Page 84 of Controlled Burn

Keith swallowed and took a deep breath. “Speaking of finding me. Thanks, man. When I heard the call for everyone to retreat, I thought I was done for, but then when I heard your voice on the radio, and you said you were coming after me, I knew I’d be okay.”

My dad looked pleased but embarrassed by Keith’s confidence in him. “You know I got your back. Besides, who else is gonna make me lasagna and fried chicken? I had to go in after you.”

Everyone chuckled, but the two of them locked eyes. Something passed between them, and I knew in that moment that my dad and Keith were going to be okay.

“Well, I need to get back to the station,” Samuel said. “Robert, you coming?”

“Yeah, right behind you. Caleb, I’ll be by with your stuff in a little while.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Keith looked at me with that look he got when he was about to Daddy me. “Rabbit, have you had anything to eat today?”

“I was a little bit busy being worried about you.”

“And as you can see, I’m fine. Why don’t you walk down with them and grab yourself something to eat? Then you can come back up.”

My dad and Keith exchanged a look that made my eyes roll so hard. I’d been so worried they wouldn’t work things out that I hadn’t considered what it would be like to have them teaming up against me.

“Fine. Does anyone else want me to bring anything back?”

They all shook their heads. “We aren’t going to stay long. Keith will need to get his rest. I’ll fix everyone something back at the house.”

No matter what my Daddy thought, there was no way I could’ve eaten anything earlier, but he was right, he was okay, and I was surprisingly hungry. I got a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a bottle of water because all I’d had to drink all day was bad coffee. I decided to eat it up in his room, and when I got back up there, they were just getting ready to leave. His mom hugged me tight, and I sank into it. “Mrs. Brooks, thank you so much for everything.”

She pulled back and chuckled. “Caleb, sweetie, we walked through hell together today. I think you can call me Amanda.”

“Okay. Then thank you, Amanda.”

She kissed me on the cheek and then grinned at me. “Don’t let him run you off. He likes to pretend he’s big and tough, but I know better, and if he gives you any trouble, you just call me.”

Chapter 30

Keith

Caleb set his sandwich down on the bedside table as soon as my parents left and looked at me. I’d put my poor little Rabbit through it today, that was for sure.

I patted the bed on my good leg’s side. “Come up here, Rabbit.”

He looked at me and then back at the door. “I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

I chuckled. “What are they gonna do? Throw me out? Come on.”

He shook his head but did as I said, climbing up on the bed beside me. “No, they won’t kick you out, but me, on the other hand…”

“Nope, I won’t allow it.” I didn’t know if I could really keep them from kicking him out, but I could put up quite a fight if they tried.

He smiled at me and laid down beside me, and I wrapped my arms around him. He sank into me as he began to cry. The second I saw him, I knew he was barely holding it together, but I was okay, and he was here with me now, so he didn’t have to be strong anymore.

“Shh, baby boy. Daddy’s got you.”

I held on to him while he let a whole day’s worth of worry and fear flow out. At one point, someone, a nurse, I assume, pushed open the door, and I shook my head no. They nodded and stepped back out.

After a few minutes, he stopped crying and pulled himself together.

“I was so scared. When my dad called, and he said you were at the hospital—” He shook his head and sucked in a breath.

“I know, baby boy. But I’m fine. I promise.”

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