Barbara Dunlop - Overheated

“Hang in there.”

Larry shut off the phone.

He pictured Crystal’s laughing face.

He could get in his car. Drive to her house. Get down on his knees and beg her forgiveness. Tell her he’d stay with her every day, hour and minute if she’d let him.

Or he could fly to Myrtle Pond and let her find another man and get on with her life.

His hands curled into fists. He clenched his jaw. Then he cursed a blue streak while slamming the lid down on his suitcase.

CRYSTAL SLEPT FITFULLY FROM five until eight. Rufus, drawn by her sobs, had parked himself on the foot of her bed. She woke up with red, puffy eyes and a throbbing headache, having spent most of the night alternating between missing Larry and examining the sorry state of her life.

In the wee hours, she’d come to the conclusion she was as bad as Amber, pinning her aspirations and self-worth on a man. She suddenly realized she’d been living in limbo for years, ever since Simon died. Not that her future had stretched out rosy with Simon; she truly would have divorced him. But afterward, she might also have pulled herself up by her bootstraps.

What did she think she was doing? Living above her parents’ business, flitting from writing to parts driving and back again? There was a very real possibility Jennifer and David were going to need her again soon. That meant she had to be in a position to take care of them. And it could be for weeks or months this time.

She could no longer afford to drift through life.

She’d cataloged her weaknesses, which were many. And Larry was going to be a hollow ache in her body for a long time to come.

But then she’d catalogued her strengths. She was smart-her IQ told her that. She was fairly well organized. She could write. She could drive. And she was a darn decent pet owner.

In fact, Rufus had taught her just how much she loved animals. She was kind and compassionate. And she did have five million dollars to play with. Plus, she had Simon’s pension and life insurance. It had mounted up to nearly one hundred thousand dollars. If the kids needed Simon’s money, she’d use it.

But, more than just money, she needed to get some focus in her life. Her writing had slipped of late. Maybe she brought that back as a focus, or maybe if she had a proper career, maybe then losing Larry wouldn’t hurt so badly.

The only thing she knew for sure was that she had to try something. Sitting around feeling sorry for herself wasn’t going to cut it.

She rolled herself out of bed, heading for the shower, trying to rinse away the gritty sting from her eyes. Then she made herself a proper breakfast-bacon, eggs and homemade pancakes.

She’d call Fred Smythe this morning, get things rolling on the charitable trust.

And then it hit her.

She dropped her fork and stared at Rufus.

The trust. It would take planning and organization. Somebody would have to run the foundation, decide where to put the money, pick priorities, decide who to hire. There was no reason in the world it couldn’t be her.

And that meant she could collect a salary, get a bigger apartment, maybe one close to Jennifer and David’s school. That way, if they needed her, now or anytime, she’d be there.

Against all odds, she felt a smile form on her lips. She could find ways to help more dogs like Rufus and cats and birds. And she could work from home-write when she had time, sleep in, work evenings, whatever she wanted to do.

Crystal stood up from her chair. She had a proper job. She could get her own apartment and stand on her own two feet.

It was about bloody time.

FRED SMYTHE HAD enthusiastically engaged in the animal foundation project. Crystal spent the next few days mired in the incredible details of setting up the trust, and the next few nights painfully missing Larry. He was wrong to leave her. She wasn’t going to find another man. In twenty-eight years, even with Simon, she hadn’t truly fallen in love. And now that she knew what it felt like, she wouldn’t settle for anything less.

It was late now, after eleven. She squinted at the Humane Society bylaws in front of her. She didn’t want to duplicate their services, but she did want to learn from their experiences.

Her cell phone rang.

As always, her heart leapt at the thought of Larry changing his mind. But after three days, and three very long nights, she knew that wasn’t going to happen. In fact, she’d known that wasn’t going to happen the second she’d looked into his eyes and he’d told her he was doing it for her.

Ironic, really, the thing that made her love him the most-his integrity-was also the thing that meant they’d never be together.

Her phone chimed again, and she glanced at the readout.

Her heart clunked in her chest.

Jennifer.

She scrambled to answer it.

“Sweetheart? Are you all right?”

“Auntie Crystal?” came a shaking voice. Crystal could hear David crying in the background, and something was roaring above Jennifer’s voice.

“What is it? Are you all right? Where are you?” Crystal forced herself to take a breath.

“We crashed,” Jennifer whimpered.

“Crashed what? The car?” Panic clawed its way into Crystal’s throat, and she rose to her feet, marching compulsively toward the door. Rufus immediately followed.

“Yes,” said Jennifer, tears in her voice.

“Is that David? Is he okay? Who’s with you?”

“David’s crying!”

“Is he hurt?”

“I don’t know… It’s dark.”

“Where’s Mommy?”

Jennifer was silent as the engine roar and a country station rose around her.

“Mommy’s not moving.”

Crystal’s entire body went cold. “Was she driving?”

“My dad was driving.”

Zane.

“Where is he now?” asked Crystal, anger moving in on her rising terror.

Jennifer’s voice was hoarse. “He left us. He got out of the car and ran away!”

“Do you know where you are, honey? Can you see any lights or street signs?”

“We fell down a hill.”

Oh, God. Crystal’s throat closed over. “Tell me what you see?”

“We’re upside down!”

Crystal bit down on her index finger to keep from whimpering. Rufus snaked around her legs, pressing against her.

“I see the dashboard. It’s raining.”

Crystal glanced out her window. Raining here. Probably raining all over Charlotte.

“There’s a flashing light!”

“On the dashboard?”

“Outside… Up by the road.”

“The police?” Crystal’s heart gave a leap.

