Frozen Heart

Chapter 60 ~ "Let's Pray"

Grace

Not now, not when everything was so amazing. Not when it was supposed to be a special week when my dad came to town. 

"Come here." Nik says quietly, pulling me towards him and I collapse into his chest. I let it all out, I tried so hard to keep it all deep inside but the pain of not knowing was hurting me. He just lets me cry for a few minutes, stroking my hair and holding me tight. It wasn't fixing things, but it was making me feel better. "Is there anything I can do?" He asks quietly and I nod.

"I need to meet my mother at the airport." I sniffle. "He's...being airlifted b-back." I cry and he kisses my forehead.

"I'll take you, come on." He whispers and I nod, hurrying to my door. Nik gets in on his own side and turns on the car, pulling out of the lot and driving down the road. "Did your mom say anything about how it sounded?" He asks and I shake my head.

"No, she said no one knew." I breathe, grabbing his hand. "How has he gone this long being totally fine and now...." I can't even finish the sentence when I think about the possible outcomes.

"I'm sure everything will be fine." He says, trying to reassure me and I shake my head.

"Baby, your optimism means a lot to me right now, but PMN mines are no joke." I insist. I remember watching a news channel special about them. I watched them blow off the legs and arms of test dummies and all I could see was the same thing happening to my dad.

He just gives my hands reassuring squeezes and I keep trying not to break down. I wasn't very successful at it, I kept sobbing in random moments. My cheeks were covered in tears and no matter what I just couldn't stop crying.

My father spoke about the damage those mines would do, not to me and not much with my mom, but with my uncle Charlie. I remember him talking about other groups of men who'd tried to sweep for them and missed. How they were buried under the ground and all it took to activate them was twenty pounds of weight stepping down.

"Just breathe, I know it's scary." He says softly and I nod. 

I couldn't think about anything other than my dad and if he was okay. Nik was driving with a lot of urgency. Mom said multiple people had been hurt in the blast, that was the reason the flight was coming through commercial airspace, because there were other families who needed to know what had happened to their loved ones.

"We're about fifteen out, call your mom okay?" He asks and I nod. I pick up my phone feeling it shake in my hands and I press the redial button.

"Honey." She breathes, sounding incredibly worked up. "How close are you?" She asks and I press my lips together.

"We're about fifteen minutes away." I mumble.

"Is Nik with you?" She asks and I nod.

"Yeah, he's bringing me." I explain.

"Grace.....I know he's important to you and that he's doing so much for you....but it's family only." She explains and I feel my heart break.

"Mom, I need him." I mumble. "I-I can't do this alone." I admit, feeling weak and Nik squeezes my leg.

"No baby, go with your mom." He insists. "You call me as soon as you know something and I'll meet you wherever you're going." He tells me and I sigh. "I'm with you, anywhere you go." He reminds me and I nod gaining back some courage. 

"Okay." I sniffle. "He-he said I should go." I tell her.

"Alright honey, just pull up along the passenger pick-up and I'll take us where we have to be." She explains. "Be strong, your dad wouldn't want us crying like this." She says, but I can tell she's still crying.