by Noelle Adams
For a second Erin looked nonplussed then she nodded quickly but he could see the blood rising up her neck and to her cheeks. She looked like she wanted to say something but no words came. Instead she carefully placed her napkin beside her empty plate and for the second time that night she stood up. “I’m feeling a bit tired. I think I’ll go to bed now.”
She didn’t even wait for him to reply. She walked away, leaving Dare staring after her in confusion.
Now what had he said to upset her? He shook his head. If he lived a million years he would never understand women.
***
After her dinner with Dare, Erin went back to her old strategy - avoid him as much as possible. That seemed to have been working fine until Robyn came and spoiled everything.
She knew she was being foolish but she still hadn’t gotten over the shock of Dare’s last statement at the dinner table. It was like he’d been talking about her. The guilt would not let her sit still and she’d had to leave as fast as she could before she broke down and told all.
It was five days since Robyn left the island and she hadn’t heard a whisper since then. With each day that passed she breathed a sigh but she could guess that the girl would drop her bombshell at a strategic moment, at that point when it would hurt most. It was only a matter of time.
After a week passed and then two without any word from Robyn, the tension in Erin’s belly began to dissipate. The threat still hung over her head but how long could she remain on edge? She willed herself to be calm. She had her baby to think about and she would not let anything - neither high blood pressure nor negative emotions - consume her and jeopardize the health of her unborn child.
She signed up for classes at the local Mommy Yoga Center and fell into a comfortable routine of yoga and birthing classes in the mornings and daily swims in the pool in the cool of the evenings. Eventually she stopped thinking about Robyn and the threat she posed.
With the passing of time Erin grew rounder and rounder until she looked like she had swallowed a basketball. When Dare teased her, calling her his panda bear, Francine came to her defense and laughingly found names for him, too. It didn’t help that those names were in Spanish so Erin had no idea what she was talking about. She didn’t care, though. It felt good to have another woman on her side. She and Dare fell into a comfortable rhythm that made Erin sometimes forget that her marriage was not quite the norm. From observing them no one would guess that their marriage was in name only.
Their idyllic life on the island hit a snag when it was announced that a hurricane was on the way. At the news Erin became filled with a sense of dread. She tackled Francine in the kitchen.
“What’s a hurricane like? Will it destroy the island? Will we be in great danger?” The words shot out in rapid succession, clear evidence of her fright. She was not afraid to admit it. She’d never experienced a hurricane before and she was scared.
She’d heard horror stories of tidal waves taller than ten storey buildings and people getting sucked out to sea. She’d heard of heavy winds flattening houses, people getting electrocuted by downed power lines and people getting sick from contaminated water supplies. Nothing she’d heard about hurricanes was good.
“Ah, nina,” Francine sighed, “hurricanes are dangerous but we will survive. And you, in this well built house, you will be safe. I’m happy that you have a strong man to protect you.”
“But what about you, Francine? You will stay here with us, right? I want you to be safe.” Erin grabbed the older woman’s hand. Although Francine spent a lot of time in Dare’s house she also had her own home on the island. Erin was worried that she would go back there. She could not explain it but she felt an affinity with Francine that was far more than an employer-employee relationship.
“No, nina. Senor Dare, he arranged for me to go to Atlanta to be with my son. I will leave long before the storm hits.”
Erin breathed a sigh of relief. One less person to worry about.
Next day Erin accompanied Francine into the airport where they hugged and shared well wishes. The housekeeper waved goodbye as she stood at the entrance to the international departure lounge and her eyes glistened with tears. Erin, too, felt choked up but she bit her lip and held on. She would not give in to tears. She was not the emotional type and couldn’t figure out why tears seemed to come so easily these days. It must be the baby hormones.
Erin spent the rest of the day shopping. Like everyone else she was making sure to have adequate supplies in case the hurricane devastated the island. It was not unheard of that, following a natural disaster such as this, electrical power would be out for weeks. With that in mind she stocked up on flashlights, lanterns and batteries, canned and packaged foods and dozens of cases of drinking water. When the chauffeur bundled her into the car to take her home there was hardly enough room left for her to sit. She didn’t mind, though. She’d much rather be over prepared than in need.
That evening when Dare got home he told her he’d arranged for workmen to come in and board up the huge bay windows and French doors. The hurricane winds would easily shatter the panes, sending glass flying. They had to prevent that at all costs. He spoke calmly, almost casually, as if boarding up a house was the most natural thing to do. Meanwhile, Erin was quaking in her shoes.
Dare must have seen her fear because he stepped forward, looking like he was about to take her in his arms. But then he let his hands fall to his sides. Instead, he gave her a gentle smile. “It will be all right. This isn’t the first hurricane to hit Santa Marta. We’ll pull through just fine.”
“But they say this will be the worst one in a decade. And what if we get a tidal wave? We’re so close to the ocean.” She spoke quietly, her voice steady, but she felt far from it. Her eyes searched his, desperately seeking the reassurance she needed right then. At that moment she would have welcomed his embrace so she could feel the strength and power of his body against hers and revel in the comfort of his arms.
