Page 64 of The Maine Event

As we near the bank of the river, I let my eyes drift closed, exhaustion crashing over me in relentless waves. I’m dimly aware of Dan hauling us out of the water, of Chloe’s small form still clinging to him like a barnacle.

Then somehow, I’m sitting in the backseat of his car, still holding on to Chloe, the distant concerned drone of Dan’s voice, and the blessed relief of being alive.

We made it,I think hazily, surrendering at last to the beckoning pull of unconsciousness.We’re alive. We’re safe.

He saved us.

My eyes flutter open to the sight of Dan’s face hovering above me, his brow furrowed with concern. “Rachel? Hey, you with me?”

I nod weakly, my eyes opening. Beside me, Chloe is curled into a tight ball, her small frame racked with shivers.

“What were you thinking?” Dan demands, his voice rough with residual fear. “Taking the boat out like that without telling me?”

“I’m sorry,” I say, my throat tight. “We just wanted… I thought it would be fun.”

“Fun?” He rakes a hand through his hair, frustration emanating from every line of his body. “Rachel, that boat wasn’t seaworthy. I’d sanded it, painted it to make it look nice, but I hadn’t replaced the waterproofing between the boards. It was just for display.”

A sinking feeling settles in my gut as the magnitude of our mistake hits me. “I didn’t know,” I manage, my voice small.

“You’re lucky it wasn’t more serious,” Dan continues, his tone softening slightly. “All this time, you’ve been asking me to treat Chloe like a grown-up. Well, look what happens. She’s just a child, Rachel.”

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision. He’s right, of course. I’d been so focused on giving Chloe theindependence I thought she needed that I’d failed to consider the risks.

“I’m sorry,” I say again, the words inadequate in the face of what could have been. “I never meant for this to happen.”

Dan sighs, the anger draining from his features as he reaches out to brush a strand of wet hair from my forehead. “I know,” he says. “But it did. And now we have to deal with it.”

He turns to Chloe, gathering her into his arms. She clings to him, her face pale and pinched. “Let’s get you both inside,” he says, his voice gentle but firm. “We’ll get you warmed up, and then we’ll talk about this.”

I nod, allowing him to help me out of the car.

The warmth of the house envelops us as we step inside, a shocking contrast to the chill that has seeped into my bones. Dan bustles about, grabbing towels and blankets, his movements efficient yet tinged with a lingering tension.

Chloe huddles on the couch, wrapped in a fluffy towel, her eyes distant. I long to comfort her, to assure her that everything will be alright, but the words stick in my throat. How can I make such promises when I’ve so clearly failed her?

“Get those wet clothes off now,” he says.

I accept a towel and a robe from him, and he turns and busies himself with Chloe while I strip, my soaked clothes land on the floor with a soppy thud.

“I’ll make some hot chocolate,” Dan announces, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. “Chloe, why don’t you go up and take a shower? As hot as you can take it.”

She nods, sliding off the couch and padding down the hallway in a robe much too big for her. I watch her go, my heart aching with the weight of my mistakes.

Dan returns with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, setting them down on the coffee table. He settles into one of thedining room chairs across from me, his hands clasped tightly in his lap.

“What were you thinking?” he asks, his voice strained. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that river is?”

I wince, the guilt washing over me anew. “I know. I’m sorry, Dan. I didn’t realize the boat wasn’t seaworthy. I just wanted to do something special for Chloe, to show her that I care.”

“By putting her life at risk?” His tone sharpens, anger flashing in his eyes. “I trusted you with my daughter, Rachel. I thought you understood how important she is to me.”

“I do,” I insist, leaning forward. “Chloe means the world to me, too. I would never intentionally put her in harm’s way.”

“But you did.” The words hang heavy in the air. “I can’t lose her, Rachel. Not like I lost Rebecca. I won’t survive it.”

My heart clenches at the raw pain in his voice. “I’m so sorry, Dan. I didn’t mean to. I thought I was doing the right thing. Clearly it wasn’t. I don’t know what else to say.”

“I know you didn’t mean to,” he says, his voice softening slightly. “But that doesn’t change what happened.”

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