Page 114 of Ashes of the Past
I glance around, feeling that prickle of unease slide down my spine. I haven’t seen my dad in a while. He’s always around, even when he’s not helping with the ranch. He’s always there, sitting in his chair by the window or outside, watching the horizon. But not today.
I move through the house, calling his name softly at first, but when I don’t hear anything, my voice gets louder. “Dad? Dad, where are you?”
Nothing. No response.
Panic starts to creep into my chest, slowly at first, a tightening in my ribs. I step into the living room, then to the back door. No sign of him. I walk outside, my breath catching as I look around the yard. The sun’s setting, painting the sky in orange and red, but I don’t care about the beauty right now. I care about the fact that my dad’s nowhere to be found.
I take a few more steps, my eyes scanning the property. “Dad?” I shout, louder this time. No answer. I glance toward the barn, then the fields, the stables. He’s not here. My heart starts to race.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been standing there, but I hear the sound of boots crunching on gravel behind me. I turn, and there’s Jack, his face serious, his brows furrowed.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice calm, though I can hear the worry underneath.
“I… I can’t find Dad,” I say, my voice shaking. “He’s not inside, and he’s not out here.”
Jack’s expression shifts from concern to action, and he steps closer to me. “We’ll find him. Don’t worry.”
He calls out for Nick, and within seconds, Nick’s jogging toward us from the barn, his face hard, eyes narrowing in focus. “What’s going on?” he asks, and I feel the panic start to surge again in my chest.
“I can’t find my dad,” I repeat, my voice barely a whisper. “He’s missing.”
Nick’s eyes flash with concern, and he doesn’t waste a second. “We need to check the UTVs. If he’s gone anywhere, he’s probably taken one of them.”
I nod, and we all move toward the UTVs parked near the barn. My eyes sweep over them, the sense of dread growing. One of them is gone.
I swallow hard, my mind racing. “Oh, God, where would he go? Why would he leave?”
Jack is already moving, pulling a helmet from the hook and throwing it on, not saying a word. “We’ll find him. Stay calm.”
My heart is pounding in my chest, and panic rises in my throat. I want to scream, but I can’t. Instead, I nod, taking a deep breath to steady myself, trying to fight back the tears that are threatening to spill over.
Olivia comes running up to me, her face full of worry. “Mom, where’s Popo?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly.
I force a smile even though everything inside me is screaming. “He’s just gone for a little ride, honey. He’ll be back soon.”
Her face scrunches up in confusion. “But he never goes off without telling you.”
She’s too smart for her own good. I should have known better than to make something up.
I nod, my chest tightening. She’s right. Dad always tells me when he’s going somewhere, but not today. Something’s wrong, and I can feel it in every bone in my body.
Nick moves toward the horses, giving us both a reassuring look. “Olivia, you’re with me. Brynn, you go with Jack.”
I open my mouth to protest, but Jack’s already mounted his horse, and he’s reaching a hand down to me. I hesitate, my stomach flipping. The last thing I want is to ride with Jack. But I also know that we don’t have time to argue. My dad is out there, and he needs help.
I take his hand, pulling myself up behind him. My body tenses as I sit behind him, feeling his warmth and the strength of his frame beneath me. My fingers grip the saddle tighter thannecessary. He doesn’t say anything, just clicks his tongue and gently urges the horse forward.
I can’t focus on Jack. I can’t think about him. I have to focus on my dad. Where is he? Why did he leave without telling me?
I try to push Jack out of my mind, but I can feel his presence—his body close to mine, his steady breathing, the way his hands guide the horse with ease. It only makes my panic worse. I need to find my dad, and the only thing that seems to be getting in my way is the fact that Jack’s here. I can’t focus on the urgency of the moment when he’s so close.
We ride in silence, the sound of hooves hitting the dirt the only thing breaking the quiet. The sun is sinking lower in the sky, and the cool evening air feels heavy. My mind races with a thousand questions, none of them making sense. I don’t know what to think anymore. I want to scream. I want to cry. I want to punch something.
Suddenly, Jack pulls the reins, halting the horse. “There,” he says, pointing to the edge of the property where the trees start to thicken.
I squint into the distance, my heart skipping a beat, when I spot something in the brush. My dad. He’s walking slowly, swaying on his feet, his back hunched. He’s hurt. I can tell by the way he’s moving.
“Dad!” I yell, kicking my heels into the horse’s sides, urging it forward.
