Falling Star

by Laura DeLuca

  Yawning, Lainey gently nudged Misty onto the floor, rolled off Drew, and pulled herself to her feet, almost knocking over the coffee table in the process. Good thing they’d cleaned up the glasses before bed. Even her clumsy movements didn’t cause Drew to stir. Recalling that he hadn’t been feeling well the last few days, she decided to let him sleep a while longer, but followed her nose to the kitchen, careful to avoid stepping on the heads of Nate and Elisa as she navigated through the messy, overcrowded living room.

  “Good morning, Lainey!” Sharon flipped a pancake. “Looks like you slept well.”

  “In case you didn’t guess, that was sarcasm.” Erin frowned and took a sip of her coffee, studying Lainey with droopy eyes as she turned the bacon. “You have serious bedhead and I can smell your morning breath from here.”

  Lainey’s lips twitched into a half-smile, half-sneer. “Good morning to you too, Erin!”

  Even though her friend was teasing her, Lainey still smoothed down her messy mane and ran her tongue along the inside of her mouth. It was dry as bone when she licked her lips, probably from all that wine the night before, but at least she’d been spared the annoyance of a hangover. That was something to be grateful for.

  “Don’t listen to her.” Sharon shoved a warm mug into Lainey’s hand. “You look great. You just need a caffeine jolt to help you get started. Cream and sugar are on the table.”

  Lainey accepted the cup with a smile. “Thanks, Sharon. I definitely need this.”

  Lainey ambled to the tabletop and studied her friends as she added her condiments. Sharon was a chipper morning person while Erin was barely approachable before noon, total polar opposites. Lainey normally had no discernible characteristics whatsoever until she finished her first cup of coffee. Even with the threat of the hurricane looming over her, she couldn’t think clearly enough to be worried about the weather. Once she had the sugar stirred into her mug, she took a huge gulp and immediately felt more alive. She still needed to brush her teeth, but at least she could swallow now without feeling like her mouth was filled with cotton balls.

  “Can I help you with anything, Sharon?” Lainey placed her cup down on the counter long enough to pick up a spatula. “I can take a turn flipping pancakes.”

  “And I’d be happy to set the table.”

  The new voice came from the stairwell. Lainey was surprised to see Blanche turn the corner, already dressed in fresh clothing and much more presentable then her younger counterparts, all of which were still dressed in pajamas and sweatpants. Her hair was flawless and her makeup was applied with perfect precision. Even her movements were fluid and agile while Lainey still felt somewhat stiff after a night on the sofa.

  “That would be great, Blanche!” Sharon agreed, walking over to loop arms with the older woman. “Let me show you where to find the silverware.”

  Before long, there were piles of eggs, bacon, and pancakes lined up on the table. Lainey made a mental note to reimburse Sharon for some of her food costs as soon as she was able to get to an ATM because her friend had certainly prepared quite a feast. But the way things sounded outside, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. It was just a few minutes after ten but the sky outside was so overcast, it appeared as though twilight had fallen. The wind howled like it had taken on a life of its own, causing bare branches to shutter and forcing the heavy rain to slam against the windows. Trying to sneak a peek outside proved fruitless. The only thing Lainey could see was a steady sheet of water blurring the landscape even as it puddled to the ground.

  “I can’t believe the electric is still running.” Elisa spoke through an exaggerated stretch as she slid into the kitchen. Drew and Nate were a few steps behind her, chatting about sports again. “Sounds like the end of days out there.”

  “It might be the end of days in here too.” Drew took a cautious step to the side when a white cat leapt up onto the china cabinet in front of him, hissing and smacking with bared claws as he tried to sneak past. He shuddered and pretended to take cover behind Nate. “Either that or I’m still dreaming. That cat can’t have red eyes, can it?”

  “Only when she’s in attack mode.” Sharon snickered at Drew’s nervousness. “Don’t take it personally. Snowfox is a little territorial, especially with new cats around. But don’t worry, Lainey,” Sharon added, giving Lainey a gentle nudge. “Shadow Cat has your Misty under her watchful eye and even Snowfox wouldn’t dare take a stand against the matron of the house.”

