Whirlwind Romance

by Kris Bryant

  “Take care of him, Kate. Hunter and I will see to Gloria.” I reach into my bag and give her the first aid kit.

  “Be careful,” Kate says. She stares at me, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. I give her a weak smile and squeeze her forearm.

  “I…we will.” I don’t want to leave her because she looks so crushed. A part of me wishes we never saw the tornado, protecting all of us from what is to become a harrowing day. “Just call out if you need us.” I turn around to find Hunter ready to start digging. She throws me a pair of leather work gloves and I slip into them, flexing them to fit me. We work quickly, moving boards and smashed personal items. I don’t want to be disrespectful to Gloria, but if she’s in here, finding her alive is far more important than if I crush house plants or coffee mugs. I can’t feel much under my steel toe boots, but I can hear things crack as I walk around.

  “Gloria!” I yell. I shine my flashlight down into crevices of lumber and insulation stacked like pick-up sticks. “Can you hear me? Are you in here?” I repeat my questions every few seconds, hoping to hear a response.

  “Here! Tris, over here.” Hunter waves me over, her head low to the ground. I jump down and race over to her. “I hear a knocking down here.” She points to an area that looks like it used to be the kitchen. We start frantically throwing debris behind us, digging deep until we hear moaning. Eventually, we see Gloria’s arm. I follow it down until I can grab hold of her hand.

  “We’re here, Gloria. We’re going to get you out,” I say. I feel a faint squeeze on my fingers and I’m reluctant to let go, but I have to if I’m going to help Hunter free this woman. “Hunter, we have to move half of this wall just to get down to her. We’re going to need more help. Kate! Kate! Come here if you can,” I call.

  “What do you need? How can I help?” she asks. She looks pale, but determined.

  “Can you see if anybody can help us? We need to move this wall to help her,” I say.

  “Is she okay?” she asks.

  “She squeezed my hand so I know she’s at least coherent, but I don’t know anything else. The sooner we get her out, the better she will be.”

  “Okay, I’ll get some help,” she says. She runs off, and as much as I want to enjoy the view of Kate’s backside, I have to stay focused. I turn back and continue helping Hunter, telling her Kate is going to round up some more people. Within about five minutes, Kate comes back with three young men, college age, who look as frazzled as I feel.

  “There’s a lady trapped down here. We need to move this wall before we can dig her out,” I say. The boys nod and quickly head to the other side. They work efficiently and within about ten minutes, we’re able to see more of Gloria. She is an elderly woman, and even though she is awake, I wish she wasn’t. Her leg is definitely broken, judging by the unnatural angle and the metal rod sticking through her calf. I have to swallow the bile that is threatening to bubble up. Even the guys helping stop and look. I have to figure out what to do now.

  “Somebody go find an ambulance or EMT. Go,” I say. One of the boys jumps down and runs off. “Let’s clear out as much as we can so that when he comes back with help, they’ll be able to get her out immediately.” I get closer to Gloria. She smiles weakly at me. I grab her hand and smile back at her. “We’re going to get help. Somebody should be here very soon.” I know she is in shock so I take the sweatshirt I have tied at my waist and cover her the best I can. She’s mumbling something that I can’t understand. I pat her hand and tell her it’s okay and to relax until help comes. I can’t do anything to her leg. I don’t want to move it because of the break. Thankfully, her leg isn’t bleeding much so I forgo the tourniquet. I don’t want to do more damage than good. Hurry, hurry, hurry I chant. Within a few minutes, we hear the glorious wail of a fire truck. They can’t get through because there is too much clutter, but several firemen jog over to us, carrying a stretcher. “These men are going to help you now. You can trust them.” I nod to her and she nods back. I get out of the way for them to take over. My body starts to shake as my adrenaline begins to crash. Hunter stands next to me and puts her arm on my shoulder.

  “Come on. Let’s see if Kate needs help,” she says. I know she’s trying to keep my mind occupied because we both know I’m one step away from crying. I nod and we make our way over to Kate who is still comforting the old man, even though one of the firemen is attending to him.

