CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Georgia"s suitcase clicked onto the worn wooden floorboards as she rolled it into her room, the quaint space instantly welcoming with its soft pastel colors and vintage charm. Outside, the storm was again gathering strength, the once gentle pattering of rain now a relentless assault on the windows. A flash of lightning briefly illuminated her room, casting long shadows that flickered like nervous sentinels.

In the common area, April paced, glancing out of the house with each crescendo of wind that battered the old house. Her hands clasped and unclasped as if wringing out her worries. Jackson noticed her tension, his brow furrowing in quiet concern as he stopped stacking the extra flashlights on a side table.

The atmosphere grew dense with the storm"s fury, the howling wind shaking the very bones of the bed and breakfast. Thunder boomed, a primal roar from the skies, and the building seemed to shudder in response. April watched a particularly violent gust whip through the trees, branches thrashing wildly as if caught in some unseen struggle. It was a dance of chaos just beyond the glass.

Without a word, April edged closer to Jackson, her eyes reflecting the storm"s chaos. She needn"t say anything; her expression spoke volumes about her fears. Jackson nodded, understanding the silent communication. His hand reached for hers, a simple gesture transmitting a surge of reassurance.

It was then that April"s gaze shifted towards the basement door, a sliver of darkness beneath the stairs. The thought of retreating underground tugged at her, but with the sump pump not working as well as the water, it wouldn't be a good place for anyone to stay safe during the storm.

Jackson"s voice cut through the silence, clear and steady despite the cacophony outside. "Let"s all gather in the lobby," he said, gesturing toward the heart of the home, away from the threatening windows. He moved with purpose, guiding the small assembly of family and guests from their precarious positions by the glass.

Reluctantly, Georgia abandoned the safety of her newly claimed space, joining the others as they congregated in the appointed refuge. Everyone seemed smaller somehow, drawn together not just by Jackson"s calm directive but by an instinctive need for solidarity against nature"s rage.

April found herself at the center of the group, her eyes scanning the faces around her. There was Jackson, shoulders squared against the fear, exuding a tranquility that felt almost tangible. And there was Georgia, her daughter, her presence a reminder of resilience amidst vulnerability.

As the lights flickered above them, teasing with the threat of darkness, April felt a shift within her—a subtle release of the weight she so often carried alone. It was nice to have Jackson to lean on. Though she was still nervous, she knew in the back of her mind that she wasn't alone. And sometimes she needed that more. Though she hadn't realized it until Jackson came along.

April settled into the lobby with her back pressed against the cool wallpaper, its floral pattern lost in shadow as the storm raged outside. The others arranged themselves into a makeshift circle, their bodies huddled close, seeking comfort in proximity. Grant and Leo nestled against Julia, their small frames dwarfed by her protective embrace. Occasionally, a question would bubble up from one of the boys, their voices tiny beacons in the dim room, but Julia"s gentle shushing, a soothing rhythm amidst the chaos, quelled their concerns.

A particularly violent gust shook the windows, the sound jarring in the relative silence. Tree branches, turned into nature"s missiles, smacked relentlessly against the glass. April could hear them breaking off, the snaps sharp and foreboding. Her mind raced to the stables, the thought of the horses alone in the tempest clawing at her with worry. There was the mare that had been having trouble yesterday—her unease for the animal mingled with the fear scratching at her own heart.

The wind continued its assault, the old house groaning in protest. April drew her knees closer, wrapping her arms around them. Each crack and thud against the windows echoed her concern for the world outside these walls—the creatures they were entrusted to care for, the land they cultivated with such love.

It was more than just weathering a storm; it was about safeguarding a piece of themselves that lay exposed to the fury of the elements. She hoped fervently that the mare found some solace, some nook within the barn to shelter her until this fury passed.

The tempest outside battered the old bed and breakfast with a ferocity that could be felt even within its sturdy walls. April"s pulse throbbed in her ears, each thunderous boom and crack sending shivers down her spine. Her eyes flicked toward the window every time the lightning illuminated the churning sky, painting a stark picture of nature"s unleashed power.

Beside her, Jackson"s presence was a solid, reassuring force. His hand found hers, their fingers intertwining instinctively. In his grip, there was a love—a lifeline in the midst of the storm"s wrath. He pulled her close, and she leaned into the warmth of his body, drawing comfort from his unwavering calm.

