Page 78 of The Summer We Mended
“Keep sight of the shore, Anna.”
Luke’s words were playing on a loop in her head.She kept sight of the shore and held the prayer in her heart that she’d hear those words out of his mouth before long.It felt as though time was moving through mud, and also that it was moving too fast.
Anna knew that Luke had been trained to survive until help came, and she didn’t doubt his skills, but there had been too much time since the initial visit to tell her that his jet had gone down.They didn’t even really explain to her if it had crashed, nor how bad it was.They were telling her the bare minimum, and that worried her.
When a knock sounded at the front door, Anna’s stomach dropped.
It’s probably just another meal train visit or someone trying to be helpful.She chided herself.It’s not always going to be bad news.
She dried her hands quickly and moved through the house, each step slower than the last.As she opened the door, her breath caught.
There he was again.The soldier.The same man who had delivered the first gut-wrenching news just days ago.His uniform looked the same, but this time, his eyes held something different.Not finality, not hope, but something in between.A pause in the unknown.
“Ma’am,” he said, his voice calm and steady.
Anna nodded silently, then stepped outside and closed the door behind her.The last thing she wanted was for the twins to overhear before she was ready.
“Did you…have you found him?”she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The soldier exhaled slowly.“We located the wreckage of the jet.Both ejection seats were deployed.That means your husband and his copilot made it out.”
Anna’s knees nearly buckled.She gripped the porch railing tightly.
“That’s good, right?That means…”
“It means they survived the crash,” he said gently.“What we believe is that they headed for higher ground.It’s mountainous terrain, and the weather’s been unpredictable.But search teams are still out there.We haven’t given up.”
Tears pricked her eyes, blurring her vision.But she didn’t let them fall.
Not here.Not now.
“So… still missing.”
He nodded solemnly.“Yes, ma’am.But this is good news, as far as things go.They’re trained for this kind of situation.They know how to survive.There are a few friendly villages in the area, too.Likely, they’ve found shelter and help.We’re still searching, and I’ll bring you more news as soon as I have it.”
Anna swallowed hard, her throat tight.She nodded slowly.“Thank you.For the update.”
The soldier looked at her for a moment longer, offering a quiet nod of respect before turning and walking back toward the black SUV parked at the end of the driveway.
Anna stood there a few seconds longer, willing her legs to hold, willing her heart to stay still.When she finally went back inside, the twins looked up at her with wide eyes.
“Mommy?”Blaze asked, his voice uncertain.“Was that the soldier again?”
Anna knelt between them, her arms resting gently on the backs of their chairs.“Yes, it was.He came to give us an update about Daddy.”
Nora reached for her hand, and Anna took it gratefully.
“They found Daddy’s jet,” she said, her voice calm, controlled.“But it had crashed.”
Blaze gasped.“Is he…?”
“They think he and the other pilot got out safely,” she continued quickly, squeezing their hands.“They believe they’re out there, looking for help.The soldiers are still searching.They’re not giving up.And neither are we.”
The twins were silent for a long moment, processing.
“That means he’s not… gone?”Nora asked.
Anna shook her head.“No, sweetie.He’s not gone.He’s just… not home yet.”
