“Where’s Jackson?” A slender woman shouted from the front porch toward her husband.
“I don’t know. Something’s not right, hon. Lily came back without him.” His brown eyes narrowed with worry. “You stay here, I’ll go find him.”
He hopped onto the waiting horse and took off toward the far side of the property line where Jackson had been working. The rain dumped water at them with ferocious intensity as the lightning and thunder spooked Lily, even in a full gallop. “Jackson!” He screamed his son’s name while he rode, hoping to hear anything in response.
“Where is he?” His father frantically turned his head in every direction, his eyes intensely scanning the surroundings. He rode to the broken fence, which he noted had been fixed, but still saw no sign of Jackson.
“Jackson!” He shouted and quickly quieted his breath as he strained to listen over the pouring rain and Lily’s heaving breath. The horse led him near the tree where she had been tied and he noticed broken branches and upturned mud littered the ground. That’s when he spotted him. Just a shoe, at first.
“Jackson?” His father leapt off the horse and ran over toward what he hoped was not his son’s body. “Jackson! Oh my God, Jackson!” Jackson lay in a small pool of blood, still unconscious. Terrified at the sight and unsure of what to do, he reached for his cell phone and dialed 911.
“Hello? I need an ambulance at the Parks Ranch. My son is unconscious and he’s bleeding from his head. What? I’ll check.” He bent down and grabbed his son’s wrist.
“Yes, he has a pulse. I’m not sure how long he’s been out. I don’t know what happened; I found him like this. No, I won’t move him. Hurry. Please.” Tears started to fall from his eyes as for once in his life, he felt completely helpless. He disconnected the call and quickly called his wife.
“Honey. I found Jackson, but he’s unconscious. Calm down. The ambulance is coming, but you’re going to have to help them find us. We’re at the far end of the property line. Where the broken fence was…do you remember where that is? Yes, near the old tree. Just wait for them. I don’t know, honey. Calm down. I know. I love you too.” He ended the call as soon as he could. He was too scared to deal with a frantic woman at the moment and he knew he would be useless at trying to calm her down.
****
Crowds of people milled throughout Caroline’s parents’ modest backyard where white tables were arranged, each one covered with a crisp white linen. A solitary white candle surrounded by blood red roses adorned the center of each, where matching red, silk napkins sat perfectly folded beneath hand-written table cards.
Caroline was stunned into silence, noting each new detail, her mouth constantly agape. “Our parents are insane,” she whispered into Clay’s ear.
“You don’t like it?”
“It’s so pretty. It’s just a bit much, don’t you think?”
Clay looked around. “I think it’s perfect.” He placed a careful kiss on the top of her head. “Your hair looks really pretty.”
“Thanks, babe.”
She held on to Clay’s arm as they walked through the yard, thanking everyone for coming.
“I don’t know half the people here,” Caroline confided into Clay’s ear.
“Me either.”
“Is this what our wedding’s gonna be like? A bunch of strangers sharing our special day?” Caroline’s stomach started to roll.
He stopped walking and turned to face her. “No. We won’t let it.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He kissed her hand. “I think I hear your phone,” Clay said as he craned his neck in the direction of the house.
“That’s weird. I thought I left it in my room.” She strained to listen until she too heard it ringing. “I hear it, too. Oh well, they can leave a message.”
“What if it’s important?” Clay’s mind always seemed to be on work. It didn’t matter what they did, where they were, or what happened around them. He always made time for the office.
Caroline’s mind instantly flashed to a scene in the future…the two of them at a soccer game, watching their son play. Clay’s phone rings and he once again apologizes for having to leave. He gives Caroline a quick kiss on the cheek before running off. All the while, their son is watching their dad leave his game for the umpteenth time. Her heart breaks a little as the scene in her mind fades.
“You’re right. I’ll go see who it is.” She knew it wouldn’t be her office since they all knew she was out of town for the weekend. Nothing she did there was so important that it couldn’t wait for her return.
She found her phone on a table near the back door, but didn’t recognize the number that was displayed. Her heart dropped when she realized it was the same area code as Jackson’s number. “Hello?” She quickly scooted inside the house for some privacy.
“Caroline?”
“Yes,” she responded cautiously. “Who’s this?”
“I’m sorry. This is Alex, I’m one of…”
She cut him off. “I know who you are. You’re one of Jackson’s friends. What’s up, this isn’t really a good time.” She peered out of the glass door and glanced over at Clay, who shrugged his shoulders in her direction. She gave him a quick wave and a smile to ward off any worry and watched as Clay turned and continued his conversation.