Blown Away

by K'Anne Meinel

  “Yes, and that data will still be necessary,” she emphasized. “I think though that this further project will help beyond that,” she gestured to the other project they were working on in the lab; she had cornered Ellen when she came to check up on the results of some of their experiments.

  “How in the heck are you gonna be able to reverse a tornado?” Ellen asked as she glanced at what the girl was presenting her and remembered her comments at the fire.

  “Not really reverse it but perhaps cause the effects to dissipate,” she argued. “A tornado is caused by updrafts and downdrafts. You know, when a thunderstorm occurs?” She waited for Ellen to nod before she hurried on, “That unstable air interacts with something like a wind shear and that tilting of the wind shear forms the tornado.”

  Ellen was with her, she understood what she was saying. “But how can you stop that, it’s Mother Nature. I thought you guys wanted to help with an early warning system and to understand what happens in a tornado?”

  “We do, this data,” she pointed to the boards of figures and facts as well as the piles of paperwork they were all working on, models and computer generated graphics. “This will help me with my theory. If we can shoot into the clouds that form such,” she indicated a model of a tornado. “Like they do to make it rain,” she explained and Ellen nodded again. “Then perhaps we can decrease the likelihood of such an occurrence.”

  Ellen realized the idea had merit. “I think you are arguing your doctorate,” she said with a smile. “Okay, you work out a budget. You can base your data on what the team has found here,” she indicated the work they had been doing for a while on their grants. “If your team wants to continue or anyone else wants to come on board, they better realize the money is drying up,” she told her seriously. “I want specs and everything in a few months,” she told the excited girl.

  “Oh I will, I will! Thank you Ellen, thank YOU!” she spontaneously hugged the red headed executive.

  Ellen laughed at her exuberance. She knew that sponsoring such technology would have a two-fold benefit. While it was being worked on it was a tax write-off. If anything came of it, if it worked at all, they could profit from it. It hopefully would be a win-win situation for everyone involved. She just hoped no one got killed chasing tornados for the data.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  LIFE ALTERING

  Ellen had never felt more nervous than she had tonight. She had planned it out to the minutest detail. She didn’t count on her girlfriend being late and she impatiently paced the bedroom floor, her heels tapping on the hardwood floor, then the area rug, then the hardwood floor…echoes could be heard.

  When she heard a car pull up in the driveway and saw the headlights she rushed down the stairs to open the door for Rae.

  “Where have you been? I’ve called…” she looked at her dripping girlfriend; she was soaked from the rain.

  “I’m sorry, I got a flat tire. My phone died as I got a hold of AAA and fortunately they came to change it but it took forever in that afternoon traffic from the city,” she apologized and then stared at the beautiful outfit Ellen was wearing. “We were going out this evening,” she said horrified and looked down at what she was wearing. “Was it important?” she asked trying not to feel like an idiot for not remembering.

  “Yes it was important. Here,” she said grabbing a scarf from the coat rack by the door. “You run up and change and clean up, I’ll change the reservations,” she offered.

  Rae sagged in defeat. “Do we have to go? Can we go another night? I’m just exhaust…” she started and then looking at the look on Ellen’s face, the disappointment, she changed her tone. “I’m sorry, I’ll go change…”

  “No, no,” Ellen sighed. “You are tired, that rain takes it out of you. Let’s go up and both change. We’ll have a quiet night here at home. I think there is some lasagna left in the fridge we can heat up,” she said with a smile, hoping that Rae couldn’t hear the disappointment she was feeling.

  “No, you said this was important, we can go out…”

  “No, it can wait, you’re soaking and I don’t want you to get sick. C’mon,” she said putting her arm around her soaked girlfriend, ruining her own silk dress at the contact. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes,” she urged her towards the stairs, dripping on the floor.

  “But it was impor…” she began again and then sneezed, ruining her argument.

