Page 95 of The Crush Next Door

"Oh, no. Just you. And Josh if he wants to help too."

I glanced at his worried face. "Okay, we'll be right over. Just be careful. Don't slip or anything. Stay out of the kitchen. We'll get it all cleaned up for you. Okay?"

"Thanks, hon. See you soon."

Hanging up, I stared into the distance. Something was off in her voice. I couldn't put my finger on it. But it was odd. The whole conversation had been odd.

I turned to Josh, but he was already standing up. "We should hurry," he said, putting on his shoes. "Don't want them to hurt themselves or anything."

"Right. Right."

That helped me out of my confused stupor, and I slid my flip-flops back on my feet. Minutes later, Josh was driving us towards their house, the entire time my heart not slowing down. I noticed Josh seemed in a hurry, sensing the urgency and strangeness of the situation.

We didn't speak, both of us focused in different ways—Josh on getting us there quickly and safely, and me on everything else in my life.

At least it was late enough that most of the rush hour had cleared, and it wouldn't take too long to get there. The sun had already set, and the city lights zoomed by us in a blur as Josh took the freeway, using some app that he swore by to avoid traffic.

I liked to tease him about it, but he was right. And soon enough, we pulled up to their bungalow, Josh parking in the driveway. Before he could even shut off the engine, I was out of the car, rushing towards the walkway along the front.

Sensing someone, I looked up to see a lone figure standing in front of the door, lit up by the porch lights. My heart leapt like I'd just received an electric shock to the chest.

The man stared at me, smiling from ear to ear. He was way too thin, and his hair was completely gray. But those eyes. I'd recognize those eyes anywhere, those eyes that had always looked at me with such unconditional love for as long as I could remember.

"Dad!" I cried, running towards him.

His arms encircled me in the biggest hug I'd ever received, taking me back instantly to my childhood where my dad's hugs could take away any pain. And this hug was even more magical.

I bawled my eyes out as my mind splintered off in a million directions.

My dad was alive! He was here! I could hardly believe it.

He let me go, both of us laughing and crying at the same time, looking at each other, studying the changes that three years had brought.

Was I dreaming? This couldn't be real!

But it was.

There were no words for how huge this moment was in my life. My dad had survived.

My dad had survived!

The door opened just then, and my grandparents came out, beaming like the brightest stars. If I felt this way, I couldn't imagine how they felt—their only child literally coming back to life.

"We didn't want to tell you over the phone," my grandma said. "You had to see him in person."

All I could do was nod, the lump in my throat overpowering.

My dad put his arm around me. "Come on, Jess, we have a lot to catch up on."

Boy, did we ever.

In the living room, Josh sat next to me on the couch while my father and grandparents settled across from us. Grasping a pillow to my stomach, I had to pinch myself that he was really here.

He was really here!

I could tell he was hesitant to share what had happened to him, but I was dying to know. Where on earth had he been for three whole years?

Not able to take my eyes off him, he began to speak. "I don't remember how it happened, but I must have made it to shore somehow. One minute, I was on board, and the next, I was waking up incredibly groggy and confused in the middle of the South American rain forest with no memory of how I got there."

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