Page 43 of Save Me

Lainie’s hands were trembling as she picked it up and laid it in his arms. “The ashes of our son are in a tiny brass heart inside this bear. You’re holding your son, Hunt. It’s not much of him...but it’s all I have left to give you.”

Hunt’s heart stopped with a kick, and then raced to catch up. He could no longer hear the storm, or the rain pounding on the roof. He couldn’t see her face for the tears.

The brown pelt was soft beneath his fingers. The bear’s shiny black eyes seemed to be looking at him, and right where a heartbeat would be, he felt the tiny metal heart.

“Jesus, Lainie. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.” Then cradled it to his chest and broke into sobs.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him and the little bear until he had no tears left to cry, and the silence was deafening. Without a word, he reached for her, pulling her into his lap, and rocked her and the bear where he sat.

She hurt for the shock that had untethered him, and for grief she knew all too well. Finally, she moved enough to see his face.

“Look at me, love. This isn’t your fault. It wasn’t our war. And when you disappeared, I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you again. But I hoped. You gave me the bear, and then you gave me the baby, and even after I lost you both, I had the solace of knowing that what was left of him was within the last thing you gave me...like he was being held in your arms for safekeeping.”

Hunt knew if he opened his mouth that he’d choke on the words, so he just shook his head and hid his face against the curve of her neck.

“This is so painful for you because it’s new. But the day your mother came to my hospital room to tell me she didn’t know where you were, and how sorry she was, her words became noise in my head. After she left I cried until I made myself sick. We’ve been through hell, Hunt. We were so lost...and now we’re not...because of you. You found me. You saved me. It’s okay to grieve. It’s the only thing that will heal, and in the meantime, I’m your backup. A little the worse for wear, but I’m here, and I’m not ever losing you again.”

Hunt took her words into his soul. She’d always been his compass to sanity, but he’d seen the warrior she’d become. He already knew how fiercely she fought for who she loved. In his world, it was the people who had your back that mattered most, and she was it. He took a breath, cleared the tears from his face in two angry swipes, and then looked her in the eyes.

“Thank you, darlin’...for holding on to who we were. So, this is who we are, and now it’s up to us to create who we’re going to be.”

“Happy. We’re going to be happy,” she said.

As they sat, sheltered from the ongoing storm and the rain blowing against the windows, Hunt had a flash of déjà vu.

It was the rain!

Just like the day he lost her.

He’d been standing in the rain, waiting for a phone call that never came. And now they’d come full circle. She was in his arms again.

When she fell asleep in his lap, he carried her to her bedroom with the little bear and covered them with the blanket draped across the foot of the bed. As he was turning to walk away, he noticed something framed, hanging above the bed. He took a step closer, and then stared in disbelief.

His last text to her! She’d seen it, after all. And kept it.

He looked down at her then, healing wounds and bruises, curled up on her side in such a state of peace, with the Valentine bear tucked beneath her chin. She kept saying that he’d saved her, but it was her who saved him.

He left the room, taking care to leave the door open in case she called, then went into the kitchen to call his boss.

Pete Randolph answered on the second ring.

“Hello.”

“Pete, it’s me, Hunt.”

“Hey! I’ve been expecting you to call. We’ve been keeping up with your search through the news. We know the hiker was arrested. His first alibi fell through like a rock, didn’t it?”

“Yes, sir,” Hunt said.

“Congratulations on finding your girl. I hope she’s okay.”

“Thanks, and yes, she is. She has some healing to do, but she’s getting there. The reason I’m calling is to let you know I’m not coming back. I’m staying in Denver with Lainie.”

“I’m sorry to hear this, but I’m not surprised. I could tell she meant a lot to you, and we all wish you the best. Your last check will go into your bank account as always. Take care, son, and have yourself a happy life.”

“Thank you for everything,” Hunt said, and then stood in the middle of the room, trying to decide what to do next.

Food would be happening, but he didn’t know what was here, and she’d been missing so long, some things might have expired, or gone bad. So he began going through the pantry to see what was available, then he dug through the contents of her refrigerator before sitting down to make a list.

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