  “Let’s get you in the shower, turn on the steam, and get you warm inside. I’ll change and put in the lasagna,” Ellen told her as she helped her up the stairs. Rae didn’t argue, she had known that the meeting or whatever it was with Ellen was important and for her to cancel it like this, she appreciated it. She felt horrible; she’d tried to change the flat herself but was ever so grateful when the tow truck showed up. It was too late though by then, she was cold, tired, and soaked to the bone. Going out was not on her mind, just getting home was. Rae was soon stripped and in the shower, she poked her head out to ask Ellen to get her something when she heard her on the phone cancelling their reservations, she felt like a perfect heel.

  Ellen was annoyed; she’d stripped out of the sexy silk dress she had purchased for just this occasion. She downgraded to sweats and socks, not exactly the most beautiful thing to wear for what she had planned, but she didn’t want Rae to get ill and it only made sense to stay home anyway with this weather. She cursed the weather and went downstairs after cancelling her reservations. She could hear the annoyance in their voice over her cancellation; after all, she had ‘name-dropped’ to get it in the first place.

  She went downstairs and found the leftover lasagna in the fridge. Having turned on the oven to preheat, she removed the cardboard lid from the container and replaced it with tin foil. Sliding the tin into the oven, she smiled in anticipation of eating this delicious concoction. Leaving it she went to the den and lit a fire, at least they might have a romantic ambiance.

  She quickly headed to the wine cellar to select an appropriate bottle of wine. In the end, Ellen chose a full-bodied red with a fruity taste which would complement both the lasagna and the occasion. She lit a few candles and placed them around the den. Grabbing a blanket she spread it out on the floor so they could have a picnic. She hurried back to the kitchen to the check on the lasagna and to butter some bread, slipping it into a pan and putting it into the oven next to the heating lasagna.

  “Everything okay?” Rae asked from the doorway.

  Ellen looked up and saw Rae in a ratty old bathrobe with Kleenex shoved up her nose. “Are you okay?” she asked alarmed.

  “Oh, I think I have the sniffles. There is no anti-histamine in the bathroom, I thought I’d check here in the kitchen,” she stated as she shuffled in bunny rabbit slippers towards the cabinet where they kept aspirin and other pills.

  Ellen watched her dispassionately, the appearance was very unappealing and she wondered how much Rae would regret her choice in the morning.

  “I can smell that,” Rae said cheerfully as she pulled the Kleenex from her red nose.

  Ellen smiled but wondered if Rae should go back to bed. “Are you going to be okay?” she worried.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she smiled as she found the pills she was looking for and pulled the box out to open it and pop out a couple of pills. “Do we have any orange juice?” she asked as she reached for the refrigerator door.

  “I think so, in the door,” Ellen answered watching her. Rae pulled out the carafe and Ellen reached for a glass to hand to her.

  “Thank you,” Rae said with a nasal twang from her stopped up nose.

  Ellen watched her pop the pills in her mouth and chase them down with the orange juice. A nice, healthy combination. “Maybe you should go to bed,” she suggested, disappointed as her other plans crumbled once again.

  “Naw, I’ll be fine. I want some of that lasagna,” she said smiling around the glass she was drinking the orange juice from.

  “I could bring you a tray,” Ellen offered helpfully.


  “I want to eat with you,” Rae sounded petty and childish, almost as though she was about to throw a tantrum.

  Ellen chuckled. “I have a fire started in the fireplace in the den, I’ll bring this in when it’s ready,” she indicated the oven.

  “Trying to get rid of me?”

  She laughed again. “No, just getting you off your feet. I’ll pamper you baby.”

  “Aww, that’s sweet.”

  “Yeah, that’s me, sweet,” she said sardonically and they both shared a laugh. Sweet was not a word that was used in conjunction with Ellen, ever.

  “I could just kiss you,” she threatened and they laughed again. It was good to be this comfortable with each other.

  “Please, don’t,” she grinned to soften the plea.

  “Fine, be that way. I’m going to the den then,” she said with a wink and headed down the hallway towards the room carrying her glass of orange juice.

  Ellen watched her go and sighed, this evening, this perfect evening, all ruined by the rain.