  “Hey! They need help two trailers down.” One of the kids who helped us dig Gloria out is pointing to another trailer on its side. I’m completely exhausted, but I don’t hesitate. Hunter jogs away and I grab Kate.

  “If you want to go back to the SUV, go ahead. This is a lot to take in.” I can tell she’s never witnessed destruction like this before. Her body is shaking and her eyes are wide with fear.

  “No, I want to help.” She grabs my hand and we head to where Hunter and the boys are working. Hunter turns when she hears us.

  “There’s a woman with a small boy and a baby in here. She’s probably in the bathroom, but we don’t know for sure. We can’t get the door open so we’re going to climb in through the skylight,” Hunter says. I can only nod. Hunter turns to Kate and holds her forearms. “Kate, we can hear crying. That’s a good sign.” Kate starts crying, but nods to let Hunter know that she understands. “I’m going to climb up and see if I can help from up there. Why don’t you two try to find dry blankets or towels, okay?” I love that Hunter is a leader. I hand Kate the car keys.

  “We have a few extra stadium blankets in the back next to Maddox’s toys. Can you run and get them?” She nods and runs toward the SUV. I know she needs to get away from this, even if it’s just for a minute or two to regain composure. I can see Hunter and a college boy working on the skylight. I take the two other boys and we walk around the trailer trying to find another way in. We have to walk around broken tree limbs and debris. Our only option is to break a window if Hunter is unsuccessful.

  “Up here. We’re in,” she yells to me. I give her a thumbs up. We wait as she slips inside. I can hear her calling out and see the whip of the flashlight beam bounce from one side of the trailer to the other. What feels like hours is only a few minutes. I feel completely helpless standing around so I climb up and peek inside, shining my flashlight right into Hunter’s eyes.

  “I can hear a woman and a baby. They’re trapped inside the bathroom and can’t get the door open. I have to move a table and the stove from the door,” she says. She’s getting drenched with water spewing from where a sink used to be.

  “You need help?” She nods and heads over to me. I slip down and she grabs my hips. I land not so gently on dishes and piles of stuff.

  “Careful, Tris. I can’t have you hurt, too.” She steadies me and turns her attention back to the bathroom. The two of us are able to move the stove out of the way and get the bathroom door open. I’m afraid of what we’re going to find. There’s a woman sitting on the floor, her head and shoulders protecting a baby nestled on her lap. She blinks at the flashlight and I quickly shine it elsewhere. The woman has a cut on her arm and forehead, but she seems to be in good shape otherwise. The baby, thankfully, is completely unharmed. Mad as hell, but healthy.

  “Where’s Robert?” she asks. Hunter looks at me. I back out of the bathroom and start looking for Robert, who I assume is the young boy the neighbor told us about. I shine the flashlight all over, but I can’t find him. He’s not answering me either, but I’m sure he is too frightened to speak or come out of hiding.

  “I can’t find Robert, ma’am. Was he with you in the bathroom?” I ask. She starts crying. Hunter does her best to calm her down.

  “We’ll find him. He’s probably a smart little boy and is still hiding,” Hunter says. “In the meantime, we need to get you and the baby out of here and get you help.” She looks at the front door, but it’s completely warped and won’t budge. “Is there a back door or another way out of here?”

  “There’s a trap door. It goes under the trailer. We can
try that,” the woman says.

  So everything that was in front of the bathroom door that we tossed aside, now has to be moved again. It takes us a few minutes, but we’re able to clear the area off of the door in the floor. Hunter opens the door and gasps.

  “Are you Robert?” she asks. Under the trap door is a little boy, about seven-years-old. He is dirty and bruised, but seemingly okay. He doesn’t start crying until he sees his mother. That gets the baby crying, too. “Okay, listen. We’re all going to have to crawl out of here, but we need to be careful. The trailer has moved so the blocks aren’t as sturdy. This is the quickest way out. The sooner we get out, the sooner Robert can tell us about his adventure.” Hunter turns to Robert. “Can you show us the way out?” At his enthusiastic nod, she takes off her headlamp and puts it on his head. He smiles and scurries out like it’s a game. It’s going to be tricky with a baby.

