Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
B elle had thought that when she stepped outside, the heat rushing through her would vanish. Instead, she burned inside. Her walk clumsy, she almost tripped. She heard Aaron’s quick intake. He’d seen everything. Thankfully, he didn’t say anything.
She hesitated and drew a breath. All she had to do was walk across the flagstones. Feeling more steady, she stepped to the rails where her children looked over the forest.
“How long will we stay here?” Lyle gazed at the tops of the thick and lush evergreens, his appreciation for the area shining in his eyes.
“After we talk to Grandma and Grandpa, we’ll decide.” The sadness in her voice made her children look at her and made her feel guilty. “We need to get home and make plans for the rest of the summer and the school year.”
“School!” Lyle and Kelsey said in shock.
“Yes.” Belle wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders, then looked out at the forest again. “The school year will start before you know it.”
The children nodded, then turned to the view.
Where would her kids go to school? If her house sold, she’d have to rent until she found a place to buy. Where would that be? Could they even afford a house?
How had her life become so unsettled? Despite her unhappy marriage, Chad’s affair had blindsided her. She always thought her marriage would get better, how she didn’t know. They needed counseling. Chad said their marriage was typical—marriage was a project.
Maybe it was. Her friends would sometimes make comments that confirmed Chad’s comment.
Or maybe God would perform a miracle.
Did that expectation make her na?ve?
Overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. She had to be single-minded for her children—especially now when she felt weak.
Oh, Lord, Your hand upon me—upon us. Have mercy!
“It sure is quiet here.” Obviously, Lyle didn’t want to talk about school.
Belle didn’t like talking about it either.
She listened. Except for the rustling of a breeze through tree branches, the place was quiet.
Too quiet.
Birds weren’t even chirping. That had been one of the reasons she’d liked visiting her parents’ cabin. In the morning, the birds perched in the boughs and chirped loud and hard as if that caused the sun to rise. The chipmunks that had greedily dug through the fallen pine cones had vanished.
“What’s that sound?” Lyle frowned.
Belle listened. The low rumble made her breathe slowly and fight against the fear that rose from a dark pit. Her arms tight around her children, she drew them back.
“Look.” Lyle pointed to the horizon where trees swayed, then disappeared.
“Go into the cabin.” Belle’s voice was low and sharp. She turned the children to the doors.
Aaron’s powerful figure filling the doorway made her take a step back. His tense expression made it impossible to breathe.
“Get inside.” His gaze steady, he stepped back. He looked past them. His hand on the children’s shoulders, he guided them through the opening.
“What’s happening?” Lyle rushed into the room.
Kelsey was pale and clung to Belle’s hand.
“A landslide.” Aaron ushered them through the kitchen. “Go upstairs and stand in the middle of the loft. There isn’t time to leave.”
Belle’s heart pounded. Her mouth dried. This couldn’t be happening.
It was happening.
Save my children and Aaron.
She didn’t care about herself. Her children needed a chance.
Upstairs, she stood in the loft, her arms clinging to the children she loved with all her heart. Their faces pressed against her, their hot tears seeped through her shirt. Belle held her breath. She couldn’t bear what would happen next.
Powerful arms wrapped around her and her children. Her cheek resting against Aaron’s ridged chest, she forced herself to remain firm despite the thunderous slide that made the cabin shake and tremble.
“Mom?” Lyle’s voice quivered. From the landslide or fear?
Kelsey squeezed her eyes so tight, Belle thought she would faint.
“We need to pray.” How she kept her voice steady, she’d never know.
She swallowed against Aaron’s comfort that held her and her children close to him. Aaron’s steady heartbeat beat through her chest.
“You are worthy, Lord.” Aaron’s deep voice vibrated around them and into Belle’s core.
The vibration, crashing and cracking, shook the cabin and echoed inside Belle’s head.
She closed her eyes. She wouldn’t think about what was to come. She and her children knew the Lord. She knew where they would go.
Silence rushed into the loft. The cinch of muscles around her relaxed as a slow breath escaped from Aaron.
She lifted her gaze to his.
The crashing had been so constant, she thought it would never go away.
As fast as it started, the cacophony swallowed into calm that pounded around them in deafening quiet.
The hush drubbing around them was earsplitting.
“It stopped.” The lift in Aaron’s tone made her question where she was.
Heaven? She looked around. The loft, with its tasteful furnishings, wasn’t the radiant city adorned with precious stones.
They were alive and unharmed.
