A Man Worth Marrying

by Phyllis Halldorson

  The noise of the wind made it difficult to hear, but she was almost sure it was a youngster. Eve raised her own voice. "No, you won't. I won't let you." She crawled closer until she could put her arms on either side of the figure—which on contact was readily identifiable as a child—and clutched the trunk of the bush with her hands. "What's your name?"

  "Tinker," she said, and Eve felt dizzy with relief.

  "Tinker, it's Eve. Put your arms around my neck and don't let go. There's enough weight between the two of us to ground us."

  Eve wished she was as sure of that as she sounded, but thankfully Tinker trusted her and did as she was told. Eve reasoned that it would be easier to stay where they were and ride the storm out, but if those black roiling clouds put out funnels that reached the ground, it was imperative that they not be in the open.

  Gingerly, she let go of the trunk and started using branches to help pull herself and Tinker up. It took almost superhuman strength, and the bush swept painfully back and forth across her unprotected face, but she finally accomplished it.

  The next problem was to get to the car without being blown over. She tightened her grip on Tinker, and bent forward as she fought every step of the way to stay on her feet and head in the right direction.

  Finally she reached the car, but the door had been blown shut. Positioning Tinker between the vehicle and herself, she strained her body against the child's, and tugged at the door until she managed to get it open again. Then she pushed Tinker inside and followed her.

  She hadn't turned off the motor, the lights, or the radio, and she put the car in gear immediately. Eve headed for Bambi's house. Thank goodness she'd found Tinker, but she couldn't bear to let herself think about Gray and the danger he might be in!

  Driving in this wind was slow going, but eventually she reached her destination. She turned into the driveway as close as she could get to the house, then abandoned the car and, again with Tinker in her arms, fought her way against the elements to get inside the building.

  Once she'd accomplished that, she tried to put the youngster down to stand on her own, but Tinker clutched at Eve, terrified.

  "It's all right, baby," Eve said soothingly, at the same time trying to guide her to the door that led to the basement. "We're going downstairs until the storm is over. Give me your hand, and I'll help you."

  Tinker was shaking. "Are we gonna get blown away?"

  "Not now we're not," Eve said, sounding a lot more confident than she felt. "We'll go down to the basement and—"

  As they got closer to the door, she heard two raised voices over the noise of the storm, coming from the bottom of the stairs. She knew one was Bambi. Could the other one be Gray?

  The electric lines were down now, and the top two levels of the house were a dark gray, but the basement was even darker. As she and Tinker stood at the top of the stairs looking down, she could barely see anything, but she recognized Gray's voice and detected the fury and terror in it. She wasn't sure what he was saying, but it was directed at Bambi.

  The storm was so loud, and they were so involved in their quarrel, that Eve couldn't get their attention. However, when she was a little girl her dad had taught her a sharp commanding whistle, and she put her fingers to her mouth and blew.

  That silenced the combatants. "I have Tinker," she announced loudly. "She's right here at the top of the stairs with me, and she's soaking wet, but otherwise fine."

  "Tinker!" It was Gray, and Eve could see his outline in the dark as he ran across the room.

  Tinker pulled her hand out of Eve's and scampered down the steps. They met at the bottom, and Gray swept his daughter into his arms and hugged her, all the time muttering, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

  From where Eve stood, she could see Bambi join Gray and Tinker in a loving family embrace, and she tried not to feel left out. She'd severed her tenuous ties with Gray. She had no business wishing he'd hug her, too. She was worried about her family, too, and hoped she'd have an equally loving reunion with them when this was over.

  Straightening her spine, Eve started down the steps. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she said, "but we should get Tinker into something dry as quickly as possible. Bring me a blanket and some towels, while I get her out of these wet clothes."

  Eve stepped off the bottom step and started to walk past Gray, but he reached out and grabbed her with one arm around her waist. Releasing Tinker to her mother, he put that arm around Eve, too, and held her close. He was as wet as she was.

  "I love you," he said into her ear, "and it wasn't just Tinker I was worried about. The fact that you could have been killed in this storm, too, was driving me crazy."

