Page 108 of The Scars I Bare
The world was crying.
“Cora!” Taylor yelled from the doorway.
“What do you want?” I screamed, my head lifted to the heavens as the world wept for me.
“You never let me finish. Drive me to the docks,” he said. “I’ll do what I can from land. But I’ll need some help. I’m not exactly operating at my peak here.”
Nodding, I met his gaze, one that matched Dean’s in so many ways. “I’ll go get my purse.”
Twenty minutes and a change of clothes later, Taylor, Lizzie, and I had made our way to the docks.
My little girl was scared, so scared that she was huddled up to my side like she had no plans of ever leaving.
It made me secretly wish we could trade roles from time to time, and I could be the outwardly scared one who curled up to her while she stroked my hair and told me everything would be okay.
Because, as I’d dodged tree branches and driven at a turtle’s pace just to be able to see through my windshield to get here, I knew it was definitely not. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like in the water with the waves tossing and turning you in every which way, making you lose your sense of direction.
Not to mention, the inebriated state Blake was in.
The idiot.
I’d conveniently left that part of the story out when relaying the information to Lizzie. Making excuses for him, just like old times.
When would I ever learn?
Maybe Dean was right. Maybe Blake didn’t deserve a place in our lives.
Sitting in the office of Sutherland Fishing Company, I watched Taylor get set up, switching on the radio. He tried to get a signal from Dean or Blake. There were a few other things he turned on, but from my layman’s point of view, nothing really made sense.
“Okay, I’m going to radio the Coast Guard and let them know we’ve got a couple of missing boats in the inlet, so they can start looking as well—might take a few tries. It’s going to be hard for them to get a helicopter out in this weather, but hopefully, Dean will get to him first.”
I nodded, giving Lizzie an extra squeeze while he sent out the distress call to the Coast Guard. My usually talkative and inquisitive girl was anything but as we waited on news of Dean and Blake.
“Is there any way you can track them? Don’t boats have trackers?” I asked, once he was finished on the radio.
“Yes,” he answered. “That’s what I’m trying to do now.” He pointed to a screen. It was pretty much black, except for two green dots. “But nothing is showing up.”
Taylor held the radio up to his mouth, switching several dials before pressing a switch just below his lips. “Endeavor,Endeavor,Endeavor, this is Sutherland Fishing Company. Please state your location. Over.”
We all waited with bated breath for an answer. Several minutes passed, and all we were met with was static.
Never-ending static. I looked towards the window, the rain battering the glass so hard, it shock. Letting out a shaky breath, I tried to remain calm.
“Okay, let me try Blake. You said he’s a decent boatman, correct?”
I nodded.
“Well, let’s see if he can figure out a radio as well as a boat.”
“Wave Runner,Wave Runner,Wave Runner, this is Sutherland Fishing Company. Please state your location.”
Lizzie squeezed my hand as we once again waited, a lump so big forming in my throat, I could barely breathe.
What if I lost both of them in one night?
The man I loved and Lizzie’s father. Gone. Just like that.
Suddenly, the static changed, a hiccup in the frequency, and then suddenly, Dean’s voice filled the small office.
