Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
FAITH
The power was finally working consistently, but it took most of the day. It was now getting dark again. My phone was plugged in with Adam’s charger and finally had enough charge to turn on. The cell phone service was spotty at best. I wrote out a text to Marissa and Rose.
Faith: I’m safe. I’m stuck at Adam’s. The roads are impassable, especially with my tires. He said he could try to bring me into town in his truck if needed. Are you both safe?
I hit send and watched as the sending message appeared under the text. I chewed my bottom lip.
Message unsent.
I sighed and held my phone in the air as high as I could as the bars went from none to one. I hit send again. Holding my phone awkwardly over my head as I stared at the screen.
Message unsent.
Adam chuckled. “Here, let me help.” He walked to my side and held out his hand for my phone. “If you want.” He smirked.
His reach was substantially more than mine, so I shrugged and handed it to him. He held it in the air and hit send.
Nothing.
“Sometimes you can get better service on the road.” He went to the front door, grabbed his coat, and started putting on his boots.
“Oh no, it’s okay.” I didn’t want to be an inconvenience.
He quirked his eyebrow. “Really, it’s no problem. I’m sure your friends are worried, and I know I would want to know you are safe.” He winked, pulled the door open, and went outside. As he waded through the snow toward the road, it ranged from almost mid-calf to above his knees in some spots.
I’d lived here three years and never seen a storm like this. Being farther outside of town added complications as well. The plows would start in town and would work hard and fast.
Adam walked up the driveway, where the snow wasn’t as high, and out onto the road. He held his hand in the air, and it looked like he pressed send. His breath floated up in the air toward my phone. He brought the phone down and studied the screen and flashed me a thumbs up.
His shoulders stiffened as he looked down the road. He stepped back into the driveway as lights came into view on some sort of tractor. It pulled up next to Adam, and he started talking to a man in a cowboy hat, coat, and gloves.
Adam leaned in to hear him above the motor.
My stomach tightened. Did this man have news, and if so, was it good or bad?
The man pointed back the way he had come. Adam nodded and turned and ran to his front door.
Well, that can’t be great news. What could it be? Was it the road? Was someone hurt? Ugh, it could be so many things. We had sent a few texts, but had gotten nothing back from anyone.
Adam flung the door open and came into the house, along with a pile of snow. He closed the door behind him, stomped the snow off his feet, and handed my phone back.
“Sounds like Frank took a fall off his roof when he was clearing the snow. They need help getting him into town, and they are setting up groups to check on some of the older folks. Said they had already checked on Mom on his way out, and she was doing okay.” His eyes shot to Danny playing with the now-more snow pile, and he frowned as he looked at us both.
“They really need my help,” he muttered and trailed his thumb down his jaw.
They needed him, and he needed Danny to be safe. “Go.” I nodded toward the door. “I got Danny. Grab some extra warm clothes though.” I thought about Adam out there in the snow. “And you have to promise you will be careful.” I searched his face.
He closed the distance between us and put his hand on my cheek. “I will. If the power goes out, just grab one of the lanterns, okay?” he whispered, “And stay inside.” I saw how torn he was.
“I will.” I gazed up into his warm brown eyes as he placed his forehead on mine. “Be safe,” I whispered.
Danny came over to give Adam a hug. He must have been nervous. I should have stepped backed and not let Danny see Adam holding me. But all that mattered in that moment was that Adam be careful and return safely back to us.
He squatted down in front of Danny. “Hey, Champ. Frank is stuck in the snow.” He reached up and ruffled Danny’s hair. “Do you think you can stay here and keep Faith safe while I try to help?”
Danny’s eyebrows dipped as he looked toward me. I smiled at him.
“Thanks, Champ.” Adam gave him a quick hug and then stood and squeezed my hand. He ran down to his room, and before I was ready, he was running out the door to go help.
Danny and I walked toward the front window and stared out as Adam hopped into his truck. The tractor had cleared the driveway while he waited.
Adam held up his hand, and Danny and I both waved back. Then he turned and backed out of the driveway.
We both stood there watching the truck for as long as possible. Then I took a deep breath and turned my mind to helping Danny feel comfortable.
“Okay, Danny, do you have a favorite book or board game?”
He shrugged. “I like my tablet.”
“Well, you can show it to me, but some things won’t work without the internet.”
