Page 104 of Free to Live
“Fire,” I cough. “Freeman farm. Pine Lane.”
“Copy. Sending units to your location immediately. Are you safely outside the building?”
I cough harder. “No. Master bedroom. Left side facing the drive.” More coughing.
There’s a half heartbeat of silence before the dispatcher asks, “How many people are in the home?”
“One. Me. Holly.” Suddenly, it’s too much. The events of what happened earlier and now this? I need them all to know. “If they don’t make it in time…”
“They’re on their way, Holly,” the dispatcher says urgently.
The light from outside casts a beautiful glow against the black silk of my sleep shirt. I have no idea if they’ll make it in time. I also know all 9-1-1 calls are recorded. Joe told me that. “Tell my family I’ll always love them. Even Joe. Even though he doesn’t love me the same way. I know—” I have to pause to cough again. The smoke is getting thicker. “—he loves Mary so much. I can’t be her. I understand. But I’ll always love him.” The last words are almost incomprehensible.
Seconds later, the pressure, the stress, the smoke—it all overtakes me. I start to lose consciousness. I never hear the 9-1-1 dispatcher screaming in my ear. Nor do I hear minutes later the glass to my bedroom window being smashed as Brett makes his way in and carefully picks me up in his arms, cursing. “Get a bus! And find out where Joe is! Tell him to go directly to Greenwich Hospital!”
I don’t hear any of it because I’m already in a place where I can’t be hurt anymore.
58
Joseph
Iwake up without Holly in my arms, but I’m not concerned.
Finally, she is mine. She is going to be my wife.
For the rest of our lives, we’ll wake up together every morning.
Stretching in bed, I reach for my phone since it’s flashing. There are new messages. Assuming Holly is in the bathroom since there’s a light glowing under the door, the only person trying to reach me would be my mother.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
After listening to Ali Freeman’s blistering message about not coming after her sister, I’m up and out of bed. Throwing open the bathroom door, I find the ring box with the engagement ring I spent an inordinate amount of time choosing for Holly nested inside.
Before listening to the next message, I sit down on the toilet and read the note aloud.
“I always thought there was room for both Mary and me in your heart. Tonight, you showed me I was wrong. I wish I could marry you knowing that, but I can’t.” I’m dumbfounded by the words.
What the fuck happened?
I storm back into the bedroom to get my clothes when the wreck of a bed gives me a moment’s pause.
“Joe.” Holly arched into me as I thrust into her body.
Emptying myself into her, I crushed my lips down hers. Burying my head into her neck, I toyed with the ring I’d slipped on her finger hours earlier. “I love you, Mary.”
Mary?
Undiluted panic floods through me as I race around the room throwing on my clothes.Fuck me, fuck me, fuck! What did I do?
You just ruined your future, asshole, I think bitterly.
“Goddamnit!” I roar. Racing back into the bathroom, I grab the note and the ring, shoving both into my pocket, when my phone buzzes.
My mother.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” I demand. I’m racing around the bedroom trying to find my wallet and keys when suddenly her next words freeze me in place.
“Honey, there’s been a fire.” She burst into tears.