  “I can hold the baby and slide out on my back,” I say. I know the mom must be exhausted and this seems like the safest way to get everyone out.

  “Be careful with her,” the mom says.

  “I promise.” I put on Hunter’s jacket for protection and carefully crawl down into the space. Hunter hands me the baby. She’s whining, but not crying now. I clutch her to me and scoot out as quickly as possible. The boys are waiting for us and scoop us up. Within a few minutes, the family is together again. Hunter and I carefully check them for injuries. The mom received the brunt of the injuries with a three inch gash on her arm and a cut on her forehead. Robert has scrapes and bruises, but nothing that requires any medical attention. The baby is surprisingly quiet and we wrap her up in a blanket that Kate hands the mom. She thanks us over and over again. By now, the area has grown with volunteers and firefighters, so we know it’s okay to leave it in their capable hands.

  “I sure hope everybody is going to be okay,” Kate says as we make our way back to the SUV. I let Maddox out and make sure he stays close to me. He’s aware things are bad and is quick to do his business. We all climb into the car and Hunter carefully maneuvers us around fallen trees. I’m glad it’s dark because if I see the destruction right now, I will break down. Kate’s already in the back seat crying and I don’t know how to comfort her. Maddox is trying, but it’s not working.

  “Those poor people,” she says. “What happens now? What are they going to do?” The first time you see the devastation left by a tornado firsthand, it changes you. After six seasons of doing this, it doesn’t get any better, but it’s less shocking. Hunter and I are silent. We don’t have the answers.

  After about twenty minutes of driving, we find a motel and drag ourselves into the room. We take turns in the bathroom cleaning up. Within half an hour, we’re ready for bed.

  “I don’t want to sleep alone,” Kate says. Hunter and I are in one bed and I don’t even hesitate. I crawl into the other bed and Kate snuggles into me. I hold her close, the warmth of her body comforting. I can feel her body shaking and I know she’s crying again. After a few minutes, she relaxes. We fall asleep entwined and I’m grateful for such a tender end to a horrible day.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Gage said Angie is doing better. She’s going home so he should be back in action Thursday.” Kate puts her phone back in her pocket. We’re all still dazed from Sunday’s tornado so good news is welcome. “That gives me a few more days of chasing with you ladies.” I smile at her. I’ve really enjoyed having her with us. Not just because we had sex, but because it’s nice to have a professional connection and be with somebody who is just as excited as I am about weather.

  “Then we should plan accordingly,” Hunter says. “Let’s have girls’ night out tomorrow and play like we’re back in civilization. Eat a nice, expensive dinner, maybe go shopping first. Oh, or go see a movie.” We all smile. “How long has it been since we let loose?”

  “I don’t even know,” I say. Kate smiles at me. Okay, so maybe a few days ago. I smile sheepishly back at her and run my hands through my hair. I’m self-conscious again. “Let’s do it.” I’m actually excited. It will be nice to get dolled up and go out for a night. “I think we all could use a break.” My wardrobe is lacking, but I’m sure I can find something decent. If not, I can buy something when we go shopping.

  We’re chasing near Lawrence, Kansas and we decide to just stay in the quaint college town. We don’t know much about the movies that are out, so we plan on a concert instead. Dar Williams is playing at Liberty Hall and there is an excellent restaurant just a few blocks up from the venue. I’m considering this a date even though Hunter will be with us. I’m itching to get my hands on Kate, away from our job and Hunter, and just have hours of me and her without interruption. Plus, she’s leaving us and I can’t let her go without touching her at least one last time.

  I’m taking Hunter’s advice and just going with the flow. Whatever happens, happens. Kate is four years younger than I am and when you’re in your twenties, the difference in age is vast. She’s probably fresh out of her sorority and I’ve been a cynic since birth. I have a need to show her that I can clean up and function like a perfect lady. She’s used to stubby ponytails and jeans that I wear for days without washing. She doesn’t know that the other nine months out of the year I wear skirts and makeup and file my nails instead of biting them. I have this incredible urge to please her.

  “I told Gage that I’ll let him know where we’ll be and he’ll come up and get me,” Kate says.

