Page 101 of Unburdening His Heart

“Andrea?” I choke out. Even though I should do my best to be strong for my best friend, I need to voice my worst fear. It shreds me to pieces to even think it, let alone ask it aloud. She looks over at me, her face a mask of devastation. “What do we do if he’s gone?” My voice comes out in a whisper as the ache in my chest grows to something vicious and unforgiving.

“He’s not gone. I refuse to accept that.” She barely contains a sob.

I furiously blink back tears. We haven’t even had a chance to start. It can’t end like this. It just can’t.

I remember I didn’t call my parents. They wanted to hang back at my apartment to have some time for themselves. They’re so used to traveling with just the two of them that they crave the quiet.

My hands shake so much when I pull my phone from my purse that I can barely get it unlocked to call them. I spread my fingers wide then clench my fist several times, willing them to stop fucking shaking for one minute. It does little to stop the tremors.

I dial Dad first. I have less of a chance of breaking down with him. He answers on the third ring.

“What’s up doodle bug?” His voice instantly calms me. There’s just something about a parent’s voice that soothes the soul.

I clear my throat, trying to dislodge the tears and steady myself. I don’t want to upset them, and I don’t want to go into too much detail. Honestly, if they weren’t in my apartment, expecting me to come home tonight, I’d wait to tell them any of this, but I don’t have a choice right now.

“Hey, Dad. Something came up with Andrew, and I need to go to him. We got a last-minute flight, so I don’t have time to come home.”

That was steady enough, no tears. Andrea reaches over to take my hand for support, giving it a gentle squeeze before she intertwines our fingers. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply.

Don’t cry on the phone, Charlie. We don’t know anything yet, and I don’t need to stress them unnecessarily.

“What do you mean something came up?” His voice is concerned, and I can hear shuffling in the background, like he’s getting up. Probably to go get mom. My suspicion is confirmed when he calls out her name.

“I’ll call you when I have more information. I don’t know much right now, but Andrea, Addy, Nathan, and Jack are with me. We’re all going.”

“What happened? It has to be bad if all of you are going.”

Mom is within earshot now. “What’s bad? What’s going on?” Them asking questions is too much because I don’t know how to answer them, and I’m barely holding it together.

“I need to go. I just wanted to tell you I won’t be home tonight. I love you.”

“Doodle bug, tell me what’s going on so we can help. What can we do?” His question makes me choke on a sob stuck in the back of my throat, and I quickly slam my hand over my mouth to stop it.

“I promise I’ll call as soon as I can,” I manage to say.

“We’re here, whatever you need,” he responds.

“I love you,” I whisper and hang up.

I hit end and drop my phone into my lap as I lay my head on Andrea’s shoulder. She says nothing but pulls me in closer. With Addy on her other side, we give each other comfort the best we can. We still have forty-five minutes until we arrive at the airport. The wait and distance are both excruciating.

“I’m piecing this together,” Jack says from the front seat, but something is wrong with his voice.

He sits in the passenger seat with his laptop, looking through the jump drive that came with the letters. Andrew said it was important and so did the mysterious man who gave Jack the package.

I have a sinking feeling, thanks to Andrew’s cryptic words from earlier in his letter, that whatever is on that drive is going to change everyone’s lives… and not for the better.

The three of us in the back look up at him, and Nathan turns his head from the driver’s seat.

“What’s on it?” Andrea asks as everyone’s attention turns to Jack. Jack’s shoulders are tense, and the grip he has on the laptop looks like the plastic could crumble under the weight and force of his hands. I brace myself for whatever he’s about to say. “Baby, what is it?” Andrea releases my hand to reach forward to grab Jack’s left shoulder in comfort.

“I don’t know how to tell you this.” His voice is too gravelly. It sounds like he’s in physical pain.

“Tell me what?” Andrea sounds scared.

Jack closes his eyes and releases his grip on the computer. “It’s your dad.”

I shift to the side so I can better see Jack and the screen he’s still looking at.

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