  “Good thing too, because Misty is a fat contented housecat who’d never win a fight against Snowfox.” Lainey laughed as she walked over to greet Drew with a light kiss, only on the cheek in case Erin was right about the morning breath. “How are you feeling?”

  “Great. Except I feel bad I wasn’t up in time to help with breakfast. This is quite a spread.” He slid his arm around her waist, his wide smile all the convincing she needed. When he leaned in to brush her lips, she didn’t fight it, all self-doubt instantly evaporating. Being close to him felt so right, silly things like bad breath didn’t matter anymore.

  “No worries, Drew.” Sharon winked as she laid a plate of toast on the table. “You three late risers will be on clean up duty when we’re done. And trust me; there will be plenty to clean up.”

  “Oh, man.” Nate grumbled and crossed his arms. “But I have to show Drew how to find the diamonds in the mineshaft.”

  “They’ll be plenty of time for mining after the dishes are taken care of,” Erin ordered, her voice stern. “Remember we’re guests in Aunt Sharon’s home and we need to show respect for her and her things. Would it be fair to eat her food and leave a big mess for her to clean up all by herself?”

  “I guess not.” Nate lowered his gaze. “Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Aunt Sharon.”

  “That’s quite all right, Nate.” Sharon tousled his hair. “I know you’ll do a good job.”

  “Hey, Nate, it’s all good anyway,” Drew promised. “You can walk me through some of the steps of the game while we work. I’ll wash. You dry. We’ll be done in no time. Deal?”

  Nate nodded enthusiastically. “Deal!”

  “And what am I supposed to do?” Elisa complained. “I’m not getting in the middle of male bonding time.”

  “You can scrape the excess food into a paper bag for the compost,” Sharon instructed. “Come on, Elisa, after all these years, you know I can always find some way to keep you occupied.”

  Lainey couldn’t help but think that was true for all of them. Sharon had a way of helping them all find meaning—to find themselves. Lainey had never been happier or more comfortable in her own skin as she was since Sharon began training her in the Old Ways. The group of people happily devouring their breakfast was Lainey’s family now—the only family she had since she lost her grandmother and her parents.

  “All right, everyone,” Sharon announced after Nate snatched up the last slice of bacon. “What do you say we try to find out how everyone’s making out in the rest of the world?”

  The early birds left the late risers to their duties, but despite Sharon’s boast that Elisa would have plenty to do, there were very few leftovers for her to dispose of. However, there were plenty of dirty dishes. Lainey offered to stay behind and give the boys a hand, but Drew insisted he and Nate could use the time alone for some guy talk. Lainey really liked that Drew had taken Nate under his wing, so she left them to their soccer and video games while she settled in with the other women in the living room. Each of them clung to one final mug of coffee while Sharon flipped through the local stations, trying to find a weather report. It didn’t take long. All the channels had interrupted their regularly scheduled programs for live updates of Hurricane Sandra’s progress.

  “We have reports of downed trees and electric lines all over the state! Hundreds of people are without power.” One coat clad reporter shouted to be heard over the roar of the violent waves in the background. He held up one arm in a vain attempt to shield himself from being pelted with rain. “While the wind is still
pretty heavy out here, high tide came and went while most people slept and it appears the damage has been done. Here in Atlantic City, portions of the boardwalk have been literally swept away, but this is nothing compared to the devastation that may have occurred in other areas all along the Eastern coastline.”

  Scenes flashed along the screen, mostly rough footage taken by home videos submitted to the television station. Those images told a terrifying tale of destruction. In some areas, wild ocean waves rushed along the street like rapids, taking trashcans, patio furniture, and other debris in their powerful grasp. Lainey lifted a trembling hand to her lips as she examined the mayhem that ensued while she’d slept and enjoyed breakfast with her friends. As the scenes flashed across the screen, a part of her longed to see film of her own hometown. At the same time, she was relieved Wildwood hadn’t made an appearance. Perhaps that implied nothing worth mentioning had occurred there. Maybe Cape May County had been spared.

