by Sarita Leone
“Hold the handrail, and take your time. We’re all here with you.” She gave her hand a squeeze as they began to ascend. At least there were no windows beside the staircase, although the thunder was deafening.
“Follow me, Penny.” Reva moved slowly.
“We’re right behind you.” Julia hummed when the thunder rolled.
“Oh, that Neil Diamond is dreamy.” Gabby sighed, and they all giggled. “What are you laughing about? Forever in blue jeans? Anytime…”
They made the second floor.
Reva asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to sleep down here with us tonight? We’ve got room for two more, don’t we?”
“Always.” Julia pointed to an open door. “An extra bunk in my room.”
“I could go sleep with Julia so you can have my room,” Gabby offered. “I don’t mind at all.”
She left the decision to Penny. “What do you think? Want to go up to our room? Or do you want to stay in Aunt Gabby’s room for the night?”
Her daughter had spunk. Visibly nervous, she shook her head. “Our room. My first night, I should sleep in our room. Don’t you think?”
“I do think.” She smiled. “Thanks, sisters, for the great offers. But we’re going up to our room for the night. We’re not afraid of a silly storm, are we?”
“Nope.”
The others stood at the bottom of the steps leading to the third floor and shined their lights so they had no trouble finding their footing. She’d considered bringing a candle up with them, but fire might not be a good idea with a child in the house.
Gabby had done a beautiful job arranging the room. They’d brought a twin bed in, rearranged the furniture, and hung pretty white lace curtains. The change made the space more inviting.
She pointed with the flashlight. “That’s your bed. The one with all the pretty pillows. And, the pink fuzzy bear.”
“I love it!” Penny lifted the small stuffed animal and hugged it to her chest. “I will call him Herbert. That’s a good name for a bear, right?”
Right. Her aunt’s word. But she’d have to learn to like the affectation, since it was likely the only piece of Debra the child had to hold onto.
“Right. And, your bear is just like mine.” Chloe reached for the bear that lived on her bed. It was identical to the one she’d picked up in Vintage Treasures. Only, hers was not in pristine condition, the way the new bear was. “I’ve had Norton since I was your age. A little bit younger than you are, actually. He’s slept with me every night.”
“Herbert will sleep with me forever, too.”
She helped Penny change into pajamas. They brushed teeth. She tucked her into bed, kissed her goodnight and left the flashlight under Penny’s pillow.
“I’m right over there if you need me, okay?”
“Okay…’night…”
Chapter 42
Sleep eluded her. No matter how many sheep she counted, or how many times she flipped her pillow over, Chloe could not fall asleep. The steady, sweet sound of Penny’s breathing was a lullaby that should have sent her off to Dreamland, but it didn’t.
Instead, her mind raced.
The fact she had a second chance with the marvelous child across the room was almost too good to be true. Part of her—a big part—didn’t think she deserved this chance. She’d blown it the first time with Penny, giving her away instead of seeing her for the gift she was.
She’d failed so many times in life. What made her think she was cut out for motherhood? Maybe it was egotistic to believe she would be any good at being someone’s mother.
The wind picked up, rattling the old windows in their rickety frames. The house shook, as it had for the last two hundred plus years. It was old and had seen better days, but it was solid. The roof on the main section was new, so they were safe. She hoped.
There had been enough storms through the centuries since Lobster Cove was founded that if there was one thing they knew it was that after rain, comes sunshine. Making it through the night could be challenging but somehow they’d manage.
She shifted gears, hoping to lull herself to sleep with happy thoughts.
Kyle Brown. Doctor Dreamy. The man who made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Now, that was something to take her mind off…everything.
Lightning flashed, sending a glaring burst of light into the room. She looked over. Penny was curled up on her side, close to the wall. One of Herbert’s pink ears poked out from under her arm.
Thankfully, she slept.
