“As rare as a unicorn,” he said.
“How did you get the scar?” a wife asked.
“When you see a unicorn, you chase it. So I followed it, all snorting fire and smoke, seductive. If I’d died right then, I would’ve died a happy man. I tossed aside everything I knew about safety to get closer. I was about a hundred yards away when she hit some farm equipment. The last thing I remember was a combine headed my way. I woke up to a bright blue sky, birds singing and the worst burning I’d ever felt. I was stripped down to my skivvies and like the succubus she was, I was left with this to remember her by.” Tuck finished his tale with a raised glass. “To tornadoes, may they dance across the sky but never across a man’s body.”
The clinking glass and hearty cheers ensured at least another hundred, maybe two hundred dollars before the night’s end.
He fought the urge to scratch at his scar. Every time he told that story it itched, as if punishing him for the fable. In truth, he’d gotten the scar when he was fifteen trying to outrun the Sheriff after getting caught in his daughter’s bedroom. A recent growth spurt had made him clumsy and rather than hurdle the barbwire with ease, he’d gotten all tangled up.
The group chattered, mesmerized by the secrets Mother Nature kept and how lucky they were that their benevolent tour guide survived this brush with danger.
Tuck reclined against the wall, studying the people of this roadside bar. Bikers and cowboys mingled and played pool. Everyone laughed. Smiles and good cheer flowed as freely as the beer.
Except for one table. He could tell by the long, curly brunette hair that it was the same girl he’d seen out in the field earlier that day. She’d walked toward the storm, her head held high and her small hands clenched in fists. It was an occupational hazard to notice anyone getting too close, but something about her posture told him she was in control.
He took another drink, studying the girl over the rim of his glass. Her face came in and out of view, the man sitting across from her fidgeted. A lot. His big head blocked most of Tuck’s view. Finally, her companion got up from the table.
Her eyes were cast down, studying the remnants of a destroyed beer label. Long, wavy hair framed her delicate, yet determined, face. A thin, straight nose pointed down to Cupid’s bow lips punctuated by a dimple in her chin. As if sensing being watched, her gaze shot up from the table and found his face.
His heart somersaulted before taking a free fall to his feet. He tried to shift his gaze, but everything was frozen, his feet, his hands, even his lungs burned from needing to draw in another breath.
The guy sitting across her took his seat, breaking the spell her eyes cast on him.
“Is that it?” the teenager asked.
“What’s that, son?” Tuck felt the words squeeze past the lump in his throat.
“Is that the only scar you got?”
“Yeah, that’s it, kid.”
It was a bigger lie than the tall tale of the fire tornado. He did have another scar, but he wasn’t about to show that to no one. No matter how much money they offered.
11
The tarnished dancer twirled in loose circles below Elaina’s rearview mirror. She watched until the momentum slowed to a standstill. She could relate. The momentum she’d felt after that wedge tornado had faded in the days since.
Like the first scene, it felt both solid and fluid. Frozen in time with the edges beginning to melt away. Maybe this memory was from having her tonsils removed. Or, had she gone to work with her mom and got lost in the hospital labyrinth?
Hell, maybe Heath was right. Maybe something had flown into her head and her brain was bleeding, slowly killing her.
As if sensing the thought, Nim whined beside her.
“Don’t worry, Nimby, I’m not going anywhere.” Elaina looked at the clock on her dash and jumped out of the truck. “Except to see Dr. Pierce. Come on, buddy.”
A meeting with her advisor would screw her head back on straight, even if she was just catching him for a few minutes between classes.
These images were distracting her, not just out in the field but while she worked in the lab and graded under-grad papers. Her focus and attention impacted more than just her; Heath, Nimbus, her mom and all the people who may one day lie in the path of a storm she missed. A visit to the guru would put it back into perspective.
Her mind closed off the images of the scene in the hospital, but her heart wouldn’t let go of the sensation of it. That was what clung to Elaina. Not seeing the room from the eyes of a child, but the jumble of emotion. Fear, sadness, loss and confusion.
