Apples in the Fall by Laney Lockett

Author:Laney Lockett [Lockett, Laney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Back at the farmhouse, Aurora was indeed worried. She paced back and forth in the kitchen, anxiously looking out towards the barn. The rain slashed at the windows, and the old farmhouse groaned in protest in the wind. Lightning flashed over the hills in the distance. Quinn hadn’t picked up his phone when she had called, which was like ten times already. And it was late, later than she expected. She knew something was wrong. She had to go find Quinn.

Aurora called Bettina, who picked up on the first ring. “Hello? What’s wrong?” It was unusual for Aurora to call this late in the evening, and Bettina was immediately on high alert. She knew this storm could cause some actual damage.

“Quinn went to check the cisterns, and he isn’t back yet. I need to go find him. Can you come down to stay at the house while Mila sleeps?” Aurora begged, her voice cracking with emotion.

“I’ll be right there,” Bettina said, and immediately hung up. She wasn’t wasting any time in getting there.

Aurora got together some rope and tools, plus a blanket and a couple of towels for Quinn. She didn’t know what to expect and wanted to be prepared. Aurora stepped into her work boots and threw on her rain jacket. She got everything loaded up in the truck just as Bettina pulled up the drive, mere minutes since Aurora had called. Bettina bolted out of her car, still in her pajamas, shouting to Aurora over the rain as she ran to the farmhouse.

“Keep your phone on you. I can call for more help if you need it!”

“I will! Thank you for coming!” Aurora called back as she started the truck and drove away. She would start looking for Quinn at the farthest cistern, the god-awful one built on that hillside. Aurora figured Quinn had most likely checked the closest ones first, so she would make her way opposite of his route. She drove out to the county road, the harsh rain slowing her progress. The wipers were on full blast and still it was difficult to see. Aurora could only imagine trying to navigate this storm in only a quad. Poor Quinn! Her heart clenched, thinking of him out there alone. She obsessively refreshed her phone, willing it to have a missed call or text from Quinn. Nothing.

“Please be OK. Please be OK. Please be OK.” Aurora chanted to herself as she drove along, biting back tears and jiggling her leg in a nervous tic. She tried not to think of the worst, but couldn’t help it. This storm was intense, and she could only think of all the horrible things that could have happened.

She did not want to find her husband’s dead body somewhere in the orchard. She did not want to be a widow! Quinn had made them a genuine family, brought balance to her life as a single mother, and provided fatherly love for Mila. Life without Quinn would be unbearable.

Snap out of it, girl! You need to find him, Aurora reprimanded herself.

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