"I had no idea, Henry. What an awesome life. That's so weird though, that you didn't travel a lot when you were young."
"Mom got yanked around a lot when she was young. She hated that life and when she married Dad, they settled."
"But she moved to Arizona rather than staying in Bellingwood. They'll be traveling back and forth a lot."
"I suppose if you look at it that way. But, you'll notice that she left this home exactly as she had created it and the home she has in Arizona is her nest too. Now she has two places to live and both of them make her happy."
"She does seem happy here."
"Honestly, Polly. I haven't seen her like this in years. I think she didn't realize how much her friends and family meant to her. She and Dad were really intent on getting out of here."
"For you, right?"
"I guess so. I thought it was because she hated the winter and Dad wanted to see another part of the country."
"I think she does hate the cold. But it's all worked out the way it was supposed to."
He wrapped his arms around her. "It did."
The sun had been up for a while and Polly turned around to check the time. "We should probably start moving before Drea and Bunny get up."
"Your friend Bunny is going to hurt this morning."
"I wasn't paying attention to her," Polly said. "She was drinking too much?"
"Yeah. Like a fish. Mark had to carry her up the stairs."
"Oh, good heavens, I hope she didn't puke all over the bed. I'll kill her." Polly moaned at the thought. At least Bunny hadn't been so offensive last night that Polly needed to get involved, but there had been at least two hundred people in the room and her antics were the least of Polly's concerns.
"If she did something stupid, we'll take care of it," Henry said and tucked Polly back into the crook his body made. "You should relax. They're leaving later this morning and we'll have the whole afternoon to get ready for our trip tomorrow."
She rubbed his forearm. "You're really looking forward to this, aren't you?"
"I am, but I've been thinking. Since Joss and Nate aren't going, maybe we should take my truck instead. It's going to be miserably hot without air conditioning."
Polly turned over and lay on her back, resting her head on his arm. "Really? That would be a lot more comfortable."
"Sure. It makes sense. Without Nate, I'm a little nervous about taking my baby out on the road for such a long trip. If something happens, I can fix a few things, but I can't fix it all."
"So ..." she said with a grin. "Could we take Obiwan with us if we drive the truck? It's not like we're going to go anywhere that he isn't allowed and he's a good dog."
Henry frowned. "But if we want to go into a nice restaurant, we can't leave him in the truck. It's too hot."
"We don't have to go to nice restaurants. We can do takeout."
"Are you sure?"
"I tell you what. Let's think about it today. If it seems like something we could do, he'd love it. He loves being with us."
"And you'd have part of your world with you. Don't get your heart too set on it, okay? It would be a lot easier without him."
"When have we ever done easy?" She grinned up at him and then leaned forward and kissed his lips. "Now I'm going to get up. You can sleep with these animals as long as you like."
Obiwan jumped off the bed when he realized she was moving and ran to the bedroom door, his tail wagging.
"I know, I know," she said. "You're desperate. Let me get dressed."
Henry sat up and swung his leg over a cat, then sat on the edge of the bed. "I'll put food down for the animals and start coffee. What do you want to make for breakfast?"
"If Bunny is really hung over, she won't want much more than toast. Drea never eats a lot at breakfast. I ate so much last night, I'm still full."
He pushed his belly out and patted it. "Me too," he laughed. "Sylvie is a great cook."
"You nut." Polly laughed and pulled jeans and a t-shirt on, then slid into a pair of old tennies. "I'll be back."
Obiwan followed her through the living room into the old apartment and down the back steps. When they got outside, the sun was doing its best to hold off the clouds that were beginning to build. The forecast had promised rain and it looked like that promise was about to be fulfilled.
"Let's go, bud. I know we won't melt, but I'd just as soon not get soaked." Polly followed the dog to the tree line and then they walked down toward the pasture. The horses weren't out yet.
Obiwan sniffed the fence and looked for his equine friends, but was distracted by something moving through the brush. He took off after it and Polly wandered on. When she heard splashing, she called him back and made her way to the edge of the creek.