Those were adult emotions, not a child’s, right? Would a story that came from nowhere stab her stomach with the same ferocity?
Thoughts whirled around her head as fast as a cyclone and she let her dog lead her to the science building. It was a route he knew well, both from accompanying Elaina to the lab for the past couple of years but also because the science building was where they’d met.
Sometimes, she could still see him as she found him, a cold, wet bundle of yellow fur cowering against the heavy doors. No sign of other pups, or his mom, not another human being around. It was as if he’d appeared out of nowhere.
She shuddered in the warm sunlight. Did she appeared out of nowhere, too?
Nim took his usual place on the top step, looking out over the campus, to relax in the sun.
Elaina was still swimming in thoughts and emotions when she approached Dr. Pierce’s door, so lost in her head she didn’t pause to knock or wait to listen for voices. She rounded the corner into Pierce’s office and tripped over long, outstretched legs. “Oof,” she grunted, catching herself on the edge of the desk.
“Elaina, are you okay?” Dr. Pierce wheeled from behind the table.
The offending legs hopped upright.
She studied his shoes, sturdy hiking boots with the laces double knotted, before moving up the jeans, a medium dark wash, past the bright blue polo shirt before settling on the white embroidered logo. Forecast Channel. Does he have a million of these shirts?
Her face warmed as her gaze found Seth Maddux’s over-confident smile.
“I’m fine,” she managed to get through her gritted teeth. Her mouth twitched, wanting to say more, but her filter clamped down hard.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Dr. Pierce continued, seemingly oblivious to Seth’s self-satisfied face and her scowl. “Elaina Adams, Seth Maddux. Seth is a reporter with the Forecast Channel. Elaina is my brightest doctoral candidate.”
Seth’s smile widened. “We met, briefly, down in Texas. Thanks for that exercise tip, by the way, I feel tighter already.” He punctuated his sentence with a wink.
“Oh, uh, yeah, um,” the words tripped over Elaina’s tongue. Sweat pricked at her forehead. She might be the first case of spontaneous human combustion by humiliation.
“Seth is here to learn more about tornados, his field of study was hurricanes.”
I would’ve guessed his field of study to be himself.
“And, he’s going to do a profile on me,” her advisor continued, his eyes glancing down at his frozen legs. “But first, I must teach great minds, or a handful of half-decent ones. Freshmen. Elaina, do you mind showing him around campus and telling him a little about your research?”
A dozen half-baked excuses flashed through her mind, but Dr. Pierce ushered them out of his office before one rose to the occasion.
Seth and Elaina stared at each other, neither speaking until the elevator doors closed with her professor on board, and safely out of earshot.
“Well, this certainly makes my afternoon more exciting.” He leaned against the wall, his arms crossing his chest.
She opened her mouth, but she was still too stunned to come up with a nasty retort.
“Nice shirt,” Seth said.
She glanced down at her t-shirt. It felt appropriate for her mood. ‘I’m More Confused Than a Chameleon in a Bag of Skittles.’ Did he see her as witty or juvenile? Did she care? “Com
e on, I don’t have all day.” Elaina turned and strode down the hall.
Seth caught up to her quickly.
She jogged down the steps, intentionally keeping her breathing normal despite her burning lungs, and he took the stairs two at a time.
Her eyes watered against the bright sunlight reflecting off the concrete.
Nim bounded up as soon as she burst through the doors, but he took a step back when Seth followed. Her dog had never met a stranger, but he likely sensed the frustration coursing through her blood.
“He’s with me, Nimbus.” As soon as she spoke, the few hairs that stood up on his back went flat and he pranced over to Seth.
The reporter fell to one knee and ran his fingers through her dog’s thick coat. “Well, aren’t you a handsome guy? I bet you have your paws full keeping Elaina out of trouble.”
Her duplicitous dog yelped and whirled around, giving Seth a prime opportunity to scratch his butt.
