Someone Else’s Life(72)

“Hang on, Finn,” Annie screamed, her voice whipping away in the wind. She felt Finn’s little arms wrapped around her neck so tight she felt as if she were choking. She focused on clinging to the branch, fighting the surging water, and struggled to get her footing. When comprehension finally hit and she saw that Serena was no longer standing on the dock below them, she let out a scream, a long, loud sound that carried above the storm as her eyes frantically searched for the other woman.





45


Annie tried to shield Finn from the storm. The night was so dark and the water murky and brown, filled with debris that surged down the river toward the ocean. She looked out across the river and thought she spotted a form, but she couldn’t be sure. Was it Serena? Or a piece of driftwood? One thought kept running through Annie’s mind: Serena can’t swim. She can’t swim. She took a step closer to the edge, determined to find Serena and bring her back on land.

Seconds later, Sam burst through the tunnel of bamboo. “Annie!” she screamed, grabbing her arm. “Get back. What are you doing? Give me Finn.”

Annie handed Finn to her sister, then returned her eyes to the water. Should she jump in the water to look for Serena? She could swim, but the turbulent river was rushing toward the ocean. What if she got swept away? Would it be better to call for help? But how could she just stand here and watch Serena drown?

Sam pulled on her arm, dragging her up toward the tunnel. Annie struggled to get out of her sister’s grasp.

“Serena is in there!” She pointed to the water. “Do you have your phone? Call 911!”

“Oh my god.” Sam turned to look at the water before pulling her phone out of her back pocket. As she called for help, Annie knew she couldn’t go after Serena; it was too dangerous. Tears sprang to her eyes as she stood there helplessly. As much as she’d wanted to disappear in the last four years, when faced with death, she couldn’t do it. A part of her still wanted to live. She stood on the shore, one arm wrapped around both Sam and Finn, and stared into the water, praying that Serena would survive.



An hour later, Annie stood out in the storm at the end of the cul-de-sac, unwilling to go inside even though there was nothing she could do. She was wet to the bone and shaking, even with the blanket she’d brought outside with her. She and Sam had taken Finn to the main house after calling 911.

Power had been restored shortly after they went in, and Annie had given Finn a hot bath. Both her father and Marley were fine, if a bit bruised, though Marley was limping slightly. Annie had wrapped Finn in a blanket, and they’d sat on the couch together, Marley next to them. Finn had snuggled into her side, not saying anything. Annie didn’t speak either. She’d just held him, so thankful he hadn’t gone into the river with Serena. She closed her eyes every time the image of the two of them poised at the edge of the water popped into her head. She’d been so close to losing Finn again. Her arms tightened around him and she kissed the top of his head. They were warm and safe, her son and dog.

When Annie’s father said he’d made Finn his favorite soup, Finn’s stomach had won out over his need to be with her. She’d reluctantly let him go. Once he was happily slurping up the chicken corn soup, surrounded by Sam, Cam, and Annie’s father, Annie had grabbed a blanket and slipped outside to wait for news about Serena.

The Kapaa fire department, which was stationed only four minutes from their house, had been able to get to them. They’d called the coast guard and set up a land rescue to search the river. The fireman who spoke to Annie told her the Kapaa department didn’t do night rescues by helicopter, and that one would be coming from Oahu. But it would take more than an hour to get there, given the conditions. The rain had lessened, but it was still coming down. Annie had wanted to scream, feeling so helpless. How could Serena possibly survive when she couldn’t swim? When she voiced this thought out loud, the fireman explained that, with all the debris and driftwood in the water, maybe Serena would have grabbed on to something, staying afloat long enough for them to find her.

With the storm finally letting up, she knew rescue workers, along with volunteers, were on the bridge and along the shore, wherever it was safe, and using spotlights to search the river and shores for Serena. Annie shivered, rubbing her arms under the blanket. If Brody were here, she knew he’d be right there helping with the search. But he was still stuck somewhere on Kuhio Highway on the other side of the bridge. The Lihue fire department hadn’t made it to them yet either. Despite what the fireman told her, with each moment that passed, Annie’s hope that they’d find Serena alive diminished. How could she possibly survive in a storm like this?

She hugged her arms around herself, knowing she should go inside and see how Finn and Marley were, but she couldn’t tear herself away from where she stood in the road at the end of their driveway, waiting for someone to give her news. Sam had come out a few times for updates, and to let her know Finn was okay, full after his meal and on the couch with Cam watching a movie. Annie looked back and saw Marley had parked himself by the front door, waiting for her. He seemed okay, despite having been kicked. Sam urged Annie to wait inside, but she refused, even though she was drenched from head to toe, her hair sticking to her face.

The sound of a car pulling up made Annie turn her head, and she watched as her husband parked and jumped out of his car.

“Annie!” He ran toward her, but she stood, rooted in place, until he reached her and wrapped his arms around her, wet blanket and all.