Page 32 of Through the Storms
Peggy smiled and nodded. Oakley had immediately taken a liking to the two sisters. They reminded her of her mother and aunt. No doubt they loved each other, and Oakley suspected that bickering was their way of showing it.
“All you have to do is look at that shit-eating grin of hers to know she’s figured it out.” Sandy rolled her eyes. “Are all teachers such know-it-alls?”
“Hell, probably most of these young’uns don’t even know what a shit-eating grin is.” Peggy turned to Riley and said, “Do you know?”
“Yes, ma’am. My grandma used to say it about my grandpa all the time.”
Sandy burst out laughing. “Snap,” she said as she snapped her fingers. “Ma’am and her grandma all in the same sentence. Priceless.”
Riley’s face reddened, but it appeared she had the good sense not to get in the middle of the sisterly quarrel.
Oakley bit her lip when she made eye contact with Chloe, who was trying hard to stifle her laugh. She winked at Chloe before she said, “Peggy, will you enlighten us on your understanding of the conversation?”
Peggy sat up taller and shot her sister a sideways glance before she began. “An EF5 tornado, which stands for the Enhanced Fujita scale, is the highest level of intensity for a tornado. So when Britt said you missed an EF5 for one that roped out, it basically means that you missed a doozy when the one you chased dissipated.”
“Doozy? Really?” Sandy said. “Such scientific terms.”
Peggy ignored Sandy and continued. “And a squall line is a band of thunderstorms, but they usually don’t produce tornadoes.”
“La-di-da,” Sandy said.
Peggy crossed her arms over her chest, jutted out her chin, and smirked.
“Damn, I’m impressed,” Riley said.
“I’ve watched every episode ofStorm Chasers.”
“Twice,” Sandy added.
“Yes!” Oakley raised her fist. “My kinda woman. Team Timmer or Team Samaras?”
Peggy rubbed her chin and looked toward the ceiling.
“Don’t do it,” Britt said. “Never. Whatever you do, never answer that question.”
“Britt’s right,” Asher said. “My sister believes there’sonlyone right answer to that question.”
“Well, duh,” Oakley said.
Peggy appeared to be studying Oakley. There was no mistaking the sharpness and intelligence in the older woman’s eyes. “I’ll bet you’re a Timmer fan.”
“Absolutely.” Oakley pounded her fist on the table. “He’s my man.”
Britt made a gagging sound before she said, “Peggy, do not encourage her.”
“Timmer?” Chloe scrunched up her face. “That’s the guy you told me about earlier, isn’t it, Riley?”
Oakley slapped both hands against her own chest as if she’d been shot. “Ouch, now you’re hurting me. You didn’t know him before today?”
“Uh-oh, now you’ve done it.” Riley smiled and nudged Chloe. “She’s likely to kick us out of her van.”
Asher smiled at Chloe. “If she kicks you out, you can come ride with me.”
Oh, no.Oakley needed to stop Asher before he continued down that path. “I’m not kicking anyone out.” She shot a look at her brother before she turned her attention to Chloe. “But apparently, somebody needs to be educated.”
“Riley and I talked about studying once we got back to the room.”
“Study?” Oakley liked dedicated participants, but she hadn’t expected them to study.
