Chapter 210: Silverbrook City
That night, Mia came back all worked up, her eyes red and her body shaking like she was trying real hard to keep it together.
Wasn't she supposed to be catching a flick with Yancy? Where the heck was Yancy? Did they have a fight or something?
That didn't seem right.
I asked her what was up, and she said she bumped into Benjamin downstairs and they had a bit of a spat. She didn't spill the details, and I didn't push. Everyone's got their own baggage, and I wasn't about to pry.
In the days that followed, Yancy still showed up like clockwork to pick up and drop off Mia. Benjamin was always lurking in the background, not causing trouble, just watching from afar as Mia and Yancy got tighter and tighter.
Eventually, Benjamin bounced. Before he hopped on the plane, he shot Mia a text: [I'm sorry, take care.]
That night, Mia cried her eyes out.
I got it. I really did.
If Benjamin had shown up that day, saying he didn't give a damn about his family, status, or whatever, and just wanted her, willing to take her away if she could handle the rough times... I bet Mia would've gone for it. I saw how she looked at him, knew how deep her feelings ran.
But Benjamin didn't do that. Even knowing all her struggles, he still chose his family.
Mia's tears weren't just for a lost love but for five years of her life down the drain.
Five years, the prime years of a girl's life!
I didn't try to comfort her, just let her cry it out, saying goodbye to the past.
Time flew to August, and I was counting down the days for Brad to come back.
But then some news hit and stretched that wait forever. In the days waiting for Brad's full return, I went through hell, almost losing hope a bunch of times.
On the evening of August 3rd, I was chilling on the couch, scrolling through my phone while Mia and Yancy were in the kitchen making dinner.
Suddenly, a news alert popped up: [Three days of heavy rain in Silverbrook City caused a landslide and mudslide, burying a school at the mountain's base. Rescuers are searching for survivors.]
I freaked out, tried to get up, and ended up falling, smacking my head on the coffee table with a dull thud.
Mia screamed and rushed over. "How'd you fall? Get up, let me see if you're hurt."
I ignored the bump on my head, grabbed her hand, and tried to tell her about the news, but tears came out before I could speak.
Mia was freaked out by my sudden crying and kept asking what happened.
Yancy helped me up and sat me on the couch, telling me to calm down and explain.
"Don't rush, Jane, calm down. What's going on?" Mia rubbed my hands and feet, her voice shaking with fear.
I was so worked up I couldn't talk, tears streaming down my face. With trembling hands, I showed them the news.
Yancy glanced at it and said, "I saw this too. That place is prone to landslides and mudslides. This happened a few years ago too. They said they fixed it, but it happened again. There'll be casualties, but what does this have to do with you? Why are you crying like this?"
"Brad, Brad is there." I finally managed to say.
"What? Brad's there? Oh my God, what do we do? Call him, call him right now and find out what's going on. Don't start crying yet, maybe Brad wasn't at the school. Right? Don't jump to conclusions, just call him!" Mia's face went pale with worry, shoving the phone into my hands.
Hearing that, a flicker of hope sparked. I grabbed the phone, quickly punched in his number, and hit call.
All I got was a cold, automated message. No one picked up, and the call eventually cut off.
Not ready to give up, I dialed again, but still, no answer. I kept calling, over and over, until a robotic voice told me the number was now turned off.
"No, something's definitely wrong with Brad. I have to go find him." I stood up in a panic, but my legs were shaking so bad I collapsed, hitting the ground hard, my knees and elbows screaming in pain.
"Calm down, we don't know the full story yet. Even if you go, you can't do anything. The rescue teams are professionals; they won't let you into the disaster area." Yancy, being the level-headed guy he is, tried to keep things cool.
"Then what do you suggest?" Mia held me, checking my injuries, then ran to the bedroom to grab some medicine.
Even when Daniel schemed against me, I wasn't this freaked out. My mind was a mess, and all I could do was cry.
My world was falling apart.
I must've been spoiled by Brad, losing my ability to think straight, only knowing how to cry. "Mia, Brad's there. What if he's hurt? I'm so scared I'll never see him again. Mia, I have to go find him. I need to be with him."
"Don't talk crazy. With you here, how could Brad not come back? Stop overthinking and crying. The most important thing now is to find out what's really going on over there. We need to figure out our next move. Can you pull yourself together and cry later?"
"I want to go to Silverbrook City."
"We don't know Brad's situation. You can go, but you need to find reliable people who can help you in case things get tricky. By the way, does Brad's family know he went there for work? They have the right to know. Also, contact the school leaders to ask about the situation and make better plans. What do you think?"
"Okay. I'll call Brad's family now." I took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
I couldn't think of any other way, so I decided to follow Yancy's advice.
Picking up the phone, I thought about calling Hugh but decided to call Daniel instead.
Hugh's health wasn't great. If he heard about this, it might make things worse. So, it was better to talk to Daniel. At least he wouldn't have a heart attack from the news. Besides, he had schemed against Brad and me before, and now it was time for him to step up.
When the call connected, Daniel sounded surprised, with a hint of delight in his voice, "Jane, did you dial the wrong number?"
I wasn't in the mood for his games. "Brad went to Silverbrook City last month for an exchange program and has been teaching at a school in the mountains. I just saw a news alert that the school experienced a landslide and mudslide. Brad's situation is unknown."
"What?" Daniel's voice shot up, tinged with panic, "Wasn't Brad there for an exchange? How did he end up teaching? Who set this up?"
I cut him off, not wanting to waste time. "Shut up. Is that the point? The most important thing now is to find out Brad's situation. I want to go to Silverbrook City. You coming? Hugh and Emma are old. I don't know if this news will shock them, so I can only discuss it with you. Decide now so I can get moving."
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