Page 40 of One Sultry Summer

“Can you believe that a tree fell and hit my car from the lightning? The impact left a massive dent on the roof, shattered the windshield, and crumpled the hood. Fortunately, no one was injured.

We live under the threat of earthquakes backhome. There are no warning signs, which makes them scary and unpredictable. It’s so crucial to be prepared. I have an emergency kit and plan in place, hoping it’ll never be needed. Honestly, I’ve never experienced a tornado before. The falling tree forced us to retreat to your house. Otherwise, I planned to return to the inn. All I could think about was getting Emily back home.”

It got quiet between us. I felt now was a good time to tell her what happened to Lauren. I cleared my throat. “Lauren was killed by a driver who was under the influence of alcohol.” I heard Valerie take a breath when I made my confession. “She was heading back from the city where she had an appointment for her sonogram. It was the appointment to indicate the sex of the baby.”

I took a breath and continued. “By this time, we had already decided on the names whether it was a boy or a girl.” I swallowed. “Because I was working, I couldn’t attend the appointment, so she went on her own and took Emily withher. The only thing that saved Emily in the crash was that she was in her car seat in the backseat on the passenger side. Thank god she has no recollection of the crash. I guess you can say I regret not going with Lauren. Otherwise, maybe she’d be here right now.”

“I’m sorry for your tragic loss. However, did you ever stop to think that possibly you wouldn’t be here right now?”

“Honestly, I never thought of it that way. I just thought if I was driving, she and Jacoby would be here right now.” She squeezed my hand to give me comfort and understanding. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. I flipped off the switch of the flashlight to conserve battery power.

Valerie’s words made me rethink my thought process. I’ve been a fool to believe that I could change anything that happened in the past. It felt as though the final shackles had been released, and I could open my eyes to a new worldfilled with hope. I let my eyes close and drifted off to sleep.

I stirred the next morning and heard the distant sound of my mother calling my name. For a moment, I thought it was part of the dream I was having; all I could hear was the strained and shaky timbre of her voice. I could tell how terrified she was. I woke up and realized it wasn’t in my dream. I shook both Emily and Valerie awake, and all at once, we started shouting to let them know where we were. I was thankful to know she was alive, and I couldn’t wait to get out of here.

The air was thick with a cacophony of voices raised in excited uproar, accompanied by the fierce roar of chainsaws gnawing through timber. I imagined it was a scene bursting with energy and anticipation, where the rhythmic buzz of machinery melded with the shouts that echoed through the area.

We stayed huddled together, away from thedoor and the opposite side of the home. I wasn’t sure how badly the house was damaged. Material things like the house and the truck can all be replaced. Frankly, the most important thing I cared about was right here beside me.

When they used the chainsaws to cut through the door, we saw slivers of light. Once they were completely removed, it took a minute for our eyes to adjust to the bright sun. We walked up the steps to see several people standing around, applauding and expressing their joy at our safety. The sky was clear except for a few clouds here and there.

We were met with open arms by my parents. My dad choked up with tears. I felt arms surrounding me, and an outpouring of emotions I couldn’t contain burst forth from within. Emily hugged my mother, and we just stood there holding on as we were thankful we all made it through.

Somehow, someone was missing. I lifted myhead to see Valerie was not with us. She was walking away; I can only assume in the direction of the inn. “Excuse me, Mom and Dad.” I ran and tried to catch up with her.

“Valerie!” Why does she seem to be walking away quicker from me? I ran a little faster and called out. “Valerie. Please stop!” Her feet stopped moving, and she turned back to look at me. “Where are you going?”

“I wanted to leave you with your family. They’re very concerned about you and Emily.”

I placed my hands on her arms. “They’re concerned about us all. If it wasn’t for you, we both wouldn’t be here right now. You saved us all. Come on, let’s see how much damage the house took from the twister.” I took her hand, and she walked back with me.

From what I can observe, one of the apple trees is what hit the house and caused us to be trapped. Aside from that, there was minimal damage to the side of the home. It didn’t affectthe structural integrity, which I was certainly happy to see.

Out in the distance, I could see our horses in a field. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing they had made it through the storm. However, I can’t say the same for the barn or my tractor-trailer. My dad tapped me on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, son, the important part is you’re alright. I have lots of time on my hands to help you.”

“Thanks, Dad, I appreciate it. Hey, I’d like to introduce you to Valerie Masterson. She works for Phoenix Construction.” His eyes fell on our intertwined fingers.

He held out his hand. “Ms. Masterson, it’s so nice to meet you.” She shook his hand, and a smile spread across his face. “Come on. I’m sure you’re hungry, let’s get some food in you.”

There were people who had volunteered to feed the rescuers. My dad’s fifth wheel was being used to hold food and supplies as they traveledaround town and were already in the process of feeding the volunteers. “How bad is the rest of town?” I asked my dad, as Valerie walked towards the area where food was prepared.

“Most of the damage was taken by a few buildings here and there. The worst was our town library.”

“What about the people? Was anybody injured?”

“There were a few minor bumps and bruises. Unfortunately, we had one fatality.”

“Who was it dad? I pretty much know everyone in town.”

“It was Clay.” My heart felt heavy with sadness. “Son, there was nothing you could do. He was hit by debris, and they think he was killed instantly. So don’t feel guilty that you weren’t there to save him.” I nodded my head in agreement. He patted me on the shoulder and walked away.

“Are you okay?” Valerie could see I was visibly shaken.

“I will be.” She handed me a paper plate. As I glanced at Valerie, I realized I, too, had a harsh first impression of her the first time we met, when she was nothing but kind to my family and me.

Chapter 15

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