  He hugged her tight and kissed her hard, then disappeared up the stairs, leaving her shaken and off balance.

  She managed to pull herself together, and eased Tinker away from Bambi, who was crying hysterically and being no help at all. Eve was helping Tinker take off her wet clothes and trying to reassure her, when Gray reappeared a few minutes later with towels and blankets. Eve dried Tinker off, and Gray folded a blanket in half and wrapped it around the child.

  Eve had nothing dry to change in to herself, but her wet coat had protected the garments underneath to some extent. She removed the coat and towel-dried her hair enough to keep it from dripping in her face.

  The wind howled overhead and the building shook above them, eliciting even more cries from Bambi. Eve looked around for something for them to crawl under, but Gray took command.

  "There's a large workbench over on the right-hand wall," he said. "It'll be crowded, but we can all get under it. Eve, take Tinker and follow me. Bambi, pull yourself together and get a move on."

  It was definitely crowded, but they all managed to huddle together on the concrete floor under the toolbench in the dark underground room. Before long, they could hear the tornado coming, like a freight train in the distance, rumbling closer all the time. Putting their arms around each other, they hung on as the noise escalated to a roar directly above them that shook the ground as well as the building.

  It seemed to last for hours, but then it stopped, and there was no sound at all but Tinker's and Bambi's terrified sobs.

  "I-Is it over?" Bambi stammered.

  "Don't be too hasty," Gray warned. "It's not unheard of for these things to come in multiples, or this could be the eye of the storm. We don't want to survive one just to get caught in another."

  The unnatural silence penetrated even further in Eve's mind, and another wave of fear stabbed her. What about her parents? Her sister, and other members of her family? She couldn't just sit there, she had to find out.

  She was squeezed in between Gray and Bambi, and Gray had Tinker on his lap. Eve shifted and slid forward. "Gray, I'm going upstairs to see what's happening. I need to find out how my family is."

  He crawled out and stood up. "Yes, of course you do. I'll go up with you and see how the weather looks."

  They raced up the steps and found the house had been ravaged by the force of the winds and rain, but was still intact. The wet floor was strewn with broken glass and china, and they picked their way gingerly across it to look out a broken window. The sky was clear; there was no sign of more funnel clouds.

  Gray went with her outside where the scene around them was chaotic. Rubble clogged the flooded streets and butted against the buildings; tree limbs, trash cans, bicycles, and cars were damaged and overturned. Eve was surprised to see her car had been spared anything more serious than a few deep body dents, although one parked at the curb was destroyed.

  She kissed Gray goodbye, promised to drive carefully through the ruined streets, and headed for her family home. There, to her great relief, she found them all safe and sound. Both her parents' home and her apartment were out of the path of the twister, although they, too, had no electricity or phone service.

  Back at her own apartment, after discarding her wet clothes, Eve took a hot shower and dressed in dry slacks and a sweatshirt. She was going back to Bambi's ho
use. She couldn't get through on the telephone, and she was still worried about them. She'd left in such a hurry that she didn't even know if Gray's house had been damaged.

  She hurried down the stairs and had almost reached her car when she heard an automobile turn into the driveway, and a voice shout, "Eve, wait. It's me, Gray."

  Running footsteps crunched the gravel, and before she could recover from her surprise and respond, he caught her in his arms and crushed her against him.

  "Gray! Oh Gray—" She was cut off when his mouth took possession of hers, and for a moment they were overwhelmed by relief and elation. Their hands roamed, their mouths ravaged, and their hearts hammered against each other's chests.

  "Oh, Eve, my darling, my love," Gray murmured breathlessly against her throat as he nuzzled her sensitive skin. "I've been nearly out of my mind. I'm sorry I was so stubborn. I should have believed you and acted on your warning."

  "No, sweetheart," Eve said. She put her hands on either side of his head and lifted it so she could rain kisses on his face. "You did nothing wrong. Nothing all the other weathercasters haven't done. I'm the one who's strange. Who knows? Maybe I'm a sorceress—"

  He captured her roaming lips with his own, effectively silencing her. "If you are, then you're my sorceress," he growled before gently probing her lips apart with his tongue.