A shaky laugh tumbled up her throat. It turned into a sob. She pressed three fingers to her lips.
“Thank you, Lord.” She murmured. Tears poured down her cheeks.
Her children’s tears of relief made her hold them close. What nightmare had raced through their young minds?
For now, it didn’t matter. God had saved them. They were safe.
The prayer filling her heart overflowed with great gulps of gratitude. Her children slipped from her embrace.
“You’re going to be all right.” Aaron’s soothing voice sank into her. He gathered her into his arms and rocked her back and forth. “Everything’s all right.”
The way he held her, the tenderness he poured into her made the tears come hot and hard. She had no strength, yet he held her up. She would be all right because of God’s mercy and this brave man’s care and concern.
She would be all right. Her children would be all right.
Her children!
She opened her eyes to see her children staring at her wrapped in Aaron’s arms.
What was she thinking? Chad may have left her for another woman, but they were still married!
Aaron’s hold on Belle loosened. He leaned away and looked into her eyes, his gaze probing. He looked at her children. As if realizing what he’d done, his arms slid from her shoulders. He moved away.
Breathing deeply, she’d never forget the hold that comforted and protected her.
“You kids all right?” Aaron looked at Lyle and Kelsey, concern in his eyes.
“Yeah.” Lyle looked at him, his mouth slightly curved.
“Sure.” Kelsey looked from him to her mom.
Belle swallowed. She had to give Kelsey an explanation—starting with when she met Aaron.
“What happened?” Lyle looked around. “How come we’re still alive?”
“Because God is merciful.” Belle’s throat worked down a swallow.
“Stay here.” Aaron drew back. “I’m going to assess damages.”
“Can I go?” Lyle stepped up.
Belle expected Kelsey to stand with her brother. Instead, she slid her arms around Belle’s waist and clung fast.
“Let’s wait for Aaron to tell us it’s safe,” Belle said, amazed at how peaceful she felt. She was still processing what had happened.
She smoothed a hand over Kelsey’s head. Her daughter didn’t tremble. She remained still. Belle prayed she wasn’t in shock.
“It should be safe to go downstairs.” Aaron looked at Belle. “If you want to fix yourself and them something to eat, that would be fine, but wait to use the stove or oven. I’ll check the propane tank to make sure it’s safe to use, then let you know.”
He moved down the stairs.
Belle waited until he strode through the living room before she guided her children downstairs.
“How do ham and cheese sandwiches sound?” she asked.
Her children’s silence revealed their nonexistent enthusiasm.
They moved into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator, dark and dreary despite the shelves filled with sliced cold cuts, drinks and vegetables. They may as well eat what they could before the food spoiled. How long would they be without power? They wouldn’t be the only ones.
“Aaron has ice cream.” Lyle’s tone was filled with hope.
Belle hadn’t noticed any ice cream. She opened the freezer. A carton of chocolate ice cream sat on the middle shelf and called to her. They should eat that. She needed chocolate.
“If you have room after eating your sandwich, I’ll dish up a scoop.” She closed the freezer door before her willpower caved completely.
Stomping sounding from the back deck brought Belle’s face up. The kitchen door opened. Aaron leaned into the room as he kicked dust from his boot toes against the doorjamb, then stepped inside.
Lifting his gaze, he looked from Belle to her children. “You found something to eat. Good.” He smiled, amused.
“You have a lot of food,” Lyle said.
“And ice cream,” Kelsey added. “Lots of ice cream. Chocolate ice cream.”
“I hope you plan to eat it.” Aaron’s smile broadened. “That’s why I bought it.”
Belle’s children swung their gazes to her. “Like I said, after you finish eating your sandwiches, and if you have room. Would you please set the table and decide what you want to drink? It will just take me a minute to make the sandwiches.”
She grabbed the food from the refrigerator. At the counter, she slapped the sandwiches together, cut them in half, then piled them on a platter and carried them to the table.
With everyone seated, she murmured a blessing. They were safe because of God’s hand.
“How does everything look outside?” Belle glanced at Aaron.
She shouldn’t have asked that question in front of the children, but she needed to think about something else besides the moment when Aaron held her, when she felt comforted, and how she longed for him to hold her again.
Everything outside had to be fine otherwise Aaron would’ve rushed them out of the cabin. He was a firefighter. He’d know.
“It’s fine,” he said. “The propane tank’s connections are secure. The generator’s running.”
“That has to be a miracle.” Belle’s voice quivered. Only God’s mercy had saved them.
Her children quieted, understanding the catastrophe they had escaped.
