by Parker, Syd
Parker’s face paled even more. “I can’t.”
Sarah glared at her. “You can fall apart later. Right now, I need you.” She nodded towards his head. She started compressions and stopped at fifteen. “Now.”
Parker fell to her knees, tilting his head back. She pinched his nose with one hand, and using her other hand, she opened his mouth and breathed two breaths into his mouth. When she was finished, Sarah started the compressions again, followed by more breaths.
Three minutes later, Sarah’s arms shook with exhaustion. She prayed for strength, not excepting defeat. She watched Parker out of the corner of her eyes. Silent tears streamed down Parker’s face and Sarah understood that her calling was not Parker’s, and it had been her own selfishness that blinded her to Parker’s suffering. She knew this had been incredibly hard on Parker, and she wished she could say something to make it better. Instead, she buried her thoughts in the task at hand.
Two more minutes and nothing, no movement, no breathing, only stillness. Sarah cried out in frustration. “Come on! Fight, God damn it!” Her frustration compounded by her newfound guilt made her shake violently. “You can’t fucking die on us!” She felt fear coursing through her veins, igniting a growing rage. Eight years hadn’t helped it get any better. No, people were still dying all around her.
She reared up and in a furious state, slammed her fist down on his chest. She nearly fell over in shock when his body lurched up and he started coughing. Nervous laughter filled her ears and she realized it was her own. She leaned over him, waiting for the coughing to stop. “Sir? Sir? Just lie still. Parker, go grab my jacket out of the car.”
When she brought the coat back, Sarah folded it up and laid it under his head.
He had started to sit up and Sarah gently pushed against his shoulders. “Just lie still.”
“What…what happened?”
“There was a tornado. It leveled your house. We managed to dig you out.”
“My…my house?” His eyes looked confused. “Trailer. I live in a trailer.”
Sarah’s eyes scanned the debris. Even with unidentifiable piles of wood, concrete and metal, she could tell there were no trailers near here.
“Sir, where exactly is your house?”
His brow furrowed and his eyes searched hers for answers. Finding none, he willed his brain to function again. Realization dawned in his eyes. “The last thing I remember is the tornado ripping the roof off my trailer and I couldn’t hold on any longer.”
Sarah realized that against all odds, the tornado had actually pulled him from the trailer and carried him here. “Where is your trailer? Give me a landmark.”
“Water tower. It’s next to the water tower.”
She scanned the skyline for a water tower and her eyes widened when she saw what was left of it. The top had been ripped away. What had shocked her the most was that she judged it to be at least a half a mile away from her present spot.
“Holy shit!” Parker said in awe. “That means he was in the tornado?”
“I think so.” Sarah shook her head. This was first for her, another in a long line of them today. How he survived was beyond her. He almost hadn’t, if not for her and Parker. The feeling that this man’s life had been in their hands humbled her more than she’d ever been.
He had started coughing again, probably from dust that had blown into his throat during his ride in the tornado.
Sarah helped him up and studied his face. He still looked stunned, but alert, which was a good sign. She wanted to interview him, the business part of her acknowledging that this would guarantee her at least one more year of funding, and she needed the backing to continue. Besides, a piece like this on Rogue Weather would be huge.
She asked Parker to get the camera and while she was away, asked him if he would let her interview him. He merely shook his head and she said a silent thank you, knowing that had he been fully alert, he would have realized that telling his story of riding a tornado would have garnered him a pretty big paycheck. Her guilt got the better of her, and she acknowledged the fact that she would see to it that he was paid handsomely for this piece.
Hours later, when they watched the playback and she allowed herself to see the destruction, she realized that once again, all that she’d pursued up till now, could never have prepared her for what they had witnessed today. It also made her even more determined to find a way to make sure that no town suffered like this one did.
Chapter 18
Remy cleared her throat loudly. Parker had the decency to at least look chagrined. “Couple hours, okay?”
“Yeah.” Parker held up her hand. “I don’t suppose getting your own room is an option.”
