Page 247 of Redeemed

“Just a little bit more?”

He smiles. “Got it. Here you go.”

Taking her bowl, Haven kisses his cheek and heads up to the loft. The two of them have grown closer since the new year. We all have.

We’re not entirely back to who we used to be, and maybe that’s an unrealistic thing to expect. We’ve all grown up. The best we can hope for is healing and forgiveness, and I’m pretty sure we all want it.

Colton hands me the scoop, and I dish out the ice cream for me and Lucas. I’m just handing him the bowls when my phone starts going off.

“Shit. Worst timing ever, huh?” I pull out my phone and stare at it for a second.

What the hell?

“You gonna answer?” Lucas asks, amused.

“Shit.” I take the call. “Hey, Aunt Josie, what’s up?”

“Xander? Oh, Xander.” A sob bursts through my phone’s speaker.

A chill runs through me, and my eyes lock on Lucas as he douses his ice cream in chocolate syrup. He’s humming to himself, the perfect picture of relaxed and happy, and I think it’s about to shatter into a million pieces.

“Aunt Josie?”

At the alarm in my voice, Lucas’s head snaps in my direction. He watches in silence, shoulders stiff, as my aunt tries to string together a sentence.

“It’s y-your father. And…” She sobs again, and I hear someone in the background say something about tissues. “And Rachel.”

Dread takes hold of me, clutching at my throat, my heart,everywhere.With the way she sounds, this is bad. Really, really bad.

“Just tell me they’re alive,” I whisper.

Lucas drops the syrup bottle onto the counter and rushes over to me.

Please, please, please.

“They are. Barely, but they’re alive.”

“What happened?” It’s all I’m able to get out before the kitchen blurs. I feel myself swaying, but then two muscular, thick arms are banding around my torso and pulling me toward the counter.

Lucas pushes me onto a stool and holds me steady while Aunt Josie pulls herself together enough to keep going.

“There was an accident. A horrible accident. Xander, you… I think you need to come home.”

My heart seizes, and Lucas swears quietly. He’s close enough that he must be able to hear what she’s saying.

“I will. I can be there in a few hours. Are… are you saying they’re not going to make it?”

“Rachel broke her arm and had some internal bleeding, but the doctors said she’ll pull through. She’s in surgery right now.”

“And Dad?”

Lucas finds my free hand and squeezes, and I lean into him.

“He… things aren’t looking good, honey.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, wishing for any answer other than what I know my aunt is about to say.

“We don’t know if your father will wake up. I’m sorry, Xander. I’m so, so sorry.”

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