“Should I leave you two alone?”
“You got any tips for me buddy?”
Elaina rolled her eyes and jogged down the steps. One of those idiots will follow me.
“You’re jealous,” Seth said, catching up to her with Nim following close behind.
“Of…?”
“That your dog likes me,” he said.
His voice had a lyrical cadence to it that made her think of slow summer afternoons. Nothing like the indefinable accent she’d heard while watching his show. Not that she’d ever admit to watching him on TV, even if tied down and hot pokers were applied to her feet.
“He also likes to lick himself, but that doesn’t mean I’m envious of his butt.”
She intended that remark to shut him up, not make Seth double over in laughter. Elaina stopped walking and put her hands on her hips.
He laughed with his whole face. His eyes crinkled into tiny slits that barely let any of the blue show through, his mouth stretched wide and his nose twitched just a little.
Not that she noticed any of that, either.
“So, what do you need?” Elaina asked. “For your interview with Dr. Pierce.”
Seth’s laughter subsided, and his blue eyes opened up like the sky after a storm. With an outstretched arm, he let her lead them.
Her need to rush gone, she took a slower pace down the path. Patches of students dotted the lawn, taking advantage of the warming day. She’d never been one of those coeds. If the sky was blue, she had no interest in being outside. It was the gray, angry days that got her out of the lab and tilting her face up.
“Tell me about him.” Seth’s words were serious, yet gentle.
Elaina shrugged. “Where should I begin? He’s my mentor. Taught me everything I know,” she slowed to wait for Nim to catch up. “He’s my biggest cheerleader, but doesn’t sugar coat it if I miss anything.”
“Does he miss being out in the field?”
“I’m sure he does.” She tried to sneak a look at his face from the corner of her eye, but all she could see was that damn logo that reminded her he was out for ratings and nothing more. “But you would need to ask him that.”
They walked in silence, Seth not pushing for more information on her professor and Elaina not offering it. She wasn’t on a set path, just weaving through the buildings and students hurrying to class. It felt good to move, to be among people and outside of her head, away from the images of doctors and a white room, to distance herself from the fear and the suffocating sadness.
“So, the thing you need to know about tornadoes,” Elaina said to fill the quietude that felt too comfortable. “Is to stay out of my way in the field.”
“Does that include your yoga practice?”
Heat rushed her body at the smile in his words.
I hope I remembered deodorant this morning.
She stopped under the canopy of a giant oak tree. Its newly sprouted leaves gave her much needed shade to cool the sweat threatening to spill down her face. “Since you asked, yes.”
He took a seat at the bench under the tree, patting the spot next to him. Before Elaina could sit, Nim jumped up and nuzzled the annoying reporter. No treats for you for a month.
“Your dog doesn’t think I bite.”
“My dog is a sucker for anyone who will scratch his ears.”
“I’m pretty good at it. Want me to scratch yours?”
“I don’t have time for this.” She turned and took two steps back the way they’d come.
“Elaina, I’m teasing,” Seth called out. “Lighten up a little. It’s a beautiful day, the atmosphere is stable; nothing’s going to happen.”
Nimbus doggie-smiled at her when she sat on the other side of him, as if he’d joined Team Seth and celebrated winning a round.
“Tell me about your research.”
Elaina took a deep breath. This was good practice; explaining it in very plain terms would help her with presenting their findings. “Not every supercell produces a tornado. It takes a very specific formula to get the air circulating like that.”
“I know, you need a drop in barometric pressure, a clash of warm and cold,” Seth gave her a lopsided grin. “I may not be weeks away from having doctor before my name, but I did study the science of it, Elaina.”
Science he wanted, science he was about to get.
She mentally rolled up her sleeves and got to work. “Okay, fine. We believe there’s a point in tornado genesis before the fronts collide and the storm drops,” she looked across the quad.