He was running through the water chasing a rabbit.
"Obiwan," she snapped. "Come here. You're a filthy mess."
He stopped for just a second, then continued after the rabbit.
"Obiwan!" Her voice got louder and more demanding. "Come."
He was doing everything possible to resist her command, but they'd spent more two years working together and he was programmed to obey. He slowed down, turned and looked at her, pleading for release, but she repeated the command to come and he slunk back down the creek toward her. After he clambered up the bank, she knelt in front of him, telling him what a good boy he was and stroking his head.
"Silly dog," she muttered. "You're a mess, and all for a rabbit you wouldn't eat anyway."
They walked back to Sycamore House and he waited while she grabbed an old towel from a stack she kept at the bottom of the stairs. Soon he was dry enough to go and bounded up the steps. Polly followed, carrying the towel, just in case. Drea and Henry were in the kitchen. He looked up when she entered.
"What's up with the dog?" he asked.
"A rabbit in the creek. He felt the need to give chase."
"You've got a great family here," Drea said. "I'm glad I got a chance to experience it. Ray texted me this morning asking if I approved of Henry."
"Ray's hot," Polly said. "And he likes me. So, you be good to me, hear that?" She sidled up to Henry and slid her arm around his back.
"Hot, huh. Do I need to be jealous?"
"No," Drea said. "I won't have my girlfriends hooking up with those brothers of mine. That would just be wrong."
"Ray and Jon are my knights, though. They're the ones who took care of Joey for me in Boston."
"I know," Henry said, smiling at her. "I'll never forget that week." He looked at Drea, "Your brothers made a good impression on a lot of us. They didn't have to do that."
"Oh yes they did," she said. "For several reasons. First of all, Polly is family. They wouldn't let anyone hurt her. But secondly, and most important, they had a blast. They'd never liked the creep and it gave them a chance to get all macho." She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It's not easy living with two Italian brothers. Not easy at all."
"It's not fair." They all looked up at Bunny's voice.
"Rough night, Bunny?" Polly asked. The girl looked awful. She had terrible bedhead and her makeup was streaked across her face.
"If I pay you money will you just ship me back to Boston in a container?" Bunny whined.
"Buck up, buttercup," Drea said. "You have to get it together. You have packing to do and we're out of here in two hours."
"You hate me," the girl whined again.
"Not as much as you're going to hate flying this afternoon if you don't pull it together."
Bunny slumped across the peninsula and Polly pushed a bar stool under her bottom. She flopped onto it. "I was afraid you might give me alcohol to jump start me."
"No, but I could fry up some greasy eggs and bacon if you'd like," Henry said.
"Ohhhh." Bunny shuddered and lay her head down on her forearm. "Why did I do that to myself?"
"Because you don't have the sense God gave little green apples," Drea remarked.
"Don't be mean." Bunny stuck her tongue out at Drea
and grimaced. "At least wait until we're alone in the car."
"Would you like some toast, Bunny?" Polly asked. "That might help your tummy."
"Okay. Do you have aspirin or something?"
Polly poured a glass of water and opened a bottle of aspirin she took down from a cupboard. Bunny looked up and around at the three of them.
"You're staring at me. Do I really look that bad?"
"It's pretty scary," Drea said. "You'd better get moving. I'm not waiting for you today, so you'd best get your bags packed and be ready to go on time."
Bunny stuck her tongue out again. "I'll be ready," she said sulkily. "You don't have to yell at me."
Drea chuckled. "I'm going to finish packing. I'll be back in a bit."
After she walked out, Bunny looked up at Polly. "Am I really that bad?"
"You'll feel better after you've had a shower. I promise."
Bunny took another drink of water and slid off the stool. "Don't throw that away. I'll drink more when I'm done."
She left and pretty soon, Polly heard a loud groan from the bathroom. She laughed. "She saw herself in the mirror."
"You have interesting friends, Polly," Henry said.
She nodded. "It's been an interesting life."
