Page 35 of Now and Forever

“Daddy. Wake up.”

Malcolm tried to bring himself back to awareness as his shoulder was being shaken with great force. He coughed then abruptly sat up, realizing that the chirping was from his phone and not an annoying bird outside his window.

His phone was shoved at him by Seth. “I think it’s important. It’s Derek.”

Malcolm frowned, accepting his cell as he glanced at the time on the digital clock.

One-thirty-six.When the general manager of his winery was calling him in the middle of the night, it couldn’t be good.

“Hey, Malcolm. You should come here. They won’t let you get too close, but you could at least meet me at the command center, talk to the chief.”

Malcolm threw off the covers, ready to bolt. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you talking about?”

“The fire. Haven’t you been watching the news?”

Malcolm’s gut clenched, his hand trembling. “I… The fire?”

Seth gasped behind him, his hand landing on Malcolm’s shoulder.

“Oh God.” Derek sounded wrecked. “I thought you got my message earlier and were maybe keeping track on the news. Shit. I should’ve tried you again, I’m sorry.”

“Derek, slow down, it’s all right. I had the ringer off earlier.” And then he hadn’t bothered to check his messages when he’d turned it back on. Seth had been so exhausted after their figging session. “Start from the beginning.”

He rose from the bed, his heart thundering and stomach twisting as he switched on the lamp. Seth rushed to grab his robe while Malcolm stepped into his slippers. Malcolm mouthed a ‘thank you’ to Seth as he helped him put the garment on.

“A fire broke out earlier near the fairground. Could’ve been people illegally camping or burning trash, but they’re not sure yet. Anyway, it’s been so windy today and it just took off out of nowhere. When I called earlier, I was actually just giving you a heads up. I never thought it would get so close to the vineyard. I don’t think anyone did.”

Malcolm swallowed hard as he threw off the robe he’d just put on and raced to his closet instead. “How close?”

It had been so fucking dry lately. The past few years the rain levels had been low.

“Malcolm, I’m so sorry.”

“Derek! Howclose?”

He sighed. “The latest report I got from the incident commander is that they don’t think they can save the fields. They’re focusing on the structures right now, trying to build a containment line.”

“Jesus.” He yanked open a dresser drawer and the entire thing crashed to the ground, contents spilling everywhere. “Fuck!” He growled. “Sorry, Derek. That wasn’t directed at you. Listen, where are you right now? I’m on my way.”

While Malcolm scribbled down the directions on an old receipt that he’d stuffed in the pocket of the jeans he was trying to tug on, Seth was cleaning up the mess Malcolm had made. After he ended the call, Malcolm took a moment while sitting on the end of the bed to inhale several deep breaths. He wouldn’t be doing anyone any favors if he crashed the truck on the way to the scene.

“What’s going on?” Seth’s stared at him with a wrinkled brow, twisting his hands.

“Oh, God.” He shook out his own hands as he tried to will himself to calm down. “There’s a huge fire burning near the Silver Chalice. Derek said they don’t think it can…” Malcolm’s breath hitched. “They don’t think the crop can be saved. They’re focusing their efforts on the winery itself.”

Seth dropped on the bed next to him, draping an arm across Malcolm’s shoulders. “We’ll think the best, Daddy. You don’t know for sure what’s happening yet, so let’s go there and find out, okay?”

Malcolm covered Seth’s hand with his own, his chest tight with fear. “I’m grateful you’re here with me, baby.”

He couldn’t imagine being without his boy by his side.

* * * *

Malcolm sat on the bumper of his SUV, watching in helplessness as the deep orange glow emanating from the hillside remained strong and unbroken. Somewhere behind that solid wall of flames was his vineyard, the beautiful winery that had been a huge part of his life for almost twenty years. He had no idea if it was still standing.

Everett’s life, too.

He couldn’t allow himself to come unglued. The winery might still be saved. The loss of the crops had been confirmed an hour earlier, and once the sun rose in about an hour the firefighters would do another property assessment. They’d had to pull back once the blaze had threatened to surround them. All anyone could do now was wait. The firefighters had turned their attention to other structures that could still be saved and to stopping the spread of the stubborn inferno.

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