Page 24 of Her Honorable Hero

“Do you have Jeremy and Hope?”

Miranda’s heart broke at the thought of the little girl being away from her mother.

“I have Jeremy. Maybe Hope is with Scarlett. Keep talking to me.”

“I’m here,” came the reply. It was closer. Miranda maneuvered past sheet metal and insulation. She looked up and saw that some of the siding had come off the wall along with the luggage racks. The steel had sharp edges and she had to be careful as she went around it to get to Susan.

As she stepped over somebody’s suitcase, her leg gave out. Miranda dropped down to one knee.

“Mira?” Jeremy’s voice quavered.

“It’s okay, Sweets. We’re almost to your mom.”

Miranda reached out to grab ahold of one of the seats to help herself up, even though her leg didn’t want to cooperate.

“Come on, Slade, we don’t have time for this shit,” she said under her breath.

Jeremy cupped her cheeks and looked her in the eye. “You said a bad word.”

“I’m sorry.” She grit her teeth, which was a mistake. She was going to need a dentist for sure. She pushed herself up.

Just a couple more steps.

Come on.

Just a couple more steps.

She found Susan.

Miranda didn’t know if she felt like crying with relief or worry, because Susan looked like she’d been in a train wreck. She stifled a hysterical laugh. But seriously, Susan looked like hell. Her once-blond hair was matted with blood and her leg was at an odd angle.

“Jeremy.” Had Miranda ever heard so much love contained in one word?

“Mommy.”

Susan stretched her arms out to her son, but Miranda didn’t hand him over.

“Susan, how bad is your head?” Miranda asked quietly, not wanting to alarm Jeremy. She bent down so that mom and son could at least hug.

Tear-stained eyes looked up at her. “I think it’s bad. I keep going in and out of consciousness. But it just might be from the pain.”

“Jeremy, I’ll let you down,” Miranda told the little boy. “But you have to be extra gentle with your mom. She’s hurting. You can’t jostle her, okay?”

He gave her a confused look.

“You can’t play rough with her,” she explained.

“She’s hurted?”

“Her leg and her head hurt.” Miranda looked at Susan, whose eyes were closed. “You have to be gentle and take good care of her. Can you do that?” She set him down beside his mother and he pressed against his mother softly. He stroked her arm gently.

“Mommy, can you hear me?”

Susan’s eyes opened. “I can hear you just fine, Baby.”

“Are you hurted?”

“Not now that you’re here.” She moved her arm and snuggled him close. Susan had her backpack next to her. She fumbled with it. Miranda helped her pull out a sweatshirt for Jeremy to sit on.