Kyle wasn’t on duty tonight. She wondered how he was faring in the storm. He owned a house—the one with the flower garden—but she had no idea just where he lived. Someday soon she would like to see it for herself. Check out his garden. Maybe pick a rose or two.
The air seemed charged as a bolt of lightning tore the darkness outside the window. A thunderous burst shook the house so hard it felt as if they’d been hit by an earthquake. A split second later, there was a massive boom.
Then, he house did more than shake. The sound of wood splitting and beams crashing woke Penny. She sat up and screamed.
Chloe threw her covers off, jumped out of bed, and ran across the room. Plaster rained down in big chunks, but she kept running. Her daughter hadn’t moved, so when she reached her, she pushed the child back against the bed and covered her with her body.
Something hard fell on her back, but she held tight to the child. Even when something sliced her skin, she did not release Penny.
“Mama! Mama—what’s happening?”
“Shh, honey, shh—I’m here. We’re going to be okay, I promise.”
The crashing seemed interminable. And, it got much louder before it began to taper off.
The whole damn place is falling in, Chloe thought. Even as she murmured to Penny, trying to comfort the shaking child, she waited to be swallowed by the house.
“Mama!”
“Honey, listen. Listen to me. I’m here. Don’t you feel me? I’m right here, you’re not alone. We’re going to be okay. I’m going to get us out of this mess.”
“The crashing! What’s happening—”
“Something fell on the house.” Rain hammered on her back, cold and stinging. Something hard lay across her ankle. She bit back a shriek as she wriggled from beneath whatever pinned her.
In the distance, she heard screaming. Not hers. Not Penny’s.
They had to get out.
“Honey, put your arms around my neck. Hold on tight.”
Placing a hand on the back of Penny’s head, she pressed the child’s face against her chest and got to her knees. She used one hand to push a big tree branch off her, shimmied out from beneath another branch and stood. The darkness was cut by the lightning, which came through the gaping hole above them.
Chloe didn’t waste any time. She held onto her daughter and climbed over the mess. Every step brought sharp pain. The floor was covered with wood, glass, roofing, and tree parts.
Penny clung to her like a monkey to its mother, wrapping her legs around Chloe’s waist. “Hold tight, honey. Don’t look up, we’re almost out.”
She didn’t want the child to see the nearly-crushed bed. Things were still falling, and lightning was so close it raised the hairs on the back of her neck.
When she made her way to the stairs lights shined below.
“Chloe! Penny! Oh thank God you’re okay.” Julia’s voice came from the darkness.
“Don’t fall—the steps are crushed!” Gabby screamed when they were all outlined by a fresh wave of lightning.
Part of the oak tree sliced the house in two. It lay on the steps, and into what used to be a hallway. Everything it hit had been devastated, including the way out. Too risky to try to negotiate the bits of treads left. Alone, she would have gone for it. But taking a chance with Penny was out of the question. Unfortunately, so was staying where they were. The house shook, and things crashed below.
“We’ve got to get out of here. The whole place is going to g
o.” Julia waved her flashlight beam along the ragged edges of what used to be the staircase. “How about if we get a ladder to a window?”
“Not enough time.” The floor beneath her feet tilted. She grabbed what was left of the wall beside her. “I’m coming down the tree.”
Penny lifted her face, meet Chloe’s gaze, and sniffed. She’d stopped crying but her face was wet, her hair streaming rainwater.
“It’s raining. In the house.”
And the floor is moving, she thought. She wanted to run but that would scare the little one even more.
“That’s why we’re getting out of here. Listen, can you hold onto my back? Like a piggyback rider?”
A nod, then they changed position. Small legs wrapped around her waist, and slender arms around her shoulders.
“Don’t let go—no matter what, don’t let go.”
It was dark. And wet. And lightning felt right inside the space with them. She had to get out without killing them.
She reached out, grabbed wet wood, and climbed onto the huge tree branch. Leaves plastered to the bark sent her left foot slipping along slimy moss when she stood. One heart-stopping slide as she fought for balance was illuminated by a sharp bolt of lightning flashing dangerously close.
