by Lauren Clark
Another sob caught in my throat. Tears stung my eyes. I leaned against a wide tree trunk, and put my head in my hands. I couldn’t bear to watch any longer.
A grip on my shoulder startled me. It must be another firefighter or paramedic. I wiped my face hastily and started to explain.
It was Rick. His camera and tripod lay on the ground, along with extra equipment. “I’ve sent for the live truck. One of the engineers is coming. No word?”
I could barely answer. “They…haven’t found her yet,” I managed to get out.
Rick touched my arm. “Melissa, if it helps, I’m sure I just saw Chris pull up. I think he’s a little frantic looking for you and your mother.”
Shouts rang out across the lawn. One of the ambulance’s lights began to flash. Its sirens howled so loudly it made me shudder. Then, two firefighters carrying a black woman on a stretcher rushed out of the building. The men’s yellow uniforms were covered in soot. Seconds later, paramedics grabbed the stretcher and pulled it into the back of the ambulance.
As the door shut, the wheels of the ambulance started moving—slowly, then faster. We watched as the vehicle pulled down the driveway and out of sight.
Rick helped me to my feet. “Listen,” he said, “according to what I’m being told, most of the residents are okay. Minor burns, some smoke inhalation. They’re trying to contain the fire to the back building.”
He took my arm. “Let’s find Chris. Maybe he knows whether they’ve found your mom.”
Chris had already made his way to the paramedic station. I tried to get his attention as he weaved in and out of wheelchairs, searching faces. The number of residents waiting to be examined had multiplied.
“I don’t see her nurse,” I said to Rick, panicking. “Why don’t I see Sharice anywhere?”
Rick began to count. “Ten, fourteen, twenty, twenty-five. How many people did you say lived here?”
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the ground. I held onto Chris for balance. People began to scream and cry. Flames shot into the air from the right side of the nursing home. A fireman, carrying a tiny woman in bright blue, burst out of the front door.
Chapter 59
The fire sprang to life again. Flames swirled from the source of the explosion, and charred places on the roof re-ignited bigger and brighter. In minutes, the nursing home’s roof was lit like a bon-fire. The heat from the blaze intensified.
Rick darted away to get his camera and tripod. Shouts rang out across the lawn and arcs of water filled the air again. For a split second, none of it mattered. The fireman had Mother hugged to his chest. I ran toward them, Chris at my heels. I was afraid she was dead.
But the fireman murmured to Mother and set her down like he was handling fine china. He stepped away, and the paramedics crowded around her. Through the noise and confusion, I managed to get a glimpse of her.
Mother, tinged with streaks of dirt, sat still, her hands folded primly in her lap, gripping her notebook. Over one of the paramedic’s shoulders, she looked straight at me. And smiled.
I gasped. How in the world?
The firefighter adjusted his hat and whistled. “Quite the stubborn one, this little lady.”
I turned to get a better look at his face.
“This is your mother?” he asked.
I nodded.
“She told me she was waiting for her daughter to come get her. Somehow, she had managed to get inside the nursing director’s office, there in the front, shut the door behind her, and wedged her wheelchair in between the desk and the wall.”
I closed my eyes briefly, not wanting to believe it.
“So, when we came through to do a final check of rooms, that one—in the very front corner—had been missed. It was furthest away from the original fire, so she was lucky. When I opened the door, there she sat with that notebook and a dozen picture frames in her lap.”
Mother continued to grip the notebook, eyes focused off in the distance.
The fireman adjusted his hat. “When I told her she needed to come with me, she said she’d just wait right there, that she was fine until you came.” He snapped a strap under his jaw. “She didn’t like it much, but I shoved the photos in my pockets, scooped her up, and carried her out.”
He thrust a hand into his pocket, retrieved two small picture frames, and held them out for me to take. One of Kelly. The other of Chris and me.
I took them gingerly. “Thank you,” I said, my hands trembling.
“Thank you so much.” Chris shook his hand. The paramedic moved aside to let us talk to Mother, still holding her notebook.
“Where’ve you been?” she asked. “I finally started calling for Sharice. She never came. I thought you’d both left me.”
“Mother,” I said, then stopped. There was more she wanted to say.
Her voice shook. “Now that you had this important job on TV, I knew you’d just forget about me. I’d be alone. And you wouldn’t come back.”
She was worried I didn’t care about her. All of this time.
“Never, Mother.” I threw myself in her lap, not caring if she pushed back. “I love you.”
After a moment, ever so lightly, I felt her stroke my hair.
Chapter 60
Rick made it back to the studio in record time to announce the live cut-in. I watched him on a small television set a few yards away next to my cameraman and adjusted the sound on the live truck’s extra earpiece.
Sharice hadn’t made it. She’d died in the fire, rescuing residents, dragging people to safety.
I was in shock. It couldn’t be real. She was the only fatality, so far. The firefighters estimated that she saved at least six residents before succumbing to smoke inhalation.
Oh, Sharice.
“…Our own Melissa Moore is on the scene. Melissa, what can you tell us about this afternoon’s fire at Magnolia Woods nursing home?”
