by Sable Hunter
“I don’t know,” Libby mused. “Flash floods are so dangerous because they’re so unexpected. This part of Texas is notorious for them. Did you know Aron’s parents died in a flash flood?”
“No!”
“Yea, they were returning from a trip. Instead of waiting until it was safe, they drove over a low spot at the exact wrong moment and were swept away. All because they were worried about the boys going through the storm alone.”
“How sad.” Jensen checked the traffic in her rearview mirror. “When I write about the Waco Mammoth site on my blog, I think I’ll put in a reminder about being wary of flashfloods. We have so many people who have moved to this area from other places and know nothing about flashfloods. Helping folks learn about the dangers they could face is something I’d like to do.”
“You have a blog? Good for you! You’ll have to share the link with me.”
“I will. I call it Surviving. Writing it has been good for me; I’ve used the process to work through some of my issues.”
“Do you write about your personal journey?”
“In a way, but it’s not really about surviving cancer; it’s about surviving life. I cover everything from coping with stress to taking care of yourself in the wild.”
“Really. How interesting…”
Libby seemed about to say something else when Jensen cleared her throat. “You know, you asked me if I was dating someone special.”
“Yea. Are you?” Libby asked with a slight smile on her face.
Jensen felt the need to confide in someone. She’d never spoke of this matter to anyone before. “No, not now. I’m afraid it’s going to be a cold day in August before I feel comfortable being intimate with a guy.”
“You shouldn’t feel that way. You’re a beautiful woman who has plenty to offer the right man.”
Jensen shook her head. There was no use extolling her shortcomings. “The right man. An elusive breed. Actually, a few years ago I met someone I really liked. Of course, me being me, I screwed things up and sabotaged the relationship.”
“You go, girl,” Libby teased, then turned sober. “What do you mean?”
Speaking softly, she told Libby how she met Clint. “This handsome young hunk just walked out in front of me at a crosswalk on the Baylor campus and the next thing I knew, he’d been knocked down by a passing car. I jumped out to help him…and things went on from there.”
“What things? Did you start dating?”
“No. The timing wasn’t right.” Jensen laughed wryly. “Nothing was right. I’d just finished medical school and was about to start my residency. He was a college senior who’d just been drafted by the NFL.”
“Oh, wow. A football player? I know how you feel about football players.”
“Exactly. That was one of the reasons I intended to never see him again.”
“Aww. He must have made an impression on you. You’re still thinking about him years later.”
“We shared a kiss,” Jensen whispered with nostalgia. “A spectacular, mind-blowing kiss.”
“Oh, do tell?”
“Yes, one amazing kiss and I walked out of his life.”
“Did you ever see him again?”
“Oh, yea. We ran into one another in Austin some years later. I’d come to town to interview with Scott and he was here meeting with his brothers, something about his mother finding out the identity of her birth parents.”
“Seriously?” Libby sounded oddly surprised. “What happened?”
“I seduced him. We spent the night together.”
Libby slapped the dashboard with the flat of her palm. “Get outta town!”
“Well, I did. After an amazing night, I left him a note and walked out of his life for the second time.”
“Why? Didn’t you like him? Wasn’t he a good guy?”
Jensen sighed. “He was the best. So sweet. God, he was glad to see me. He said the most romantic things – and he wanted to continue seeing me.”
“Well, why didn’t you?”
Giving Libby a sad look, Jensen put on her blinker to turn off I-35 onto Highway 29. “The next day I was scheduled to have a mastectomy at M. D. Anderson. Running into him was a fluke and I used him for a last hurrah.” She threw one hand in the air. “My final chance to have sex as a whole woman with two breasts.”
“Oh, my lands, Jensen. What happened then?”
She shrugged. “Nothing. After sleeping in his arms all night, I snuck out like a scarlet woman and left him a note that said – Sorry. Don’t try to find me. As far as I know, he didn’t.”
Libby sat there with her mouth open. “But you liked him, right?”