  “It’s been nice having you around. I know Maddox likes having a backseat buddy,” Hunter says. I have a thousand things I’d like to say to her, but everything sounds stupid. We have so many things to talk about.

  “I might have to dognap him when nobody’s looking,” Kate says. She reaches over and scratches his chest and he leans against her. Hey, I thought only I got his hugs.

  “He has a lot of baggage, you know,” I say.

  “Yeah, an overprotective mother,” Hunter says.

  “And an overprotective aunt,” I say. We smile at one another. Both of us would do anything for Maddox. During off season, I swear Hunter only comes by to visit Maddox.

  “Why does he have these scars?” Kate asks. I watch as her fingertips trace the patterns of slightly puckered and white skin. I tell her, but I try to keep it as tactful as I can. We’ve already been through a lot this week and I don’t need her to be sad for Maddox, too. He is the best thing that has happened to me and I want her to be happy for him as well. “Well, he’s beautiful and I’m sure he doesn’t even remember what happened that long ago.” She kisses the side of his head and he falls down in her lap. He’s so obvious and I’m so jealous. I might have to steal his signature move.

  ❖

  I’m not one to brag, but I look hot tonight. In all fairness, I did spend a great deal of time primping. Even Hunter whistles when I walk out of the bathroom. I’m wearing a cute little black dress I picked up at a vintage clothing store up the street from our hotel. My hair is wavy and I’m accentuating my bedroom eyes with just enough eyeliner and mascara. To top things off, I’m even wearing heels.

  “You’re dressed to get laid tonight,” Hunter says. Am I that obvious? Good.

  “I don’t look whorish, do I?” I’m suddenly nervous. Hunter walks over and puts her hands on my shoulders.

  “You look fantastic. I mean gorgeous, actually. If she doesn’t take advantage of you, I just might.” She winks at me and does a little twirl herself for attention. She looks great as well. She is wearing new jeans, a button-down oxford, and badass Doc Martens.

  “You look very dapper tonight.”

  Hunter likes dressing preppy. I refrain from calling her handsome because she doesn’t like that, but if she crossed over to my side, she would be so very popular with the ladies. She bows and reaches out to me. I slide up to her and she holds me like we’re dancing. We waltz until Maddox decides he wants to be part of the action and jumps up on us. We laugh and break apart.

  “Let’s go find Kate and have a fantasti
c time,” Hunter says. We say good-bye to Maddox and go to meet Kate in the lobby. Her room is upstairs, but our room is ground level and tucked in the back like always. I’d leave Maddox in the car if I thought he would be safe, but since we are in town, I don’t want people to mess with him. The room will be quiet and comfortable enough.

  I try not to look at Kate as we walk down the hall toward her. I can’t help it though. She looks incredible. She, too, is wearing a dress. It’s longer than mine, but a lot tighter. She has an amazing body. I know this already, but tonight there isn’t much to imagine or remember. I just need to look.

  “Wow, look at you ladies,” Kate says. She looks us up and down and motions for us to twirl. “No Neanderthals here.”

  “I told you I clean up,” I say. I’m trying not to be smug, but it’s hard when she’s looking at me appreciatively. I refrain from reaching out for her and saying ‘yummy’ because that would definitely make me a caveman. No, tonight I shall behave like a lady. At least until it’s time to say good night.

  “The weather is perfect. No rain and nice warm temperatures,” Kate says. Since everything is so close, we decide to walk to the restaurant and the concert. I sort of regret that decision because these heels are killing me. Oh, the pain and suffering to please a girl. The restaurant is an old converted bank building. We start off with a bottle of wine and toast Kate, wishing her well on her return back to OSU and Gage’s tutelage in the field. She seems a little sad, but she toasts with us. “Thank you, ladies, for taking me in and showing me the good and the bad of storm chasing. It has been an honor.” She sips her wine, her eyes never leaving mine. A little shiver works its way through my body and I smile at her with anticipation. I so can’t wait until we get back to the hotel.

  We eat our meals and recap our short time together. Kate tells us what she originally thought of us and how she feels about us now. “I was actually kind of afraid of Hunter,” she says. We laugh. It’s not the first time we’ve heard this.