The Whirlwind Rescue

by Ginny Sterling

  “Hi Mrs. Abernathy,” Natalie said cheerfully, turning to see the woman walking right in as she opened the screen door on the front of her home.

  “Oh, I guess I forgot to lock the screen on my home,” she said carefully, trying to keep the reproach from her voice and hoping the older woman picked up on the veiled hint.

  “Dear, you should be more focused on your safety, because you just never know,” the woman chided and pulled something bright red from her purse, holding it up. A massive loud zap was heard, making Natalie jump in alarm. “My Gary has me carry a stun gun all the time to protect myself. You should get yourself one, too.”

  “I don’t think the weapon is necessary right now and maybe you should put it back in your purse so we don’t get shocked. There’s an awful lot of humidity in the air right now.”

  “Do you think that could happen?” Mrs. Abernathy gaped in surprise.

  “Truthfully, I don’t know, but I prefer not to find out either.”

  “Speaking of weather,” Mrs. Abernathy announced, shoving the stun gun back in her purse, and taking a seat on the couch like she owned the place. She even fluffed the throw pillow and placed it behind her back.

  “Gary and I were talking and we might be heading home early.”

  “Did the news on the storm change?”

  “You haven’t heard?”

  “I haven’t turned on the television because I was working and left in the middle of it to get something nice for dinner tomorrow night,” Natalie explained, pointing at the excel spreadsheet open on her computer monitor.

  “Oh, dear,” the older woman said, picking up the television remote and clucking her tongue. “It’s headed this way and growing in strength.”

  “…Relief efforts have been dispatched from surrounding cities to help with evacuation needs and aid those that refuse to leave. The eye of Hurricane Dottie is due to hit land sometime in the early hours of Sunday. Residents of Galveston Island, Port Arthur, and surrounding cities are being urged to take shelter. Those in the path of this storm should evacuate now or prepare to ride out the storm.”

  “I know you are a pro at this-but Gary and I plan on heading home instead. We apologize, dear. This has been a wonderful trip, but we are going to cut it short and just return in the spring. I hope you understand.”

  “Of course. I’ll issue the refund to your card for the remaining two days.”

  “Well I feel bad because I know the other rooms are empty already and we were booked,” Mrs. Abernathy protested faintly. Natalie could see the relief on the woman’s face and knew that offering the refund was exactly what she’d been hoping for.

  “We aren’t a fancy hotel, nor was it booked online where it’s non-refundable. Just spread the word that this is a fair, family owned business that does the right thing,” Natalie said gently. “I’d rather have you as a customer for life than to hold you hostage for two hundred dollars when neither one of us can help the oncoming storm.”

  “That’s very sweet of you. Are you leaving or riding out the storm?”

  “I’m going to stay for bit,” Natalie said evasively. “Don’t worry about me.”

  “Thank you, dear, and we’ll be back.”

  “I’ll be here,” she smiled cheerfully, waving as the woman departed before letting her hand drop. “At least I hope I will be,” she finished softly. This was a terrible time for her transmission on her car to begin acting up. It was still stuck in town at the Walmart parking lot, waiting to be towed off to a garage to be repaired. She’d taken a bus from the grocery store and walked the last five blocks back praying that her ice-cream wouldn’t turn into soup inside of the carton.

  Sighing heavily, she refunded the credit card that had been provided by the couple on check in. Her mind raced at what she would need to do to prepare for the hurricane. Preparations needed to start immediately since Sunday was barely two days away and she could have used that extra money that just slipped through her fingers.

  The rest of the afternoon was spent working on each building. There was an uncanny silence along the beach, interrupted by the sound of hammers and saws cutting plywood to board up windows. Natalie felt like an idiot armed with rolls of tape slung on each wrist, taping starbursts on the windows of every building. The news channels had recommended the glass be taped in an effort to prevent breakage or splintering into shards everywhere.

  Dark, ominous clouds were just off the horizon and the wind was picking up. Bursts of rain were starting to hit the island as the bands of the hurricane were coming precariously closer and closer. The swells of the water were beginning to crest, giving whitecaps to the tips of the waves. The silent intensity that was building in the air around them all made her wonder if she should flag down someone and beg a ride off the island.

  Galveston had dealt with its share of horrific hurricanes and made changes since then. The sea wall had been raised and helped with flooding, but the idea that something so elemental as water destroying everything was a looming threat that was terrifying. She couldn’t help the anxiety it created in her. Unthinking, she did the unexpected.

  She called Gavin.

  “Hello? Natalie?”

  The moment his voice was heard through the earpiece, she knew she’d made a mistake. How stupid was she to reach out when they’d been so distant towards each other?

  “Natalie?”

  “Gavin, sorry. I dialed the wrong number.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Why?”

  “Because you’ve not called in a very long time.”

  “Not long enough, I guess,” she snapped immediately and winced at the silence. It wasn’t his fault or anyone else’s that her nerves were fraying. “Look. I’m sorry but I’ve got to go. I’ve got things to do and need to finish getting ready.”

  “I’m sure I’m the last person you want to talk to.”

  “Right now, I kinda don’t feel like talking to anyone, to be honest.”

