by Jodi Thomas
Aunt Pat came in, moving slower than usual. Her arthritis bothered her on rainy days, but she managed a smile for them all. As she did every morning, she pulled on an apron and wanted to help. Before Reagan could stop her, she got out the eggs and set to work.
When no one seemed to want to talk, Pat said, “You know, I’ve been thinking. It only makes sense for all of us to load up and head over to my place. It’s only next door, so it should be no great problem and we’ve got a full basement to wait out the storm in. I would make a big pot of coffee and we’d be snug as bugs in a rug down there.”
Jeremiah frowned. “I’ve been in this house all my life and it hasn’t crumbled down around me yet. I don’t see any point in getting wet moving from one place to another.”
“Now, Jeremiah.” She pointed a wooden spoon at him.
“Don’t you ‘now’ me. I’m just fine where I am. You’ll be safe here too. That’s the trouble with you Mathesons, you always think what you got is bigger and better than what other folks build.”
“That’s not true. I never built anything in my life, Jeremiah Truman, and you know it.”
“No you taught school and everybody knows it’s the know-it-alls who think they can teach.”
They argued while she cooked. No one else chose to step into the ring with the two senior citizens, but they did wake Noah up since he slept one wall away from the kitchen.
He came in wearing his pajama bottoms, stood right between them, and called off the fight.
Neither of them listened to him.
When he tried again, Aunt Pat spatulaed a fried egg up against the side of his face, and Jeremiah laughed so hard they finally stopped yelling. Noah managed to eat half the egg off his face before it hit the floor.
He tried to sit down at the table, but Aunt Pat informed him that only wild animals eat before they’re properly dressed and washed. He complained as loudly as Jeremiah had, but he left the room to pull on jeans and a shirt.
Pat yelled after him, “Are you sure you don’t have some Truman blood in you, boy?”
“No,” he yelled back. “Or Matheson, thank God. My family has had to put up with both of you for a hundred years and I’m telling you, from the stories I’ve heard it hasn’t been easy.”
“Hush your complaining,” both Pat and Jeremiah yelled, finally agreeing on something.
The subject of relocating was tabled along with breakfast and everyone sat down to eat. Jeremiah told a story about how back in the dust bowl days, people used to eat as fast as they could so the dust wouldn’t cover the food before they finished.
“It feels that way today,” Reagan whispered. “Dust as fine as sand seems to be sifting through the floors of this old house, making everything and everyone seem like I’m looking at them through dirty glasses.”
“It’ll clear out soon.” Foster smiled. “The rain’ll come. Then we won’t have to worry about dust. We’ll have to watch for leaks.”
Noah shook his head. “News says we might get tornadoes before dark.”
No one spoke. They just ate in silence. Reagan remembered something her math teacher said a few years back. He compared living in Texas with being a hockey fan. If you sit in the stands long enough, you’re going to get hit with the puck.
Halfway through the meal, Aunt Pat put her chubby worn hand on top of old Jeremiah’s rough wrinkled fingers and said, “I know your house will stand, but I want to be near my sister if the storm worsens and tornadoes are in the area. She’s always been afraid of them, Jeremiah. You know that. If the warning comes, will you come with me to make sure my family is all safe?”
To everyone’s shock, Jeremiah nodded. “We’ll all go. If it’ll make you feel better, Patricia. Lord knows you’ve been worried about Fatilla all her life. I wouldn’t expect you to stop now just because she’s out of your sight.” He stood and pulled up his walker. “I’ll go watch the news. Everyone else get ready. If it moves from a watch to a warning, we load up the cars and move to the Matheson basement.”
Pat followed him to the parlor, where the TV was already tuned in to the weather channel. They sat side by side.
“He gave in to her!” Reagan whispered in shock.
“Aunt Fat’s name is Fatilla?” Noah added, but no one was listening.
“He loves her,” Cindy said from the doorway. “I’d think all of you would have figured that out by now. She thumped Noah on the head as she passed him. “And don’t call Aunt Fat Fatilla. She told me she’s always hated her name.”
“And she likes Fat?” Noah rubbed his head.
“I think it’s kind of romantic,” Reagan whispered. “After all these years they are together.”
“Fatilla?” Noah glanced at Reagan. She looked like she might be the next to thump him so he stood, taking himself out of the line of fire. “I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m getting ready. That cloud’s too dark to be anything but a tornado mixer.”
Foster nodded. “I think we can get everyone in the van. I’ll take the meds; Cindy could you get blankets? If that watch turns to a warning, we’ll be headed over to the next place. Since we can’t take the path through the orchard in the van, we’ll have to drive around.”
Reagan felt a sense of panic at leaving her home, but she knew if Jeremiah went, she had to go with him. She locked away any important papers in the safe, turned off the gas just in case, and packed the pies she’d made. Other than that, she had no idea what to take to a tornado party.
When she walked back into the kitchen, everyone had gone but Noah. For a moment they just stood staring at each other. She felt close to him today, even though she hadn’t said anything about it. They were so much a part of each other. All her memories since she came to Harmony, since she started her real life, were wrapped around him. She loved him in a way deeper than boyfriend and girlfriend, different than family, stronger than friends. He was a part of her, and she guessed she was a part of him.
