Once In A While (The Cherished Memories Book 1)

by Linda Ellen

  “Can’t be helped, Lil. We have to do what is best for the other children,” Willis reminded his wife, the burden of responsibility for the family weighing heavily on his shoulders.

  “Daddy! Another boat’s comin’!” Billy yelled suddenly from the window in the foyer where he had stationed himself hours before to watch the comings and goings of the other residents on the street.

  “Flag it down, son!” Willis returned, ushering the women out and securely locking the apartment door before making his way quickly down the hall. This last act was done partly out of habit, and partly out of a desire to at least slow down any looters that might aim their thieving sights on their building.

  The boy struggled to lift the heavy wooden window and support it with the prop stick. “Hey! Hey, over here!” he yelled, waving his arm energetically.

  The others hurried to the window, relieved to see the dim light of a rescue boat and hear the smooth thrup-thrup-thrup of its engine as it maneuvered up to the completely submerged front stoop. Its movement caused waves to lap at the sandbags that had been stacked at the base of the door to try and prevent the inevitable.

  With the help of the porch and interior lights, plus the light from the lantern, the boat’s honorary captain reached out to grasp the window’s ledge and steady the craft against the brick wall. “Okay folks, one at a time, ladies first. Take care not to fall in the water,” he advised as he reached a hand upward. “Sorry, but only one bag of belongings each,” he added as he saw the myriad of bags and household goods stacked by the window.

  Mrs. Higgins elbowed her way forward, practically shoving Lilly out of the way. Lilly gasped at the rudeness and stumbled a step backward, but Willis caught her against his chest, biting back a retort to the rude woman. Ingrained manners were all that stopped him from returning a scathing rebuke. Their landlady impatiently reached to grasp the boatman’s outstretched hand.

  Quickly, Willis and Lilly had to make the decision of what to leave and what to take of their packed necessities.

  One by one, Mrs. Higgins, Lilly, and then Edna, were lifted into the vessel. Finally, Louise sat down on the windowsill, swinging her legs out as the man stepped forward again and lifted his hands.

  Taking the bag of possessions from her grip, he deposited it into the boat, and then easily lifted her from her perch as she slid down his body.

  The soft light of the lantern cast a hazy glow on their faces. In spite of the cold wet breeze, they both felt hot sparks of attraction as they recognized one another. A strange phenomenon occurred – as if they were holding onto the ends of bare telephone wires – each seemed to feel tiny shocks reverberating from fingertip to core.

  Louise’s heart surged as she realized their rescuer was none other than the man who had occupied her dreams and thoughts since that dark, rainy night two weeks before. Her eyes grew large in the shadowy setting as she gasped in recognition. Instantly, she was aware of a myriad of sensations…the strength in his hands and arms as he held her… the firm muscles bracing her body…the cold damp leather of his jacket under her hands as she held tight to his shoulders…even the pleasant musky tang of coffee on his breath from his hastily consumed supper, which ignited her own hunger…

  As he held her suspended against his chest and hips, Vic realized the instant the lantern illuminated the girl’s features that he was actually in the act of rescuing the young woman who had captured his imagination and haunted his dreams. All day he had wondered how she and her family were faring, and more than once had nearly steered the boat past the house, only to be rerouted to another rescue. Now as dusk had settled in and they were on their way to another address, Vic hadn’t even realized they had motored down her street. To suddenly find her in his arms…he was shocked. Usually his luck didn’t run that good.

  Tiny droplets of rainy mist dotted their lashes, sparkling in the light like diamond dust. Hazel eyes stared, unblinking, into a potent maple brown gaze. Words were not necessary, nor would they come, each one too caught up in the total surprise of the occurrence. Time seemed to shift down to slow motion, like one of those old Kinetoscope hand crank movie machines at the fair.

  Then, as quickly as it had happened, the moment was over.

  Vic, recovering his poise with a jolt, swiveled in place and deposited Louise on one of the boat’s benches. With a half grin and a small nod in acknowledgment of her startled expression, he turned back to grasp Billy and heft him into the boat as well, but the boy had scrambled down on his own. Lastly, Willis managed to climb down out of the window frame by himself. Vic gave the two an awkward smile as he turned back, his eyes irresistibly seeking Louise.

