She was already crying as Lon came up the steps.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Donna cried.

Lon sat down in the chair beside her.

“Yes, ma’am. I am so sorry. They found his body in the warehouse.”

Donna covered her face and began to wail. “Oh my God! Why is this happening? Wasn’t it enough that I lost my sons? Why did I have to lose my man?”

Lon stood. “I don’t know, Mrs. Hollis, and I’m so sorry. But it’s chilly for you sitting out here. Will you let me help you inside?”

Donna let Lon walk her into the house, then settle her on the sofa.

“Is there anyone I can call for you?” he asked.

She shook her head. “All I had was Arnold and the boys. We were going to move home to Bethlehem. That’s in West Virginia, where I grew up. I got my mama’s house, and we were gonna live there for free. Only now I don’t have any way to get there and no money to hire it done. I don’t know why I don’t just die, too. This isn’t right. This just isn’t right,” she said, and then leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes.

Lon didn’t know how he was going to make it happen yet, but this was a situation he couldn’t ignore.

“We’ll help you, Mrs. Hollis. The people here in Blessings help each other when the need is great, and this is one of those times. We’ll figure it out, and we’ll get you home, I promise. Do you have family there?” Lon asked.

“Yes, my sister and two brothers,” Donna said.

“Then you get on the phone and you call them right now. You don’t need to be dealing with this alone. Just have a little faith in us. You tell them we’ll get you home.”

Donna looked up then, her eyes red-rimmed and swimming in tears.

“You can do that for me?”

“Yes, ma’am. Even if I have to drive a U-Haul all the way to West Virginia and back myself, we will get you there.”

“How do I get our car back? It’s at the store,” Donna asked.

“We’ll get it back to you as soon as the fire department clears the area. Right now, they’re waiting for the coroner.”

She was quiet for a few moments, and then looked up at him. “Have you told my sons?”

“No, ma’am. Not yet. I wanted to tell you first. I’m going back to make the notification now, unless you want to tell them yourself. I can take you, if you do.”

“You tell them. Right now, I don’t feel like I’ll ever want to see them again.”