Even Through the Storm

30. Rebuild

 It's ten the next morning, and Dri and I wake up the next morning to the doorbell ringing. I hear someone answer it. "Lola!" I hear Dad's voice yell. "It's Asher!" I groan and walk downstairs.

"Thanks. Hey, Ash," I say yawning.

"Woah, Lo, did I wake you up?" Asher asks.

"Yeah, Dri and I stayed up a little last night."

"Oh, well, I wanted to see if you wanted to help me with something today. Dri's invited to." A wave of energy enters my body.

"What's this something?" I ask.

"Well it has to do with a fire. And me. And the reason we have to go to a trial next week."

"I have to go to your dad's trial? And is it about your house?"

"Ding, ding, ding! My mom and I are starting to rebuild it. I made her invite Nicky and Linda. Peter's coming too. Wanna' help? Please?"

"Lola," I hear Dad say from behind me. "Go. Ask Dri too. Ash, would it be alright if I came and helped also?"

"Oh, yeah, absolutely, sir, thank you!"

"No problem. Lola, go ask Dri. Asher, we'll be there in half and hour."

"Thank you sir." Asher goes back to his car and I go to ask Dri.

"Dri, I have to go help Ash rebuild with my dad. Wanna' help?"

"What?" She asks, still half asleep.

"I'm going to go and help Asher rebuild his old house. Do you want to come with?"

"Yeah, yeah sure." She says, laying back down on her pillow.

"I'm going to pretend you're actually listening. Get up. We leave in thirty."

***

Dad pulls up to the curb of Asher's charred house. I recognize pretty much everyone who's there, except for a few people whom I expect to be neighbors. Ash comes over and hugs me, along with a kiss when my dad stops watching. "Hey, Lo, Dri, Mr. Stevens, thanks for helping! Right now, we're just trying to clear the area while trying to save anything we can. Our neighbor, Mr. Kamasi is a contractor, so he'll be the one to go to for any questions. So, when you're ready, just start moving stuff over there." He points to a truck with a box attached for trash, then goes to help his mom in lifting a charred piece of a support beam. Dad goes over to talk to Mr. Kamasi, and Dri and I start moving stuff. After the ground is cleared, we start to build the foundation. Asher comes over to me and asks if we want to go take a break at the park. I say okay, and now were sitting on the swingset and talking.

"So, what's up?" I ask him. Tears start to form in his eyes.

"I just can't."

"Asher, what's wrong?"

"What if he's found innocent?"

"What?"

"What if he goes free? What if he comes for her again?"

"Ash? What are you talking about?"

"What if he goes home? What will happen to Nicky, and the twins, and to Lia?"

"Ash? Calm down. It's okay."

"No, Lola. It's not! What if he goes free?"

"Asher, he won't! There is no chance! He did too much. He burnt down your house. Your mother went unconscious. You have witnesses. You have me, and my dad, and you, and your mom, and that security guard, and your mom's doctor, and you guys have the x-rays, and the camera footage, and the fire report, and your emergency call. You will win. He will not go free. I will not let it. We will not let it, Asher. It will be okay. Everything will be okay"

"But..."

"Asher!"

"Let's go back. They're gonna' wonder where we are."