"Thanks, but I'll be better once I hear his voice."
"Come on," Bethany said, starting towards the kitchen again. "Let's go get that coffee."
"Right behind you," Kari replied, scooping up the food containers again before looking to Lynn. "It's hard, the waiting. But being with friends makes it a little easier to bear. And we're here for you, okay?"
Lynn nodded and followed Kari into Bethany's spacious kitchen. She sat at the kitchen table, set her phone down beside the cup of coffee Bethany gave her. All she could do was stare at both. She was numb and getting number by the minute. All the what-ifs were running through her mind. What if Carter had been near the mine as it exploded? What if he was hurt, or worse?
An hour passed, though for Lynn it felt three times as long. When the ringing of her phone brought her out of her worrying, she snatched up the phone and saw it was Carter calling. She stood up so fast that she almost tipped her chair over as she answered the phone.
"Carter?"
"Yeah, baby, it's me." At the sound of his voice, the tears came as Lynn collapsed back onto her chair.
"Oh, my God Carter, I've been so worried!" She propped her elbow on the table, and her forehead on her hand. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"I'm on the road, going by Hillary's so the boys can see I'm fine. I wanted to call you so you'd know too."
"Oh, thank heavens." She could feel her friends standing beside her, hands on her shoulders, as she talked. "He's fine," she whispered to them.
"Where are you?" Carter asked.
"I'm at Bethany's with her and the girls, and Kari."
"If you will be there for a while, I'll just meet you there, if it's okay."
"Yes, it's fine. Bethany's opened the house to you and the guys that worked with Shane. So text them and tell them they can come by if they have no place to go. She doesn't want anyone to wait for news alone."
"Will do. If she can let me use her shower, I can be there in about thirty minutes, instead of stopping home first."
"Can he use your shower, so he can come straight here?" she asked Bethany.
"Of course. We have the second bathroom, so it's no problem." Bethany replied, waving her hand to show it was no big deal. Lynn relayed the information to Carter.
"Tell her thanks for me. I have to get off the phone before I get pulled over. I'm almost to Hillary's anyway."
"Okay. Be safe. And I'll see you soon."
"See you soon." The click in her ear told her that he'd disconnected the call. As she set her phone down again, she turned to her friends.
"He's okay. He's going to Hillary's to see the boys so they can see for themselves, but he's okay." Tears came again as she hugged her friends.
"I'm so relieved," Bethany breathed. "For him and for you."
"Amen." Kari added. "Let's go into the living room and turn on the news. Maybe we'll find out more about what's going on."
"Okay, but first I'm going to go check on the girls, take them a snack." Bethany piled a few cookies on a plate, grabbed a couple juice boxes, and headed down the hall.
"How are they handling it?" Kari asked Lynn, referring to Bethany's girls.
"I haven't seen them yet, but Beth said they're doing okay right now. That it's a reminder, but they're handling it well." Lynn grabbed her coffee cup, and Bethany's, and led the way back into the living room. Kari reached down to grab the remote, and clicked onto the local station where the anchor was talking about the accident.
"It has been confirmed that there are at least two miners missing among the rubble of the collapse at the Three Rivers mine. Families are flooding the gates of the mine, trying to get more information, but the names have not yet been released."
"Oh, my." Kari murmured.
"The cause of the collapse is currently undetermined," the anchor continued. "Safety officials say that the cause may be due to pressure build-up in the mine walls, but until all men are accounted for, a rescue mission is their first priority. We'll have more news for you as it becomes available."
"That's awful," Lynn breathed, as Kari turned the volume down with the remote.
"What? Did they have any more news?" Bethany asked as she came back into the room.
"There's at least two men missing inside the collapse, but they can't or won't say who they are." Lynn responded, looking up to see Bethany gasp.
"Just like before," she whispered.
"We don't know that yet," Kari told her, as she rubbed her back.
