A Rainbow Above Us

by Sharon Sala

“Bless your sweet heart,” Ella said softly.

  “What did you do?” Bowie asked.

  “I felt what I assumed was blood running out of my hair and down my neck, so I knew the talons had cut my scalp. I dropped to my hands and knees and crawled until I felt a wall, then inched my way to the back of the loft and waited for daylight. When it came, I went back to the hay door. Our house was gone, and I was too numb to care.”

  “How long were you there?” Bowie asked.

  “Until that evening. A neighbor came in his bass boat to check on us. He took me to his home. They’d suffered a lot of damage and were in the process of packing up to leave. I spent the night with them, and the next day, a sheriff’s deputy came looking for me. They’d found Daddy’s body. But Blessings was still flooded and without power, so they took the body to a neighboring town. I buried him in a cemetery among strangers.”

  “But if you were already out of the flood, how did you wind up back where you’d lived?” Ella asked.

  “A car from the funeral home was taking me back to my neighbors but couldn’t get up the hill because part of the road had collapsed while I was gone. So I got out and walked up. But the house was empty. Part of their roof had fallen in, and they were gone. I turned around and started walking to Blessings. It was closer, and the only place where I knew people. It was almost dark when the sheriff spotted me and took me to the nursing home, and you know the rest.” She shuddered, then covered her face with her hands. “I can’t find my way out of sad. I can’t stop dreaming of what happened. I’m broken.”

  Bowie laid his cheek against the top of her head. “Honey, we’re all broken. That’s what life does to us. Time doesn’t make anything better. It doesn’t make the sad stuff go away. But we figure out how to live within the new person we’ve become, and that’s where you are.”

  “I just want the nightmare to end,” Rowan said.

  “And it will,” Bowie said.

  Rowan took a few more sips of the hot chocolate, then leaned against Bowie’s chest, and closed her eyes.

  Ella rescued the mug and carried it back to the kitchen.

  “Aunt Ella, do me a favor and turn out all the lights except the one over the dining table,” Bowie asked.

  Ella began flipping switches, then turned the chandelier over the table down to dim.

  “I’m going back to bed,” she said.

  Bowie glanced down. Rowan was already asleep.

  “I’m not putting her down again,” he said.

  Ella nodded, then slipped back into the bedroom and shut the door.

  Bowie settled himself into a more comfortable position and leaned against the headboard, listening to the thunderstorm still rumbling overhead.

  Sometime around 3:00 a.m., he laid Rowan down, then stretched out beside her and covered them up. When he rolled over onto his side and pulled her close, she sighed.

  Minutes later, he was asleep.

  * * *

  Rowan woke up just before daybreak and saw Bowie watching her sleep. She hadn’t started the night in his bed.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “The storm triggered you. You called it a nightmare, but it’s more like PTSD.”

  “Oh no… Was it bad? Did I wake everyone up?”

  He reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes and smiled.

  “Pearl slept right through it.”

  Rowan threw back the covers and sat up.

  “What’s wrong?” Bowie asked.

  “They’re not going to want me living with them if I can’t even sleep through the night without losing it.”

  “They managed to live with newborn me, and all the years of crying at night, and potty training, so I’m real sure a few nightmares aren’t going to faze them.”

  She looked back at him, imagining him as a toddler being potty trained, and grinned.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Potty training,” she said.

  He chuckled. “Well, it’s a fact of every adult’s life, right?”

  Before she could answer, his alarm went off. He silenced it.

  “I need to shower and shave. Got a new hand coming this morning so I don’t want to be late.”

  “Really? Who?” she asked.

  “Junior Boone.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. “The kid who keyed your car?”

  “Yes. He showed up yesterday, wanting to work off some of the cost of fixing the car to lessen his debt. He seemed sincere and struck me as a decent enough kid. We’ll see how it goes.”

  Bowie got up and was across the room in three strides, shutting the bathroom door behind him as he went.

  Rowan watched, thinking he was as good-looking going as he was coming toward her, then got up and slipped into the girls’ room and that bathroom to get dressed.

  She came out minutes later and headed for the kitchen. She heard the shower go off and knew Bowie would be out soon. After starting a pot of coffee to brew, she got out two bowls and two spoons and then a box of cereal. She liked the look of their bowls side by side, and the nesting spoons added to the image of togetherness.

  Then she sighed. He’d already indicated his intentions, but she needed to confess something before it went any further.

  He came out, saw her waiting, and greeted her with a smile and a kiss.

  “Good morning, lady.”

  “Good morning. Do you have time to eat?”

  “With you? Always.”

  She got milk from the refrigerator and then sat down. Bowie chose the chair across from her and poured his bowl full of cereal, then added milk.

  Rowan did the same and waited a couple of minutes before she broached the subject.

  “If we’re going to be more than ‘not family,’ I have something to confess,” Rowan said.

  Bowie laid down his spoon, giving her his full attention. “Okay, but you need to know that I have no need to know anything about your past.”

  She sighed. “Just let me say this. I don’t like surprises, so I don’t want to spring this one on you, either.”

