The babies were put into the playpens for the time being and left in the care of the three Filipino women and the teenage daughter of the one mission team family.
“Lindsay, if there are things you want from your room, you should go get them now. I need to get a few things from my room as well. Don’t take too long. Just what’s necessary.” When Lindsay gave a jerky nod and walked away, Than realized that there was a storm brewing inside her as surely as there was one outside.
After he’d finished in his room, he left his bag at the top of the stairs and went to find Lindsay. He found her with one knee pressed into the mattress of the lower bunk, jerking on the tab of the zipper of her suitcase.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded but didn’t say anything. The zipper seemed to be giving her trouble, so he reached out to help her and as soon as he touched her hand, Than could feel her shaking. He gripped her arm and turned her to face him. She kept her head down, so he slipped his fingers along her jawline, tilting it up.
His heart clenched as he glimpsed a vulnerability there he’d never seen before. Her eyes looked like molten silver with unshed tears. Well aware it could lose him the bet, he gathered her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. “Hey. It’s going to be okay. We’ve taken every precaution, and one of the worst things about storms like these is the flooding, but we’re high enough that won’t be a problem.”
He felt her grasp his shirt and take a deep shuddering breath. “I’m sorry. I’ve just never been through a storm of this size before.”
As he rubbed a hand up and down her back to soothe her, Than said, “No need to be sorry. I know it can be scary when you haven’t faced something like this. We’re going to be okay.” He reached down and tilted her face up to his again. Oh, how he would have liked to press a kiss to her lips right then, but instead he just said, “And so will the babies.”
She nodded and lifted a hand to swipe at the tears on her cheeks. And when she loosened her grip on his shirt, he relaxed his arms and allowed her to step away from him.
“I managed to get all my stuff packed again. I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s fine. So did I.” He quickly finished zipping up her suitcase and then hefted it off the bed.
Back downstairs, Mark was trying to assign beds to everyone. Than wasn’t sure there would be a whole lot of sleeping going on, but he supposed it was best to make sure everyone had a place to lie down if they needed to. He really wanted to be near Lindsay and yet understood that Mark would likely separate them for morality purposes. He was surprised then when Mark assigned him to a room with the three single ladies and the newlywed couple.
After all of that was done and their bags were at their beds, Than went to Mark. “Thanks for keeping me close to Lindsay. She’s a little concerned about the storm.”
“I figured as much. I also figured that there isn’t much likelihood of impropriety occurring with everything going on.”
Than nodded his understanding. He wasn’t sure if his hug with Lindsay would have been considered improper, but at that moment he didn’t really care. She had needed comforting, so he’d offered it. Anyway, he doubted that it would be happening again anytime soon.
~*~*~
Never in a million years would Lindsay ever admit to anyone how thankful she was that Mark had put Than in the room with her and the other mission team members. Up until the past day, she’d really only seen the joking, easygoing Than. Now it seemed that every time she looked at him, he had an intense, serious look on his face. Definitely all business as he’d dealt with the news of the storm.
The wind had begun to kick up outside and the sound of the rain on the tin roof of the building, even a floor below it, was at times both soothing and terrifying. Needing something to distract her, she went to where they had the children and was immediately handed the baby she’d held earlier in the day.
They hadn’t brought the rocking chairs over so she just walked around the room, bouncing the baby to settle her. It seemed that the little ones were as anxious as the adults were. Several of the mission team women had gathered in the room as well.
It felt a bit like being in the ark. They had scrambled to get prepared for the storm and to bring the supplies they needed, but now that they were inside and hopefully secure, all they could do was wait.
She caught the scent of food just as Mel appeared in the doorway of the room.
“We’ve got supper ready. It was basically done by the time we had them move everything here, so if you’re hungry, head into the last room on the right.”
Lindsay glanced down at the baby in her arms. She looked like she’d finally settled as her eyelids drooped sleepily. Though some of the women in the room followed Mel, Lindsay walked another couple laps, pausing every once in a while to bounce the baby. Pretty soon her eyes stayed shut, her dark lashes fanned out across her light brown skin.
“You can lay her in the crib there, mum,” one of the workers said as she gestured to one of the playpens.
Though reluctant to give up the comforting weight of the baby in her arms, Lindsay carefully bent over the playpen and laid her down. She stood watching the little girl sleep and said a prayer asking God to keep her and the other babies safe from harm in the midst of the storm.
She turned toward the door and looked up to find Than there, leaning against the doorjamb, watching her. A flush of warmth crept into her cheeks, but Lindsay didn’t look away as she approached him. His expression was unreadable, and her thoughts went back to the embrace they’d shared earlier. He was no doubt seeing a side to her he wasn’t aware existed. Just like the side she’d seen of him earlier.
Half expecting some sort of joking comment, she was a bit surprised when all he said was, “Are you hungry?”
“Actually, I am. The food smells good.”
