“No. All sorts of things landed here that aren’t mine. Orion’s sustained winds were 140 miles per hour, with gusts up to 155. Technically, it was a Cat 4, but it was at the top end of that category. It blew over nearly everything in its path, and the rising water finished destroying what the wind left.”
“So this was all swept back from… ” Joshua turned in a circle until he spotted condos farther down the beach. “From those?”
“Possibly. The debris was pushed inland and mixed with structures that had collapsed there. When the tide receded, things came out in different locations. I’ve found a street sign from Corpus Christi, someone’s driver’s license from Rockport, and even part of a business marquee from over in Copano Bay.”
“How far away is that?” Joshua asked.
“Sixty miles by road, though I’m sure the storm took a shorter path.”
“Why is all this still here, Charlie?” Alton waved toward the pile of debris. “You help at the job site nearly every day. Why aren’t you taking care of your own place?”
“That’s a good question, and I’m not sure I have any sort of answer.” He paused, but then he changed topics. “Let me show you around.”
He led them across the lot, pointing out where the house had been. He explained that all of the living area had been on the second floor, and he showed them how the windows had overlooked the gulf. He finally stopped at a small area that had been a vegetable garden.
“Madelyn loved fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and even green beans. She planted all sorts of things. One year she planted small gourds, dried them, and turned them into bird feeders. The garden was something I kept going after she passed, though I can’t cook nearly as well as she did.”
He pointed to what Joshua recognized as a strawberry plant. Its green leaves and white flowers were a testament to the strangeness of tragedy, destruction, and its aftermath.
Charlie whistled for Quitz, and they all walked down to the beach.
“The property isn’t very wide, but it is deep.”
“Nice beachfront,” Alton noted. “You could probably get a good price for it.”
“I had several offers before the storm, and I’ve had one or two since, though they’re offering a lot less. I expect that once the reconstruction is done the value will go back to what it was.” He waved away the idea. “It’s not the price that holds me here though. It’s the memories.”
The sun was beginning to set, a giant orange ball that dropped steadily toward the water. An enormous wall of clouds rose in the sky to the south. To Joshua, they were as impressive as any he’d seen in Oklahoma, and they were only what the locals called a squall. They promised to bring a good rain. He couldn’t even imagine what Orion must have looked like.
“Great surfing spot, Charlie. You’re making me wish I’d brought my board.” Alton grinned sheepishly. “Though I have no experience surfing in these types of waves.”
The white caps rose and crashed, leaving a foamy residue. Indeed, they were higher than normal, higher and more dangerous. Was that the reason Alton hadn’t surfed tonight? Had he actually used common sense? Joshua regretted the thought as soon as he acknowledged it. His brother had worked hard all week, and there had been no further contact from the police. Perhaps they were out of trouble as far as the drug charges were concerned.
Charlie walked over to a large tree trunk. No doubt it had been dumped there by Orion. He sat, picked up a small stick and threw it for Quitz. The dog loped down the beach, but when she brought it back, she dropped it several feet from Charlie and sat, her head resting on top of her paws, her eyes on her owner.
“That means she’s tired,” Charlie said.
“This must be hard on you two.” Joshua sat beside him. “Living in a FEMA trailer when your home is wrecked.”
“Yes and no. Yes, we miss the place, but no in matters of convenience. It’s probably better for both of us not to have to go up and down the stairs multiple times each day. Quitz has hip dysplasia. I give her a pill for it each night, but there’s not much they can do other than a total hip replacement.”
“Sounds expensive.”
“Yeah, it is, but money isn’t the only consideration. At her age surgery has it risks. Sometimes… well, sometimes it seems wiser to choose the problems you know how to deal with.”
“And you?” Joshua joked.
“I’m just getting old. I can still make my way around a job site, though.” Charlie laughed and dug his foot into the sand.
Alton had been standing, studying the surf, but he finally turned his attention back to Charlie. “Is that why you haven’t rebuilt? Because of health reasons? You had flood insurance, right?”
“Sure. I received my compensation already. I could start any day, I guess. But there are a lot of things I haven’t figured out yet.”
Alton sat on the sand. When he did, Quitz stood and padded over to his side. She turned once, twice, and then a third time before curling up beside him, her tail thumping, her eyes nearly closed.
“What kind of things?”
“Do I need a place as big as what I had? Is that the best use of the insurance money? Is selling out to one of the big condo owners the right thing to do? While I wouldn’t want to live in one, they provide a lot of jobs for locals, and they allow people from all over Texas to enjoy the beach. Maybe a condo here wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”
“Are you thinking of leaving the island?” Joshua asked.
“No. But there are plenty of other properties. We could move closer to town, closer to Alice and the kids. I’ve even thought of purchasing the empty lot next door to hers.”
“In the meantime, why don’t you let us help you clear this wreckage away?” Joshua glanced from the giant pile of debris to Charlie. “There’s no telling what we might find that could hold memories—”
“My memories are here.” Charlie tapped his heart. Then he glanced out at the ocean. “I stopped by the house to pick up the bag I’d already packed as well as some things for Quitz. At the last minute, I glanced around the room and saw a picture, one that was particularly special. I grabbed it and put it with the other things I wanted to take with me.”
