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“I’m assuming,” Violet answered, her voice low as if it was a secret, although there was no reason for it. She wanted quiet time with Lando again.
“I’m sore as fuck.”
Violet snorted. “Likewise.”
“I think we should all take naps today.”
“If there’s time.” Violet took a bite of her pancakes, which were heavenly. Eli certainly had a talent when it came to cooking.
She was halfway through her plate when Diane raced down the stairs, her eyes wide and her hair wild around her. She must have just woken up, her red cheeks and puffy eyes a sure sign.
“You didn’t miss breakfast!” Eli called.
Violet canted her head, trying to figure out what was going on. Diane’s lips parted, and she shook her head.
“You’re not on your computer,” Diane said, most unhelpfully.
“I’m eating,” Violet answered.
“There’s a storm.”
Violet’s eyes widened. It was rare Diane found one before she did, but then Violet remembered suddenly she hadn’t even checked her computer that morning. She’d only snuck out of the bedroom and tried not to wake Lando. Her stomach plummeted. “Where?”
“South. Strong cell, good activity.”
Violet didn’t even look at Lando as she grabbed her plate and went to clean up. In seconds, she was racing toward the stairs, Lando hot on her heels. They gathered their gear, Violet’s guilt eating away at her that she’d very nearly missed a storm that would be worthy of chasing. She’d wanted to make sure they hit as many storms that season as possible, increasing the chances that she’d be able to retire from teaching and chase full time.
Lando didn’t have time to change as Violet begged her to hurry up. They shoved their gear into the packs, Violet staring at the camera on the dresser that they’d left there the day before. At the last minute, she reached for it and shoved it into the backpack along with everything else. Soon they were moving down the stairs, Diane lagging as normal.
For a woman who had been so insistent they hurry up when she told them about the storm, she was taking her sweet time getting ready, and she had less gear to grab than Violet and Lando each. As soon as Violet saw her, she wanted to say something smart, but she held her tongue in check. Diane had taken the time to do her hair and a light coat of makeup before coming downstairs.
Lando and Violet already had the Hummer packed and ready. Diane sauntered toward them like they had all the time in the world. Violet was about to speak when Eli stepped out of the front door with food containers in her hands.
“I thought you might like these since some of you didn’t get to eat much.”
Lando stepped forward and took them, cradling them against her chest. “Thank you.”
Violet’s stomach growled, reminding her that she’d only eaten half her breakfast before running to get ready. Diane got in the driver’s seat without a word to Eli. Violet gave a smile, her thanks, then jumped in the back with Lando. There was far more room for her to settle her computer on her lap and navigate where they were going from there.
Her stomach roiled as Diane pulled away from the house and headed down the long drive to the main road. Violet wasn’t sure when was the last time it had been graded, but it had certainly been a while, and the recent storms probably weren’t helping any. Once they got to the highway, she was able to pull up her computer and check the maps. Except, she was absolutely confused.
There was no storm cell from what she could see. There were small ones here and there, some that would last an hour or two, but nothing strong enough to produce a tornado or hail. Nothing with wind speeds that were going to become catastrophic. She said nothing as she shifted through the programming to try and figure out just what Diane had been talking about when she’d told them about the supercell.
Violet said nothing. Instead, when they hit the main highway and Diane took them south, she shifted the computer over to Lando to let her take a stab at finding this mysterious super storm cell. Lando raised an eyebrow at Violet but took the computer wordlessly. She stared at it, flipped through the maps, changed some of the settings, and then gave Violet a hard look.
“Where is it?” she mouthed.
Violet was glad she hadn’t said it out loud because she wasn’t even sure what to say to Diane. Violet shook her head and shrugged, putting her hands in the air as Diane drove. She didn’t give directions for thirty minutes. They were through the small town Eli called home and on the other side of it when Violet finally came up with something to say.
“I must have missed it. Where’s the storm cell we’re going to?”
“It’s south of Dodge.”
“Oh.” Violet took the computer back and took a closer look at Dodge. The storm cell there was strong, but it wasn’t what Violet would call a super cell. It wasn’t even likely to produce hail from what she could tell, maybe small pea-sized hail if it picked up some. No chance of a tornado.
* * *
Lando leaned over the middle seat and eyed the screen again, making sure she hadn’t missed something. Violet shook her head, more to herself than to Lando. When she saw nothing that would warrant them running out that morning, she touched Violet’s hand to get her attention.
