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“Okay, good.”
So, I get out and brace against the body of the truck to stay upright as my eyes dart in search of her body.
“Dean! Dean!” I hear between gargled muffles.
“Anna! Where are you?”
I look and see her clinging to a tree trunk.
“Help me!”
“I will, I will! Just keep holding on!”
“I’m slipping!”
Okay, okay. Think, Dean. Think.
I open the door and ask for Dylan’s hoodie. I tie them together and swim toward the back of the truck where I find a checkered button-up and a few other items of clothing that I add to the chain.
I swing it out, and it barely reaches her.
“Grab on!”
She does, and I pull her to me.
The water is continuing to rise, but I manage to shove her, and hoist myself, into the truck.
After that, all three of us just sit there—Anna and I are both gasping for breath.
“Thank you,” she finally says.
Dylan gives her the biggest hug. “Of course. We couldn’t just leave you out here, Mom.”
When I get my bearings back, I drive back to Mae and Bob’s house.
But I don’t get the heroic welcome I expected.
“How could you?” Mae demands, hands on hips, as soon as I step foot out of the truck.
“What?”
“I confronted you after Anna found that contract, and you promised—you promised me you weren’t going to go through with the deal.”
“What are you talking about?” My head is spinning.
“Oh, I don’t know. A man was just here measuring our property, and he said that your company sent him.”
My hands are raised in the air as if someone is holding a gun to me. “Seriously, Mae. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Everyone I work with knows I pulled the plug on the project.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
Anna takes a cue and hurries herself and our son into the house.
“Mae, please.” I try to hold her hand, but she jerks away.
Even through the rain, I can tell that she’s crying.
“Don’t cry.” Again, I reach out to touch her.