“Very much. Of course, there were obstacles. I was older. He played football. I was moving away. But those things were small potatoes compared to cancer. No matter how I felt about it, waking up the next morning and saying… Oh, by the way, I have cancer and I’m having a breast removed today – I couldn’t do that.”
“Oh, honey. I can relate.” Libby touched Jensen’s arm with sympathy. “Have you ever considered you might have underestimated him?”
“Maybe. Clint is an exceptional man.” Considering Libby’s position, she couldn’t say what was on her mind. Her friend’s choices were her own. People were different. Diseases reacted differently. The role of genetics was a hard puzzle to decipher. For Jensen, having a family would be like having hostages to fortune. Her future was far too uncertain to involve anyone else. Not a husband and certainly not children.
“What is his name?”
“Clint. Clint Wilder.” At Libby’s shocked face, Jensen laughed sadly. “Yea, that Clint Wilder. Football god. Handsome as sin. Heart of gold.”
“If everything were okay. If things were normal. Would you want to be with him?”
Jensen scoffed. “I don’t know. I haven’t been able to forget about him. I think about him all the time.”
“Hmmm.”
“Oh, well. No use worrying about things I can’t change.” She gestured toward her chest. “Even if things were different, he’d never want to see me again.”
“Well, you never know.”
“It doesn’t matter now – water under the bridge.” Jensen slowed down as she went through the town of Burnet. “Don’t let me miss the turn.” As she checked her mirrors, she noticed the sky behind them. “Dang, that weather is looking rough.”
“This time of year is full of storms,” Libby muttered as she dug in her purse. “Can you ride a horse, Jensen?”
Jensen laughed out loud. “What a question. Yes. I’ve finally become a horsewoman. I had a bit of a rocky start, but I persisted and prevailed. I don’t own my own horse, but I visit a riding stable regularly.”
“Excellent.” She held up a brochure so Jensen could see. “This might be something you’d be interested in.”
Glancing at the large print, she read, “Hill Country Search and Rescue. Joseph and Tennessee McCoy. Part of your family, I presume.”
“Yes, Joseph is Aron’s brother and Tennessee is Jaxson’s brother. The other three founding partners are family friends. These guys perform a very necessary and difficult function. They’re called upon to help find missing people all over the country – everywhere from National Parks to the Atchafalaya Swamp. I don’t know how many lives they’ve saved, but it’s a substantial number. If you’re interested, they’re looking for new members. You with your medical background would fill a vital need. I know you’re specialized, but I suspect emergency medicine is well within your training.”
“True. I might have to brush up on some procedures, but that’s doable. What does this entail?” She kept glancing at the pretty photos on the brochure.
“Well, it doesn’t pay anything. In fact, it can be expensive. The ones who volunteer their time don’t charge the victims or their families. So, there’s transportation, gear, supplies – all of that comes out of your own pocket.”
“That wouldn’t be a problem.”
“I didn’t think it wo
uld.” Libby turned over the brochure and pointed at a chart. “There’s a selection process, they don’t accept just anyone. Once you’re in, there’s an orientation to attend. There are also online classes you have to take. Once you’ve completed those within the timeframe, they send you on a test mission with a complimentary partner…” When Jensen laughed, Libby rephrased her comment. “I don’t mean the partner is a bonus, I mean the partner’s skills would contrast with yours. As a team, you’d have more bases covered. Does that make sense?”
“Absolutely.” Jensen considered the idea. “There’s travel involved.”
“Oh, yea. You might be in Florida one trip and Idaho the next. They do a lot of mountain rescues. Joseph and Bowie specialize in water rescue, especially cave diving. Tennessee is an avid mountain climber. Beau is the founding father of the Cajun Navy; he works a lot of storm rescues – and Tanner does a little bit of everything. As an FYI, Tanner is married to Desiree Holt, the country singer.”
“He is? How neat. Do you think they’d let me try out? I still take a pill every day, but my condition is much improved. In fact, I think I’m stronger now than I was before. I certainly have a different mindset.”