“I’d say so.” Aaron’s look told her he was as amazed as she was. “What isn’t good is the driveway. It’s blocked with crushed trees and crunched boulders. The SUV you just rented is totaled.”
Belle’s gasp segued into a mirthless laugh. That shouldn’t have surprised her. She’d seen the forest fall before her eyes.
Now she’d have to call the car rental agency. One rental SUV was destroyed in a fire. Another one was demolished in a landslide. Would her name make the list of people who shouldn’t rent cars?
“Before you think of renting another one, you should know we don’t have a signal, so the landslide must have hit the cell tower.” Aaron’s low, steady voice cut through her thoughts. “I’m going to change and hike along one of the old stagecoach roads to see how extensive the damage is.”
“Can I go?” Lyle glanced at his mother.
The surprise in Kelsey’s eyes showed she had no interest in assessing a landslide.
“Let’s wait for Aaron to tell us how everything looks.” Belle fought the panic inching up her throat. The last thing she wanted was her children climbing on unsteady terrain. That could cause another landslide. She didn’t want Aaron to go outside, but they couldn’t stay in the cabin and pretend they were safe. He could determine if they should stay or hike through the rubble until they reached a passable road and pray a driver would give them a lift to town or someplace safe.
The panic in Belle’s throat swelled. Aaron was risking his life, but he was the expert. He wouldn’t take chances.
“I won’t be gone long.” Aaron smiled at Lyle, who nodded.
Aaron stepped through the archway and into the living room. He appeared a moment later dressed in protective gear. “I’ll be right back.”
Belle nodded and watched him walk out the door.
How could so much be happening?
She tried to ignore the hollow feeling that seemed to look for unlocked doors to complete the effort that would make her want to give up.
Help me, Lord!
She wouldn’t surrender. Through God’s mercy and grace, they had survived.
“Mom, I finished my sandwich.” Lyle’s voice cut through her thoughts.
He glanced at his plate with a few crumbs and crusts before looking back at her.
Kelsey hadn’t finished eating her sandwich, but she’d given up and leaned back into her chair. Belle hoped she was just full and didn’t have an upset stomach—or worse.
Belle couldn’t finish her sandwich either.
“Do you still want ice cream?” she asked.
“Yes, please. I can get it.” He looked at his sister. “Do you want any?”
“No, thanks.” Kelsey’s smile was faint.
Lyle turned to his mother.
“I think you’re the only one who wants a scoop.” She smiled.
Her children cleared the table and stacked the dishes on the counter. Belle would clean them later after she asked Aaron what appliances they should use. They needed to conserve energy.
She prayed Aaron returned soon. He was hiking over unsteady terrain.
A bubble of panic rose in her throat. She placed him at the center of her prayers.
The back door opened. Aaron stomped his boots at the back door, then stepped into the kitchen. His eyes held their usual, keen light despite their distant look.
“What’s the verdict?” Belle gave him a slight smile. She held her silence. Her heart held another belief that a miracle awaited them. Looking into his eyes, she took his serious expression as a warning that the situation had changed.
He gave her a direct look. He didn’t smile. “It isn’t good. For now, we’re trapped. The road to the county road is completely blocked. The cell tower was knocked over so we won’t have internet or Wi-Fi. ”
Air rushed from Belle’s lungs. Her children looked at her. They would draw on her strength to get them through this. She felt the blood drain from her face. She had nothing left to give.
She couldn’t crumble. She was all her children had.
“It’s going to be okay.” Aaron’s tone was low and comforting.
She looked up surprised to see he stood next to her. She hadn’t heard him move. Drawing on a strength that wasn’t hers, she smiled.
Kelsey moved into her arms. Relieved to feel her daughter’s trust, she wrapped her arms around her daughter’s slim body. Lyle stood next to his sister.
“I know what’s going on.” Aaron unwrapped the muffler around his neck. Still, he didn’t stop looking into Belle’s eyes. To encourage her? Just having him here was the comfort she needed. “There are crews all over the valley, assessing areas of damage. They’ve probably discovered the damage to the cell tower, so they’ll rush to repair that. I’ll keep trying to reach dispatch and check my phone’s signal, so I’ll know when power’s been restored. The rescue team will fly over the area and look for those who need immediate assistance.”
“Then I guess this would be a good time to pretend we’re living in the pretechnological age.” Belle looked at her children and smiled.
Their confused expressions turned into understanding.
“So we can’t watch television,” Lyle spoke slowly.