No time to contemplate falling. Not a moment to spare if they were to escape with their lives, so she forced herself to move. The lacerations on her bare feet stung, but she concentrated on putting one in front of the other and balancing in the center of the bark.
The two women below kept their lights trained on the branch. She tried not to look over the side of the tree. There was a dark drop where the steps should have been. It wouldn’t take much to fall into the hole.
When she reached the bottom, Julia put her arms out and called to Penny. “Come on, honey. I’ll catch you so your mom can climb down.”
The child hesitated. “It’s okay. Go to Auntie Julia, just for a minute. I’m right behind you.”
She complied, reaching out, and letting Julia take her. Chloe scooted down the last few feet of tree bark, stepped over the empty space where the steps should be and into the second floor hallway. Here, too, the walls were crushed and the floor littered.
Gabby hollered to be heard over the storm. “Reva has Ted in the car. It seemed the safest thing—he’s not happy about it, but we didn’t give him a choice.”
“Thanks.” Penny was in her arms the minute she reached the hallway, so she followed Julia and concentrated on getting out before more of the house caved in. “He’s okay?”
“Fine.” Gabby pushed a piece of the banister out of the way.
The other staircase was intact, so they took the steps quickly. The old house groaned, almost as if it chased them from within its walls.
They ran out the front door, into the storm. Julia ran to Reva’s car.
She took Penny to the Camaro. It was closer, so she pulled the door open and jumped in.
“Oh my God. This is a killer storm!” Gabby put her hand over her mouth.
Her daughter had been silent—too silent, she thought, so she checked her eyes and put a hand to her cheek. “Are you okay? Honey, talk to me, please? Are you all right?”
From beneath her arm, Penny pulled the pink bear. He’d gotten dirty and was somewhat soggy, but he had made it out.
“You saved me. I saved Herbert.”
Chapter 43
They weren’t in the cars for more than ten minutes before they saw lights. There was debris in the street, but the big truck wove from side to side and made it to the driveway. Chloe looked in the side mirror.
“Neil.”
“That’s crazy—he shouldn’t be driving yet. And in this weather? Guy’s nuts!” Gabby had found Tootsie Rolls in the console. Now, she unwrapped one and handed it to the youngster.
“I’ve got to talk to him. Can Penny stay with you for a minute?”
“Of course she can.” A huge smile for the child as Chloe moved forward and placed her in the seat. “We’re having a midnight picnic.”
She smoothed the hair off Penny’s forehead. “I’ll be right back. I’m just going over there, to that truck.” She kissed her soft eyebrow before opening the door and dashing out into the downpour. She closed the door then ran to Reva’s car. Uncle Ted rolled down the window, so she leaned close. “Are you okay?”
“Fine. You and Penny?” He grabbed one of her hands in his. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine, Uncle Ted. Eating candy with Gabby. I’m going to talk with Neil.”
She tripped over a downed branch as she ran to the truck but managed to keep from falling. The door swung open from inside as she neared, so she climbed in. A strong gust held the door wide. She pulled with all her might but could not close the door. Neil reached across, put his hand on the door handle and muscled it shut. They got drenched in the minute they fought with the door.
He ran his forearm across his face, wiping rain away. “Haven’t seen a storm this bad in years. Are you okay?”
The t-shirt she’d worn to bed stuck to her body like a second skin. She pulled it away but as soon as she let go, it exposed her assets.
He reached behind the seat and came up with a denim work shirt. “It’s wrinkled, but clean.”
She put it on over the wet shirt but that was useless so she slipped off the t-shirt and pulled it out one of the arms of the button-down. “Ugh, it’s soaked. I don’t know what to do with this—”
Neil took the dripping shirt from her, tossed it over his shoulder and grinned. “Problem solved.” He pointed to the house. “You all got out okay?”
