Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman

Author:T.J. Newman [, T.J. NEWMAN]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2024-08-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

COUNTDOWN TO ZERO HOUR

13 HOURS AND 42 MINUTES

AS THE CHOPPER raced up the Mississippi, snaking its way along the river toward the bridge, none of the National Guardsmen inside spoke. All they could do was glance back at the smoke rising from the nuclear power plant and feel both guilt and relief that they had been called away from Clover Hill for a single-person bridge rescue.

They’d just left the danger. This call should be easy.

“ETA four minutes.”

Dani heard the chopper’s status come over the radio, but she was focused on Connor. The boy was staring despondently out the van’s open door, and all Dani could think was how badly she wished she knew him better. Knew what kind of little boy he was, how his brain worked. Was he an old soul who understood exactly what had happened? Was he a youngest child who was used to having his days spoon-fed to him instead of having to figure it out? How independent was he? How stubborn? Without knowing these things, she didn’t know how to get in there.

“Where was your family going?” Dani asked, the megaphone making her voice sound somewhat tinny. His voice came back as a whisper. “Your grandma’s house?” she guessed.

He nodded.

“Grandma’s for Easter.” Dani was smiling. “I see, I see. I imagine you would have a big Easter lunch. Maybe a ham, and mac and cheese? Some fluffy dinner rolls?”

Connor nodded.

“Let me guess, your favorite is… green beans. You’re a green-bean man.”

Connor scrunched up his nose.

“No? Then how about… oh, I know. Brussels sprouts!”

Connor smiled weakly and shook his head.

“Carrots, then. Gotta be. Easter Bunny loves them—no? Not carrots? Well, what else is there—what’s that?”

Connor’s little mouth moved distinctly.

“Pie? Broccoli pie? Ew! What in the world kind—oh, cherry! Cherry pie.”

Connor giggled as he nodded up and down.

“I see. We got a cherry-pie man. Okay,” Dani said approvingly. “You know, my daddy makes a very good cherry pie, but on Easter he makes his specialty: banana pudding.” Dani whistled. “Yes, sir, that banana pudding is something. It’s Brianna’s—Bri, that’s my daughter, she’s about your age—it’s her favorite dessert of all time. It’s got Nilla wafers and real bananas in it, and he uses Jell-O pudding and real whipped cream. He’s adamant about that—it’s gotta be real whipped cream you whip yourself, not the stuff out of the tub. Bri would eat nothing but that if I’d let her. No ham, no green beans, no mac and cheese. Just banana pudding. I bet she’d share some with you, though. She’d put a big scoop of it on your plate and probably even tell you the secret spice he uses, even though her granddaddy made her swear not to tell anyone. But I think she’d tell you.”

Dani thought of the groceries that were on the kitchen counter waiting for tonight, when Bri and Daddy would make the pudding. Bri would pull over that little step stool. Marion would help her measure the ingredients, then she’d dump them in.

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