Chapter 2

God knows how long it dragged on, but the stampede finally thinned.

I dove for Lucas. His face was sheet-white, his left leg bent the wrong way like a snapped toy.

"Mommy... hurts..." he whispered, so faint I felt it more than heard it.

My hands shaking, I fumbled for my phone to call an ambulance, only to realize it had been smashed when I fell.

Sophie clung to me, her tiny hands gripping my clothes like she was afraid I'd disappear.

"It's okay, babies. Mommy's got you." I blinked the tears back, hoisted Lucas onto my hip, and clamped Sophie's sweaty hand in mine.

We started down the stairs. Every jolt made Lucas whimper against my neck. The fever turned the steps into marshmallow cliffs and my legs into concrete blocks.

But I couldn't stop. For my children, I couldn't afford to give up.

When we finally reached the first floor, I couldn't hold on any longer. I coughed up blood, splattering it across the wall.

"Mommy! Are you going to die?" Sophie cried, her eyes went wide with fear as she saw the blood on the wall, and she started crying even harder.

"No, Mommy's not going to die..." I managed a weak smile, kissing each of them on the cheek. "Let's go find Daddy."

As we stepped out of the building, I saw that a lot of residents who had managed to escape were already gathered in the courtyard.

I looked around and quickly spotted David.

He was crouched down, checking Linda's son for injuries with concern, while Linda stood close by, leaning on him affectionately with her hand on his shoulder.

"David!" I called out, my voice hoarse. "Lucas's leg might be broken."

David finally looked up at us, a flicker of unease crossing his face.

He rushed over and took Lucas from my arms.

"Daddy... it hurts..." Lucas whimpered, leaning weakly against his father.

David's fingers brushed Lucas's shin, and the color drained from his face. "Jesus, his leg is snapped! What the hell were you doing, Claire? How do you let this happen?"

His words stabbed me like a knife.

I shook so hard my teeth rattled. "Me? You booted him aside so you could play hero for Linda. The herd trampled him because you kicked him away!"

"I never touched him!" he roared. "God, you're useless. Can't even shield your own kid. Isn't the mom supposed to be the damn superhero?"

For a second, the world went mute. Was I actually hearing this?

Just then, Linda came over, her voice gentle and fragile. "David, the ambulance is here. Let's get the boy to the hospital first."

David's expression instantly switched to concern. "Right, let's get him to the hospital."

I shot him a cold glare, watching him switch faces faster than flipping a page. I forced myself to hold back my fury.

Now wasn't the time to argue. Lucas's injury was what mattered most.

At the hospital, David quickly paid the bill, then turned to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" I grabbed his arm.

"Linda's place might have a gas leak. It's dangerous. I need to go back and check on her," David said impatiently.

"You could just call the gas company!" I was so mad I almost laughed. "Our son's leg is broken, I've got a raging fever, and I'm here with Sophie. You really expect me to deal with all this alone?"

David frowned. "It's just a bit more work for you. You'll survive. Linda's on her own with her kid. She needs help more than you."

With that, he strode off without a second glance, already dialing Linda, his voice suddenly soft as silk. "Don't worry, I'm coming over right now to help you check."

I just stood there, staring as he vanished down the hospital hallway, and then it hit me.

This earthquake didn't just tear down the building. It tore my marriage apart, too.

*****

The hospital lights were harsh and almost blinding.

I slumped on the ER bench, Sophie wedged against me, out cold with tear-tracks dried on her cheeks like tiny salt rivers.

Lucas was behind the double doors getting patched up, a clean fracture, lower leg, cast-worthy.

My phone had been buzzing nonstop. Mom's number lit the screen for the eighteenth time.

I'd been elbows-deep in keeping Lucas conscious and calm, but now, finally, I had a free thumb to hit answer.

"Emily! Are you all okay? The news said your neighborhood was hit the hardest by the earthquake." Mom's voice was choked with tears.

"Mom, we're fine. We're at the hospital right now. Lucas hurt his leg, but the doctor said it's not too bad," I reassured her.

"Lucas hurt his leg? How did that happen? Where's David? Wasn't he supposed to protect you?" Mom asked, her voice trembling with worry.

My throat tightened, and I didn't know what to say.

Should I really tell Mom that David ditched us during the earthquake to save another woman and her kid?

"He... he's taking care of the paperwork," I finally lied.

"Which hospital? We're coming right now!"

I gave her the address, and after I hung up, I noticed my hands were shaking a little.

It wasn't just the fever. My temperature was still over 100°F, but it was anger and heartbreak, not the fever, that made my hands shake.