“Not on my budget.” Remy said with a smile. “But, since you asked so nicely, I’ll give you three hours instead of two.”
Parker winked and grabbed Carmen around the waist. She furrowed her brows at Remy. “How about now?”
Remy shook her head and laughed. “I can take a hint.” She grabbed a sweatshirt and pulled the door closed behind her. The storms had left a distinct chill in the air, and she donned the sweatshirt before she went any further.
“Hey.”
Remy turned and smiled when she saw Sarah walking towards her. “Hey, yourself.”
“Where you headed?”
“I’m not sure.” Remy shrugged. “Hadn’t exactly made up my mind.”
“Want some company?” Sarah hoped the answer was yes, and yet, something in Remy’s eyes made her feel some trepidation. “I’m sorry. Maybe you want to be alone.”
Remy stopped and put her hand on Sarah’s arm. “Not really. I’d rather have company…especially yours.”
Sarah let out a breath, relief on her face. “Me too. I mean, I’d rather have company.”
Remy quirked an eyebrow. “Just not mine?”
“That’s not what I said.” Sarah’s eyes flashed defensively. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Look, I’m sorry.” Remy smiled ruefully. “It’s been a really stressful day, and I’m just a little on edge.”
Sarah put her hand up dismissively. “Don’t apologize. I know what you mean.”
“So, you want to grab a bite to eat?” Remy smirked. “I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “You never give up do you?”
“What?” Remy feigned innocence. “I meant I’d tell you my adventure today, if you tell me yours.”
“Mmm—hmmm.” Sarah looked askance at her. “Feed me first then we’ll see about sharing.”
“Fair enough.” Remy steered them towards Sarah’s car. “Mind if we take yours? I don’t feel like driving the beast tonight.”
“Sure. But, will you drive?” Sarah tossed the keys towards Remy, and she caught them with ease. She waited while Remy unlocked the car and held the door open for her. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” Remy ran around the other side, and after adjusting the seat to accommodate her longer legs, eased out of the parking lot and into traffic. They’d gone east of the tornadoes to find a spot for the night. They had made it almost to Atlanta before they found an area that had power and empty rooms. It had been years since Remy had been there, and it took her a few moments to find her bearings.
“What are you feeling?” Sarah watched the scenery fly by. She was no stranger to this town. Nashville was close enough that she and her college roommates had frequented some of the seedier bars in their heyday.
“Honestly? I really want a burger.”
Sarah clapped her hands together. “That sounds fabulous and I know the perfect place.”
“Then point me in the right direction ‘cause I am starving.”
Fifteen minutes later, Remy parked the car in front of Grindhouse Killer Burgers. “Looks promising.”
Sarah grabbed her hand and pulled her along excitedly. “Arguably the best burger joint in Atlanta.”
“Do I dare ask how you know about this place?” Remy shot Sarah a sideways gl
ance as she held open the door for her.
“Nothing exciting. My college girlfriends and I used to drive down here to party.”
“Oh, come down here for a rave or two?”
Sarah started laughing out loud. “Umm, not exactly. I wouldn’t call myself the techno party animal.”
“Hmmm.” Remy didn’t say anything more than that. She’d been to a rave or two years ago and something told her Sarah wasn’t that type.
They were seated after a short wait and Remy eyed the menu. “Peanut butter on a burger? I’m starting to doubt your restaurant picking skills.”
“Shut up.” Sarah slapped her arm. “It’s actually really good.”
Remy quirked an eyebrow skeptically. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Fair enough. I’m getting it though and you are going to taste mine.”
Remy waggled her eyebrows lasciviously.
“No, no, no. That’s not what I meant.” Sarah could feel her cheeks warm briefly, and she worked to keep the blush in check. “Don’t you ever get tired of this cat and mouse game?”
“No.” Remy shook her head. “I would only tire of it if I thought there was a chance I wouldn’t catch you.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“No.” Remy’s eyes were suddenly serious. “I have to believe that fate brought us together for a reason. I just have to wait patiently for you to realize it.”
