Every Storm (26 page)

Lorri hadn't thought about it that way. It was true that she would like to discuss the island. It came to mind often, and she was tired of pushing it away for fear of mentioning it and upsetting her family, not to mention she would like to hear the lieutenant's side of the story. She was not herself during that time. What could he tell her that she might have missed? What had he thought of the whole ordeal?

Previously the thought of speaking to him about the island caused her to blush in her tracks, but not now. Now she wanted to talk to the lieutenant about it She wanted to know what he thought.

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"Well, Donovan." Dorothy Riggs greeted her brother-in-law with pleasant surprise and a hug just as they sat down to Sunday dinner. "Come in. Have you eaten?"

"No, but don't feel like you have to feed me."

"We have plenty."

"Hey, Donovan," Jim greeted him. "Have a seat."

Donovan did so as soon as he hugged Violet and pressed a kiss to William's small brow.

"How was church?" Jim asked.

"Good. We're still in Matthew. How about you?"

"One of our missionaries is in town, so he spoke this morning."

"Violet mentioned that you gave sorfieone a ride home again on Friday," Dorothy wasted no time in saying.

"That's true," Rigg said, smiling a little. "She's a bang-up little reporter."

"I give her cookies," Dorothy replied cheekily, causing her husband and brother-in-law to laugh.

"Well, as a matter of fact," Rigg continued, "that's part of the reason I'm here. I'm going to the Archers' for dinner on Friday night."

"She invited you?"

"Her mother did I'm sure it's her way of thanking me."

"What do you think Lorri thought of that?"

"I don't know. She's so nervous around me that I can't quite read her."

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Dorothy, who had been ready to make all kinds of suggestions about the future, was struck with compassion. This woman, Lorraine Archer, had been through an awful lot.

"Are you willing to give her time?" Jim suddenly asked, causing both Dorothy and Rigg to look at him.

"If you recall, Ralph met Elsie under uncomfortable circumstances," he continued, speaking of their cousin. "And Ralph had to move pretty slowly during courtship."

"I'd forgotten about that," Rigg said, thinking that Ralph would say it had been worth every moment. He and Elsie were very much in love, their first child due in the summer.

"I have time," Violet said quietly, and the adults realized that she'd been hearing every word.

"I'm glad to hear that," Rigg told her, "because right after lunch we can play a game or go outside. What do you think of that?"

The adoration that always showed in the first grader's eyes for her Uncle Donovan only deepened. The adults knew the conversation was over. And that was probably for the best.

"Do you think we could be any lazier?" Ruth asked of the girls, covering a yawn at the same time. All three of them lounged around the family room and shared the newspaper. Dean was sound asleep in his chair, oblivious to them all.

"Listen to this," Max said, reading from an article. "It says here that an honest army vet paid $20,000 in taxes after winning in a crap game. He'd won $53,000."

"That was honest," Ruth commented.

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"Why do you suppose we're so surprised by that?" Lorri asked. "Why don't we expect people to be honest?"

Her mother and sister didn't have an answer. Lorri went back to the Sunday funnies, but her thoughts remained on honesty. If she had been forced to be honest about wanting to see more of the lieutenant, could she have been? She wasn't sure. Considering she rarely put two intelligent words together in his presence, he was being exceptionally patient.

"The funnies are supposed to make you laugh, not frown."

Lorri looked over to find Max smiling at her. Lorri shook her head, much like her mother was wont to dp.

"I was thinking about what a bumbling idiot I am around the lieutenant. Friday night is sure to be delightful." Lorri didn't bother to veil her sarcasm.

"It won't be like that"

"I wish I could believe you, Max. You saw me this morning."

"But the more time you spend with him, the better it will be."

"I don't know if there will be
more time
after Friday night."

"I do:'

Lorri looked at her tolerantly,

"Raine." Her sister's voice was the most patient she'd ever heard. "You're going to fall in love with him."

"That may very well be, but it helps when both people are in love/1

"He's going to fall too. He won't be able to help himself."

"I wish I shared your confidence."

"You don't have to. Just ask me, and I'll keep telling you what to do."

Ruth loved this. She laughed so hard that Dean shifted in his sleep. The girls started to laugh at their mother but didn't want

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to wake their grandfather. By silent agreement, everyone went back to the newspaper.

The phone rang that night in Rigg's room not many minutes after he returned from church. The admiral, Lorri, and Max had attended the service, but there had been no sign of Mrs. Archer.

Rigg got to the phone on the fifth ring, assuming that Dorothy was calling to ask him to watch the kids sometime that week. He was wrong. It was his mother.

"Dorothy wrote to me," she wasted no time in saying. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Rigg had to laugh. "Hello, Mom."

"Well?" Her voice was full of teasing. "Who is this girl?"

"Dorothy didn't fill you in?" he teased right back.

"No, she just asked if I had talked to my son lately. She hinted that there might be a female in his life."

"A female, yes. In my life, riot quite."

"Can you tell me about it?" Virginia Riggs asked, this time very serious.

"It's rather unbelievable, but the woman I rescued off that island lives here in Harmony Hills. She works at Violet's school."

"What are the odds of that?"

