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The city was still completely dark when John Murphy made his way to the front door of Bake Me Up, the bakery he owned. Sometimes he really hated the ridiculously early mornings, but he had to get started at this hour if he had a hope of getting fresh stuff out in time for the morning crowd.
As much as he usually dreaded getting out of the warm bed before the sun could even think about coming up, there was something magical about being out and about before most people could even think of being awake.
He flipped some of the lights on, not all of them because that was too much light for the small amount of coffee he’d had, but he still needed to be able to see. The first step to the morning was getting the dough out that had been mixed the day before so he could begin baking. He made a mental list of all the tasks that needed to be accomplished before the bakery opened, then he turned on the Bluetooth speaker in the corner and smiled at the first strains of his favorite nineties rock playlist.
The best way to have a productive morning would absolutely always be with good music. By the time his first employee walked through the door, Murphy had already gotten the first batch of sourdough loaves in the oven.
“Where do you want me, boss?” Monty was all smiles as he stepped into the kitchen, which was pretty much his continual state of being.
“Can you start the scones?” Murphy thumbed over his shoulder at the large fridge that held all the dough. “The morning crowd will be here demanding pastries before we know it.”
Monty laughed, and the sound was comforting in the empty space of the kitchen. “This city has a definite taste for morning pastries, doesn’t it?”
“Keeps us in business,” Murphy said, but he couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips. Fifteen-year-old him would never have imagined that this would be his life at thirty.
“Your delicious baking keeps us in business,” Monty said, chuckling. “Among other things, of course.”
Murphy looked up at him and grinned. “By ‘other things’ I’m going to assume you mean the talents of a certain front counter employee by the name of Harper?”
Monty’s face reddened instantly. “That…she is very good at her job,” he finally said, stumbling over the words just slightly.
“You know I’m just messing with you, man,” Murphy said with a grin. “I think it’s great. And I definitely think you need to ask her out. I’d bet almost anything she’d say yes.”
“Listen, just because you have two women who are so in love with you it’s not even funny, it doesn’t mean the rest of us have that kind of game.” Monty’s tone was affectionately teasing as he grabbed the massive container of dough and started to shape the scones on giant baking sheets.
Murphy laughed even harder this time, but there was also a jolt of love that shot through his body when he thought of the two beautiful women he’d left curled up in the bed that morning. “It’s not game, I swear,” Murphy protested. “Half the time I have literally no idea how I got so lucky. I don’t know what they see in me some days.”
“Well anyone with half a brain can see how much they both love you,” Monty said, his tone softer now.
“I love them, too,” Murphy said, affection in his voice. Luckily, he knew Monty well enough to know there would be no teasing. Sometimes it really was great to work with his best friend.
“Speaking of which, can I expect to see either of them this morning?” Monty worked the dough and was almost done filling the first baking sheet.
“Emori has to open the dance studio, so she will probably come at some point,” Murphy said, referencing the ballroom dance studio next door that she owned and operated. “But Raven has some big meeting downtown. I think she’s going to be there most of the day, so I doubt she’ll have time.”
“Oh that’s exciting for her,” Monty said with interest. “Is it a new client?”
“Yeah, something with the bigwigs at one of the big mechanical engineering firms. She’s been talking about - and stressing about it - for weeks,” Murphy said with a wry grin.
“Well tell her I said good luck. Not that she’ll need it, because she’s brilliant,” Monty said.
“I’ll definitely let her know,” Murphy promised. “Now let’s keep it going, we still have a lot to bake before we open.”
~
The only thing Murphy loved more than the first quiet moments of the morning when it was just him in the shop, was the first hour or two after he flipped the sign to open. Murphy had grown up in the neighborhood, had once upon a time been a kid who was a little too smart and a lot too much of a smart ass for his own good, and sometimes he still had to pinch himself that his life was real.
And as he stood behind the counter, surveying his bakery - yes, his - on a beautiful autumn morning, he felt luckier than he deserved. He’d scraped and saved and worked more hours than he’d thought possible to be able to open his business, but he had done it.
“Murphy, how are you this morning? I hope you have some of those cinnamon buns I love,” Indra said as she stepped up to the counter. She was one of his favorite customers, mostly because she was a tough lady who took absolutely no shit from anyone, and she loved his baking like no one else.
“For you, always,” Murphy said with a grin. He motioned to the glass display case. “All freshly made this morning, like always. I hope you enjoy.”
“I always do,” Indra said, pulling out her wallet to pay for her order.
