Until December (Until Her/Him #8)(71)

“Fuck.” I prowl toward my toolbox, stripping out of my coveralls as I go.

“You can’t go there. The cops have the school surrounded. They’re telling parents and family members to meet in the field at the high school,” she says from behind me as I grab my cell phone and keys.

“Go to the high school.”

“Gareth, you can’t go to that school!” she yells.

“I know.” I turn to face her when I reach my SUV. “December’s uncle and cousin are both cops. I’m going to see if I can track them down and find out what they know.” I hold her gaze. “Please, go to the high school.” I catch her nod as I swing up behind the wheel then put the key in the ignition and head toward the school. Dialing December first, I listen to it ring until the voicemail cuts on.

“I love you, baby. Fuck….” I try to pull in a breath. “I love you. Call me and let me know you’re okay.” I hang up and dial Cobi, and when he doesn’t answer, I dial Sage.

“Fuck!” I hit the steering wheel when my call is sent to voicemail then curse once more when I reach the intersection for the school, which is blocked off with a line of police cruisers. Even knowing they won’t let me pass, I drive forward, and an officer steps out into the road, holding his hand up for me to stop. I roll down my window when he comes to my door. “Sir, you need to turn around. This road’s closed.”

“My girlfriend’s a teacher at the school. I can’t get a hold of her.”

“I’m sorry, sir. They are telling all family members to wait at the high school. That’s where everyone will be bussed to once they clear the school.”

“Can you call Nico Mayson or Cobi Mayson on your radio and tell them that Gareth Black is trying to find out about December?”

“I’m sorry, sir, I can’t do that.” He shakes his head, and I want to get out and force him to make the call, but I know if I do, I’ll be spending the night in jail.

“At least tell me that no one was hurt.” I know I sound desperate. I feel desperate.

“Officers are still clearing the building. Right now, we don’t know what’s going on.”

“Fuck.” I shove my fingers through my hair then look down at my cell when it starts to ring. When I see December’s name on the screen, my throat gets tight. I don’t bother saying a word to the officer. I pull away from him and put my cell to my ear. “Baby.”

“I’m okay.” Her voice sounds tight, like she’s trying to keep it together.

I stop and put the truck in Park not wanting to wreck. “Where are you?”

“I’m with my kids. We’re waiting for a bus to take us to the high school to meet their parents.”

“I’ll meet you there.” I squeeze my eyes closed.

“Okay.”

“Keep it together, baby,” I order, and I listen to her pull in a shaky breath. “I’ll be with you soon.”

“I have to go. The bus is pulling up now.”

“Love you.”

“I love you.” She hangs up, and I drop my phone to my lap and scrub my hands down my face pulling in a few deep breaths to get myself under control then put the engine in Drive.

When I reach the high school, I don’t even bother searching for a parking spot. I park on the grass near the front of the school and then jog toward the fields, where a large crowd of people is gathered. I search through the sea of faces, looking for December, and almost fall to my knees when I find her standing with my mom, and her parents. I rush toward them, and like she senses I’m close, she turns and locks eyes with me as I eat up the distance between us.

“We’re okay. Everyone is okay.” She falls into my arms then looks up at me. “I… I need to make sure my kids all find their parents.”

I nod, and she takes my hand and leads me over to a group of young children who all look nervous.

“Okay, you guys. I want you all to hold hands and follow me. We’re going to move away from the crowd so it’s easier for your moms and dads to find you.” She smiles reassuringly then leads the kids to a section of grass. She has them all sit down in a circle, and my mom and hers sits with them as her dad and I help December direct parents to their children. When the last little boy is walking away, held tight in his mom’s arms, she turns to me and I wrap my arms around her, holding her close as she sobs.

“What happened?” I ask, still not sure of what took place. Really, I don’t know if I have the stomach to handle knowing what happened.

“One of the teachers, Mr. Jetson….” She hiccups. “I guess he was fired last Friday at the end of day. The…. the principal saw him walk into the school today and went to talk to him and ask him why he was there. He… he pulled out a gun on her and tried to shoot her, but she managed to get out of the way. The… the janitor saved her. He heard the shot and was able to sneak up on Jetson and take him down before he was able to hurt anyone.”

Jesus, I hold her tighter and bury my face in her hair. Having seen this same thing play out on the news way too fucking often, I know exactly how lucky each and every person in that school was today. “Until the police came to clear my room, I didn’t know what was going on. All I knew was there were shots being fired in the school and it was my job to protect those kids. I was so scared.”