“Yeah. It’s a mess in there. Your house, any damage?”
“No power, and a few small trees snapped in the side yard, but nothing like this.” He held his hand out, motioned to the destruction around them. “And it’s not over. Phone lines are down everywhere, so there’s no telling how bad it is further north. It’s supposed to head that way, though—and if it hits there like it’s hit here, we’re all going to be cut off for a while.”
Her heart hadn’t stopped thudding since the moment the house was struck. She took two deep breaths, holding both before releasing, but the pounding didn’t ramp down. Neither did the deluge. Rain lashed against the vehicle while it swayed in a volley of powerful gusts. Around them, branches smashed against the earth.
“I need to get back to Penny.”
He put a hand over hers when she reached for the door handle. “Wait a minute. You can’t go back out in this.”
“I can’t leave her.”
“She’s fine, you said so yourself. Besides, we need to get everyone to safety. Staying in these cars in the driveway makes us all sitting ducks. It’s just a matter of time before a tree hits one, or a light pole comes crashing down.”
He had a point. But she’d run out without anything. No wallet. No shoes. Nothing—except the most important pieces of her life, her family.
“Where can we go?”
“My place. It’s big, and when I left it was still standing. I’m going to tell Gabby she can come with us, and let Reva know to follow closely. The intersection is flooded, but we’ll make it.” When he started to open the door, she reached for him. Before she could speak, he nodded. “Don’t worry. I’m going to bring Penny back. She belongs with her parents.”
Neil was swallowed by the storm the instant he left the truck. Straining to see past the wall of darkness was futile so she attempted to quiet her heart. Being wound up when he returned would not help her daughter.
Deep breaths, only now she realized it hurt to breathe. Shallow was fine, but anything more stung. Not inside, but on the surface.
Sitting forward, she reached a hand up under the baggy shirt. She was soaked to the skin almost everywhere so when her fingers encountered moisture she wasn’t alarmed. But it was a different kind of wet…sticky and warm. Chloe took her hand away, knowing before she even looked what was making breathing painful.
The door opened beside her. Neil thrust
Penny into her arms, then slammed the door. She grabbed the child with one arm and pulled her close.
“You okay?”
Herbert endured a tight embrace. “We’re good. Wet—we’re wet.”
Neil climbed in and started the truck.
“I thought you were going to get Gabby, too?”
“Won’t come. Doesn’t want to leave her car to be crushed. I hope it clears the flooded part.” He turned to her and said, “The lap belt. Fasten it—wide, so it goes around both of you. There’s no telling how bad the road’s gotten since I’ve been here. Let’s be cool, take no chances.”
The belt dangled beside the seat, so she reached down and located the strap. Sliding her hand to the metal part, she tugged but it was so rarely used it wouldn’t slide.
“I can’t—Neil, it won’t get any bigger.”
He took it from her and forced the buckle to move. When it was wide enough, he stuck his hand down into the seat and pulled out the other end of the device. Jamming the buckle home, he tightened it so the child’s body was snug in Chloe’s arms.
“That should do it.” He’d turned the overhead light on so they could see the unfamiliar seat belt. “Hey—do you know you’re—”
She curled her hand into a fist. “I know.”
“From where?”
“Just get us to your place, please. We can deal with it there.”
“You sure?”
She wiped her palm down the side of her leg, hoping the raindrops washed enough blood away so she wouldn’t get any on Penny. “I’m sure.”
He backed out, and waited for the other two cars to pull in line behind them. They could just manage to see the headlights as he started creeping away from the house.
Neil hadn’t exaggerated. He skirted trees and downed power lines. Rain continued to pound against the truck. She held her child against her chest securely in case something hit them. She had just found Penny—it would take more than Mother Nature’s fury to pull the girl from her arms now.
The intersection was a raging vortex. The headlights illuminated what appeared to be a stream, debris swirling and heaped against the road signs. A VW Bug, tipped on its side, was partially submerged in the center.
