Every Storm (21 page)

"It does. I won't push you."

Lorri caught the compassion in her voice and felt her own compassion, compassion for the younger sister who just wanted her to be happy.

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"Well, if you spot a man and you're sure he's the one, you'd probably better at least nudge me."

Max smiled. "I love you, Raine."

"I rather like you too."

These days they didn't pass up opportunities to hug. With a final Merry Christmas and a hug to go with it, Max went to her room so they could both go to sleep.

"I'm thinking about returning to women's Bible study after the new year, Lorri," Ruth mentioned a few days after Christmas. "Would you like to go?"

"I would, yes. Is there a reason you haven't gone until now?"

"I just felt I needed some time."

"What are you studying?"

"Hospitality, among other topics."

"Who teaches it?"

"Betty Higgins."

"Sounds interesting. What day is it?"

"Thursdays."

"I'd like to go. What Thursday do you start back?"

"I'll have to ask someone about that. It might be right after the first, or it may be the next week."

"Where do they hold it?"

"Pastor and Betty's house."

In the midst of this conversation, it struck Ruth that she was very blessed. She had known loss and heartbreak, but her family was all around her. Dean's retirement was coming up in August, and that was a blessing too. Gone would be the days when he was

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away for weeks and months on end. Max was having her best year in school, and God had blessed her decision not to be so taken with boys. She was the happiest Ruth had ever seen her, even amid the grief.

And Lorri was an added bonus. Like most mothers, she wanted to see her middle daughter loved and married, but for the moment she was here, and the simplest of conversations was warm and comforting to Ruth's heart.

"That's a faraway look," Lorri commented.

"Just counting my blessings."

"Did you number me?"

Ruth didn't answer. She simply put her arms around her daughter and held her close.

" 1946," Arlene said, leaning against Max in the backseat of the car. "Can you believe it?"

"I'll be 18 this year," Max said. "I think that's old."

Leonard and Cora didn't comment from the front seat, but they smiled. Max had that effect on them.

The Archers had given a last-minute slam-bang New Year's Eve party, but that wasn't enough for the girls. Arlene had asked to have Max overnight, and Ruth had given her permission.

"I'm going to, give boys another chance this year," Arlene proclaimed.

"Not me," Max argued. "If Prince Charming doesn't fall into my lap, I'm staying where I am."

"What about Lorri? You're still looking for her, aren't you?"

"Yes, but I don't tell her who I find. She doesn't want that right now."

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"He'll have to fall into her lap too."

"Now I think we've had enough of that, girls," Leonard said from behind the wheel. "Dean would not approve of you letting boys sit on your lap."

Arlene and Max, a little sleepy and very content, found this highly amusing. They laughed the rest of the way to the Andrews', and Cora wondered if they would sleep at all this night.

February

"Where's Lorri?" Dean asked of Ruth long after the service ended. Ruth had thought she was already in the car, so she began to look around. She looked back in the sanctuary and around the foyer until she saw Max headed their way from the parking lot.

"Mr. Andrews is talking to Lorri," she informed them, "She said she would be along shortly."

It was on the tip of Ruth's tongue to ask if Lorri looked upset, but she told herself to be patient. It also looked as though it was going to rain, but Ruth kept her mouth shut on that issue as well.

"Is she going to come back in here?" Dean asked. "Or should we wait for her in the car?"

"Well, Mrs. Andrews and Arlene are already sitting in their car, so I guess we could do that."

Ruth decided that it was an odd conversation. She didn't mind Lorri talking with Leonard. In fact, she was pleased. He had such a way of coaxing words from anyone he met, but the suddenness and privacy alarmed her a little.

"Here she comes," Max said before they could even reach their vehicle.

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They looked up to see Lorri walking swiftly toward them. She was just the way they remembered her now. Home for almost six months, she looked and acted like the Lorri of old.

"Is everything all right?" Dean asked, having been curious as well.

"Everything is great, but I have something I need to discuss with you."

"With Leonard too?"

"No, I can call him when it's all settled."

On this cryptic note, they climbed into the car, and Lorri waited only that long to begin.

"Mr. Andrews says that Madrone Elementary School needs an aide to finish the year. The first-and second-grade teachers are both expecting, and the school board approved one helper for both rooms. Mr. Andrews has spoken to the principal there and told him he might have someone for the job. Then he asked me."

Max screamed and threw her arms around her sister.

