Jukai

Chapter 23 Lose our minds

Nicole hunter

Guess we'll see where life takes us

Weeks passed, and our small town seemed to be recovering from the hurricane.

But inside, I was still lost, unable to find my footing.

It felt as if my depression had completely taken hold, a weight I couldn't shake no matter how hard I tried.

"I headed to Amber's house, relieved by its familiar comfort, a much-needed break from the chaos in my mind."

Terry had let me borrow his spare truck while he helped his younger brother, Tristan, with some construction work.

I knocked on the door, hearing footsteps approach before the screen door opened.

Amber immediately pulled me into a tight hug.

"Nicole, oh my God, I'm so happy to see you," she said, her voice shaky as she stepped back, letting me in.

"Who's that?" Joseph's voice called out from the living room.

"Oh, shit, Nicole!" Joseph grinned widely, rushing over to pull me into another hug.

"Hey," I laughed softly, trying to ease the tension that was still thick in the air. They were the only two people I had left in Nola.

"How've you been?" Joseph asked, pulling back to give me a once-over.

I could see the worry in his eyes, and for the first time, I didn't have the energy to hide it.

"I'm... alive," I stammered, forcing a small laugh even though everything inside of me felt like it was breaking.

"I can see," Joseph said, his tone thick with concern. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Amber sat next to me, her hand gently squeezing mine. "You don't know how worried we were," she whispered, tightening her grip.

"Yeah, the town got hit hard," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "We're recovering, but it'll take at least a year or two to get everything back to normal."

"We saw it on the news," Amber explained. "We tried calling you, but the power was out everywhere."

"Well, I'm here now," I reassured her, rubbing her hand in return.

"I was ready to come down there and look for you," Joseph said, trying to joke, but I could see the seriousness in his eyes. "I almost filed a missing persons report."

That made me laugh—a nervous, relieved kind of laugh.

"Oh, Nicole, he's not joking," Amber said, shaking her head, her smile tinged with sadness.

"Did the house make it?" Amber asked, her voice soft with concern. "We saw the news about the flooding and the tornado."

I hesitated, staring at the carpet as my chest tightened. Talking about it felt like reopening a wound that hadn't quite healed.

"Um... no. It's... gone," I whispered, the words slipping out in a rush. And before I could stop it, tears began to fall.

"Oh my goodness!" Amber exclaimed, pulling me into another tight hug.

Joseph cursed softly, his voice breaking as he saw how hard I was crying. The reality of it hit all of us. My childhood home was gone—reduced to rubble.

"It's okay. It'll be okay," Joseph reassured me, his hand on my shoulder. "We'll build you a new home. Don't worry. As long as you're here, that's all that matters."