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I was uneasy on the nights he was gone. I knew it was something I needed to come to terms with, in particular, due to his career. Having been back with the bureau for a few weeks now, he could be going out on assignment any time and be gone for days or weeks.
I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of wine. I returned to the living room and powered on the television to kill time.
I heard the crack of thunder outside. A spring thunderstorm was brewing; the wind had kicked up significantly. I could hear branches scraping against the roof on the front porch.
As it turned out, Taz owned his duplex. He had renters upstairs who were never home it seemed. I almost wished they were home right now. The occasional sound of their footsteps above or muted sounds of their television or stereo would be a comfort to me at the moment.
I pulled the throw from the back of the sofa up over me as I tried to focus on the program I was watching. It was just 9:30 p.m.
The blare of that horrible sound of the emergency broadcast system came over the television causing me to jump. My heart thudded. Jesus Christ! The sound of that alert was enough to cause a person to have a coronary.
I heard the female “computer” voice come across the speakers:
“The national weather bureau in Fairfax, Virginia has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the following counties: Montgomery County, Maryland, Prince George County, Maryland, Fairfax County, Virginia, and Arlington County, Virginia until 11:30 p.m. tonight. Heavy rain, with hail, high winds with gusts up to forty miles per hour and possible power outages could take place. The elements are present for producing tornado or tornado-like conditions. Please stay tuned for further weather monitoring.”
Beep, beep, beep.
Well, this was great. Now I was going to worry about Taz being out in this shit.
I went to the kitchen and refilled my wine glass, scurrying back to the comfort of the sofa, wrapping myself up tightly and staying glued to the television.
I channel surfed and found a rerun of “Criminal Minds” on the ID station.
Great - fucking great…I kept surfing.
I could now hear the heavy rain droplets pounding against the living room window. It got louder and louder and I figured it had turned to hail. I got up, twisting the wand to open the blinds and saw the tiny balls of ice hitting the glass and bouncing off.
I went over and switched the porch light on. The night was so dark, shrouded in pure blackness. A flash of lightening crossed the dark sky, seconds later the clap of thunder followed. The lights inside flickered off and then came back within a few seconds.
I went back to the sofa and snuggled against the pillows. Another flash and the lights went out. I heard the splintering of the tree out front just before the loud clap of thunder sounded.
Shit!
I sat in the darkness and contemplated my next move. I could sit in the dark and wait for Taz, or try and feel my way into the kitchen for a flashlight. I didn’t relish sitting in the dark by myself. It was reminiscent of my ordeal with Kyzer.
I shivered, opting to get up and feel my way into the kitchen drawer where we kept the flashlight.
Several flashes of lightening outside coming through the windows actually helped guide me through the hallway to the kitchen. I felt along the countertop until I got to the microwave. The drawer was right below that.
My hand groped for the below the counter for the drawer handle. I pulled it open, my fingers feeling around inside until I located the flashlight.
I switched it on and breathed a sigh of relief when it illuminated. I made my way back into the living room where the sound of the rain and hail still pelting against the glass was even louder.
I heard a tapping sound now. It was coming from the front door. I lifted the blinds on the window beside the massive oak door to peer out onto the porch. There was no one there.
I scurried back to the sofa, and dove over the arm wrapping the blanket around me. I hated being alone here in the semi-darkness without Taz. Why in the hell couldn’t he take online classes like I was? Then we wouldn’t need to be apart at night.
I realized how pathetic that sounded even to me. Taz had been nagging me to see a therapist since the ordeal. I had told him I was fine. I usually was fine; not tonight though.
I huddled on the couch gazing over to the window, waiting to see the lights of his truck coming down the street, pulling up the driveway into the garage.
As the next flash of lightening illuminated the sky outside, I saw him. It was first a shadowy figure, then as the sky lit up; I could see his features as he peered into our living room window.
It was Kyzer Stanfield!
I screamed, leaping from the sofa, the flashlight fell to the floor. I ran to the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind me and cowered in the corner of the room.
My arms were wrapped around my legs, my chin resting on my knees. I rocked back and forth with the spring thunderstorm raging outside until Taz found me there what seemed like an eternity later.
