Out of the Ashes

Chapter Twenty

I stood on the drive watching Mara pull away; sad that she could not stay over; Mara had shown me that above all else she was a professional and took her job seriously. Her clients were lucky to have her, actually no, I was lucky to have her. I focused on Friday which was looming and bringing with it another day together, and my kids.

Watching Mara turn out of my drive and head for her home, I saw a flash of red. Was the Camaro now following Mara?. What the fuck? who was this person? why was I being followed and now my Girlfriend.  Panicked, I locked my front door, after throwing the bags of shopping into the lobby and climbed in to the vette.

Turning the engine I drove down the drive, at the end on instinct I turned left, I could see tail lights in the distance but could not be sure if it was Mara's car or the Camaro. I just prayed I was heading in the right direction. My instinct paid off, four sets of traffic lights later and I finally caught up three cars behind the Camaro. four Cars in front of the Camaro was Mara in her car. Sitting back I followed the Camaro. I prayed that it wasn't following Mara and that it was a coincidence but I was wrong.

Fifty minutes later we were in Mara's town, North Arlington, all the time the Camaro followed Mara. When she pulled over at the grocery store it stopped a way back, when she drove to her gym to collect her schedule again it followed and stopped a distance back. I did not know why? who was the blonde in the Camaro and why did she seem familiar to me. C'mon Jon, who was she.... I racked my brains trying to put a name to the face that I thought I knew. Every time I tried, I drew a blank.
The cat and mouse drive continued till we reached Mara's house.
Now that we had arrived I had no idea what I was gonna do. I sat in the vette and decided I would just watch for the time being. I thought about calling the cops, but what crime had been committed? none, just because the Camaro had followed Mara home, how could that be proof, they would say it was just coincidence, No I would just watch and if needed I would dial 911.

Mara got out of her car and went inside her house. I watched as she turned on lights room by room. I could see her moving around inside the house, the drapes were open, and Mara did nothing to close them. Mara continued her routine while the driver in the Camaro and I watched from afar.

Nightfall came, street lights came on, still the Camaro and the driver sat watching. I sat too; The night air was still, heavy and humid and I was honestly feeling sleepy. I needed caffeine to wake me. I thought about the nearest Starbucks I'm sure the nearest one was mile east from where I was parked, could I go grab one and not be seen?, from where I was parked the Camaro was seven cars ahead. I was sure that the driver had no idea I had followed them, but I could not be sure. so I just stayed put. yawning, why the fuck don't Starbucks do a delivery service. I started the engine of my car and turned on the air con in a vain attempt to keep me awake.  

I was suddenly aware of sirens blaring; sitting up in my car it took a minute for me to realise where I was. I was at Mara's house wasn't I, I had followed the red Camaro. I looked ahead, but the Camaro was gone. Looking across at Mara's house I saw where the sirens had gone to. Mara's house it was on fire. I leapt out of my car and tore across the road. 
I was stopped "Sorry Son; you can't come through here",
"But, that's my girlfriends house, she is inside, please you have to let me help her"
my pleas were in vain.
"Don't worry if she is there and alive we will get her out."
alive, fuck, she had to be alive. The smell of acrid smoke was overwhelming, it made my eye's water, I was starting to cough as the smoke begun filling into my lungs. The fire chief came over, "Son you have to get back please, let us do our job."
I moved to the road opposite, standing and watching for what seemed like hours. I just stood helplessly.

Ages past as I saw them bring Mara out, I ran back across to her, "Mara, are you ok," nothing.... I looked at her beautiful face, blackened by the smoke. I had to know, fearing the answer
" Is she alive?"
"Yes son, just barely."
Mara was put into the ambulance,
"What hospital are you taking her too?"
"St Jerome's, west side of town."
the doors closed and the ambulance set off. I stood for a moment collecting my thoughts, how the hell had this happened, all I could think of was I had fallen asleep. I walked across the road to my car and set off for the hospital, I prayed that Mara would make it, now that I had found her I could not bear to let her go, " Please god, keep her alive, I beg you."