Page 4 of Against the Wind

“Clinic ran late, and I popped by the Brewhouse for a drink before I came home.” I gave the air a sniff. “Is that albondigas I smell?” The rich aroma of Mexican meatball soup made my mouth water.

“With extra cilantro, just how you like it.” With one hand resting on the swell of her baby bump, Caroline stirred the pot with a wooden spoon. “And I made fresh tortillas because the little alien demanded it.”

“Thanks to the little alien.” I draped an arm around her shoulders. “You feeling okay? Not doing too much?”

“I’ll have you know it’s been a whole three days since I vomited. I think we’re past the worst.”

Hoyt and I exchanged knowing looks. With her previous two pregnancies, the morning sickness hadn’t fully abated until the start of her third trimester.

A thundering of feet on the stairs rattled the hanging pots. “Tía Gabi!”

Audrey crashed into my legs, her dark curls wild around her face. Logan wasn’t far behind, brandishing a crayon drawing. “Look what I made!”

I knelt down to properly admire the artwork—a surprisingly detailed fire truck rendered in red and yellow. “This is amazing,mijo.”

“It’s for Daddy’s station!” Logan beamed, showing off the gap where his front teeth used to be.

The chaos and noise washed over me. Courtesy of that drink at the Brewhouse, I managed to smile instead of wince. I loved these two to pieces and never wanted to make them think otherwise.

“Alright monsters, wash those hands if you want dinner.” Hoyt’s voice rang with the natural authority honed over years of firefighting. The kids scrambled toward the bathroom, shoving each other to be first.

“Need help with anything?” I moved to the cabinet for plates.

“Grab the sour cream from the fridge?” Caroline ladled the steaming soup into bowls, while Hoyt stacked still-warm tortillas on a plate lined with a bright, embroidered cloth.

The kids raced back, hands thrust out for inspection. “Clean enough?” Audrey wiggled her fingers.

“Pass inspection.” Hoyt gave them each a playful salute. “Now help your Tía set the table.”

We moved around each other in the familiar dance of family dinner prep, the kids carefully carrying napkins and spoons while the adults handled the hot dishes. The kitchen filled with steam from the soup, the smell of fresh tortillas, and the sound of happy chatter.

Once we settled at the table, Caroline passed me a warm tortilla. “How was your day?”

I tore off a piece and dunked it in my soup. “Busy. Everyone’s coming in for last-minute prescriptions before the storm. Notthat it’ll make much difference if it hits before the pharmacy has a chance to restock.” That was the reality of being on an island. We didn’t necessarily have access to everything all the time, and when weather cut us off from the mainland, we had to make do. “I put in an extra order myself, but I don’t know if it’ll make it in on the last ferry or not.”

“Smart thinking ahead.” Hoyt helped Logan cut his meatballs into smaller pieces. “Chief’s got us doing inventory checks at the station. Making sure all the generators are fueled up, chainsaws are sharp.”

“Speaking of prep...” Caroline shot her husband a look. “When are you putting up our shutters?”

“Tomorrow morning, before shift. Already got the brackets cleaned out yesterday.” He reached across the table to wipe sauce from Audrey’s chin. “Though honestly, you should just pack up and head to Mom and Dad’s tonight. No point waiting.”

“We’ll go tomorrow after you finish the shutters.” Caroline’s tone brooked no argument. “I want to make sure everything’s secured first.”

I stirred my soup. “Need help with anything? I can come by after clinic hours.”

“Got it covered, sis.” Caroline squeezed my hand. “You focus on the medical center prep. How many patients are staying through the storm?”

“Thankfully, none. So far, anyway.” Our clinic had the capacity to house up to four patients for the short term, but we weren’t a hospital. Anything more serious than could be dealt with on site was sent to bigger facilities on the mainland or up at Nag’s Head. I hoped none of those beds became necessary in the wake of the hurricane. “Either way, we’ve got the generator ready and enough supplies to get us through up to a week, depending on circumstances. And I’m coordinating with some ofmy staff and the EMTs from the fire station to set up a makeshift clinic at the community center, in case it’s needed.”

“Smart thinking. Coast Guard’s sending a team down tomorrow too,” Hoyt said between bites. “They’re bunking at the station while they help with prep. Chief’s got them doing door-to-door checks with us, making sure everyone’s got evacuation plans. and whatnot.”

My spoon clattered against the bowl. Heat crept up my neck as three pairs of eyes turned to me.

“Sorry.” I picked up my spoon, focusing on the chunks of potato floating in my soup. My heart thudded against my ribs.

Don’t be ridiculous, I ordered myself. It was completely normal for the Coast Guard to help during a hurricane. It wasn’t like I’d be seeingthatparticular Coastguardsman. He was on the other side of the country, living his best life without me. There was no reason whatsoever for me to feel like I’d just been punched in the stomach.

“Gabi?” Caroline’s voice was soft, concern etched across her features. “You okay?”

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