Chapter 13

Charlie’s entire body screamed as he turned. This was no time to have health problems. Especially not after what had happened with Orion and Alexis. Both of his children looked at him with disappointed expressions—something he never wanted. But then, it wasn’t all that surprising, was it?

He’d never been someone the people who loved him could be proud of.

“Let’s get back to the camp.” Nova, one of the two female smokejumpers, took the lead.

They moved together as a group. Awareness swam around him with the buildup of heat in the air. It wasn’t a good sign that the wind had dropped.

Jayne squeezed his hand. “Come on.”

At least she hadn’t asked him if he was all right.

Alexis glanced back, fear on her face. All the kids had banded together. Worry and fear hummed in the air like the heat as they ran down the trail, fire on both sides of them. He looked over his shoulder. “It’s coming this way.”

Jayne gasped. “That fire tornado keeps coming and it will pass over the camp.” She lifted the radio. “Tucker, come in.” The unit crackled in her hand. She held it in front of her mouth, her knuckles a white grip on it. “Tucker, do you copy?”

“…read you.” Tucker’s voice sputtered. “…in the refrigerator.”

“Be safe.” Jayne said nothing else.

Nova glanced back. “What does the fridge mean?”

One of the teen boys said, “They’re taking shelter in the walk-in fridge.”

“Can we get back there?” Alexis asked.

Charlie said, “We have to try.”

“That’s not going to be possible.” Logan, now up ahead, slowed. The group gathered around him. “The path is blocked.”

Charlie spotted a tree over the path up ahead, the whole thing engulfed. They weren’t going to be able to get back to camp.

Alexis spun to him. “What are we going to do?”

He motioned her over, and she slammed against him. Charlie spoke against her hair. “We’re going to figure out a plan. All of us, together.”

“We can go to the lake,” one of the twins said.

The other stood beside him, nodding. “Drench ourselves in the water.”

Before anyone could turn this into a debate, Charlie said, “Let’s go.”

Orion glanced at him, but then he and the teen boys ran ahead. Alexis and Jayne stuck with Charlie?—at the back of the pack because he couldn’t move that fast. How had he thought he could survive a whole season of firefighting and then end it all at the last minute?

He’d been an idiot. Pure and simple. God had made it plain that He had other ideas. He’d done an end-run around Charlie’s plan and shown him everything he had to lose in just a few days.

You really want me to do this? I can’t if we don’t survive .

If God wanted him to be a father to his two kids and have the kind of relationship he’d always wanted with a woman, then He would have to keep them alive through this.

It was that simple.

Charlie was prepared to sit up and take notice where he’d always thought he didn’t need God. But they had to get through this first.

He squeezed Jayne’s hand. More of a reflex than anything. They were at the lake. He could slow to a walk with her, like they used to do, while the others looked at the fire raging around the lake.

“We could swim to the floating dock?” The twins and the smokejumpers, and Orion, debated back and forth.

Smoke filled the sky, like a storm of ash overhead.

Charlie turned and looked at the fire in the sky, racing toward them. “We won’t be able to breathe when that gets here.”

“Well, what are we going to do then?” Tears rolled down one of the twins’ faces, and his brother hugged his neck. “We’re going to die out here.”

“You think I’m gonna let that happen?” Logan turned his back to Charlie, getting between him and the boys. “We’re going to figure this out, okay? We didn’t come this far to give up.”

Jayne shifted to face him. Alexis gathered close.

Charlie looked at the lake, then the shed. “The boats.” An idea coalesced in his mind. “We won’t be able to breathe unless we make pockets of air. Unless we get in the water to keep ourselves from burning.”

“What are you talking about?” Orion strode over.

There wasn’t much time to explain. “Flip the boat, hang on. Use the air in the underside to keep us alive.”

Nova said, “Are there enough?—”

Orion already had the shed door open. “Guys! Help me with the boats. There should be enough for all of us.”

Jayne said, “Split up evenly, campers and adults. I want everyone covered.”

They hauled the boats to the water.

“It’s hot.” Alexis swiped at her face, then waded in, not saying anything else.

Charlie glanced at the fire arcing up to the sky. “Hurry.” He waved over a couple of teens. The kid from Last Chance County, Izan’s brother. “Come on.”

It was their best shot if that fire passed over. The wind started to pick up again, ruffling his shirt against him. Sending Jayne’s hair in front of her face so that she had to tuck wayward strands behind her ears.

The smokejumpers carried the boats out above their heads by twos or threes.

“Is this a good idea?”

Charlie didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud until Orion squeezed his shoulder and said, “It’s good thinking. It could be our best shot until this firestorm blows over.”

