Every Storm (23 page)

"I don't know." Cora sounded as confused as she felt. "At the risk of sounding selfish, I feel too young."

"You don't sound selfish, but this is new territory for you. Had it not been for the war, I could have been a grandmother a long time ago and feeling just like you."

"I never thought of that, Ruth. Josie and Ken would have been married years ago."

"I haven't dwelt on it, but it's come to mind more since Josie's death. I'm glad she didn't leave a child behind, Cora. Ken would

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do fine as a father-he'd be wonderful-but I hate it when children don't have their mothers."

"I'm sure that stems from your own childhood, Ruth. You know firsthand how hard it is."

Ruth nodded.

"What do you hear from your dad these days?"

"His legs aren't doing well. I'm hoping after Dean retires this summer that the two of us can drive back to Minnesota to see him. I don't think he'll ever make the trip out here again."

"Does Dean like the idea?"

"Yes, we've got it tentatively planned for the fall. It should be beautiful in Minnesota in the autumn."

The women were silent for just a moment. Ruth sat up a little straighter and looked at her friend.

"How did we get off on me? Now tell me everything! How is Janice feeling and when is this little person coming?"

Cora smiled at Ruth's enthusiasm and felt her own excitement rising. She gave her all the details, and when she was done, felt a little better. Getting out the catalog when she arrived home, Cora took a long time paging through baby clothes and furniture.

Lorri told herself to breathe, but she was finding it a bit hard. A week later-the next Friday-the lieutenant was coming toward her again. Lorri thought she should explain that he didn't have to park and walk over, he could just pull up to the curb, but then he'd be gone much faster, and Lorri discovered that she didn't want that at all.

"Uncle Donovan!"

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He'd been spotted, and Lorri smiled as his niece ran to assault him. Clearly they were fast friends. Lorri had two other children to get off, but when she turned back, Rigg was still standing there. It gave her no end of pleasure.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm doing well. How about yourself?"

Tm glad it's the weekend."

"It's always nice, isn't it?"

"Very."

His gaze was so watchful that Lorri wondered if they were still talking about the weekend. She didn't want to read things that weren't there, but her heart was definitely acting up.

"My mother wrote you a letter," she suddenly confessed.

"Why did she do that?"

"Well, I think she wanted to thank you."

Rigg nodded, his eyes filled with understanding.

"We weren't sure where to mail it, and we forgot to ask my grandfather, so it's still sitting at home on the desk."

Rigg nodded, and Lorri told herself to hush.

"Did you want me to give you my address?"

"If you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all."

"I'll just get some paper from the room," Lorri said, starting that way.

"Miss Archer?"

"Yes, Violet."

"Do you still have to go to school?"

"Well, I stay a little longer and close things up, and then I go home."

The little girl walked beside her, as if she were headed back to class, and Lorri was aware that Rigg was somewhere behind them.

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She slipped into the room and grabbed the first piece of paper she could find. She handed it to Rigg, who had produced a pen and wrote out his address, his penmanship neat.

"This should take care of it. Please tell your mother that whenever she gets a chance to mail the letter, I'll look forward to reading it."

'Til do that."

"Can we walk you to your car?"

"Well, I still have to close up."

"We can wait," Rigg offered, not at all in a hurry to leave.

"Well, actually," Lorri said, looking as flustered as she felt, "I walk."

"In that case, we'll give you a lift home."

"You don't have to do that. It's probably out of your way."

"If it's close enough for you to walk, it can't be much out of our way."

Lorri looked flustered again and found the lieutenant smiling. She assumed she looked like a blushing teenager, so she turned away to finish her work in the room. She didn't expect Violet to follow.

"You lock the windows?"

"Um hm. I check each one."

"I can't reach the windows."

"I think you'll be able to reach them before you know it. How old are you right now?"

"Six."

"When will you be seven?"

"In April."

"You see what I mean? You're almost seven, and that means you're a very big girl."

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Violet smiled shyly but with great pleasure, and Rigg, watching from near the door, winked at the little girl when she looked his way.

"I have to check the other room, but I'll hurry."

"You don't need to hurry," Rigg said calmly, and Lorri stopped rushing to look up at him. She hadn't realized how closely she'd come to stand in front of him or that he was so much taller than she was. Rigg's face gave nothing away, but Lorri felt herself blushing. She stepped back and slipped out the door, Violet on her heels.

"Do you help the second-grade room get closed too?"

"Yes," Lorri said, glad for the distraction. Hoping she hadn't forgotten any details, Lorri closed up that room, checked all locks, and gathered her sweater and handbag. Trying not to appear as rushed as she felt, she presented herself ready to go, Violet still at her side.

"All set?"

"Yes, thank you for waiting."

"It's our pleasure, isn't it, Vi?"

The little girl only smiled at him as she wasn't sure what he meant. Lorri hung back a little, following the two of them to a 1935 Ford.

"Oh," Lorri said without thought. "It's your car."

"Whose car did you think it would be?"

"I thought it might be one from the base."

Rigg's smile started slowly but grew very wide.

"Spoken like a woman who lives with an admiral."