"I don't know, but I never dreamt I would see her again."

"What is her name-I can't recall if you told me."

"Lorraine Archer."

"How is she doing?"

"I think well. We haven't talked past generalities, but when I met her mother in church on Sunday, I was invited to dinner Friday."

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"Are you going?"

"Yes. I'm looking forward.to it."

"You wrote that you were trying another church closer to the base. Is that the church?"

"Yes. I just got home."

"Did you see Lorraine and her family tonight?"

"Not to speak to, and I didn't see her mother."

"How is it going at the new church?"

"I like it. The preaching from the Word is very sound. Pastor Higgins addresses the men a lot. It's convicting, but it reminds me of the church there at home."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Rigg heard a small commotion on the other end, and then his mother came back on.

"Your father wants to talk to you. I'll write this week."

"Okay."

"I love you."

"Have you too."

Rigg spent a few minutes with his father, keeping it brief but glad to have talked to them both. He thought about their conversation for a while. A few words from Dorothy in a letter, and his mother makes a phone call. It must have shook her up a bit.

Rigg smiled at the thought. He would write this week as well, but there wasn't a whole lot to report. He could see the words in his head.

I've met a woman I want to get to know. At times she seems terrified of me. Her grandfather is an admiral. At times I'm terrified of him. If we ever get over our fears, I'll write more.

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Lori Wick

"Max?" Arlene said for the third time, finally reaching out and touching her friend's hand.

"What?"

"I've been calling your name."

"Oh, sorry."

"You've been distracted all day."

"I'm sorry" Max said again but didn't elaborate.:

"What's up?"

Max looked as" indecisive as she felt. After a moment she sighed.

"For two girls who have sworn off boys, we suite manage to talk about them enough."

"Is that what this is about?" Arlene made a face; She'd been ready to have boys back in her life for weeks, but Max had not gone along.

"Not about me. It's about Raine."

"Tell me."

Max did, sharing the way their mother had invited the lieutenant to dinner.

"Tonight?" Arlene clarified. "He's coming tonight? No wonder you're distracted."

"I keep thinking about Raine. I don't want her to be embarrassed or anything."

Arlene had been on the verge of asking all about this man, but she held off. Max's sad, distracted face was about her sister, and for these two friends, that was no joking matter.

"We'll pray, Max," Arlene encouraged her.

"What will we pray?"

Arlene remembered something from the sermon the week before.

"That all hearts will be humble."

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Max felt as though a weight had suddenly been lifted. Her grandfather had told her at one time that worry was a prideful thing.
We want to be in charge, and when we can't be, we worry. We need to humble ourselves before God and let Him have His way.

"Thanks, Arlene " Max said with heartfelt honesty. She spent the rest of the day asking God to give them humble hearts during dinner. Each time she started to worry, she confessed it and thought of something else. She was able to report to Arlene at the end of the day that it had gone very well.

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"You're here," Lorri said quietly.

"Where am I supposed to be?" Rigg asked, having already hugged and kissed his niece, who was now playing with a small ball she'd pulled from the pocket of her dress.

"I just didn't think I would see you until tonight."

Rigg nodded: thoughtfully, trying to gauge if she was pleased or disappointed.

"You don't have to keep doing this," Lorri said, her voice not uncertain anymore. "I truly do not expect you to give me a ride home each Friday."

Rigg smiled, wondering what that had cost her.

"You're laughing at me, aren't you?"

"I'm not." Rigg swiftly schooled his features. "I just don't think I've heard you be so firm before."'

"I didn't mean to sound bossy, but I think you feel some sort of obligation. And I don't want you to."

"So if I don't feel obligated, will you be all right with my giving you a ride?"

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Lorri had to weigh that one and finally asked, "You think I still need to be rescued, don't you?"

"No, I don't. I can see how capable and strong you are, but I can't see any reason to let you walk home if I'm free to drive you. If I don't pick Vi up or I don't have time to go your way, I won't be able to give you a lift. So far that hasn't been the case."

"You don't feel sorry for me?" she asked the first thing that came to mind.

Rigg laughed. "Why would I feel sorry for you?"

Lorri frowned at him, trying to coyer her own smile.

"I don't know," she stated, "but I'm done with this conversation now, and I'm going to close up the rooms."

"All right," Rigg said with a huge sigh, falling in behind her. "I guess I'll come along and feel sorry for you that you still have work to do."

Lorri's hand came to her mouth, but not before Rigg saw the smile. She was covering laughter, and they both knew it.

"Miss Archer?" Violet called, running to catch up.

Lorri turned to her in relief. She had to escape the lieutenant's probing eyes.

"Yes, Violet."

"Are you going to ride with us today?"

"Yes, I am. Are you going to help me with the classrooms?"

"Yes."

"We're such a good team!" Lorri took the little girl's hand and ied her away.

Rigg couldn't help but think of his mother. He knew if she could see Lorri Archer's way with her granddaughter, she would fall in love with this woman. Rigg knew something else: He was headed there himself.

J

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"More potato salad, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, please. Thank you, Mrs. Archer."

The five of them were on the patio. It had been swept and cleaned, and the meal they enjoyed at the picnic table was delicious.