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Bo put the car in gear and drove as quickly as possible to the front of the house. Michelle and the man, Zane, had already run back inside. Assuming the fire started in the kitchen or by a fireplace, Bo went to the opposite end of the house where he believed the bedrooms would be. Nora quickly followed. Bo tried to lift the window, but it was stuck fast.
“Stand back!” he shouted at Nora. “I’m going to break the glass!”
He grabbed a flower pot from the porch and shielded his eyes as he struck the window. The glass shattered. Bo knocked the jagged edges away and crawled through. “Stay here,” he shouted at Nora.
“No,Bo! I won’t let you go in there alone!”
“Listen to me! Do what I say! Stay here!” Those were his last words to her as he disappeared into the darkness.
Soon she heard approaching vehicles. Nora turned to see that the two police cruisers had arrived. She ran to meet them. After quickly explaining what had happened, she returned to the window where Bo had told her to wait.
* * * * * * *
The power had gone out in the house. The only light Bo had was the temporary glow from his cell phone when he powered it on.
“Drew,” he called. “It’s Grampa. If you hear me, say something. Don’t be afraid, Buddy. Grampa’s here. Drew!”
Bo checked the first room carefully, then hurried across the hall. The flames were getting closer to the hallway and the smoke was beginning to thicken.
He went through the same procedure in the second bedroom...no Drew.
He was coughing and gasping for air by the time he reached the third bedroom. By the weak glow of his phone, he saw Michelle cowering in a corner with Drew in her arms. He attempted to open the window, but it was stuck also.
“Cover your eyes!” he shouted before he shattered the glass. He helped Michelle to her feet and pushed her out the window.
Coughing and gagging, he grabbed a crying Drew up into his arms. “It’s ok, Buddy. Grampa’s gotcha now. Grampa’s here.” He felt Drew’s little arms go tightly about his neck. He stumbled to the window and crawled through...out into the cool, fresh night air.
As soon as he and Drew were out the window, he heard one of his men shout, “Commish!” He then grabbed Bo by the arm and pulled him away from the house. As Bo looked back, he could see that the house was now completely engulfed in flames. He could hear the wail of a fire siren as the fire department arrived on the scene.
Both he and Drew were choking and coughing from the smoke inhalation. Drew’s coughing was made worse by his crying.
Bo tried to calm him. “It’s ok, Buddy. Don’t cry. We’re okay now. You’re okay. Grampa’s here. You’re okay.” Bo hugged him close. “Oh, I’m so happy to see you. Thank God you’re alright. Thank God.”
Bo looked at the chaos around him. Paramedics treating the suspects, police officers waiting to cuff them and take them in. Firefighters working tirelessly to put out the flames.
Nora. Where was Nora?
He looked around. “Nora!” he shouted. “NORA!”
Then he saw her silhouette running toward him. When she reached them, she threw her arms around both of them, kissing them both, looking them over and crying.
“Oh baby...let Grama look at you…” Bo handed Drew over to her. “Are you okay? Oh, sweetie...Grama’s missed you.” Drew, whose tears had now ceased, looked at Nora’s.
“Why you cryin’ Grama?”
“I’m crying because I’m so happy to see you, Buddy. I’ve missed you.”
“You happy to see Grampa too?” he asked her.
“Oh yes!” She looked at Bo and ran her hand down his cheek, tears running anew. “I’m so happy to see Grampa.” Bo kissed her hand as she leaned in to kiss him.
At that point a paramedic approached, “Commissioner, we’d like to check you and the boy out. Make sure you’re both ok.”
“Sure,” said Bo. He put his arm around Nora, as she held Drew, to lead her away. But Nora was looking into the distance where police were holding the suspects. Bo saw her eyeing Michelle.
“Here. You take Drew. I’ll be there in a minute,” she said handing him to Bo.
Bo saw a familiar determination on her face. He knew she had words for Michelle and he knew he couldn’t stop her...nor did he want to. He watched her square her shoulders and walk across the lawn to where Michelle was sitting with her partners in crime. As Nora approached, Michelle raised her eyes to meet Nora’s...a look of hostility, not remorse, glared from her face.