  “You folks got somewhere to go? Family on higher ground?” asked Gerald from the back of the boat, grasping the rudder handle of the outboard motor in preparation of turning it where they needed.

  “No, sir, we do not. At this point, we are not sure what to do or where to go.” Willis answered as he settled on a bench next to his wife.

  “Alright, well, don’t worry. They got everything set up down at the Arm’ry for folks. Just sit tight. We’ll have ya there in a few minutes.”

  “My family and I are much obliged,” Willis wearily returned.

  As Gerald prepared to turn the boat toward Sixth & Walnut in order to transport the displaced family to the armory, Vic reached under a tarp to grasp a supply of dry blankets. He hurriedly passed a few around to be shared by the family members. Saving Louise for last, he braced his feet on the floorboard of the boat as it turned east.

  Louise looked up at his face, shadowed by the lantern behind him, and offered a shy smile. She leaned forward, allowing him to place the blanket around her shoulders as she murmured a soft, “Thank you.” His reply was a short nod.

  She was intensely conscious of the warmth exuding from his body just inches from hers, despite their cold surroundings. Conversely, he was acutely aware of the fresh scent of a lock of her hair peeking out from her hastily tied blue scarf.

  He cleared his throat and made his way to his customary seat in the bow, watching for hidden obstructions in the water on the six-block ride.

  As the boat glided through the dark water and navigated the streets-turned-canals, Vic often turned his head back toward the passengers. Time and again he found himself staring at the young woman as she huddled with her incessantly chattering younger brother.

  Silently, Vic questioned why he had the compelling urge to go to her…to wrap his arms around her. But, of course, he didn’t. He merely observed her shivering under the rough woolen blanket, and occasionally casting furtive glances his way.

  What were the odds that he was on the boat that rescued her family?

  Maybe my luck’s about to change…

  *

  Louise clutched her bag of belongings to her chest as she stood with her family before the sign-in table at the Jefferson County Armory Flood Relief Center. The massive stone and brick structure was serving as a temporary holding station until the people could be transported out of harm’s way by train or truck.

  As Willis gave the relief worker their information, the others glanced around with surprise at how many people were already there. Indeed, no time had been squandered or wasted. The Red Cross had been Johnny on the Spot, making plans and arrangements for speedy, effective help for the citizens even before the water had reached the flood mark. Boxes of supplies, blankets, food rations, and more were ready for distribution. Cots were spread out in neat rows, and people were huddling in small family groups. Several people were sitting alone on makeshift beds, staring straight ahead as if in shock.

  The Hoskins had no idea how long they would be out of their home, and needless to say, the thought was not a pleasant one.

  One thought was pleasant, however. Louise still couldn’t get over the fact that Vic Matthews had come to their rescue. Impressions of those moments in his arms, as well as sitting within his line of vision in the boat, with his dark, hooded eyes staring penetratingly her way, kept
swirling in her head until she felt practically giddy. It was like a rescue straight out of a movie at the Rialto…she mused with a dreamy smile.

  Then the boat had arrived safely at the armory, and Vic had bid them a polite goodbye and good luck, though he had lingered the longest in saying farewell to Louise. How she had wanted to ask him…oh anything! Where he lived…if there was a possibility they would see one another again…but she hadn’t. She had just clammed up and couldn’t say a word, other than managing a small smile as he had murmured a last quiet, “G’bye.” She could only watch as he had climbed back in the boat and set off to look for more stranded citizens.

  “Here, Louise, pay attention,” her mother’s voice interrupted her thoughts. With a start, Louise realized the family had already been assigned places to sleep for the night, and were making their way into the larger, domed area of the building. People were milling around, trying their best to get comfortable, although in the forefront of everyone’s mind, lurked the question of whether the water would reach even there. The thought of their homes and possessions being at the mercy of the encroaching muddy water, and the possibility of thievery by looters, would keep many of them awake long hours into the night.