  For a moment they were totally lost in the sweet agony of desire, as their deepening kiss sent waves of need through their trembling bodies.

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, Eve knew they were standing in plain sight where anybody who walked by or looked out their window could see them—but it didn't matter. She was finally back in Gray's arms, and he was making it plain that he wanted her there. Nothing else mattered.

  "I'm never going to let you out of my sight again," Gray eventually murmured, as Eve snuggled against him.

  She loved it when he admitted his deep feelings for her, his fear for her safety, and his need to have her in his life. He still had responsibilities for his ex-wife and daughter, but she wasn't going to let those duties stand between them any longer.

  "I'm glad to hear that," she said softly. "Does that include nights as well as days?"

  She felt him stiffen. "That—that depends on you. What do you have in mind?"

  "I'm accepting your proposal of marriage…if it still stands," she told him.

  His arms tightened around her. "It does. When?"

  She rubbed her cheek against his. "As soon as we can get a license. But you'll need a place to stay until then. You're—you're welcome to spend tonight at my apartment," Eve said. "I want you in my apartment, and in my life forever. We'll work out the problems with Bambi and Tinker as they come up."

  Gray hugged Eve once more, then released her. "Then what are we waiting for?" he asked roguishly. "Let's go get them settled for the night so we can practice saying our wedding vows."

  He took her hand, and together they headed for his car. "Oh, by the way, where were you going before I stopped you?"

  "I was going back to Bambi's to make sure you were okay. Was your house damaged much?"

  He shook his head. "It's the damndest thing. Bambi's had quite a lot of damage, but mine is just around the corner and it had none. Not even a cracked window or an uprooted shrub. Tornados are scary things. Totally unpredictable. Just like some women I know," he added, and squeezed her hand.

  After fighting their way through wreckage-clogged streets, Gray and Eve finally made it to Bambi's house.

  They found Bambi and Tinker cleaning up the rubble. Both were protectively dressed in blue jeans, sweatshirts, thick-soled athletic shoes and heavy work gloves. Bambi was sweeping the floor with a broom and brushing the jagged pieces of glass into a long-handled dustpan, while Tinker picked up the objects that had been thrown to the floor but not broken.

  "I'm glad you came back," Bambi said. "We need to talk."

  "I agree," Gray replied.

  "Then we'd better sit in the family room," Bambi said. "There are no broken windows in there."

  They followed her into the room, and Gray guided Eve to the sofa and sat her down beside him. Then he picked Tinker up and lifted her onto his lap. He talked reassuringly to her for a few minutes, then turned his attention to Bambi.

  "My place has no damage, so we're going to take you and Tinker over there to spend the night," he told her. "You'll be safe there. Is that all right with you?"

  Bambi looked from Gray to Eve, then back again. "Yes. I appreciate it," she said. "I really wouldn't feel very safe here."

  "Good," Gray said heartily. "Then, if you'll throw a few things together that you'll need tonight, we can be on our way."

  Bambi got up and left the room, but was back a few minutes later with an overnight case. Gray stood with Tinker in his arms, but Eve kept her seat, assuming she would be out of place if she tagged along.

  When it became obvious that she was planning to stay there, Bambi said, "Eve, would you mind coming with us? There's something I want to say to you and Gray, but as you know—" she paused, then cut a glance at Tinker "—little pitchers have big ears, and besides it's past Tinker's bedtime."

  Oh, dear, Eve thought. What now? Was Bambi going to put up a fuss about Gray and her spending the night together? Bambi might be flaky, but she wasn't stupid. She must know the strength of the magnetism between them and that after the tumult of this day nothing could keep them apart.

  Reluctantly, Eve stood and picked up her purse as she followed them to Gray's car.

  Once at Gray's house, he and Bambi got Tinker ready for bed and tucked her in, while Eve waited in the living room.

