Page 246 of Wrong Pucking Jersey

What if she’s not here?

What if she tried to escape and got trapped in the stairwell?

There are two stairwells.

Two exits.

Did I go up one and miss the other?

I should check before I can’t.

The thought tempts me as panic shreds through my very veins, but I go to the hidden source where I know the jewelry box would be.

Under the mattress.

That was the place where Mikayla hid her precious possessions.

I always pretended like I didn’t know.

A secret that was safe with me.

Now, in this emergency, where time was of the essence, I could use such knowledge to my advantage.

A quick lift of the mattress confirms there’s nothing there, and that has me dropping the heavy weight before calling out for my love.

“MIKAYLA! BABY GIRL, WHERE ARE YOU?”

I listen long and hard, ignoring the sizzling crackles of the flames and the sirens coming from all angles. For a few seconds, I really believe she’s not here, but I can’t move from my spot.

I need to be sure.

The next decision I make can be between life and death.

I’d rather perish than be wrong.

There’s one thing holding me back.

Mikayla’s panic attacks.

No matter the years, my Baby Girl reacts in two ways when she feels there’s no way out.

Struggles to breathe…and hides herself in a place that makes her feel small and safe.

My eyes land on the one place I haven’t checked.

The closet.

My Sweet Kay’s safety net.

The swing of the door crashing against the wall reaches my ears, but I can hear nothing but the rapid pumping rush of my blood.

For a single moment, the world stops.

There’s my Baby Girl.

Drenched in sweat.

Shivering like a leaf.

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