promised.
Her hands were unsteady after she stood.
“Joe rechecked the car before he dropped it off,” Dan said. His fingers rubbed over her shoulder and down her arm, settling at her waist. She leaned against him.
“I know. I filled the tank with gas and everything is packed. I left out enough clothes for overnight.” She pressed her face against him, inhaling his scent like a diver drawing in oxygen to stay alive. She needed to remember every detail.
“Are you sure you have enough money?” he squeezed her tighter.
“Don’t offer me any,” Noel ordered, lifting her head to meet his frowning gaze. “I counted my tips a dozen times. We have enough for gas, a motel, and meals.”
“Holly wants to take Harriet,” Dan said. His smile twitched his curved lips and she traced a finger over them.
“I managed to convince her you need her company.” Noel rubbed her forehead before smothering a yawn.
“Thanks,” he said, and laughed drily. He tucked her hair behind her ear, his touch so light it barely grazed her skin but stabbed her heart. “You need to get some sleep. Go to bed.”
Noel tore her gaze from his. There was nothing left to say. He would stay and she would go.
****
Noel was so exhausted she sat on the edge of the bed for a moment before getting undressed. The next she knew, Harriet’s shrill barking snapped her from a deep sleep. Harsh coughs seared her throat. Hazy smoke clouded the room.
“Fire,” she gasped. “Fire!” Instead of a scream, she barely whispered. Panic choked her. Her heart slammed against her chest as she stumbled to her feet.
The children! Holly! Nicholas!
Tears streamed down her cheeks, blinding her. Harriet’s shrill bark drilled into her head. The stink of burning wire tasted bitter on her tongue.
My babies, my babies! Where was the other bed? The crib?
Her throat burned. There was no air left, only this blinding smoke. Frightened out of all reason, she pressed her shaking hand to her mattress and circled the foot of her bed. Squinting didn’t help her see. When she swept her arm out and found the other bed, she gasped and coughed. Her frantic search found Holly cocooned under her blankets and she bundled her into her arms.
“Mommy!” Holly whimpered before she coughed. “Mommy, I’m scared.”
“I’ve got you, baby,” she mumbled. “Hold on tight.” Her thoughts jumped like a grasshopper.
Nick! She had to get Nick!
Her legs pressed against the side of the bed. The air was growing hot, too hot. Loud crackling and snapping came from under her feet. Her lungs refused to fill. His crib was only two steps away.
Which way? Which way?
“Nicholas!” she screamed.
Close by, he coughed roughly. Noel stretched her arm out in front of her and lunged for the sound. Her fingers banged the slated crib side and she cried out.
His muffled efforts to breath ripped at her heart. The dense smoke was hurting him, so she flipped his blanket over his head. With a grunt she managed to juggle him along with Holly.
Out! Out! They had to get out!
“Hold on, Holly!” she screamed.
Quickly! The smoke was thicker, heavier. The air grew hotter every second. She couldn’t see the windows or the door.
Which way? She sobbed. Time was her enemy.
The damn dog hadn’t stopped barking and she prayed it was near the door. With her next step, her feet tangled in the dragging blanket and she fell forward. Unable to catch herself, she banged into the wall, smacking her head so hard she saw stars.
Harriet nipped her ankle. The pain snapped her into focus and she struggled to her knees. The air was a little clearer close to the floor. She managed a couple of deep breaths. The burnt stink made her stomach heave.
Get out! Find the door! Unable to let go of the children, she hugged the wall and slid along the surface. Sweat ran down her face and stung her eyes.
Her shoulder found the door frame and she sobbed with relief.
“I’ll get you out of here. Don’t you worry.
Her hands were unsteady after she stood.
“Joe rechecked the car before he dropped it off,” Dan said. His fingers rubbed over her shoulder and down her arm, settling at her waist. She leaned against him.
“I know. I filled the tank with gas and everything is packed. I left out enough clothes for overnight.” She pressed her face against him, inhaling his scent like a diver drawing in oxygen to stay alive. She needed to remember every detail.
“Are you sure you have enough money?” he squeezed her tighter.
“Don’t offer me any,” Noel ordered, lifting her head to meet his frowning gaze. “I counted my tips a dozen times. We have enough for gas, a motel, and meals.”
“Holly wants to take Harriet,” Dan said. His smile twitched his curved lips and she traced a finger over them.
“I managed to convince her you need her company.” Noel rubbed her forehead before smothering a yawn.
“Thanks,” he said, and laughed drily. He tucked her hair behind her ear, his touch so light it barely grazed her skin but stabbed her heart. “You need to get some sleep. Go to bed.”
Noel tore her gaze from his. There was nothing left to say. He would stay and she would go.
****
Noel was so exhausted she sat on the edge of the bed for a moment before getting undressed. The next she knew, Harriet’s shrill barking snapped her from a deep sleep. Harsh coughs seared her throat. Hazy smoke clouded the room.
“Fire,” she gasped. “Fire!” Instead of a scream, she barely whispered. Panic choked her. Her heart slammed against her chest as she stumbled to her feet.
The children! Holly! Nicholas!
Tears streamed down her cheeks, blinding her. Harriet’s shrill bark drilled into her head. The stink of burning wire tasted bitter on her tongue.
My babies, my babies! Where was the other bed? The crib?
Her throat burned. There was no air left, only this blinding smoke. Frightened out of all reason, she pressed her shaking hand to her mattress and circled the foot of her bed. Squinting didn’t help her see. When she swept her arm out and found the other bed, she gasped and coughed. Her frantic search found Holly cocooned under her blankets and she bundled her into her arms.
“Mommy!” Holly whimpered before she coughed. “Mommy, I’m scared.”
“I’ve got you, baby,” she mumbled. “Hold on tight.” Her thoughts jumped like a grasshopper.
Nick! She had to get Nick!
Her legs pressed against the side of the bed. The air was growing hot, too hot. Loud crackling and snapping came from under her feet. Her lungs refused to fill. His crib was only two steps away.
Which way? Which way?
“Nicholas!” she screamed.
Close by, he coughed roughly. Noel stretched her arm out in front of her and lunged for the sound. Her fingers banged the slated crib side and she cried out.
His muffled efforts to breath ripped at her heart. The dense smoke was hurting him, so she flipped his blanket over his head. With a grunt she managed to juggle him along with Holly.
Out! Out! They had to get out!
“Hold on, Holly!” she screamed.
Quickly! The smoke was thicker, heavier. The air grew hotter every second. She couldn’t see the windows or the door.
Which way? She sobbed. Time was her enemy.
The damn dog hadn’t stopped barking and she prayed it was near the door. With her next step, her feet tangled in the dragging blanket and she fell forward. Unable to catch herself, she banged into the wall, smacking her head so hard she saw stars.
Harriet nipped her ankle. The pain snapped her into focus and she struggled to her knees. The air was a little clearer close to the floor. She managed a couple of deep breaths. The burnt stink made her stomach heave.
Get out! Find the door! Unable to let go of the children, she hugged the wall and slid along the surface. Sweat ran down her face and stung her eyes.
Her shoulder found the door frame and she sobbed with relief.
“I’ll get you out of here. Don’t you worry.
Similar Books
