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I’d gotten my bag and my phone in my hand when he came back out. “Your place is safe.” He stepped to me, grabbing my shoulders, and pressed a firm kiss to my forehead. “I love you. I love you so much, and we’ve not talked about all the heavy shit that happened this weekend, but know that I love you with everything in me. I have to go.” He began running back to his truck.
“Brett!”
He started to get inside but stopped in the door and pointed at me. “Get inside. Be safe. Call 911 for me. The cops will get there faster than me.”
My heart was pumping, strongly and loudly, and my hands were sweating.
I was having a slightly delayed reaction.
It happened so fast. Callie’s call. Her screams. And now Brett was going to rescue her. It took one minute for all of that to transpire.
And I needed to call 911.
Shit! I needed to call 911.
I sank down on the bed, and did that.
“911, what is your emergency?”
I told them everything, gave them the information they needed, and as I did, I held up my hand. It was shaking. Not a slight tremor or tremble. The entire hand and wrist were uncontrollable.
The screams.
It’d been Callie’s screams.
It brought it all back.
Of course, it would’ve come back.
They hung up with me almost right away and were going to call Brett’s landline. I didn’t have Callie’s cell number to give them. After that, I took a few deep breaths before I realized I could call someone else.
I called Travis.
64
BILLIE
I went out to see the ladies. Vicky’s car was here, so was the truck that Howard used, but the house was locked and their phones weren’t on. They only turned off their phones if they were in church or at some church-related event.
Brett would be okay. Travis reassured me, said the police probably got there before him. They’d secure the house. Brett would show up to be there if Callie needed anything, but Travis was also going to run over to double check as well.
I felt better hearing that, but I was hurting and my family wasn’t here. Plus, I had missed the ladies so much. I needed to hold Miss Sylvia Rivera in my arms. I needed all the hens around me. There was a flurry of activity when I opened the door, but I made sure to shut it quickly. I fumbled to pull out the light I’d brought, a solar flashlight. Vicky and Howard had a bunch sitting outside in case we needed them. I shook it and it lit up, and right at my feet was Miss Sylvia Rivera.
The rest were on the roosts they used for sleeping.
I made sure to hunch down and not hit my head on the nesting boxes or roosting bar.
In the far corner was just enough space for me.
I grabbed a broom from outside and got to cleaning that area, and when that was done, I laid a blanket out.
As I sat there, I yawned. Miss Sylvia Rivera moved into my lap and settled in, making a low clucking sound. It was like her purring.
I leaned back against the wall for a bit.
With Miss Sylvia Rivera in my arms, I didn’t think about Brett, or whether I’d been wrong about what happened.
I just held her.