  “Oh!” Lainey gasped as the overhead light flickered off exactly at that moment, as though to prove her wishful thinking wrong. An eerie sense of foreboding crept up her spine, and she clenched her fists at her side.

  “We knew our luck with the power couldn’t hold out forever.” Sharon sighed. “Of course, if losing electricity is the worst thing that happens, we’re actually pretty lucky.”

  Lainey was still shell shocked, but she silently agreed. They had plenty of candles and the warm fireplace blazed, but she still didn’t like the idea of being cut off from the outside world. Without the television, they had no way of knowing what was happening. Luckily, Erin came to the rescue. She grabbed her cellphone and managed to get a wireless connection. It was weak, due in part to the storm and in part to the fact that Sharon’s house was out in the boonies. But by logging onto her social media account, Erin was able to get a better idea of what was going on locally. Based on the way her face turned ashen, Lainey guessed it wasn’t the best news.

  “Wow.” Erin swallowed hard, and lifted the screen up so the other girls could see the picture. “I’ve never seen the water that high.”

  “Is that Wildwood?” Elisa demanded. “I can’t even see the bridge.”

  Lainey squeezed her eyes shut to block out the photo. She told herself it wasn’t such a big deal. That bridge was on the bayside and almost always had some water at high tide, especially at certain times of the moon cycle. But in over twenty years on the island, she’d never seen anything quite like that. The whole base of the bridge had vanished. The houses surrounding it were several feet under water. Even with her eyes closed, the image wouldn’t fade, so Lainey gave in and opened them again around the same time that Drew arrived in the doorway, a paper towel still in one hand. Nate scampered in behind him.

  “What’s going on?” He smiled until he glanced around the room at all the somber faces. Then his forehead crinkled in concern. “Did something happen?”

  Elisa snorted. “Yeah, a hurricane happened. Where have you been?”

  Drew ignored her sarcasm and sat beside Lainey, squeezing one of her hands. His were clammy and wrinkled from dishwater, which would’ve made her grin at almost any other time. He didn’t ask any more questions, instead waiting patiently for a more detailed response no one was quite ready to offer.

  “What’re you lookin’ at?” Nate asked as he crawled up next to his mother.

  “We’re checking to see how the islands are making out in the storm,” Erin explained pulling her son closer. “Check out this film from Sea Isle. Someone posted a video and the water was plowing down the street. Most of the houses in the area are elevated, but they won’t hold up if they get hit with a powerful surge.”

  Erin lapsed into her professional insurance lady voice, something Lainey was pretty familiar with. They’d been taught a lot about flood waters in their business, and it was more than a spiel to make commission. Even if the house was raised twenty feet off the ground, the home wouldn’t stand a chance if Mother Nature washed away the foundation. Of course, seeing pictures from New Orleans after Katrina had been heart wrenching, but knowing they might experience such a disaster first hand made it hit home a lot harder. Lainey was so overwhelmed she barely noticed the pressure of Drew’s hand clutching her own.

  “Hey.” Nate sat on his knees to get a better view of the cell. “That looks like the boardwalk in Cape May, but with a waterfall.”

  Erin nodded, her features solemn. “It is. The ocean water is pouring off the boardwalk.”

  “I think that one is in Cape May too.” Elisa pointed to the screen. “I recognize all the Victorian buildings and hey, isn’t that the old Doll Hospital? I didn’t know that was still around.”

  Erin pounded Elisa in the arm. “Shut up,” she hissed. “That’s Blanche’s house.”

  Though Erin’s whisper was too low for Blanche to hear from across the room, Elisa’s big mouth certainly wasn’t. The old woman remained silent ever since the power went out, showing little interest for the modern-day technical device she had no clue how to operate, but at the mention of the Doll Hospital, she leaned forward in her seat. Blanche’s already ivory complexion turned three shades paler, though when she spoke, she kept her voice steady and even.

  “May I see that, please?”

