was telling me again to get in. I gave Bronson a quick kiss and jumped into the ambulance. He was distracted and his eyes were once again off, scanning the area around the house.
I shouted at Bronson so he could hear me over everyone racing around, the hoses going with water still blasting the house, and the chatter, and asked him again, “Is something wrong?”
He gripped the back of his neck with one hand. “It’s just something Huntley said about getting an anonymous call about the fire that’s bothering me. It wasn’t River that called it in.”
He still wasn’t looking at me.
I watched as my husband’s eyes narrowed and his body went rigid, vibrating with what I thought was anger. Dave slammed the doors on the ambulance just as Bronson took off running in the direction of the group of gawking neighbors who’d been watching everything.
“Bronson!” I tried to yell, but it was no use, he couldn’t hear me.
