“Jesus, Dad, you scared the crap out of me,” she whispered, trying not to wake Drew. “What are you doing in here?”
“I just came to check on you guys before I went to bed. Do you want to talk about whatever it is that’s got you so upset?” Mitch asked, running his hand through his hair, feeling incredibly out of place. He hadn’t expected to find his baby girl like this.
Emily brushed away the tears that were still evident on her face before taking a deep breath and sitting up on the side of the bed. “Why don’t you give me a few minutes, Dad. Then I’ll come chat in your room if that’s okay? I don’t want to wake Drew."
“Sure," he answered, feeling a little relieved. He could use a moment to gather his thoughts. Right now, it felt like they were scattered across the mountain with all the bodies of the people who hadn’t been as fortunate as they had.
Chapter Seven
Mitch
When Mitch reached his room, he decided to grab a quick shower before having this talk with Emily. He was still covered in Micah’s blood, or maybe it was Drew’s--honestly, he didn’t know anymore. The one thing he was certain of was that it was high time to get rid of it.
Grabbing some sweats and a t-shirt, he walked into his private bathroom, stripped out of the messy clothes and tossed them at the garbage can. Nothing was getting those stains out. Easing into the hot jets, he let out a groan as the water began to massage the knots in his shoulders. It was tempting to just stand under the waterfall until it ran cold, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before Emily showed up, so he made quick work of cleaning up and turned the water off. Stepping out, he briskly toweled off and changed into fresh clothes.
When he emerged from the bathroom, he could see Emily curled up in his bed like she used to do when she was a little girl. He pulled the covers back from the other side and climbed in beside her.
“You want to talk about it?” he asked gently.
“I think it’s all just too much, Dad. I reached a breaking point I guess. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I mean, when I was looking at Drew lying there, the only thing I could think was how if the bullet had been just an inch to the side he wouldn’t be here with me anymore. I couldn’t live with that, Daddy, I just couldn’t. It’s always been me and Drew and I don’t think I could be me without him. Not to mention everything with Micah. I’m sorry, I know that I need to be strong now, but I’m so scared of losing the people I love," she finished with a ragged sigh, snuggling into his side.
Mitch cleared his throat, trying to dislodge the emotion that was stuck there. “You have nothing to apologize for, Peanut. What is happening right now is madness, and the fact that you all made it here in one piece with everything that you have faced is nothing short of amazing. I am so proud of you. You have become a fierce, strong woman, and part of that is knowing that emotions run deep. Sometimes you just have to let yourself feel them. It is not a sign of weakness, it’s a show of strength. If you hold it in all the time, you won’t make it long, not in this world, not with what we are facing now," he finished, pulling her in closer, so relieved that they had made it home today and that he had his baby girl here with him.
“Daddy, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, Peanut," Mitch answered with a yawn.
“When Mom died, you never really talked about it--how it made you feel, I mean. How did you deal with it? I’ve been thinking about it so much over the last few days, and I’ve been feeling a little guilty. I was so caught up in my own loss, that I didn’t even really think about yours," she finished in a whisper.
“Em, you were such a little girl back then. Being lost in your own grief is certainly not something you need to apologize for. Honestly, I didn’t want to share mine with you, it was mine alone, the only thing I had left of the love of my life to hold on to. Now that the grief has loosened its hold on me, there is room for the other things that still remain. I know I never talk about her, but I carry your mother with me every day. I relive the memories, and I see so much of her in you and your brother," Mitch paused, thinking about his sweet Isabelle.
“Did I ever tell you about the first time I met your Mom?” he asked.
Emily shook her head “no,” cleared her throat, and said, “No, Daddy, but I would really love to hear about it."