Nora began in a low, steady voice, “How dare you?” Nora shook her head slowly. “How could you do this? To a little boy who trusted you? To our family who only treated you well? Most of all to Matthew...MY son...who loved you? And now we find out that we were all just pawns in your greedy game…”
“You know nothing about me!” Michelle interrupted spitting angry words. “You know nothing about what I’ve been through in my life, the childhood I’ve had... you Buchanans and others like you have no idea how the other half lives! All I wanted was to better myself...to become someone of means...someone people could respect and admire…”
Nora interrupted, her voice rising, “And you thought you could do that through lying, manipulation, and greed? By using us? By using our name, our son, and our grandson?! It doesn’t work that way. I wasn’t born a Buchanan; and while I didn’t grow up poor, I did grow up knowing that honesty, integrity, and hard work are how you earn respect and admiration. I earned those things before I became a Buchanan, not because of it…”
“Whatever. You can stop your high and mighty preaching. Whether you believe it or not, I do love Matthew…and he loves me…”
“No...I don't believe that. In fact, I don’t believe anything that comes from your mouth. You have earned your reputation through your actions...you have proven yourself to be a lying, manipulative b###h. You have traumatized my grandson, and no doubt broken my son’s heart. But Buchanans are known for being strong and sticking together when things get tough. We will help them and they will both bounce back. I hope the time you spend paying for this crime is spent thinking of respectable and honest ways to better yourself upon your release. Looking back on your past and feeling sorry for yourself is not going to get you where you want to go.”
As Michelle opened her mouth to speak again, Nora raised a hand to stop her. “I’m not interested in hearing any more of your lies. It’s sad to think though, that if you had truly loved my son, you may have had that life you’re looking for. If only…. Well, there are those words again. ‘If only’. My husband says they can be two of the saddest words ever uttered. So true in this case. So true. See you in court.”
* * * * * * *
They had a glorious reunion in Bo’s office. First Drew was reunited with Mr Froggy with a huge smile and squeals of delight. Then he was reunited with Mommy, and Grandma and Grandpa Evans with lots of tears, kisses, and hugs all around. With all the celebration, no one noticed Matthew as he entered the office quietly.
Bo noticed him first, “Son,” he said quietly extending his hand. Matthew took his hand and they pulled together for a hug.
Nora gave him a hug also before he turned his attention to Drew who was leaning back into Destiny’s arms.
“Hey Drew,” Matthew said softly getting down on one knee to be at the boy’s level.
“Hi,” Drew said tentatively. “Where’s Meshewl?”
Matthew looked away for a moment before he recovered enough to answer.
“Michelle had to go away,” Matthew said.
Drew looked disappointed. “I like Meshewl...she plays with me.”
“I know…” Matthew said looking down at the floor. Then, “Was she nice to you, Drew?” he asked.
“Yetz.”
“I’m glad about that...that she was nice to you...and played with you…” Matthew was finding it difficult to talk over the lump in his throat.
After a moment, Matthew continued hesitantly, “You know what, Drew? Since Michelle had to go away... maybe I could play with you sometime. I know how to play cars... and kick a ball too...and push a swing...do you think maybe you and I could do those things sometime?”
Drew looked at Matthew, puzzled for a moment, then bobbed his head up and down in a ‘yes’.
“Good, I’d like that,” Matthew said fighting for control of his emotions. In spite of his efforts, a single tear overflowed and made it’s way down his cheek.
“You cryin’?” asked Drew. Matthew looked down for a moment.
Drew held his little hands out to his side and shrugged. “Everybody cryin’cuz they happy to see me!” he said enthusiastically.
Everyone laughed.
“That’s right, Buddy,” grinned Bo fighting back tears of his own.
Drew looked back at Matthew. “Maffyew, do you want to hug me too?” asked Drew.
Matthew shook his head ‘yes’. “I’d like that,” he said, tears freely flowing this time.
Drew wrapped his tiny arms around Matthew’s neck; and, for the first time, Matthew felt the precious hug of his child...one of the greatest joys of being a Dad.
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