  “Duly noted,” he said. “You have my full attention.”

  “I have never made love,” she said.

  He reached across the table, his hand extended palm up. When she laid her hand in his, he grasped it gently.

  “If we’re starting off on full honesty, then I need to confess something to you as well.”

  “I’m listening,” she said.

  He grinned. “With regards to lovemaking…I have. So if one of us knows what we’re doing, the rest will all fall into place, don’t you think?”

  Rowan sighed. “I know it sounds ridiculous.”

  “Not at all. What you don’t seem to realize is that from my perspective, the trust that takes for you to choose me is a gift. And in return, I can promise you won’t be sorry. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she said.

  “Feel better now?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “So finish your cereal, and don’t worry about details.”

  She scooped up another spoonful of cereal. A few minutes later, Bowie carried his bowl to the sink, kissed the back of her neck, then whispered in her ear. “You are an entrancing little witch, and I adore you. Have a good day.”

  She blushed. “You, too, Bowie.”

  He pretended surprise. “Are you saying I am also an entrancing little witch?”

  She laughed. “No, but you are a sexy hunk, which is exactly what you were fishing for. So go to work before you get me in trouble, and be careful.”

  “Always,” he said, and was out the door.

  As was their routine, she stood in the doorway, waiting for him to look back. When he did, she waved.

  Bowie grinned and then instead of waving blew her a kiss.

&nb
sp; She was smiling as she stepped back and locked the door. As she did, she heard the girls stirring and went to the kitchen to make some oatmeal with raisins for Pearl and Ella.

  * * *

  Junior Boone was in the kitchen making a sandwich and chips to take with him to work. It was the first day since he keyed Bowie’s car that he felt good about himself. As soon as he finished making his lunch, he sacked it up and set it beside his cap and gloves, and poured himself a bowl of cereal, added milk but stopped before it began to float, and sat down to eat.

  He was almost finished when his mother entered the kitchen. She wasn’t in her robe and nightgown as usual. She was dressed and carrying her purse and keys.

  “Morning, Mom. Where are you going?” he asked.

  “I’m taking you to work,” she said.

  “Oh, you don’t have to. I can walk.”

  “It’s all the way on the other side of town. I won’t embarrass you. I’ll drop you off at the corner. You can walk the rest of the way, okay?”

  He was pleased she understood his need to be doing this without the aid of anyone else. He’d caused the problem. He wanted to be the one to fix it.

  “Okay, and thanks for understanding,” he said.

  Tiny shrugged. “I miss a lot of signals, but not when it comes to you.”

  Junior carried his bowl to the sink, rinsed it out, then left it there. He put on his cap, grabbed the work gloves and his lunch, and followed his mom to the car. Minutes later, they were on their way across town.

  * * *

  Bowie was still reeling from what Rowan had told him. At the same time, when he considered the depths to which her father had gone to keep her cloistered, he shouldn’t have been surprised. But the heads-up had not only given him something to think about, but also made him wonder where the hell they could go and ever be alone.

  The drive through town was interrupted when he stopped to pick up yet another twenty-four-count pack of bottled water and ice it down before continuing on to the house.

  He was surprised to drive up and see Junior Boone already there sitting on the porch. That was a good sign of the kid’s intent.

  He waved as he got out and then carried the ice chest full of bottled water back to the shade tree.

  “Morning,” Bowie said.

  Junior nodded. “Morning, Boss. Is there a good place to set my lunch?”

  “You brought your lunch?” Bowie said.

  “Yes, sir. Made it this morning before breakfast. There’s nothing in it that heat will spoil. I just need to keep it out of the way.”

  “Bring it on in the house with you for now, but when Ray and Joe Tuttle get here with the tool trailer, you can set it in there on any of the shelves. And tomorrow…don’t worry about lunch. I give the men an hour off to go eat, and because this trip is for my gran, I’m paying their way. You’ll be included. Okay?”

  “Okay, and thanks,” Junior said. He was surprised and proud that Bowie was calling him one of the guys.

  “Come on in, and we’ll walk the house to look for any roof leaks,” Bowie said, and in they went, with Bowie pointing out what the rooms were and where the layout was changing. By the time they had gone all the way through the house and unlocked the back door, Bowie was pleased they hadn’t found even one leak.

  “There’s the port-a-potty. Keep it clean.”

  “Yeah, nobody messes up Mama’s bathroom, either,” Junior said.

  Bowie grinned. “Women are fussy about that, aren’t they?”

  By the time the rest of the crew arrived, Junior Boone had an official man crush. And when Bowie introduced him to the crew and then called him his cousin, it sealed the deal.

  They began the day by verifying that the headers were on the way, and then began preparing the openings, using temporary braces when necessary to make sure the roof would be secure while the transfers were being made.

  Bowie kept Junior occupied running back and forth to the tool trailer and helping carry lumber in and trash out to the roll-off. It was nearly full, so Bowie was back on the phone ordering a pickup on the one they had so the company could bring the replacement.

