Instead, I forced my trembling legs to carry me out the door and dialed my father's number.
"Dad, Xavier's lost his mind. I want a divorce."
——
I made it to the open field and collapsed into a crouch, gasping for air. The memory of being crushed under the rubble was still seared into every nerve. I could feel the weight of it, the dust filling my lungs, the silence that came after.
I pulled up my phone again and called my best friend, the divorce attorney Renata Simmons.
"Where are you right now? The earthquake hits in five minutes. Find somewhere safe. Now."
"Trust me!"
Renata didn't ask questions. She threw on clothes and ran to an open lot. Once I knew she was safe, I kept talking.
"I need to figure some things out. I'm going to need your help after this."
"Done."
I hung up and looked back toward the building.
In this new life, I hadn't told Xavier Henson or Tilda Fox about the earthquake.
If the two of them were so deeply devoted to each other, it would be a shame for them not to experience the thrill of life and death firsthand.