Page 73 of The Loophole

It was so smoky, and the alarm was painfully loud. I dropped to my knees, coughs racking my body, and I started to cry. Oh god, this was bad. Really, really bad.

In the next instant, someone picked me up. I looked up and realized Bryson was carrying me. “I’m sorry,” I rasped, between my coughs and sobs. “I’m so sorry.”

He paused long enough to scoop up Dusty, and then he ran out the front door with us and put us on the sidewalk. I clutched my dog to my chest as tears streamed down my cheeks. Bryson crouched down and took my face between his hands as he asked me, “Are you okay, Embry?”

I nodded, but then I doubled over in a coughing fit. Toshiko from across the street appeared and told Bryson, “I called 911 when I heard the smoke alarm. They’ll be here soon. I’m a doctor, and he may be suffering from smoke inhalation.” She knelt down beside me and said, “Try to stay calm, Embry. Help is on the way.” I tried to reply but started coughing again.

Soon after, a huge, red fire truck pulled up with its sirens blaring, followed by an ambulance. A crowd was gathering on the sidewalk. I looked around and grabbed Toshiko’s sleeve as I asked, “Where’s Bryson?”

“I don’t know, but the paramedics are here. Hang on, my four-year-old just came outside. I need to go get her, but I’ll be right back.”

I felt shaky as I stood up, still clinging to Dusty. The onlookers shifted to make room for the firefighters, and I ended up getting pushed to the edge of the crowd. I looked around, and after a moment, I saw Bryson.

He’d gone back inside, and he appeared on the front porch holding a fire extinguisher, with a dishtowel tied over his mouth and nose. He pulled the towel off his face and said something to the nearest firefighter, who turned and yelled to his crew, “The fire’s out.”

Oh, thank god. They went inside anyway, probably to check for any remaining embers, and I took a step back.

I’d almost ruined everything.

I took another step backwards, as more people gathered on the sidewalk.

I’d almost burned down the house Bryson loved. The house he’d grown up in. The house his dad left him.

I didn’t deserve Bryson, or this life, or any of it.

He’d be much better off without me.

The rain started falling again, mixing with the tears streaming down my face. I thought I could actually feel my heart breaking as I turned and ran away.

19

Bryson

Somehow, in all that chaos, Embry had disappeared.

I thought it would be okay to leave him with our neighbor for a few minutes, since she was a doctor. I ran back inside and put out the fire, which wasn’t nearly as bad as all that smoke had made it seem. By the time I was finished, the fire department had arrived, a crowd was gathering, and Embry was nowhere to be seen.

Toshiko hurried to me with her daughter on her hip. “I came over to see if I could help Embry with the cake he was making for us,” she explained, “and when I heard the smoke alarm going off, I ran home and called 911. They got here in record time, but it looks like you handled it yourself.”

“After all those years working in restaurants, I knew to keep the right type of fire extinguisher on hand.” I looked around and asked, “Have you seen Embry?”

“I assume he’s with the paramedics. My daughter came outside to look at the fire truck, so I had to leave him alone for a minute while I went and got her.”

It turned out the paramedics hadn’t seen him. After the fire department lectured me for going back inside to fight the fire onmy own, they took off, and I searched the house to see if he’d slipped inside when I wasn’t looking.

I found his phone on the kitchen island and pocketed it. Then I checked my phone for messages and sent a text to Vee. It said:Hey, if Embry shows up at your house, could you please message me and let me know?

My phone rang a few seconds later, and when I answered Vee asked, “What’s going on? Where’s Embry?”

“I’m not sure. There was a small kitchen fire, but it’s out now. Embry inhaled some smoke and needs to be checked out by a doctor, but I can’t find him.”

“I assume you tried calling him.”

“He left his phone behind.”

“If he caused that fire, he’s probably feeling incredibly guilty,” Vee said. “He’s always really hard on himself, especially when he has an accident.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s why he ran off. My first thought was that he’d go to your house, because he feels safe there.”