Unstoppable (A Country Roads Novel)

by Richard, Shannon

  The puppy hadn’t needed a second invitation. He was currently curled up next to her side, his head resting on her stomach. She was on the brink of sleep again when her phone finally rang, vibrating the bed. She grabbed for it eagerly, making Teddy jump.

  “Hey,” she said relieved. “How’s Danny?”

  “Still in surgery.”

  “And Cindy?”

  “She’s holding it together.”

  “And you?”

  “I’m fine, Mel.” He paused for a second before he continued. “You need to go to bed. You’re going to be exhausted tomorrow.”

  “I wasn’t going to fall asleep until you called me. I’m glad you’re safe.”

  “At least somebody is safe,” he said not keeping the contempt out of his voice.

  “Bennett, don’t.”

  “He might not make it, Mel.” There was so much pain and anger in his voice that it made Mel’s heart break.

  She sat up in bed, clutching her chest. “Bennett, there are too many what-ifs in life. It’s impossible to know how everything is going to play out, so all you can do is pray that it’s the one you want, and not focus on the rest.”

  “But that’s not how I do things. I’ve always had to prepare myself for the worst-case scenario.”

  “Not this time, baby. This time you focus on the best; it’s the only way to survive it. Danny is going to pull through this.”

  “Mel I…I have to go.” There was something about the way he said it that led her to believe that wasn’t what he’d planned on saying.

  “Will you please promise me that you’ll call me if anything happens, or if you just need to talk? I don’t care what time it is.”

  He sighed heavily into the phone.

  “Promise me,” she demanded.

  “I promise.” He didn’t sound too pleased about it at all.

  “I’ll be here.” But she wished more than anything that she was there with him.

  “Okay,” he agreed. “Now please go get some sleep.”

  “’Night.”

  “’Night.” And with that the phone disconnected.

  * * *

  Danny’s surgery had been a long and extensive one. The forklift had broken his left leg, left arm, and more than a few ribs. He had multiple internal injuries, including a collapsed lung, and a ruptured spleen that they’d had to remove. And then there was the matter of his head injury. He’d fallen backward when he’d been hit and cracked his head on the cement, and now he was comatose. He might’ve been out of surgery but he was nowhere near out of the woods.

  Bennett hadn’t been prepared for what he saw when he walked into that hospital room. The man in the bed only had a vague resemblance to Danny. The top of his head was bandaged, and his eyes were black and blue. His arm and leg were in casts, and the rest of his body was wrapped in bandages. He looked like he was being held together by the white cloth.

  Danny might’ve been short, but he definitely wasn’t a small man. That wasn’t the case now. He looked diminished somehow in that little bed, diminished and vulnerable.

  It took everything in Bennett to not go running from the room screaming and crying. He was back in the desert, next to that burning wreckage of a helicopter, watching his friends die before his eyes and unable to do a damn thing to stop it. Bennett didn’t do helpless. He couldn’t do it, couldn’t handle it.

  This wasn’t happening to him again. Danny had been the strong one. Danny had been the one to save Bennett’s life.

  Bennett couldn’t do what Mel had told him to do. He couldn’t only focus on the best possible scenario. No, because all he could think about as he looked at his best friend, who saved his life, was that he was keeping watch at Danny’s deathbed.

  * * *

  Bennett was exhausted, so he headed over to the hotel around three to get a few hours of sleep before he took over the night shift. He hoped Cindy would actually be able to pull herself away when he got back. She was going to make herself sick if she kept up the pace she was at. She hadn’t slept in over thirty-two hours.

  Bennett had left the kids in the waiting room, huddled around a small DVD player. Alex might’ve been only ten, but Bennett was impressed at how well he was looking after his little brother and sister. He was going to be a big help in the next couple of days, especially for his mother.

  Bennett pulled out his cell phone and called Mel. He’d talked to her that morning and given her an update on Danny’s post surgery status, but he needed to hear her voice again.

  “Hey,” she said almost immediately. The phone had barely gotten through the first ring.

  He closed his eyes and let that one little word wrap around him. Her voice was like a light in the darkness.

  “Hi.”

  “How is he?”

  “Still hasn’t woken up. But there was a lot of swelling in his brain, so it’s going to take some time. Tell me about your day.”

  “All right,” she said and proceeded to talk to him about everything and about nothing. When he got back to the hotel room the only thing he bothered to do before he lay down on the bed was take off his shoes. After that, he listened to the sound of Mel’s voice until he passed out.

  * * *

  Mel was barely able to focus on anything. Her thoughts were consumed by what was happening 350 miles north of her. She’d talked to Bennett multiple times over the last two days, and there hadn’t been any real progress since Danny had gotten out of surgery.

  Mel really wanted to be there for Bennett and the whole Provo family. But she was hesitant after Bennett had said no so quickly the first time she’d suggested it, that and the fact that he hadn’t mentioned anything about her going up there.

  Mel tried her hardest to hold it together, but the fact that Bennett wasn’t going to be at the ceremony after he’d put so much of himself into the project was killing her. And it was more than just Mel who felt Bennett’s absence. The kids were asking about him constantly.

