Chapter 6 - THE THING MONEY COULDN’T HOLD STILL.
Ryan stood at the pastor's office window watching his SUV drift.
Emily watched Ryan.
The vehicle didn't float like boats do.
There was nothing graceful about it.
It shuddered.
Shifted.
Caught against something.
Moved again.
One of the rear lights flickered beneath brown water.
Ryan pressed both palms against the windowsill.
"Oh, God."
Emily sat on a small couch with Sophie against her chest.
The office was quieter than the fellowship hall, but not quiet enough to erase the storm.
Rain hammered the roof.
Water hissed against concrete outside.
People called instructions through the hallway.
Ryan whispered a curse.
Emily looked at him.
"Ryan."
He turned.
"Do you know what this is going to cost?"
She blinked.
He heard himself.
Again.
His face changed.
"I mean—"
"I know what you mean."
"No, you don't."
"You told me."
Ryan ran a hand through wet hair.
"I almost died out there."
"I know."
"So maybe I'm not saying everything perfectly."
"That's fair."
He stared at her.
Her calmness made him uncomfortable.
"Why are you talking like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like we're in a meeting."
Emily looked down at Sophie.
The baby had fallen asleep again.
"Because if I don't stay calm, I'm going to ask you something I don't want the answer to."
Ryan went still.
There.
For the first time, she saw fear that had nothing to do with water or money.
"What?"
Emily looked toward the office door.
She could hear Frank's voice in the hallway.
Helping somebody.
Of course.
She looked back at her husband.
"When you climbed out..."
Ryan's jaw tightened.
"What about it?"
"Nothing."
"Emily."
She shook her head.
"Not yet."
He stepped closer.
"What did your father say?"
The question hurt more than it should have.
"My father?"
"What did he tell you?"
"I didn't say Dad told me anything."
Ryan looked toward the door.
"Linda?"
Emily stared.
Ryan's eyes moved quickly.
"She was watching."
"Watching what?"
"The whole thing."
Emily felt cold.
"Then you know she saw you."
"I know she was outside."
"Ryan."
He turned away.
"God, this is insane."
"What is?"
"I'm sitting here soaked, my car is gone, I almost got killed, and somehow I'm being interrogated."
"I asked one unfinished question."
"Because your father put it in your head."
Emily stood carefully.
"No."
Ryan turned.
"No what?"
"He didn't."
"Then Linda did."
"Nobody had to."
Ryan stared at her.
For several seconds, the rain filled the room.
Emily took a breath.
"I saw you reach the canopy."
"So?"
"I saw everyone run to you."
"Because I nearly drowned."
"I know."
"I was in shock."
"I know."
"Then what?"
Emily's voice dropped.
"I was holding your daughter."
Ryan's face emptied.
"I saw that."
"When?"
"What?"
"When did you see her?"
Ryan blinked.
"I don't know."
"Try."
"Emily."
"Was it before Dad came in?"
"I don't know."
"Before somebody handed you the towel?"
"I said I don't know."
"Before you started talking about the SUV?"
His face reddened.
"This is unbelievable."
Emily felt the old instinct rise.
Apologize.
Back down.
Tell him he's right.
She did not.
"What is unbelievable?"
"That you're doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Trying to turn the worst five minutes of my life into some character test."
Emily almost laughed.
"The worst five minutes of your life?"
"Yes."
She looked down at Sophie.
Ryan followed her gaze.
His anger faltered.
Emily didn't need to say it.
Maybe that was the first real shift.
Before today, she would have explained.
She would have built the argument for him.
She would have softened every edge.
Instead she let him look.
Ryan's shoulders dropped.
"That's not what I meant."
"What did you mean?"
"I was scared."
"So was I."
"I know."
"Did you?"
Ryan looked away.
The office door opened.
Frank stood there.
He was holding a dry hand towel.
"Sorry."
Ryan snapped.
"Do you knock?"
Frank looked at the open door behind him.
"It was open."
"That's not the point."
Frank's eyes moved to Emily.
"You okay?"
She nodded.
"Baby?"
"Still warm."
Frank handed her the towel.
"Found this."
Emily took it.
"Thanks."
Frank turned to leave.
Ryan said, "Frank."
He stopped.
Ryan's voice was controlled now.
"Can you stop talking to people about me?"
Frank turned slowly.
"Who?"
"You know who."
"No."
"Linda."
Frank's expression didn't move.
"What'd I say to Linda?"
"Whatever you're telling everybody."
Emily stood.
"Ryan."
"No. I'm done with this."
Frank looked at Emily.
She could see him making a decision.
"Okay," he said.
Ryan frowned.
"Okay what?"
"I won't talk about you."
Ryan's shoulders loosened.
Then Frank added, "Unless somebody asks me what I saw."
Ryan's face darkened.
"There it is."
"There what is?"
"You've wanted this."
Frank blinked.
"Wanted what?"
"Me to screw up."
Emily stared at her husband.
Frank went quiet.
Ryan stepped closer.
"You've been waiting for something you can point to."
Frank's mouth tightened.
"Why would I want my daughter married to a man I expect to fail?"
Ryan had no answer.
Frank continued.
"That'd make me stupid."
Emily almost smiled despite everything.
Ryan didn't.
"You always make jokes."
"Wasn't one."
"You're enjoying this."
Frank's face changed.
The anger came in.
Not loud.
Dense.
"If you think I enjoyed standing in floodwater watching you do something that could get you killed while my daughter held a newborn twenty yards away, then you don't know a damn thing about me."
Ryan opened his mouth.
Frank raised one hand.
"I'm done."
He looked at Emily.
"Call me if you need me."
Then he left.
Ryan stared at the doorway.
Emily stared at Ryan.
"You accused him of wanting you to fail."
Ryan rubbed his face.
"I shouldn't have."
"No."
"I said I shouldn't have."
"Why do you think everything is about who looks better?"
Ryan's head lifted.
"What?"
"The chair."
"What chair?"
Emily laughed once.
"Exactly."
He looked genuinely confused.
"The chair today."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Dad stood for twenty-three minutes while chairs were being saved for people from your table."
Ryan stared.
"That's what this is about?"
"No."
"Because that's insane."
"That is exactly why it matters."
Ryan threw his hands out.
"I almost drowned, Emily."
"And you still think every problem is the one happening to you."
Silence.
Ryan looked wounded.
This time Emily did not rush to repair it.
A loud crack sounded outside.
Both turned.
The SUV had hit the concrete divider at the edge of the lot.
The rear passenger door twisted open.
Water pushed through the interior.
Something dark rolled out.
Then something larger.
Emily stepped toward the window.
Ryan pressed closer.
A muddy plastic shape turned in the current.
Emily knew it instantly.
Sophie's car seat.
It spun once.
Struck the side of another parked vehicle.
Then lodged against a low hedge near the church entrance.
Ryan stared.
Emily couldn't breathe for a second.
The empty seat sat half submerged in brown water.
A thing designed to keep their daughter safe.
Empty.
Mud-covered.
And suddenly visible to everyone.
Behind them, Frank appeared in the doorway again.
He looked through the window.
Saw the car seat.
May you like
Then he said, very quietly:
"I'm getting that."