  The lasagna was done not too much later and Ellen served it up on two plates along with the bread and put both on a tray. Adding the carafe of orange juice, another glass, and some silverware and napkins, she hefted the tray, balancing it in her hands, and carrying it along the hall. She saw that Rae had grabbed the blanket off the floor, ruining her plans for a picnic, and was sitting on the couch, wrapped in the blanket.

  “Hungry?” she asked to announce her presence.

  “Cold,” Rae said in return.

  “This will warm you up,” Ellen said as she put the tray across Rae’s legs that were stretched out on the sofa. “Here, let me top that off,” she said pouring more orange juice into Rae’s glass and pouring some into her own. She carefully put the carafe on a side table and then distributed the plates between them, dividing up the silverware and napkins between them.

  “Gawd, I can smell that despite this cold,” Rae breathed in appreciatively at the aroma of the lasagna.

  “I hope you can taste it too.”

  They both dug into the tasty treat and used the bread to sop up the sauces that spilled across the plate. It was delicious, even as leftovers. The fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace; they could hear the rain coming down outside and a bit of wind blew it against the windows now and then. Otherwise it was peaceful and quiet.

  That was something Ellen appreciated about Rae, she didn’t need to chat and keep her entertained. They both relished the peace and quiet, especially after a hard day. Finishing up their respective plates Ellen stacked the dirty ones on the tray and offered more orange juice to Rae but when she refused she poured the rest in own glass.

  “Man, listen to that,” Rae commented as a particularly strong gust of wind sent large drops of water against the large windows.

  “I’d rather not,” Ellen said tightly as she moved aside the tray from Rae’s lap.

  “Oh yeah, I forgot you hate that,” Rae said trying to lighten the moment and feeling bad that she had forgotten. “So what was tonight that you had to cancel?” she asked curiously.

  Ellen shrugged, putting her stocking clad feet on the coffee table. “Nothin’,” she stated dismissively.

  “C’mon, I know you better than that,” Rae tried to cajole her.

  “Well, there was somethin’,” she said and glanced up at her, wondering if she should go ahead with her plan.

  “Well? Out with it? I’m all ears.”

  Ellen looked up with a grin and glanced at the ears under her chestnut colored hair. “Are you?” she asked.

  “I hide them well.”

  Ellen chuckled like she was supposed to. She’d planned to ask her a real important question and changing her plans twice hadn’t been conducive to the romance she had hoped for.

  “C’mon, quit hedging. You didn’t light the candles for nothin’,” she gestured to the votive candles placed strategically around the room.

  Ellen knew there was no fooling Rae; she was too astute, too clever, even fogged up with her antihistamine. She still looked horrible, wrapped in the blanket with her tacky bathrobe; she even had the rabbit slippers still on. Sighing, she supposed she could wait but she didn’t want to wait and she hoped Rae would appreciate the gesture. “Well, I had planned this out better,” she began, suddenly feeling nervous. “But…”

  “I ruined it with coming home late and the rain,” Rae finished for her sighing loudly.

  “No, you didn’t ruin anything,” she protested, although secretly thinking it had been ruined. “I just had to regroup.”

  “Regroup?”

  “Replan?” she reworded.

  “Replan what?” she frowned.

  Ellen turned to her and slipped off the edge of the couch, getting down on one knee. “Rae,” she said grabbing her left hand. “Would you marry me?” she got out quickly before she could think too much.

  To say she was surprised was an understatement. She realized now why Ellen had been wearing the silk dress. She had planned something much more romantic than this. She glanced around at the finished carafe of orange juice and the dirty plates of lasagna. She realized the blanket she had wrapped around herself that she had found on the floor must have been part of Ellen’s alternative plan. She’d ruined it! “Oh, I ruined your plans,” she said horrified, her right hand covering her mouth.

  Ellen grinned at the expression on Rae’s face as she waited patiently for an answer to her question.

  “You planned something romantic,” she stated, realizing what had happened in an instant. “And then I ruined it,” she started to cry. She was feeling crappy and realizing the trouble Ellen had probably gone to on her behalf, she started crying.