  At six o’clock on Thursday night, everything was ready to go. The bookshelves were all up, and filled with books. Grace and Lula Mae made more than enough finger foods laid out on the back tables. A massive bowl had been filled with green punch which had red berries floating on the top.

  Families were filing into the library, laughing and talking about the upcoming Christmas vacation. It all made Mel feel hollow. People’s lives were going on, while this tragedy had happened. It was all wrong.

  Hamilton came up to her. “I know this sucks for you.”

  “He should be here,” Mel said softly.

  “I know.” Hamilton frowned. “He helped with a lot more than just the bookshelves.”

  “I know. Dale’s an entirely different kid.”

  “Right?” Hamilton grinned. “You know he asked Kylee out.”

  “Really?” Mel asked, intrigued.

  “Yup, and his mom has a date with Marlin Yance this weekend.”

  “Seriously?”

  “No joke. Mrs. Rigels took us to get pizza last night and Mr. Yance was there. And before he asked her out he asked for Dale’s permission.”

  “What did Dale say?”

  “Yes. I think he was too shocked to say anything else. It completely made Mrs. Rigels’s night.”

  This time Mel couldn’t help smiling. It was Bennett. She just knew he was behind that one.

  “You heard anything new about Mr. Provo?”

  “I talked to Bennett earlier today. There hasn’t been a change. I just wish I was up there with him.”

  “You going to be able to get through this?” Hamilton asked, nodding toward the podium.

  “What other choice do I have?”

  “You’ve got a lot of choices. You could run for the hills. But I don’t see you doing that.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Nope, not my sister. She’s the bravest person I know.”

  Mel was at a complete loss for words as Hamilton pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. It probably wasn’t the best time
for Mel to forget how to talk as Principal Bolinder was making his way to the podium to start the ceremony, because she would be speaking soon.

  Hopefully she’d be able to pull herself together by then.

  Only a few chairs were lined up against the back wall, because there were so many people and they needed as much space as they could get. The room was packed, but everyone quieted down as Principal Bolinder began to speak.

  Since the bookshelves were the big part of the ceremony, they were saved for the very end. Mel thought she’d been okay, but when Principal Bolinder called her name, she wasn’t sure how she was going to do it.

  “You got this,” Hamilton said next to her, squeezing her hand tight before he let go.

  Mel made her way to the podium to a room full of applause. She looked out at the crowd seeing her parents, friends, and colleagues, her students, and so many people from the town that it was ridiculous. They were all beaming at her.

  It took everything in her not to lose it. How was it that in a room filled with people she felt so freaking alone? This wasn’t where she was supposed to be. She was supposed to be with Bennett.

  “This project…” She paused, the catch in her voice obvious to everyone in the room. She cleared her throat and tried again. “This project has been months in the making. There were many people involved, many people who thought that it was a worthwhile idea and who wanted to be a part of it. This wouldn’t have happened without the combined efforts of many people in Mirabelle. To all of the benefactors, the parents, and the kids, and to everyone who gave a moment of their time or money toward this project, thank you.

  “Since I was a little girl, I’ve had two loves in my life that have always stayed with me: math and books. This project has been near and dear to my heart for many reasons, but the fact that it took math to make something that houses books? Well, it makes it that much more special to me.”

  And then there was the fact that I fell in love with the man of my dreams while doing it.

  Mel had to take a moment to collect herself after that little thought.

  “I know I wasn’t the only person this project had an impact on, and I’d like to recognize a few people.” She went through her list, giving out the awards that she and Bennett had come up with together. She saved the one that meant the most for last, and Dale had looked humbled when he came up to accept his award for Most Improved.

  Mel watched him walk back to where his mother was standing with Kylee and her family. Virginia beamed at her son as she pulled him into a big hug. When she let go, Kylee was by his side, stretching up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

  Bennett. This had all happened because Bennett had helped.

  “I can’t end this without mentioning the man who was at the center of this project. Bennett Hart volunteered his time and energy into this project without once asking what was in it for him. He couldn’t be here tonight.” She paused again, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat. “But I know he would say how proud he was of all the kids and how honored he was to be a part of it. Thank you again to everyone, and Merry Christmas.”

  Mel took a step back from the podium and the room broke out into applause again. When she went to walk away Mrs. Sylvester came up and stopped her.

  “You know we really can’t end this ceremony just yet. Ms. Melanie O’Bryan, your students have something they want to give to you.”

  Dale and Kylee moved to the side of the room where double doors led out to the hallway. They pushed them open and there stood a bookshelf.

  “All of your students had a hand in making that,” Mrs. Sylvester said to Mel. “They all wanted you to know how much this project meant to them, and they wanted you to have something to remember what you did for them.”

  It was a very similar design to the ones that had been made for the library, but it had a little something extra to it. The wood wasn’t the same. No, they’d used beachwood, and though they’d kept the natural wood for the outer part of the case, the shelves were turquoise and green. Mel didn’t need to get a closer look to know that Bennett’s hands had been all over that bookshelf.