“I was fourteen years old, and had just landed in my fifth foster home after my mom left me. That’s another story for another day--tonight we’ll just focus on the good. So, there I was, carrying my trash bag full of possessions, trying my best to look like a tough guy even though I was scared shitless. The one thing I had learned about foster care was that most times ‘care’ didn’t have much to do with it. I had already been in some really terrible places, so my guard was up, and I didn’t want anyone to see how truly scared I was. It was the not knowing that was the worst. Once I knew what I was up against, I could deal with it, but the unknown was scary, and each place had its own set of unwritten rules and potential dangers," Mitch paused, collecting his thoughts.
“So, there I was, standing on the front porch with my social worker, waiting anxiously for the door to open. I must have had a thousand thoughts racing through my mind at that moment, but not one of them could have prepared me for what happened next," Mitch thought back with a smile.
“What happened?” Emily asked, intrigued.
“Well, the most beautiful girl I had ever seen opened the door. She looked as if she had been outside rolling around in the dirt, and she was wearing an old ratty baseball hat backwards that was covering most of her golden hair, but those crystal-clear aquamarine eyes of hers held so much happiness. I felt myself being pulled like a magnet. I wanted--needed--not only to be in the presence of, but also a part of the reason for that happiness. I knew I would do anything just to see her stunning smile directed at me."
“So, then what happened?”
Mitch looked down at his daughter and hugged her closer before he began again: “Well, she looked me right in the eye and said, ‘Are you the new kid?’ Speechless, it was all I could do to just nod. She continued, ‘Can you pitch? Because we really need a pitcher.’ I tried to play it cool and said that of course I could throw a ball. I figured, how hard could it be? It wasn’t rocket science, after all. The truth was, I had never actually done it before. So, I set my bag down in the house and followed her to the backyard where they had set up some bases. There were several other kids out there, but I barely noticed. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She tossed me the ball and I walked over to the mound in the center of the yard, feigning confidence. I took a deep breath, lined up for the pitch, and failed--miserably. I’m talking not even close. Turned out, it was maybe closer to rocket science than I had expected. I was humiliated--my face must have turned 10 shades of red. She was so cool about it, though. She just gave me a lighthearted smile, winked and said, ‘We’ll call that one a warm up.’ She tossed the ball my way again and that was it--my heart belonged to her from that moment on," Mitch finished, grinning at the memory.
“Was it a good place? The house where you met her? Did you end up staying there?” Emily asked.
“It was the best place. Mrs. Z was the kindest woman that I had ever met. The only thing that was scary about her was her cooking,” Mitch laughed, “but I would have eaten a thousand burnt casseroles without complaint because she put so much love into everything she did. She always seemed surprised when meals turned out badly," Mitch laughed again at the memory.
“I stayed there until I turned eighteen. Then it was off to the Navy for me," he finished.
“What about Mama, did she stay there too?” Emily wondered.
“She was two years younger than me, so she was still there when I left, but Mrs. Z passed away while I was gone. It was your Nana Kate who took her in at the end. She was Mrs. Z’s best friend. Those two ladies together were something else. Luckily for us, Kate used to bring dinners over once a week or so," he said with a laugh.
“So, you had known her since you
were fourteen? Did she know you loved her right away?” Emily asked, stifling a yawn.
“Naw, we were just kids back then. Our connection was instant, though, much like you and Drew," Mitch pointed out. “It’s getting really late, Peanut, I think if you're feeling better, it’s probably time to get back to bed," Mitch suggested, feeling the pull of sleep on his body.
“Alright, Daddy, I love you. And thanks for sharing all this with me. I never really felt comfortable asking about anything, but I was so young. There is only so much I remember, and I want to know her, you know?” Emily said as she climbed out of the bed.
“I know, Em, we’ll talk more later, I promise. I’ve got so many stories to share with you, just not tonight. Now go--get some sleep. Love you," Mitch said fondly.
“Love you, too, Dad," she said as she slipped out of the room.
Chapter Eight
Juliette
Juliette woke with a start, trying to wrap her mind around the loud banging that she was hearing. Was it coming from outside? Last night, before she had gone to bed, the snow was falling in a frantic flurry. She could only imagine how bad it must be out there by now. If someone was out in that cold, they would likely be hypothermic.
