Page 122 of Don't Call Me Daddy
Bang. Bang. Bang.
I stop in my tracks and look at Luka. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
The faint banging picks back up, and we both take off toward the sound.
“Is he stuck down there?” I say more to myself than to Luka as I rush down the hallway to the safe room, where I find the bunker door clamped shut.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
“Leo?” I say as I try to pull the rusted metal latch, but it doesn’t budge.
“Ivy! Ivy, baby, is that you?” Leo’s muffled voice says from the other side of the door.
Luka jumps in beside me, and we strain to pull the door open, but even with both of us, it still doesn’t budge.
“Yes, it’s me!” I glance around the small room. There are no holes to give us sunlight, and it takes a minute for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. “Don’t worry; we’re going to get you out of there. Just hang tight, okay?”
“Ivy, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I ruined your plans for today. I know how hard you worked, and I just wanted you to have your list before you left …”
Luka gives me a confused look, but doesn’t say anything, just keeps pulling at the latch.
“Don’t apologize. This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me, and you didn’t ruin anything …” I grab a shard of metal from the corner and carry it over to the latch. “Maybe we can pry it open with this?”
Luka shrugs for me to try, and I shove the thin metal in the crack, but it just bends as soon as I put my weight on it.
“The door’s stuck. Do you think you can push it from the inside?” I call out.
“Yeah, I’ll try.”
I move back to the latch and brace myself just as Jett bursts through the door, looking wild and like he’s ready to fight someone or something—I’m not entirely sure.
“Good, you’re here. Come help us with the latch,” Luka says, and Jett immediately stalks over to help, not questioning a thing.
“On three,” I say loud enough for Leo to hear me as we all brace ourselves.
“One. Two. Three.”
We yank the latch, using all our strength. The metal door lifts, creaking a screech of protest, and the heavy door crashes to the ground with a loud thud. Dust clouds fog the air around us, making us all cough to catch our breath, and then Leo’s pulling me into him, pressing me against his big chest and holding me so tight that it knocks the air from my lungs.
“Fuck, baby girl, I’ve never been so happy to see you.” His lips crash over mine as he kisses me like I’m his only source of air and he’s suffocating.
I wrap my arms around his neck and then pull my legs around his waist, forgetting all about my open wound because the rush of adrenaline and relief that he’s okay and he’s here are all that matters.
“Ivy, baby, please forgive me. I’m so fucking sorry.” He wipes my matted hair from my face and swipes a thumb over my tear-streaked cheek. “I’m so happy to see you. I started to think I wouldn’t be able to say goodbye?—”
I shake my head. “Leo, listen, about that …”
“What time is it?” He checks the time on his phone and lets out a sigh of relief. “Fuck, I really thought I’d screwed everything up, but you still have time to make it if we leave now.” He grabs my hand and starts walking toward the doorway.
I should be relieved because he’s right; I do have time. If we leave right now, I could still make it. Sure, I wouldn’t have any of my things, but it wouldn’t be hard for him to ship them to me, and it’s not like I don’t have money to buy new clothes in themeantime … but what about Fern’s ashes? They’re with the rest of my things in the back of Leo’s car.
If only I’d been willing to let her go the other night, none of this would be happening. If I hadn’t been such a coward, maybe I wouldn’t have dropped the list, Leo wouldn’t have felt like he needed to sneak away to look for it, the festival events wouldn’t be running behind schedule, and everything would’ve gone according to plan.
Who am I kidding? Isn’t this exactly the type of thing that always happens when I’m in charge? Isn’t this exactly what I’ve been trying to avoid by following my sister’s list? I can’t help but wonder if there’s a hidden message in all the chaos.
Leo’s right; I could leave right now and be there on time to board my flight … but the thought of leaving so abruptly feels like my heart’s being ripped in two. I’m not ready to say goodbye—and not just to Leo, but to this town. I feel like I have unfinished business, and I’m torn between following my sister’s plan and sticking around to finish, to finally follow through on something for the first time in my life.