  “If you ever need to, I’m here.”

  The tender note in his voice caught her by surprise and she hesitated. It was stupid to not utilize a resource, even one as distant or strained as this thread connecting them seemed to be.

  “Can I ask a question then… since I have you on the phone?”

  “Sure.”

  “If there are really bad storms in the area-is there anything I should do to keep safe?” Natalie knew she was being evasive, but hearing his voice seemed to be a comfort she hadn’t been expecting. It made her feel all too vulnerable.

  “Yeah, I guess the bands of Hurricane Dottie are getting close to you by now, aren’t they? I remember you always hated the thunder and lightning. Just unplug your electronics and try to relax. You’re safe there and the worst of it is much further south. You’ll get rain and that’s about it. Don’t worry.”

  “Yeah, further south,” she repeated numbly, “Thanks.”

  As the call ended, she glanced out at the sheets of rain coming down now and grimaced.

  Gavin must think she was still in San Antonio. He had no idea that she’d fled for the coast after their breakup, nor did she bother to correct him. It was time to retreat to her new home and hunker down for the natural chaos that was headed straight for her.

  Chapter 4

  Sunday

  Gavin leaned back in the hotel lobby. Some relaxing trip. He was a complete moron, booking a trip like this. Since when did you make vacation plans and not purchase trip insurance? While his intent was to be closer to Brownsville if the hurricane headed that way, he never intended to be smack in the middle of it. Galveston Island was a complete circus right now.

  He was getting updates as he sat there sipping his Pepsi. Several islanders were refusing to leave while others were making their way out of town in a maddening rush only to get stuck in traffic jams out of the city. It was a mess and the worst possible timing if they got trapped in their vehicles or if there ended up being damage to the bridges that were leading off the islan
d. The causeways would be closed soon for safety and there would be no exiting the island at that point. There was no reason for Gavin to even try at this point due to the bumper-to-bumper gridlock.

  Sliding down a little in his seat, he crossed his arms over his chest and put headphones in his ears before shutting his eyes. Who knew that he’d end up at ground zero? Trying to get some rest would give him time to think about the phone call he’d received last night and the best way to ride out the storm. He’d been shocked that Natalie had reached out.

  He had been lying there in a chair by the poolside wishing the clouds would allow for some sort of sun to hit him. Instead everything was overcast with an ominous aura in the area. Scrolling through social media, he’d dropped the phone straight on his nose, wincing at the pain the heavy thump had caused before sliding the bar to the right to answer the call.

  Her voice made him feel all giggly like a young teenager in love for the first time. Just being around Natalie had always made him feel like he was a clumsy idiot. She was soooo out of his league. He had always felt like every date or every kiss was a blessing… maybe that was why it just hurt so much to be rejected.

  Now, being stuck riding out Hurricane Dottie he was dealing with another woman that could knock him down with one felled swoop. The debris could start flying about in the horrific high winds. Winds over a hundred miles an hour could peel siding and roofs off of buildings. He’d seen trees skewered by shards of metal after tornados, which gave him goosebumps and think about his words to Officer Billmont.

  “Less pokey, more hokey,” Gavin thought silently, musing that perhaps that would be his new motto. It would make a lame tattoo or catch phrase but seemed to fit the moment. He had no desire to be hit with any flying debris or drowning… nor could he understand why anyone would voluntarily ride the hurricane out.

  Yet here he was, sipping on a Pepsi like this was nothing and watching people scurry around frantically in order to prep for the disaster that was about to befall them all. Natalie kept crossing his mind, along with the idea that FEMA would arrive after all the worst was over. Perhaps he could try help others while he was here and put some of his training to good use?

  Or maybe he needed his head examined…

  Hurricane Dottie.

  Picking up an umbrella off the bar nearby, he stuck the little toothpick into the lime perched on the side of his glass. Pepsi with lime was his favorite thing to sip on… he just didn’t want it to be his last. Turning, he looked at the surrounding hotels and cabanas, sighing heavily.

  Tuesday

  Natalie sat on the floor of her kitchen, petrified. She hated storms! Her knees were up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs in a protective fashion. She didn’t know how long her heart could beat this fast without it causing some sort of damage or anxiety-induced stroke.

  Why had she been so stupid to stay?

  She could have hitchhiked, begged for a ride, or hired an Uber just to make it out of town. If the storm didn’t kill her, heart failure would. This was like a panic attack that just went on and on. The winds outside had been roaring for almost seven hours now and it was terrifying.

  The rain was coming down in sheets sideways, pelting along the glass windows, almost sounding like beans in a coffee can or someone drumming their nails on a tin plate. It grated on her nerves.

  Every time something hit the little house, she jumped and yelped, certain that was going to be the item that broke through the window. The sound suddenly surged in intensity, causing her to put her hands over her ears and close her eyes at the sounds. The cracks of lightning were crazy and popping off every few moments, combined with the rumbles of thunder that shook her teeth.

  …And then the sounds were gone?

  It took a moment for her to realize that there was silence now… an eerie, terrifying silence. Sitting there frozen, she stared up at the window, wishing she hadn’t yanked the drapes shut in an effort to mute the sound of the rain.

