CHAPTER 21
A storm it was indeed. Overnight, enough snow had fallen to encourage tourists at the higher elevations to take chances in the fresh powder that locals knew better than to do. It was also a call sign of sorts to the city, to come and invade the mountains and make your snow angels. An accident resulted, in both cases, causing Doc to be called in to assist with multi-patient traumas.
An off-trail skier and a couple of vehicle related injuries kept him from joining Everly for her doctor’s appointment in Arrow Springs, the next town over. Rather than cancel and wait for Doc, she went because this was the appointment where they confirmed the baby’s gender. Working in a hospital, there would be plenty of opportunities for Doc to take a peek
with an ultrasound machine at a later time. This also gave Everly a chance to put together a surprise baby reveal gift for Doc.
The snow was coming down, but locals were managing and she would be home before the big stuff really hit hard. And she was glad she went. Her appointment went really well, and she was overjoyed with the news her doctor had given her. With time to spare, before the weather turned for the worse in their area, she stopped and did a little shopping.
Sure, she could do that at home, in McKenzie. But small-town gossip would get to Doc, before she could, and spoil her surprise. She spent time, picking out items that would tell Doc the story of her day, and that of their future. There were a few gender specific onesies, balloons in the right color, and a cute gender themed bassinet to put everything in to start with. A few other props were picked up to seal the deal and she was on her way back to McKenzie, a short straight shot up the highway.
Doc would be waiting for her at the hospital, they were to meet in Gran’s room so they could share the news. Everly had other ideas though. She wanted to share this with Doc, privately, first.
They would never have this moment again, and as much as she loved her family of friends and Gran, this needed to be their moment first. Her plan was to stop at home and set up her surprise, then text Doc from the hospital parking lot to come down. They could go back up to the hospital later in the evening to share with Gran, and inevitably Stone, weather permitting.
Something had changed in her today. The old fears that had resurfaced and festered after Carigan’s misguided fit had dissolved and no longer plagued her. Perhaps it was seeing the baby that made it all real for her and cemented the love that had been brewing for weeks.
She thought back to the night Doc told her he wanted a lot of babies with her and she giggled. Truth was, she wanted the same thing. If this man and this baby could stir the amount of love she had flowing through her, she knew there was room for more…a lifetime of more.
How they came about wasn’t the ideal plan. Not so secret relationship, surprise baby, and all that came with it was anything but a fairy tale leading in to a happily ever after, but it was their story and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She was ready to be a mom and wife, two things she never imagined being a part of the checklist of life, but here she was, building a family.
Stirred from her thoughts by little kicks in her belly, she placed a hand over where the baby was kicking and began to speak to their little one.
“I know you’re there.” she giggled, “I can’t wait to show daddy your first pictures and tell him your news. I think he will love our surprises we picked out for him. I bet he calls everyone tonight to tell them about you, he’s going to be so excited. It’s going to be a special night, little bug. You might want to cover your ears though, I don’t want you scarred for life when daddy shows mommy how much he loves her. Scratch that, I can’t believe I just said that to you…so inappropriate. Wow…so many changes are coming.”
The snow was coming down harder, requiring her to slow her pace and keep her focus on the road. They may reach near white out conditions by the time she got home if the snow didn’t let up. Pulling her head from her whimsy state, she made a mental note to save all of the warm fuzzies for when she got home. The snow was no joke and required all of her attention.
With each kick, her heart swelled as an emotional wave washed over her, looking down for a brief moment, she spoke directly to the baby one last time before shifting her concentration, “I already love you so, so much…”
When she looked up to watch the road, only a second later, she let out a blood curdling scream.
It was getting late and Doc began to worry. Even with the heavy snow, she knew how to drive in it and she should have been back to McKenzie by now. She hadn’t called, and wasn’t answering her cellphone. Each call was going straight to voicemail now.
Since he was working, they planned to meet at the hospital because she was his ride. After calling everyone he could think of, and turning up nothing, Stone offered to give him a ride to their place to see if she was there and the phones were just out. The snow was just bad enough that it was possible she couldn’t get any further into town and phones might be impacted.