CHAPTER TEN
Racing around all afternoon getting things wrapped up so they could leave early the next morning had worn Polly out. Since there were plenty of leftovers from the party, Polly and Henry had invited Joss and Nate, Mark and Sal, Doug, Billy and Rachel, Sylvie and her boys, and Eliseo over for dinner. Sarah and Rebecca had joined them as well. Henry had called his parents and they came over with his sister.
Drea and Bunny had gotten out of Bellingwood in plenty of time, due in no small part to Drea's constant nagging. Bunny complained and whined the entire time she packed her bags, until Polly finally went in to help her finish. Henry had finally carried all of her things down to the car so they could leave on time. Polly worried until she got a text from Drea that they were safely on the plane and Bunny lived through it.
It had rained off and on all day, but the skies were becoming more threatening as the afternoon wore on. Polly had almost canceled dinner, but after a second phone call, Sylvie told her to quit worrying. They'd be safer at Sycamore House than anywhere else in town. Thunder rumbled and rain poured out of the sky.
Mark and Sal, Nate and Joss showed up in time to set tables up and re-heat the food. They were just sitting down to eat when her phone rang. She looked at it to see Lydia's smiling face on the screen.
"Hey, Lydia, what's up?"
"You need to get downstairs right now. The sirens are about to go off in town, but the wind is coming and they're worried about a tornado. Get downstairs. Goodbye!"
Polly hung up and everyone looked at her.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked.
"Lydia says we're supposed to go to the basement right now. Something bad is coming at us."
At that moment, the city's sirens began to sound.
Billy turned to Rachel. "You go downstairs, I'll get Billy Jack."
"I'll get those people in the addition," she said. "We'll meet you down there."
"The animals!" Polly cried. She bolted for the back door of the auditorium, just behind Billy, and ran upstairs to their apartment. Obiwan was standing at the top of the steps, wagging his tail.
"Where are the cats?" she asked and ran past him. They were both sitting on the cat tree in Henry's office, their favorite place to be when they weren't snuggled in bed with her. Polly's first thought was that she couldn't manage all three animals and then realized that Henry and Jason had followed her. She thrust Luke into Jason's arms and ran back down the steps, calling for Obiwan to join them. Henry grabbed his leash off a hook and snapped it on the dog's collar.
The kitchen had cleared out, but when she looked outside, the late afternoon light had given way to an eerie greenish glow. As she watched, she heard the distinct sound of hail hitting the windows.
"Go, Polly," Henry commanded and she went.
Jason had already run through the kitchen and was standing at the top of the basement steps, holding the door open for them, the cat tucked under his arm.
"You go on," she said. "Is everyone else downstairs?"
"I think so," he replied and went down the steps ahead of her. Both cats seemed to be too surprised to even wiggle. They were rarely out of the apartment. Obiwan and Henry followed her down and he pulled the door shut behind them.
When they got to the basement, she went into the bedroom she'd set up last summer and found Sylvie sitting beside Rebecca and Sarah on the bed.
"I've never been through a tornado before," Rebecca said. "Is it scary?"
Polly shook her head. "It's nothing to sneeze at, but we're safe down here." She handed Leia to Andrew, who was sitting on the floor in front of them. "Would you mind keeping an eye on her? If she gets away, don't worry, just help me out now."
He nodded and took the cat, then began stroking her back. Jason came into the room with Luke. "Eliseo isn't here," he said. "Mark thinks he went down to the barn."
"No!" Polly cried. "That fool." She called his cell phone.
"Hello, Polly," Eliseo answered. "Don't yell at me. I've been in worse weather and I'm going to make sure everything is okay down here."
"I am yelling at you. What are you thinking?"
"We'll be fine. I promise."
"You're a fool," she said to him.
"Maybe, but this is where I need to be."
He ended the call and she dropped to her knees beside Andrew and put her hand on Leia's head. "Don't let anything happen to him, please," she said quietly.
Mark and Sal came into the room. He was carrying a Coleman lantern. "I can't believe you have these, Polly."