  She wasn’t sure how long she remained crouched in her position, but the silence and the ache in her legs finally pushed her to move. Slowly, she rose from the floor almost certain that the sound would start up again any moment. Her hand reached out, trembling, to touch the material in order to see the outside world and what remained.

  A loud rap on the door, elicited a brief yelp of shock and fear.

  “ANYONE HOME? FEMA!”

  Frozen, Natalie couldn’t move for a moment before she heard the muffled yell again not far away. Whoever it was, they were going door to door and knocking on the other cottages on her property.

  FEMA?

  This meant that she was being rescued from here and she had a ride off the island! Her Dodge Neon was probably underwater or littered in debris at this point, by all the howling noises she’d heard. Yanking open the door, she felt water sluice over her shoes and realized that the height of the water was alarming.

  The seawall at the property line was extremely high with stairs that led down to the dunes and water line. Looking out, she saw the water was sluicing over the once concrete wall that had been a drop off down to the dunes. She heard the knock again, drawing her attention as she zeroed in on the man on the opposite side of the property knocking on every single door.

  “Heyyy!” she hollered and winced as rain began falling again. The sun was fading in a horrific fashion as the clouds were rolling back. All of a sudden, massive sheets of water fell from the sky all of a sudden. She could barely see the dark figure but realized that whoever it was, he was now listing off blindly towards the left. He was getting entirely too close to the stairs for the seawall-which meant he would be in the violent water with no one to help him.

  “HEY!” she screamed wildly.

  “Can you hear me? Walk to the right, THE RIGHT! Follow my voice!” she hollered, wishing she could shut the door as rain pelted her. She couldn’t just leave that person out there in the elements.

  She saw his shadowy figure in the water push towards where she stood and let out her breath. He wouldn’t be swept away in front of her. If the hurricane was coming back in full force, they would both have to weather the storm until it subsided.

  The dark-haired figure swathed in a drenched red jacket finally pushed through the open doorway where she’d stood. Both struggled to close the door against the high winds that seemed to swell up from nothingness. Adrenaline was pushing them onwards, both sets of hands shoving against the single wooden barrier until the latch clicked. Natalie turned the deadbolt and backed away, shaking off the water from where she stood, drenched.

  “Are you alright?” she asked hurriedly, “You are with FEMA? Can we get out of here or something? Is anyone else out there? I hate this so much!”

  “Natalie?”

  She heard the disbelief in the man’s voice and knew it echoed her own shock as he turned around to look at her. She glanced into a set of surprised eyes she’d never imagined she would see again. Gavin’s brown hair looked black due to the water. He was certainly tanner than she remembered, making her clench her teeth against the urge to purr happily at seeing him.

  A noisy crash made her jump in alarm as a window to her right shattered. Natalie winced as a burning sensation painfully scored her cheek. Gavin crossed the room in a second, grabbing her by the arm, and yanking her down behind the kitchen counter protectively.

  The rain and wind were now blowing into the small house. The howling she’d heard before was nothing like the creepy sound that whistled through the room. Ducking down in the small galley kitchen, she gingerly reached up to touch her cheek where it was burning. Gavin scooted closer and caught her hand.

  “Hang on. Don’t touch it and let me see.”

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, following his directions and lowering her hand back down. He pulled a flashlight from his shirt pocket under his coat and inspected her face before touching it.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” Gavin murmured quietly. “I think there’s no glass
in the cut, but you are lucky it wasn’t an inch higher. I don’t believe you’ll need stitches.”

  “You never answered my question.”

  “And you didn’t answer mine. What are you doing here, Natalie?”

  “This is my bed and breakfast. I own this establishment.”

  “You do? Since when?”

  “Since I needed a change in my life. Now it’s your turn. FEMA?”

  “I needed a change, too,” he said quietly, meeting her eyes. She saw the hesitation mixed with something else in his dark gaze.

  “Not getting enough gore and blood back home as a regular paramedic?” she snapped, wincing at the way he drew back from her. Gavin scooted back and sat down on the floor, opposite her, staring silently.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No. I’d rather you just get it all out of your system and then we can actually have a conversation that is long overdue between us.”

  “I don’t feel like talking.”

  “Are you sure? Because it sure sounded like you were curious as to why I’m here. Truthfully, I was treating myself for once like you always told me to do. I assure you, working with FEMA has nothing to do with wanting to see more gore or blood,” he said quietly, watching her.

  Those eyes!

  She’d always liked the fact that Gavin’s eyes were so warm and caring. She used to tease him, saying it looked like two brown M&M’s were eyeing her. He’d gotten a package of the candies and separated them out. She’d clocked in for her shift that night at the hotel only to find a gift bag waiting behind the desk with her name on it. A small crystal candy dish sat inside, filled with the brown orbs.

  “Ugh, they are all brown. Do you like the color brown or something?” the day shift clerk had asked with a disgusted expression. “Doesn’t your man know girls like flowers and jewelry?”

  “Actually, brown is quickly becoming my favorite color,” Natalie had whispered softly, knowing that it was a private message between them.