I paused a second to gather my final thoughts, then answered. “Rick, what you see behind me is the clean-up effort following a massive fire at Magnolia Woods.” I stepped to the side and allowed the cameraman to get a wide shot of the damaged building, many parts of it charred and still smoldering.
“Employees of the nursing home told me the blaze started in the kitchen, after they were unable to contain a grease fire on one of the stoves. When they realized they couldn’t control it, they called 9-1-1 and started the evacuation process.”
The television screen flashed back to Rick. I stepped back into the camera shot as he spoke.
“What about the explosion that happened later, after the fire started? Any foul play suspected?” Rick prompted.
“No foul play suspected. There is speculation that the explosion may have stemmed from a closet where several old, very large oxygen tanks were being stored until the nursing home could dispose of them. We’ll have final word on that in a few days when the report is filed. Rick?”
Rick filled the television screen again. “Melissa, how many people live and work at the nursing home?” Rick asked.
From the studio, Joe rolled file footage of the nursing home.
“Forty-eight residents lived here, though they won’t be able to come back to this facility for quite some time due to smoke and water damage.” I paused to take a breath. “As for the employees, nineteen were working this morning when the fire started.
“The company that owns Magnolia Woods has already promised to find places for the employees in the other nursing homes they own in the Macon and surrounding areas. That’s huge peace of mind for those folks who need to keep a paycheck coming in,” I added.
“Melissa, were many people injured?” Rick continued. “And if so, do we know their medical status and if all of the families have been contacted?”
The camera was back on me. “Unfortunately, Rick, six residents of the nursing home and four employees had to be transported to the hospital and are now undergoing treatment for smoke inhalation and minor burns. Those residents happened to be
returning from the dining area in the back of the building near the kitchen at the time the fire began.
“We do have confirmation that one employee lost her life in the fire. A single mother, a nurse, and a fine person.” My voice cracked. “We’ll have an update on her story on WSGA News at Six.”
The television screen went back to Rick. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family. Melissa, we understand that your own mother is one of the residents of the nursing home. How’s she doing?”
The question caught me off guard. We’re lucky she’s alive, was all that was running through my mind. But I had to pull myself together.
“It’s been an emotional afternoon, Rick. But thanks to the Macon firefighters, my mother was rescued.” My throat caught and one tear escaped. “She’s going to be all right.” I swallowed and tried to get composed. “We…we were very lucky.”
“Thanks, Melissa. Melissa Moore reporting live from Magnolia Woods Nursing Home, the scene of a large fire this afternoon. Several elderly residents and employees of the facility were sent to the hospital for treatment of injuries. We’ll have more tonight on WSGA News at Six. See you then.”
The television screen flashed to commercial. Several yards away, my cameraman signaled we were finished. He’d stay here for the six and ten live shots. As I picked up my purse and the bottle of water I had grabbed from the live truck, my cell phone buzzed.
“Chris?” I answered. “How’s Mother doing? Does she know about Sharice?” Her name caught in my throat. The photo of her little son, Darius, was fixed in my mind.
“I don’t think so. She’s sleeping right now. She’s exhausted. I’ll bet you are, too.”
“You bet right.” I sighed. “We’re on our way back to the station.”
“Melissa?”
“Still here,” I answered.
“What I wanted to say,” Chris cleared his throat, “is that I’m really proud of you.”
Chapter 61
“Great job.” I heard someone say.
The praise was followed by a chorus of other voices. “Wonderful story.”
“Strong live shot.”
“Loved it.”
Over the noise of everyone talking at once in the newsroom, the telephones rang louder. Drew clapped his hands to get attention.
“People!” he yelled. “Do not send every single call to my office. If it’s someone from the national media, NBC, ABC, or the mayor’s office, I will take it. Otherwise, do your best to answer the person’s questions and if need be, take a message. I will call them back.”
Drew rubbed his forehead and motioned for me to come into his office. He shut the door behind me. The deafening noise from the newsroom was instantly cut in half.
“Whew!” he said, and flopped down into his chair. “What a day! So, your mother? Is she really all right?”
I sank into the chair across from Drew’s desk. “She’s lucky. They got her out just before the explosion. Once they release her from the hospital, Mother’s going to stay at my house for right now.”
My thoughts immediately jerked back to Sharice. And Darius. What would happen to her little boy?
Drew tapped his fingers on his desk. “Helluva day. We all set for the six?”
“I think so. I’ll go talk to Rick. We have quite a few fresh sound bites, comments from family members and neighbors. Our contact at the fire department is supposed to check in if he gets any new information. One of reporters will go back for the six o’clock live shot, or I can do it.”
Drew surveyed my disheveled outfit.
“I know,” I twisted my mouth. “Should’ve changed into something more presentable.”
He brightened. “Not at all. They loved it. You connected with viewers. The no makeup, jeans-on approach was brilliant. It made you real. Like the news story was more important than anything else. That’s the ‘something special’ I’ve been looking for.”
I glowed from the praise. “Drew, I used to think this job was just reading off the teleprompter. That it was all fluff. But, it’s so much more—it can be, anyway. I think it’s about relating to viewers because you care about the stories and the people whose lives are wrapped up in crisis. It’s about stories like today. Being out there in the community.”