She quickly grabbed her pants, slipped them on, and pulled a sweater over her t-shirt.
She could hear all of the men shouting in the hallway and hoped this wasn’t an attack.
When she opened the door, she almost collided with Mitch in his rush to the front door. She noticed a small gun in his hand, and she followed him, keeping back a safe distance. She watched, mesmerized, as he made his way to the noise. She could see Mike standing to one side with a large rifle trained on the door. He gave a slight nod and Mitch yelled to whomever was outside.
“Who’s out there?” he called.
She could hear a muffled voice from the other side: “Please, help! Please, I’m Dave Grayson. Help, I need help!”
Travis, who had been standing on the opposite side of the room, piped up at the name, “I think I know him. He has a place not too far from mine. We were talking on the Hamm before the kids showed up at my house. They had been staying with him for a couple of days after their car accident, and that’s how they found me. I think it’s safe to let him in--stay on guard though--just in case he’s not alone."
Mitch gave a slight nod and slowly opened the door, his gun aimed through the narrow opening as he cautiously peered out. Once the door was open wide enough for Juliette to get a view, she let out a startled gasp. The man on the porch was certainly not dressed for the weather, and the snow was piling up quickly. There had to have been over a foot already.
“Get him in, quickly!” she called out, rushing to the front. Mitch stopped her, his arm held out.
“Stay back! It could be a trap," he demanded.
She shoved his hand away, suddenly furious. “We need to warm him--now!” she insisted, “I’m not even sure how he’s still standing."
Dave stumbled into the house. “Where’s Karen? I have to find Karen," he mumbled as he sank to his knees.
Juliette shot Mitch a pointed glare as she approached the frozen man and struggled to help him back to his feet. “Don’t just stand there, you guys. We need to get him up, get these wet clothes off, and start warming him right away!” she yelled at the room full of men.
“Right. I’ll go and get some spare clothes," Mitch said, passing her his medic bag that was sitting beside the door before heading up the stairs.
“Should I go run him a bath?” Mike asked.
“No!” Juliette shouted, more loudly than intended. “If we warm him too quickly, it could cause heart arrhythmia, and that’s the last thing he needs right now,” she explained more calmly, “If you’ll help me move him to the couch and cut these clothes off, we can start warming him slowly. Hopefully it’s not too late."
Mitch returned with the dry clothes including a wool hat and scarf, and several warm blankets just as they had finished removing Dave’s wet garments. He had bruising all over his body, he had been badly beaten. The poor man had to have been close to seventy, if not older. Juliette’s heart went out to him. He was in and out of consciousness and kept mumbling about Karen and the cows.
“Do you think we can save him?” Mitch asked, concerned.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure going to try," Juliette said as she gently dried Dave’s body and then struggled to re-dress him.
“Here, let me help you," Mitch said, taking the weight of Dave’s body so that Juliette could pull first a t-shirt, then a thick sweater over the man’s head. “You need to remember that we’re all in this together, working toward the same goal," Mitch finished.
After Juliette slipped dry underwear and sweatpants onto Dave’s legs, Mitch helped him to stand so that she could pull the clothing up. Together, they settled him back onto the couch. Juliette pulled the warm hat onto his head and wrapped the scarf around his neck so that only his face was exposed.
“Do you have any heating bottles?” Juliette asked as she began wrapping the blankets around his torso, knowing it was important to rewarm the trunk of the body first to avoid causing shock. “And a thermometer?” she added to her request.
“No! Don’t take her!” Dave suddenly yelled, flailing his arms and legs wildly before collapsing back into the couch.
“He’s delirious, but at least he’s still semi-conscious, that’s a good sign. He’s lucky to have stumbled upon this place, he would have been dead in a few more hours. Do you have any caffeine free tea or some broth? If we can rouse him enough to drink something it will help to warm him more quickly. Just warm sugar water will work too--nothing too hot," Juliette asked Mitch.
