Until I Find You - Rea Frey Page 0,35

using the gas stove to cook eggs, but this? It’s too much. Not to mention, her daughter could never drag these boxes out here by herself.

That leaves just one person: Pam.

The hostile black smoke curls higher. First things first. She moves to the side of the house and cranks the hose. She extinguishes the fire, which takes more effort than she would have thought. She gazes at the mangled mess of her husband’s life, now melted and too hot to touch.

Good-bye, Paul. The sorrow strangles her heart. Once the fire is out, she looks over her shoulder, expecting to see Savi or Pam waiting to confess, but no one is there. She cleans up the mess as best as she can, wearing gloves and scooping all of the charred remnants into the trash. She washes her hands and climbs the stairs, checks and rechecks each room.

Where are they? She sends Pam a frantic text and waits.

In Savi’s room, she searches for other culprits that could have started this: a crumpled piece of music, perhaps. A shredded bow. Her cello, angrily—but carefully—placed facedown on the carpet. A failed magic trick. But all looks intact. Unable to help herself, Crystal snoops through her daughter’s belongings, searching for the missing watch and medal. Nothing. Finally, Crystal crosses her arms and leans in the doorway. Her phone dings.

Almost home. Went for pizza!

Crystal stares at the message. How in the world could they have gone for pizza and started a fire? Nothing adds up. She walks through the house, searching for other clues, but there are none. In the living room, she stares at the empty void again, knowing that while the boxes needed to be cleared, now she’ll never really have closure.

Just one more thing snatched away without permission.

A few minutes later, Pam rushes through the door, plastic bags knotted in her fist. “Hey. Let me just put this stuff down.” She motions to the bags then disappears down the hall.

“Hi, Mom,” Savi says as she removes her shoes. “Bye, Mom.”

“Stop right there, young lady,” she barks. Savi freezes in her tracks. Crystal waits to say more.

When Pam returns, she ruffles Savi’s hair affectionately. “What’s up?”

“What’s up? What’s up is this.” Crystal motions to the living room. “Who did this?”

Savi and Pam look at each other. “The boxes?” Pam asks. “Um, I did. I cleared them for you. I know you haven’t had time, so…”

“So you dragged them outside and set fire to them?”

“What?” Pam’s perfectly shaped eyebrows arc into twin half-moons. “Of course not.”

Crystal turns to Savi, hands on her hips. “Did you do this? Did you set fire to Dad’s stuff?”

Savi looks just as shocked as Pam. “Why would I do that?”

“Answer the question!” Crystal screams. She yanks Savi to the back, opens the doors, and points to the charred earth. “Did you do this? Did you? Because I just came home to a blazing fire that could have burned our entire house down!” She grips Savi’s elbow again and shakes. “Why would you do this?” Crystal’s body vibrates with rage.

Pam rushes forward and steps between them. “I can explain. Savi, go inside.”

Savi massages her sore elbow and obliges. Once she’s out of earshot, Pam takes a breath. “I’m sorry, Crystal. I cleared the boxes earlier, and I was just going to put them in the garage for you. But then Savi got really upset and said she just wanted them to disappear. She found the matches and lit one. I extinguished it, but then she must have lit one again right before we left.”

Crystal takes a step closer and Pam actually flinches. “So you’re telling me that you dragged my husband’s boxes outside for no particular reason, and then Savi set a fire without you knowing?” She cocks her head and studies this young girl’s face. “Why are you lying for her?”

Pam stays silent.

“Have you also been swiping Paul’s stuff? His watch and medals?”

She looks at her toes. “I’m so sorry, I—”

“You’re fired. Pack your belongings and get out of my house.” Crystal motions for her to leave.

Pam turns and tears spill from her eyes. “Can I say good-bye at least?”

“No. Go.” Crystal knows the damage that will come from yanking Pam away without explanation, but this is too much. Whether she did it by herself or she’s covering up for Savi, both are unacceptable.

“Crystal, please…”

“Leave!”

Inside, Pam gathers her purse and turns to say something. Crystal stabs her finger toward the front hall and then, when she doesn’t move, stalks past