"Yes, but we know that there are at least two families out there who are wondering if their son or husband, father or brother are alive." Bethany stood up, agitated. "I can't just sit here and wait. I have to do something, keep busy. I'll go make a big pot of soup. If I have all these people possibly coming, they'll need to eat. I can freeze the rest." With that, she dashed to the kitchen.
"Let's give her a few minutes," Kari said. "I think this is harder on her than any of us realized."
Lynn nodded, then looked at the clock, wishing time would go by faster so that Carter would come walking through the door. Her phone rang again, but this time the call came from her parents. She needed to reassure her family, and herself, that Carter was all right.
Forty-five minutes later, Lynn was pacing the floor. Carter should have gotten there already, but he hadn't. She understood his boys needed the reassurances much more than she did, but her worry meter was topping out again. And she knew that until she saw him, and could hold him, she wouldn't be one hundred percent convinced that he was fine.
She paced back towards the couch again, looked at her phone and considered calling him to make sure everything was fine. Lynn debated with herself as she paced away and back again. Giving in, she swiped the screen of her phone and was preparing to dial when the front door opened.
And finally, finally, there stood Carter, filthy and tired, but whole. She shoved her phone into her pocket as he closed the door, walked over to him and placed her hands on his face. Tears filled her eyes at the knowledge she could see for herself that he was okay.
"I'd hug you but I'm dirty," he told her.
"I don't care." She threw her arms around his neck. He felt her sobbing against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist and just held her.
"Honey, I'm okay," he whispered. "There's no reason for you to cry now."
"I know. I'm just so relieved." She pulled back, wiped her face as she sniffled. "When I found out there was an accident, and then I didn't hear from you, I got so worried."
"I know. And I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. It took longer than I thought to convince the boys that dad was okay. I pretty much had to peel them off of me, which is understandable, considering. I would have brought them with me, but they have school in the morning and if they were with me, they'd never go to sleep. So I'll call them later to tell them good night, and they'll come over this weekend."
Lynn nodded as Kari and Bethany both came from the kitchen and, seeing Carter, rushed to give him hugs as well.
"We're so glad you're okay," Bethany told him.
"Me too, believe me. I'll be even better once I clean up and sit down for a bit. I've been running on adrenaline for a couple hours now, and it's wearing off."
"Of course. Use the guest bathroom, there on the left. You have everything you need?"
"Right here." He retrieved the small black duffle he'd dropped on the floor, held it up. "And thanks for letting me use the shower, Bethany. I appreciate it."
"It's no problem. Take your time." With that, Carter smiled, kissed Lynn on the cheek, and headed down the hall.
"Well, since I can see for myself he's in one piece, I'm going to run home and change while he's in the shower." She told her friends. "Is there anything I can pick up while I'm out? Sandwich stuff? Drinks?"
"I brought cold cuts and cheese, some bread," Kari told her.
"And I have chips and cookies," Bethany added.
"I'll stop and grab sodas then." She gathered up her coat and purse, s
topped to look at her friends, and walked over to hug them again. "In case I haven't said it before, you guys are the best." She pulled her keys out of her purse. "I'll be back soon."
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Lynn was once again walking through Bethany's front door. This time much calmer than before, but still worried for those miners still unaccounted for. She juggled the bags that held the two liter bottles of soda she had bought as she opened the door and got inside out of the cold.
As she closed the door, she noticed that others had arrived in her absence. Carter's friends Anthony and Michael sat on the couch, talking in quiet undertones. Another friend, Jeremy, sat alone in the armchair, nursing a cup of coffee and staring at the television.
"Hi, guys." The men lifted their heads and returned her greeting.
"Hi, Lynn. Hey, let me give you a hand with those." Michael stood and relieved her of some of her load.
"Thanks. They were cutting off circulation." She looked up at him as they started towards the kitchen. "Any news?"
Michael nodded silently and stopped before they went through the kitchen door.
"Word is that they've identified the two guys caught in the collapse. But they haven't released the names."