But it was not to be. She’d set her boundary, one he’d vowed never to cross until she made the first move. And she wanted to. Even now as he stood looking down at her she wanted to.
But she could not.
Dare shoved his hands into his pockets and on his face was a look of determination. “We’ll beat this, Erin. We just have to prepare the best way we can. I’ve already taken the necessary precautions at the resort. They’re the ones that are close to the ocean, not us. This house is on a hill, remember?”
“You’re right,” Erin said, frowning. She hadn’t thought about the resort at all. “What about the guests? How will they manage?”
“Half of them have already left and a few more will go tomorrow. For the ones who decided to stay we’ve moved them to the villas farthest from the beach. They’ll be on a grade so they should be fine.” He gave a sigh. “Thank God for loyal employees. We’ve got a skeleton staff staying on to serve them. They’ll all be paid triple time for staying.”
“Because they’ll be away from their families?”
“Yes. I want them to know I appreciate the sacrifice they’re making.” He smiled. “They don’t know it yet but I already spoke to the director of finance to factor in an extra bonus for them at the end of the year.”
“That’s generous of you,” she said and her heart warmed to him. He’d been a jerk, no doubt about that, but after seeing this other side of him how could she stay mad?
And how could she stay unaffected by this enticingly sexy man? She’d vowed to keep saying no but with her pregnant hormones raging she seemed to constantly be in a heightened state of arousal. She wanted him so badly she could almost taste it.
But she had to stay strong. For the sake of her heart she could not put herself at risk a second time.
The next day dawned clear and bright. You would never know a hurricane was on the way. It was perfect weather for the workmen to complete their task and within just a few hours they were done.
That evening she and Dare went through their lis
t of supplies, making sure they had everything they needed. At the last minute Dare remembered one critical piece - they hadn’t checked the first aid kit. When they found it they realized that all the painkillers had expired and had to be thrown out. Dare made a quick dash to the local drug store, arriving just ten minutes before it closed. After that, with the kit filled with bandages, iodine for cuts and bruises, painkillers, gauze and a splint they were ready.
On the third day Erin and Dare woke to a sky that hung low and gray like an ominous shroud. Everywhere was still. There was no chirping or whistling in the trees this morning. Not a single bird had remained behind. Even the tree frogs seemed to have disappeared. The animals knew what was coming and they, too, had gone to seek shelter from the coming onslaught.
Even the air had stilled. Gone was the usual tropical breeze, the trade winds that would shake the leaves in the trees. It was as if they were in a vacuum-sealed flask.
Then the evening came and with it the first taste of what was to come. The air that had previously been so still now began to stir and within an hour of the first breeze a strong wind began to blow. With each passing hour it grew stronger until by nightfall the force of the wind had the palm trees bending low, practically kissing ground. What had started out as a whistling in the trees had now turned to a deafening howl that was almost human, making the hair on Erin’s nape stand on end.
“Come,” Dare said and she was grateful when this time he took her hand in his. His strength surged through her and she stepped closer to him.
Dare led her down the hallway and toward his suite and this time she was eager to go. There was a mighty beast outside pummeling the trees and battering the house and she was too frightened to stay alone.
They’d entered the sitting room and Dare was walking over to the table to rest the lantern down when a loud crack rent the air and the lights went out. Erin screamed and reached blindly for Dare.
“It’s okay, Erin, it’s okay.” His voice came to her from across the room and then he was beside her, gathering her trembling body close to his.
“Wh…what was that?”
“Probably a tree uprooted by the wind. It sounded like it crashed into the house.” Dare stroked her back as he spoke, soothing her jangling nerves. “I’m guessing it fell on a power line and that’s why the lights went out. I’ll go check-”
“Oh, no, you won’t.” Erin clung to him. “You’re not leaving me in the dark all by myself.”
“You’ll be all right. I’ll leave you with the lantern and take the flashlight.”
“I’m coming with you. I’m not staying here.”
“Erin,” Dare said with an exasperated sigh, “you’re safer here. I don’t want you exposed to danger.” As he spoke he reached behind his back to pry her fingers open. “I have to go check what’s happening at the other end of the house.”
He loosened her arms from around his waist and stepped away. Erin almost cried out but she bit down on her bottom lip and swallowed, containing the fright that threatened to creep up from the pit of her stomach. She pulled her robe tighter and went to stand beside Dare who was testing a huge flashlight.
He looked over at her when she came near. “Why don’t you lie down for a bit? You have to take it easy, remember? You’re in your sixth month now.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m an invalid,” she retorted. “I don’t need to lie down.”
He reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder. “I want you to. You can have the loveseat or just go into my bedroom. You’ll be a lot more comfortable there.”
“In the dark? All by myself? I don’t think so.”
“We’ve discussed this already, Erin. You’ll have the lantern-”
“No, I’m coming with you.”
“Jeez.” He blew out an exasperated breath. “Talk about stubborn. Okay, come on, but stay behind me at all times. When I open the door any kind of debris can fly in. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“And what about you?”