"Oh, Lorri!" Ruth said, turning in the front seat to see her. "This is just what you asked the women at Bible study to pray about. I'm so excited for you."

"It's only until June," Lorri continued, her voice beginning to fill with excitement. "But maybe that will lead to a permanent position of some kind. What do you think, Grandpa?"

"It sounds perfect. When would you start?"

"Well, if I let him know today, Mr. Andrews would call Madrone's principal in the morning and tell him I'd like an interview. If he likes me, Til have the job."

"He'll like you," her grandfather said with a confidence that made the rest of the family smile.

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"Nervous?" Max questioned her sister over the breakfast table.

"Terribly. I can't even eat."

"You're going to do fine," Max reassured her. "The children will love you."

"But will the teachers?" Lorri fretted. "I wish I could have met them."

"If they're expecting and someone is there to help, they'll love you," Ruth said from the kitchen, her voice dry.

Max laughed, but Lorri didn't even smile. She played with the handle of her coffee cup, her oatmeal getting cold in front of her.

"Look at it this way, Raine; it's Wednesday. Even if you're miserable, you'll only have three days this week."

Lorri's shoulders began to shake. "Your logic is amazing. What about the remainder of the year?"

"You don't worry about that right now. Just worry about this week."

"Don't worry
at all,"
their mother put in pointedly, placing lunches on the table next to her daughters.

Within 15 minutes they were both out the door. Ruth stood at the window with Buddy and Muffin, reminding herself that the order not to worry applied to herself as well.

"Okay, Edith, is this a capital /or
T?"
Lorri asked the little girl next to her.

"It's a i"

"In that case, why don't you make his hat a little longer?" Lorri crossed the T with her fingernail. "Right now he looks like an I."

The little girl smiled up at her as if her dream had come true, and Lorri gently rubbed her back. Lorri glanced up to the front

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and found Mrs. Beach smiling at her. Still knowing nothing but relief, she smiled right back.

Mrs. Beach taught first grade. She was five months pregnant, her ankles swollen and uncomfortable. Mrs. Carter was the second-grade teacher. She was six months along in her pregnancy, and had a little more energy than Mrs. Beach. Both women were kindhearted, competent teachers, and very appreciative of Lorri's quiet presence and efforts.

Lorri was there to offer relief. She did the physical jobs. She took recess and lunchroom duties, found missing hats and umbrellas, stood with the children while waiting for parents to arrive, and at the end of the day, picked up the rooms and did the final checks on windows and locks.

Most days Lorri spent mornings in the second-grade room and afternoons with Mrs. Beach and her class. She had small breaks throughout the day, especially when the teachers read to the class.

For the most part the children were well behaved, but on occasion, Lorri would escort someone to a special chair at the front of the second-grade room. It was a chair of shame because everyone could see who was in trouble, and most children didn't want to sit that close to the teacher when the reason was not positive.

For three weeks, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:15 P.M., Lorri had basically been run off her feet. But she was enjoying it. The children were delightful, and it felt good to have a schedule. She missed the long talks with her mother, long walks with Buddy, and finding new recipes to try, but she made up for those on the weekends as best as she could.

"Miss Archer?" questioned the little girl who was finally done with her lesson.

"Yes, Edith?"

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"This is ready to check."

Lorri thanked her and took the paper, adding it to the pile she would check during story time. A swift look at the clock told her that was just 15 minutes away.

Edith went back to her seat, and Lorri felt a moment of relief. She signaled to Mrs. Beach, who acknowledged her with a nod. Lorri slipped from the room and tried not to run. She suddenly realized she'd needed to use the bathroom for the last two hours.

Max and Arlene saw Johnny coming toward them, but never in a lifetime did they believe he would bypass the table full of his male friends and join them at their table in the lunchroom. They were wrong. He sat down at the table next to Max and looked across at Arlene.

"Do you realize that commencement is in three months?" he said.

"I think so," Arlene said, trying to catch up. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes, there's a problem. All this time and I still haven't convinced a certain someone to go out with me."

Max's hand came up to cover her smile, but Johnny didn't look at her.

"Well," Arlene did her best to sound compassionate, "she hasn't given you much encouragement."

"Do you think she might feel a little sorry for me?"

"Not a chance," Arlene stated flatly, and Johnny finally turned to Max. She was eating the cookies from her lunch, her eyes brimming with amusement.

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"Those cookies look good."

