by Tl Reeve
Those months and years without support from her family cemented one thing for her. She wasn’t loved by her mother. Brittney was a project. A doll. She was being groomed to fill her mother’s role and Brittney hated it. Her mother with one action destroyed not only her father, but Brittney and, for everything she’d seen after her father’s death, her mother didn’t care. How can anyone care about anything when they have billions of dollars to keep them company?
So, she stayed away, saving herself from the torment and made a new life for herself in Oklahoma. She worked her way through small local stations helping with forecasting and weather preparedness, especially during tornado season.
Rai was probably three when she went on her first storm chase. It'd been with a few members of an online group she'd joined, and it set her life in a new direction. With the first tornado the group intercepted, she realized she had a new mission in life, especially when the group stayed and helped the community clean up. However, it'd been the tornado that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma in the spring of 2013 that changed everything for her once more. Seeing the aftermath and the destruction at the school her son attended and could have been at, had she not pulled him so she could homeschool him, spurred her into action.
She made a few phone calls and brought her college team back together. They all joined her not knowing how they'd make money or if they'd survive their first chase. Yet, they trusted her to navigate their new adventure and also make it a successful journey. The first storm they chased, Brittney and her team saved over a hundred lives. Plus, she sold the video footage of the tornado to some of the major networks within the area and nationwide, bringing them their first payday.
Then, about two years ago, she received her first research grant. Like other storm chasing teams, she too wanted to study tornadoes. She wanted to learn how the weather within the cone of the twister remained quiet, undisturbed. She also hoped to figure out a way to better predict weather patterns that could fire off tornadoes so she could give more preparation time to residents within the path of severe storms.
“Do you think we’ll see a tornado?” Rai grabbed his leather-bound notebook off the table and his Switch.
“That’s the hope, but first we need to go with Calliope to Tarpley.” She wrapped her arm around Rai’s shoulders. They’d driven into the area the night before. Calliope had left on her own and had returned a few days beforehand. “So, have you thought about what you’d like to do for spring break?”
“This,” he said. “Going with you.”
She grinned. “Then your wish is my command.”
They stepped into the adjoining room and found her team waiting on them. Two years ago, she hired a new trainee. Wylder had been chasing storms on her own since she was Rai's age. Wylder was good too. As a certified paramedic, Wylder also had search and rescue training along with her companion Spike, a pure-bred bloodhound, plus it would take some of the responsibility off of Shiro who'd been their basic first responder when they needed him.
“Are we ready?” Brittney asked, grabbing her backpack.
“Yep.” Shiro rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Calliope invited the team to join her at a celebration in Tarpley. When she announced she was taking some time off, Brittney hadn’t even batted an eye. She understood. They’d been chasing non-stop for almost ten years. People needed a break. What surprised her, was Calliope wanted Brittney and the team to meet her friends in the area. For whatever reason, Brittney agreed. The weather, so far, had been stable in the region and it didn’t look like any storms would be popping off for a couple of days at least and, at that, they were up near Nebraska where they’d already planned on being.
They stepped out into the mid-morning warmth and headed for Shiro’s vehicle. They chased with two vehicles. Shiro’s SUV, which had radar attached to it so they could receive up to date changes in storm patterns and be able to call out those changes made following the storms easier. The truck Lars drove was a catch-all. They used it to get through debris from tornadoes and to help people get out of dangerous areas.
“Shotgun!” Rai called out, grabbing onto the handle of the passenger seat.
Brittney shook her head. “This is going to be an interesting trip.”
“At least we’re not going very far,” Shiro said with a laugh. “Now, if we were chasing...”
Brittney snorted. “Don’t even go there.”
When she worked up the courage to tell her friends she was pregnant, her mother had already cut her off and she was working at a shit hole diner trying to make enough money to feed herself and buy the prenatal vitamins the doctor at the clinic gave her. The minute she opened up to them, they'd stepped up and began taking care of her. Though she hadn't experienced any morning sickness, she also wasn't as hungry as normal in the beginning. By her second trimester, she ate everything in sight and had ridiculous cravings. Shiro and Lars kept her in pints of mint and chip while Calliope made sure she ate healthy meals. Without the three of them, she didn't think she'd have ever made it through her pregnancy or the first few months of Rai's life.
“Do you ever think about that night,” Shiro asked, placing the rest of his things in the back of the SUV.
“About him?” Him, being Dirty-D.
Shiro nodded.
“Maybe?”
Over the years, she caught herself listening to the news and holding her breath, as the names of those who'd been killed in action were read off. She'd also thought about contacting the Navy to send along a message to him about Rai, however, the military had strict rules as well. Not like they'd give her all of Dexter's information on the word she'd had his son. She also didn't want Dexter to feel as though she'd trapped him by having Rai. On the other hand, it wasn't as though she had a choice either. If he'd been telling the truth, the next morning after their tryst, Dexter boarded a plane and was out of the country. “I mean, I have. As Rai has gotten older, he's begun looking like the man I had a one-night stand with.”
“Have you told him.” He lifted her chin in the direction of Rai.