  *

  Vic and Gerald completed three more rescues before they were forced, by sheer exhaustion, to call it a night. These included an elderly, bed-ridden man and his thick-furred dog that had smelled none too good after it had jumped in the water. Vic had been forced to retrieve the poor animal and haul it into the boat.

  After depositing them at the Armory, another rescue crew mentioned they’d been forced to pass by the plight of two middle-aged women who shared an apartment deep in the west end of town. Vic and Gerald immediately headed to the location. Unable to maneuver the boat past a wrought iron fence, Vic was obliged to wade waist deep into the frigid, muddy water. Doing his best to quiet their frightened weeping, he transported each one out to the awaiting boat, along with their two heavy bags of belongings.

  By the time they made their way back to the base camp on Baxter, Vic had been ‘on duty’ a continuous twelve hours. For the last few hours, he’d been running on adrenalin and determination, and now both of those stores were down to the dregs. His skin, indeed his entire being, felt numb from hours out in the elements; he was wet and cold, and his nose had begun running like a sugar tree.

  Gerald stopped by the food table for a late snack, but Vic – although he was, in fact, quite hungry – decided to forego a hot meal, and dragged himself over to the freight elevator.

  Exhaustion weighing down every bone in his body, he made his way inside. In a fog he accidentally pulled the lever inside the box first, before closing door, and had to rush to slide it shut as the lift began its climb. His hand numb from the cold, he reached for the strap hanging high in the center of the doorway and tugged hard. The heavy plank horizontal doors appeared and clanged together in the middle. As the antiquated pulleys and cords squealed their aggravation, the rattletrap box shimmed as it slowly rose up one flight to the next level.

  Vic rested his forehead against a worn and splintered plank. With his eyes shut he allowed the slight imbalance in his stomach to quell the sudden spook he’d given his heart. Opening his eyes again when he felt the conveyance jostling at floor level, he righted his weary body and hurriedly pulled the lever. The lift stopped a foot higher than floor height, but too tired to adjust it, he pulled the strap to open the doors once more and stepped up over the high threshold.

  Squinting in the dim light from the elevator, and with the faint light of a street lamp shining in through one of the large windows, he began to thread his way through rows of crates and boxes to the back section. This had been set up with bunks and pallets for the exhausted rescuers, many of whom where already occupying the space.

  Quietly finding an empty cot, Vic wearily pulled off his shoes and socks, stripped down to his still damp undershirt and skivvies, and crawled under several layers of woolen army blankets. Normally this would not have been especially comfortable, but compared to the accommodations he was accustomed to at his brother’s home, it was actually more so.

  With an exhausted sigh, Vic gratefully closed his eyes.

  Renewed dreams and visions of dark hair, creamy skin, and bewitching hazel eyes were his companions for the night.

  ‡

  CHAPTER 7

  The Shots and Dove Creek

  “No!!” Billy squealed, twisting and turning as he attempted to loosen the grip of the hands that held him fast. A Red Cross nurse huffed an impatient sigh as she held a large hypodermic needle aloft. Several other refugees waiting in line for the shots grimaced at Billy’s outburst, wishing he would just shut up and get it over with.

  “It’s alright, son,” Willis comforted as he tried to still his frightened offspring. “It’ll be over before you know it. This is a necessary precaution against typhoid and…”

  “No! I hate needles!” Billy interrupted as he violently writhed to and fro. Suddenly, he broke free and took off running, dodging people, bags of belongings, dogs, cats, and birdcages, as he headed for the outer doors – and freedom.

  “Billy!” Louise squealed, taking off after him as their father followed.

  “Oh that boy!” Lilly fumed, wrapping her arms across her chest. She exchanged glances with Edna, who only rolled her eyes and shook her head in disgust as she popped her chewing gum, before returning to browsing a borrowed copy of Hollywood Stars Magazine.

  Billy burst through the doors and emerged outside. He ran only a few steps before colliding rather solidly with the sturdy chest of a man. Strong, muscular arms immediately encircled the boy as a voice soothed, “Hey, hey! Hold on there…”

  “Lemme go!” Billy hollered just as Louise burst through the door of the building in pursuit.

