Prairie Fire
Page 42
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Ugh. You had me sick to death with fear there for a minute, Wave.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just…”
“I know, Wave. It’s fine. How are you, honey?” Em asked, concerned about Wave who had been on his own, handling a pretty significant event. “Are you okay?”
Waverly was silent for a moment. No one had asked him since Dot’s accident how he was doing. The truth was, he was awful. It was everything he could do not to call Em and Eve the second he found Dot, and then while Dot was in surgery, he was so scared of losing her. He was still worried, but felt better talking to Em.
“I’m okay,” he replied softly. “It was just so… I don’t want to lose her, Auntie.” Waverly choked up.
“Aw, sweetie…” Em wanted so much to be there with him to comfort him. “Don’t worry, honey, all right? We’re coming. Let me talk to Eve and Prairie. Eve and I will definitely come out, but I’m fairly confident you should probably plan on us all being there tomorrow noon by the latest—most likely sooner. We’ll just have to figure out what to do about Liam. We could leave him here with Prairie, I suppose, but, gosh, he’s in such a delicate place right now… they both are, really.” Em added, thinking how devastated Prairie had been over Fiona’s untimely death. “You know, Prairie’s a physical therapist, so maybe…”
“Auntie, that would be so great. I know Ma would appreciate it. When she’s not pissed, she’s actually been really down. Depressed that is…” He hadn’t seen Dot like that since the first year after Ivey’s death.
“I’m sure. I understand.” Em could absolutely empathize with what Dot was experiencing, Dot being Dot. “It’s a terrible thing to suddenly be helpless and dependent upon others, especially if you’re Dot.”
“Yeah…” Waverly knew of anyone, Em would most understand what Dot was going through.
“Okay, Wave, sweetie, I’ll call you back in a little while to let you know exactly when we’ll be there. Everyone’s still sleeping, so…”
“Thanks, Auntie. I… I love you guys.”
“We love you, too, honey. Talk to you in a bit.”
“‘Bye.”
“‘Bye-‘bye.”
Waverly pressed the end call button on the phone. He let out a tremendous sigh. He gave himself a moment to pull it together before pressing the call button. He dialed the direct number for Dot’s hospital room.
“Ma? Hey. You awake? Since five? Wow, that’s like, normal. How are you? Aw, that’s good. Well, you’ll be out of there soon. Back home. Yeah… yeah. Well, I talked to Auntie Em. Just now. Yeah… Uh huh… They’re coming. She’s going to call me back in a little while. I’m sure. No. No. I just told her about you—what happened. Not on the phone, Ma,” Wave stressed, then wiped his moistening forehead with the back of his hand.
“No. You’re going to have to tell them when they get here. I know. Well, um… Em said they might bring Prairie and Liam, but… I don’t know, Ma. I know it’s a huge risk—either way. Yeah, well it’s gotta get done. People are counting on us. Okay. Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you in a bit. I’ll come over right after I hear back from Auntie Em. Okay. Love you, too.”
Waverly pressed the end call button and let out a heavy sigh. He turned and flicked the switch on the cinderblock wall behind him, turning the air conditioning unit back on. The room was instantly filled with a low, dull hum as the stifling temperature in the wine cellar immediately began to cool. Waverly lifted the front of his t-shirt and wiped his face, welcoming the cooler air on his skin. He was somewhat relieved, yet nervous after his conversation with Em. He and Dot weren’t out of the woods yet, but hopefully by the time Eve and Em met with Dot, he could begin to relax.
Filled with hope after five days of worry, Waverly surveyed with pride the near ready harvest before him, the rows and rows of healthy, purple-budded, hydroponically grown, marijuana plants. It was a beautiful grow. Their best ever, and last. Now all he and Dot had to do was convince Em and Eve to help them harvest their product for their final distribution to the co-op while he went off to serve his two weeks with the California Air National Guard. Sidelined with her injury, Dot couldn’t do it—she needed two hands—and the plants couldn’t wait for his return. Em and Eve were the only people they dared trust to help them. He couldn’t even take the risk in asking Jill.
He shook his head. It was one thing to ask them to come and help with Dot. He knew they’d always be there for him and Dot. But harvest an illegal marijuana crop? That was asking them to go far and above the call of duty, and would take a lot more salesmanship than he had to convince them. He would leave that monumental task to the best motivator he’d ever known—Dot.
Waverly took one last look at the plants before stepping through the small opening in the wall, back into the decoy wine cellar. He closed and latched the secret door which immediately became a nondescript rack of wine bottles, completely obscuring what was behind the fake wall of wine that ran the length of the grow room. He flipped the light switch to the wine room and then bounded up the steps to his living quarters. He had a lot to do to prepare for Dot’s return home from the hospital, and the arrival of Em and Eve.
Still Not The End
To be continued… Dot in the Weeds
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Prairie Fire
The Em Suite—Book Three
Magnhild Press, Magnhild.com
Cover Art & Design by JL Magnhild
Cover Copyright 2013 Djuna Shellam
Editors:
Patty Rushing
XeriphaMae Jones
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Dear Reader:
Thank you so much for reading my eBook, “Prairie Fire.” I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This story was a long time in coming. For me, the writer, however, it was a wonderful journey, and well worth the time. As always, it’s been an absolute pleasure to share my characters—my delightful friends—with you.
If you enjoyed reading this eBook, I invite you to leave a positive comment that would possibly help someone who might like it as well, but who might need some help from other readers before making a decision to purchase. Thank you.
Stay tuned... there’s much more to come
Djuna Shellam
P.S. You can now find me on Facebook.
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PLAY LIST
Twist and Shout—The Beatles
Fleetwood Mac (Album)—Fleetwood Mac
Monday Morning—Fleetwood Mac
Warm Ways—Fleetwood Mac
Let It Be Me—Everly Brothers
Nocturne Opus 9—Frédérick François Chopin
China Grove—The Doobie Brothers
Love To Love You Baby—Donna Summer
My Sharona—The Knack
Abraxus (Album)—Santana
Samba Pa Ti—Santana
Like A Rolling Stone—Bob Dylan
Coming Soon...
“Dot in the Weeds”
A Novel by Djuna Shellam
Copyright 2016 Djuna Shellam
Magnhild Press
All Rights Reserved
“The True Life Adventures of Djuna Shellam”
The Official Autobiography of Djuna Shellam
A Novel by Djuna Shellam
Copyright 2016 Djuna Shellam
Magnhild Press
All Rights Reserved