Drew absorbed my explanation. “You’re right, Mel. You’ve finally got it.”
“Thanks,” I said softly.
The cell phone on Drew’s desk buzzed. He grabbed it. “Hello? Yes? Yes.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “I think we can handle that. Let me check with our engineer and I’ll give you a call back. Give me your extension and the satellite coordinates?” Drew jotted down some numbers on a piece of paper. “All right, I’ll get back to you in a bit.” Drew hung up and stared at the phone. “Well, I’ll be damned!”
“Who was that?”
“Fox News. They want a satellite feed of video of your story.” Drew snatched up the scrap of paper he’d scribbled on and stood up. “CNN already called. They’re sending someone down from Atlanta to do cut-ins.”
My eyes widened.
“Don’t look so surprised.” Drew winked at me. “You did good work. And your mother was in there. That puts a personal twist on the story. They may want a comment from you. Think about it.” He paused. “Anyway, they want all of the video. And they want it now, of course.”
I leaned back in the chair and stretched my arms over my head. “Shoot. And after we finish, how about a month-long vacation in Hawaii?”
“Fat chance, Moore.” Drew snapped his fingers. “Hey, wasn’t there something you wanted to ask me? Didn’t we have a meeting at noon? What did you need?”
I sat up straight. “Do you have a sec?”
Drew shrugged his shoulders. “Not really, but there’s no time like the present. No telling what’ll happen in five minutes. The way this day is going, a hurricane might blow through Macon and wipe out the studio.”
I crossed my arms, trying to think of how best to explain.
Just say it, Melissa.
“I need to know if you’ve made a decision.”
Drew shot me a puzzled look.
“About who’s going to anchor with Rick?”
“If that’s what you’re talking about, Melissa, you’ve got it.” He grinned and rubbed his hands together like he was sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner. “Full-time. Six and ten news, of course. I’ll even find you a producer,” he added. “It’ll free you and Rick up to do more promotional events. And I’ll give you all of five minutes to think about it.”
I was stunned. And elated.
It’s happening. It’s finally happening.
“By the way, Macon PD found Alyssa.”
“Really?”
“I put out some feelers, talked to some friends in the business. They connected with some cops in Montana, of all places. She and Tim are getting married, doing a six and ten gig up in Bozeman.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Serious as a heart attack.” Drew started to walk away.
“Drew—” I wanted to ask if he knew what might happen to Darius. If he didn’t know, who would?
“Melissa, look.” Drew waved the piece of paper with Fox News’s number in front of my face. “I’ve got to run and take care of this. You take your time deciding. I do want you to anchor. Just give me your answer as soon as possible. Like tomorrow.”
He put his hand on the door to leave. “Melissa, if it matters, I believe you can do it.” Drew opened the door. “You just have to believe in yourself, too.”
Chapter 62
Chris was waiting in the foyer when I walked through the front door of the house at close to midnight.
“A million-two!” he said.
I set down my bag and put my hands on my hips. “Are you kidding? For real?”
Chris grinned and folded his arms across his chest. “I started to tell you this morning. Macon Financial. They’re going to pay me one-point-two million to settle. One-point-two million not to sue them for sex
ual harassment and to keep me from splashing the hedge fund story all over the media.” Chris shook his head. “Plus they fired Tyler. They let her go today! What do you think about that?”
“Oh, my. Wow.” My knees wobbled. I braced myself on the wall with one hand. “And so what are you going to do?”
“Take the money. Be done with it.” Chris replied. “That’s what the lawyer says. We’d be crazy not to do it. I don’t want to go to court and fight some legal battle.”
“Are you thinking about going out on your own?” It was perfect timing for Chris. My palms got sweaty. I needed to talk to him about Darius.
“What is it?” He tugged on my arm. “What’s wrong?”
I tried to focus on my shoe. A speck on the floor. Anything but Chris.
Chris’s hand tugged my arm. “Come here. Sit down. I need to show you something.”
Too tired to protest, I let myself be led into the living room, then to the loveseat. Chris turned to the television. He took a white case from the top of the entertainment center and slipped out a disk, then inserted it into the DVD player.
The DVD. Of Chris and Tyler.
I started shaking my head. “No, Chris. I don’t want to watch that.”
He turned around, red-faced and flustered. “I-I don’t want you to either. This isn’t easy for me. But what I’ve decided, especially after seeing your reaction a few minutes ago, is that you’ll never believe me if you don’t see the DVD for yourself.”
“I thought you didn’t have it,” I demanded.
Chris glanced at the disk. “I told you the original was delivered to the CEO of the company. I didn’t say anything about a copy.”
My hands gripped the edge of the loveseat. I shut my eyes. So many secrets and half-truths. And I had my own guilty conscience.
“I’m playing it,” he said finally. “You can watch it or not.” Chris pressed the button and stepped away from the television set.
A boardroom table came into focus, with Chris at the far end. He had stacks of paper around him, folders to one side. Pencils and pens lined up in front of him. A tall, thin centerpiece sat in the middle of the table, filled with roses and lilies.