Finding Faith (Love's Compass Book 4) (15 page)

“Tell Gideon I’m really proud of him.”

“I will, Tuck.”

“Hey, while I’ve got you on the phone, I wanted to let you know I talked to the rest of the family about the hospital bill. No one here paid it.”

Then who had? Because it made little to no sense. The odds that a random stranger walked up and paid her bill were pretty small. “The whole thing is driving me crazy.”

“I definitely get that. Maybe it was some kind person who saw you come in. You hear of that happening once in a while. Someone trying to pay it forward.” Tuck didn’t sound that convinced.

Serenity wasn’t either. “Maybe. I know things like that happen in real life once in a while. It’s a little hard to believe.”

“Well, if you have any other problems, you know to call me, right?”

“Of course. Thank you again, Tuck. I appreciate it. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You be careful. Have you seen the forecast? They’re predicting nasty weather Wednesday and Thursday up in your area. Lots of severe thunderstorms.”

“We’ll keep an eye on the weather. You guys do the same.”

They hung up. Serenity played the scene in the music room through her mind one more time and grinned. She dialed Lexi’s number to tell her all about it. She might share the latest concerning her Music Man as well.

Serenity cast a furtive glance at the sky as she ushered Gideon into the car Thursday morning. The weather Tuck had warned her about wasn’t bad yesterday. They’d had a lot of rain and a couple of thunderstorms. Nothing to write home about. But this morning already promised more.

The sky above her was blue. But a wall of clouds was rolling in from the horizon and they were nearly black. The air was still and warm, which usually wasn’t a good sign when a storm was approaching.

At least at the school, she and Maggie could keep the radio on while they worked. They’d be sure to hear updates throughout the day.

She was about to pull away from the house when the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. The sensation of being watched flowed through her. Serenity made sure the doors were locked and craned her neck to peer up and down the street. Nothing. It was an impression she’d started to get several times a week and she was beginning to wonder if she was getting neurotic.

They were going to be late if she didn’t get on the road. Pushing thoughts of being watched from her head, she studied the wall clouds as she moved towards Hope Academy.

She saw Aaron in the parking lot and waved as she found a space. He walked towards them. “Good morning, you two. How are you?”

“A little rushed but well. How about you?” Serenity resisted the urge to reach for his hand or step on her tiptoes for a kiss. They’d been playing it cool at work all week. At least she hoped they had. Cynthia hadn’t spoken to either of them again and Serenity chose to believe it was because they were flying under the radar.

“I’m better now.” He gave her a wink. “I don’t like the look of that sky.” Aaron nodded towards the wall clouds that were visibly moving closer.

They hurried into the building and waved their goodbyes. Serenity held Gideon’s hand as they headed for his classroom. A low rumble of thunder sounded and her gaze flew to his face. He must not have heard it because he kept walking as he took in everything around him.

He’d been afraid of thunder for several years now. During the day, it wasn’t quite as bad because at least there were other things for him to focus on. But if a storm hit at night, it meant being up and keeping him comforted and distracted until the storm was over.

She’d warned Letty about it yesterday and was happy to hear that he’d never reacted to the thunder. But if the clouds outside were any indication, today might be a different story.

When they got to his classroom, she reminded Letty of Gideon’s fear, gave him a hug, and headed to the front office.

Maggie already had the radio tuned to the weather station and was conversing with a parent about it. “Yes, we do have a storm room. If a tornado warning is sounded, all of the teachers know to take the kids there.”

That seemed to satisfy the parent. She thanked Maggie and hurried towards the parking lot.

Serenity put her bag in a drawer and sat down as a louder clap of thunder sounded. Her thoughts immediately flew to Gideon. When it came to storms, she’d rather be with him. It was easier than worrying about whether he was scared or not. She knew Letty would text or call if she needed to go get him. Still…

Maggie’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” Serenity looked at her friend for the first time. Had she planned the blueish gray outfit or was it a coincidence that it matched the storm so well? Serenity indicated the radio. “Anything interesting yet?”

“They’ve got us under a severe thunderstorm watch and a tornado watch until eight tonight.”

Watches weren’t at all unusual for this area of Texas but they still made Serenity cringe. “Lovely.”

“Right?”

This particular storm came through with quite a bit of thunder and then disappeared by mid-morning. Serenity texted Letty to make sure Gideon was okay. Letty assured her he was. Serenity sighed with relief. They enjoyed a couple hours of calm before the next storm made its approach around lunch. At the first sound of thunder, Serenity groaned. She was staring out the window when Aaron walked into the breakroom.

“How’s it looking out there?”

She shrugged. “Nasty. I hate storms like this. Gideon gets nervous during them.”

