Chapter 14 - The Long-Distance Cry
The landline phone in the kitchen was an old-fashioned rotary model that Ethan had restored, its heavy brass bell emitting a rich, resonant ring that echoed pleasantly through the timber-framed house. When it rang at 4:15 PM on a Tuesday, Ethan was at the kitchen island, meticulously wiping down the counters after Ivy’s afternoon snack of apple slices and peanut butter.
He picked up the receiver, expecting it to be Mark confirming dinner plans for the weekend.
"Hello?" Ethan said.
"Is this Ethan Miller?" a crisp, professional female voice asked on the other end of the line. The background noise sounded like a cross between a busy school office and the clicking of computer keyboards—distant chatter, the squawk of a PA system, and the heavy thump of lockers closing.
"Speaking. Who is this?" Ethan’s instincts immediately tightened. People didn't call his private landline unless something was wrong.
"Mr. Miller, my name is Dr. Sandra Hayes. I’m the vice principal at Fort Worth Academy in Texas. I’m calling regarding Coral and Forrest Miller-Vance."
Ethan froze. The names hit him like a physical blow. He hadn't spoken to his stepchildren in nearly a year. After the divorce, Greg—their biological father—had taken full custody, moving them down to his ranch in Texas to escape the toxic fallout of Marlene’s bankruptcy and Evelyn’s federal indictments. Ethan had supported the move, knowing the twins needed distance from their mother's madness to heal.
"Is everything okay?" Ethan asked, his voice dropping an octave, instantly alert. "Are the kids hurt?"
"Physically, no, Mr. Miller. They are safe in my office right now," Dr. Hayes said, her tone softening with professional concern. "However, we've had a... situation. Their father, Greg Vance, was involved in a severe tractor accident on his ranch yesterday afternoon. He’s currently at Fort Worth General Hospital undergoing emergency orthopedic surgery."
Ethan gripped the edge of the counter, his knuckles whitening. "My god. Is he going to be alright?"
"The doctors are cautiously optimistic, but he’s going to be laid up for several weeks, and his sister, who was supposed to fly in from Oklahoma to watch the kids, had her flight grounded indefinitely due to the severe ice storms sweeping through the Midwest." Dr. Hayes paused, taking a breath. "Mr. Miller, Child Protective Services and the school district have been reviewing Greg’s emergency contact directives. You are listed as a secondary legal guardian on their pre-existing school files from when the marriage was intact."
Ethan’s mind raced. "You need someone to fly down and look after them?"
"Or," Dr. Hayes continued, "arrange for their temporary transport back to Colorado under your supervision until Greg is discharged from intensive care. The children have been asking for you, Mr. Miller. Particularly Forrest. He hasn't stopped crying for the last two hours."
Ethan closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose as a profound wave of complex emotions washed over him. Coral and Forrest hadn't always been kind to Ivy. During Marlene’s reign, they had parroted their mother's coldness, occasionally joining in on the subtle exclusions and condescending remarks that made Ivy feel like an unwelcome guest in her own home. But they were children. They were ten-year-olds trapped in the web of a narcissistic mother and a chaotic household. They were victims of Marlene, too.
"Dr. Hayes," Ethan said firmly, his voice steady and resolute. "Book the flights. Put them on the next available commercial flight out of Dallas-Fort Worth to Denver International. I'll be at baggage claim personally to pick them up."
"Are you certain, Mr. Miller? I understand there is a complicated family history..."
"They are kids," Ethan interrupted gently. "And in this house, nobody gets left out in the cold. Send me the flight details. I'll handle the rest."
When Ethan hung up the phone, the kitchen was dead silent. He turned around to find Ivy standing in the doorway, holding a half-eaten apple slice in her hand, her hazel eyes fixed on his face with intense curiosity.
May you like
"Dad?" she asked quietly. "Who was on the phone?"
Ethan looked at his daughter, realizing that the fragile, hard-won peace they had built over the last ten months was about to be tested in the most profound way possible.
