Page 73 of Weatherman

No. No. No, no, no,no! Not again!

My head filled with shouting denials, and I had no idea if the words actually came from my mouth or just exploded in my brain. The heart that had begun to trust again and believe in a bright future twisted around the knife that cut it in two. Everyone I’d ever dared to love had left me. My mom abandoned me the moment I turned eighteen, and I still had no idea where she lived now. I didn’t even know if she was alive or dead. I lost Rebel to the call of the white powder. Any feelings he had toward me or our child were overshadowed by his drug addiction.

Then there was Camo. My savior and support at a time in my life when I had nothing. The man who truly loved me, forgave my sins, and promised me a life I could only dream of having had died by a random bullet in someone else’s war. He’d bled out in the snow with my name on his lips.

Now Weatherman. My Bryce. In the beginning, I had tried to hate him. I tried so hard to keep him out of my life. I’d tried countless hours not to think about him or care about him or dream of any kind of future with him, but he got under my skin anyway. Lodged deeper than anyone ever had.

Rebel broke me.

Camo shattered me.

Weatherman killed me.

Somewhere distant, I heard a voice say, “Breathe, Opal.”

Tambre. Calm, serene Tambre, always an anchor in the storms.

She got down on the floor and pulled me into her strong arms. I listened to her and inhaled. Betsey’s floral perfume entered my lungs. She was on my other side, humming and holding me.

Gradually, I became aware of the many women, including some from the salon, in the Lair surrounding me, giving me shoulders of support in a sisterhood I’d never realized was possible. How many times over the centuries had this happened? Wives, mothers, sisters, all waiting for their loved ones’ return? Praying for their safety. Rejoicing when they came home or mourning when they didn’t. Firefighters, policemen, soldiers, all of them husbands, sons, brothers, standing between their families and danger at the risk of their own lives.

I don’t know how long I sat there, Tambre on one side, Betsey on the other, Psalm and Lori circling. Katrina brought me a full-sugar Coke from the fridge and softly encouraged me to drink it.

“She’s in shock,” she whispered. “Let her process for a little while.”

I heard Brick’s gruff voice. “Fuck. Let me through.”

The sea of women parted, and Brick grunted as he squatted down next to me. “Opal, sweetheart, look at me.”

I shook my head but stayed silent. If I acknowledged him or opened my mouth, I’d scream.

He let me keep my eyes to myself, but he kept talking to me. “We don’t know nothin’ for sure yet. They’re still out checkin’. The reception up there is real bad, and the mess with the storm and the fire fucked up GPS, but that’s all. Just because we lost contact don’t mean they ain’t still alive. We jus’ gotta wait for someone to go find ’em.”

“Weatherman’s mama is upstairs sleepin’ with Pearl in the guest room. Let’s leave her be for a little while longer.” Betsey’s rough tone had a hitch to it.

I think Tambre asked me a question, but my ears were filled with noise. My belly cramped, and I wanted to heave and pass out at the same time. Brick was right that we didn’t know anything about what the real situation was on the mountain, but I couldn’t help the direction my thoughts took. Visions of Bryce’s twisted, scorched body flashed in my mind.

I remembered as a child, a house burned down in my neighborhood. I wasn’t supposed to be home, but my mother wasn’t tough on making me go to school. I caught a glimpse of the fat woman who lived there as they zipped her up in a big black bag. Black and red, oozing dark blood in places, her hair gone and her limbs distorted into a shape that no human body could ever obtain on its own. The harsh odor of her charred flesh mingled with the ash and wood. Sick, sweet, chemical, like no other smell. One I never wanted to experience again.

No, no, no! Not Bryce! Please, God, if you’re there, not him!

“Don’t faint, Opal. Keep breathing with me,” Tambre coached. All I could do was cling to her and let waves of pain carry me forward.

“Finish what you got to do here, boys, and get everyone settled. Ain’t no one gonna be sleepin’ tonight, but best we stay in one place while we wait for news. Someone go over to herplace and get what she and the baby need for a while. They’re gonna stay here where we can take care of ’em.”

I was lifted and cradled against a strong barrel chest that smelled of oil and leather. Brick strained a little as he carried me to the couch and gave a big sigh once he sat me down. I twisted my fingers in his cut and didn’t let go.

“It’s gonna be okay, darlin’,” his gravelly voice murmured in my ear. “I’m gonna take care of this shit and you at the same time. You feel like cryin’, go on and do it. You need to yell, might be we’ll go outside to do that so’s the people sleepin’ can stay that way. Only thing I’m askin’ you not to do is be by yourself, ’cause I need you where I can keep an eye on you. The Runners have been leanin’ on each other ever since we started. Whatever burdens us down, we share it. Long way of sayin’ you can lean on me and Betsey. That’s what we do.”

I’d never had a father. I had one now.

When did I become a member of this tribe? Never had I experienced being a part of this family. I thought I might have had that once with Camo and the Dutchmen MC, but this was so much different from my former life. Flaws, sins of the past, addictions—all of it was washed away by the cold Nantahala River water, and what I had now was a forgiveness and love that had no limits or conditions.

The epiphany of the moment liberated something in me.

I was not alone, and I wouldn’t be that way ever again.

A large crash of thunder punctuated my thoughts, followed by a torrent of hail and rain. Winter Storm Margie had arrived.

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