Students passed by, some walking alone, some in pairs and small groups. “It’s like love.” She pointed at a couple walking together hand in hand. “Take them, what is it in each of them that made that connection? Just because two people are sitting together doesn’t mean they’ll fall in love. There’s a catalyst in each of them.” Elaina broke her stare when the couple’s lips met, feeling her face warm for what felt like the eleventy billionth time that day. She glanced at Seth, checking to see if he was following her explanation.
The look on his face was intense, concentration and curiosity. “You’re trying to find the butterfly theory for tornadoes,” he nodded slowly, arching an eyebrow. “I’m impressed. We’ve been using that for years with hurricanes.”
“Well, yes, but it’s different, you have a week or more to prepare for a hurricane. It’s like watching a marathon. Long, slow and boring.”
He laughed. “Boring?” his voice raised an octave causing Nim to quirk his head. “There’s nothing boring about sustained two hundred mile per hour winds and eighteen foot high storm surges.”
“You have days to get people out of the way.” She shifted on the bench to face him. “I have minutes, maybe an hour or so if we’re lucky. And even then, things can change fast. Once that hurricane’s on a track, it’s on the track.”
“You’re right, but a tornado can affect no one or a handful of people.” Seth turned to face her and leaned forward.
Nim hopped down on the ground as if trying to get out of the crosshairs.
“A hurricane can wipe out whole towns.”
“There’s nothing mysterious about hurricanes.” Elaina’s whole face was hot and her pulse pounded in her ears. She probably resembled an angry tomato. “What you see is what you get.”
He reclined, crossing his arms and resting his right ankle across his left knee. “What’s wrong with that?”
Were they still talking about storms?
She reclined and folded her arms across her chest.
Red stained his cheeks and the Forecast Channel logo heaved.
Their gazes were locked, and as much as she wanted to look away, his sky blue eyes held her hostage.
“Elaina!” Her research partner calling her name paid the ransom. Heath jogged up to them. “I’m glad I ran into you,” he paused and looked over at Seth, recognition widening his eyes behind his thick glasses. “Oh, I know you. I really enjoy your show, man.” He offered a hand.
“Seth, this is my research partner Heath Bryant.”
&nbs
p; Her friend joined the same time-out team as her dog and professor.
“Wish I could chat, but I got a class to teach,” Heath turned to Elaina. “We’re still on for dinner, right? Chloe is going to kill me if you back out. She swears you and Harrington are the perfect match.” Heath started back-pedaling.
Was really heading to class, or trying to outrun her?
“Six-thirty,” Heath added.
She stared at the retreating figure of her friend. For someone so tall, he moved away from her at lightning speed.
“Harrington?” Seth mumbled.
Elaina flashed her winningest smile. She pushed herself up from the bench and stretched. “Now who’s jealous?” Even though she moved back into the sunlight, she missed the cozy warmth of the bench. “Come on, Nim.”
Her dog whined once before leaving Seth, and jogging after her.
12
A force field around the doorbell prevented Elaina from pushing it. Soft jazz harmonized with voices, and wafted out the open window beside her. A warm yellow glow lit the stained glass window at the door.
Nothing screamed scary, intimidating, awkward. It was the whisper of expectation that made her fidget outside Heath and Chloe’s door.
That, and the white eyelet dress she wore to appease her friend. She shuffled her boots, smiling at the little nuanced victory. Heath had said to wear a dress, but he didn’t say anything about what shoes to wear with it.
Her phone rang and she fumbled through her purse.
The door flashed open just as her cell materialized and danced in the air like fish out of water.
Elaina caught it before it hit the welcome mat.
Heath’s name faded from the screen as she looked up to see him staring down at her with his phone to his ear. “You thought about bailing, didn’t you?”
“I just got here.” She stood, tilting her chin up to add a precious half-inch to her height.
“Liar,” he whispered before opening the door wider. “I heard your truck pull up seven minutes ago.”
Elaina’s jaw dropped. Next time she’d have to park further down the street.
Vortex Page 7