Libby grinned. “I can put in a good word for you. They need some women in this group. There’s far too much testosterone.” She pointed at a sign. “By the way, the turn-off is just ahead.”
“Good deal. How many new members are they looking for?”
“I’m not sure. Several. The more qualified team members they have in the pool, the more cases they can handle – without a chance of overworking anyone. I know they have some people already signed up. The cut-off date is fast approaching…so if you’re interested let me know.”
Jensen slapped the steering wheel. “I want to do it. I think it sounds perfect.”
Libby seemed pleased with herself. “I agree.”
As they drew near the ranch, Jensen glanced at her friend. “Thanks for spending the day with me.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks for putting up with me. We’ll have to do it again. I’ll give you a call after I speak with Joseph about the search and rescue training.”
“Yes. Please do. Do you have my number?” Jensen asked as she pulled into the driveway in front of the stately plantation style house.
“I don’t think so.”
Coming to a stop, she grabbed her purse and pulled out a business card. “This has my personal cell phone number on it. Please, call me anytime.”
“Thank you.” Libby tucked the card in her purse. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of one another in the future.”
After a final goodbye, Jensen backed out to leave. As she made her way down the drive, a large black truck came barreling in so fast she had to swerve to miss it. “Dang.” She couldn’t see the driver through his dirty windshield, but she glared at him just the same. “Some people think they’re the only ones on the road.”
After the close call, Jensen retraced the path she’d taken through Burnet on Highway 29. When she came to Liberty Hill, Jensen turned north on FM 1869. During her ramblings, she’d discovered a few shortcuts to her home north of Georgetown. They weren’t main thoroughfares and the speed limit was less – but the views were spectacular. After living through her own personal year of hell, making a habit of taking the backroads was another way she endeavored to make every moment count.
“How about some music?” Liking her own idea, Jensen flipped on the radio to her favorite easy listening station. If it didn’t look like rain, she would’ve opened the sunroof, but the sky was pretty dark ahead of her and she didn’t relish getting the Audi’s leather upholstery wet.
Humming along to a familiar song, she ate another berry, her mind skating from one topic to another. When she arrived home, she needed to deal with this fruit, do a little housecleaning, and pay Nicky for mowing the lawn. Jensen was afraid she’d soon have to find someone else to take care of her yard. Her young neighbor, Nicky, was fast becoming a You-tube sensation. His channel showcasing human interest stories was racking up subscribers right and left.
“We interrupt our regular broadcasting to announce a tornado warning encompassing Williamson County, particularly the area south of Andice.”
“Well, toot,” Jensen whispered. “I’m right in the middle of it.”
Slowing down, she looked all around her – and what she saw over her left shoulder made Jensen’s blood run cold. A massive bank of dark clouds filled the northern sky. Dipping down from them was a nebulous column of dust. Was that a tornado? She didn’t know, but she didn’t intend to stick around and find out. Clutching the steering wheel with both hands, she pressed the gas pedal, increasing her speed.
With one eye on the road ahead of her and the other on the rearview mirror, Jensen did her best to outrun the storm. What should she do? There was no place to turn, no way to escape. As fast as she drove, the tempest moved faster. Soon, she was surrounded. The rains and the wind pushed through so hard it was like being in one of those car washes where the driver stays inside the vehicle. To her left, she could see a large funnel. The clouds were full of debris that reminded her of a flock of big birds with widespread wings.
Fear filled her. As she attempted to keep her car on the road and going forward, she could feel the wind moving the Audi toward the ditch. “When I said bring on the storm, this isn’t exactly what I meant.” Jensen knew for certain she was about to die.
…Once Clint returned Tennessee to Highland’s Ranch, he’d debated whether to go to his mother’s or drive over to Jarrell to look in on the building project. Due to the forecast, there were no crews on the job today. With no one to call for a report, he decided he’d rest better if he made certain everything had weathered the storm without damage.
