Page 23

Harlee

I had just walked Harvey Sims out the door when my phone rang.

I pulled it out and saw that it was Misty.

Swiping, I answered the call, “Hey Misty. What’s shaken bacon?”

Her tone had the hairs on the back of my neck rising, “Hey, Harlee. Have you heard from Carter?”

I frowned, “I talked to him three days ago. Why? Is everything okay?”

I heard her sigh, “There was something on the news just now. Where is he working?

“He’s working on the south coast of Texas,” I whispered.

Hoping that this wasn’t going where my brain was going.

And I knew that it was when I heard her gasp.

“Misty.... what?”

Just then, Frank came over the line, “Hey, sweetheart. Think it might be a good idea to head over to the house. Yeah?”

I nodded, “Okay. I’m on my way.”

I ended the call, then looked at Everly’s pale face. “What is it?”

Softly, I said, “There was something on the coast of Texas where Carter is working.”

She nodded, “Okay, go. I’ll reschedule your appointments and then close up.

I nodded, then raced by her desk, and said, “Thank you.”

I was packed up and, in my Tahoe, headed to Frank and Misty’s house when my phone rang.

Seeing that it was Talia, I answered, “Hey.”

She’d been crying, “Are you on the way?”

Immediately, I said, “Yes.”

“Okay, be careful.”

Ten minutes later, I was pulling up into their driveway.

I didn’t pay attention to the vehicles parked haphazardly everywhere, as I raced up their front drive and straight into their house.

I locked my eyes with Misty, then raced over to her.

She saw me coming and then opened her arms.

I wrapped mine around her and held on tightly.

The front door opened and closed twice before we let each other go.

Frank stepped to her side and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Two sets of arms wrapped around me, and I knew they belonged to Talia and Lila.

“Tell me,” I whispered.

Everything quieted down.

Frank was the one to speak.

“News report just now. The storm that had been forecast was a whole lot worse than they thought it would be. Lightning struck the main generator, and a chain reaction unfolded.” He paused, clearing his throat of emotions he was trying to keep locked down, “The oil rig was up in flames.”

Tears ran down my cheeks, and then I pulled out my phone and scrolled to the numbers Carter had given me.

Reaching the one I needed, I dialed and then pressed the speaker button.

“Caulson,” a man answered.

“Hi, I’m calling for a check-in on Carter Griggs,” I said.

I heard him inhale a breath and knew that wasn’t a good sign.

“Your name?” he asked.

“Harlee Murray.”

“He calls you Harlee Belle.” At the man’s words, I sobbed.

Once I had control over my tears, I asked, “Yes. Is he okay?”

He was silent for a beat, then he said, “There was an accident. Right now, we aren’t sure of the confirmed damage or the survivors.”

I felt my knees weaken, and thankfully, Lila and Talia let me go in time for Garrick to catch me.

Garrick whispered in my hair, “He’s going to be alright. He’s a stubborn motherfucker.”

I knew that Misty was in the same predicament I was in because she didn’t chastise Garrick for his language.

“Who is that?” Caulson asked.

“That was his brother Garrick. We are all at his parents’ house.” I told him.

Then he asked, “Are Frank and Misty there?”

I nodded, “Yes. They are standing in front of me. You’re on speaker.”

“Your boy spoke highly of the two of you. And his brothers and his sister. But especially you, Harlee. As soon as we know something, expect a call from me. Okay?”

I wiped at my tears and said, “Okay.”

And like that, everyone gathered around, and we waited.

The calls went out.

Casseroles were delivered.

Friends came by to offer their support.

And we waited.

Every time a news station aired the story, our eyes were glued to the screen.

“It has now been confirmed that an explosion has taken place on Solace, an oil rig stationed off the southern coast of Texas. Exact damage has not been reported yet. We will return when we have more news.”

Just then, my phone rang, and everyone’s gaze came to mine.

I checked it and saw that it was Julie’s name, seeing that I shook my head and said, “It’s one of the wives.”

I answered it and put it on speaker, and immediately I heard her crying, “Harlee, it’s Julie, Sam’s wife. Have you heard?”

“Just that there was an explosion, but we don’t know anything more than that,” I told her.

Then Julie came out, in full force, “I knew something like this was going to happen. I asked him to stop. Over. And over again.”

I didn’t particularly like Julie. I’d met her a handful of times, and something about her rubbed me the wrong way.

She was always complaining about his job. But she never complained about the money she spent. The money he earned while she blew it all.

“If I hear anything, I’ll call you. Okay?” I said.

“Right. Oh, before you go, I found the cutest pair of shoes. They were worth the fifteen hundred dollars I paid for them. I’ll send you a picture.”

I shook my head as I ended the call, then stared at my phone.

Wanting it to ring, and at the same time, wanting to reach through the phone and slap the absolute shit out of Julie.

Fucking. Shoes.

Fucking. Shoes!

“That woman is fucked up,” Garrick said as he shook his head.

“Our son is in an unknown condition, same as her husband, and wanted to tell you about her shoes?” Misty asked with a growl.

I nodded, “Yeah, she’s a vain woman.”

“She makes the rest of us look bad,” Talia said as she ran her fingers through my hair.

Another news station shared the same coverage.

It was nearing on midnight.

Some of us had nodded off for short bursts of naps, but we were still here, huddled in front of the television.

Just then, my phone beeped with a text.

Everyone’s eyes that weren’t closed came to me.

Just as they had every time, my phone made even the slightest noise.

Over the course of the day, and well into the night, calls had come in from the other wives. Parent’s. The phone tree was active.

Carter was higher up in the profession. And he had asked me if it was okay to add me to the phone tree.

I had readily agreed.

And I was thankful I had. In a situation like this, everyone needed support.