“I can take care of myself.”
Erin snorted. He’d spoken like a typical man. And that was why she was making sure to follow him. She’d be there to make sure he didn’t do anything rash. He was a man and men did stupid things sometimes, thinking they were strong and brave and therefore near invincible. Well, not this time. She’d be there to save Dare from himself.
And it had absolutely nothing to do with being scared about being left alone with just a lantern as company.
With Dare in the lead Erin padded back down the hallway in her bedroom slippers even as the wind howled outside. The sound had gotten louder now, sounding like a huge freight train rushing by, and Erin’s heart pounded harder with each passing minute. When would the assault end? Would the house still be standing when it was over? Would they still be alive?
That didn’t even bear thinking about. She shook her head and kept on walking, making sure Dare was just within the reach of her arm.
When they got to the foyer he pulled out a second flashlight, clicked it on and handed it to her.
“I’m going over to the west wing to see what happened. You stay here.” With those words he began to turn toward the hallway.
Erin grabbed his arm. “You said I could come with you.”
“I know,” he said, his face grim. “I changed my mind. There could be broken glass everywhere. The downed power line could have even started a fire. I don’t want you anywhere near that.” He shook his head. “I should have left you in the suite where you were safe.”
“No, you shouldn’t,” she retorted. “You’re not leaving me here so let’s go.” Before he could object she set off down the hallway, her flashlight on high beam, marching on as if the darkness ahead didn’t bother her one bit. She breathed a sigh of relief when, with a grunt of what was probably exasperation, Dare followed her. As they walked Erin could feel a current of wind that flowed stronger and stronger as they went farther into that section of the house.
What she saw when they got to the west wing made her realize the reason for Dare’s concern. The huge mango tree that used to stand by the window of Francine’s bedroom had toppled over in the wind, smashing through the roof and leaving a gaping hole. The wind rushed through like air blown down a funnel, creating a miniature wind storm inside the room. As the beams from both flashlights lit up the area Erin could see papers, leaves and debris strewn all around and rain streaming in through the damaged roof.
“Jeez, this is bad,” Dare murmured and stepped inside to get a better look.
A sudden gust of wind tore a plank from the jagged roof, sending it flying across the room.
“Watch out,” Erin yelled.
Dare swiveled round, the light of his flashlight cutting through the air. He never even saw it coming. The plank slammed into Dare’s side and smacked him on the head with a crack that echoed around the room. The flashlight was the first to fall. Then, like a hill of flour in a torrent of rain, Dare crumbled and collapsed onto the sodden floor.
“Dare!” Erin screamed but there was no answer. All she could hear was the deafening, diabolical roar of the hurricane winds.
Ten
“Oh, no,” Erin cried out and ran to kneel at Dare’s side. Her robe was immediately soaked with the water running freely on the floor. She shone the flashlight onto Dare and saw that he had fallen face down on the floor, water only inches from his nose. And he was not moving.
“Oh, God,” Erin whispered. “God help me.”
Quickly, she propped the flashlight on a pile of cushions nearby then reached for Dare, lifting his face clear of the water. Without hesitation she sat in the water and slid her legs under his head to lay it on her lap. Then, gently but urgently, she patted his face. “Dare, wake up. Please, honey. I need you to get up.”
Her desperate pleas fell on deaf ears. Dare had been knocked unconscious.
Erin looked around, her mind racing. They could not stay there with water swirling around them and the shrieking wind threatening
to pelt them with more debris. But what could she do? She couldn’t possibly lift Dare but she couldn’t leave him there either.
Then her eyes flew to the cover on the bed. If she could just roll him onto it then she could drag him out of the room and out of danger. Erin reached for a pillow that had fallen to the floor. Gently, she slid Dare’s head from her lap and laid it on the soft support.
Slowly, she pulled her hand away and she almost cried out again. Her hand was smeared with blood. She had to move quickly. Dare was hurt even worse than she’d realized.
Braving the howling winds she half-dashed, half-waded to the bed in the middle of the room. The cover was soaking wet and heavy but she had no choice. She stripped the bed of its cover and dragged it over to where Dare lay. She spread it out on the ground then slowly, gingerly she lifted his head then she heaved and was just barely able to shift his head and torso onto the fabric. His bottom half was easier. When he was stretched out on the cover she propped the flashlight on his chest, angling it so it lit her path. Then she grabbed two handfuls of the cover and pulled. He did not budge. Kicking off her now sodden bedroom slippers she planted her feet on the ground and heaved. And that’s when he began to move. Inch by inch she dragged Dare through the door and out into the hallway. Inch by inch she pulled him to safety.
By the time she got him out of the room and at a safe distance away she was panting from the effort. Unable to go further she slid down in a heap beside her prostrate husband.
Drawing up her legs she wrapped her arms around them and dropped her forehead onto her knees. What was she going to do now? Dare needed help but even if she got phone service what ambulance would come running in the middle of a hurricane? But what if he slept himself into a coma? Heavens, what was she to do? She couldn’t just sit there all night.