Than nodded. “Let’s go grab something before it gets cold.”
They walked in silence to the room where people had gathered to eat. It was still one of the bedrooms, but the bunk beds had been pushed flush against the outside wall and tables had been set up in the space that created.
Than once again bent down and spoke in a low voice to tell her what the different foods were. She put a scoop of each type of food on her plate and then grabbed a couple of the pan de sal. After Than had finished getting his food, she followed him to two empty chairs.
As they ate, the storm seemed to rage even harder around the building. Part of her wondered what it looked like outside. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d told Than she liked storms. She particularly liked the storms that would roll through when they were at their cabin on the island. Sitting outside on the porch while the storm made its way across the lake had always been an enjoyable experience. She liked to hear the rain and watch the waves on the lake. She’d never experienced a storm that had been damaging like this one had the potential to be, though. There had been a few hailstorms that had damaged cars and some property, but it was all covered by insurance. Something told her that the people in the path of this particular storm didn’t have insurance that would help to repair the damage they would be left with once it was all over.
She had just finished her food when the whole building seemed to shake and the lights flickered. Lindsay edged closer to Than and held her breath, waiting to see what would happen. The lights came back to full strength, but suddenly there was a flurry of activity as lanterns were set up on the tables. Lindsay took Than’s plate with hers and went to where they were stacking the dirty dishes.
“Do you need help washing?” she asked.
The women who worked in the kitchen of the mission center shook their heads. Though Lindsay usually didn’t think twice about people cooking and cleaning for her, it was a bit harder for her to accept in this type of situation for some reason. But she didn’t want to push, so she turned to head back to her seat.
She’d barely taken a step when the lights flickered again. This time, they went out completel
y, plunging the room into complete darkness. Lindsay froze, her hands going out in front of her. “Than?”
Immediately, flashlights began to come on. Though holding hands wasn’t something they’d done much of, she recognized the hand that gripped her as Than’s and held on. He shone a flashlight in front of them and took her back to where they’d been sitting. Barb was there now too, and Lindsay sat down on a chair next to her.
“Well, this is a bit more than we signed on for, isn’t it?” Barb commented as she patted Lindsay’s knee. “Are you doing okay, hun?”
Before she could reply, Than leaned close and said, “I’m going to check with Mark. Stay here with Barb.”
Once he’d left her, Lindsay said, “It’s had a few overwhelming moments.” She paused, swallowed, and then continued, “I’m really out of my depth here.”
An arm slipped around her shoulders and Barb gave her a quick hug. “I think you’re not the only one. I’d hazard a guess that none of us here have gone through something of this nature.”
As if to reinforce her words, the building began to shake again. Lindsay held her breath, waiting for it to stop like it had last time. Only this time it didn’t. The shaking continued as Lindsay reached for Barb’s hand. As they huddled close together, she heard the murmured words of the older woman.
“Heavenly Father, we pray now for Your hand of protection upon us and all those in the path of this storm. Give us peace, Father, and help us to remember that You are still in control in the midst of all of this.”
When her words ceased without the traditional end to the prayer, Lindsay knew that this would be an ongoing prayer for Barb. Just as it would be for her. Her thoughts went to her mom and Lucas and she hoped that they weren’t too worried, but if this storm was as bad as it seemed, they had to be aware of what was going on. While she knew that Lucas would likely keep a calm head, she wasn’t so sure about her mom. Even with the knowledge that Than was with her, this was something they hadn’t anticipated.
As the ferocity of the wind and rain grew, the storm shutters rattled and the building shook. Lindsay stared at the darkened windows, wondering if the shutters would hold, or would they give way and allow the fierceness of the storm to reach them?
Lanterns cast flickering light through the room and out into the hallway. Suddenly, there was a crash and the building shuddered. There were shouts of alarm from people around her, but Lindsay couldn’t get any sound past the tightness in her throat. Her heart pounded as she waited to see what would happen next.
Lindsay heard a male voice yell, “Was that the roof?”
The roof? She heard shouts back and forth out in the hallway. If the roof was gone, what next?
As she and Barb huddled together, Lindsay heard crying and looked to the bunk bed closest to them. The teenage girl was there, her head buried against her mother. She could only imagine how this experience must be for her. No doubt she was as out of her depth as Lindsay felt.
Lindsay closed her eyes, trying to figure out how to keep the fear at bay. It clawed at her in a way she’d never experienced before. She was used to being in control. Of not fearing anything that would come her way. This storm, however, was totally out of her control and that knowledge was doing a number on her. She tried to take steady breaths, but it was hard when she wanted to take huge gulps of air and cry at the same time.
What was happening to her? She rarely cried and when she did, it was never in front of anyone else. Even when she’d learned the news of Lincoln’s death, she’d been able to control her emotions to be strong for her mom. She didn’t recognize this version of herself…this weaker, more vulnerable version of Lindsay Hamilton. And she wasn’t sure she liked it, particularly because Than was around to see it. But fear had gripped her in its clutches, and she couldn’t seem to shake free from it long enough to get her defenses back into place.