Lorri laughed, hoping she wouldn't blush again.

"In you go," he said to Violet but waited with seemingly all the patience in the world for Lorri to sit down in the front seat.

The ride was made in near silence. Lorri gave directions, but there was no small talk. Lorri turned in her seat to say goodbye

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to the little girl in the back. She slipped out before Rigg could come around and help her.

"Thank you for the ride," Lorri said through the open window on her side.

"You're welcome." Rigg had bent to see her face.

Lorri waited until they pulled away and waved once more. She walked to the house, not sure her feet were touching the ground.

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SyCteen

"Oh, it's you, Lorri. Did I hear a car?"

"Yes," Lorri answered her mother, still in a bit of shock. "Lieutenant Riggs gave rne a ride home."

Ruth stopped the mixing bowl and looked at her daughter.

"I told him about your letter, and he gave me his address." Lorri held out the paper.

Ruth took the paper and studied it for just a moment. Her eyes were soon back on her daughter.

"How did this come about?"

"Well, he came to get Violet again and then stayed to talk. He then offered to walk me to my car, and I had to tell him I walked."

"That was certainly kind of him."

"It was, wasn't it?"

Ruth watched her face.

"You look a little disoriented."

Lorri shrugged a little. "I think I spent the whole time blushing like I was guilty of something. I don't know what he must have thought."

"And do you care what he thinks?"

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Lori Wick

"I do, Mother!" she burst out, her arms coming up and every bit of frustration showing on her face. "There's something about him that draws me. I can't hardly think when he's looking at me!"

"Does he spend a lot of time looking at you?"

"My eyes, yes." She was. calming a little. "I can hardly look away."

"And so you blush?"

"Yes."

Ruth could see the obvious. She found herself begging God to lead and direct in this situation. She wanted Lorri to find someone, but the mystery of who that would be and what it would all. look like was a little scary.

"What are you thinking?" Lorri wanted to know.

"Just praying that we'll all be wise, especially you."

"Do you not trust me about this, like with the dancing thing?"

Ruth looked confused and then surprised.

"It wasn't a trust issue, Lorri. Is that the way I made you feel?"

"A little bit. I felt like a child, sort of ashamed of myself and the good time I had with Josie."

"That was not my intent, and I'm sorry it seemed that way. I do have an issue with today's dances, and it was a huge shock to see you and Max bouncing around. If I'd stopped and thought, I'd have realized it was in the privacy of our home. But it was never about trust. I trust you completely."

"Even in this?"

"This is the hardest time to keep your head," Ruth went on, thinking very clearly now. "When our emotions get involved, they can run away with us. If I see that happening, I'll be coming to you about it, but it won't be because I don't trust you. It will be out of concern, to make sure you are seeing everything clearly. Does that make sense?"

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"Yes. I'm glad I talked to you. But I just realized something."

"What's that?"

"I have no idea if I'll even see him again."

Ruth stood for a moment in indecision, not sure if she should say what was on her mind.

"What does that look mean?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"You'll see him again, Lorri. I think you'll see him quite a bit."

Lorri felt a frisson of fear race through her, but it was followed by another emotion: pure, undisguised delight

"There's a letter for you, Max," Ruth said just before dinner. "It's from Sears."

Max didn't rush. If a letter came and not a package, it probably wasn't good news. She opened it slowly and read swiftly

"Everything I ordered is sold out!"

"Everything?" Ruth clariEed.

"Yes!" Max sounded more than a little disgusted. "What am I going to do?"

"We'll have to try the shops here in town," Ruth suggested.

"We'll pay a lot more." Max was still out of sorts.

Lorri didn't say anything, but she wasn't happy with her sister. They had just come away from the war. Men had died, children were left fatherless, families had split, and Max was unhappy because she couldn't have the clothing she wanted. It was all Lorri could do to keep her mouth shut. She set the table in silence, and when her grandfather came from the kitchen carrying a big pot

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of stew, he noticed her face. He'd also heard the complaints of his youngest grandchild.

The four gathered around the table and bowed their heads. Dean took a moment, weighing his words, and began to pray.

"Father in heaven, we thank You for the food that Ruth prepared tonight. We thank You for all of her hard work. Thank You for the roof over our heads and the clothes on our backs. Help us not to fall into discontent. Help us not to forget all of Your goodness and to see our blessings. In the name of Your Son Jesus, we pray. Amen."

Bowls were passed and filled with stew. Biscuits and butter made the rounds. The silence went unbroken. Ruth was opening her mouth to ask Lorri to tell everyone about her afternoon when Max spoke.

"I'm sorry I was so selfish about the clothes." She glanced at her grandfather. "I fell into discontent."

Dean smiled at her, thanking God for her tender, sensitive heart.

"Why do you suppose we do that?" he asked her.

"I think it's just what you said, Grandpa. We forget all of God's goodness."

"I think you're right, Max."

Get a hold of yourself, Ruth Archer! was
the silent conversation at the other end of the table.
You're still thinking about Lorri and the lieutenant, and you didn't even notice your other daughter's attitude.

"How was your day, Raine?" Max suddenly asked.