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“Don’t push it.” He picked up a book sitting on the end table. “I’ll read to you. Have you started this book yet?”
“No.”
He opened to the first page and started reading. It made them both sleepy and a few minutes after Joey fell asleep, J.T. set the book aside and laid his head back on the couch. The sound of Finn crying woke them both up.
Joey sat up. “He probably woke up and didn’t know where he was.” She stood and headed for the kitchen. J.T. checked the time on his phone. It was almost five. They’d slept through the alarm on Joey’s phone.
He got to his feet and stretched, then went upstairs to check the buckets. The rain had settled into a steady drizzle, and the wind had died down even more. Only three of the leaks were still dripping water, and just one bucket needed to be emptied. J.T. emptied it, then went back downstairs.
He could hear Joey talking to Finn in the fort, and it sounded like she was going to stay there with him. So, he returned to the couch and laid down. The pillow smelled like Joey. It was a nice clean smell with a subtle hint of something floral. Whatever it was, he liked it. He pulled the blanket up and went back to sleep.
The sense of someone nearby woke J.T. and when he opened his eyes, he found Finn sitting on the floor in front of the couch, staring at him.
“Hey, buddy.”
“You were sleeping.”
“I sure was.”
“Finn!” He and J.T. both looked at Joey. “I told you not to bother him.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry he woke you.”
Finn stood. “I didn’t. I was just sitting here.”
J.T. smiled. “He’s right. He was just sitting there.”
“Staring at you?”
“Yeah.”
“Which woke you up.” Joey put her hands on her hips. “Finn, go back to the kitchen and finish your breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
J.T. punched the pillow, then rolled onto his back. “Did you sleep some more?”
“Yes. I stayed in the tent with Finn. And you slept, too.”
“I slept really well. Have you checked the buckets?”
“Yes. I emptied them. But some of them were barely full.”
“I think we’re past the worst of it.”
“I thought today was supposed to bring the most rain.”
“Are you complaining?”
“No. I’ll take it. Do you think it’s going to clear up?”
“I didn’t say that.” He sat, then pulled up the weather on his phone. “We still have service. So that’s something.” He read the forecast. “Rain continuing today, but not torrential like last night. And it should move out tonight and start clearing up tomorrow. It should taper off and stop by mid-afternoon.”
“Yay. Maybe the power will come back on.”
“I’m sure they’re working on it. It’ll probably come on soon.”
“Let me make you some breakfast, then if you need to go home or go check on your dad, I’m fine now.”
He looked at her for a moment. “What about tonight?”