He stepped back into the kitchen to check a few more things and checked his watch. It was just after eight in the morning, which meant Emori would be opening up the dance studio in the next hour. He couldn’t wait to see her, even though he’d been curled up next to her earlier that morning.
“Everything good?” Monty appeared from the walk-in fridge, a smear of flour on his cheek.
Murphy flashed Monty a thumbs up. “Yeah, I was just checking on you. It’s getting busy out there, so I’m going to head out and help Harper with the orders and I wanted to know if you needed anything.”
“Nope. I’m great. Just a few more things to put in the oven and then I think we’ll be fine for the morning rush,” Monty said.
“Perfect. You know where to find me if you need me,” Murphy said. “I’ll come back to check in before I head next door to see Emori.”
Monty let out a laugh. “I know you will. Now go take care of all those customers.”
~
When Murphy returned to the front of the store, he was unsurprised to find it bustling. Breakfast hour was one of their most popular times and today was no exception.
For the next hour Murphy busied himself with fulfilling orders and catching up with his frequent customers. He spent some time joking with Jasper Jordan and his girlfriend Maya Via. Jasper was a classmate from high school and had more than earned the class clown title. Lincoln and Nyko wandered in next, talking animatedly about what their morning entailed while they ordered fresh bagels. Charmaine Diyoza came in as well, with her daughter Hope in tow on their way to school drop off.
Murphy greeted everyone happily and rushed around as he filled orders. Zoe Monroe came in just after eight thirty to help with the morning rush. By the time the clock showed nine in the morning, the chaos was well controlled enough that Murphy thought he could spare a few minutes to run next door and say hi to Emori.
“Are you okay to watch the shop?” Murphy leaned against the counter as he watched Harper check inventory.
Harper looked up and gave him a look of amused exasperation. “Yes. Go see your wife. We’ve got this, don’t worry,” she said, motioning at Zoe who was busy washing a few dishes from earlier guests.
“Yeah, I know. You two are the best,” Murphy said with a wry smile. “I don’t know how I would function without you.”
“Can you say it louder for those in the back?” Zoe turned and made a face.
“Yeah, yeah,” Murphy said good naturedly. “Alright, I won’t be long. Call if you need me.”
“Go, Murphy. I promise there will be no bread related emergencies while you’re gone,” Harper said, waving him off. “Now, go, before you start vibrating from the excitement.”
Murphy didn’t waste another minute.
~
The studio was still quiet and mostly dark when Murphy opened the door and slipped in. He saw a light on further into the building, toward the back where he knew Emori’s office was located. As he pulled the door closed behind him, Murphy could hear the gentle strains of music from inside the studio and he smiled. If someone had told him, five years earlier, that John Murphy would not only know how to waltz but actually enjoy it, he would have laughed his head off. But then he had met Emori, and the trajectory of his entire life from that point on was completely different.
“John? Is that you? Emori’s voice carried from the back of the building, and he couldn’t help the smile that flickered across his face.
“Yeah, I wanted to come say good morning,” he answered, walking across the empty ballroom space.
Emori appeared in the doorway of her office. “You just saw me this morning. Did you miss me that much?”
“I always miss you,” Murphy said, gathering her up in his arms and kissing her softly. “Besides, my day is always better when I get to see you as much as possible.”
“I miss you, too,” she told him, tucking her head under his chin where she fit best.
“Did Raven make it out the door okay? Have you heard anything from her about her big meeting?” As happy as he was to see Emori, he couldn’t deny the pang of regret that he wasn’t also getting to see Raven.
“Yeah, she left just before I did,” Emori told him. “We had the world’s quickest breakfast together and then we both headed out. I haven’t heard much from her, but honestly she’s probably still driving or navigating traffic or parking. Her meeting is around ten, so I’m sure we’ll hear something by then.”
“I hope so. How many classes are you teaching today?” Murphy leaned against the doorway, unable to keep the smile off his face.
“Today is a long day,” Emori said, blowing a wayward strand of hair out of her face. “I have five different classes, and Echo is teaching a few as well. But she won’t be in until a little later.”
Murphy nodded. Echo and Emori had gone into business a few years earlier after meeting and becoming fast friends during college. “That’s great. Maybe I’ll come hang out here once I’m done at work and we can head home together.”
Emori pulled a hoodie over her head and nodded. “Yeah, that would be great. It would be nice if we could figure something out to do for Raven tonight. Hopefully there will be a reason to celebrate, because I know how much you love to celebrate.”