"Jeff made me. He told me that we had to have supplies down here just in case. I suspect you'll find candles and batteries and even freeze dried food if you look hard enough. There should be four or five lawn chairs and some folding chairs."
She looked around. "Where's Billy and what about that Lois Wexler, the photographer?"
"I'm right here," Billy said, coming in the door. "It's getting kind of bad out there. The tree branches are blowing like crazy and that rain is coming down in sheets!"
He released his dog, who ran over to Obiwan. Billy and Doug planned to take Obiwan over to their apartment while Polly and Henry were gone. Sylvie and the kids would take care of the cats during the day, making sure they were fed before going home each evening. Polly felt fortunate to have so many people around to take care of her life when she couldn't be there to live it.
Polly asked one more time, "Has anyone seen our guest? Rachel, was she in her room?"
"I knocked several times and she didn't come to the door. I yelled and yelled for her. She must not be here."
"Well, there's nothing more we can do. I hope she's okay."
Henry and his dad came in with more chairs and set them up around the room.
"Well, this is a helluva way to start your honeymoon," Lonnie said. She poked her brother in the arm. "You'd better hope you can get out of here tomorrow."
"You'd better hope we don't decide that we're coming to Michigan rather than going to Arizona. We could come up and make you entertain us for a week. And we'd expect you to really take care of us. Do our laundry, make our meals and give us footrubs."
She shrugged her shoulders, "Bring it, big boy. I'd give you a vacation you'd never forget."
Polly grinned, watching the two of them. She loved seeing siblings play. That was one thing she missed. Even though she had friends she loved like crazy, there was just something about sisters and brothers and their lifelong knowledge of each other.
"How are you doing, Sarah?" she asked.
"I'm okay. It's a good week for me, so I feel fine. This is a little nerve-wracking, though."
Bill Sturtz came back in, carrying a black radio. "You were right, Polly. Your manager thought of everything. We even have a weat
her radio and fresh batteries were sitting beside it." He began tuning it in, messing with the antenna, trying to get a signal.
"I'm going back out into the main room to see if I can't get this to tune in."
"Be careful, Bill," his wife, Marie, said. "Don't you go upstairs."
"I won't. Stop worrying, mother."
The lights flickered once and Polly looked at Henry. He was concerned, but didn't seem too worried.
"We get two more flickers before they go out," he said.
"How do you know this stuff?" she asked.
"I don't know. It's just what I've always known."
They flickered twice more immediately and then everything went black. Cell phones lit up around the rooms as people swiped them open and Mark lit the Coleman lantern.
"I saw two battery operated lanterns in the other room. I'll be right back." He started to walk away with the lantern and then turned around, chuckling, and handed it to Sal. "Whoops. Sorry."
"What do you think about this, Sal?" Polly asked.
"I'm not sure. I mean, how much danger are we in?"
"Tornadoes can be pretty dangerous," Marie Sturtz said. "Bellingwood got hit by a big one back in 1991. There were a lot of damaged homes. It ripped through the trailer park and killed a woman."
Mark came back in with another lantern. "I left the other one with Bill out there. He's fine. It sounds like there is a tornado on the ground west of here."
"Oh god," Polly said. Then she stopped. "No. Oh, dear God, please keep this community safe."
"Amen," Marie responded and there were nods around the room.
A terrible sound resonated outside, like a train rolling down the tracks.
"What's that?" Rebecca whined a little.
"It's okay," Polly stood and walked toward the bed. Obiwan and Big Jack had both settled themselves on the floor in front of the bed. She knelt back down and put a hand on her dog. "It's going to be okay."
Bill Sturtz had come back into the room with his lantern and sat on a chair beside his wife. He took her hand in his. "This is too close," he said.
Polly shut her eyes and tried to think of anything but the damage a tornado could do to those she loved. A lot of her family was safe right here in the basement of her home, but there were too many others out there that she worried about. She looked over at Henry, tears in her eyes. He moved quickly to her side.
Tomorrow's Promises (Bellingwood Book 7) Page 8