“I think so.”

“Can you see any people? Are they coming down the hill? Is David still crying?” Crystal clenched her jaw, forcing herself to quit peppering Jennifer with questions.

“They have flashlights,” said Jennifer, sounding calmer.

“And David?”

“He’s crying quieter. It’s okay, David. I see the policeman. He’s coming to help us.”

Tears flowed freely down Crystal’s cheeks. “Has Mommy moved?” she asked.

“No,” Jennifer whispered.

“Honey, can you do something for me?”

“Yes,” the girl’s voice wobbled.

“When a grown-up gets there. A policeman or a fireman. Can you give him the phone? Make sure you tell him I’m your auntie?”

“Here he comes,” said Jennifer. “I think it’s a policeman.” Her voice went quieter. “Can you talk to my Auntie Crystal?”

A man’s voice came on the phone. “This is Officer Davis.”

“My name is Crystal Hayes. Jennifer and David are my niece and nephew. My sister is in the car, and her name is Amber. Can you tell me how she’s doing? Are the kids okay?” Crystal prayed hard that Amber was still alive.

“I’d recommend you meet us at Memorial Hospital,” said Officer Davis.

“Can you-”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I have to attend to the accident.”

“Is she alive?” Crystal wailed.

“She’s unconscious,” the man told her.

Somebody shouted for a backboard, and David started crying again.

“Memorial Hospital,” said the officer, and the phone went dead.

Crystal scrambled for her shoes. Rufus stuck to her like glue, so she loaded him in the passenger seat of the car. She drove as fast as she dared through the pouring rain, tensing up at red lights, then cursing the crowded parking lot at the hospital.

She left Rufus in the car and flew across the parking lot to the emergency entrance. There was an ambulance outside, and she slowed her steps in horror as they unloaded her sister. Amber’s hair was matted, her face was streaked with blood, and three different IVs swung from poles on the stretcher.

Crystal rushed forward, taking her sister’s cold, damp hand. “Amber?”

Amber blinked her glazed eyes.

“I’m here, honey.”

“Crystal,” she breathed. “The kids?”

Crystal had no idea how the kids were doing. She glanced around, but couldn’t see them anywhere. “I talked to Jennifer. They seem okay.”

Amber cracked a very weak smile.

The doors whooshed open, and Crystal paced along inside, unsure how long they’d let her keep talking. Already a nurse was checking the IV, and people were shouting instructions.

“Take care…” Amber whispered. “The kids…Please.”

Crystal’s eyes welled up with fresh tears. “Of course I’ll take care of the kids.”

“Ma’am,” said the nurse, touching Crystal’s arm.

“They can stay with me as long as they need.”

“I love them,” Amber whispered, tears appearing in her green eyes.

“Ma’am,” the nurse said more firmly. She pointed to a set of double doors coming up in the pathway. “You can’t go through there.”

Crystal stopped, taking one last look at her sister as she disappeared in a flurry of white coats and rushing feet.

“Crystal Hayes?” came a deep voice from behind her.

Wiping her eyes with a rain-wet hand, she turned to face a police officer.

“Are you Crystal Hayes?” he repeated.

She nodded, and he motioned to a small alcove in the hallway.

“I’m Officer Davis. Can we talk over here?”

“Is she…” Crystal began, then swallowed. “Do you…” But she couldn’t bring herself to voice the question. “Are the kids okay?”

The policeman nodded and adjusted his cap where it was tucked under his arm. “The children are with a doctor. So far, it looks like bruises only.”

Crystal staggered back with a wave of relief.

Officer Davis quickly grabbed her arm. “Are you okay, ma’am?”

Crystal nodded.

He opened a little notebook. “What can you tell me about a Zane Crandell?”

Other than the fact that he’s about to die by my hand? “He’s my sister’s ex-husband. Jennifer, my niece, said he was driving.”

“When you talked to her on the phone?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know where he lives? The places he hangs out?”

“I think he still lives in Atlanta. I don’t know where he was staying in Charlotte.”

“We’re concerned about some of the things the children told us.”

Crystal raised her eyebrows.

“It sounds like Zane made some threats against both their mother and them.”

Crystal felt her blood pressure rise. “What kind of threats?”

“Does Zane drink?” asked the officer.

“All the time. What were the threats?”

“Regarding their physical safety. Until he’s caught, we think it would be best-”

“Crystal?” came her mother’s voice as her parents appeared in the hallway.

“I saw her for a minute,” said Crystal as they drew close. “I haven’t talked to the doctor yet. She’s hurt.” Her voice broke. “Pretty bad.”

Her mother glanced around, motioning for her father to follow her to the nurses’ station.

Crystal watched them for a moment, then turned back to the officer, gathering her strength from deep inside her. “What do you need?”

“Understand this is an abundance of caution. But do you have somewhere to take the children? Not to your house. Preferably somewhere unknown to Zane Crandell.”

Crystal immediately thought of Larry. “Yes.”

“We’re fairly certain he has bigger things to worry about at the moment, but…”

“I understand. Thank you, Officer.”

The man nodded and flipped his little book closed.

Crystal headed for her parents at the nurses’ station.

Her father looked pale in creased shorts and a rumpled T-shirt, but her mother was her usual, controlled, no-nonsense self. “They’re taking her into surgery,” she told Crystal. “The children are fine, and we should know something more in a few hours.”

She marched to a set of plastic chairs lined up along the wall.

Crystal took a seat beside her mother. “They’ve asked me to take the children.”

Her mother patted her knee. “That’s a good idea. We’ll stay here with Amber. There’ll be paperwork and things to fill out. We can get it done before she wakes up.”