"Here, have one," Max offered.

"Thanks."

Johnny watched her while he ate, wishing with all his heart that she wasn't so sweet and pretty. Watching him right back, Max knew what was corning.

"Come on, Maxine," Johnny said, using his most cajoling tone. "One date."

"And what will one date accomplish?"

"You'll see how charming I am and fall for me."

"There's no end to your modesty, is there?"

Johnny put his arms out wide and asked, "What's there to be modest about?"

The girls had had enough. Both told him he was pitiful as they rose from the table to leave. They were laughing when they said this, so Johnny knew he was forgiven, but it still didn't work: no date with Maxine Archer.

"Ruth," Betty Higgins called, "why don't you start our prayer time with an update on Lorri. How is she liking the job?"

"Oh, thank you for asking. She's enjoying it so much. She is a little tired, but she comes home with a new story each night, and it sounds like the children and other staff members love her."

"How is it for you, Ruth?" Betty asked. "Are things pretty lonely at home?"

"A little, yes, but it's such an amazing blessing to have Lorri back in California after all these years; I just enjoy her every chance I get."

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The time for sharing prayer requests and then praying usually lasted for 30 minutes. Routine called for the women to then start on their current study book or topic. If many women had prayer requests, they simply spent the whole time talking about those things and then praying together.

Today was just such a day. The lives of many women had been affected by the war. They still grieved and ached with the loss of loved ones. Ruth didn't share from her own heart, but she certainly understood the helplessness and feeling of loss. Indeed, Josie was often on her mind.

No small amount of tears were shed this day, and Ruth, when it was finally time to go home, found that she had a headache. She debated how to handle it: take Buddy for a long, leisurely walk, or lie down and sleep for a time.

Sleep won out. Buddy didn't look ready to leave the yard, and Ruth found she had no energy to spare. She lay down just before lunch and didn't wake for two solid hours.

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Lieutenant Donovan Riggs continued his walk down the school corridor, certain he was seeing things. He had been in something of a hurry, but now his pace slowed almost to a crawl. His eyes were centered on one person, and he needed time to think.

It was she, Miss Lorraine Archer, looking as he'd never seen her. She was some 20 yards in front of him, directing children to stand still as they waited for their parents. It took some time for her to turn in his direction, but when she did, Rigg couldn't help thinking what 20 well-placed pounds could do to a woman's figure.

It had been, an especially long day. While Lorri was not frustrated, she was more than a little tired. The children were moving off swiftly, but two little girls remained at her feet: Helen Peterson and a first-grader named Violet.

Lorri didn't know what made her look in the other direction, but her heart nearly stopped in her chest when she did. Coming

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very slowly toward the group, and in uniform, was the lieutenant. The girls didn't notice him, but Lorri made some swift deductions.

"Violet," she asked softly, "what's your last name?"

"Riggs," the little girl answered absently, intent on a spot on the pavement.

Lorri asked the question just in time. A moment later, Violet spotted the lieutenant and ran to him. Lorri watched as Rigg swung her up into his arms and kissed her cheek.

"Goodbye, Miss Archer," Helen said just then, and Lorri regained her composure long enough to turn and send her off with a wave. She turned back, only to find the lieutenant had come a little closer, Violet still in his arms.

"Your daughter?" Lorri asked.

"My niece."

An "oh" shaped Lorri's mouth, but no sound followed.

"How are you, Miss Archer?" Rigg asked, his eyes watchful.

"I'm very well, Lieutenant. How are you?"

"Fine."

"Did you all come home safely?" Lorri asked, suddenly remembering the men. "Is everyone all right?"

"Yes, we did arrive home safely. It's kind of you to ask."

Even as Rigg answered, he wondered whether he should tell her that Ellis had been diagnosed with cancer and Lionel's wife wanted a divorce, but he kept the thoughts to himself.

"I'm glad. I've thought about all of you many times."

"We thought about you too," Rigg admitted, barely able to take his eyes from her. She was beautiful. Nothing about her before gave a hint concerning her normal appearance. His men would have fallen apart had she come aboard looking like this.

"Uncle Donovan?" Violet interrupted his thoughts. "Are we going home?"

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"Yes," he told her, having almost forgotten his brother's oldest child. "We'll go right now."

Lorri had Caught the stare and understood what he was thinking. Her smile was a little knowing when she bid the lieutenant goodbye, and his amused grin told her he knew he'd been found out.