Aaron set his stuff on their table and moved to stand next to her. “I don’t think he’s the only one.” He took in the clouds outside and withdrew his phone. As if on cue, it sounded loudly. “I have an app on here that tells me about any warnings. They just issued a severe thunderstorm warning for our area for the next forty minutes.”

“What app is that?” He told her and she downloaded it to her phone, too. It would certainly be helpful, especially for any alerts at night.

They sat down to eat. Several times, thunder interrupted their conversation and once, it was loud enough to shake the building.

~

Serenity was so tense that Aaron kept wishing he had permission to hold her hand or even wrap his arms around her. The rain started to fall and before long, they could hear the pings of hail hitting the window. In unison, they moved to observe through the glass.

The hail itself wasn’t large — maybe the size of a pea. But it was the sky that was ominous. Billowing clouds were black with a green tinge to them. He’d only seen a sky like that a handful of times, but it rarely meant anything good. Thunder shook the building. “Come on, let’s go find Gideon so you can make sure he’s all right. This is only going to get louder. If you need to stay with him until it’s over, I’m sure everyone would understand.”

Serenity nodded. She shoved the last of her sandwich and chips into the trash can and led the way into the hall. More thunder echoed and the lights flickered before going out completely. Serenity reached for her keys and pulled them out of her pocket. There was a small flashlight on a keyring and she turned it on. Aaron chose the flashlight application on his phone to help illuminate the way.

He kept expecting the lights to come back on and when they didn’t, his need to get Serenity reunited with her son intensified.

They hadn’t gotten far when they ran into Letty. The moment the teacher saw them, her face morphed from worry to relief, then back to worry again. “I was looking for you. We had the kids at the bathrooms after lunch before going back to the classroom. The lights went out and all the kids were screaming. By the time we got them out and located a flashlight, we couldn’t find Gideon.”

Aaron reached for Serenity’s hand and held it tight. Right now, he couldn’t care less that they were standing in the middle of the school.

“You can’t find him? You’re sure he wasn’t hiding in the bathroom?” Serenity’s voice had risen a notch and she clutched at his hand.

“I’m positive.”

Aaron felt as though someone punched him in the gut as he flashed back to when his brother had wandered. He remembered his parents discussing the places they looked and where Kenneth might be. As a child, he’d tried to rack his brain and figure out where Kenneth might have been hiding. Watching his parents go from concerned to terrified was one of the many things he’d had nightmares about growing up.

Now he could see the range of emotions play across Serenity’s face. He expected fear to well up inside him. Instead, it was anger. He was not going to lose Gideon, not like this.
God, protect that boy and lead us to him.

He spotted Zane dodging a number of people in the hallway as he approached them. He handed a large flashlight to each of them and kept one for himself. “Letty, I’ll help them find Gideon. Go ahead and get back to your class. They’re in the library with the aids, right?”

Letty nodded and disappeared into the darkness.

Aaron slipped his phone into his back pocket and gripped the flashlight. He gave Serenity’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Do you have any idea where he’d go if he were scared?”

“He’d go somewhere familiar. His classroom, your music room. Maybe the car, though I don’t think he’d go outside in this weather.”

Zane shook his head. “We’re not taking any chances. I’m going to check outside and give Maggie a heads-up — make sure no one goes out there alone.”

Aaron clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. We’ll check the other places. Be careful.”

“You, too.”

The school was dark except for the light filtering through the windows as Aaron and Serenity made their way down the maze of hallways to Letty’s classroom. They searched everywhere but found no sign of Gideon. Where was he?

Serenity slumped forward and he was afraid she was going to break down crying. But she straightened her spine again and rolled her shoulders back. “Come on. Let’s go check your classroom.”

Aaron had a surge of respect for her control. They re-entered the hallway as a whine filled the air. At the same time, both of their phones sounded an alarm. Aaron whipped his out.

“Tornado warning. We need to find Gideon and get to the safe room.” He grabbed her hand again and pulled her into the hallway that was now swarming with students and teachers alike.

As they shined their lights around the music room, shadows cast on the walls gave an eerie feel. The siren continued to sound.

“Gideon!” Serenity’s voice echoed off the walls. “Gideon, it’s Mommy. Come on, we’re going to go somewhere safe and away from all this noise.”

They waited, hoping for a sign to tell them he was there. Aaron moved to check under his desk and the table. He’d held so much hope that they’d find him there. When they saw no sign of him, urgency kicked up a notch. He hated not knowing where the tornado warning was originating from. If it was the other side of town, they were fine. But if it were close by…

Serenity’s eyes were wide. He sensed she was reaching her limit of control and he couldn’t blame her. “I don’t know where else to look.”

“Maybe we should go up front and check with Maggie? See if we can find Zane?”