His eyebrows lowered. “Will Dad be okay?” He avoided my eyes. “Can he get hurt too?”
I took a fortifying breath and decided not to give voice to my irrational fears. “I’m sure he will be very careful.” I squeezed Danny’s shoulder. “Now, do you have any two-player games on your tablet?”
We played games on his tablet, watched Frosty the Snowman, drew pictures, and then I taught Danny how to make pancakes.
Time passed achingly slow. My phone vibrated in my pocket, going off over and over.
I must finally have gotten service.
I pulled my phone out and looked through the notifications. It was nine p.m. I checked to see if Adam had sent anything in the hours he had been gone.
Nope. I chewed my lip and went to my other messages.
Marissa: We are safe here! We lost a section of the roof of the gazebo, and there was some damage to the house, but not bad compared to some. I’m glad you are safe. I was so worried you’d driven back and got stuck.
Rose: Stupid storm. Snow’s the worst. Thanks for texting. I was going crazy. The hair salon looked okay from what I could tell.
I hit reply.
Faith: I’m still here with Danny. Adam went with some other guys to help Frank, and then they were checking on people.
Marissa: There is an emergency town meeting tomorrow to assess damages and see who needs what. We offered the community center-11AM.
My stomach dropped as I wondered what destruction the storm had caused. I hoped everyone was okay.
Faith: Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll make sure I’m back for that if not sooner.
Danny was tired, so I helped him get ready for bed. He brushed his teeth, and I helped him find some clean pj’s. After I tucked him in “snug as a bug in a rug,” which was apparently tight all along his body and the way Adam does it, I went to shut off the light.
“Will you stay and do minutes?”
I turned back to his space bed. “What’s minutes?”
“I ask Dad to stay a few minutes, then he tries to sneak out, and then I ask him to stay for some more.”
I sat against the wall and smiled. “Sure, Danny. I will stay for as many minutes as you want.”
“Even a hundred?”
I chuckled. “If that’s what you want.”
He rolled over in his bed. I sat against the wall, glancing at my phone more often than I should.
Wondering and hoping when I would hear Adam’s truck or get a text.
Once I made sure Danny was asleep, which took twenty minutes instead of one hundred, I left his room, leaving the door open, and went to clean up the kitchen.
Still no Adam. I couldn’t help myself. I went and sat in Adam’s room.
It was a bit of a breach of privacy, but he had offered me to stay in here last night, so hopefully that meant it was okay.
He had a king-sized bed with blue blankets, a cheap nightstand, and in the corner there was a stack of weights.
I smiled and shook my head. I picked up one of his sweaters from the left side of the bed and smelled it.
It smelled like him. Like oranges and spices and happiness.
“Come on, Adam.” I muttered and looked up to the ceiling. “Shouldn’t he be home by now?” I rubbed my tired eyes. I couldn’t sit, I needed to be moving. I put on his sweater so I could keep his smell and warmth with me and I went out to the living room and re-organized Danny’s toys.
Then I re-cleaned the kitchen and dining room.
Lights flashed in the window, and I rushed over.
A snowplow went down the street, throwing piles of snow to the side.
Not Adam.
At least they were plowing the roads this far out now.
Another snowplow went by, clearing the other side. It gave two fast honks as it passed, and then Adam’s truck pulled into the driveway.
He did the same honk back.
I released a shuddering breath.
He was home.
The amount my heart jumped and the tears pricking my eyes were a little embarrassing.
But he was home.
Adam got out of his truck and rubbed his shoulder and stretched out his neck. He looked exhausted. I wondered how I could help. The freezing air rushed in as Adam opened the door. He stomped the snow off his boots and pulled off his gloves as he blew into his hands.
“Hey.” The greeting sounded lame in my ears for the amount of fretting I’d done.
His eyes met mine. “Hey.” He pulled his arms out of his wet coat.
“Can I get you anything? Tea or coffee or something?”
He pried the other arm out and began taking off his boots. “Nah, thanks though. Honestly, I’m just tired.”
I nodded and clasped my hands in front of me.
Do I hug him? Does he want space? He was probably tired enough without my clinging to him.
He stepped into the living room and then opened his arms.
Yes! I rushed into his embrace. He yawned and swayed a little. I grabbed his hand and headed to the couch. “Let’s sit. You’re exhausted.”
He sat beside me, resting his head back on the cushion behind him.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.
He rubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t even know where to start.”