“Oh.” Sarah couldn’t hide the shock at her honesty. She was realizing that with each passing day, Remy was making it very hard for her to keep her promise to herself. She was saved from further feelings of self—doubt by their waitress.
She set beers in front of both of them and smiled. “Y’all ready to order?”
Remy nodded. “I think so. You want to go first?”
“I’ll take the Peanut Butter Burger.”
“Good choice.” The waitress turned her attention to Remy, and in a move that was obvious to both of them, gave her an appraising once over. “For you, darlin’?”
Remy smiled flirtatiously. Maybe this was just what she needed to push Sarah over the edge. A little green—eyed jealousy. “I’ll have the Jose Mendoza. Extra bacon.”
“Sure thing, honey.” The waitress licked her lips and sauntered off with a wink.
“Really?” Sarah rolled her eyes and groaned loudly. “Should I take a cab home?”
“No.” Remy said with a laugh. “Not interested, anyway.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Jealous?” Remy said with an unspoken challenge. “You don’t need to be. My heart belongs to you.”
“No, of course not.” Sarah’s voice raised an octave, and she hoped that Remy couldn’t tell she was lying. “Why would I be jealous?”
Remy shrugged. “No reason. Guess I read it wrong.”
“So, tell me about your day.” Sarah suggested, trying to steer the conversation away from them and into safer territory.
Remy shook her head slowly. She wrung her hands together. Today had been hard, harder than she had experienced in a long time. Emotionally, she was spent. “Rough to say the least. I didn’t think I would live to see a day like today. I’ve never seen that many tornadoes, and never that many EF5’s.”
“Tell me about it.” Sarah agreed readily. “The cities…the cities were wiped out. Birmingham was a war zone.”
“Tuscaloosa too.”
“I’m going to remember this day for a long time. I wish you could have seen the guy that got lifted up in the tornado. Craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Are you serious?” Remy’s eyes flashed in disbelief.
“Totally. Might be a few days before he remembers exactly what happened.”
“I’ll be damned.” Remy shook her head, trying to picture it. “Carmen and I pulled a little girl out from under a mattress that a tree had fallen on. Amazingly enough, she was okay. I’m just sad to say, not everyone was that lucky. No matter how hard we try and how much data we get, we just can’t seem to get a head of the storms.”
“No, but you’re trying.” Sarah’s hand covered Remy’s. “I know it breaks your heart every time someone dies. You take it personally, like you’ve lost them. It’s not your fault, Rem. Some things you can’t control.”
“I know. I tell myself that, but it doesn’t make it any less personal to me.” Remy rubbed the back of her neck, the tension making her head hurt slightly. “Every single one cuts right into me, just like the first time.”
“I know, but you can’t blame yourself. At least, you’re doing something about it. Not burying your head in the sand and hoping someone else comes up with a way to save people.” Sarah squeezed her hand and tried to ignore the jolt that shot up her arm and into her heart. She pulled her hand away quickly then frowned at the obviousness of her gesture. She had to get herself under control. She refused to let herself fall for Remy. She kept repeating that mantra to herself and hoped it wasn’t too late. “What we do isn’t easy, and I have a lot of respect for you. You are an amazing woman, Remy. I’m here today because of you and your heartfelt desire to help people. That says a lot.”
“Thanks.” Remy shrugged. “You know seeing what happened today made me really think about how short life can be. You never know what tomorrow will bring, if you’re lucky enough to get a tomorrow. I have to learn to live each day to the fullest. Carmen teases me all the time. She says I’m so focused on what we do that I forget who I am and I forget to live.”
“She’s right.” Sarah teased. “Your focus is so intense. Like a laser beam focused on a tiny point in the distance. It’s almost scary.”
“Scary, how?” Remy’s eyes showed her confusion.