  Ellen was still waiting for an answer to her question. Seeing Rae start to cry annoyed her and at the same time tugged at her heart strings. “Baby, don’t cry, please don’t cry,” she pleaded.

  Rae looked down at Ellen, looking up at her so prettily and the question she had asked finally penetrated her befuddled mind. “Did you…?” she began and started crying harder.

  “Did I what?” Ellen asked confused, she was still holding Rae’s left hand, kneeling at the side of the couch.

  Rae swallowed down her sobs, it was messing with her nose, and she sniffed deeply making a horrible sound that was gross. “Did you just ask me to marry you?” she asked through the tears. She knew she had heard her but she wanted to hear it again.

  Ellen rolled her eyes. Even the attempt at proposing to her girlfriend had been screwed up. “Yes, yes I did,” she said exasperatedly. “And what is your answer?” she asked.

  Rae began to cry harder and nod, “Yes, YES, YES!” she shouted and then choked on some of the phlegm and started coughing. It took a long while for her to stop and she used her Kleenex to cough into.

  “Jeez, are you okay?” Ellen asked concerned.

  Nodding Rae waved her away as she tried to calm her cough and get a hold of herself. Finally she was able to draw a deep breath and shuddered to calm the sobs that wanted to take hold again. Breathing clearly she coughed a couple more times before she tried to speak. “Did…did you mean it?” she asked unsure of herself suddenly.

  “Of course I meant it silly,” Ellen said as she got up off the floor to sit next to her. “Are you okay?” she asked again, not sure if the tears or the cold were getting to her.

  “Well, usually when someone asks someone to marry them there’s a ring,” Rae got out and another series of coughs shook her. The phlegm in her throat wasn’t helping things, much less the tears.

  “Oh shit, I forgot,” Ellen popped up, racing out of the room. She had planned to have the ring in her purse at the restaurant and drop it into some champagne. When she had to cancel that plan she had planned to have the romantic meal on the blanket, she’d forgotten to bring the ring down when Rae suddenly appeared in the kitchen. Running up the stairs she was out of breath as she searched for and found the ring box in her purse. Checking that the ring was still in th
e box, with all the snafu’s this evening; she was worried that something else would go wrong. She hurried down the stairs, nearly slipping on a wet spot from the rainwater that had dripped off of Rae. Swearing under her breath she entered the study.

  “What’s wrong?” Rae asked as she craned her neck to look over her shoulder.

  “Oh nothin’,” Ellen said airily as she rushed across the room. Kneeling again, she nearly groaned at how her knee felt on the hard floor. Even through the area rug it still hurt kneeling on it once again. Flicking open the ring box she presented it to the woman on the couch.

  It was at that moment that Rae realized how inappropriately she was dressed. The ratty bathrobe, the fluffy bunny slippers, her dripping nose…she wanted to cry again as she gazed at the brilliant array of diamonds before her. “Oh, it’s beautiful,” she said starting to cry again, despite trying not to.

  Ellen grinned as she rose up painfully from the floor, her knee cracking and causing her to cringe as she straightened it out. Gently she took Rae’s left hand and pulled the diamond ring from its box. “Are you sure?” she asked one last time. At Rae’s emphatic nod she pushed the ring on her third finger. “I’d kiss you but…” she began teasingly but found her face being captured and Rae kissing her despite the cold.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said when she sat back to admire the ring, holding out her hand before her, the fireplace beyond it shining brightly.

  “Do you like it?” Ellen asked, her arm around the sick woman, holding her close.

  “Oh, I more than like it,” Rae assured her.

  “Good, now my job’s done, it’s up to you now,” Ellen said, the teasing note in her voice making Rae look up at her in question.

  “What’s up to me now?” she challenged.

  “Well, you have to plan a wedding now,” she told her smugly.

  “Nuh uh, this is a group activity and you are part of this group,” she said waving her thumb, pointing at the two of them.

  “Team baby, we’re a team,” Ellen gently corrected her with a laugh.

  “We are,” she said, sniffing loudly.