“Yeah.”

They were about to walk back out the door when Aaron heard a noise. Serenity must have heard it, too, because she stopped and turned.

There it was again.

“Mmmma.”

“Gideon?” She flashed her light around the room desperately. “Baby, please come out if you’re in here. Come out and I’ll sing you the Sunshine Song.”

A pile of cushions in one corner moved. The shape of a little boy stood up and ran towards them. Serenity knelt down and gathered him into her arms, her flashlight clattering to the floor.

Relief flooded Aaron’s body as he watched the two embrace. He picked up her flashlight and put an arm around them. Hail pelted the window in his classroom and wind roared outside. “Come on, we’ve got to get to the safe room. Let me carry Gideon.”

Serenity hesitated only a moment before she handed her son over to him. He gave her his light, took her hand in his, and led the way. The safe room was just off the cafeteria and packed full of people.

“You found him. Praise God.” Letty was sitting on the floor against a wall, several children huddled on her lap. “I’ve been praying you were all right.”

Serenity took Gideon and sat down next to her. Aaron joined them.

“We’re okay,” she said, resting her cheek against her son’s head. She leaned against Aaron’s side and he put an arm around her shoulder.

Even in the room, they could hear the wind continue to roar around them, drowning out the sirens. Bangs and the sound of glass shattering punctuated the din. The air became stuffy with such a large number of people crowded within.

Aaron shifted so that Serenity rested against his chest and prayed that the storm would end soon.

Serenity welcomed the way Aaron’s arms felt around her shoulders and her son sitting in her lap. Despite the threat of the tornado and the fear of the situation, knowing the people she cared about most in this town were safe in the room with her made all the difference.

Her mind went back to the music room and the relief she’d felt when she’d heard Gideon’s voice.

His voice.
“Mmmma.”
Goosebumps peppered her arms. “Aaron. When we found Gideon. Did he talk?”

He thought a moment then his eyes widened. He looked from the boy to his mother. “I’ve never heard him make sounds like that. I think he was calling you. It sounded like Ma to me.”

The idea took a moment to sink in and then her heart began to race. It’d taken almost six years, but she’d finally heard her son’s first word. She covered her mouth with her hand while tears rolled down her cheeks. She took a shaky breath as she put her arms around her son and held him close, kissing the top of his head.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and then heard Aaron’s voice near her ear. “I think we’ve witnessed more than one miracle today.” 

Serenity nodded her head. “My son talked for the first time. Against all odds. It’s a dream come true.” She smiled through her tears.

He tightened his arm around her shoulder and his lips brushed against her temple.

They waited in silence for several minutes. Aaron rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “Listen. I think the storm’s finally dying down.”

Serenity realized the sirens were no longer going off. “How do we know it’s okay to go out?”

Aaron checked his phone but shook his head. “No service.”

Zane spoke from nearby. “We’re going to give it ten more minutes, then Aaron and I will go out and assess the situation.”

Letty didn’t look too happy about that, but said nothing. Instead, she reached over and took her husband’s hand.

When it was time, Serenity whispered, “Please be careful.”

Aaron touched his forehead to hers. “I will. We’ll be right back.”

It was a tense handful of minutes as she and Letty sat next to each other, waiting for their guys to return safely. When they did, they came through the double doors and propped them open.

Zane spoke loudly, projecting his voice throughout the room. “We’re clear. A lot of windows have been broken by the wind. We’re going to need to keep the kids away from the glass so no one gets hurt.”

Cynthia spoke from the middle of the group. “Teachers, take your students to the cafeteria. We’re going to have a lot of concerned parents coming to get their children.”

Aaron moved to help Serenity to her feet. “I’m pretty sure they’re going to have to close the school for a day or two. The place is a mess.” He took one of Gideon’s hands while Serenity took the other. “Be careful of the glass, buddy.”

They followed the crowd of people out of the cramped room and into the hallway. While the electricity was still out, the lighter-colored clouds outside allowed more light through the windows.

Nearly all of the students were calm as they followed their teachers. Serenity was impressed by how well the teachers had managed to keep the kids occupied and distracted as they made their way to the cafeteria. Letty was especially good with her students, singing a song that Aaron and Serenity quickly joined in with.

Like a well-oiled machine, everyone got the kids seated at the tables and snacks were provided to help keep them occupied. Gideon was happy to nibble on apple slices and drink some chocolate milk.

Aaron and Zane had disappeared again to get some information but both promised to return. Serenity and Letty stood together, watching over the kids.

“I wonder if we actually had a tornado in the area,” Letty whispered. “If this many windows broke in the school, what does it look like outside?”

