Page 44 of The Rough Ride

Nick paced and rubbed their little backs, murmuringit will be okay, it’s alright now.His military training had included snippets on how to talk to adults after an emotional shock, but kids? He had no idea. If only Derek were here. Derek would have them calmed in a matter of minutes.

Hell.Derekwasn’t here now. Nick needed to figure this out and fast. Forget that he’d go deaf from the crying—Nat and Ollie craved the calm. Ollie would never remember this night, but Natalie probably would, and somehow, he needed to put a positive spin on the situation like his mother used to do for him.

He dragged in a breath and set his shoulders. “Okay, guys, it’s time to stop crying. That was scary, but you’re not in any danger now. Hey, look at the fire truck,” he cooed. “The firemen will put out the fires for us. Look at all the people who have come to help.”

Hell, they’d seen the destruction. Now let them see the resolution. There was no use in pretending nothing had happened.

His mother’s gravest mistake was thinking she could somehow fix the unfixable, instead of acknowledging that they needed help.

Biggs had total control of the scene out front.Good thing.

“Look, Natalie. The firemen are unwinding the hoses. They’re going to put the fires out. You know, when you go to school, they’ll teach you all about first responders. See that policeman? He’s a first responder because he got here first to protect you.”

Natalie sniffled and glanced out the window. Her face litwith interest. “Look Ollie, there’s a fire truck just like the one you play with in the bathtub.”

Ollie screwed up his face and continued to cry.

Natalie threw an arm around his shoulder and kissed him on his cheek and forehead. “It’s all better now, Ollie, I love you. Look at the big fire truck outside.”

Ollie finally lifted his head. He gaped at the vehicles out front.

Nick shook his head. This was a hell of a lot more entertaining than another SpongeBob episode.

In between everything else, he called the Richardsons to alert them to the fiasco and continued keeping them in the loop with texts and pictures. Angie was now hell-bent on finding a way home early, despite the hurricane.

Nick heated fresh bowls of Chinese food and set Ollie’s high chair in front of the dining room window next to a TV tray and chair for Natalie. They watched the goings-on in the yard with rapt fascination. Most of the firemen waved to them, and a female police officer made funny faces from the front walk. She came inside and interviewed Nick for her police report and left the kids with lollipops.

Precious sat at the door to the kitchen whining and staring, almost willing Nick to look her way.Oh yeah, the Chinese food scattered around the breakfast nook.He picked up Biggs’ shrimp (because heaven forbid the dog went into anaphylactic shock with a shellfish allergy) and turned her loose on the chicken fried rice covering the kitchen floor.

Except for a few more shudders and Natalie melting down over her ruined tire swing in the charred maple tree, they watched the scene for the next forty-five minutes, along with Natalie’s chocolate-covered dolls perched on the wide windowsill.

Bedtime came and went. Nick let the kids watch until the last police car quietly pulled out of the driveway. Ollie barely finished his milk and nodded off in the high chair when Kyle, the midnight security guy arrived early as requested and strolled through the kitchen.

“Hey man, busy night here. What can I do to help?”

Nick lifted Ollie from the high chair. “I’m putting this little guy to bed. Natalie’s already upstairs changing into her pajamas. You can help Biggs secure the perimeter again. We’re still running scans to see if we’ve lost any equipment in the fires. I’ll be back down in a little bit. Biggs’ll bring you up to speed.”

“Okay. You look exhausted, man. Gonna go home and get some shut-eye? We can take over for a while.”

He nodded. “Definitely thinking about it.”

Nick headed for the stairs with Ollie asleep on his shoulder. Natalie stood in the hallway watching him with big fat tears running down her face.

“Please don’t leave, Mr. Nick. I don’t know that man. Please, Mr. Nick. You can sleep in Linzee’s bed—she won’t mind.” She clutched her teddy bear and sobbed.

His heart tugged hard.She’s been through a lot today.

“I’m not going anywhere, Natalie.” Although, sleeping in Lindsay’s ruffled canopy bed was off the table.

“You promise?” Several more tears cascaded down her cheeks.

“Sure. I promise.” He reached for her hand as they started up the stairs.

“Do you really promise? Sometimes when I have a bad dream, Linzee waits for me to go back to sleep and then she sneaks to her own bed.”

“I really promise,” he said as they neared the upstairs hallway. “I’m going to sleep in the little bed in Ollie’s room in case he wakes up. If you need me, I’ll be in there.”

“Okay.” Natalie wiped her face with the sleeve of her Barbie nightgown.

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