“I told him as much as I want him to know for now.” Which wasn’t much, other than his father was a good person and it wasn’t his fault he couldn’t be there for Rai. “At some point I know I’ll have to contact Dexter and tell him the truth.”
“What if he wants to be in Rai’s life?”
Brittney shrugged. “I can’t stop him. I wouldn’t stop him. Rai deserves to have the chance to get to know his dad and Dexter deserves the same.”
“It’ll be good for him to know,” Shiro hedged.
“You're right and I agree. I have fought this battle for so long, it's become second nature to me. The first step to figuring out what to do is finding Dexter. The second step, reuniting them—if he wants to be a part of Rai's life.”
“He’d be a fool not to be,” Shiro said. “The boy—his boy, is an amazing kid. It’s his loss if he decides to turn his head.”
Brittney grinned. “I’m glad I have amazing friends who support us.”
“I’ve always got your back.” Shiro squeezed her shoulder. “I guess we better get this trip started before everyone gets restless.”
Brittney sighed. “I believe you’re right.
Shiro had taken to Rai the minute he’d been born, becoming a de facto uncle for her son. Eventually, he also ended up in Brittney’s bed. At the time, she’d given up hope of getting married and finding Dexter. Shiro and she had always been great friends and the first time they had sex it’d been natural. Of course, she had some rules about it. One of the biggest ones; never get attached, and so far, they never had. Although it’d been a few years since the last time they’d done the deed, he still spent his downtime with her and Rai.
“Thank you,” she said, getting in the backseat.
“Hey, stop stalling up there,” Oz said, using their two-way radio system. “We’re burning daylight.”
Brittney laughed. “Tarpley, Texas
here we come.”
They pulled into the packed parking area designated for the Tarpley celebration. The wind had kicked up a bit and storm clouds were gathering on the horizon, but according to the spot check Brittney had done, they were in the clear. Spring in Texas, like in the deep south, could be a wild ride. One day it could be clear and 80 and the next it could be storming and 45. It all depended on where the pressure systems met that cause severe weather, including tornadoes to pop up.
Once Shiro found a spot and parked, they got out and waited for the remainder of the team to catch up. Rai had been unusually quiet the whole trip, which was uncharacteristic of her son. For the most part, he’d kept his face in his Switch playing one of his games. However, somewhere along the way during the forty-five-minute drive, he'd pulled his thick curly hair into a man-bun.
Brittney sighed.
She loved his hair and couldn't bear the thought of cutting it all off when he'd been a baby, though she'd never stop him if he chose to do so now. His lush locks were dark brown with natural streaks of blond shot through it. The curls were medium-sized and springy. Paired with his grey eyes and honey-brown skin, her son would turn heads when he got older. Hell, she suspected he already did. Rai stood about six feet tall and it seemed his frame filled out a little more every day.
Sports never interested him, but he did enjoy a pick-up game or two of basketball at the local community center on the weekends. When he wasn't on the court, he was at home, drawing, and reading. He also liked to write too. She'd seen some of his work for his online creative writing class and had been impressed. He built a whole new universe of Old Gods, including Donar or Thor, as he'd also been called, and gave them renewed life. All of his stories, she'd noticed, revolved around the storms Brittney chased, which surprised her.
“There’s nothing here.” Rai drew his backpack around to his front before slipping his Switch inside. “Are you sure we’re in the right place?”
He'd been partially correct. Bluebonnets and sweetgrass covered the hillsides while tall grass covered the flat land for as far as she could see. To her right was an open space, graded off by heavy equipment. A small marker noted the future home of a new garage for the Tarpley VFD.
“It’s because we’re in the middle of nowhere,” Shiro said, patting Rai on the shoulder.
“Looks like the party is behind us.” Brittney hooked her thumb in the direction people were headed.
“Lead the way,” Shiro stated. “I’m so hungry I could eat an ox.”
“That’s a lot of food,” Rai replied. “You sure about that?”
“Yep.” Shiro grinned. “I’m surprised you haven’t started eating your mom out of house and home.
“Who says he hasn’t,” Brittney teased.
As the followed the trail, the crowd of people grew denser. Since Calliope hadn’t said a word about the barbecue until a few days ago, Brittney didn’t know what to expect. She figured it would be more of a backyard get together, not this...
Laughter and chatter filled the area the closer they came to the entrance constructed out of hay bales. Above it, a giant carved welcome sign had been painted in red and white. To the right of where they stood when they entered the area stood a party canopy. Under it was a table with a guest book and pen. Stickers, junior badges, and sweet treats surround the lone book. Next to the table had been an easel with an engraved plaque sitting on it, along with a few photos of the different scenes they'd worked.
Home of Tarpley VFD.
In recognition of their fearless determination to protect
the surrounding communities during the Big Bend fire.
Today, we honor their dedication, valor, and hard work.
Tarpley City Council
Below the emblazoned declaration was an ax and firefighter helmet with TVFD etched into it. A photograph of the unit had been placed next to the plaque, but she couldn’t see any of their faces due to their gear.
Brittney had heard about the Big Bend fire, not all the specifics though. She took a minute to sign the book then stepped away to give the rest of her team a moment to do the same. When they were together once more, they started into the area where everyone seemed to be congregating.
