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Suddenly, I’m startled back into the present as smaller arms wrap around me. At the same time, fire trucks pull up and screech to a halt in front of the house. Everything is back in focus for me, and I look up to see my sister wrapped around me. Her eyes look as big as saucers while her normally tan face is pale with tears streaming down her cheeks. She’s taking in the scene before us and watching as our home burns.
Tears are running down both of our faces unchecked. I feel as if my own face is on fire, and I wasn’t that close to the flames. At least I didn’t think so. My entire body aches not only from Eric’s attack yesterday but from being pushed to the floor and then pulled from the porch.
“You’re all going to have to step back,” a man in fire gear suddenly tells us.
“Can we get the cars out of the driveway?” Lash asks the man.
“Yeah. Park in the street a little way down. Then you’ll have to stay back. Whose house is this?” the man questions.
“It’s mine,” I respond, my voice small and filled with despair.
Jaelyn and I can’t take our eyes off our home. Lash has his arms around us both. Sabotage is walking toward my sister’s car so he can move it I presume. In her haste to get to me, she left the door open, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out her car’s still running. Once he has it out of the driveway, he walks back and moves the SUV. While he’s moving the vehicles, Lash walks my sister and I out of the yard and away from the destruction going on.
“We’ll get you to the clubhouse and figure everythin’ out,” Lash informs me. “Are you Jaelyn?”
My sister nods her head as fresh tears begin to streak down her face. She’s not only upset, but devastation is also clearly written across her face. I’m sure my own face mirrors hers. This isn’t just about us losing a home; it’s about losing memories of our parents while we were growing up. About the feelings we get when we walk inside the house and remember the little things our mom and dad did. Our home is the last place our parents were happy when they were alive and now it’s burning to the ground in front of us. That’s what Jaelyn and I are losing in this moment. What someone is ripping from us.
“Are you okay?” Lash asks me as the sounds and smells of the fire and men putting the fire out blanket us.
“No, I’m not. This isn’t just our home, Lash. It’s filled with memories of our parents. This is where we lived and shared our happy moments, our sadness, tears, devastation, and everything in between. We’ll never get that back. And at this point, I’m not even sure how much is going to be salvageable once the fire is put out,” I respond, tears clogging my throat as they continue to spill over.
“It’s okay, Pixie. The fire looks as if it’s almost out now. We’ll talk to the firemen and find out when you can go in once they’re done with what they need to do. Do you and Jaelyn want to sit in the SUV so you’re out of the smoke and away from all this mess?” he questions as his arm tightens around us once more.
I’m standing on one side of him while Jaelyn is on the opposite side. Other than moving the vehicles, Sabotage hasn’t left our sides either. He’s been standing quite close to my sister, and I make a mental note to question this later on. I’m not sure what to make of him being close to her. Now isn’t the time to worry about it though.
It seems as if we’ve been standing here for hours on end. I’m not sure how much time has actually passed since we got to the house so we could pack some things to take to the clubhouse. I’ve been in such a state of shock since finding the house torn apart. Lash hasn’t left my side. When the firemen wanted to talk to us, he was right there. I’m honestly happy because I have no clue if I’m going to be able to remember a quarter of what we’re being told. Sabotage is also listening as we’re told at least we have an extra two sets of ears paying attention because I can barely pay attention.
“Are you okay?” the fireman asks, looking at me for a final time as the rest of the crew cleans up the hoses and other debris, they needed to put the fire out. “Do you need to go to the hospital to be checked over?”
“I don’t know what I am right now,” I answer him honestly. “All I want to do is figure out when we can check on the house and find out if there’s anything that can be saved. And take a shower to wash the stench and soot off me.”
“I understand. Here’s my card. Call me tomorrow and we’ll arrange a time to meet up here to go through the house,” he tells me.
Nodding my head, Lash takes the card from him, and I watch as he places it in one of the pockets in his cut. After a few minutes, Lash and Sabotage lead us to the vehicles. Jaelyn is put in her car with Sabotage. I’m led to the SUV so we can head back to the clubhouse. Lash places a soft kiss against my lips and I let him have it. It still feels like I’m in the middle of a nightmare. As if this is happening to someone else and I’m on the outside looking in. I don’t even know what emotions I’m feeling right now because there are so many things flying through at such a rapid pace. I’ve never felt like this before, and we’ve lost both of our parents.
“When we get back to the clubhouse, I’ll put Jaelyn and you in my room so you can both take showers and get cleaned up,” Lash tells me, placing his hand over mine as it rests on my thigh.
“T-T-Thank you. I don’t know how to thank you and Sabotage for everything today,” I mutter, my voice barely over a whisper.
“You don’t need to thank us,” he replies, his voice gruff and filled with emotion of his own.
Looking at him, I feel another emotion trying to add into the chaos already filling me. Tears are still falling sporadically from my eyes, and I can barely see him.
“Things will work out. You’ll see,” he tells me, trying to be sympathetic.
“We’ll see. You’ve definitely seen me at my worst in less than twenty-four hours,” I say, trying to laugh even though it’s the last thing I want to do.
“Shit happens.”
I stare out the window as he drives us back to the clubhouse. Suddenly I remember my car is still at Jaded Outlaw.
“Um, what about my car?” I ask, picking out one part of my life I can control right now.
“I’ll send a prospect to get it in a mornin’. Or do you really need it right now?” he asks, taking his eyes off the road for a minute to look at me.
“No, I don’t need it right now. I was just wondering because it’s the one thing I can have some sort of control over.”
“I get it. We’ll be at the clubhouse soon and I’ll get you both situated so you can clean up,” Lash informs me.