He frowned. “You going to tell me what to do when you get that age?”
“Probably,” she guessed. “Why?”
He looked like he wanted to cuss, but he just said, “I think it may take me a while to get used to the idea. I don’t like following orders, so don’t expect much out of me. Maybe you should look for someone easier to boss around.”
“Shut up,” she ordered. The one moment she thought fine lace bound them, he must have seen a rope . . . maybe with a noose on the end of it.
He hesitated, as if he planned to argue, then changed his mind and leaned across the corner of the kitchen table and kissed her. “I do like kissing you, Rea. Think we might make it a habit whenever I’m home?”
She shrugged, not liking the idea that he would be leaving soon. This was the first time he’d mentioned going back. Now that it was in his mind, she had a feeling it wouldn’t be long.
When he pulled away, he asked, “You still comparison shopping?”
“Maybe.” If he wanted to keep it light, she could too.
Chapter 47
WRIGHT FUNERAL HOME
TYLER SPENT THE MORNING GOING BETWEEN WORKING and checking on Kate. She slept late, and then about midmorning he found her visiting with Autumn in the kitchen.
When he dropped by a half hour later he had the strange feeling he was interrupting their conversation, so he grabbed a few cookies and disappeared. When he returned to check on lunch, Kate was talking on the phone. A few minutes later he saw her heading up the stairs. When she came down all dressed, she said she was having lunch with Martha Q.
He tried to hide his disappointment. “I’ll drive you. It’s raining,” he said.
“Thank you.” She pulled on her raincoat and they hurried out.
Nether said a word in the car. After holding each other all night, they didn’t seem to know how to break the polite silence between them. He wanted to say how much he loved her being next to him, but somehow he was afraid that words, any words other than simple nothing conversation, might frighten her off.
When he pulled up close to the Winter’s Inn porch, he turned to her. “I’ll be back in an hour. There’s a tornado watch out. If it turns into a warning I’d like you to be back at the home with me. Those foot-thick walls will weather anything. I’m not so sure about Martha Q’s house.”
Kate nodded and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. The kiss was awkward for them both, but they were forming a habit.
He watched her run onto the porch. “You are so dear to me,” he whispered.
Sitting in the car, he felt like he’d been hanging out at a train station all morning. He wished he could have told her not to go, but just because they cuddled last night didn’t mean he had any vote in what she did.
She’d kissed his cheek as if to say, I’ll see you in an hour, dear.
Tyler smiled and went back to his work. He had no idea what was going on in Kate’s mind, but one kiss on the cheek convinced him that everything would be just fine.
He’d just finished lunch at his desk when Alex called from the sheriff’s office. Tyler picked up the phone thinking there might be some news about Leland. No one had seen or heard from him since he walked out after making bail. He’d simply vanished.
In the past few days Tyler had learned more about the man, and it was all bad. Alex told him about Leland’s list of arrests since his teen years on everything from petty theft to assault. Apparently, Autumn was only one of several young women he’d tried to beat into line. His MO seemed to be picking up girls in bars who were too drunk to fight him off after he offered to take them home. Then he moved in without being asked and tried threats and finally beatings if they didn’t want to play house with him.
Afraid there might be more bad news, Tyler tried to sound extra cheery when he picked up. “Good morning, Sheriff Matheson.”
“Not so good, Mr. Wright.”
He’d been the best man at her wedding. If she was calling him Mr. Wright, something was wrong. “What’s up?” he asked.
“The National Weather Bureau has issued a tornado watch for this afternoon. They say a wall cloud is already forming north of here, so we may be in for an active afternoon. No sightings near ground yet, but I wanted you to know that if it gets worse, we may need you at the fire station to man the phones and radios.”
“Of course.” He could already feel his pulse speeding. “Just give me a call and I’ll be there in five.” Thanks to Alex and Hank’s efforts, the town had a central place in times when both the fire department and the sheriff’s office needed to be on full alert. A few months ago the emergency teams at the hospital had signed on as well. Tyler had offered to help and found himself at the phones relaying messages from one agency to another. Now it appeared he might get to put all his training to work.
He drove over to pick up Kate ten minutes early and, to his surprise, she came out as if she’d been watching for him.
“How was lunch?” he asked as she shook the rain from her hair.
“Fine. Martha Q wants me to help with Dreaming and Scheming, but I told her I wasn’t sure I’d have time. When I’m here I want to give you a hand.”
“Really?”
“If you’d like.”
He pulled to the curb, leaned over, and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I’d like that, dear. I’d like that very much.”
She smiled, looking suddenly younger. “I’d like that too. In fact, the whole time I was having lunch with Martha Q, I was wishing I was back in your office having whatever Autumn brought us. I’ve got a ton of questions about your business. I guess until yesterday I really didn’t see how much you help people. You’re a good man, Ty.”
She moved over until they were almost touching. Once he was driving again, she said, “Now don’t pull over again, but I need to tell you one other thing about Martha Q.”
“All right.” Tyler knew whatever it was wouldn’t upset him after she’d just told him she wanted to be with him.