“He’s right.” Jayne kissed his cheek. “I need to make sure the kids know who they’re going with.”

The smokejumpers were in up to their necks now but didn’t seem to want to commit to going under a boat until they absolutely had to. They placed the boats on the water, holding on as the water bobbed the boats beside them like this was any day of lake recreation.

Help us, Lord .

Charlie waded in beside Alexis, who stood in the water up to her elbows. He gathered her to him in a hug again, needing it probably as much as she did.

Booth glanced over from beside a boat about ten feet away. “Afterwards, we need to talk about Crispin, okay?”

Charlie nodded.

Nova looked at Booth with a disappointed scowl. “We’re about to die and you’re worrying about some guy you’ve never met?”

“Never said I’ve never met him,” Booth fired back.

“Well, then, who is he to you?”

They were really going to have an argument right now? Charlie sighed.

Booth said, “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

A couple of the teens let out nervous laughter. Good to ease the tension, but Charlie wasn’t sure Booth was entirely joking.

Nova rolled her eyes. “Is this another one of your crazy stories?”

Before Booth could reply, Orion yelled, “Sparky!”

Everyone spun around to see the dog running toward them on the bank, his tail smoking, looking a little singed all over.

“Come here, boy!” Orion waded over and caught the dog up in his arms. “You’re a good boy. Yes, you are.”

The relief was palpable, even with the fire approaching.

The teens waded over to pet the dog.

“Reminds me of this story I heard,” Booth began. “There’s this military working dog, and he’s trained to find dangerous chemicals. But he was in danger, right?” He paused to make sure the teens were listening.

Jayne glanced at Charlie, a relieved smile on her face. He waved her over, and she came to stand by his side in the water up to their waists.

Booth continued, “I have some friends who run this protection agency, and one of them was hired as a bodyguard. For the dog.”

Nova snorted. “As if.”

“Hey, that dog is a hero.” Booth shot her a scathing look. “A national treasure.”

She rolled her eyes. “Your stories are ridiculous. You really expect us to believe all that nonsense about CIA officers and stolen nukes? I saw that movie.”

“Me too. And you know what?”

Nova waited.

“They lived happily ever after.”

“Too bad it’s not real.”

Booth eyed her. “Yeah. Too bad.”

Alexis shifted against Charlie’s side. “It’s getting closer. The air is getting hotter.”

Jayne touched her shoulder. “No matter what, we don’t let go of each other.”

Orion looked over at the three of them in a huddle, something a lot like longing on his face. Missing what he’d never have. Charlie wanted to tell him to come over and stand with them, but the teen boys needed the man they knew well and the dog he’d adopted to keep them steady.

His son was the best kind of man. Because that was what God had done in Orion’s life—built character through trials. “I love all of you.”

Orion nodded.

Jayne and Alexis both looked up at him. He kissed Alexis on the forehead then turned and kissed Jayne’s cheek. Lingered.

“You guys can get a room. Later.” Alexis made a face. “Right now we need to not die.” She shot him a pointed look.

Charlie said, “You were right.” She needed to know. “I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

* * *

“We need to get the boat over us.” Jayne didn’t want to look at the fire coming toward them. “The air is too hot.”

Charlie let go of her and Alexis. He lowered himself under the water and came up soaking. “Everyone dunk yourselves and then get under the boats!”

One of the male smokejumpers said, “Why am I getting baptism vibes?”

The kids and firefighters all sank under the water one by one, getting their hair and clothes completely wet.

This is probably a terrible idea . But what else could they do?

Cold from the water greeted the hot air, and steam rose from everyone. “Orion?”

Her son glanced over. “I’ve got them.” He nodded. “I’ll see you on the flip side.”

“I love you.”

He mouthed, Love you too .

Orion and one of the other male smokejumpers flipped their boat, and four teen boys got under it. They walked out to where they wouldn’t have to crouch—or tread water—and lowered so the edges of the boat touched the surface.

“If the wind picks up, we’ll have to hang on. Hold the boats down.” Logan looked at Charlie. “You guys good?”

Charlie nodded.

They pushed the boat out a little farther. Jayne could already feel heat radiating off the metal.

“What…” Alexis pointed at the shore.

Jayne spotted Crispin running toward them. About ten feet behind, Earl, with his long hair, raced after him.

“Get under the boats. Everyone!” Booth waded toward the shore.

Charlie and a couple of the smokejumpers got the boat flipped. Jayne motioned Alexis to go with her and ducked under the surface. She came up under the shelter of the boat, Charlie’s daughter right beside her.

“I’m Finn.”

Jayne told him her name. “Nice to meet you.”

The guy grinned. “You good, kid?”