Blake was the first person he called, then the last when he hadn’t found Everly. Blake had checked all of the reports and there weren’t any accidents or incidents that could have explained her disappearance. So he told Doc he would meet him at their house and they would figure out their next move from there. It wasn’t like Everly to just fall off the grid without telling anyone, and with the weather they were having, and being pregnant, it was even less likely. Being home and unable to make calls, compliments of bad weather, was more likely. Or so they hoped.
When Stone and Doc pulled up, Blake was already there and they didn’t find what they had hoped. It was obvious the minute the house came into view and her car was nowhere to be seen. Doc’s stomach sank, fear found its way in, and it swarmed in a downward spiral that left him anxious and full of worry.
“Her car’s not here, I’m guessing she isn’t,” Doc said, pointing out the obvious, but conversation kept his mind occupied and far from the doom and gloom it was leaning toward.
“I have Logan out checking the roads on every route to and from everyone’s houses that she may have stopped at. So far, he has cleared the area around Dawson and Sam’s. He’s searching the ridge by Morgan and Beck’s, then he’ll hit the other side out by the rest of the gang. With this weather, she may have pulled over and just can’t call out. We’ll find her.”
Blake’s cool and collected demeanor brought a sense of calm to Doc. If he wasn’t worried yet, Doc would reserve worry for later, when and if Blake was. Confidence was an outward trait that Blake wore, and his instincts ran deep – it all went a long way with Doc right now. If anyone could resolve this and find Everly quickly and safe, it was Blake.
Doc let them in the house, Stone silently accompanying them from behind. He didn’t say so, but Stone was worried. It was etched in his face as was the lifetime of regrets he was likely mulling over. Though short, the relationship between Everly and her grandfather was growing stronger each day and they were quite fond of one another – truly kindred spirits.
A waft of something Doc couldn’t quite identify met them at the door, dancing on their senses. It was earthy with a hint of pine, and perhaps a bit of soft citrus and sandalwood. Nothing offensive, just a fresh, clean scent with a warm vanilla under note that was pleasant and oddly familiar.
“That smell. It’s stronger now,” Blake chimed, pushing past Doc in search of its source. And he found it.
Just inside the door, past the foyer, the living room came into view, knocking the wind from Doc as his emotions resurfaced. There were flowers on every surface throughout the space and into the adjacent dining room. With them were various candles in every shape and size. Some were fresh, some previously lit…the source of the smell.
“Evie loves those candles. I didn’t know she had so many though. What is this? Why the flowers?”
“Maybe she was here. Did you guys have any big plans tonight? Is this…romantic
or something?” Blake’s question was well thought out, but didn’t fit. Something was wrong, very wrong, and it didn’t take his deep rooted intuition and experience to feel the menace in the air.
“Well, maybe she planned a surprise for me? She knows what the baby’s gender is…maybe she was planning dinner or something? But where is she now?” Doc was at a loss and that heavy feeling in his stomach was lurching again. Everly wasn’t the overly romantic type – sweet and endearing, yes, but flowers and candles galore? Not likely, it was too whimsy and frilly for her.
“Maybe she ran to town, needed to stop at the store? Could have stopped here to set this up before heading to the hospital to pick you up? One of us would have seen her on the roadside on our way here, you from the hospital and me from the House. I’ll expand the search to include Main Street in case she went out that way for something in town.”
“Those there are the wild flowers that kept showin’ up in Lou’s room. Why would Everly bring those in here when they marked something so questionable before? I don’t know about this, boys…” Stone was right. Why would she? Those flowers marked several questionable moments that brought anything but joy, so why would she use them to celebrate a milestone?
“Fuck…” Between the familiar smell that he had been picking up everywhere, the flowers, and Everly missing in a snow storm, Blake knew he needed to react, and quickly. He felt something was coming, that there was a threat of some kind headed their way, but he hoped he would have more to go on and either intercept whatever it was or at least be better prepared for it. He had neither on his side.
Grabbing his cellphone from a clip on his belt, Blake made a call. Doc and Stone were drawn to his dark edgy presence, their unfiltered anxieties feeding off of it. Clinging to every word, a living nightmare evolved when Blake’s phone call laid out the cards for them.
“Dec…it’s me. Get the boys together and meet me at Everly’s…we have a problem.”