Chapter Fifty-one
Lisa gagged and clutched her throat.
Choking, spitting out the ash sediments popping from the dried wood that floated in the smokey air, she stumbled around to the front of the burning cabin and kicked the door open.
Desperate to see through the gray haze, she made out a form a few feet from the door and crawled inside, praying it would be Jennie. “Mom, thank God.” She couldn’t help her relieved whimpers.
Seizing the woman by the back shoulders, she started to tug and twist the body, trying to get her away from the looming flames. Black smoke had filled the space after she’d forced open the door and the vicious fire reached swiftly to engage the fresh oxygen.
With a herculean effort… gagging, tears pouring down her cheeks, she suddenly felt her mother’s feet move and start to help. Between the two of them, they both ended up outside, huddled together on the ground… weepy and kissing, relief palpable and overwhelming.
“God, Mom. I almost lost you.” Tear tracks showed on Lisa’s blackened face visible in the light of the flames. “I couldn’t bear that. Being here was my fault.”
Jennie coughed, croaking out her response. “No-o, ba-by. Not you. Me. Sorry.”
“It’s okay… now.” Lisa broke down to cough. “On the way here, I texted Lance. He just replied. They’re safe.”
Lisa had never seen her mother cry.