Page 29 of Until We Break

Margot

Present Day

When my eyes opened, I felt a heavy warm hand cocooned around my palm. I smiled. It was Caleb’s. I thought we somehow managed to touch hands or fingers all night. It was involuntary. If his hand fell away, I reached for it. If I rustled in my sleep, he found me again. It was like the dream I’d had a hundred times since the last time I saw him.

“Good morning,” he whispered. He spent the night in the wooden chair while I took the cot.

“Good morning.” I didn’t want to drop his hand.

A nurse entered the room, beaming. “How is everyone?” she asked. “It’s a new day. A beautiful day. Let’s open those shades and get some light in here for our little friend.”

“Sounds good.” I grinned at her. “I’m glad the sun is out.” I wondered if that would help him.

I looked over at the small patient. His eyes remained closed. I marveled at his eyelashes and how peaceful he was. I stretched. Before I could ask the nurse for an update on his vitals or how he was doing the room turned to chaos.

Two strangers shoved the door open and burst inside. One of the women threw herself on the bed over the little boy. Her purse fell off her shoulder. Keys dropped to the floor and her wallet spilled after it.

“Lucas! Oh my God! Lucas.”

“Mom?” he croaked.

“Carrie, you’re squishing him,” the shorter woman with her scolded.

I stared, trying to figure this out. Caleb’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Do we leave?” I asked him. “What do we do?”

He shrugged. The pair continued to squabble over space and if she was crowding the boy. I couldn’t believe Lucas’s eyes were open. There was too much happening at once to comment on it. The nurse ran out to get one of the doctors, praising the Lord’s miracles.

I couldn’t get my bearings now.

“He’s my son, Iris,” she hissed, smothering Lucas with kisses and rubbing his arms. “My son.”

Iris took a step back from the bed.

I thought I would feel relief when the parents arrived. Instead, I felt territorial and as if they invaded our calm space. We were the ones who created the healing perimeter for Lucas. I didn’t know what to say. It didn’t feel like a healing place any longer.

“Are you—are you the ones who found him?” Iris spoke to us directly.

Caleb stepped forward. “Yes, ma’am I’m with the Coast Guard, Captain O’Connor. I received an emergency call yesterday. This is Margot Delaney. She’s the one who saw him tip and swam out to pull him out of the water. She’s really the one who saved him. She saw the Sunfish go over.”

“I—we don’t know how to thank you. I don’t think we could thank you enough.” She seemed aware that Carrie was still crying and fussing over Lucas. She needed to speak for the mom, but I didn’t know who she was either. “I still can’t understand how this happened. He’s a good sailor. A strong sailor. Does it every year at camp.”

“K-kids,” I stammered. “Unpredictable I guess.”

Iris reached into her purse and shoved a wad of bills toward Caleb. “Here. This should cover all your trouble. Any expenses.”

Caleb’s hands waved her off. “No, ma’am. I can’t and I wouldn’t take your money if I could.”

He pivoted to me, trying to give me the money instead.

“Oh no.” I shook my head. “No, I’m glad I was there.” I fought off the memory of what I was doing at the window when the Sunfish caught my attention. Of how angry I was. Of how I wanted to burn and destroy every copy of every book in the house. The shame was a record on repeat. It hadn’t left me yet.

“But you stayed all night?” She looked confused. “You didn’t have to do that. You should take the money.”

I cleared my throat. “No, no money. We wanted to stay.” I pushed down the questions about why it took so long for them to get here. Why didn’t they know he was missing?

“I’m Lucas’s aunt. Carrie’s sister,” she explained. “Are you sure you don’t want the money?”

“Absolutely.” I was firm.

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