Serenity tried to imagine it and couldn’t. She checked her phone again, knowing that if there had been a tornado, her family was likely trying to get in contact with her. Another hour and Tuck or Lance would be on the way to check on her personally. The thought made her smile.

Ten minutes later, the men returned. The four adults spoke quietly so as not to alarm the kids.

Zane was frowning. “It was a tornado and so far, no deaths have been reported. There are some injured in the area, mostly from the high winds and the damage they caused. The tornado itself touched down just outside of the school. But the wind damage was pretty wide-spread.”

Aaron’s gaze passed over the room full of children. “Praise God everyone’s fine. If we hadn’t gotten them all into the safe room, someone would’ve ended up hurt.” His eyes landed on Gideon and an arm went around Serenity’s shoulders. “This could have been much worse.”

Cynthia came into the room and held a hand up high to get everyone’s attention. “Parents are starting to arrive now. We’re going to work in the hallway outside this room like we do in front of the school. It may take longer, but we’re going to get the kids safely to their families.”

She gave some directions to several people standing next to her. “There’s enough damage to the school. We’re going to close for the rest of the week so we have time to get the windows repaired and figure out what other damage may have occurred. An automated call will go out to all students and their families on Sunday informing them of whether or not school will resume Monday. Please be sure to inform any parent you speak with. We’ll remind everyone we catch as well.”

Someone’s voice came from the back of the room. “Any word on how long it’ll be before the electricity is restored?”

“I’m afraid not.” Cynthia shook her head. “I’ve heard it could take a couple of days in this area. I imagine we’ll get a better update later.” She took enough time to cast a stony glare in Aaron and Serenity’s direction.

Everything was chaotic as parents were reunited with their kids but the staff and teachers managed to keep things moving as smoothly as possible. Before long, silence filled the cafeteria and most of the teachers sagged into chairs or against walls in relief.

Gideon grasped Serenity’s hand and tugged on it, motioning towards the door.

“Yeah, big guy. Let’s get home and see how our house fared.”

Aaron moved to follow them. “I’ll come with you guys.”

“You don’t need to stay here?”

“I checked on my classroom earlier. For the first time, I’m thankful it has no windows.” 

~

Aaron escorted them out of the school and into the parking lot. The place was such a mess, it was difficult to locate their vehicles. A number of them had been blown into each other and two had even been overturned.

Thankfully, other than the dents in the body of their cars from the hail, they seemed to be okay.

Aaron followed her to the house. Trash cans and debris littered the street. The covered porch across the street had been severely damaged. The windows in the front of their duplex were intact and Serenity hoped that meant it had made it through the storm okay.

She unlocked the door and pushed it open. The power was out in this neighborhood, too, and they were greeted by warm air from inside. At the same moment, a little furry body collided with her right shin. “Poor Kia. Come here, sweetie.” She scooped the kitten up and held her to her chest. Kia always seemed happy to see them, but even more so today.  Serenity’s phone buzzed several times and she pulled it from her back pocket. “Text messages. I still don’t seem to have service, though.”

“Sometimes a text message will get through when a call can’t. I’ll bet they’re from your family.”

She read through them and nodded. “Yep. Asking if we’re okay.” She maneuvered Kia to the crook of her arm and texted back. “I told them we’re fine but that we don’t have electricity.”

“I would assume it may take up to a couple of days for them to get the power back on here, too.” Aaron didn’t like the idea of them staying in the stuffy house. It was only going to get warmer.

Her phone buzzed again. “My mom invited us to come for the weekend.” She glanced at him, her expression open.

“It’s not a bad idea. I think you guys should. You’ll need to take Kia with you.”

Serenity texted again. “Okay. I’m going to pack a few things and we’re probably going to leave pretty soon. There’s a break in the storms and I don’t want to get caught in one on the way there.”

“You’re doing the right thing. You can come back Sunday morning and the power should be back on by then.”

“You could come with us.”

“What?” His heart leapt at her words.

“You’re likely going to be out of power for a while, too. There’s no reason for you to stay here and be miserable.” She paused. “Come meet my family.”

“Are you serious?” He knew he was smiling and he didn’t care. The grin she gave him in return told him everything he needed to know.

“Yeah. I am. We have plenty of room. You may have to sleep on the couch, but you’d be welcome to stay with us.” Her eyes were hopeful and he wouldn’t have told her no for anything.

“I’d like that. Why don’t I go to my place and get a few things and I’ll be back here in half an hour or less?”

“Sounds good.” She took a step towards him and lifted her chin. “Thanks, Aaron. For helping me find my baby.”

He rested his hand against her cheek and brushed his lips against hers before drawing her into a hug.
Thank you, Lord, for a happy ending today. Please continue to lead us — individually and as a couple
.