Chapter 41 Taran
Ihadn’t spoken a word since the electricity cut out. Every now and then, I could feel Cammie or Heather shoot me a worried look. They’d ask a question, and I’d murmur a distracted answer.
The fact was that I couldn’t speak. I was afraid if I spoke, the terror would take over and I’d be fully captured in it. How that would manifest, I didn’t want to know.
None of us had a phone signal, so Cammie had retrieved Quinn’s hand radio set and radioed out for a response from Ramsay. He’d replied there was no update as yet.
“Okay, I think it’s time for you to go to bed.” Cammie sat up, gently prodding her nephew.
“No.” Angus belligerently shook his head. “No way!”
“Angus, it’s way past your bedtime, sweetheart—”
“No!”
The following tantrum pulled me out of my shell and back into focus.
Quinn’s kids were petrified, and my fear had to take a back seat to theirs.
“Hey, hey, Angus.” I stood up, placing a gentling hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t we all climb in beside you and we’ll read a story together?”
He scowled up at me. “I’m not five!”
“I know. But storms scare me, and I’d like the company. A story would help me.”
His suspicious expression softened. “We won’t all fit.”
“Why don’t we bring the covers out to the couch?” Heather suggested. “Have a wee slumber party in here?”
“I think that sounds like a plan.” I looked to their aunt.
Cammie gave me a grateful nod. “Me too.”
Not long later, both Angus and Heather had brought their duvets and pillows to the couch. We switched off every light except the one on the side table.
“I’m just about to start Dragons at Crumbling Castle.” Angus held the book out to me.
“You want me to read?”
He nodded.
Heart in my throat, I sat behind his pillow, near the light of the lamp, and opened the book.
As I began to read, I found a haven in the storytelling, concentrating on creating different voices to liven up the narrative as a hush fell over Cammie and the kids.
For a small blissful while, I beat back the fear in favor of soothing Quinn’s children.
I felt useful and needed.
Then the radio crackled, startling us all.
“Cammie, this is Ramsay. Do you copy? Over.”
Cammie dove to pick up the handset, almost dropping it. “Ramsay, this is Cammie. Do you have news? Over.”
The kids scrambled up from their pillows, eagerly straining toward their aunt and the radio.
“Lifeboat and crew have returned safely to the station. Over.”
A sob stuck in my throat as the kids cried out happily.
“Aw, amazing news, Ramsay. Thank you. Over.”
Cammie dropped the radio and threw her arms around me. At the sound of her relieved, muffled tears, mine started to fall rapidly down my cheeks and I shuddered against Quinn’s sister, trying to contain the violence of my relief.