As he drove east retracing the path he’d taken with his cousin, Clint shook his head at the near miss he’d experienced exiting the road from Highland Ranch. “Women drivers,” he mumbled – although he didn’t really believe the cliché, his mother and sister were excellent drivers – Kyd…not so much. Still, it was a wonder he didn’t have blue paint on his bumper. The car had come around the curve, ignoring the yellow line delineating the lanes on the road and taking its part out of the middle.
For a moment, he’d thought the driver was Jensen. That instant of faux recognition coupled with narrowly avoiding an accident forced adrenaline to cascade through his system. He’d actually felt drained for a few minutes afterward. His reaction annoyed him, he hated to still be affected by the memory of a woman who clearly wanted only one thing from him. As soon as he processed the thought, Clint made an irritated growling sound followed by a sardonic chuckle.
God, he sounded like such a girl.
The truth was, he wouldn’t have minded if she only wanted one thing from him…if she hadn’t been satisfied with having that one thing only one time. So much for his sexual prowess. Good thing he had a healthy ego.
“Hell,” he muttered, knowing he was lying to himself. He’d wanted Jensen to want him, of course – but he’d also wanted her to like him. To feel something for him. From the instant she’d come rushing up to help him at the crosswalk, he’d been unable to let go of the idea they were connected. God knows he’d been attracted to her. For seven long damn years he’d remembered her. Longed for her.
Fantasized about her.
When fate seemed to intervene and they’d run into one another at the Austin motel, Clint was elated for a second chance. When she’d come on to him – hell, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. The morning after, however, she’d skipped out and ran, leaving only a note. Sorry. Don’t look for me.
But he had looked.
Sadly, he’d never stopped looking. Even after all this time, he still searched for her face in every crowd. Sometimes a first glance would cause him to freeze and stare, his heart skipping a beat. A second look would dash his hopes, leaving him to deal with disappointment and regrets. All of these things combined to convince Clint that what he thou
ght he’d just seen was merely another attempt by his mind to give him what his heart still craved.
Sometimes he almost hated himself for what he perceived to be a weakness. Why couldn’t he just let it go? Let her go?
When he came to an intersection, Clint made a choice. The fastest route would be to drive all the way to the interstate, then north on 35 to Jarrell. Not in the mood to deal with traffic, he decided to take the backroads. As he traveled, he studied the landscape, enjoying memories of exploring the area on bikes with Rowan and Russ.
Not too many miles east of Burnet, the Texas Hill Country flattened out into the black land prairies. There were still some rolling hills, but patchy farmland dominated the landscape. The monotony of shortgrass and fields of crops was interrupted by colorful clumps of bluebonnets and orange Indian paintbrush. Ahead of Clint, the road was wet and grey lines were visible on the horizon to show where the sheets of dense rain were still falling. Checking the radar, he could see the supercell was still active and capable of firing off tornados. “Oh, so the party isn’t over.”
Instead of stopping and turning around, Clint kept going. As he stared at the wedge of the storm, Clint thought he could make out a faint spot of concentrated rotation. No, that looked more like a surging rear flank downdraft, not a tornado. However, the farther he went and the longer he looked, the more convinced he became that a funnel was about to form.
Checking the radar, he set a new course, wanting to reach the heart of the storm in the least amount of time possible. Making turn after turn on the small county road, he found himself at a dead-end. “Holy…,” he scoffed at his luck as he stopped and turned around to hunt another way to his destination. Unfortunately, not every farm lane was charted on Google maps. In this part of the world, gated dirt roads could put a serious hitch in his get-along.
Once he figured out another way, Clint continued on toward the growing storm. As his truck bounced and bumped on the rough terrain, he remained focused on what lay ahead of him. To his shock, an incredible sight unfolded in front of him. One he’d heard about – but never witnessed before. Clint couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched a ghostly white tornado descend from a mass of blue-black clouds that formed a dome over a patch of perfect blue sky. This fragile dome was framed by the most beautiful rainbow he’d ever seen. He was not superstitious by any means, but even he had to wonder if this amazing spectacle could be a sign. But of what – he didn’t know.