………………. Carter and Ryan walked into the house.
“What are you all doing home?” Michelle asked looking at them “I thought you were going for dinner?”
“Yeah after what we saw from the field with Izzy” Ryan held out his hands “Hell Mom we didn’t even shower”
“I know we can smell you from here” Travis called from the living room.
‘Carter use the downstairs bathroom” Michelle handed him a towel from the pile she was folding. “Ryan go up stairs and shower”
“But Mom what happened?” Ryan whined
“Shhhh” Michelle hissed “Look your sister is up with Izzy now and I hope she’s sleeping. Go shower and I’ll tell you when your both don’t smell like you do?” Carter walked into the downstairs bathroom and Ryan took the stairs two at a time Putting his head round Jenna’s door” she put her finger to her lips and got off the edge of my bed my breathing slow with sleep but wracked with sobs. She walked into the hall.
“This is bad” she whispered
“What’s going on?”
“Ryan shower” Michelle walked up her arms full of towels “How is she?” she looked at Jenna
“She fell asleep” Jenna sighed as Ryan walked over to the bathroom.
“Let her sleep” Michelle sighed.
“Ryan, Jenna Landon’s here with Kendra” Travis called up the stairs. Ryan smiled and hurried to get in the shower. Jenna walked down the stairs with Michelle Carter was already clean and dressed in the living room Jenna hurried over to him and hugged him.
“What’s going on?” Landon looked round.
“Let’s wait for Ryan to get out of the shower before we tell you because the least times I have to say it the better” Travis sat back in his chair.
“I’m here” Ryan came down the stairs in just a pair of shorts “Hey you” he smiled at Kendra who was leaning on the back of the couch next to Landon.
“Hi” she smiled shyly at him.
“Okay catch up later” Jenna snapped a little irritated. “It’s Izzy we need to think about”
“Jenna” Michelle chastised a little.
“I’m sorry she sat down on the couch with her head in her hands Ryan sat next to her.
“So what happened?” Landon asked again “All we saw was Izzy crying and you guys taking her away”
“She got a call from that Bryn guy” Jenna looked at him. “Apparently sometime today they were sent on a mission and Jamie was…” Jenna broke down.
“What happened to her brother?” Carter asked sitting on the arm of the couch and rubbing Jenna’s back.
“He was shot down” Travis sighed getting up and walking over to the fireplace and absently poked at it with a poker. There was a gasp from round the room. “His friend saw him ejected from the plane and saw his chute open”
“Oh God” Landon sat down on the other arm of the couch. “Where’s Izzy?”
“She cried herself to sleep” Jenna sniffed.
“So do we know if he’s okay?” Ryan looked at his parents
“We don’t know… They’re sending in a ground team of Marines to bring him back” Michelle walked over to her husband and put her arm round him.
“This I bad” Ryan ran his hand through his hair. “Is she going home?”
“No I’m staying here” everyone jumped and looked round as I sat down on the stairs. “Bryn was right… where I am going to go” I wrapped my arms round myself “I’m sorry… You guys shouldn’t have to deal with this” Ryan looked at Landon and nodded in my direction but Landon was already crossing the living room and sat next to me and pulled me to him.
“Honey we’re your spare family” Michelle also came over and crouched down “we’ll be here for you” she smiled “But if you want to go to your Dad or to your Mom one of us will go with you”
“Thank you but I need to talk to Bryn first” I rested my head on Landon’s shoulder. “I just spoke to my Dad and Mom is heading to Belgrade now”
“Is that why you’re awake” Jenna looked at me.
“Yeah I thought it was Bryn”
“I think you should try to get back to sleep” Travis sighed.
“I’m going to sound like a baby now but I don’t want to be on my own right now”
“Hey we’ll come with you” Jenna got to her feet. I heard my phone ring upstairs I pulled away from Landon and ran upstairs Jenna took off rung past Landon after me I grabbed my phone from the nightstand between the two beds.
Me * hello
Bryn * hey Iz…
Me * any news?
Bryn * no not yet… it’s killing me not knowing and I just got done with a debriefing… and I couldn’t stop worrying about you.
Me * I talked to Dad and he’s trying to get in touch with people to see if he can find stuff out.
Bryn * I’m sorry
ME * it’s not your fault
Bryn * I’m supposed to have his back and I let him down
He lost it on the end of the phone making me cry
Bryn * I could have lost my best friend and your brother.
Me * don’t you dare say that they’re going to find him… they have to find him
Bryn * I know
Me * I wish I could come out there to you
Bryn * no you don’t the sand gets everywhere
Me * I feel helpless
Bryn * so do I…. crap I have to go again the shrink wants to see me
Me * please call me
Bryn * I will
I hung up and looked up at the faces in the room Landon came over again and held out his arms to me I wrapped mine round his waist and held him while he stroked d the back of my head. My mind wasn’t taking in anything right now and it felt like everything was shutting down slowly making me numb……………………..
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