Page 42 of To the Moon and Back
It wasn’t their fault.
The blame was Brady’s. He had an aversion to pity. When girls realized the details of his childhood, they looked at him differently. Like he was a project or a charity case. Whatever it was, Brady hated it. He didn’t want sympathy.
He wanted empathy.
Sympathy felt sorry from the outside looking in. It knew nothing of a person’s pain or experience.
Empathy lived it. The sorry feeling came from the inside looking out.
Which was why things never worked with the women he dated. Sure they were sad about his past. But they didn’t understand it. And in the end it left a chasm too great to cross. A divide no bridge could span.
It was fine. Brady didn’t need love. If he couldn’t find Jenna, he would go on the way he had every year for more than a decade. Fighting fires. Serving the people of Oklahoma City. Working out at the local CrossFit gym. Maybe it wasn’t the life he had hoped for. Not the life his mom would’ve wanted for him. But it was enough.
Brady opened the message and scanned to the bottom.
Ashley Baxter Blake.
Brady sat up straighter and stared at the screen. Ashley? She was the brunette from the memorial. The one who had randomly texted him a few days ago. She said she’d read the letter he’d written for Jenna. How she wanted to help. It had seemed harmless at the time, so he had texted back. He didn’t know Jenna’s last name, so what could the lady do to help? He had figured that would be the end of it.
So what was her deal? Why was she writing to him again? So bizarre. The woman was a complete stranger. So what was her interest?
He started at the top of the note.
Dear Brady, thank you for responding to me earlier. I can see why you’ve struggled to find Jenna if you don’t know her last name. I haven’t found her yet.
He hesitated. Did she really think she could find Jenna? When he had been looking all these years? He kept reading. The woman wanted to know Jenna’s high school or college and when Brady had met her. As if that would help.
Brady read the last few lines.
He felt his heart soften. Ashley wanted a sapling for her niece. Maybe that was what this was really about. He stared at the message. What had happened to the young girl that she wanted a piece of the Survivor Tree? Writing back made no real sense. But the part about the niece caught him by surprise. If he could help the child, he would.
“Okay, Ashley.” He uttered the words under his breath as he hit the reply button. He kept his response brief.
I don’t have the information you asked for. We met in 2007, that’s about it.
He hesitated, picturing Jenna the way she had looked back then. He could tell Ashley about that. The information couldn’t hurt. He positioned his fingers on the keyboard again.
Here’s something. Eleven years ago Jenna looked like Emma Stone. Not sure if that helps. Also, I would like to help you find a Survivor Tree sapling for your niece. Are you coming back to the memorial next April? That’s usually the only time they’re given out. Was your niece related to someone who died in the bombing?
He looked at what he’d written and gradually felt his heart engage. Ashley didn’t have to reach out. She didn’t seem to have an ulterior motive. Just some sense about the situation. How had she said it? There was a reason. That was it. A reason she had seen him at the fence. Brady finished his note.
Anyway, thanks for taking time to write. I don’t think you’ll find Jenna. But you mean well, and I appreciate that. Take care. Brady.
There. He hit the send button. It was still odd, a complete stranger trying to help him find Jenna. But he was touched by her kindness.
He searched through a few local websites. The downtown mission was hosting a fund-raiser next month. He sent a quick email to the organizer. Like last year he wanted to attend. Brady would act as a table host and get the word out about ticket sales.
Next he checked his email. A thank-you letter from the children’s hospital, where he was also a regular volunteer. Brady didn’t have his own family. So helping people gave him purpose. A way to do for children what no one had been able to do for him at that age.
Give them a reason to smile.
He read to the bottom of the letter. Would he be interested in coming in every week instead of every month? Brady felt the ache deep in his heart. Yes, he would be interested. Sick kids needed as much love as they could get.
Brady wasn’t finished writing his response when the sirens went off. It took only seconds to know that the call was a big one.
“The structure is fully involved,” the voice crackled over the radio. Then came other details.
The address was a warehouse on the east side of the city. The building sat adjacent to a retirement home, which according to the call was also ablaze. Trucks were being sent from every station in the area.
