Hearing her ask that in such a small voice just about breaks me and I can’t stop from kissing her head.
“Baby, we are going to be with you all the way.”
I hear Jon tell some of the guys to find something to cut the boards with. I hear them move around.
Ry speaks up, “I’m gonna go bring Pa’s truck closer.”
“Wait, Ry?” Jane speaks up.
“What’s up, sis? I’m going to get your chariot.”
“Um, can you please let Nicky know I’m okay?” I can tell he tensed for a second before answering.
“Sure, darlin’.”
A few minutes later, Ben and Micah come in carrying a circular saw and a metal panel of some kind.
“A hand saw would take forever and possibly hurt her.”
Rory looks at Micah like he’s lost his mind.
“You think a fucking circular saw won’t hurt her?”
“If we put this thick metal between her and the cross-er wood, it would act as a barrier and we can get it done in a single cut on each side.”
“Do it.”
“Baby, we can look for something safer. We don’t—”
“No, I need to get off this thing now, like right now!”
Rory comes to the front of Jane and puts his lips to her forehead.
“I’m sorry, Ror, I just can’t hang here anymore. I know you guys are holding me up, but I can’t take this much more.”
She knew who he was right away. She knows the difference in our touch.
I look at Rory and Jon and see the same conflict. I can see the moment Jon decides to give in.
“Do it.”
We lay Jane down on her stomach on a table the guys brought in. Thankfully it’s skinny enough to let her hands hang off of it.
Micah, Ben, and Mick work the piece of metal between Jane and the cross.
Mick grabs the saw and starts it. He’s the one in construction and the obvious choice to do this.
“Janem if you feel anything, you need to say something, okay?”
“You mean like a safe word? I don’t have one of those. I mean I could pick one out I guess if that’s what you’re meaning, I just…”
Jon’s hand stops Jane’s word vomit. “Sax gave her some pain pills, so she must be a lightweight.”
“Beautiful, just say stop if you feel anything, okay?”
“Okay, though I was going to say my safe word is pumpkin since I hate pumpkin.” Even in this situation, our woman has the guys almost cracking a smile.
Mick gets serious.
