Page 14 of Never Really Over

Did the line go dead because of the storm?

I doubt it because I heard her scream before the line did go dead.

I didn’t hear the sounds of a crash, though.

“She’s okay. She’s okay. She’s okay,” I whisper to myself. I drop to my knees, take a deep breath, and say a prayer that my words are true, and try calling her again.

No answer.

Or the second time.

Or the third time.

“What do I do? What in the heck do I do?”

I don’t really talk with anyone back in the Grove anymore but I do have some of Mom’s friends’ numbers. I could call one of them but I also don’t want to worry anyone unnecessarily.

Doing something that I’m hoping I won’t regret later, I call Dalton.

“Well, as I live and breathe, Layla, it’s been a while.”

“I know but I’m panicking and don’t know what to do. Don’t take this wrong, but you know I wouldn’t be calling you unless it was an emergency.”

“Okay, you got my attention. What’s going on?”

“I was on the phone with my mom and it’s storming back at Hollow Grove. She sounded like something was wrong because she screamed and then the phone went dead and I can’t reach her. I don’t talk to anyone back home anymore and don’t know who to call.”

“Hang tight. I’ll call my parents, see if they can help. Where was she?”

“Heading home from the store.”

“Stay by your phone. I’ll call you right back.”

“Thanks.”

He hangs up and I say another prayer, hoping that calling him wasn’t a mistake but also grateful that he didn’t act like his normal self. Typically Dalton doesn’t do anything for anyone but himself so the fact that he was even willing to make a phone call for me is a little out of the ordinary.

While waiting for his return call, I quickly change clothes and brush out my hair, pulling it up into a messy bun then quickly throw some stuff into an overnight bag then shoot off a message to my boss and let him know I won’t be in next week due to a family emergency. I don’t know why, but something in me is telling me I need to go home. Desperate, I try calling my mom again and, once again, it goes to voice mail.

Something is definitely wrong. She always returns my calls and texts.

Just as I’m zipping up my bag, my phone rings again. I answer without looking at the screen, wishing it was Mom.

“Mom?”

“No, it’s Dalton. I talked to Mom. She tried to call your mom, too, and she didn’t answer. She had her number still since you moved here and your mom wanted to make sure she had my mom’s number.”

“I know that, Dalton,” I snap. “Sorry. Sorry. I’m just worried. Did she say anything else?”

“She just said that she doesn’t know anything aside from that there was a multi-vehicle accident. I don’t know that your mom was involved because she hasn’t heard details. She had just gotten a call from a friend who had seen the emergency vehicles and then was re-routed to go a different way home because of the accident.”

My heart stops.

No.

“Layla?”

“I’m here,” I whisper.

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