"So there were only two? I mean, two is more than there should have been, but last I had heard they weren't sure."
"Yeah, two. And I don't have a good feeling about this," he confessed as he went through the door leading to the kitchen.
"None of us do."
They were setting up the food and drinks according to Bethany's instructions when Carter came into the room. He stopped halfway through the door, a serious look on his face.
"Hey, they're breaking news on the collapse." With that, he disappeared back into the living room, the others in the kitchen following behind him. Walking into the living room, Lynn went to stand by Carter, who was sitting on the arm of the couch next to Michael.
"We have breaking news on the story we've been following throughout the day," the anchor began. "Earlier this afternoon, there was a collapse at the Three Rivers mine. As we first reported, there are miners trapped among the rubble of that collapse. We now have the names of those miners."
Lynn reached over and put her hand on Carter's shoulder, while he put his arm around her waist.
"The trapped miners have been identified as J.B. Montgomery and Kyle Murray. J.B. Montgomery is a miner with seven years’ experience..."
The rest of the anchor’s words were just a buzz in a room that had gone silent. Carter's grip on Lynn's waist was almost painful, but she was barely aware of it. Kyle, a person considered a friend by every man in this room, was trapped under rock and coal, very possibly alone.
"Oh, my God," Bethany whispered as she looked around her living room. Stunned faces were all she saw.
Lynn looked down at Carter, who sat stone still. She rubbed his back, said his name. He looked up at her, almost childlike. She took his face in her hands before wrapping him in a hug.
"I can't believe it," he whispered. "He wasn't even supposed to be there. He was working a shift for someone else."
"Oh, Carter."
He held onto her as if she were a lifeline, pressing his head to her stomach as he brought his other arm around her. All she could do was hold him, reassure him she was there for him. He leaned back from the hug, arms still around her waist, before clearing his throat.
"Guys," he said, addressing his co-workers and friends. "I think...we should call Kyle’s parents, see how they're doing. Go over there if it's needed." At the nods of agreement from all around, Carter left the room to make the call. Lynn sat in the place he'd vacated.
"He's an only child." This quiet statement came from Michael, who sat beside her.
"I'm sorry?"
"Kyle," he clarified, looking at her. "He's an only child."
"His poor parents," she replied, as the tears burned again. "They must be out of their minds right now."
Michael nodded and stared at the coffee table in front of him as he mindlessly drank from the glass he held.
"Michael?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask something, without coming across as clueless or insensitive?"
"Sure."
"What are the chances of Kyle making it out alive?"
"Honestly?" he asked. At her nod, he replied, "Not great. It all depends on where he is in the tunnel, how much rock, etc." His thumb swiped back and forth at the condensation on his glass. "We always hope, though."
Nodding, she patted his shoulder, and stood as she watched Carter come back into the room. All eyes turned to him as he spoke.
"They're hanging on." His tone was grim. "They're praying for a good outcome, but they haven't gotten word yet. Mrs. Murray said someone would call me as soon as they get any news."
The tension from worry hung in the air as the guys all nodded at Carter's words. Bethany felt helpless, and reminded of her own loss, as she spoke to the room.
"We're all worried," she began. "But it could be awhile before we hear anything. I've got food in the kitchen for anyone who wants to eat. There's also a pot of fresh coffee. And you guys are more than welcome to take turns using the bed in the guest room if you need to sleep."
"Thanks, Bethany, but I don't think any of us can sleep until we know what's going on for sure."
"I understand. I'm going to check on my girls, but please, help yourselves to something to eat." With that, Bethany stood and disappeared once again down the hall, leaving everyone else to sit in stunned silence.
An hour passed, then two, and there was still no word on the fates of Kyle and the other miner. The tension was mounting among the men. The chances of their friend being found alive were slim, and got slimmer as more time slipped by, but they still hoped for the best. The longer they went without news, the more that hope dimmed.
