Janice had a hand to her chest and was leaning over the large basin sink to look out the window. On the floor, the teakettle spilled steaming water. She turned around as I entered.
“Yes, oh my, I’m sorry for yelling. Just scared the good Lord into me.”
I went to her, grasping her shoulders to look her up and down. “You’re okay, though?”
“Yes. Yes. I’m fine. Lightning hit the tree, I think.” She patted my hand.
“I’ll clean this up.” Mari had come up and was kneeling to pick up the teakettle.
“Oh, you don’t have to. Thank you,” Janice said.
I tossed a dish towel onto the water before going to the window. “Shit. I think we need to call someone. The tree is smoking.”
“Is it on fire? We have a volunteer firefighter crew just up the road,” Janice said. She already had her phone to her ear.
That was news to me, but with the heavily pouring rain, I wasn’t too concerned about the fire spreading. I was concerned about my garden and the heavy branches falling.
I ran out the side screen door to look down the driveway. Rain pelted every surface, creating a deafening cacophony.
“Be careful!” my mom called after me, and I stopped just before I went into the storm.
Bright light flashed across the storm-darkened neighborhood, followed instantly by another crash of thunder. It shook the air molecules and raised the hairs on my arms.
Janice gasped.
“I should move my car so they have room,” Mari said. She was already running past me and out into the storm.
“Wait, no—” I reached for her as she zipped by me, but she was too fast.
She covered her head, but rain plastered her body as she splashed through the water pooling in the driveway.
“Don’t let her go out in that,” my mother called before reporting the situation to whoever was on the phone.
“I know,” I said, exasperated. Everything happened so fast, delaying my processing. I shook my head. “No!” I yelled to Mari.
Above her, the still smoldering pine cracked. Water streamed into my eyes as I peered to the top of the tree where heavy branches shook in the gusts. A particularly large limb was seconds from breaking off.
I looked back at my mom, whose hands covered her mouth.
“Mari!” I yelled again, but she couldn’t hear me.
Terror bolted through me, and I ran without thinking. She was seconds from reaching her car door as I ran full speed and tackled her like I’d ever watched a single game of football in my life. I tucked her to me as my arms wrapped around her waist, using my body as we fell to cushion her. That, of course, meant I took the full brunt of the impact.
“Oomph.”
The air was knocked out of me, but I still managed to hold on tight to her writhing form.
“What in the—” She flailed and tried to break loose. Water poured from the skies, filling my nose, eyes, and mouth. Water seeped into me from the ground. It was as though I was drowning from all directions.
“Stop. Fighting. Me,” I coughed out.
“Stop whatever you’re doing!”
“I’m being heroic.”
“Well, don’t be. I need to move my car if they’re supposed to help.”
She twisted to get a leg over, straddling to peer down at me. Her whole soaking body sat on mine. It was so soon since the touching in the basement.Why couldn’t I keep myself from chasing after this woman? I held on tighter to her wrists and tugged her back to me.
