School ReYOUnion

Chapter Twenty

"That's all up and running for you now. The diagnostic I ran, did show up a few issues with your hardware, but I have installed a better firewall for your system, so you shouldn't have anymore problems. I've also removed some unnecessary software from your system, given it a bit of a clean-up." Swivelling around in the office chair that I've been sat on for quite some time now, I'm smiling up at Nora, the manager of this travel agents. "As always, any problems, just contact my office." I tell her with proud satisfaction. It's always great when a job is well done and without any major hitches cropping up.

"Thank you so much, Rebecca...you're a star." Nora says with a sunny cheerfulness.

Rising up from my chair, I smile again in her direction. "Just doing my job." Then I start gathering all of my things up, readying myself for the hour long drive back to the office, where I then have an over-the-phone consultation booked in for 4pm.

"Thanks again." Says Nora, politely walking with me to the entrance of the small and family-owned travel agents.

Opening the door, I say my professional goodbye. "I'll be seeing you again, then." Knowing that I will be, because Nora has been a long-standing and loyal client of mine.

"Just not too soon, though." She jokes, looking relieved that her business computers are now running just as they should be.

With a parting wave, I am now making happy strides to where my car is parked. I love knowing that I have just put that relief on Nora's face. I love the fact that I have helped her small business to run as it should run—efficiently and profitably.

Once in my car, I'm just about to start it, when my mobile phone starts ringing. Lifting it out from where I always keep it safely inside of my canvas and leather travel tote bag, I answer it with my professional satisfaction still running through my veins, because it's a number that I don't recognise. "Rebecca Adams speaking."

"Rebecca, my name is Bobby Cline, I'm Mitch's agent."

Surprised to be getting a call from him, my hesitant reply is testament to that surprise. "....um...hi, Bobby."

"I'm sorry to have to call you, but Mitch has been involved in an accident during a stunt that he was doing this morning."

A quick and disturbing knot of fear starts forming inside of me. "Is he okay?" I quietly ask, with the darkest and coldest kind of fear now trampling over every single one of my thoughts.

Bobby's answer comes swiftly; shakily swiftly. "He's just being taken to the hospital. I'm with him. He's not yet conscious. They're worried about his head injury, internal damage and suspect he may have broken a rib or two. I'm so sorry to have to call you about this, Rebecca, but I know that Mitch would want you to know."

That knot inside of me twists, twists with such helpless dread. My thoughts, my emotions, are now just a crazy mixture of so many things—hurt, anxiety and the overpowering need to just be with Mitch. "Text me the details of the hospital, I'll be there as soon as I can be." Tumbles out of my trembling mouth. I don't have time for tears. For falling apart. I just need to get home, pack some things, and go. Nothing else matters. Mitch is hurt, so I need to be with him.

"Listen, I've got to go," Bobby begins. "I will message you all that you need to know and I'll keep you updated. I'll also make sure that there's a driver to meet you at the airport, too...bye for now." Just like me, Bobby Cline is panicking. Even though he's no longer on the line, that panic of his can still be felt from my mobile phone that I'm now clenching within my shaky hand.

Start the car, Rebecca! Start it! My inner voice chokingly yells to me. Urging me to hurry up and just begin my nightmarish journey to wherever Mitch now is. Finally starting up the car, I feel myself shivering with panic. My thoughts are thrashing around inside of my aching head, while my heart thuds with erratic fear within my constricted chest.

Never in my life have I felt more scared.

Never in my life have I felt so out of control.

Then, this calming blur soon comes to my emotional rescue, along with a calming numbness. That blur and that numbness is all that now stands in the way of my whole self just shattering into panicked pieces. I have so much to get done before I even get on that plane, but I'm getting on that plane, no matter what. Mitch needs me. That is all that's now making me function. All that's making my getting onto that plane, put into swift motion. Everything else, will just have to wait.

**

In a quietly distressed daze, I have managed to call Iris and instruct her to assign my urgent appointments to others within my franchise and to not book in anything else until further notice. I have also called my mum, to tell her what has happened, and to look after Jaws for me while I am away, to finally then calling Hetty and emotionally telling her not to have that baby until my feet are firmly back on British ground again—highly unlikely, I know.

Everything has been done that needed to be done. I made some calls. I have packed. I've got my passport. I've got the address of where Mitch now is. I'm ready to face what is to be faced. Ready to grimly face the extent of Mitch's injuries. That calm blur has held me together all this time. Kept me from disintegrating with distress. It's got me safely to the airport, helped me to board the plane that's bound for Idaho Falls Regional. It will no doubt, see me through that two-stop international flight, and also the domestic flight from there to Lewiston-Nez Perce County, before finally navigating me to the driver that shall take me from there to the hospital. God knows how, but I'm finally ready for take off. Now, I've just got to remember to breathe. To start breathing normally again. To give my lungs the air that they really do need, to fill my body with the oxygen that it needs to fully maintain itself. Since Bobby Cline called me, I don't think I have taken a single, normal breath. I don't think I have been inhaling and exhaling as a normal person should. Every inhale has been brief and constricted; choked up with worry over Mitch. And every exhale, has been hurried and impatient; aching with the very same worry.

It hurts to breathe.

Hurts to sit still.

Hurts to now think.

I know that I need to breathe in order to stay alive, but I don't want to think. For now, I can't. I'm on the plane. I'm taking myself to Mitch. I don't want to think about the Mitch that I am taking myself to. It's too painful. Too frightening. I thought I was ready. I thought I was ready to face it, but I'm not...I'm really not.

All I can now do is sit here. Sit here, until I get to Idaho Falls. Then sit some more on another plane, until I get to Lewiston-Nez Perce. Followed by the sitting in the car that will take me to the hospital. That's hours and hours and hours of trying to not think about Mitch and his injuries. Hours and hours and hours of me trying to just hold things together.

My mind.

My heart.

I can't let them fall apart.

I can't let them not be strong enough for Mitch.

I can't let him down.

I'm a strong woman. I pride myself on being a really strong woman. And my god, I will absolutely be that strong woman, I truly will be....

..... just after I've had a damn good cry.