HE HAD ONE NIGHT TO SAVE EVERYONE HE LOVED… 💔

At 4:30 a.m., Daniel brought his mother to the emergency shelter.
He settled her onto a temporary bed, brought her some water, and found something for her to eat.
Once he knew she was safe, he took out his phone.
There was a missed call from a number he hadn’t seen in months.
Ethan.
Daniel called him immediately.
No answer.
He tried again.
This time, Ethan picked up.
“Daniel?”
His voice sounded tense.
“Ethan, where are you?”
“I’m in another city. I heard what happened. Is Mom okay?”
Daniel paused.
“Yes. We found her.”
A long sigh came through the phone.
“Thank God.”
“Ethan, why haven’t you called her before today?”
Silence.
Then Ethan said, “Because I was angry.”
“Angry about what?”
“At myself.”
Daniel sat down in a nearby chair.
He hadn’t expected that answer.
Ethan continued.
“After Dad died, I felt like Mom depended on me for everything. I wanted to help her, but I also wanted to build my own life. Every time we argued, I told myself I’d go back when I was ready.”
“When were you going to be ready?” Daniel asked.
Ethan didn’t answer.
Then he spoke in a broken voice.
“I thought I had time.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
He had heard that sentence too many times that night.
From the man searching for his wife.
From the little boy waiting for his father.
And now, from his own brother.
“Mom left you a note,” Daniel said.
“What?”
Daniel took the paper from his pocket and read it aloud.
Ethan remained silent for several seconds.
Then he began to cry.
“I’m coming to see her.”
“Come when you can get here safely.”
“No, Daniel. I’ll find a way.”
Before ending the call, Ethan said one last thing.
“Tell her I’m sorry.”
Daniel answered quietly.
“Tell her yourself.”
Then he hung up.
He looked across the room at his mother.
She was finally asleep.
For the first time since the disaster began, Daniel felt that there was something else worth saving besides human lives.
There were relationships that needed another chance.
And perhaps it wasn’t too late to reclaim the time they had lost.
Chapter Ten: The Father Who Was Searching for His Daughters