Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don't have to go it alone
-Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own by U2
"Gladys, Betty!" Vera called out as she and Carol came up holding hands while working their way through the forming crowd.
Each girl embraced the other as they came up.
"I can't believe it finally happened." Vera said, astonished. "It's one thing to joke about seein' the old lady finally blow her top and completely another to see it happen with your own eyes."
"We were in a safety meeting when it happened," Carol said. "How ironic is that?"
The shorter brunette clung to Gladys as she shook her head in disbelief.
"The stairway was blown off the wall practically. We had to go out the rickety old fire escape in the back. Death by falling fire escape was not a headline I wanted to be apart of tomorrow."
Vera noticed that neither girl laughed at Carol's mistimed joke. Suddenly, it struck her as she looked around.
"Where are Kate and Reggie?"
Betty's eyes immediately went to the ground.
"Still inside," Gladys answered, solemnly.
Carol gasped, her hand coming up to her mouth in surprise. Betty's jaw tightened at the sound.
Vera said nothing as she reached over and slipped her hand into Betty's, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Ladies, it's good to see you all," Lorna said, coming up as she checked their names off of her clipboard.
"Who's names haven't you checked off yet, mam?" Vera asked, nodding to the shift matron's roll call sheet.
"Henry Jenkins, Donald Ferguson, Regina Harrison, and Kate Andrews."
Silence marked the gravity of the moment as they thought of each person she listed. All worked in the lab where the blast had occurred. Vera wondered what there was to say at the moment to underline the seriousness of the situation.
After a long, heavy moment, Lorna's tired voice continued.
"There will be an investigation. Starting right away. You will all need to give your statement to the authorities of what happened today. Then I suggest you all go home and get some rest. You'll be contacted when there is news."
"If it's all the same," Vera tried. "We'd like to stay here. Be a help if we can."
"Yes, plus, we'd like to be here when our friends walk out," Gladys agreed.
Lorna looked at both girls. Her face carefully controlled, she stared at both, as if she was considering the truth in their words. Finally, her eyes fell on Betty's whose eyes were still down casted. She had found her answer.
"Fine," She said, looking back down at her clipboard. "Just stay back and out of the way."
A/N: Sorry for the short update, its been one of those weeks everyone has from time to time.