“Trent and I passed a group of kids on the way out. I wonder if they made it. They looked so scared….”
I felt the tears fill my eyes, but before they touched my cheeks, Travis’ solid arms were surrounding me. Immediately I felt protected, flush against his skin. Feeling so at home in his arms had once terrified me, but in that moment, I was grateful that I could feel so safe after experiencing something so horrific. There was only one reason I could ever feel that way with anyone.
I belonged to him.
It was then that I knew. Without a doubt in my mind, without worry of what others would think, and having no fear of mistakes or consequences, I smiled at the words I would say.
“Travis?” I said against his chest.
“What, Baby?” he whispered into my hair.
Our phones rang in unison, and I handed his to him as I answered mine. “Hello?”
“ABBY?” America shrieked.
“I’m okay, Mare. We’re all okay.”
“We just heard! It’s all over the news!”
I could hear Travis explaining to Shepley next to me, and I tried my best to reassure America. Fielding dozens of her questions, trying to keep my voice steady while recounting the scariest moments of my life, I relaxed the second Travis covered my hand with his.
It seemed I was telling someone else’s story, sitting in the comfort of Travis’ apartment, a million miles away from the nightmare that could have killed us. America wept when I finished, realizing how close we came to losing our lives.
“I’m going to start packing now. We’ll be home first thing in the morning,” America sniffed.
“Mare, don’t leave early. We’re fine.”
“I have to see you. I have to hug you so I’ll know you’re all right,” she cried.
“We’re fine. You can hug me on Friday.”
She sniffed again. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. Have a good time.”
Travis looked at me and then pressed the phone tight against his ear, “Better hug your girl, Shep. She sounds upset. I know man…me too. See you soon.”
I hung up seconds before Travis did, and we sat in silence for a moment, still processing what had happened. After several moments, Travis leaned back against his pillow, and then pulled me against his chest.
“America all right?” he asked, staring up at the ceiling.
“She’s upset. She’ll be okay.”
“I’m glad they weren’t there.”
I clenched my teeth. I hadn’t even thought about what might have happened had they not stayed with Shepley’s parents. My mind flashed to the terrified expressions of the girls in the basement, fighting against the men to escape. America’s frightened eyes replaced the nameless girls in that room. I felt nauseous thinking about her beautiful blonde hair soiled and singed along with the rest of the bodies laid out on the lawn.
“Me too,” I said with a shiver.
“I’m sorry. You’ve been through a lot tonight. I don’t need to add anything else to your plate.”
“You were there, too, Trav.”
He was quiet for several moments, and just when I opened my mouth to speak again, he took a deep breath.
“I don’t get scared very often,” he said finally. “I was scared the first morning I woke up and you weren’t here. I was scared when you left me after Vegas. I was scared when I thought I was going to have to tell my dad that Trent had died in that building. But when I saw you across the flames in that basement…I was terrified. I made it to the door, was a few feet from the exit, and I couldn’t leave.”
“What do you mean? Are you crazy?” I said, my head jerking up to look into his eyes.
“I’ve never been so clear about anything in my life. I turned around, made my way to that room you were in, and there you were. Nothing else mattered. I didn’t even know if we would make it out or not, I just wanted to be where you were, whatever that meant. The only thing I’m afraid of is a life without you, Pigeon.”