Suddenly, the room dimmed as the lights flickered, casting eerie shadows that danced across the faces of those huddled together. The children's eyes widened, reflecting the sporadic bursts of light that punctuated the darkness. As quickly as they faltered, the bulbs steadied, only to fail again moments later, leaving everyone adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

Jackson rose to his feet, his silhouette outlined by the intermittent flashes from outside. "Everything will be okay," he assured them, his voice cutting through the tension. It was a simple declaration, yet it carried the weight of his conviction. "We"re as prepared as we can be, and nothing can hurt us here. We just have to wait this out. Unfortunately, that's all we can do now."

His words seemed to weave through the room, stitching together the frayed edges of their collective anxiety. The statement wasn"t just for reassurance—it was a vow, a commitment that they were safe under this roof, amidst the family they had become.

As the tempest outside raged with unrelenting vigor, a tableau of tense faces was intermittently illuminated by the flickering lights within the bed and breakfast"s lobby. April"s gaze lingered on Jackson as he navigated the room with a quiet authority that seemed to diffuse the electric anxiety in the air. His movements were methodical and purposeful—each step, each gesture exuding a sense of control that was both grounding and infectious.

In past storms, it had always been April against the elements, her shoulders bearing the brunt of responsibility. But tonight was different; tonight, she found herself marveling at how effortlessly Jackson shouldered some of that burden.

There was a new rhythm to the chaos—a partnership that enveloped her in its cadence. For once, the need to orchestrate every response, to predict every outcome, subsided into the background as she let herself be connected by his steady hand.

Jackson returned to her side, his smile like a beacon in the gloom. The affectionate kiss he planted on her crown was a silent promise, a tender reminder that they faced this maelstrom together. April felt a warmth bubble up within her, a lightness that contrasted sharply with the heavy air surrounding them.

Her attention shifted to where Georgia sat, her young face etched with lines of concern. The girl clutched Alex's hand, seeking solace in the connected fingers, just as April was doing with Jackson. The sight tugged at April"s heart—Georgia, her little girl, always so strong, yet vulnerable in the face of nature"s fury. April reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from Georgia"s forehead with maternal gentleness. "You're doing okay?" she mouthed, needing no words to convey the depth of her concern.

Georgia"s nod was slight but certain, a testament to her resilience. The knowledge that her daughter had driven through the storm"s escalating threat clawed at April with what-ifs. Yet, here they all were, together and intact, despite the storm"s best efforts. A surge of gratitude washed over her, mingling with the relief that Georgia had made it before the weather turned traitorous.

In the shared silence, April allowed herself to lean back against Jackson, their bodies forming a single silhouette against the backdrop of nature"s unleashed power. She watched the dance of lightning through the windows, the storm"s ferocity mirrored in the tight grip of the hands entwined around her. In the chaos, there was an unexpected peace, the kind that came from knowing you weren"t facing the darkness alone.

The fury outside intensified, a symphony of thunderous percussion and staccato rain against the old bed and breakfast. April felt the frame of the house shudder, each gust of wind a relentless adversary testing the resilience of their safe haven. She nestled deeper into Jackson"s embrace, his presence an anchor in the tempest that raged beyond the walls.

Flickers of light teased the edges of her vision as the power struggled to maintain its tenuous grip on the quaint home. With each surge, darkness enveloped them, only to be chased away by the determined current a heartbeat later. The pattern repeated, a teasing game played by unseen forces until the intermittent shadows became too much for the youngest of their band.

Grant"s eyes, wide and reflecting the storm"s chaos, met April"s briefly before darting to Leo. His brother mirrored his unease, the two small forms huddling closer together. "Turn them off," Grant"s voice quivered, barely rising above the howl outside, yet it cut through the tension like a knife.

Jackson"s response was immediate, a silent nod before he rose. His figure cast long, distorted shadows as he moved with purposeful strides, disconnecting them from the grid"s whims. A collective sigh seemed to pass through the room as the last bulb dimmed and died, surrendering them to nature"s soundtrack.

Handheld beams of light pierced the gloom, tentative at first, then steadier as each person found their flashlight. April watched the spectrum of lights dance across the room, creating an impromptu stage for the silhouettes of her makeshift family. They moved cautiously, adjusting to the new reality where visibility was limited to the reach of their own illuminated bubbles.

Water bottles clinked softly as they were placed within easy reach, their contents a lifeline should the storm linger and something horrible happen. April"s fingers brushed against her own, the plastic cool and reassuring against her skin.

And so they sat, a collective breath held between them, peering out into the darkened world that the storm had claimed. The windows became screens displaying the raw power of the elements, a reminder of the fine line between awe and fear. Enclosed in this shared experience, the weight of anticipation hung heavy, yet there was comfort in knowing that they faced it united.