I lifted my phone and then felt my tears that I had thought had all dried up start spilling down my cheeks.

I hurriedly wiped them away, and then bleary-eyed. I read what was on my phone.

Sin – I’m okay.

I read it.

Over.

And over.

And over.

Then I looked at everyone and said, “He’s okay.”

Sighs of thankfulness lit up the room.

A few tears were wiped away.

Smiles replaced looks of sorrow.

Sin – Where are you?

Me – Your parents’ house.

Sin – Call you in a minute. Put me on speaker. Okay?

Me – Okay. I love you.

Sin – Fuck. Love you more.

Then I looked at everyone and said, “He’s calling in a minute.

Within that minute, everyone who was asleep was woken up.

Then my phone rang, I swiped to answer it, and then put it on speaker.

Immediately, I said, “Hey, honey.”

Hearing his voice, knowing that he was alive, it took a beat for my heart to catch up with my brain, “Hey, baby. Am I on speaker?’

“Yes,” I said.

“We love you, Carter,” Misty called out.

“Love y’all too.” Then I heard him swallow. “I’m headed to the closest hospital that has a trauma one unit. Dallas. Baby, I need you to get on a plane. Need you here.”

I nodded, “I will.”

He was quiet for a beat when he said, “We lost nineteen people. Including Sam. And..... Joey.”

I inhaled a breath, “Oh no.”

Then I asked, “Granger?”

“I don’t know,” He swallowed again, then I heard him inhale a gasp.

“We’re about to load you into the chopper.” A man’s voice called out.

“Okay. Baby?” he asked.

“Yeah?” I asked.

“I love you. So goddamned much,” his words caused my heart to wrench.

“I love you, too, Carter. So goddamned much.”

An hour later, Frank, Misty, and I were going through security to board a plane.

My phone rang just as we headed to our gate.

I pulled it out and, without checking the caller ID, answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, Harlee, this is Caulson.” He said.

“Hi,” I said as I raced to our gate alongside Misty and Frank.

“He’s headed to Parkwood Memorial Hospital in Dallas. They are a trauma one hospital and.... try not to panic, but they have an excellent burn unit.”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Okay. Carter called. His parents and I are almost to our gate, so we can get there.”

“Okay. There will be someone at baggage claim, you’ll see a man holding up the word Solace. Go to him. He will get you where you need to go. Okay?”

“Okay, thank you for letting me know and for calling me,” I said.

Three hours and twenty minutes later, our plane was taxing on the runway in Dallas, Texas.

Twenty minutes later, Frank, Misty, and I were headed to baggage claim.

Thankfully, we had all fitted what we needed into our backpacks.

None of us had dallied in packing.

When I saw a man in a pair of black slacks and a dark blue polo with the company's name on it, that Carter worked for, I lifted my chin in his direction.

Seeing the word Solace , I felt my gut clench.

Other people were standing in front of him.

“White vans parked out front will take you where you need to go. If your name is not on the approved visitor list, then I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to tell you anything.”

“This is Channel Nine News. Are there any survivors?” A woman with a blonde bob, wearing a wrap-around red shirt, and black slacks said as she shoved her way past us all with a microphone in front of her mouth, and a man carrying a video recorder.

The man looked at her and narrowed his eyes.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Frank said through gritted teeth.

The woman turned to him, and then the camera was pointed at him.

The woman asked, “And you are?”

“None of your goddamned business. You should be ashamed of yourself. Ambushing people who haven’t heard a goddamned word about their loved ones and you think you're entitled to it first?”

And with that, Frank shook his head, wrapped his arm around Misty, and then took my hand and barreled his way through the throng of people.

At the memory of Carter doing the same thing, I felt tears prick my eyes.

“Well said,” a man said as he followed us.

When we reached the white vans, a woman stood there with a clipboard in her hand.

Seeing us, she asked, “Who are you here to see?”

“Carter Griggs,” Misty said, wiping tears from her eyes.

I let go of Frank’s hand and moved to Misty’s side, and grabbed her hand.

She squeezed back.

The woman looked at Misty and asked with a soft tone, “And you are?”

“Misty Griggs.”

She nodded, then looked at Frank. “Frank Griggs.”

Then she looked at me, and I said, “Harlee Murray.”

Then she flipped a couple of pages, and then looked at me, “Could you have another last name?”

I shook my head, “No.”

Her eyebrow furrowed as she asked, “Spell your first name for me.”

I spelled it out for her, unsure of what was going on.

Then she sighed and took out her phone and placed a call.

I looked at her, then at Misty and Frank.

Misty asked, “Is there a problem.

“Hey, Caulson, I’m standing here with Frank and Misty Griggs and Harlee. She said her last name is Murray, but that’s not what we have.”

Then I watched as she waited, and then I watched her smile as her eyes came to me, “Got it. Thanks.”

She winked, “You're good to go, sweetheart. Apparently, Carter felt that you deserved more than what a girlfriend would get you, so he said you were his wife and listed you as Harlee Griggs.”

Misty nodded, “Well, of course he did. She’s our future daughter-in-law.”

Frank guffawed, “As soon as my son asks the question. He better do it soon.”

Then, according to who we were here to see, we were directed to different vans.

Apparently, the one we were directed to go to, was headed for the hospital instead of the convention center.

We were all loaded up in the vans and headed to the hospital.

The moment the van came to a stop, Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas stood before us. Imposing.

And all I could think about was that this facility better be the best in the nation.

With Frank’s arm around Misty’s shoulders, and my hand clasped in one of hers, we headed into the hospital.

And suddenly, that thought vanished from my head when I saw nurses, doctors, you name it, running around trying to save lives.

Lives of men and women who had been on that oil rig.