Murphy pulled her back into his arms. “Celebrating is one of my favorite things.”
“Good,” Emori said, kissing him again. “Now head back to work. I have to turn the heat on in this place and set up some stuff for my first class. It’s a beginner class, for people trying to learn to dance for their weddings, so it’s going to be busy.”
“Oh, do I really have to go right now?” Murphy tried to make his voice sound the appropriate level of playful cajoling, while also smiling animatedly. “Why don’t you turn the heat on and teach me a thing or two about a waltz, or better yet, a rumba?”
Emori let out a small breath of surprise. “You always did love a good rumba, didn’t you?”
Murphy stepped closer, wrapping her arms tighter around her and pulling her into him so there was hardly any room between them. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I love any dance that lets me hold you like this.”
“Well, the rumba is an incredibly sensual dance, you know,” Emori murmured back, even though she knew exactly how well he knew that fact.
“All the more reason to do it now,” Murphy responded. Then he added, “They’ll be fine without me for a few more minutes, but I don’t think I’ll be able to make it through the day without this dance.”
Emori shook her head, but she couldn’t stop smiling. “What am I going to do with you?”
The soft strains of a familiar song filled the room and Murphy gave a soft chuckle. “I remember this song.”
“I thought you might,” Emori answered as they started to move to the music. “One of the perks to being married to a ballroom dance instructor is the ability to have fantastically choreographed wedding dances.”
“It was definitely a perk,” Murphy admitted as he effortlessly led her around the dance floor. He wasn’t a pro at dancing by any means, but he’d spent enough time with her to learn the male part of leadership in the dance well enough to get by with little to no trouble. While dancing wasn’t his number one passion, he loved Emori and he never minded the chance to spend time with her doing something she enjoyed so much. The fact that he got to hold her so close wasn’t a hardship either.
The song ended after a few minutes and Murphy brought them to a stop in the middle of the floor after a rather elaborate spin. They were both slightly breathless as they clung to each other in the empty room, and Murphy thought she had never looked so beautiful.
“I know you need to go,” Emori said, clinging to his chest as they both tried to calm their racing hearts, “but since you’re here, I guess I can go ahead and tell you.”
“Tell me what?” Murphy cocked his head as he wondered what she could possibly want to tell him.
Emori rose up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “You’re going to be a dad.”
~
The short trip back to the bakery was spent in an absolute daze. Everything about the world seemed brighter, somehow. The sun was more luminous, the birds sang even sweeter, and the air seemed fresher. Murphy couldn’t help whistle a tune as he walked back into the bakery, his face nearly in pain from the smile on his face.
“Oh, someone had a wonderful time on his break,” Monty said, sounding more than a little amused.
Murphy shook his head and continued smiling. Not even Monty’s teasing could bring Murphy’s mood down. “Wouldn’t you like to know? What’s the state of the kitchen? I don’t need to worry about anything burning, do I?”
“Of course you don’t,” Monty said with a wave of his hand. “Everything is out and cooling. We’ve caught up and the first rush is done and gone.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without all of you,” Murphy said, his smile broader than ever as he thought about the reality that he would likely be wanting more and more time away from the shop in the not so distant future. “You guys make running this bakery easy, you know that? I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate it.”
“Wow, Murphy. Not that we’re disappointed to hear all the compliments,” Zoe said, “but what got into you today?”
“Just in a grateful mood today,” Murphy told her as he pulled on his apron and took his place behind the counter.
Harper and Zoe looked at each other and shrugged. “Well, that’s great, Murphy. We’re grateful for you, too,” Harper said as she adjusted the name tag on her apron.
The door opened with a flurry of activity and Murphy turned his attention back to his customers and his job. There would be plenty of time later to celebrate his true good fortune, and to continue to let how fortunate he really was sink in.
~
“Can I get a loaf of the rye bread and one of the round loaves for soup bowls? I’m going to make soup tomorrow, the weather report said it’s going to be cold and rainy which is perfect soup weather,” Jake Griffin said as he passed his card across the counter.
“Oh, making some soup for you and Abby. Is she working at the hospital today?” Murphy didn’t think he’d ever get tired of conversing with his best customers over a freshly baked loaf of bread or a warm box of croissants. Early on, when he’d first made the plans for a bakery he worried if picking a spot in a neighborhood he was so familiar with was a bad idea. He had a history, and not everyone who knew who he’d been as an angry teenager would be so willing to give him a second chance. To his surprise, his bakery had become a hotspot of the area and he had more loyal customers than he had bad memories from his teen years.
