“I know.”She inhaled sharply, her back straightening as her hand withdrew.“Here goes nothing.”
Hitting the button, she flicked the device’s speaker on so that the noise of the dialing tone echoed around the silver soft furnishings.Unease gleamed in her green gaze, and I sensed the effort it was taking for her not to end the call and kick the mission into the long grass.For so long, she’d longed to know the outcome of Chelle’s plight, yet sitting there on the precipice of that learning, she seemed ready to abandon the call and bolt for the door.
“Hello?”
Time slowed down when a female voice answered, my mind shifting to try and recall if it was Chelle’s voice coming through the speaker.
“Chelle?”The confusion in Erin’s expression conveyed that she, too, was unsure who had answered the call.
“Erin, is that y-you?”The woman’s voice stammered, and in my mind’s eye, I envisioned the bubbly and often annoying companion who’d accompanied Erin to the wilderness.
“Chelle!”Erin’s free hand rose to cover the gasp that had escaped her mouth.“I’ve been worried sick about you!Are you okay?”
“I thought you were dead.”
There were tears then, and not the dewy-eyed type that could be dabbed away with a tissue.The emotion coming from Chelle was thick and raw, making it difficult to understand what she was saying.
“I’m okay.”Erin’s brow furrowed.“But I heard you were in hospital with hypothermia.”
“I went looking for him.”Chelle’s voice broke again.“After I left you, I trudged on in the snow looking for James.”
Erin’s desperate gaze flitted to me as she went on.“Did you find him?”
“No.”Chelle squeaked the response amidst a torrent of fresh emotion.“I made it down to the river, but I was just so freaking cold, Erin.It was horrible.I thought I was going to die.”
“I’m so happy you didn’t.”Erin blinked away tears.“I’ve missed you.”
“What happened to you?”Chelle asked.“I asked when I was in hospital, but no one seemed to know, and I suppose, after James, I assumed the worst.I’m back with my mum for now, but I can’t accept that he’s gone, Erin.”
“I’m so sorry about James, Chelle.”Erin deflected her friend’s question.
“It still doesn’t seem real.”Chelle broke down on the other end of the line.“I keep expecting him to come stalking through the door and he doesn’t… He’s never going to do that again.”
“I know.It must be awful for you.”Erin’s lips trembled as her tears fell faster, and acting on instinct, I rose to collect a Kleenex from the nearby box, thrusting it in her direction.
One way or the other, the last week had flung her from one tumultuous experience to the next, and while I knew the path to healing and acceptance would be long and require patience, I was looking forward to whisking her away to a place where there could be more than only suffering.
“Thank you.”Erin mouthed the words at me as she accepted the tissue.
“Who are you talking to?”Chelle sniffed.“Are you in hospital too?”
“I’m at Owen’s.”Erin dabbed the tissue at her eyes.
“Your brother’s?Why?”
“It’s a long story.”Erin’s gaze darted to mine and I had the distinct impression she didn’t want to tell that story.At least, not over the phone.“But Mum passed while I was stuck at Niantes and I’ve been helping Owen with the funeral arrangements.”
“Your mum died?”Disbelief rang out in Chelle’s voice.“Oh God, Erin.I’m so sorry.You should have said something.”
“You have James’ loss to deal with.”Erin shrugged as though her friend was there to witness the gesture.“Mum’s passing was a shock, but she was older.I knew this would happen sooner or later.”
“When’s the funeral?”
“Tomorrow.”Erin blew out a breath at the enormity of that statement.After everything she’d been through, she still had to bury her mother.“What about James’?”
“His family is dealing with it,” Chelle sobbed.“They want to have a joint service with Miles.I don’t have a date yet.”
“Of course.”Erin’s eyes fluttered closed as if she, too, sensed the weight of my guilt over the deaths.
