41

Gravity - Sara Bareille s

T he silence in my apartment is deafening. I sit curled up on the couch, my phone clutched in my hand, staring at the TV screen as if willing it to offer any shred of good news. Hours have dragged by, each minute stretching into what feels like an eternity.

We have three casualties who have perished in the fire, with fifteen confirmed injured.

Two police officers are also down.

My heart sinks as I recite the grim news in my mind, each word hitting me like a blow. I replay the messages I exchanged with Xavier, my heart aching with every word. I can only imagine them all at home, consumed by fear and uncertainty, just like me. I wonder if he's okay, if he's... alive. I picture Xavier, most likely inconsolable over his brother. And Liv.

Oh, Liv. My heart shatters even more at the thought of her. I click on our text message thread and start typing.

This is her brother . She must be feeling so terrified.

I spent the night with my parents, who kept reassuring me he'd be fine. My mum kept chanting, "He's a strong, capable man," over and over, trying to instil hope and faith in all of us. Kat even FaceTimed us for a while, wanting updates, but we had none to give her.

I left not long ago, thinking I might be able to clear my head at home—but also hoping to get some sleep. Just as I was about to head out, my dad stopped me.

"Amelia."

"Yeah?"

"When he comes home, tell him I'll plan our hunting trip. Yeah?"

My eyes had welled up with tears, and I nodded before kissing him on the cheek.

Not if, but when .

I try to keep myself busy in my lounge, but my mind is racing. The TV is on full volume, and my heart aches at the sight before me—those poor victims, elderly people, and young children. As I watch, the screen shows a drone flying over the area, capturing the full extent of the devastating fires. The image of a fireball erupting in the distance almost makes me choke on my tea. I quickly set the cup down, struggling to regain my composure. Tears well up in my eyes.

Oh, God, please let him be okay. He has to be okay.

Bradley, you're strong, you're capable.

You can't be one of those officers. You can't be.

I start nervously rambling to myself in my mind. What if he's hurt? What if he's... No, don't think like that. He's fine. He's got to be fine. But what if he isn't? What if he's lying there, needing help, and I'm just sitting here, useless?

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to hold it together.

Come on, Amelia, breathe. He promised he'd come home.

I'll see you back at home.

Home. He'd called this home.

The news reporter's voice cuts through my thoughts. "We've just received confirmation that the two officers who went down are now regaining consciousness. Both are receiving medical treatment on the scene. One officer has a dislocated shoulder, a couple of cracked ribs, and the other has a broken Tibia."

Relief floods my veins, and a tremor runs down my spine. Thank God, they're going to be okay. But as the relief washes over me, a wave of panic quickly follows. What if one of them is Bradley? What if he's more hurt than they're letting on? The uncertainty claws at me, threatening to pull me under.

I force myself to focus on the positive—the officers are alive, they're being treated. I cling to that, pushing the what-ifs aside. But the fear lingers, a reminder of just how fragile life is, especially in his line of work.

Time is too short.

And the minute I see him, whenever that is, I'm going to tell him. He has to know. I can only hope he feels the same way.

My phone buzzes from beside me, startling me awake.

I take a minute to gain my composure, scanning my surroundings in confusion. Where am I?

Oh. My couch.

I must've dozed off for a little while. I grab my iPhone and see there are text messages from Xavier.

9.39PM

Another text came from Liv not long after.

10.00 PM

I check the time now which reads twelve oh one a.m..

But that was two hours ago! Yeah, that nap was definitely not a ‘little while'. So that means he would still be at home now. I check our text message history to find nothing from him.

My heart drops. No, it's fine.

He's at his home with his family, where he needs to be. Despite this, I can't help but feel anxious. My eyes blur with unshed tears, threatening to spill over, but I blink them away, tilting my head back before they get the chance to.

I notice now that my TV is still playing in the background, but the sound is on low. Very low. My mug is no longer on my coffee table. Okay, now I'm really confused.

When did I…

My thoughts are cut off when I hear shuffling coming from my bathroom, and I turn slowly.

Panic settles in as I hear the shuffling from the bathroom. My heart races, and I feel a knot form in my stomach. Who could be in there? I didn't invite anyone over. I try to calm myself, telling myself it's probably just a neighbour or something.

But deep down, I know that's unlikely.

I slowly get up from the couch, trying to make as little noise as possible. I edge closer to the bathroom, my heart pounding in my chest. The door creaks open, and Bradley's frame comes into view—his arm is strapped to his chest, and another bandage is wrapped around his midsection .

All the air is knocked out of my lungs, and I gasp for air for just a moment. His beautiful striking features are creased in pain, but they soften once he spots me.

"Hey, sunshine," he says, his voice strained.

My breath hitches, and before I can think, I run up to him, wrapping my arms around him. Tears spill down my cheeks as I hold him tight. He grunts out in pain, and I pull back, realising what I've done. My mind goes blank, shock paralysing me for a moment. I can barely form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence.

"Crap. Sorry." I take a breath. "Bradley, I... You're... How did you…" I stutter, words tumbling out in a frantic mess so I clear my throat. "Are you okay? Why didn't you call? I was so worried."

He gently wipes my tears with both thumbs, his touch calming my racing heart.

"I'm okay, Amelia," he says softly, his voice soothing. "I'm here now."

"But you're hurt," I manage to say, my eyes fixated on the bandages. "I was so scared, Bradley. I thought... I thought—"

"Shh, shh," he interrupts, pulling me close again, despite his obvious discomfort. "I'm here. I'm fine."

