Page 127 of Stay for Me
“I’m not family.”
Sean speaks first. “You’re our family, Brenna. You love Jacob, and he is more in love with you than you know. You should be around us, let us all lean on each other until we hear something.”
Devney squeezes my hand. “We came here because you were our first concern. We came to get you so that you weren’t alone.”
The tears I fought to hold back break free. “I can’t lose him.”
“Neither can we, so let’s all be strong together,” Sean suggests.
They’re right. I can’t be here, and I can’t risk Sebastian learning from someone else. I have to be the one to tell him, and I have to hope that, with everyone around us, we can weather whatever news comes.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Brenna
Tick, tick, tick.
The clock moves. One hand follows the other in a steady rhythm.
Tick, tick, tick.
I sit, just watching it. It’s constant, sure, even when nothing in my life feels that way.
Telling Sebastian was impossible. I couldn’t keep it together and kept crying as I tried to say the words. We know nothing. It’s been thirty minutes since Catherine called to tell us the plane was not in the immediate search area they thought it was.
And then there’s the news.
God, the news. Nonstop images of his face flicker across the screen.
“Jacob Arrowood, star of theNavigatormovie series is still missing. His plane is believed to have suffered an engine issue that forced the flight crew to make an emergency landing in Colorado. At this time, we have no confirmation of the plane being found or if there are any survivors. Stay withNews Channel Ninefor more updates.”
Flip the channel. His green eyes stare back at me as yet another channel covers the story.
“We’re following the story regarding Jacob Arrowood’s missing plane.On Your Side Fiveis bringing you live coverage as the search continues.”Cuts to a reporter. “I’m here as more search crews are added to the team that are scouring the area for the wreckage of the private aircraft owned by Cole Security Forces. At this time, the company is not available for comment, but we understand that Jacob Arrowood is a friend of the owner, Jackson Cole.”
Goes back to the studio. “Are officials concerned that there is any kind of foul play?”
The reporter’s face returns and she shakes her head.“No, Katie, at this time they aren’t saying anything other than the search is their main concern. If you look behind me, you can see another helicopter is readying. We’re told that, at this time, there has been no sign of the aircraft or the missing flight crew.”
Katie blinks a few times, keeping her face passive. “Melissa, has there been any indication that the search team believes that the crew and Jacob Arrowood are alive at this point?”
Melissa shakes her head. “They aren’t saying at this time. We were able to talk to the commander of the search team, and they aren’t willing to speculate at this time. However, the high winds tonight don’t make things easier and aren’t comforting either.”
You know what else isn’t comforting,Melissa, reporters who don’t know anything but speculate themselves.
“Brenna?” Ellie says as she sits beside me and offers me a mug. “I made you some tea.”
I’ve cried so much that my eyes have to strain to see her. “Thank you,” I croak.
She pats my leg and turns the television off. “We’ll know before them. There’s no reason to make yourself watch the coverage of nothing.”
“Planes don’t just disappear,” I say mindlessly. This is the one thing that keeps going around in a loop. Planes have tracking devices. This isn’t supposed to be how it happens. “When Luke’s plane crashed, they had coordinates immediately.”
And then the thought forms, and I regret it: because the plane was in one piece. If Jacob’s plane isn’t, the GPS system could be in one area and we would have no idea where he ended up.
“I can’t imagine how hard this is for you.”
“I don’t know that I’m processing how hard this is.”