Alexis gripped the seat above her head. “Peachy. Just another day at the lake, right?”

The second smokejumper in there with them, a woman, said, “We used to come up here when I was a kid. Some kind of open day for the camp, so the locals could see it. I’m Hannah, by the way.”

“Right,” Jayne said. “We used to do those. We should do one of those again. Maybe at the end of the summer.”

Finn said, “Good idea. We can celebrate being alive.”

Charlie broke through the surface of the water.

“What’s going on outside?” Jayne wanted to cling to him, but that would mean letting go of the boat. They had to hold it down, or the superheated air from outside would get in. How long was it going to last?

Once the heat and flames blew over them, would HQ be able to send in a helicopter to evacuate them?

Lord, please keep everyone safe .

She had no idea what was going on in the other boats. Part of her wanted to swim over and check.

Charlie said, “Crispin is good. He should be?—”

Sophie’s brother popped up, spitting water. He ran a hand down his face. “Booth is right behind me.”

The smokejumper popped up. He looked around. “Hannah. Finn. We’re gonna rotate, check everyone is good.”

Hannah nodded. “Letting go.”

Crispin and Booth grasped the seat on the underside of the boat. Hannah and Finn disappeared under the water. The rest of them spread out.

Jayne’s arms shook, but she didn’t let go. “What happened to Earl?” He’d been chasing Crispin. Were any of them going to tell her what actually just happened?

A hard expression crossed Crispin’s face. “Earl won’t be joining our rescue party.”

Booth said nothing.

Alexis whimpered.

A second later, Logan popped up in the middle. He gasped a breath. “All good in here?”

Jayne said, “Is Orion okay?”

“He should be in here next. He traded with Nova and Vince. They’re telling the boys terrible jokes.” Logan shook his head. “I’d have gone with bizarre facts no one would ever believe, but no one asked me.” He disappeared under the surface.

Orion came up a second later.

“It’s like Times Square in here,” Booth said. “How’s it going, kid?”

Orion glanced at him. Then he said, “You okay, Mom?”

“Yes, honey.”

He turned to Charlie. “Dad?”

“I’m good, son.”

A lump gathered in Jayne’s throat. She refused to walk with the guilt of the past hanging over her head. That wasn’t what God wanted from her. Now that they had met, they could spend the rest of their lives getting to know each other.

Orion said, “If you need a kidney, I’ll be giving you one of mine if I’m compatible.”

“Only if I’m not.” Everyone looked at Alexis. “You’re not going to die, Dad. We’re not going to let you.”

Jayne sniffed. It wasn’t just water running down her face.

Charlie cleared his throat. “We’ll see how it goes.”

Crispin said, “I need to visit my sister.”

“Houston is a good guy. The best, actually,” Booth said. “She’ll be okay until this is over and we find what we’re looking for.”

Jayne was too worried about what was going on outside and the people still at the camp to ask what that was about. Your stories are ridiculous . Nova’s comment rolled through her mind.

Whatever was going on with Crispin seemed to involve Booth somehow. And it was definitely above her pay grade.

The boat started to rock.

“I’m gonna check on the boys. You all hang on.” Orion waited until Alexis nodded, then disappeared under the surface.

Booth and Crispin turned and started to whisper to each other. Alexis moved hand over hand along the boat toward the end where she was with Charlie.

Jayne shifted nearer to him, and the three of them hung there in a huddle, treading water and grasping the wood beam overhead.

“Is Orion going to be okay going out there?” Alexis bit her lip.

“He’ll be good.” Jayne wanted her son where she could see him but had to balance that with the fact that he was a grown man. One who cared deeply about others. “Until he goes ahead with wanting to be a smokejumper.”

Charlie lifted one eyebrow.

“I know, I know. I’m determined to be okay with it.” Jayne smiled. “At least to his face. When he’s out, I’ll be crying in my prayer closet until I know he’s back at base.”

If he insisted on putting his life in the hands of a parachute, he would have to deal with her worry. But she wasn’t going to burden him with it.

She was going to take it to the Lord, the God who had always protected them.

Charlie smiled. “I’ll probably be in there with you.”

Because he wouldn’t be out fighting fires? He’d be at home, fighting a different battle? She wanted to ask what he wanted. Maybe he hadn’t figured it out.

Either way, God held their future in His hands.

“‘For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live,’” she said. “‘If Jordan above me shall roll…’”

The boat rocked, tossed around by the wind.

They all held on tight. Even Booth and Crispin broke off their whispering to hold on in silence.

“‘No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life…’” No matter what happened.

No matter how this ended.

She said, “‘Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.’”

“Amen,” Alexis said.