Chapter Twenty-Three

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Vaughn

I 'm on my way home from what was a relatively quiet day, when the weather makes a change. I almost turn around and go back, but I want to go by Get Baked and see if the girls are upstairs or not. Hopefully they've been watching, and can see that it's definitely going downhill.

Taking my bluetooth off, I turn it to the local radio station.

Falls county needs to be on alert. This severe-warned storm is screaming your way from the north, quickly. Everyone needs to get into their safe spots. It's bringing with it some hail, as well as what looks to be rotation on the radar. There are storm spotters out, but nothing has been verified.

I head toward downtown, watching as everyone is starting to bring their outside merchandise in. A bolt of lightning strikes across the sky, and the wind picks up. There is no parking on the square, so I pull around the back, to where I've claimed one as my own. As soon as I get out, the rain starts pouring and the sirens come on. My heart pounds within my chest, because I don't know where Val is.

Running to the backdoor, I try to open it, but it's locked. Typically I'd be proud of them for making sure it's locked. So many times I've come through this door and they haven't even noticed I'm here. I've bitched about it, especially as they're starting closing procedures and get involved with what they're doing.

But dammit. Today of all days? They decided to start fucking listening to me? Running around to the front, I burst through that door, and look around. Absolutely no one is inside, including the girls.

"Val, Gabs? Where are you two?" I yell.

Running to the back, I look around again, and when I don't see them. I try to think about where I would go if I were them, and it hits me. The walk-in. Hurrying over, I knock before opening the door.

They look up, surprise clear on both of their faces. Immediately, Val runs over, throwing her arms around me. "Oh my God, what are you doing here?"

"I saw the weather heading this way and wanted to make sure y'all were okay. As soon as I got here the sirens started. According to the news it's coming from the north, I think we're going to be okay, because they said they didn't see anything on the ground, but we need to stay until it stops."

I pull my phone out of my pocket, and connect to the local news station, so we can watch the broadcast. I huddle with the two of them, putting my free arm around Val.

Storm spotters are saying they do see rotation, and it has been on the ground. Radar indicates the winds are right at seventy miles an hour, along with some small hail.

"Do you think it's going to be bad?" Val questions, burying her face in my neck.

"I'm not God, so I can't answer for sure, but in the experience I have, I think we're going to be fine. We're in a good shelter."

We continue watching the newscast, eyeing as it gets closer to where we are. The thunder gets louder, and the wind picks up.

"It's here." Gabby says.

And that's when we hear the loud moaning of a train. All three of us crouch down on the floor, covering our heads. I hold Val close, speaking in her ear to try and help keep her calm. "You're okay, I've got you. As long as I'm able, I'll protect you. You're not alone."

"I'm so scared." She shakes in my arms.

"It's okay...we're fine." I assure her. Although the power went off a few seconds ago, I know that this building is on an emergency backup, because of what it used to be. Almost as quickly as it began, the loud noise is gone, and the lights pop back on.

Gabby looks around, surprise across her face. "Why did the lights come back on so quickly? I've never lost power since I've been here, is that normal?"

We all stand up, and I take a look at the two of them. They seem to be dealing with everything as best as can be expected. "It is, I take it you've never looked into the history of the building?"

"No..." she shakes her head. "When I started renovating, I just needed to get it done, and I never thought about it."

Opening the door, I block the view in case the place is destroyed, but everything seems to be where it should be. "In the seventies and eighties while they were building Falls County Medical Center, this was basically the labor and delivery wing, although it was off-site. Women came here to have their kids, and that's why the top of the building is broken up into what is basically a handful of studio apartments. They allowed the parents to stay upstairs, while they were waiting for the babies to be discharged. Unorthodox? Yes. But that's how they chose to do things. So this building is on emergency backup. The rest of the block isn't."

The three of us walk toward the front of the store, and that's when we see the devastation across to the other side of the square. "Holy shit." Gabby puts her hand over her mouth, looking grief-stricken. "Did it go over us and then hit across the street?"

"Looks like it." I don't tell either one of them what I've seen when I've helped out putting electrical grids back together. From what I can tell, this is minor, but it's still going to be rough for the citizens of Broken Falls.

"We're going to need to help serve everyone." Val says. "We have power, and there's no telling who does or doesn't, but looking at this damage, there will be people coming to help. Let's get these ovens turned back on, and get some coffee going. It's going to be a long night."

I love her.

Someone who will put their own feelings aside and immediately go to help others speaks to the part of my soul that loves what I do for a living. It's about more than making a paycheck. It's about putting things back together - the way I wish I could've done to my parents' marriage.

"You're right." Gabby says, going over to the front door. When she does, she drags the open board outside, waving at everyone milling about, checking out the damage. "C'mon, we'll have free coffee and food for y'all. We have power."

Val is already in the back starting to prep. Power trucks are starting to appear and I know I'm going to need to go help them, but I have to tell Val something first. She's already getting trays of pre-prepped food out of the same cooler we were taking cover in. "Hey..."

She looks at me, her green eyes terrified, but warm when they bore into mine. "Hey...I don't know what else to do." She shrugs. "So I figured I'd make food."

"I think that's the best thing you can do." I walk over to her, wrapping my hand around her neck, forcing her face around to mine. "I'm going to have to go help with getting this power back on, but I have a few things to tell you."

The tension between us is thick and heavy. I hold her gaze until she breaks it, glancing down at my lips. Her tongue sneaks out, wetting her dry ones. "Okay. I'm listening, Vaughn."

Pushing my fingers up into her hair, I palm her scalp, and make sure she's paying full attention. "Since I met you I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. Now that we've moved in together? Forget it, you're the only thing I think about. Every day I learn something new about you that makes me admire you more."

She smirks. "I'm no one special, Vaughn. I'm just trying to live my life."

"You're so fucking special." I whisper. "I need you to know before I lose my nerve, because I've never said this to anyone before, besides my parents."

"Okay..." The word comes out on a breath that she appears to be holding. "I'm listening to it all."

"I love you, and I need you to know that before I go out and start working. I don't want you to doubt my feelings for you. What we just went through? It could've been much worse and I desperately need for you to understand how you make my life better."

Her eyes are wide and full of tears. "I love you too. You make my life, completely make it. I don't know what life was like before I came here, before I met you."

I hold her tightly, but when I hear a loud noise up front, we pull apart. "What's going on up there?"

Together, holding hands, we walk out, and that's when I see them. Every member of our crew. Every single one of them.

"What are y'all doing here?" Gabby asks.

Kara puts an apron on, and she's got Mav with her. "We're here to help you serve. The truck is damaged, and our other location doesn't have power. You're the only thing open within five miles. You're gonna need all the help you can get."

"We're going to start helping board stuff up." Abel says, gesturing to Boone and Barrett.

"We're going to start cleaning up." Weston says as he glances over at Jasper. "And Nolan is on his way with his trailer. He's got Annabelle with him to help watch children."

"Yeah, I'll put my name in that hat too." Daisy raises her hand from behind the guys. "The Hamilton Foundation is open and willing to help house, as well as take care of any kids who need it."

"I typically work behind a bar, but I'm sure I can figure out serving all of this." Alexis says as she walks behind the counter. "Give me something to do."

These are my best friends, the family I've chosen, and at this moment, I know if I ever need them for anything they'll be there. One of the most important things that can be realized for a kid who lost his nuclear family when he least expected it.