Chapter 24
The next two days go by in a time warp. Some times the hours seem to stretch on for eternity, like when Ella and I are having breakfast in the hotel lobby with our entire group of people and everything is awkward. The television in our hotel room has been permanently on the news, which keeps showing the devastation caused by the hurricane. The flood waters are supposed to be down enough to drive back home tomorrow. Every second spent watching the news coverage seems to stretch on forever.
Other times, like when Ella and I are cuddled together in the bed we get to share in our small room of the hotel suite, the time just flies on by. No matter what I do to make it slow down, I can’t seem to catch the hours and keep them with me.
Falling asleep next to my girl has been the best feeling ever. But then it’s like I blink and it’s morning, and we hear the sounds of my parents and Donna and Kennedy waking up and talking and we know we can’t stay like this any longer. Having your parents walk in on you snuggled around your girlfriend is just too weird to handle.
I just need to hang on a little while longer, and soon Ella and I will be in Dallas, making a life for ourselves. For now though, we need to be with our family.
My parents have pizza delivered, and we’re all standing around the small living area watching the news on TV when Ella gets a call from her parents. I watch her from across the room as her eyebrows furrow. She looks at her aunt, who is currently showing my sister how to fold her pizza crust in half and eat pizza the “proper way.”
Ella talks quietly into the phone, and I can’t hear what she’s saying, but it seems like something is up. When her call ends, she walks over to her aunt and tells her something. They both walk into our bedroom to talk.
No one seems to notice their disappearance, but after ten minutes, I’m getting a little worried. I walk over to the bedroom door and knock on it slightly. It’s only halfway closed, so I poke my head inside to find Ella and Donna sitting on the edge of the bed. Ella’s arm is around her aunt.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“Come in,” Ella says.
I push the door open further and Roscoe bounds into the room next to me, obviously just as curious as I am about what’s going on. I close the door behind us.
Aunt Donna stares at the floor and only puts one hand lazily on Roscoe’s head when he walks up to her, his tail wagging.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“My parents called and told me that the place where Aunt Donna lives has been completely wiped out,” Ella says.
My eyes widen. “Seriously?”
She nods. “They’re not letting anyone go back to it, and the place apparently got so flooded that there’s no way to retrieve any of her belongings.”
“Wow,” I breathe. “Donna, I’m so sorry.”
Donna shrugs. “It was just things. I’m glad I have my Roscoe and my life.”
Ella frowns as she watches her aunt, then she looks at me. “So Aunt Donna is going to come live with my parents for a while. I told her she could have my bedroom since I’m leaving for college.”
“That’s cool,” I say, trying to sound cheerful. But what else can you say to someone who just lost their home and their belongings?
Donna breathes in deeply and then lets it out in a sigh. “I’m really thankful to you guys,” she says. “You all took care of me these last few days, and Roscoe, too. It’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever done.”
“We’re happy to help,” I say. “My parents are too.”
Donna looks up now, and her grim expression softens with a slight smile. “You’re a good kid. I’m glad my niece is dating you.”
###
The next morning is a flurry of excitement. Our town has lifted the evacuation ban and is allowing people to come back home. We pack up all our stuff from the hotel and have one last continental breakfast in the hotel’s lobby. Everyone here is buzzing with an excited energy. I think most of the guests are also people who had to evacuate. After the week we’ve had, we’re all happy to get back home.
My parents talked to Kennedy’s parents, who are arriving at the airport today. Luckily, this is the last I have to see of my ex because my parents are going to take her to the airport on their way home. My poor sister begged to ride home with me, and I agreed. She had to spend three nights sharing a room with Kennedy and now I owe her big. Maybe I’ll buy her that new laptop she’s been wanting.
The entire week has been so crazy that I forgot to check my online store, much less update it. My fans will be expecting new T-shirt designs from me, so I’ll have to upload something as soon as we get home. When I do remember to check it, I’m relieved to see that sales stayed the same despite this hurricane. I’m still happily self-employed and will be able to move to Dallas and concentrate on expanding my business.
Donna is in a better mood this morning. Yesterday, after finding out about her home getting destroyed, she’d spend the whole day sitting silently on the couch watching the news with Roscoe in her lap. Today she’s all smiles.
But maybe that’s because she gets to drive. Ella decided that she wants to ride home with me, a decision that couldn’t have made me happier. I couldn’t stand the thought of driving home with her following me again. I would have gone crazy checking my rear view mirror. So now Donna is going to drive the Corolla with Roscoe, and Ella will ride home with me and Dakota.
We’re all packed up and ready to go, and as soon as we finish our breakfast, the whole group walks outside.