Everyone was passing the time the best they could. The guys were in a half-hearted game of poker. They weren't betting, but using the cards to distract themselves. Bethany and Kari cooked, or served food, trying to get the guys to eat. Lynn was out of place in both areas at the moment, so she opted to go find Kristin and Harper.
Lynn had always been fond of Bethany's girls, though she'd seen them sporadically throughout their young lives. But Bethany had sent photos and short videos, and Lynn had always sent birthday and Christmas gifts, talked to them on the phone. She hoped she could find the words to say now when the day's events reminded them of the worst moments in their short lives. They'd been young when their dad had died, but they weren't unaffected.
Lynn peeked around the doorway to Harper's room and smiled at the sight that greeted her. Two pretty girls with blondish brown hair and hazel eyes, curled up on Harper's pretty canopy bed, still watching movies. Lynn found it heartwarming that though Harper was now almost a teenager in middle school, she was still willing to spend this time with her little sister.
"Hey ladies," she murmured. "Can I come in?"
"Hey, Aunt Lynn," Harper responded, using the honorary term they'd always known her by. "Yeah, come on in."
"How are you girls doing?" Lynn asked as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Okay, I guess." Kristin shrugged.
"I know that what happened today reminds you of your dad," Lynn confessed, as she brushed the girl's hair back from her face. "It's okay to talk about it if you need to."
"We know. We don't want to make Mom any sadder," Harper's statement was punctuated by sad wide eyes.
"Well, if you can't talk to her, talk to me. I tell you what, let's turn off the television, pick a game, and we'll all talk while we play. And even if we don't talk, the game will help pass the time."
The girls agreed and went downstairs to pick out a game. Moments later, they returned with a deck of Uno cards.
"I love Uno!" Lynn exclaimed. "You guys better prepare to be crushed."
The girls laughed half-heartedly as they all piled up on the bed again, sitting in a circle and dealing th
e cards. They played a few rounds, but as they sat studying their current hand, Kristin's small voice cut the air.
"Aunt Lynn?"
"Yeah, honey?"
"Are those guys going to die?"
"Oh, baby." She laid down her cards and reached over to fold the child into a hug. "Honestly? I don't know. I hope not."
"Is this what happened with Daddy?" Harper questioned.
Lynn sat, unsure of how to answer. She didn't want to lie to them, but she didn't want to affect the memories they had of their late father.
"What did your mother tell you happened with your dad?" she asked finally.
"She said that there was an accident, and that Daddy had to go to Heaven."
"She's right. Listen, when an accident like this happens, it's sad. For someone who's hurt or dies, for the families of those people. And it's okay to be sad. Even if you're remembering your dad, it's okay. And your mom wants you to know about your dad, so don't worry about making her sadder. Okay?" The girls nodded solemnly.
"You know," Lynn started. "I have all kinds of stories about your mom and dad. And pictures too. Maybe sometime you guys can come over to my house, and I'll tell you the stores while we look at them. I can even make you copies of some of the pictures so you can have them."
"Really?" Harper looked up at her with tears in her eyes, hopeful.
"Really. We'll talk to your mom about setting it up."
"Can we talk to her now?"
"I'll tell you what." She handed Harper her cards and climbed off the bed. "There's several people downstairs, and your mom's cooking. And I think she wants you guys to stay back here. I'll talk to her, but we may not decide anything today. Okay?"
The girls nodded once again, and Lynn made her way back down the hall. When she reached the living room, she saw everyone was where she had left them. She looked over at Carter, who was studying his hand of cards. He folded, and as he saw her standing there, got up to go over to her. He was within a couple feet and just reaching out for her when his phone rang. The sound echoed through the room, and everyone became still. Bethany and Kari came out from the kitchen as Carter looked down at his phone, read the caller I.D. Looking into Lynn's eyes, she saw the anguish that lurked there.
Her Last Love (Small Town Hearts Trilogy #1) Page 13