Call your Aunt

Dan rubbed his mother's back before disengaging from her hug. "I'll try Patricia," he suggested, knowing his mother might not be too pleased.

Laura pursed her lips as her eyes searched his face. Her soft brown eyes lowered before she gave the barest of nods.

"She'll help us," Dan said as he reached for his phone.

Patricia and Laura had never seen eye to eye. A party girl at heart, Patricia became the black sheep of the family. Before their parents passed away, she and her sister were close. However, Patricia never came to their parents funeral. Laura believed her sister was on a ****-induced bender and simply forgot to show up.

It took three rings before Patricia picked up the phone. "Dan? It's been a while. What can your auntie do for you?" Patricia asked.

Dan could hear several people talking in the background and soft music playing. "Uh, do you have a moment?" he asked.

"For you, always. Is everything, okay? You sound a little off."

Dan, aware of his mother's eyes on him, took a deep breath before answering. "Auntie, our home partially collapsed. No, we weren't in the house when it happened. Yes, Laura and I are okay. No, that's why I'm calling." He answered her rapid-fire questions as he looked across the street. It took him a moment, but he realized what he was seeing. Two men rolled a stretcher between them, a black body bag strapped to the gurney.

"Oh, no," he muttered.

""What?"" his mother and aunt asked at the same time.

"Someone didn't make it out," he whispered as he tracked the progress of the two paramedics.

"Oh, dear," Laura gasped as she covered her mouth.

"What can I do to help?" Patricia asked in an uncharacteristically serious voice.

"Do you... know of anywhere we can stay? I know, the last time we talked, that you said you were going to buy up some real estate," Dan hesitantly asked.

Patricia took a deep breath. "Dan, I'm... not in a position to help that way," she admitted. It sounded genuine. "With the recent market... well... I'm not nearly as well off as I was, even three months ago. I'm, well you don't need to hear my troubles. I might know someone who can work with you on a flat. I'm sorry, I wish I could do more."

Dan pursed his lips. He'd already been thinking of how little money he had saved away. Any help from his aunt would have kept them in a hotel for at least a few days longer. "Anything you can do," he said. "I don't want to ask for anything, if possible... but, well."

"Can... you put your mother on?" Patricia asked in a hesitant voice.

Dan covered the receiver with his hand. "Mom, are you okay talking to Aunt Patricia?"

Laura took a deep breath. It was then Dan realized she wasn't wearing a bra anymore as her nipples indented against the fabric of her bouse. "I'll talk to her," she finally answered.

"Son? Do you have a moment?" Officer Thomas asked as he eyed Laura on the phone talking to her sister.

"Yes, sir?"

"I want you to give this number a call. It's the Red Cross Disaster Relief hotline. They might be able to do a little for you, but, well this is an active scene. I need you and your mother to clear the area. One of our people thought they felt the ground move. I'd rather not take any chances."

"Thank you, sir," Dan said as he took the small card. "When can we come back?"

"I've already got your information from your mother. I, or someone from the department, will contact you when we feel it is safe to return. I know this is a rough time, but I really need you to clear out for now," Officer Thomas reiterated with a worried expression.

"We'll go," Dan promised as he gently touched his mother's shoulder. She looked over at him with a strained smile. "We need to move, the officer is worried the ground might shift again," he said.

"We'll... talk," Laura said into the phone as she nodded to Dan. "I need to get going. Thank you.. for everything," she managed to get out before ending the call. "We should take my car," she said after a few moments as she handed his phone back to him.

Dan nodded and slipped his phone back in his pocket.