AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let me get the laptop.” Lila hurries to her room. Our only computer is a duct-taped machine that’s a hand-me-down from Ensley, but it will get on the internet.
She opens it on the coffee table, and we bring up the Weather Channel. It’s better to see it on a big screen. As soon as we type inLa Jarra, a video pops up with weather forecasters talking about thevarious paths of the storm. Cuba’s on alert. Florida is no longer in the path.
Their excitement over a newsworthy weather event makes me so mad that it’s hard not to flip the laptop over. But of course, we can’t do that. It’s all we’ve got. I grip the edge of the chair instead.
Rosie gets rowdy, so we move her to the living room, where she can toddle in circles around the coffee table, babbling in a singsong voice. It’s a happy sound. My anxiety drops a notch.
“It hasn’t hit yet,” Lila says, following the line of the storm with her finger. “But it looks like it’s going to.”
My phone rings with an actual call. It’s Gabe.
I snatch it up.
He sounds tired. “Sorry I missed your texts. We had to shore up Mendo’s house. That area might flood.”
“Is your apartment safe? Your mother’s house?”
“Yeah. Those are on higher ground. Our big concern will be a storm surge on the beaches. The hotels are well constructed. But the piers and docks, those will get hit. They’re closing some roads.”
“Where are you?”
“At Mom’s. I don’t care about anything at the apartment.”
“Are all the planes gone? I saw they were evacuating people.”
Lila leans over my shoulder. “Don’t even think about going there.”
I shush her.
“I’m not sure. But it could be a long time before passenger planes fly. The priority will be supplies. But we get hit a lot here. Flooding from the storm is the primary problem. Power might go out for a day or two. We all have generators. But cell service and internet will almost certainly go.”
“I’m so worried, Gabe.”
“Calinda isn’t even a hurricane yet, and it’s not clear if she’ll get there. We’ll be okay. I promise.”
“Don’t promise what you can’t control!” I grip the phone so tight my fingers ache.
“I can promise you on this one.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll keep in touch. Mom wants to bring in all the potted plants. They’re her babies.”
I manage a small laugh. “Okay.”
“I’ll be fine, Tillie. I promise.”
“Okay, Gabe. Talk to you later.”
The call ends.
“See, he’s fine,” Lila says. “So no flying there.”
I shake my head. “Multiple barriers to that. One, planes are busy evacuating people. Two, I can’t afford a ticket. Three, I’m not out of my mind.”
“Right, it’s way too dangerous.”
“I honestly don’t care about that.” I sit up straight and face my sister. “I’d rather be in danger with him than safe without him.”
