Page 37 of Seventeen Years Ago

“Reesa, I hope you’re not acting on what I just told you,” I said. This meeting was so important to Tabiq. I can’t let it stop now.

“Aiza, I believe your grandmother.”

“With all the technological advances Tabiq has made, you are going to believe her instead of the science?” That puzzled me.

“It’s not just her. Finn called me earlier and said there had been several of the older population who had gone to the hospital overnight complaining of terrible pain.” She zipped her briefcase and then added, “I told you that the elderly are wise. I cannot risk ignoring what she is saying. If I do, I risk the lives of people who might not be prepared. We have time to act, but if we delay, it can be tragic.”

“And you need to do that now?” I asked.

“Yes. And I need to meet with Bennett and whichever the Henderson is here now running the resort.”

“I believe several of them are here, or at least they were supposed to arrive yesterday. I did hear that Brice made it in and Alex is on the island too,” Steven stated.

“Good for us. Though they might wish they weren’t here if they brought their families,” Reesa stated.

This was happening. We were about to prepare the entire country for a storm that might not ever come. But it was not my call to make, it was hers. “What do you want to me do to help?” I asked.

“I need you to call the police chief and Finn. Tell them we are having an emergency conference this afternoon at one. They will know who to contact since we have that new emergency action plan in place. I’ll gather the others. Have them all meet here at the resort.” She got up and asked, “Do you have any questions?”

Yes. Has everyone lost their mind?

“I got it. Is there anything else I can do?” I had a very short list, two calls. Surely I could be more help than that.

Reesa turned to Steven and said, “Looks like you might be here longer than just a couple of days if her grandmother is right. You might want to update Caydan. He might want to help us prepare.”

Steven said, “I’d like to assist as well. One thing about owning luxury hotels is they usually are in peak hurricane zones on the beach.”

“Thank you. I can use the help, and I bet New Hope can as well. Aiza can help you get in contact with the right people for whatever you need. I think the two of you working together will help expedite things as well. And if you don’t mind, I’d like you both to attend the meeting at two o’clock,” she said.

“No problem,” he replied before Reesa left the office.

Ha. Now I guess I’m Steven’s secretary too. This day is just getting better and better. Hello universe. Do you have any more surprises to throw at me today?

Once alone I said, “I’m really sorry about interrupting your meeting.”

“I’m glad you did,” he said.

“Because you believe what my grandmother said too?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but it means that you and I get to spend some time together. If the universe had to send a hurricane to do it, who am I to argue?”

“I bet it doesn’t even rain,” I said.

“Guess we’ll find out in a couple of days, won’t we?” He replied. “In the meantime, where do we start?”

“I guess we make some calls,” I said.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. But Reesa was the president and if she wanted to declare an emergency, she had the power to do so.

Next time my phone rings during a meeting, I’m letting it go to voicemail.

CHAPTER15

Steven

I thought this emergency action plan was going to give me and Aiza some alone time to talk, but it did the total opposite. My phone hadn’t stopped ringing for the last hour. I was glad I could help, but Reesa had local businesses reaching out to me for guidance. I gave them the best advice I could, board up windows, move everything on the ground floor up if possible, and be prepared to move to higher ground if the tide came in. I could’ve put the information on a recorded line instead of repeating it over and over.

“I don’t know about you, but I need coffee,” I said to Aiza.

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