Chapter 2 #2
“Your phone is melted, and you said all your money and ID burned,” Eric sighs deeply.
“Halle, they’re gonna let you out of the hospital tomorrow.
You need somewhere to go. Just stay with us for a while until you find a new job and a new place to stay.
You’re going to need to get a new ID along with any other cards you lost in your wallet. We’re more than happy to help.”
Wyatt’s eyes pop wide as he remembers something. “Hold up. Chief Holt needs a new PA. There’s a job opening.”
“Chief Holt?” I ask.
“Our chief at the fire station. Chief Ben Holt. Suzie retired about a month ago. He’s been practically bereft ever since. He’s had plenty of interviews but?—”
“None of them clicked,” Eric interjects. “You know, Wyatt, you could be on to something,” he adds and smiles my way. “You should apply.”
“This is too much,” I say.
“What have you got to lose?” Chase asks.
I realize the answer is nothing. I literally have nothing left to lose.
“Only until I get my feet back on the ground,” I mumble.
“Only until then,” Eric replies with a cool grin. “You’ll have all the space and privacy you need. Our mom runs a daycare center, by the way. It's worth checking out for Luna and Sammy.”
This really is too much. I can’t process everything in one go. My eyes are getting droopy. I’m exhausted. “Thank you,” I say. “Thank you, Eric. Wyatt. Chase. I can never repay you.”
“You don’t have to,” Eric says, his reply fading into the background.
I’m already drifting back to sleep, my eyelids closing on their own.
The next morning I am in a better mood. My shoulder and arm still hurt, but I am able to move a lot better.
It will be a couple more days before I’m back to full strength.
The doctor says I need to keep the bandages on for a week before I can let the skin breathe, but he’s confident that the burn cream will do its thing.
Luna and Sammy are looking much better, too. They’re still wearing last night’s clothes and soot from the fire, but they slept well. They’re both too happy to be with me to care that the three of us smell like a clogged furnace.
“I was so scared,” Luna says. She sits to my right while Sammy covers my left hip. He constantly caresses the top of my hand but is careful not to bother the IV needle. He’s usually a Tasmanian devil, yet given the circumstances, he is so gentle, calm, and sweet.
“I know, honey. I was scared, too. But you were both so brave. I’m so proud of you.”
“Are we safe now?” Sammy asks, giving me one of his signature wide-eyed looks that melt my heart. I have no choice but to muster the most reassuring smile I can as I try to soothe his fears.
“Honey, we are absolutely safe. In fact, we’re gonna stay with those nice firemen for a while. They’re going to keep us extra safe.”
Luna gasps with excitement, tucking some of her brown curls behind one ear. “Oh, that’s so nice! Their house definitely won’t burn down!”
“Let’s hope not,” I giggle. “How are we on the hunger meter right now? Want me to call the nurse and see what they’ve got downstairs at the cafeteria?”
“Wyatt gave us Jell-O and Pop-Tarts last night while you were sleeping,” Luna says.
“The breakfast of champions,” I laugh.
Sammy nods in genuine agreement. “Jell-O was good-O.”
“Good-O, huh?” I laugh again, though my shoulder stings a tad in protest.
The door suddenly opens and in walks Eric, a warm smile stretching across his lips. “Good morning, ladies and gent,” he says.
He looks so dashing in his jeans and plaid shirt, the fabric hugging his muscular figure in all the right places. His broad shoulders look even bigger wrapped in blue and black plaid, while his linebacker thighs bulge against his jeans. As soon as she sees him, Luna lights up with delight.
“Mr. Eric!” she exclaims, then jumps out of my bed and rushes to hug him.
“Come on,” he says, laughing as he scoops her up so she can give him all the love in the world. She’s the affectionate type, and I love that about her. “We need to get the three of you out of here.”
“God, yes, I desperately need a shower,” I reply with a soft chuckle.
Sammy gives me a worried look but I offer a smile in return.
He knows we’re going to be okay now.
I can see it in his eyes.
The Danson brothers’ house is lovely. Large but not out of the ordinary for this residential neighborhood. The area is quiet, with cul-de-sacs and white picket fences, generous backyards, and joggers running by.
“Oh, wow, it’s a mansion!” Luna exclaims as we get out of Eric’s SUV.
Eric laughs. “Not quite a mansion, but you’ll have plenty of space.”
There’s a narrow stone path leading up to the front porch where a woman in her early sixties awaits in a wooden rocking chair. As soon as she sees us she springs to her feet, rushing over to give us a warm welcome with a sweet smile and a voice to match.