“What was the picture of?” Joshua asked.
“Madelyn and me and Quitz. We were walking down the beach, and Madelyn stopped to ask someone to take our picture with her cell phone. She was like that. She would talk to just about anyone. After the person had taken it, Madelyn turned to me and made me promise that I would always remember to treasure the blessings in this life.”
Joshua could tell it was an emotional memory for Charlie. He swallowed, as if his grief threatened to rise and choke him. Slowly the customary smile returned to his face. “That picture meant a lot to me because we’d found a place in our life where we were happy, where we were satisfied. We took it probably three months before she learned about the cancer.”
“I’m so sorry, Charlie.” Joshua realized that so many of the things that he worried about were minor details. He actually had very little to fret over.
“The picture was in my bag, and the bag was swept away along with my old truck. They found the truck across the bay. It had come to rest in a playground, right on top of a merry-go-round.”
“And the bag?”
“Gone. It floated away in the surge, I suppose. The truck’s windows were shattered, and a tree lay inside the cab.” He waved at the debris in front of them. “I thought I needed the things in my home, but I don’t. And I thought I needed that bag, and the picture of my life, of Madelyn.”
“Wouldn’t you like to have them?” Alton was studying him closely.
“I would. But whatever is under that pile of rotten wood is ruined. The memories I hold in my mind and my heart, they are like new.”
Alton nodded as if he understood, but Joshua wasn’t sure he did. How did Charlie resist cleaning up this mess? He was a hard worker, and even Joshua had been able to see in the two weeks he’d been there that Charlie had a lot of
friends. He could get the help if he wanted it.
“That’s not why I brought you out here though, to show you what I’ve lost. I brought you here to show you what a difference you are making in peoples’ lives. The families whose houses you’re working on—they lost every bit as much as I did. The difference being, they didn’t receive an insurance check.”
He leaned forward, elbows on knees, and looked from Joshua to Alton. “We can argue about how they should have kept their insurance premiums current, but it’s a moot point. The fact is, they need help and you’re providing it. That’s something you both should be proud of. I’m certainly grateful for you and the girls and all the workers with MDS. They’re not the only ones, either. We’ve had Red Cross, Baptist Men, and Methodist response teams. That terrible storm from the gulf sought to destroy us, but instead it brought together a special group of people and allowed them to minister to others in need.”
Charlie smiled, slapped his leg, and stood.
“That’s it?” Alton stood too. “You brought us out here to give us a pep talk?”
“Yeah. You both looked like you could use one today.”
They walked back toward the truck, side by side, the light fading and raindrops beginning to splatter the pavement.
Joshua wasn’t sure he felt pepped up. Sunday’s highs and lows had exhausted him, and the work had been somewhat grueling the last few days. In addition, he was beginning to miss home—wondering about his crops and even counting the days until they left.
But as they drove away from the beach, he realized he was glad he’d come. He had a new appreciation for the old guy driving them back to their trailer and for the people in Port Aransas, Texas, who had endured the worst that nature could throw at them and refused to be defeated.
CHAPTER 50
Becca lay in bed, awake but not yet willing to open her eyes. Thoughts of going home filled her with a wide array of emotions, and she wanted to think about them before the day’s activities began. What exactly was she feeling?
Excitement to see her parents again.
Worry for Sarah and the situation she was returning to.
Uncertainty about her and Joshua. Were they courting? Would he continue to care about her in Cody’s Creek, or was it just that they had been thrown together for a few weeks?
How would Alton act once they returned? Had the trip matured him or only taught him new ways to find trouble, to indulge his rumpsringa?
Even with these questions, she was sure of two things. The trip had given her a new compassion for people who were far from her home, and she cared deeply for Joshua Kline.
Joshua and Alton had visited the site of Charlie’s home on Wednesday. Joshua had come back to the trailer and told her and Sarah and Nancy all about it. Alton hadn’t joined their evening discussion as he usually did. Begging exhaustion, he’d gone to bed.
On Thursday they had all worked with increased vigor, though their activities had been limited to indoor work while rain pummeled the ground.
Becca realized with a start that it was Friday. Feelings of excitement surged through her veins. She sat up in bed, trying to remember why this day was special. Sarah stood next to their dresser, already dressed and braiding her hair.
“Looks like a gut day for Alice to move in,” she said. “The rain has stopped, and the weather forecast calls for abundant sunshine.”
That was it. That was what she was so excited about. Alice and Shelley and C.J. were to begin the move into their new home today.
Alice had taken the day off from the diner.
Half of the MDS team was going to the mainland to help move her boxes and furniture. Sarah, Becca, Alton, Nancy, Jim, and Simon were to travel over in the van.
Becca jumped out of bed and pawed through her bag of clothing, searching for clean things to wear and wondering if she had time for breakfast.
“You can slow down. Jim said he’d meet us out front at seven thirty.” She nodded toward the clock between their beds. “You still have forty-five minutes.”