In a moment of shock, I mutter, "I love you." My eyes go wide, and I can feel his body go rigid. He pulls back, his eyes searching mine, back and forth.

"What was that?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

I shake my head before laughing nervously. "I said I love you?" I say it with uncertainty, like I'm not sure if I should have said it. What if I've scared him away? I wonder if he'll think I'm too forward. Which is very ironic, because I, Amelia Brown, am never forward. But deep down, I believe he feels the same; maybe he's just unsure how to say it himself.

"Sorry. It's just that... don't scare me like that agai—" but he cuts me off, his hand finding the back of my neck as he pulls me in for a kiss.

When he breaks the kiss, he looks at me with such intensity that I know the feelings are there.

I search his eyes, finding the unspoken words in their depths. They shimmer with affection as he pulls me close again, resting his forehead against mine. I bask in the warmth of his love, feeling it emanate from his very presence.

"When did you get here?" I ask, curious about the time, but also seeking reassurance of his arrival.

"Not too long ago. You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn't want to wake you." His voice is soft, filled with tenderness.

The bond between us is undeniable, and it's enough.

We settle onto the couch, Bradley gingerly adjusting himself to avoid aggravating his injuries. I curl up next to him, my hand resting gently on his good shoulder. The relief of having him here, safe and sound, is almost overwhelming.

"What happened?" I ask softly, looking up at him.

He takes a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine. "Fucking hell, it was a rough night," he begins. "The place was already an inferno by the time we arrived. We knew there were people trapped inside, so we had to act fast."

I listen in awe, hanging on his every word. " You went in?"

He shakes his head. "Not inside, just close to the building. We found a little girl trapped in a room. She was scared, crying for her mum. I couldn't just leave her there."

My heart aches at the thought. "And your shoulder?"

Bradley grimaces slightly. "I dislocated it when I caught her, falling to the ground. I managed to block her fall, but the impact hit me pretty hard. Hence the cracked rib, too."

He pauses, taking a breath. "My partner, Daniels, broke his leg when some of the rubble fell on him from the explosion. We both got knocked, and the rest is all fuzzy."

Bradley's voice cracks, and my heart breaks at the sound. "I-I don't even know how I got out of there," he continues after a moment. "But they moved us away in time."

I can't help but ask in a hurry, "Why didn't you go to the hospital for further treatment?"

He scoffs. "I'm fine, Amelia. They popped my shoulder back, gave me some strong pain meds and some to take home. There's no need to go to the hospital, and for what? To take up a bed when someone else could be needing it more than me," he explains, shaking his head .

I smile. "You really are stubborn. Your brother was right."

He turns his head to look at me. "My brother, huh? So, he's been messaging you?"

"Yeah, he has. He also told me that he knows about us."

"You can trust him." Bradley says.

I nod. "I know. It's okay. It was nice of him to check in."

His face softens. "I'm glad he did, too."

I process everything he must have gone through and wince at the thought. "I still can't believe that all happened. It sounds so terrifying, but so incredibly brave of you," I say.

He shakes his head. "It's just part of the job. We got her out, though, and others. That's what matters."

I shake my head. "No, Bradley. That's really, really brave. You're like a hero ."

"Nah, the real heroes are the fire service teams. They took most of the brunt of the fire." How can someone be so humble when he literally saved a young girl's life?

"Well, you're a hero in my eyes." I snuggle closer, feeling his heartbeat steady and strong beneath my hand. "I'm just glad you're here. Safe."

"Me, too, sunshine," he says, his voice soft and sincere. "Me, too."

We sit in silence, the weight of the evening settling around us. At some point, I'd changed the channel back to the news, and there, on the screen, in large bold letters, reads: "Local Officer Rescues Young Girl from Burning Building."

His name is mentioned afterward, along with a snapshot of his academy portrait. My heart swells with pride. His actions haven't gone unnoticed. This small town of Wattle Creek will forever remember the actions performed by Senior Constable Bradley Mitchell.

My man is a hero. I'll never forget.

After a few moments of silence, a thought occurs to me. "Wait. Where did you tell your family you were going before you came here?"

"Uh, that I needed to head back to the station to grab some things."

"And the overnight bag?" I nod toward his bag on the dining table.

"That was for visiting Daniels," he says, throwing up air quotes with his free arm. "You know, to be with him, for emotional support." He shrugs with a smirk.

I nod, a bit puzzled. "But haven't they been wondering where you've been off to these past few weeks? Like your mum, dad, or Liv?" Well, it's been over a month now, or more, technically .

"Nope, not really." He shrugs, and I can't help but feel a pang of curiosity.

As I sit there, basking in the relief of having Bradley safely by my side, my mind drifts to Olivia. She's been in the dark about our relationship, and it weighs heavily on me. I know she cares deeply for both Bradley and me, but the thought of telling her about us fills me with unease. It's a conversation that has been a long time coming.

I take a deep breath, gathering my courage. "Bradley, I... I think we need to tell Liv about us. Like really soon," I say hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper. He nods, brows furrowed, lost in thought.

"I'm just... I'm concerned about how she will react," I admit.

"We will tackle it together," he offers.

I acknowledge his words with a nod, but a knot of unease tightens in my stomach.

"Okay."

As I lean into his comforting presence, I appreciate his support, but my mind is consumed by worry about the challenges ahead. This isn't a small matter; it's a secret we've been keeping for a while now. We've let it drag on for so long that I worry it might be too late to fix things with Liv. Her reaction could change everything, and I fear the consequences of our actions.

The knot in my stomach tightens with each passing moment, and I can't shake the sense that this conversation will lead to complications that we may not be able to overcome.