Page 3 of The Fall Fix Up

Grace was breathing hard, as if she had been running down the corridor. Beyond her, Janae could hear other voices sounding just as frantic as Grace looked.

“What is it?” she asked, instantly on edge. “What’s going on?”

Grace shook her head before taking a deep breath. When she started speaking, Janae almost couldn’t understand what she was saying with the way her words tumbled out so quickly.

“The apartment building is on fire.”

Janae frowned for a moment. Confusion laced through her. “Apartment building? What apartment building? What fire?” None of the words made sense. There was only one apartment in town, and it was the one she had come from only a few hours prior. It couldn’t be on fire. “Grace, what are you talking about?”

Grace’s expression didn’t change and that had Janae’s heart beating faster. “Your apartment, Janae. It’s on fire. The fire department is already there, but from what I heard, it’s not sounding good.”

Janae’s stomach dropped and she promptly forgot all about lunch. “No,” she whispered, her voice going thin as Grace’s words sank in. Her heart hammered hard enough in her chest that she was shocked the sound of it didn’t echo down the hallway. She took a step back inside her classroom. “That’s not possible.”

Grace reached for her then, but before she could connect, the overhead intercom crackled to life. “Attention staff and students. The main office and principal are in communication with the sheriff’s department and there will be an emergency assembly in the gym at one o’clock. For now, all students are to return to their homeroom classrooms.”

The intercom clicked off, washing the hallway in tense silence before it was slowly replaced by the sound of confused voices. Janae stood frozen, mind still not quite comprehending what she was hearing. It all seemed completely surreal.

“Hey,” Grace said, touching her shoulder and pulling her out of her own head. “Try not to worry, okay? Let’s wait to hear what the principal says in the meeting. We don’t know anything for sure yet, and for all we know, the fire was just a small kitchen fire that was easily put out.”

Her throat felt tight, but she desperately wanted to cling to anything that gave her hope, so she nodded. Grace gave her shoulder a small reassuring squeeze before stepping away. “I’ve got to get back to my room before the kids come in. Hang in there, alright? I’ll look for you in the gym.”

Janae couldn’t find it in her to say anything, so she just nodded in agreement before watching Grace jog slowly back down the hall toward her own classroom. When she heard more noises, Janae ducked back into her classroom and shut the door. She had no homeroom students. There was no one to distract her. Just the ticking of the clock and the smell of paint. She needed something to do to keep herself from spiraling, so she decided to clean up the closet, a task she’d had on her list for weeks but hadn’t yet been able to get to.

She began straightening supplies, lining up brushes, and stacking boxes full of paint. Her hands shook and the more she tried to busy herself with tasks, the worse it seemed to get until she had to pause and sit to catch her breath. Every sound from the hallway made her flinch and every tick of the clock dragged across her senses. By the time one o’clock came, her nerves were rubbed raw. She wanted to grab her purse, run to her car, and drive out to the place that had been her home for nearly two years, but she knew she couldn’t just leave school. Not like that.

The intercom came on again, and she marched dutifully out of her room. She followed the other teachers into the gym and watched as the students shuffled in, some with wide eyes and others with their heads bowed together as they whispered. The air was heavy and tense, the squeak of so many sneakers on the polished floor sounding unnaturally loud. Janae spotted a cluster of students crying near the bleachers, their faces buried against each other’s shoulders. Her heart lurched painfully, and dread settled low in her stomach. She hadn’t pulled out her phone to check what people were saying online, but now wondered if that was about to backfire. She found Grace just as the principal stepped up to the microphone at the center of the gym. He was new this year, but every time she’d heard him speak, his voice had been calm and measured. Now, it wavered at the edges, like he too was trying and failing to keep his breathing in check.

“As some of you may have heard, there is currently a fire that has broken out at the Peachtree Ridge Apartments building.” Gasps followed his words, but he adjusted his glasses and continued quickly before the murmurings grew in intensity. “I’ve gotten word from the fire department that they believe they have it under control, but the damage is significant. There’s no word yet about the cause, but for now, classes are canceled for the rest of the day. Students whose names are called will remain here in the gym until a parent or guardian can come for them.”

The gym erupted in whispers then, some sharp with fear and others hushed but intense with shock. Teachers moved through the rows, trying to calm students, though their faces looked just as shaken. Janae sank onto the edge of the bleachers, her legs suddenly heavy.

“Janae?” She looked up when she heard Grace’s voice. “Are you okay?”

Her instinct was to put on her usual mask and nod. She did, but the smile she forced on her lips felt brittle. “I’m fine.”

“Of course you’re not fine,” Grace countered, calling out the obvious. “I don’t know why I asked something so ridiculous. No one is fine at a time like this.”

Janae felt her heart kick up with a more frantic beat, but she forced herself to take deep calming breaths. She couldn’t let her thoughts get the better of her. Not when she had a job to do. “I know, but right now, the students come first.”

Grace didn’t press again, but her eyes searched Janae’s with an intensity that made Janae’s throat ache. She just couldn’t catch a break. She wanted to fall apart, but instead she kept her head high and looked back to the principal.

“You don’t have to be fine, you know.” Grace’s voice was quiet, low enough to be drowned by the other voices echoing in the gym.

Janae swallowed hard. Her eyes burned at Grace’s seemingly simple words, but she blinked quickly, refusing to let any tears spill. Not here. Not now. She had to stay strong for the kids.

The principal’s voice droned on, calling out names. Janae recognized the students. She had often seen them around the neighborhood. One by one, they stood, making their way toward the door as parents and guardians arrived. Each departure left another empty space, like gaps in a smile. Janae rubbed her hands on her thighs to get rid of some restless energy. She focused on the feel of the rough denim instead of whether she had any clothes left to wear the next day. When the list of names finally slowed, Grace gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“I need to go make some calls,” Grace said, drawing Janae’s attention. “I’ll give you a call later to check on you, okay?”

Janae tried to smile again, but she was sure her expression probably looked sick. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Of course I do. You’re my friend.” Grace shook her head with a gentle smile. “Let me know if you need anything. I mean it.”

Janae’s huff of laughter was genuine this time and she nodded. “I will. Thanks, Grace.” She smiled a little more as she watched Grace walk over to Ava. Both of them waved and she returned the gesture before turning back to the principal. With Grace gone, she could keep the mask on for now. She had lots of practice. Still, terror clawed at her. She couldn’t stop imagining her apartment building being licked by flames and thick plumes of black smoke. She couldn’t stop wondering what she would find when she finally made her way back.

If there was anything left at all.

Chapter 3