“Yes,” Jake said, smiling warmly. “She’s going to be home tomorrow, and I want to make sure she has a good home cooked meal. Plus, Clarke is coming home for dinner as well. She’s met someone at school and is finally going to introduce us.”
“Wow, that sounds like a great time,” Murphy said, nodding with interest. He remembered Clarke from their time in school together and was happy to hear she was doing well. She’d been out of state at a prestigious art school for the last year or so and he hadn’t seen her in quite a while.
Jake bounced on his toes for a second, smiling brightly. “It’s going to be wonderful. Abby and I are so excited to see her again. That’s why I needed some of your wonderful bread, it’s the perfect highlight to the meal.”
“I’m always happy to help,” Murphy said with a smile as he handed over the bread.
“I’ll let you know how the dinner goes,” Jake said. He turned to head toward the door.
“I can’t wait to hear,” Murphy called to him before turning to smile at the next customer.
Just as Jake grabbed the doorknob to pull open the door everything started shaking.
Murphy froze for a second while his mind tried to make sense of what was happening, but then it came to him all at once with sickening clarity. “It’s an earthquake,” he yelled, trying to make himself heard over the frightened squawks and cries of his customers and friends. “Everybody get away from the windows. Get under something solid, like a table, and cover your heads.”
Murphy ducked over a nearby table and covered his head with his hands. He heard the muffled terrified cries of a woman nearby and raised his head only enough to see that Zoe was huddled under the table with him. He tried to catch her eye, to somehow communicate to her that everything would be okay, but he needed to cover his head and she needed to follow his lead.
“It won’t last long,” Murphy assured her, even though he wasn’t sure himself. “Keep your head covered. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”
Murphy reached out blindly, hoping to make contact with Zoe or anyone who was nearby. He needed the comfort as much as he suspected everyone else in the building did. He felt his fingers close over Zoe’s wrist and he squeezed in what he hoped was a reassuring motion.
Zoe whimpered again, and Murphy also heard the strangled cries of other people trapped in the building with them. He couldn’t help his thoughts from drifting next door to the dance studio where Emori was teaching, or the middle of the city where Raven was doing her interview. As much as he wanted to fall apart in his worry for them, he knew it wouldn’t help his current situation. He needed to take care of himself, and the people he could help in that moment, first.
As the world shook, the lights flickered, on and off and on again. The menu sign that hung above the counter swung back and forth with the movement. Silverware fell off tables, dishes fell off the counters and shattered against the floor, and Murphy felt his heart thud like a petrified rabbit in his chest. The air smelled like dust and dirt and something organic that he couldn’t place. He kept his head down, his eyes closed, as he waited for the world to still.
By the time the shaking stopped, it felt like it had gone on for years. In reality, he knew it hadn’t been more than thirty seconds, but a terrified mind had a way of changing the perception of time. There was a few seconds where the building groaned and debris settled before the sounds of people terrified and trapped started.
“Everyone stay where you are,” Murphy called as he lifted his head in an attempt to catalog the damage. “The safest thing to do is stay put, until we know that everyone is safe and accounted for. Remember, there will possibly be aftershocks.”
There was a strangled cry from somewhere behind him, and a few coughs as the dust settled. Murphy thought it sounded like Harper but he couldn’t be sure. “Check yourself and anyone nearby for injuries,” Murphy instructed the room. “Don’t move, though. Please stay put. The building may be unstable, so it’s best to stay as still as possible for now. Help will be coming.” He hoped his reminder wouldn’t fall on deaf ears as he left out a shaky breath.
“I think I’m okay,” Zoe said, peeking up at him from where she sat. “I’m scared shitless, but I don’t feel any pain.”
“Good. That’s good,” Murphy said, nodding as he tried to decide what to do next. His mind was a labyrinth of thoughts, each ping-ponging off each other, and he took a few deep breaths to steady himself before he decided what to do next. After a moment, his mind made up, Murphy called out again. “Okay, this is what I think we should do. Everyone say your name and call out your condition, and the condition of anyone near you if they can’t speak for themselves. That way we have any idea of who takes priority when help comes.”
Zoe nodded in agreement. “I’m fine.” As much as she tried to keep her voice steady, the tremble was unmistakable.
Murphy reached out to squeeze her shoulder, trying to find a way to comfort her in a situation that was nothing but terror.