Becca impulsively threw her arms around Sarah. “It’s a gut thing you were here moving about or I might have slept until noon.”
“I doubt that.”
“I’ve never been so tired before. Building houses is hard work.”
Becca gathered up her things and hurried down the hall to their shared bathroom. Ten minutes later she was at the table, drinking her first cup of coffee and trying to choose between the donuts left over from the day before or a piece of fruit.
“You’ll probably need both,” Nancy clucked. “Actually, I have time to fix you some eggs.”
“There’s no need—”
But Nancy was already pulling out a skillet. Within moments the sizzling smell of fried eggs awakened Becca’s stomach. She jumped up to fix a piece of toast to go with them. Sarah had fled the room as soon as the eggs hit the pan. Becca was learning that certain days were easier for her friend than others, and mornings were often the worst part of the day—at least in regard to eating. She put a couple of the donuts into a bag in case Sarah decided she was hungry once they arrived at the apartment.
Soon they were all piling into the van.
Jim and Nancy took the front seats, which reminded Becca of their first trip in the van when they had come to the island together. That now seemed like an eternity ago.
Becca and Sarah sat in the second row, and Alton and Simon climbed into the very back. They claimed to like the back area where they could sleep if need be, but they had a rather comical time getting back there—hunching down and nearly tripping over their own feet. Everyone’s spirits were high, and Becca turned around to see Charlie in his truck behind them.
She briefly wished that Joshua were coming as well, but he was working on framing the third house. He hadn’t been able to make any progress on it the day before, and he was eager to get as much done as possible. She strained her neck to catch a glimpse of him, but they were already moving away from the houses and down the road.
“No worries, Becca. He won’t forget you while you’re gone.” Alton sat back, a bemused expression on his face.
She would have liked to tease him in return, but his relationship with Sarah seemed to have changed into something like big brother–little sister. Besides, she didn’t want to make things awkward for her friend. Instead, she settled for giving him a pointed look and turning around in her seat.
“Seems you’ve embarrassed her,” Simon said.
“Do you think so?”
“I do. Her cheeks turned a nice rosy color.”
“So she was embarrassed? I thought she was sunburned.”
Becca pulled out her notebook and wrote a few notes for her mother, ignoring the banter behind her. They were driving toward the ferry, reversing the route they had taken that first day. Now she noticed different things driving through the downtown area of Port A. Construction on the new museum had begun. Several of the restaurants—still housed in FEMA trailers—had sandwich boards on the sidewalk displaying their lunch menu. The town seemed to be bustling with progress and optimism.
As soon as Jim had driven onto the ferry, Becca and Sarah jumped out of the van.
“I brought you two donuts for later.”
“Let’s give one to the birds.”
They hurried to the back of the ferry, crumbling the cake donut in the bag and holding up small pieces as the ferry pulled away from the dock. The seagulls chattered and dove, causing Sarah and Becca to laugh and jump back—straight into Alton and Simon.
“Looks as if they’re afraid of birds,” Simon said.
“No wonder. A large seagull could carry either one of them off.” Alton caught the piece of donut that Sarah threw at him and held it up to the birds.
When they had offered all of the donut, they moved to the middle of the boat. From there, Sarah and Alton decided they needed to go purchase a soda from the vending machines located inside the ferry. Becca thought that Sarah seemed happy, and when her mood was good
her natural appetite returned.
“You turned serious all of a sudden,” Simon said.
“Did I?” She glanced first left and then right. From where they stood, they could see both the island and the mainland.
“This has been a great experience.” Becca glanced sideways and studied Simon. He was a genuinely nice guy. She was going to miss him.
“Are you glad you came?”
“Of course.”
“Listen, Becca. We head out tomorrow, so I need to say this if I’m going to.”
She felt her eyes widen but only nodded, afraid to speak at all, suddenly nervous about what he was about to tell her.
“No need to look like a doe caught in a hunter’s scope.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. What I wanted to say is that I can tell there’s something special between you and Joshua, and I wish you both the best.”
“Danki.”
“But if that doesn’t work out, and you decide you miss Texas, I’d love to see you again.”
“You would?”
“Yes.” He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “That’s my cell phone number, email address, and street address in case you ever want to talk.”
“Oh.”
“And if you decide to come on another mission trip, be sure to let me know. Whether we’re just friends or… or more, I’d like to see you again.”
“You are a gut friend, Simon. I don’t know exactly what Joshua and I are to each other. But thank you for this—” she held up the slip of paper and then tucked it into the pocket of her dress. “It’s nice to know I have friends outside of Cody’s Creek.”
Alton and Sarah chose that moment to join them, each carrying a Coke and a candy bar.
“Wow. You two are going to be energized.” Becca laughed. “You’ll be like two rambunctious toddlers with all of that sugar in your system.”
“We’re hardly toddlers,” Sarah said.
“No matter. You’ll have lots of energy, which is a gut thing.” Simon rubbed his chin as if he was thinking deeply, and then added, “Becca and I can sit back and watch you and Alton do the bulk of the work.”
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