  He’d made this with the kids. He’d done this for her. And she needed to do something for him. She needed to be with him. Now.

  * * *

  On Friday night, Bennett was reading a book to Danny. It was around nine o’clock when Cindy walked into the room sans kids.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, standing up from the chair next to Danny’s bed.

  “That wonderful woman of yours is what’s up.”

  “Huh?”

  “Mel got here about two hours ago.”

  “She’s here?” Bennett asked beyond confused. He’d talked to her two hours ago. She’d said she was picking up dinner. She’d failed to mention the part where she’d driven six hours to get it.

  “Yes, and she brought food. I cannot tell you how great it was to sit and eat a meal that wasn’t McDonald’s. She’s watching the kids for me so I can be here.”

  “She’s here?” Bennett repeated.

  “Yes,” Cindy tilted her head to the side and studied Bennett’s face. “She didn’t tell you she was coming?”

  Bennett shook his head.

  “Well, she’s here. You want to go see her?”

  How was it that going to see her hadn’t been his first instinct? No, he didn’t want to see her. Not like this. Not when his world had just been ripped wide open again and he didn’t have the option of just hanging up the phone to prevent her from hearing it. He was barely holding it together, and the little he was able to hold on to was solely for the benefit of Cindy and the kids.

  Mel wasn’t supposed to be there. He’d told her not to come.

  Part of him wanted to laugh that she hadn’t listened to him. Of course she hadn’t. But he couldn’t laugh because he was so pissed at her for coming.

  She shouldn’t be here.

  “Yeah,” Bennett nodded slowly. “I, um…I’ll go see her.”

  He had no idea what he was going to say to her, but he’d go see her.

  Cindy gave him a look as he crossed the room, but she didn’t say anything. Bennett walked through the stale hospital halls toward the elevator. He didn’t get any inspiration in there, or when he walked outside and crossed the parking lot. So he decided to walk for a little bit longer in the cold air.

  Somehow it turned into an hour and he still didn’t have anything. He finally made his way over to the hotel room, and he stood outside and stared at the door for a good minute…or five.

  The kids were in that room, so he needed to not get upset. And it wasn’t just for their sake. Mel had good intentions in coming up here. She wanted to help. She just didn’t realize that Bennett couldn’t take her help right now.

  He pulled out the card and ran his thumb across the top for a minute, trying to figure out what was going on in his head. But he had no fucking clue.

  He stuck the card in the slot, and when it beeped he opened the door.

  Alex and Blake were asleep on one of the beds. Their heads were at the foot of the bed; they’d been watching cartoons on TV, which was still on. Mel was asleep on the bed he’d been using, curled around a sleeping June.

  He was still frustrated at her for being here, but it didn’t stop him from what he did next. He pulled off his boots before he crawled in bed behind Mel, and curled up around her. She sighed in her sleep and pressed back into him.

  He wasn’t sure how long he lay there watching Mel sleep, feeling her warm body up against his. But at some point his exhaustion got the best of him—not all that surprising, as he hadn’t slept for more than four hours straight since Monday night.

  He was back in the helicopter. Everyone was there, all the guys. They were flying to the forward operating base, and everyone was laughing about something Santiago said. He was talking about his wife. She was six months pregnant with their son, and she’d gone on and on in a letter she wrote him about her weird cravings.

  Sant
iago didn’t think her cravings were all that different from her normal eating habits. “She’s Italian,” he said into his headset so that everyone could hear him. “Apparently it’s normal to put hard-boiled eggs on pizza. To me that is strange. Caramel on potato chips? That’s nothing.”

  Without warning, the side of the helicopter was ripped open by gunfire. They started losing altitude quickly. And just like that, Santiago was gone.

  Bennett woke up breathing hard and covered in sweat. He swung his legs over the bed and hung his head between his knees. His heart was still pounding out of his chest and he couldn’t take full breaths. He hadn’t had a panic attack in months.

  He started taking slow, steady breaths, counting as he did so. When his breathing evened out he closed his eyes and started curling and uncurling his toes. When he had the feeling back in his hands, he did the same thing with them.

  The damn nightmare had been more real than it had ever been before. Bennett had felt like he was back there in that hot, dry desert. He’d tasted the sand in his mouth, could feel the grit grinding between his teeth.

  He took another deep breath before he lifted his head. The room was empty, and sunlight was streaming through the window. He looked over at the alarm clock. It was eight in the morning. He’d slept for almost nine hours.

  “Shit,” he said, rubbing at his face. He stood slowly, making sure his legs were steady and headed for the bathroom.

  The hot shower was good for clearing his head.

  * * *

  Mel sat across from Alex and Blake as they munched on pancakes at the Denny’s down the road. June, sitting at her side, dipped powdered-sugar-covered French toast sticks into syrup.

  Mel had been a little nervous about what Bennett’s reaction was going to be to her being up there, but after this morning, her nerves had diminished.

  She’d been more than a little surprised to wake up that morning with him curled around her, his face pressed into her hair and his mouth on her neck. Mel could count on one hand how many times she’d woken up before Bennett. He’d had an alarm clock hardwired in him because of his time in the military.