“It’s a great time to read a book or play a game.” Belle lifted her gaze and held onto the hope that she and her children would come together as a family—that God would use this for good.
“I have some jigsaw puzzles if you want to work on one of those.” Aaron’s voice was light.
“I want to.” Kelsey stepped from Belle and gave a little bounce.
“Sure.” Lyle seemed to be weighing the option.
“Great idea.” Belle was glad to have the distraction. “I can make some …”
Could she make cocoa? Would it be safe?
“The stove works.” Aaron’s eyes were reassuring. “We have hot water so we can wash dishes and bathe, but we should still conserve.”
“I’ll make some cocoa.” Belle felt more relief than she had in days.
She could cook. Cooking always relaxed her. She loved having friends over, or when Chad entertained clients or they hosted the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. They had bought their home to entertain. Cooking a big, elaborate meal made her feel useful.
What would her new home look like? Her jaw tight, she pushed that thought and the uneasiness of the unknown aside. Her children were what mattered—not her home. God would guide her on His perfect path for her family.
Aaron stepped to a cupboard and pulled out a tin of cocoa.
“Do you think I should use milk to make cocoa?” She lifted her gaze to his. They were trapped in a forest. She shouldn’t think of luxuries at a time like this. Cocoa seemed like a luxury. “And what about the propane tank?”
“A tanker filled the tank two days ago, so we have plenty. I’ll keep checking the connections. Trust me.” His confidence was the reassurance she needed. “The rescue crews won’t relax until they know everyone is safe. Their rescue equipment is state of the art.”
Her throat filled. Closing her eyes, she nodded. “Okay. Thanks.” Her voice was soft and rough.
Aaron watched her a moment as if making sure she’d be all right.
There was nothing she wanted more than for him to hold her, but not in front of her children. She was their safe harbor—as was God—not Aaron.
“Hey, guys.” Aaron turned to Lyle and Kelsey. “Let’s go to the living room and pick out a puzzle.” He strode to the archway but looked over his shoulder at them. “We can set it up on the table in the alcove.”
They rushed after him. The three of them disappeared from view.
“Do you have any dinosaurs?” Lyle’s voice carried into the kitchen.
“I sure do,” Aaron said.
“How about Lord of the Rings?” Kelsey asked.
“I have that, too,” Aaron said. “Take a look.”
“Oh, wow!” came Lyle’s voice.
Belle didn’t hear what Kelsey said.
Suddenly, she was shaking. They’d been in the middle of a landslide, and they were all right. How had others fared? She prayed for their safety, then thanked God that His hand was on them. There was no other explanation.
She braced both hands on the counter and took slow, easy breaths. Her mind a mass of confusion, she silently uttered thanks.
The peace she needed was comforting and relaxing. God was with them.
Clarity pushed out the tangle of confusion and fear.
Going from the cupboard to the drawer that held cooking utensils to the refrigerator, she gathered the items she needed to make cocoa. The chocolate aroma filling the kitchen, she lined up mugs and filled them with the steaming brew. She topped each one with whipped cream.
“How’s it going in here?” Aaron’s voice made her head come up. “It smells good.”
“I was just going to look for a tray to carry everything into the living room.” Looking over her shoulder at him, she smiled at him standing in the archway.
His broad shoulders and narrow waist made her breathing slow. His rugged features seemed to be chiseled by a master sculptor and hid the tender heart beating inside that powerful chest. Her pulse jumped. Everything about him was perfect.
His eyes narrowed slightly, making her wonder about her own expression. Her face heating, she turned away.
“I’ll help you carry them.” The quality of his voice made her warm inside.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
They each picked up two mugs. Aaron stepped back, letting her lead the way to the living room.
“What puzzle did you pick?” She set the mugs on the table and looked at the outline of the forming puzzle.
“Lord of the Rings.” Kelsey lifted her gaze to Lyle, who seemed unfazed by the choice.
“That was very nice of your brother.” Belle’s heart squeezed at her son’s love for his sister.
She hoped he’d show the same concern for his wife if he had one someday. She fought against the alarm rising in her chest. She prayed her and Chad’s relationship hadn’t turned her children against marriage.
Aaron hadn’t married. It couldn’t be because no one wanted to marry him.
She pressed her lips together. She wouldn’t think about Aaron’s marital status. She had enough things on her mind—her crumbling marriage, her children, her parents’ cabin, a landslide! She was starting to feel like a Hollywood disaster movie.
By her side was Aaron. She was grateful for him, but her strength came from God.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.