Brave

News

"Thank you Owen." I said finally. Both of us standing off to the side, we watched the frantic embrace of the Mitchell family in ore.

"For what?"

"For taking me back to get my phone before leaving,... For trying to help find my parents..... For saving us." I replied, kicking a rock from under my foot fighting back the sting of tears.

He glanced sideways down at me, analysing.

"Don't worry about it, I'll always have your back kiddo" Owen said quite frankly, taking me by a certain surprise. Frowning amused at him, he winked then with a flick of the head gestured to the direction of our new found friends.

Holding the boys, 6 wide smiles beamed my way. Grey, held against his mother's side beckoned me over with a childish urgency. Beside him, there was Zach. A flick of the head, his dorky bright smile encouraged me to follow. Closing in, Claire and the boy's parents wiped their happy tears that glistened in the rising sun.

"Mum, dad this is Aubrey." Grey said. "Aubrey, these are our parents. Karen and Scott"

Unsure on what to do, I nodded silently at them feeling my cheeks flush a hot fiery burn. "We're so glad to finally meet, we're heard so much about you from all three of them." Pushing a small a smile to my lips, I extended a hand which she took. With a small contact of the eyes, water welled to the brim of her puffy sockets, Karen shocked me.

She almost ripped me from my feet, latching herself into a bear hug.

"Thank you for helping my family" She whispered in my ear.

****

Barely able to keep my heavy eyelids open, a feverish wave of nausea consistently coursed through my aching body. Whether it was the pure exhaustion that riddled every mental and physical ounce of me or it was the complete and utter stress that racked my brain, I couldn't tell.

Owen forcing me to sit, I'd spent hours wondering through the hundreds of embracing families and friends for the one and only people that I longed have in my arms. The only people I'd kill to be held with the love they do. Held in our Hudson family group hug.

I can't shake off the guilty feeling.

Unable to help but stare at Karen holding onto her son with such protectiveness that almost looks painful, neither of them seemed to mind. Behind their loveable tired faces, there stood the fiery red headed woman and the built man of Owen down the aisle. Claire clearly flustered, Owen halve glanced in my direction.

He caught my eye, feeling as though he was searching through the deep dark depths of my soul. Owen flicked his head ever so slightly, Claire then quickly placing a device into his hand and fluttered back to her hell of a clean up. Untangling from Zach, who has been quite a comfortable pillow, I shuffled to my feet.

"We're going to find them, okay? I know it." A hand caught my wrist. "Everything is going to be fine." Zack said.

Leaving with a new found confidence, those simple words filled me with a little glitter of hope. A surprising spring in my step despite the screaming of my muscles, I closed in one Owen.

"I've got news."

A flood of relief washed over me.