“Puppy!” A little girl no more than two or three squealed as she spotted Spike walking next to Wylder.
The bloodhound sat down in front of the girl and sniffed her neck before snuffling her belly and feet. Wylder smiled. “I think he likes you.”
“Pretty puppy,” the girl said patting his head and offered him the last bit of her hot dog.
Spike snarfed it up then gave the girl an appreciative lick on the cheek.
For a bloodhound, Spike had been a majestic beast. He knew he had a purpose on the team and in the two years Wylder had been with them, Spike had found over twenty people stuck in rubble and debris from different tornadoes they’d chased. Since he wasn’t working at the moment, Wylder used his tracking harness without his vest. Attached to it were his badge and some of the ribbons he'd received for all of his hard work. If Brittney hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed a dog could feel pride. However, Spike's chest puffed up every time a new pin or ribbon or bar was added to his collection.
As they continued along, picnic tables and barbecue grills came into view. She might not admit it out loud, but the scent of smoked wood and meat had Brittney's mouth-watering—had been since the minute they pulled up. Now, her stomach joined in, growling with a vengeance. She didn't even know where to start, there were so many choices—so many booths filled with different culinary and confectionary delights. On a table to her right sat a firefighter's boot with a small sign next to it.
Donations appreciated but not required.
She pulled a twenty from her pocket and placed it in the boot. Her team followed her lead. As they came around the corner of the property a small stage had been set up and a band began to play classic country music. Not her favorite, but it would do. Couples who'd finished eating were getting up to dance while children screamed and laughed as they chased each other around with squirt guns and water balloons. A bit farther out, away from the food and tables, a small round pen had been erected for pony rides. Next to it were a pair of inflatable slides and bouncy houses. In another section, a few booths had been connected for carnival games and a Ferris wheel turned, lifting ride goers into the air.
“Brittney! You made it!” Calliope squealed as she ran over to greet Brittney, with who she suspected was Calliope’s friend Jemma, in tow. “I’m so glad you finally made it.” She threw her arms around Brittney’s, hugging her tight.
“Me too,” Brittney answered.
Calliope pulled the woman with her to her side after releasing Brittney. “Guys, this is Jemma. Jemma this is my team.”
Her friend waved. “Welcome to Tarpley. Let me introduce you to everyone. I’m sure they’re dying to meet you guys.”
Brittney grabbed her plate of food and headed over to an empty table to eat. The people in the area were friendly. She met a guy named Pops and another named Tank. Their nicknames matched their appearance and if she had to guess, their disposition. Rai joined her a few minutes later along with Shiro, Wylder, and Oz. Lars, however, found himself entangled with a pretty girl with a Texas accent.
She shook her head. When Lars had told them their last summer together, he was going home to help his parents move to Berlin, Brittney didn’t think he’d come back. His parents were older than Brittney’s and the home she later found out they’d been moving too, was an assisted living center. Coming back to the states seemed trivial to her and she wouldn’t have blamed Lars if he had stayed in Germany.
On a particularly bad day for Brittney, Lars showed her the brochure of the place where his parents lived, and she’d been jealous. The place had all the cutting-edge technology needed to assist those who might be in the beginning stages of dementia or worse Alzheimer’s. They had a grocery store and other smaller retailers, so the residence still had a sen
se of independence. And, on Friday nights, they had dinner theater. From what Lars told her, his parents enjoyed the murder/mystery ones. They were a mix of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christy tales. He also showed her pictures of his parents and how happy they’d been.
Last year, they passed away. Again, she believed he’d go home and not come back, and again, he surprised her. He’d changed though when he returned. He’d carried a weight of sadness she couldn’t comprehend. She didn’t know what it was like to lose loving parents. Her mother was still alive. As she watched her friend take a seat at a table adjacent to theirs, she grinned.
“Bets on how quick Lars gets laid,” Oz said, popping a bite of chicken into his mouth.
“You’re on,” Shiro replied, winking at Brittney.
“Anyone else want in on this?” Oz’s gaze bounced between Brittney and Wylder.
“Sure,” Wylder said. “Why not. I’ve got a spare twenty.”
Oz wiped his fingers on a napkin then grabbed the small spiral pad and pencil from the pocket of his shirt. He flipped the pages until he came to a clean sheet before making a grid on it. “Okay, so here goes.” He wrote in their names then different times and the amount of time they'd be spending in the area. Along the bottom, he added the number of women Lars would get lucky with.
Brittney snorted. “I can’t believe you guys.”
“What?” Oz gave her a blank stare and she laughed.
Wylder glanced at the paper then pointed to four different squares before handing the money to Brittney. “Since we’re involved it’s better a non-player holds the cash.”
Oz grunted. “Fine.”
When they were done, the grid had been filled out. Oz, Shiro, and Wylder all had different opinions about their resident satellite guy. If Brittney had to choose between the three of them, she’d say Shiro was right on the money. Lars would find two women while they were in Tarpley. The others, well, they were reaching a bit. Brittney stuffed their money into her pocket then stood. “I’m going to get a soda. Anyone want one?”