“Martha Q is on her way over to your place. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if her car is following us.”
“Why?” His first thought was that she wanted to plan a funeral, but as far as he knew no one around her was dying.
“I told her what you said about your place holding up if a tornado came and she agreed. She’s decided to camp out with us until this is over.”
“Great,” Tyler managed without too much enthusiasm. “We’ll make room for her.”
Kate laughed and patted his arm. “At least she’s not bringing Mrs. Biggs and her grandsons. Mrs. Biggs called her grandson who is still in high school and told him to meet her at the fire station. Her other grandson is already there working as one of the volunteers.”
When he pulled in the drive his cell rang. Tyler answered and said simply, “I’m on my way.”
Kate waited as he closed the phone. “I have to go man the phones. The tornado watch has moved to a warning. There have been sightings fifty miles from here, and it looks like they’re headed this way.”
“What can I do to help?” Kate was too much the soldier to look frightened.
At that moment Tyler Wright knew he loved Kate Cummings and he always would. “Get everyone downstairs. This building is probably the safest in town. There’s a comfortable room below with couches and a TV. Beth doesn’t like to go down there, but we have no one in the prep room right now so she shouldn’t object too much. When it’s over I’ll call and let you know it’s safe to come up.”
Kate nodded just as the siren on top of the town hall began to sound the alarm.
“You’d better get inside.” He touched her hand for only a second and then she was gone, running for the kitchen door.
Within minutes Tyler was at his station surrounded by volunteer firemen swarming in to be ready to help if trouble came. Bob McNabb took the seat on the opposite side of the table. With charts and phones lined up, they prepared. Every call had to be logged in. Every fireman who came in was listed and would be accounted for at all times. Tyler signed them in as they picked up radios and gave cell phone numbers.
Bob McNabb handed him a headset and Tyler took over. They’d stay in the bay with the phones ready unless a tornado came close, and then they’d all move to an underground storage room that was already set up like a bunker. Mrs. Biggs was in the kitchen. She’d have tons of coffee ready to pour into thermoses if men had to be sent out, and knowing Mrs. Biggs there would be double-fudge brownies for everyone when they came in after the storm had passed.
“Where’s Stella?” Tyler asked as they set everything in place. Bob’s wife was never far away from him. Sometimes when she helped out at the funeral home, Bob would sleep in the car waiting for her.
“She’s got one of her headaches. I made her go lie down in the basement. It’s quiet down there and if trouble comes I’ll be right beside her.”
Tyler’s first call was from Gabe Leary, who wanted to know what was happening. His new house on the canyon rim was a dirt road mile from Timber Line Road. From there he could be in town within a few minutes. The problem would be the first mile getting off his land in a rainstorm.
“Load up that pregnant wife of yours and come on into town.” Tyler didn’t have time for small talk. “I’ll call the hospital and tell her you’re on your way. Tell Liz that her brother said the safest place for anyone nine months pregnant to sit out a tornado is in the basement of the hospital.”
Hank was a few feet away organizing the others, but he nodded toward Tyler. “Tell her I’ll check on her as soon as this is over and tell that husband of my sister not to speed. I don’t have time to go pull him out of the mud.”
Gabe didn’t respond when Tyler tried to talk. Apparently, when he’d been told to move, he’d dropped the phone and headed to the car.
Tyler smiled. They’d be at the hospital long before any tornado could get near.
Hank thanked him and added, “I’ve heard a change in the weather can cause labor to start. The water breaks and the woman has her bloody show before she even knows s
he’s in labor.”
“More information than I need to know, Chief,” Brandon Biggs said as he signed in for duty. He asked Tyler about Autumn and seemed relieved to know that everyone at the funeral home was waiting out the storm in the basement.
Spotters began calling in reports of sightings and Hank marked them on the map. In this open country a tornado could touch ground a hundred times before it hit anything.
Everyone else at the station waited and listened to the weathermen telling people in the county to take cover. “We’ll all ride this one out underground.”
Chapter 48
DENVER TRIED TO CALL CLAIRE ON HER CELL TWICE AND at the Matheson ranch house a half dozen times during the day. He was moving from one plane to another, watching people, trying to not be conspicuous.
He followed the weather on his phone, always aware that storms or winds or even snow this late in some parts of the country could delay one flight and set his schedule off. While he watched the weather, he always checked Texas. Somehow it made him feel closer to her to know what the temperature was in her part of the country. A storm was moving in off the Rockies. Warm front coming up from the coast. The perfect mix for a tornado.
Denver never thought much about tornadoes. They were like earthquakes. Little or no warning. People who lived in tornado alley just did what they could, as fast as they could. No sandbags. No boarding up. No storing supplies. Just take cover. Be it underground or in a bathtub with a mattress over them, people prepared. Denver tried to picture Claire and her little Saralynn moving to an old game room in the basement. He had never thought to ask them what they did during the storms.
Only now, he had people he loved who might suffer. Gabe was like a brother and Liz would need help waddling to a storm shelter. And Claire, his beautiful, wild, sophisticated Claire. Who would be there to help her with her family? Who would be there to help her?
