Chapter Thirty-One
RIVER
The soundof my phone ringing startled me from a fitful sleep.
I hadn’t slept well in weeks.
That’s your own fault, dummy.
After grabbing my cell, I sat up in bed, and saw the time read two-thirty in the morning. My pulse picked up speed.
This is not good.
“Hello.”
A chorus of sniffles echoed through the line. “R-River.” Lake’s voice, a mixture of tears and sorrow, managed to get out three more words that had my heart pounding and my body vaulting out of bed. “Huntley’s been hurt.”
“Where is he?” I yelled, panic ruling my tone, something that wasn’t fair to my sister, who was already upset. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scream in your ear.”
I was running for the bathroom to do what I needed as my sister replied, “It’s okay.”
“How bad is he and where is he at?” I tried asking, but it came out garbled as I rushed to brush my teeth before going to the bathroom and haphazardly throwing up my hair.
I was met with silence, but after a couple of seconds, Bronson was there, his voice sounding tired.
“Hey, River. Lake is worried and trying to get dressed so she handed the phone to me. She is taking it pretty hard that she wasn’t working tonight and not there to help him.”
Running back into my bedroom, I frantically threw on clothes when someone knocked on the door. I moved to open it and found both kids standing there staring at me with worried expressions.
“How bad is he and where is he at?” I asked again, trying to get an answer.
More worry filled Lennon and Bre’s eyes at my question.
“We don’t know much. One of the other guys called Lake to let her know that Huntley had been trapped under debris after a burning home crashed down on him and a young girl he rescued. He’s on his way to the hospital.”
I gasped, my knees almost buckling at his words.
“What hospital?”
After he gave me the information, I offered to have the kids go over and watch Stormi. By the look on their faces, they were torn. I knew they would want to help, but I also sensed that they wanted to join me too.
Suddenly my sister was back on the line. “Thank you for bringing the kids to watch Stormi. I would hate having to wake her.”
I mouthed for the kids to change and they took off toward their rooms. God they were amazing, always there for me and also now our group of friends.
“No thanks necessary. I’ll drop them off in a couple of minutes.”
“Do you want to ride with us?” she asked.
“No!” I said a bit too abruptly. Softening my tone I added, “I want to take my car so it’s there. I don’t know when I’ll come home.”
“Okay, I understand. See you in a few.” Then she was gone.
I shoved down all the emotions threatening to weigh me down and walked out into the living room. I didn’t have to explain it to her, she would do the same thing if it was Bronson in the hospital.
She wouldn’t leave his side.
Just as I didn’t plan on leaving Huntley’s.
