Page 90 of Against the Autumn Pines
Wyatt had talked to the detective, and I’d called the insurance company to file a claim. They said they’d need the police report, of course, so it was honestly good to just go over and talk to them now. Get it done and get my bakery appraisal done and back to work.
I’d texted Jade and told her I’d keep her in the loop on the schedule for fixing things. I had a good chunk of money saved and tucked away. I’d put out a post on social media that we were okay and we’d be back up and running in no time.
See? I could handle this.
I walked out of the closet, and when my bare feet sank into the rug around Wyatt’s bed, a sinking feeling hit my gut. Picking up my phone and dialing the first number that came to mind, I let out a slow, deep breath.
I wasn’t going to cry over this—it wasn’t that serious.
“Ember?!” Aspen cried into the phone. “Oh my gosh are you okay? Wyatt sent out a family group text letting us know you both were okay and at his place with CC, but Ivy and I didn’t want to just show up and intrude. Are you okay? Can I do anything? What do you need?”
She was walking a million miles a minute, and as I sank to the floor beside the bed, I let out another long breath.
“Aspen? Do you think I could borrow a pair of shoes?” I was so thankful to know that we wore the same size right now. “Anything will do.”
She was quiet for a moment before responding, and I could hear the smile in her voice. “Of course you can, Ember. I’ll bring some over. I’ll see you in three minutes!”
With that, she hung up, and I stared at the wall for the next three minutes. Some may have called it dissociating, but I was just sorting through thoughts in a way that seemed a bit unnatural. Nothing dissociative about this.
A gentle knock sounded on the door, and I looked up to find Wyatt staring at me, his eyes still full of concern I didn’t want to acknowledge.
“Aspen is here with a box of shoes?”
I nodded. “Send her on in.”
Wyatt pushed the door open and stepped back. I watched as a discombobulated Aspen walked into the room, a box in hand and a small smile on her face.
“I brought options.”
I tapped the floor next to me, and she set the box down in front of me and plopped down on the floor next to me.
“Do you need a hug?” she asked, her voice close to a whisper.
Shaking my head, I let out a breath. “Although I may tryto get your help on fixing up the store. I’ll reward you in pastries for life.”
Aspen smiled and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. “I needed a hug, and you’ve got it. Let me know what shoes you want. Like I said, options.”
We started rummaging through the box, and ten minutes later, I had a pair of black Nike Air Max’s on, and I was ready to go see how destroyed my life’s work was.
I stoodin the middle of what used to be my seating area. Now it was charred ash. Small remnants of things that used to be whole remained, kicked aside to make pathways around. Apparently the firefighters had to ensure all the flames and embers and shit were put out—or something of that nature.
The detective explained it when we’d first arrived, but as I looked around at the years of hard work and all the money my grandfather had to die to hand me to make this happen, I sort of stopped caring about what he was saying to us. I knew Wyatt was listening, and that made one of us, which was better than none.
I ignored them as they talked, the detective and some man from the fire house explaining the path the accelerant took and other shit I couldn’t understand as I walked.
I found myself upstairs in the middle of the living room. I stared down at the floor where Wyatt had had me on my knees not that long ago. Right? It wasn’t that long ago I was there, but itfeltlike so long ago.
The upstairs wasn’t burnt to bits, which was good, I guess. It was, however, flooded. Most of the water had leakeddownstairs already, so only a few puddles remained. Along with my soaked bed, furniture, whatever.
I jumped as a hand landed on my shoulder.
“Ember?” Wyatt whispered. “What are you doing up here?”
I shrugged. “I just wanted to see what was left, if anything. I don’t know, Wyatt. Just…I don’t know.” I shook my head before finally looking over at him. He looked like he was chomping at the bit to just do something to make this better for me. “Can we go out tonight?”
His eyes widened for a moment before he nodded. “Yeah, where did you have in mind?”
My eyes scanned the space again, and I realized exactly where I wanted to be. The one place I could show up and just let go, exist, empty my mind, and enjoy the pleasure of feeling something that wasn’t this empty ache in my chest. “The club.”