“Mmm, it’s hard to explain. It’s almost like you’re focused and intense like a black hole, and if I don’t be careful, I’ll get pulled in.” Sarah shuddered at the sudden realization. That’s how she felt. Pulled towards a force so strong that she couldn’t resist even if she wanted to. Yet, the fear she knew she should have felt didn’t come. Instead, she almost felt serene. She imagined it was the calm a swimmer felt when they stopped fighting against the undertow and let the ocean send them where they could swim to safety. That’s what she would do. Just stop fighting and wait till she floated to safety.
“Sounds insanely unromantic.” Remy smiled ruefully. “No wonder C gives me such a hard time.” She paused as the waitress set plates in front of them, piled high with burgers and what seemed to be a bottomless pile of fries.
“Can I get you ladies anything else?” She directed the comment at them both, but her gaze rested on Remy.
“No thanks. I think we’re good.”
She smiled. “If you need anything, darlin’, just holler. I’m at your beck and call.” She winked again and walked away.
“I’m at your beck and call.” Sarah said mockingly. “I’ll just bet she is.”
Remy smiled. “I already told you I’m not interested.”
“What gives with you anyway? What happened to the consummate player?” Sarah shot her a querulous look. “Where’s the girl that talked me into bed in less than two hours?”
“Oh, you want that woman?” Remy waggled a fry towards Sarah. “That can be very easily arranged.”
“No, that’s not what I meant, and you know it.” Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose. Damn Remy for being irresistibly cute. “I just meant here’s all this talk about opening your eyes and seeing the world around you, and instead, you seem to be withdrawing.”
“Just because I’m not whoring around anymore doesn’t mean I don’t notice what’s around me. I notice you.”
Sarah shook her head. “And, there she is.”
Remy chuckled softly. “I can’t help it if the first thing I notice when I open my eyes is you.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“True, but you love me anyway.” Remy said it with such childlike innocence that anyone listening would have thought she was just teasing. Sarah
saw the heat that flashed in her eyes, and she shuddered all the way down to her toes.
Sarah took a long drink of her beer, willing the liquid to cool the heat that was building deep inside her. “So, you want to taste my burger?” She waived the Peanut Butter Burger in Remy’s face, teasing her to try it.
“Yes. I want to taste it.” Remy’s voice was husky, and Sarah knew, without a doubt, the it she was talking about was not her burger. She gulped nervously as Remy took the burger from her hand and instead of taking a bite, put her mouth around Sarah’s finger and swirled her tongue around it.
Sarah nearly fainted from the intimate gesture, and before she swooned, had the good nature to pull away from those tantalizing lips and that dangerous tongue. “What was that for?”
“Peanut butter…on your finger.” Remy said innocently, as if that explained what had just transpired between them. “And, you’re right. It does taste very good.” She could see Sarah’s hand shaking on the table. She was happy to see that it had affected Sarah as much as it had her. It took all she had to keep from reaching across the table and kissing Sarah right there.
“I…I…” Sarah’s next words were a jumbled mess. The shock of what had happened gave way to the heat of the moment, and right now, it was making her blood boil. She finally got herself together enough to frown her mock disapproval at Remy. “So, that’s a no to the burger?”
Remy shook her head from side—to—side. “It would pale in comparison to my first taste.”
Sarah put her face down, not wanting Remy to see her blush again. She needed to get a grip. A few words, and Remy making love to her finger had her ready for another roll in the sack. She ate the rest of her burger quietly, pretending to study the restaurant. Several minutes later, she wiped her mouth and threw her napkin on the table. “That was ridiculously good.”
Remy took that as her cue that the conversation would not return to them. “Great choice.”
As they walked back to the car, she had to shove her hands in her pockets to keep from grabbing Sarah’s hand. When Sarah had covered hers at the table, Remy’s blood pressure had spiked wildly, and when she’d licked the peanut butter off Sarah’s finger, she had nearly lost it. This cat and mouse game, as Sarah called it, was really getting to her. She had only to look at Sarah, and her mind immediately flashed to that night. She could still feel the warmth of their naked bodies melded together. Perfectly, she might add. “Anywhere else?”