  Blanche extended a perfectly manicured hand and Erin shifted her gaze to Lainey, as though she’d somehow become the old woman’s official guardian. The last thing she wanted was to cause her take-home client any distress, but Blanche was bound to find out eventually. Better she get a feel for the potential damage now, while she was sitting down, then to stumble into the destruction when she finally went home. So Lainey pried the phone away from Erin’s reluctant fingers and carried it over to Blanche, kneeling down beside the recliner. Before she revealed the photo, she placed a comforting hand on her friend’s knee.

  “Things are going to be fine, Blanche,” Lainey assured her. “I promise you that as your insurance agent, but also as your friend. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure repairs are made as quickly as possible.”

  Blanche patted her head in compliance. “I know that, dear. Now let me see the picture, please.”

  Lainey sighed and raised the phone so it was in line with Blanche’s peripheral vision. Despite her brave words, the old woman still gasped when she saw the line of Victorian homes, including her precious Doll Hospital, all at least three feet under water. Though the centuries-old houses were known for their superior building quality and stood strong after many disasters, there would undoubtedly be severe damage inside. Any furniture on the first floor was probably destroyed, rugs would need to be torn up, and wallpaper peeled away. If the water sat too long, it could also result in serious mold issues.

  “My ... my home.” Blanche’s voice broke as she clutched the phone in her wrinkled hand. “It could take months ... years ... where will I go?”

  Lainey’s heart ached for Blanche, for all the other people on that street whose homes had been compromised, and even for the history that could so easily be washed away. Though she was a writer and always prided herself on finding the right words, she was at a loss. A lump rose in her throat and it was difficult to speak past it. In her mind, she’d already converted her office into a spare bedroom, but before she could express her plan to Blanche, Drew came over and knelt down on the other side of the recliner.

  “Blanche.” He touched the old woman’s hand. “I know nothing can replace your true home, even temporarily, but maybe I can help out in the interim. We may have only met yesterday, but I care about what happens to you just as much as Lainey does. I promise you, you won’t be left without a place to go. You can stay in the townhouse I’m renting, assuming it made it through the storm. If not, we’ll find you someplace else, anywhere you want, and you can stay there until the repairs are done on your house.”

  “That’s very sweet of you, young man.” Blanche put on a brave face that broke Lainey’s heart even more. “But in eighty-nine years, I’ve never been a burden to anyone. I don’
t plan to start now. I’m not kicking you out of your home, even if it is only a rental. I won’t run to my niece in Texas either. Cape May County was where I was born and it’s where I’ll die, you can be sure.”

  “Exactly why you need to take me up on this,” Drew maintained. “And it wouldn’t be a burden at all. In fact, you’d be doing me a favor.” He winked in Lainey’s direction. “I’m sure Lainey wouldn’t mind me spending a few nights at her place until I make other arrangements.”

  “Drew’s right.” Lainey added, but still blushed at the confession. “He spends most nights at my place already, so it’s no imposition at all. Plus, the townhouse is only a few blocks away from my condo, so I can check in on you and make sure you have everything you need—clothes, food, a few good books to read. Whatever you want, you’ll have it.”

  “But most importantly, you’ll be surrounded by friends, holding you close and giving you the support you need.” Sharon moved closer and after a nod of encouragement, even Erin and Elisa joined them, creating a small circle around the recliner. “You’ll have all of us with you every step of the way. You won’t be alone.”

  By this point, Blanche openly wept. She yanked out a handkerchief from some secret compartment in her bosom and used it to dab her tears. “All of you barely know me, and yet in this one day you’ve made me feel more love and acceptance than I have since my late husband passed. It’s strange ... it’s possible this storm has taken everything I own, but it’s given me back more than I ever expected. I’ve never felt more blessed than I do at this moment.”

  Lainey squeezed Blanche’s hand. She was wiping away a few tears of her own when the electric sprang to life, going right back to the weather forecast as though no time had lapsed at all. A serious man in a business suit stared at his faceless audience while in the corner of the screen, a guy in a raincoat, a different one then they’d seen earlier, waited for his cue to speak.