  She shifted uncomfortably as she listened to the voices coming from Tinker's room. Eve could see now that she'd been all wrong about Bambi. Her helpless little-girl demeanor wasn't an act. She really was immature and incapable of assuming much responsibility. Gray knew that, and had done what he could to keep Tinker and her mother together by watching over both of them.

  He was a loving father and a gentleman, and not many women were privileged to be loved by a man like that. And to think that she could have lost him tonight. Eve had had the scare of her life when the tornado struck. Gray could so easily have been killed—

  Her thoughts were interrupted by Gray and Bambi coming down the hall. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Gray said as he walked across the room. He sat down on the sofa beside Eve, and took her hand in his.

  Bambi took one of the upholstered chairs and got right to the point. "Eve, I—I don't have any idea how to thank you for saving my daughter's life—" Her voice trembled and broke.

  Eve was aghast. "Bambi, that's not necessary—"

  "Oh, I know you did it for Gray, not for me," she interrupted, "but—"

  Eve slipped her hand from Gray's and sat up straight. "Bambi, you're wrong. I didn't save her—as you put it— for either you or Gray. I did it because I had to. I couldn't bear to think of that little girl out there in gale-force winds."

  Bambi stood up. "Neither could I," she said, and began to pace. "But all I could do was cower in the basement and hide, while you and Gray were out looking for her. She could have been—"

  Eve could see that the other woman was shivering and on the verge of hysteria. She stood up, followed by Gray, but she went to Bambi and put her arms around her while he held back.

  It was more like embracing a child than an adult. Bambi was so slight, and she continued to tremble and bury her face against Eve.

  "It's all right, Bambi," Eve murmured. "Tinker's safe and sound now, and no one's blaming you. If you had gone out of the house, you'd have been blown away. You were right to stay put."

  "But…but it was my fault she was out in it in the first place," Bambi sobbed. "If I'd been paying attention to what was going on outside instead of talking on the phone and listening to loud music, she'd never have been in danger."

  Eve raised her head and glanced at Gray, who was standing in front of her but behind Bambi. He motioned and shrugged as if
to say he either didn't know how, or didn't want to handle her. Eve took that to mean that she could do it her way and he'd go along.

  "Bambi," she said gently but firmly. "This tornado was a natural disaster that caught everyone by surprise."

  "But I should have—" Bambi started to say something, but Eve interrupted her.

  "Should haves don't count after the fact," she said. "Just remember this experience and learn from it. Eight-year-old children need to be supervised and taken care of."

  Bambi squirmed out of Eve's arms, and reached into the back pocket of her jeans for a tissue to blow her nose. "I know that," she said, "but I'm not very good at it. I forget, or get involved in something else and don't pay attention…"

  She was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and went on. "That's why I've decided to let Gray have full custody of Tinker. I didn't realize before just how oblivious I can be."

  Bambi's announcement took Eve completely by surprise, and she could tell from Gray's expression that it did him, too.

  "Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean, couldn't you just try to be more observant?"

  "I have tried," Bambi said sadly as she turned to look at Gray. "But after a while I'm back to not paying attention again. I've had time to think about it during this long horrible day, and I'm not going to put my baby in danger anymore. I try to be a good mother, truly I do. But my mind keeps wandering, and pretty soon I'm in trouble again. If you want custody, Gray, I won't oppose you."

  Eve was dumbfounded. Bambi was voluntarily giving Gray full custody of their daughter. She'd never have believed it if she hadn't heard it herself.

  The three of them were standing close together in the near darkness of the room, and Gray's glance traveled over his troubled ex-wife.

  "We'll talk about this more tomorrow," he told her. "Then we'll get together with our lawyer. Meanwhile, be absolutely sure you want to do it."

  "I am," she said, then looked at Eve. "Eve, I owe you my baby's life. Just saying thank you will never be enough."

  Eve didn't want Bambi carrying that burden of guilt on her account, and was quick to say so. "No, Bambi. You don't owe me a thing. There were mistakes made on all sides today, and we all three share in both the guilt and the glory. I feel especially blessed to be the first one to find Tinker, but I would call that a miracle—not an act of heroism."