Page 91 of Scoring Chances

She leaves my side, taking the steps two at a time.

And I go back to searching the house top to bottom again.

Maddie is asleep on Cassidy’s lap. Cole startles awake beside me on the couch with a flashlight in his hand. He’s trying to stay up with me.

I look around. There are whispers in the kitchen. Anyone associated with the team is here tonight.

Even the team owner, Mackenzie Stratton, dropped off food for the search party. She offered her own private helicopters for the search party.

There’s not one person involved in my life, that isn’t here for me.

The door opens and Ryker and Keelan stomp their muddy feet on the mat before coming in.

It’s started raining.

I hope he’s okay. I hope he’s warm. And safe. Out of the cold. God, I hope he’s safe.

Hey universe… God? If you’re still listening. This is worse than anything you’ve hit me with. You’ve delivered your final blow. I’m done. I’m done fighting with you. I’m done being angry with you.

Bring him back. Bring Parker home. That’s my only request.

I’ll do anything.

It’s three in the morning when I get the call.

“Mr. Hicks, this is HPD. We’ve found your son.”

Chapter 26

Cassidy

There aren’t many things I haven’t heard growing up as a pastor’s kid.

I’ve heard beautiful declarations of love at weddings.

I’ve heard men pleading for their wives to give them a second chance.

I’ve heard the cries of families ravaged by deaths–both sudden and expected.

But I don’t think I’ll ever forget the sounds of room full of people who were once strangers, surround someone with so much love.

The tears streamed down Joshua’s face as he heard the officer’s update. He didn’t put the phone on speaker. So we all held our breaths, waiting to hear what the source of the tears were.

That was the first time I noticed that the sounds of pure unadulterated relief, can sound just like when a person has received the worst news of their lives.

There’s sobbing but it’s not from sadness.

There’s incoherent words but it’s not because of grief.

When he hangs up and says the words, “They found him. He’s safe.”

I now know that celebration and mourning–aren’t so different from each other when a life is in the balance.

I cry. Uncontrollable tears. Everyone does.

I hear the guys gather keys and offer to drive us.

We leap off the couch. And that’s the difference right there.