“I’m going to get a bag of saline to warm, I’ll bring up an IV set, so we can start a line, and I’ll look for a warming bottle too. I’m sure I have one around here somewhere," Mitch replied, giving her shoulder a squeeze before he left the room.
When Juliette finished wrapping the blankets around Dave, she took the last one and placed it over the top of him. Feeling satisfied with that, she sat beside him on the sofa and began checking his vital signs. His breathing was shallow, and his pulse weak. She would need to monitor him closely. Juliette glanced up to find that both Mike and Travis were staring at her dumbfoundedly.
Mike cleared his throat before he began to speak. “You really know your stuff. The only person I’ve ever seen just jump head first into a situation like that and take charge is my boy, Addie."
Juliette gave him a blank stare trying to figure out who he was talking about. “Well, thanks, I guess. I’m an ER nurse, so it kind of comes with the job. Who is Addie?”
“Addie, huh? I kinda like that for him," she said with a smile.
Mike gave a hearty laugh, causing Juliette to jump, the noise was so unexpected. When she jumped, Travis started to chuckle as well. She raised her eyebrow at the two of them. “Glad I could entertain you boys, but the shows over. You might as well go get some sleep, I’ll stay with him until morning,"
“Yes, ma’am," Travis said with a big yawn as he turned to head back up the stairs.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to keep watch, at least until Ad--I mean Mitch--comes back in here. Who knows how Dave got here? I’m not about to take any chances," Mike told her, reclaiming his position at the front window in the mud room.
“Very well,” she said, rechecking Dave’s vitals. His breathing was a bit erratic and she was hoping she wouldn’t need to start CPR. “Come on, Dave, nice big deep breaths. Try to slow it down," she whispered to him, unsure if he was conscious enough to hear her. She was so lost in what she was doing that it startled her when Mitch walked up and touched her back.
“I brought some chicken broth and some warm blueberry tea with honey, I wasn’t sure which would be best for him. Also, I had two hot water bottles, so I filled them both,"
he said, placing the drinks on the end table before turning back to go grab the warm bottles.
“Thanks," she said simply. “Let’s put them under the top blanket."
“Sure," Mitch answered, pulling the covers back and placing one bottle on his chest and the other on his abdomen. Once he was finished, Mitch kneeled beside Dave to start an IV line. If they could get the warmed saline drip started, it would increase his chance of survival dramatically.
“He looked pretty rough. What do you suppose happened to him?” Juliette mused.
“It’s that asshole who’s trying to take over the mountain. The kids had been at Dave and Karen’s before they hiked up to Travis’ place. Right before they left, they saw several of those men making their way up to the house. Emily said that Dave and Karen were in a hidden space under their dining room table. I guess they found them," Mitch told her, the sadness in his eyes making her heart wrench.
“Where do you think Karen is? Why would they dump Dave in the woods, but keep Karen?” Juliette asked.
“They didn’t keep her. We ran into her out there yesterday when Micah was attacked. She had already turned. Emily put her down," Mitch said as quietly as possible, the words laced with sorrow.
“How awful," was all she could think to say.
“Let’s see if we can sit him up and get him to drink the tea. It’s a good way to start warming him on the inside," Juliette said.
Mitch gave a nod, pulling Dave into a sitting position. “Dave, we need you to try and wake up now, and have something to drink," he said, sitting beside the man with one arm behind his shoulders and the other hand holding the cup.
“Hmm...” Dave responded, his head lulling around.
“The only thing we can do now is wait. I’ll sit here with him if you don’t mind checking on Mike, make sure there’s no trouble out there,” Mitch asked.
“Of course. I’ll go see what I can find out," she said, getting up to go check on things. When she reached the mudroom, Mike gave her a nod before turning back to the window, which he had been staring out for the past fifteen minutes.