It was two o’clock in the morning on New Year’s Day. I stood on the street and watched flames shoot skyward from the roof of my house. Sadness overcame me. I clutched Alex tighter and hauled Katie and Benjamin closer. Leroy and Clara and Ernie and Melva Barton — the neighbors on the other side of my house — stood around us.
Police cruisers blocked traffic in both directions on the street. The flashing lights from emergency vehicles, fire trucks and police cars and the light radiating from the fire made the darkness seem ghoulish.
The heat from the fire turned the snow to mush around our feet. Bits of ash, caught in a breeze, fluttered past. The smell of molten plastic, toasted rubber and burned timber sickened the air.
Four policemen stood back on their heels, hands resting on their utility belts, and watched the inferno.
Firefighters sprayed my house and the houses on either side in a determined effort to save my house from total destruction and prevent Leroy’s and Ernie’s house from catching fire.
Regarding my house, it appeared a valiant endeavor for naught.
“I saw what happened, Mrs. Turner,” Ernie Barton said. “I got up for some aspirin and happened to look out the bathroom window. That’s when I saw it.”
“Saw what?” I asked.
“A ball of fire streaking through the sky. It landed smack square in the center of your roof. Damnedest thing. Ain’t never saw anything like it. Crazy, ain’t it?”
I didn’t know what started the fire, but given the bizarre happenings in my life the last three months, lightning in subzero temperatures seemed as likely a scenario as any. Or it could have been a meteorite. No. Meteors large enough to carry heat would have obliterated the entire structure and us with it. I shuddered at the thought.
“You’re lucky you were able to get out in time,” Leroy said.
“Yes. Very lucky.” Luck didn’t have anything to do with it. If it weren’t for the doors slamming closed repeatedly, we would have perished in the fire, in all probability. I suspected that was the last we would hear of Irwin. His last good deed.
“You’re welcome to stay with us for as long as you want,” Leroy said.
“Yes, of course, dear.” Clara patted my hand. “As long as you like.”
“Thank you so much. That’s very kind of you.” I couldn’t find the words to tell them their house would undoubtedly suffer smoke damage if it didn’t catch fire, and they would probably be looking for alternate housing for awhile, as well.
“They’ll be staying with me,” Alex said.
“I — ”
“It’s not open to debate.”
“I guess that’s settled.” I looked at the one carat diamond ring on my left hand, a perfect fit, like Alex and I. His marriage proposal came as a surprise, but I answered with a resounding ‘Yes.’ “You’re bossing me around already.”
“It’s the sensible decision.”
We stood without moving or saying anything for long moments. Our shock hung in the air as tangible as the ground beneath our feet.
It broke my heart that my home and everything in it was being reduced to a mound of cremated remains. A house that saw so much death, heartache and tragedy should end this way, I supposed.
The roof collapsed. Windows exploded and reddish-orange flames blasted out the openings. While my heart plummeted at the sight, exclamations of awe rang through the crowd lining the street.
At the far end of the street, a truck with a revolving bubble light on the dash weaseled past the barricade, dodged curious onlookers and slowly came to a stop ten feet away from us. I nudged Alex and jerked my head in the direction of the truck. “Jonathan.”
“I see him.”
Jonathan scanned the crowd until he spotted us.
I braced myself for his accusations. Of course, the house catching fire would be my fault, even though I did everything humanly possible to avoid such a catastrophe. When he came within hearing distance, I said, “It wasn’t my — ” He captured me in his arms and hugged the breath out of me. My feet left the ground. Embarrassed, I looked back at Alex.
Jonathan set me down and hugged Benjamin and Katie. “Dispatch just called me. I came right over. I imagined the worst. Thank God you’re all right.”
The kids clung to him.
“I’m so glad you’re here, Daddy,” Katie said. “I was so frightened.”
“Shh. Everything’s going to be fine,” Jonathan soothed. “You’ll see.”
“I lost everything,” Benjamin said. “My computer, my toys . . .” His chin quivered.
“Those things can be replaced, Ben.” Jonathan clutched Katie and Benjamin tighter. “Oh God, I don’t know what I would have done if anything happened to you.” He looked at me. “To any of you.”
His watery eyes brought tears to my eyes. “We’re fine, Jonathan. Just a little shaken.”
“I’m cold, Mom,” Katie said.
I pulled the blankets the paramedics gave us tighter around her and Benjamin.
Jonathan nodded at Alex. “Things have been so hectic, I didn’t have a chance to tell you I got your note. Thanks for leaving it.”
“No problem. Thought it only fitting in the circumstances,” Alex said.
“Note? What note?” Neither man seemed to want to answer my question.
Alex whispered in my ear, “I’ll tell you later.”
I smiled. There would be no more secrets between us.