  Junior loved football and had easily learned the plays. It came naturally to him. The way he looked at it, this was a similar setup. There was safety protocol, paying attention to what he was told, and quickly asking if he didn’t immediately understand. And it was all about the team. There wasn’t any room for outstanding players…just the team.

  Chapter 13

  The headers arrived on schedule, and after helping carry them inside, Junior stood out of the way and watched, intrigued by the placement of each one and how it was going to be put in such a position as to bear the weight of the roof. With the drywall removed from the ceilings, he could see all the way up past the rafters to the roof. It was like looking at the skeleton of a home. Then they removed the temporary braces, revealing the space they would use to create an open-concept living area. Junior Boone was hooked on the engineering aspects of being a builder.

  It was nearing noon when Bowie called a halt.

  “I’m taking my car to the body shop and picking up a rental. Then I’ll swing by and check on the girls before I come back. Ray, you’ve got this until I return. Next thing we start on is framing up the new layout and getting everything ready for the plumber. Junior, I know you brought your lunch today, but why don’t you go eat with the rest of the crew instead. Ray has a credit card to cover it. No money required. Okay?”

  “Yeah, come with us, kid,” Presley said. “I’m going through the menu at Granny’s, trying something new every day, and so far it’s all thumbs-up for me.”

  Junior was still stinging from the weight of Bowie’s words, knowing he was the reason the boss even needed a body shop, but being included with the rest of the crew was as good as making the football team.

  “Yeah, sure,” Junior said. “And thanks.”

  “No problem. I’ll see you all later. You know the drill.”

  Joe Tuttle grinned. “Yes, we’ll call if we need you.”

  Bowie just shook his head and headed for the car, but the sound of their laughter made him smile.

  * * *

  Bowie arrived at Newton’s Body Shop just before noon, got his insurance info out of the glove box, and took the car key off the fob and gave it to Douglas Newton.

  “We should have this ready by the end of the week,” Douglas said. “And the car rental is next door in the same office as the insurance agency.”

  “Thanks again,” Bowie said. “I sent photos to my insurance agent, and he’s already okayed the work order. You have his number.”

  “Yes, sir,” Doug said. “We’ve got it covered.”

  They shook hands, and then Bowie went into the insurance agency next door. He presented his driver’s license and his proof of insurance, and fifteen minutes later drove out of the back parking lot in a tan 2017 Chevrolet Equinox.

  He had his cell phone on speaker when he called Ella. She answered on the second ring, which told him she probably had her phone near to hand.

  “Hey, Aunt Ella, is everything going okay?”

  “Yes, we’re fine. Just getting ready to figure out something for dinner. Want to come eat with us?”

  “If you haven’t started anything, how about I bring some food to you?”

  “Oh yes! That’s a great idea.”

  “What sounds good to you?” he asked.

  “Just a minute and I’ll ask.”

  He heard bits and pieces of the conversation and then Ella was back on the phone.

  “We can’t agree, so you surprise us.”

  “What if I bring something you don’t want?” he asked.

  “Oh, we’ll like it. Today, you’re the chef.”

  “You asked for it,” he said, and headed for the old Broyles Dairy Freeze. He’
d seen it on the way home the other day and was surprised it was still in business.

  It was a true moment of déjà vu when he pulled up, noticed a drive-through had been added to the side, then backed up and drove up to the window.

  A middle-aged woman with rainbow hair and one skull earring in her right ear came to the window.

  “What’ll it be?” she asked.

  “Do you still make chili dogs like you did back in the day?”

  She grinned. “We sure do.”

  “Awesome. I need six chili dogs and four orders of fries.”

  She rang it up and then pointed to a small parking spot just to the right of the drive-through.

  “If you’ll park over there, someone will bring it to you.”

  Bowie pulled up and parked, and then began checking out the car’s controls. Within a few minutes, his order was delivered. He drove out of the parking lot and headed home with dinner on the seat beside him.

  * * *

  Rowan had already set the table and was putting ice in their drinking glasses when he drove up.

  “He’s here!” she yelled, and Ella got up from the sofa to open the door.

  Bowie was looking forward to one more meal with his girls. He’d taken a few pictures of the open space and couldn’t wait to show them, so he picked up the sack and got out.

  Yancy Scott, the big redhead, was on a riding lawn mower, mowing grass. It appeared he was mowing all of the yards in the trailer park because more than a dozen yards had already been done. His little girl was riding her bike up and down the road close by him.

  Ella opened the door. Bowie came inside with his hands full.

  “Oh my word! Do I smell chili?” Pearl asked.

  “Chili dogs from Broyles Dairy Freeze,” Bowie said. “Remember when Mama always treated us to chili dogs on half-price Thursday?”

  “Oh, that’s right!” Ella said. “You brought a little bit of Billie home with you today. That’s wonderful!”

  Bowie put the sack down on the table and let the girls fix all the plates. He turned around to go wash up, and as he walked past Rowan he leaned down and stole a kiss.

  She grinned.

  He winked.

  And the girls never saw a thing.