“No. Paige has an ear infection, so they stayed home. I never thought I’d be glad for Paige to not feel well.”
“Do you need me to come over? What can I help with?”
“Turn around and go home when it’s safe. A few of the men are doing what they can with tarps, but Pastor is adamant that no one else show up until the building is secure. He doesn’t want any chance of a person getting hurt.”
It wasn’t in his nature not to help, but he respected his pastor’s authority. Plus, he knew from his experience in dealing with damages, that it was wise to keep the scene secure and free from people whose presence didn’t serve an active purpose. “Call me later with an update.”
“I will. Have you heard from the others?”
“Not yet, but I’ll call when I hang up with you.”
“Would you mind shooting me a text when you make contact with them?” The role of eldest brother never disappeared, no matter how old they were.
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks. Hold on a sec…” For the next few seconds, Aaron heard bits of a conversation between Damien and a church member, then Damien came back to the call. “They need me to help with the tarp. Don’t forget to let me know about the others.”
He tappedEnd Call, then made the calls to his sister and brothers. Once he touched base with them and was assured of their safety, he sent Damien a message then looked at Rachel. “Back home?”
“I guess so. Do you think it’s safe to drive?”
The rivulets of rain came slower. He spotted the shopping center’s sign and the gas station across the way. “The worst has passed.”
A smiled grazed her lips. “You’re handy to have in an emergency.”
He tilted his head and furrowed his brows. “Why do you say that?”
“You didn’t panic tonight. You took charge and did what you had to do.”
In his opinion, the praise was unwarranted. “What else would I do?”
“Not think clearly, keep driving, not make the phone calls.” She tapped a finger as she named each item. “You think with a calm head. Like with Roxie, you were the stillness I needed when her surgery took my mind and emotions on a roller coaster.”
One side of his mouth curled upward. “That’s only by the grace of God, who blessed me with a handful of my Dad’s genes. Nothing fazes him. When I was in third grade, our house caught on fire. Dad got us all out safely and never displayed a hint of fear. In fact, he was so unemotional that I thought he had a personality defect.”
“Did he?” Her cheeks turned beet red. “That slipped out. It’s none of my business.”
He held in his chuckle. “Dad is the greatest man I know. A few days later, I wandered down the stairs at my grandparents’ house where we stayed until our home was repaired, and I overheard a conversation between him and Poppy. It was the first, and one of the few times, I’ve ever heard him emotional. He confessed to my grandfather how scared he’d been to lose us.”
“I can’t fathom what that must have been like. In my head, I like to think I’m a levelheaded person, but I highly doubt I’d be calm under that kind of pressure.” Her lips twitched. “Look at my reaction to Roxie.”
“Don’t be so sure of that. You’ve handled it well.”
She cringed. “I couldn’t even change her bandage at first.”
“If I recall correctly,” he winked, then continued, “which I’m sure I do since it’s only been two days, you had every intention of doing it on your own, but I offered to help you.”
“You have no idea how relieved I was. I dreaded it with every fiber of my body.”
He repositioned himself so he could face her without twisting his neck. “When it comes to a crisis, it’s not about our feelings, but how we react. Emotions come and go, but the defining moments come from how we act.”
Silence fell between them. Rachel stared out the side window, and he wondered what she was thinking. After a minute, she turned around. “The rain’s slowed down. We should head back.”
Chapter Nine
Rachel shifted the baby she carried to her other arm and pushed open the door to a dorm room. “This will be your room, that you’ll share with your children.”
The worn-out woman beside her raised her gaze from the floor and peeked inside. She maintained a tight grip on her toddler daughter’s hand. “Whi…which bed do I use.”