Almost immediately, I realize she’s Eric, Chase, and Wyatt’s mother. Wyatt has her eyes, which are the same wild shade of green.
“I’m so glad to see the three of you safe,” she says upon reaching us. “When the boys told me what happened, it damn near broke my heart. I’m Marie, by the way. Marie Danson.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Marie,” I say, shaking her hand.
“Come on, let’s get you all inside,” Eric cuts in. “Wyatt and Chase will be back later. They’re on a shopping spree.”
I look at him confused while Luna gingerly takes Sammy’s hand and escorts him up the front steps of the house. “Shopping spree?”
“Well, yeah,” Marie says. “That fire left you without anything. Y’all need clothes, underwear, shoes. The kids need toys. That fridge needed restocking,” she adds with a reprimanding tone as she looks at her son.
Eric laughs. “We just got off a twenty-four-hour shift, Ma, have some mercy.”
“I had enough mercy to write a list for the boys before sending them out,” Marie replies.
“You don’t have to buy us anything,” I say, my voice barely a whisper, my protest ridiculously meek. Who am I kidding? We do need clothes and underwear and, well, everything. “You’re all too kind.”
“Hey, we’re human beings,” Marie says. “We help each other out when the going gets tough. Besides, you might’ve gotten over it a lot quicker had you been on your own, Halle, but you’re not. These two angels deserve better.”
“You’re absolutely right,” I exhale sharply. “Thank you so much.”
We walk through the front door and can’t help but marvel at the size of the house.
It’s spacious and breezy, with wide hallways and massive windows, allowing an abundance of sunshine into every room. The ground floor consists of a living room, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a dining area. It’s clean and tastefully decorated, though the Danson brothers are not exactly art aficionados.
Earthy and creamy neutral tones dominate the living spaces, while the kitchen features a bold, dark red backsplash against white marble countertops and a black acrylic floor. “Wyatt poured that floor himself, ” Marie says as she gives us a quick tour of the house.
“Sammy, don’t run,” I call out, but it’s too late.
He’s already far ahead of us with Luna by his side, both of them giggling while bolting left and right, checking every room in the process. Eric laughs as he shows me to my room first.
“There are five bedrooms in total,” he says. “We’ve got the three on the left side, and you and the kids get these two. Ours have ensuite bathrooms, but you can share the fourth with Luna and Sammy. I hope that’s not a problem.”
“Are you kidding? It’s sheer luxury,” I reply, in genuine awe of what I’m seeing.
My room is decorated in a neutral shade of grey. Nothing overbearing but soft and pleasing to the eye.
Sammy and Luna’s room is beige, with two twin beds sporting cream-colored bed covers and simple linen curtains. The furniture is oak, simple but elegant. I noticed the carpet right away: it was thick and plush enough so the kids could play on it without any concerns about getting hurt.
“It’s going to be okay,” Eric says at one point.
I’ve been staring out the window for the better part of a minute, admiring the back garden with its neatly trimmed shrubs and flower bushes, stone-paved terrace, and bistro-style seating with a hot tub and rattan lounge chairs.
“I hope so,” I reply with a heavy sigh. “It’s the calm after the storm.”
“Don’t you mean before the storm?”
I shake my head slowly. “Well, there’s the calm before the storm, when you know something terrible is going to happen.
But then there’s the calm after the storm, when the worst has passed, and you’re able to breathe again, wondering what you’re going to do next.
It’s the calm of one’s thoughts, I guess. The aftermath.”
“Halle, we don’t know each other outside of the diner,” Eric begins, standing an inch too close.
His cologne, a mix of lemon blossoms and sea salt, fills my lungs.
I could breathe all of him in. “But from what I’ve seen so far, I can tell you one thing with certainty.
You’ve got a strong spirit. You’re gonna pull through all of this.
By this time next year, you’re gonna look back and laugh about it. ”
“You’re giving me way too much credit,” I reply with a half-smile.
“No, I’m not. I can see it in Luna and Sammy. They’re strong and resilient kids. They had to get that from someone.”
I give him a long, curious look. “I’ve had my ups and downs, Eric. And right now, I’d say I’m at rock bottom.”
“But you’re still smiling and making the right decision for your children,” he says. “It speaks volumes.”
I’m about to thank him for the umpteenth time when Marie joins us in my room. “The kids are getting settled in their space, exploring every shelf and drawer,” she laughs.