She recognized the scent of his cologne before he even spoke her name, and Lindsay opened her eyes to see Than standing in front of her. Her gaze dropped to the bundle in his arms even as she reached out.
“I think she could use some attention.” Than bent to place Maya in her arms. He cupped her chin once the baby was settled and said, “Everything is going to be okay. We’re going to be safe.”
Lindsay took another deep breath and let it out, trying to absorb the strength and confidence that Than had. She felt his thumb move across her jawline before releasing her.
Somehow Than’s words along with the baby in her arms gave her the strength to gather herself together again, but those defenses she wanted…the hard shell she kept around herself remained elusive. Barb slipped an arm around her as she began to sing and soon the others in the room began to join in.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
It was a hymn that Lindsay knew so she was able to sing along. As the group moved on to other songs she didn’t recognize, she just kept rocking the baby as the words soothed her. And in the midst of it all was the prayer.
Please, God, keep us safe. Protect all of us.
It was on a continual loop through her head because she was at a loss as to what else to pray for. It seemed as if she’d been stripped of everything in that moment, and she was left with nothing but the knowledge that only God could give her the peace and the strength to get through the hours and days ahead.
~*~*~
Than fought the urge to stay right at Lindsay’s side, but he was trying to help the men as well as do a couple of other things that he’d set in motion before the storm had hit.
After a discussion with Mark and Elliot, he’d been given a list of contact information for all the missionaries who lived on the center, as well as the mission team. He’d forwarded that information on to his assistant as soon as he’d realized the direction of the storm with instructions to keep it with her even when she went home. Though he had the phone his uncle had given him, he knew it would be useless soon if not already. Knowing it was likely that the cell service would go down as soon as the typhoon hit, Than had made sure to charge the satellite phone he’d brought with him. Satellite phones were standard procedure for out‑of-country jobs, so he’d brought one with him in case local service went down or if service wasn’t available in the area they were in.
He, Mark and Elliot had decided to keep the presence of the satellite phone to themselves. The plan was for Than to phone BlackThorpe to give reports and then his assistant and others who were helping her would phone the contacts on the list to keep them updated. If they let one person speak to their family, they’d have to let everyone, and for now, it was more important that they be able to get through to give regular general updates until after the storm had passed through.
However, since Lucas was paying him, Than did take the time to call him directly with an update. He knew that Lindsay’s mom was also very worried about her daughter since the storm was on the news back home. The current plan was to phone in a report every couple of hours unless it was deemed necessary to report sooner.
After giving his latest update, Than returned to the room where he’d left Lindsay with the baby. He hoped that his plan to give her the baby to hold and something to focus on besides the storm had worked. It seemed the crashes they’d heard had come from tree branches falling, but a quick check of the upper
floor with Elliot had shown that the roof was still intact.
Two lanterns were strategically placed around the room, casting enough light for him to see where Lindsay sat. He stood watching as she bent over the baby in her arms. The initial attraction he’d felt for her was changing into something else. Something deeper. An admiration of the way she was adapting to their situation even though it was a struggle, and at the same time also allowing her vulnerabilities to show in a way he suspected she’d never allowed them to be seen before.
Slowly, he walked to where Lindsay and Barb sat and sank down beside them. Lindsay glanced up at him.
“Is everything okay?”
Though there were a million things going through his mind—most of them scenarios where things went bad—he simply said, “Yes.”
He decided not to tell her that Lucas was pressuring him to get her out of there as soon as the storm ended. The Lindsay he’d known before this trip would likely have agreed with her brother, but over the course of the past three days, he’d begun to see some changes in her. Heck, he’d seen changes in himself over the past few days. Something told him that getting her away from here any sooner than she was ready to go would be more difficult than Lucas might have anticipated.
Than knew they were worried about her, but they needed to trust him. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. Though he’d always known that he might be required to sacrifice life or limb in the course of a job, it was only with Lindsay that he could say that he’d gladly do that for her.
As he looked at Lindsay sitting beside him, Maya tucked up against her, Than found himself thinking about the future in ways he hadn’t before. His mother had been pressuring him to settle down and give her more grandbabies for years, but Than had happily brushed aside her attempts—like the latest beauty queen—and kept himself focused firmly on the present.
Another crash drew Than’s attention. He hoped that he hadn’t been wrong in saying that this was the safest building for them. Using what he knew from analyzing situations for safety, he was still confident that it was the safest place, but storms like this one could be unpredictable. These weren’t straight line winds coming in with the typhoon. The circular swirling of these winds could bring debris to them from any direction. Though he felt fairly confident that the cement structures would stand firm, he didn’t hold as much hope for the roofs.
Guarding Her Heart: A Christian Romance (BlackThorpe Security Book 1) Page 12