The Magnolia Cafe(59)
Just then the door to the storeroom blew shut.
“Wow, it must be getting really windy out.” Bella headed over to open the door.
Just then, the lights went out, plunging them into darkness.
“Bella?” Natalie peered into the darkness.
“Over here. Do you have your cell phone for a light?”
“I left it in my purse out in the main room.”
“Mine is in my purse out there, too. Let me see if I can find the door.”
“Be careful.” Natalie heard Bella moving around in the darkness.
“Found it.”
Natalie heard Bella jiggling the door.
“It won’t open. It’s jammed.” Bella’s voice drifted through the darkness.
“I’m coming over. Keep talking.”
“Okay, this is me talking. I hope you can get this darn door open because I’m not liking—”
“I’m right here.” Natalie reached out and Bella grabbed her arm.
“Hey, do you hear that?”
“It sounds like the alert going off on my phone.” Natalie strained to hear over the wind rattling the building.
“Oh, no. That’s the tornado siren going off, too. Do you hear that?” Bella clutched at Natalie’s arm.
“The boys. I don’t know where my boys are.” Natalie heard the panic in her voice. “Hunt is supposed to pick them up.”
“I’m sure he’ll keep them safe.”
Natalie tried to replay Bella’s words over and over in her mind, reassuring herself.
“My boys are at home with the high school girl who watches them. I hope she has them somewhere safe. She’s a smart girl. I’m sure she’ll take care of them.”
Natalie felt panic creep over her. “Let’s try the door again. We need to get out of here.”
She groped around until she found the door knob and tried to turn it, but even as she turned it, it did nothing. She banged on the door, which was silly, because no one else was in the building and the noise of the storm and siren was deafening.
Panic coursed through her. The boys. She hoped the boys were safe. Hunt, don’t fail me now. I know you won’t. I’m depending on you.
~ * ~
The tornado siren blared through the truck as Hunt drove the boys home from the market where they’d stopped after he picked them up from school. He glanced up at the sky, now displaying an ominous bruise-green cast.
“Uncle Hunt? Is that the tornado siren?” Jamie’s eyes grew wide.
Hunt stopped at the next intersection and took a good look around, then glanced over at the boys. If only they hadn’t stopped at the market, they’d be home safe and sound. At least they could have headed to the cellar. One more look at the sky and the roar of the winds, and he knew they weren’t going to make it home in time.
Once more he had led someone—this time three someones whom he loved dearly—into danger. They were his responsibility and he was not going to fail them. Not this time.
Without thinking, he quickly turned the truck around and roared down Main Street. He pulled into a parking spot in front of the cafe, praying he could get the boys inside to safety. “Come on. Out this way. Hurry.”
He scooped up Jamie and grabbed Jesse’s hand. Jackson grabbed onto his shirt sleeve as they ran into the cafe. “Keely?” He called out as loud as he could, trying to be heard over the noise of the siren and wind. He turned and tugged the door shut behind him.
“Let’s head towards the back, away from these windows.” He rushed the boys back towards the kitchen. No one was in sight. Strange.
He scanned the area, trying to find the safest place. “Keely?” He called out again as loudly as he could.
A door swung open on the side wall. “Hunt?” Keely poked her head out. “We’re here in the pantry. Hurry. Get in.”
He hustled the boys into the room and closed the door behind them. Katherine sat in her wheelchair in the back corner. “Safest place we could find. No windows.”
“Natalie’s not here?”
Keely shook her head no. “She left a while ago. Her shift was over.”
Hunt bit his bottom lip, but concentrated on the boys. “Come on boys, let’s go sit back here by Katherine, what do you say?”
The lights flickered off, then back on. They flickered once more, then darkness settled around them.
“Everyone okay?” Hunt pulled out his cell phone and shone the light around in the darkness. Jamie launched himself into his uncle’s arms. “Is it going to blow us away?”
“No, we’re safe here.” They’d better all be safe or Natalie was going to kill him. The boys were his responsibility. He had to keep them safe.