“Harper and I are okay,” Monty called out from somewhere in the back. “One of the boxes fell off the shelf and landed on my knee. I don’t think I’ll be able to walk without help, but otherwise I’m okay.”
“I smacked my chin when it started,” Harper added. “I bit my lip on the way down, but I’m okay otherwise.”
“Okay, good. Just stay together, try and make sure you’re somewhere sturdy,” Murphy reminded them.
All of a sudden a small child started crying. It was the shrill cry of a child that was either terrified or in pain, or both, and it made Murphy’s heart seize up in his chest.
“Where is the kid?” Murphy heard the desperation in his own voice, but he couldn’t have hidden it even if he’d wanted to. He tried to remember seeing someone with a baby or toddler in the store before the earthquake but he couldn’t remember. He wanted to kick himself for not noticing a kid before the quake started.
“Over here,” a voice answered. It sounded like a woman, but she sounded dazed and unsure, as if she didn’t know what she was doing there to begin with.
“Okay, good. Is it your child?” Murphy listened intently as he tried to pinpoint where the voices were coming from. The massive surges of adrenaline from dealing with the earthquake were keeping Murphy from being able to focus on where everyone was amongst the debris all over the bakery.
“No? I don’t have any kids,” she called back. Her voice sounded more and more groggy, and Murphy began to wonder how injured she was.
The child continued screaming and the sound was giving Murphy a headache, not to mention racketing up his anxiety as he tried to decide the best course of action. “Who is with the baby? Is there anyone with the baby?”
“There’s a woman…but she’s sleeping. I think I should be sleeping, too,” the woman said, slurring her words more than not now. “I’m so tired…very tired.”
Murphy wanted to tell her not to sleep, to keep her eyes open and stay alert. He remembered just enough from the first aid classes he’d taken throughout his adulthood. He knew if she fell asleep it could make a probable head wound that much more serious, but he was having trouble deciding what he should do.
“Can you stay awake? Try and keep your eyes open,” Murphy cajoled. “What’s your name?”
“Fox,” she said, sounding further and further away. “My name is Fox.”
“Okay, great. Fox? Fox, I need you to see if you can get closer to the child. Can you try and wake the woman? If you can’t wake her up can you get the kid and hold them?” Murphy heard a plethora of sirens outside, adding to the cacophony inside the bakery. He hoped that meant that help was coming sooner rather than later.
“No, I don’t think I…” Her voice faded out and then there was a soft thump. Murphy wondered if it meant she’d passed out and fell over on the floor.
He took a deep breath and looked at Zoe. There wasn’t much else he could do, but he refused to sit by and do nothing. “I’ll be right back,” he told her, hoping she was hearing him. Zoe’s gaze looked far away and muddled. “Stay here, keep yourself safe. I’m going to go check on these people, okay?”
Zoe didn’t answer him, but she didn’t disagree either.
Murphy gingerly stood up from under the table, taking care to keep his feet light as she stepped across the floor of the bakery. He looked toward the windows and was unsurprised to see that the street was all but deserted. He saw debris along the sidewalk and street, but nothing looked too badly damaged. He hoped it would stay that way. Then he saw a sight that made his blood run cold.
Jake Griffin’s body lay prone in front of the door, and it didn’t look like he was moving.
Murphy almost turned and went to him instead, but the kid was still crying so Murphy continued on his original trajectory. He could check on Jake later, he would check on Jake as soon as he could.
The floor was a minefield of detritus from the tables and shelves, so Murphy took his time walking across the bakery. Before he knew it though, he turned a corner and found the source of the crying.
“Hey, hey,” he soothed, crouching down to check on the child. She looked like she was maybe two, her brown hair was done in two messy braids as she huddled under a table. Nearby a woman lay across the floor, her eyes closed and a gash on her forehead bleeding freely.
Murph swore softly under his breath and moved closer. He placed his fingers under the woman’s jaw and was relieved to feel a steady pulse. Another quick glance told him she was breathing. He knew she was still in precarious condition, but at least it didn’t appear life threatening at the moment. There was another woman slumped over a few feet away and Murphy assumed it had to be Fox. A quick check told him she was also mostly stable, and likely had just passed out.
The little girl didn’t say anything but she allowed herself to be picked up. As soon as she was safe in Murphy’s arms, she clung to him and buried her face in his shirt.