  “Oh please, sir! Don’t let him go!” she called to the lowered, cap-covered head of the unknown man. Louise could see he was tall and muscular, and she was glad he had been at the right place to intercept her fleeing brother. Unconsciously, her eyes registered the thick fabric of his pants and the bulky warmth of his coat, and she knew instantly he must be one of the rescuers. At the sound of her voice, the head came up, the eyes connecting with hers…familiar maple brown eyes…

  A wry smile graced Vic’s face as he watched her hurry forward…the very girl he had hoped to ‘accidentally’ run into again. “What’s he done?” he called to her jovially.

  Reaching them, Willis not far behind, Louise smiled shyly and reached out to grab hold of Billy’s arm as he wriggled and fought. “He don’t wanna take the shots.”

  Having just submitted to the ordeal himself back at the base, Vic could certainly sympathize. Nodding and glancing down at the boy’s frightened, tear moistened face, he grinned engagingly and immediately hunkered down to his level – though wisely not releasing his hold.

  “Aww now, little buddy…there’s nothin’ to it. Really. Matter ‘a fact, I just had ‘em myself,” he confided, as if they had no audience. Louise immediately felt a tingle rush through her at the sound of that smooth, warm baritone voice.

  Billy sniffled and turned his head, raising a shoulder to wipe his nose. “Really, mister?”

  “Yep.” Then glancing up at Louise and Willis, he leaned his head closer to Billy’s and confided in a pseudo whisper, “Tell ya what I do when I hav’ta take shots…”

  Drawing in a trembling breath, Billy whispered, “…What’s that?”

  Vic grinned, his straight white teeth gleaming under the bill of his cap. However, intent on comforting the boy, he was totally unaware of the effect he was having on his female observer. “I jus’ close my eyes, grit my teeth, and hold my breath. It’s over before I know it.” Totally void of deceit, Vic’s eyes met those of the young boy. He watched as the youngster visibly relaxed, believing he now knew a way to at least survive the coming ordeal.

  Willis stepped forward then, gently taking charge of his son. As Vic rose to his full height, the older
, slightly shorter man nodded and smiled gratefully. With an answering nod, Vic smiled back.

  “Come on, son,” Willis encouraged, turning back toward the building. He draped his arm around Billy’s shoulders as the boy now willingly acquiesced, though trembling and wiping his eyes on his sleeve. Willis bent his head a bit, murmuring words of comfort and encouragement to add to those Vic had offered.

  Louise paused, glancing at Vic. Finding him gazing back at her with unabashed interest, her knees threatened to give way. Oh my lord, he’s just so… she couldn’t find the appropriate word, for handsome could not even begin to do him justice; what with his smooth chiseled features, the dimple in his cheek, and especially those magnificent eyes. Louise felt as if she had no choice in being irresistibly drawn to him. His eyes seemed to capture and hold her spellbound.

  Smiling shyly, Louise forged ahead in an attempt to try and have a conversation with the man before he would once again be whisked from her life. Wetting lips suddenly dry from nerves, she murmured, “Thanks. Billy can be a handful sometimes.”

  Vic grinned and nodded. “Aww, he’s alright. Reminds me ‘a my nephew. And heck, nobody likes havin’ ta get shots. But I sure wasn’t gonna tell him my arm hurts like I been kicked by a mule,” he added, chuckling as he gingerly rubbed the muscle of his right arm.

  Louise laughed at his description, and the sound of her happy giggle seemed to permeate Vic’s entire being. To him, it was as if she was so full of happiness and the joys of life that she wished to spread them around and sweep everyone along with her for the ride. Am I crazy or somethin’? he mused in wonder.

  The two stood together awkwardly, each one feeling that undeniable pull of their attraction, and reliving a bit of the sparks they had felt during that moment of recognition the previous night on the boat. Indeed, each wondered if the other were feeling the phenomenon, but then dismissed the notion as unlikely. As the moment stretched on in silence, they both became a tad uncomfortable and each strove to think of something to keep the conversation going. She was hoping he couldn’t hear her heart pounding. He was thinking she was even more beautiful than he remembered.