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“He's still searching,” I answered, pouring a cup of coffee and heading into the front of the store.
I heard Rays footsteps follow behind me. I only had a couple hours to get everything ready to open. Not that there was that much to do, but the way I was feeling, it was going to take me a while.
“Didn't you hear? They were found yesterday in the early morning. However, three members of the search team are now missing.”
My stomach dropped, and I suddenly felt sick.
“Did…Did they say who?” I could feel the tears welling in my eyes yet again.
“No names were given yet, they say they may be dead. They apparently went missing the first night.”
I bolted to the bathroom, almost missing the toilet as I threw up the empty contents of my stomach. I ran cold water onto a cloth and put it up to the back of my neck to stop the room from spinning, but it did little good. Ray appeared in the mirror.
“What’s the problem Cass.”
He fucking knew what the problem was. Granted, he didn't know everything about my past, but he knew enough.
I knew enough that for searches like this, they took breaks often, switching up every couple of hours or so to get warm and eat. However, something wasn't right, and Ray passing it off the way he was, wasn't making it better.
“I haven't heard from Brody since that first night.”
“Yeah, but that doesn't mean it's him. Maybe he just left you, Cass, you know like last time.” It was then the tears started. I knew in my heart he wouldn't leave again, not after we made love, but Ray's words were making me second guess myself.
As the tears ran down my face, I could see Ray getting angrier by the second at my actions. Finally, without another word he marched out the back of the store, leaving me in silence.
The day went by slowly. It was almost closing time when May came through the front door.
“My dear, it's getting colder outside, did you hear it’s possible another storm is coming? I hope you’re heading straight home after work.”
“Hey, May. I am. How was the store today?” I asked, trying to take my mind off Brody.
“It was okay. Everyone was glad to be out and around. How are things going for the fundraiser?”
“Pretty good, May, so far I have raised a little under five thousand, just about a thousand per family.”
“That is wonderful. I'm just going to take a peak and see what is there.”
May walked over to the books on display, and I went back to searching my phone for any news, debating whether to call the fire department and find out what was really going on.
“Cassie, my dear, you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. What is it?”
I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. I had been good all day, but May was always so easy to talk to. My head fell into my hands.
“It's awful.”
“What is it, dear?” I suddenly felt her arm around me, smoothing my hair, trying to comfort me.
“It's my friend, Brody, he went up to help search for those people, and now there are members of the rescue crew missing. I haven't heard from him in days.”
“Oh, love. No tears, I am sure he’s okay, probably just busy and exhausted.”
“Well then, why does my gut tell me different, that he’s in trouble, May?”
“What do you mean?”
“I can't lose him. If I lose him after I lost Jackson, it will be the end of me, May. I'm in love with him.”
I had never heard the back door open, never heard the footsteps approaching the front of the store before the words fell out of my mouth, and I confided in May. When I looked up, Ray was standing behind us. The look on his face, the hurt in his eyes was enough to knock me in the gut.