Murphy quickly scanned the store but didn’t see anyone else. He let out a sigh of relief, because while things weren’t great, he knew they could have been so much worse. He tried to decide what the next course of action was, but his brain was a maelstrom with anxiety. Part of him wanted to get everyone out of the building, since aftershocks were possible. At the same time, he knew he couldn’t - and probably shouldn’t - move the ones who were unconscious.
“If you’re able,” Murphy said, once he made a decision, “make your way up to where the register is. It’s probably better if we stay together as much as possible. We’ll get help in here as soon as we can.”
There was a shuffle of movement as everyone who could followed Murphy’s directions. He made his way through the ravaged bakery as well, still holding the little girl tightly. She had mostly stopped crying, but continued sniffling and whimpering.
“When do you think they’ll send someone?” Harper sounded breathless with fear, but she seemed to be uninjured aside from her swollen lip, which was a relief.
Murphy considered her question but didn’t know how to answer it without scaring everyone. “I think they need to mobilize everyone first,” he said, trying to keep calm. “It’ll be a little bit, but we’re going to be -”
The building started to shake again, not as strong as before, but enough to create a problem after the damage of the first wave.
“Everyone take cover,” Murphy yelled, and then the whole world went black.
~
The next time he opened his eyes, Murphy groaned loudly.
There was a soft gasp next to him, and then he felt a hand clasp his own. Opening his eyes hurt like hell, but he managed to pry them open one at a time because there was no way he was going to miss this. “Emori?” His voice sounded rough. “Raven?”
“We’re here,” Emori said, and her voice was just about the sweetest sound he’d ever heard.
“You scared the shit out of us,” Raven admonished, but the bite was absent from her voice.
“What happened?” He shook his head to try and clear the cotton from his thinking, but that only made things hurt worse. “Besides the earthquake, I mean.”
“You went down during the aftershock, which was almost as powerful as the original quake. One of the shelves came down when the building was compromised, it hit you in the head and you passed out.” Emori’s voice shook as she talked.
“How long has it been?” Murphy’s mouth felt dry and his muscles were stiff with disuse.
“About eight hours,” Raven told him. “You had a bad concussion, and they warned us you might be out for a while.”
“Are you both okay? God, I was so worried.” Suddenly he remembered something from before the earthquake and tried to sit up way too quickly. “Emori, the baby?” His stomach roiled as he asked the question, but he had to know.
Emori looked at Raven and then squeezed his hand. “I’m fine. The baby is fine. I have some cuts and scrapes from debris, but otherwise I am great. They did an ultrasound as soon as I came in and the baby looked great.”
He let out a breath, feeling the relief flood his system. “Raven?”
“I’ll live to fight another day. I got trapped under some rubble, so I broke my ankle. Luckily I don’t need surgery, just a fun boot for a while. But it’s on the bad leg, so I’m already used to favoring that leg,” she said, smirking even though her face showed a flash of fear.
Another flash of memory came to him. “That kid? There was a kid in the bakery. Oh and Jake, he was unconscious…and -”
Emori put a finger against his lips, effectively silencing him. “Everyone is okay, John. You saved that little girl. When the paramedics got there, they couldn’t find her at first, because you had shielded her with your body. If she had been hit like you were, they said she almost certainly would’ve died. Jake had surgery for a ruptured spleen. He lost a lot of blood and will be in the hospital for a while, but he’s going to be okay. Everyone else escaped with minor injuries.”
“You’re a hero, Murphy.” Raven watched him with a smile that was comforting as much as it was scared.
He knew how she felt, realizing how close they all came to losing each other.
“I’m not a hero,” he argued, feeling his face flush. “I just did what anyone would do.”
“I think there’s a whole group of people in the waiting room who would disagree with you,” Emori told him softly. “You changed a lot of lives today, John.”
He felt almost guilty asking the next question, but he had to know. “The bakery?”
Emori let out a sigh. “There’s some damage for sure, same as my studio. It’ll be a long process, but it doesn’t seem like anything that can’t be fixed eventually. For now, take care of yourself. The rest can be dealt with in time.”
He nodded. He knew she was right, and that was enough for the moment.
“I was so scared,” he repeated. “I thought I wouldn’t see either of you again.”
“Not a chance,” Raven said, the familiar spark back in her eye. “You’re a cockroach, remember? I’m not sure what that says about us, but I am sure of one thing. You’re going to have to do a whole lot more than an earthquake to get rid of us.”
He took each of their hands in his, brought them both to his lips. One kiss. Then another. “Good,” he told them, barely holding his tears at bay.