Just Between Friends (14 page)

     That night they were awakened by a strange sound.  Frank Porter sat upright in bed, for he had heard this sound before as a child.  It sounded like a train whistle.  Afraid for his family’s safety, he awoke his wife as gently, but as quickly as possible.  “Mary, wake up!” he urged.  “We must get out of the house!” 

    
Confused, she asked, “Frank what is it?  What’s going on?”

     As he helped her up, he replied with urgency in his voice, “I’m not sure, but we just need to get out of here.”

     He hurriedly helped Mary up and into the hallway.  “Miranda, Alice, wake up!  Something is happening.  We need to get to the storm cellar!”

     Miranda hurried from her room, throwing on a robe, hair falling free, trying to make sense of what was happening.  Aunt Alice stumbled into the hallway, holding onto her nightcap, and nearly tripping as she ran into her brother.  “I’m sorry, Frank.  I’m just still half asleep.  What’s wrong?”

     The windows began to rattle, and they could hear the wind knocking branches from the trees against the sides of the house.  “We have to hurry,” Frank urged.  “Come on.”

     When they reached the back door and opened it, the gust of wind nearly knocked them down.

     “Oh, my land, it’s a tornado!”  Alice exclaimed frantically.

     They could barely see two feet in front of them.  Debris was flying everywhere.  They moved slowly, but steadily, praying for safety.  The storm cellar finally came into sight.  Frank pulled on the door, and after a few attempts, it opened.  They made their way in, just in time, as the door closed shut.

     They could hear things crashing above them, and could only pray it wasn’t their home, and what about Cassie?  Was she and Ben alright, everyone wondered?

     Suddenly all grew silent.  Miranda looked at her mother and asked, “Are you alright, Mama?  You’re as white as a sheet.”

     Mary had been awfully shaken up, but she replied, voice rather shakily, “I think so, honey.  Just a little jittery, that’s all.  What about you?” She then glanced at the others and added, “All of you?”

    Alice responded, with a note of uncertainty in her voice, “We’re fine, I think.  I’m just glad we don’t have to wake up that way every night,” she laughed, trying to ease their tension.

     Unsure of what he would find, Frank reluctantly said, “I guess I had better go up and see what damage has been done.  You women stay here until I get back.”  He then mounted the ladder and opening the door, went through and disappeared
out of sight.

     He had been gone for quite some time when Miranda began to worry about him.  “Maybe I should go check on him.  He should have been back by now.”

     Just as she started up the ladder, the cellar door swung open and her father climbed down.  “Well,” he declared, with a look of relief on his face, “the only damage I can see is, we’re going to be in need of a new outhouse.  That darn thing tore ours to nothing but a woodpile.”

     At that, everyone had to laugh.  They were so thankful it hadn’t taken their home.  “I’m going to help you ladies into the house,” he stated, “then ride over to Ben and Cassandras and make sure they’re both alright.”

     “I’ll go with you, if it’s alright, Papa,” Miranda remarked.  “I couldn’t sleep a wink until I know they’re both safe.”

     Frank looked at his wife and replied, “Well, it’s alright with me, if your mother doesn’t need you.”

     Mary shook her head.  “No, dear, I’m fine.  If I need anything, Alice will be here.  I’d much rather know if Cassandra is okay.”

***

     After they were all safely back inside, Miranda hurried to her room and dressed as quickly as she could, then went back downstairs.  Her father had gone to hitch up the wagon.  It had begun to rain rather steadily.  Soon he drove it to the front of the house and Miranda ran and climbed up.  It didn’t bother her to get wet, for they had prayed for this rain for so long.  The air felt much cooler now.

     They were approaching Ben and Cassie’s farm, when they first saw it.  Their home had caved in on one side.  Frank immediately halted the horses, and they both jumped from the buggy and ran to the house. 

     Miranda felt sick. 
Where were Ben and Cassie?
  She watched as her father ran to the storm cellar and opened it, then ran back screaming, “They’re not in there!  They must still be in the house!”

     Miranda felt the blood drain from her face.  She was terrified.  “Miranda,” her father yelled, “take the buggy and go get Alec and Ethan, and hurry!”

     She drove as fast as she possibly could only half realizing what was going on. 
Oh, no,
she thought,
not Cassie too.  She
couldn’t be dead
.  “Dear God,” she prayed aloud, “Please, don’t take my sister too.  Please, let both her and Ben be alive.”

     She had finally reached Alec’s house.  Jumping down from the buggy, she ran to the front door and knocked.  After what seemed like an eternity, Alec opened it and was shocked to see Miranda standing there soaked and bedraggled. 

Nervously, he stammered, “Miranda, what’s wrong?”

     “A tornado went by our place, and then we went to check on Ben and Cassie,” she was talking so fast he could barely understand her.

     “Slow down, sweetheart,” he advised, “you look as if you’re going to drop over.”

     But she didn’t want to slow down.  “No, Alec, listen to me.  It’s Ben and Cassie, we can’t find them!”  By this time Mr. and Mrs. Williams had also come downstairs.  They hadn’t even heard the tornado.  It had passed them by, leaving only the rain.  Upon hearing this, Alec hurried and dressed.

     “Miranda,” Ethan pleaded, “would you please stay with Louise?  I can’t leave her alone under these circumstances.”

     She understood this, but she wanted to help Cassie.  Realizing she would probably be in the way anyway, she just answered, “Sure I will, but please, hurry.  I have to know they’re alright.”  Tears were streaming down her face.

     “We’ll get them out, and they’ll be fine, you’ll see.”  Alec tried to console her as much as possible, even though he too, feared the worse.  “We’ll be back soon, with both Ben and Cassandra.  Now you and mama go inside and get warm, and dry yourself before you catch a chill.  Make a pot of coffee, for when we return.”

     After the men left, Miranda turned to Louise, who hadn’t said a word.  Fearing she was in shock, she attempted conversation.  “Mrs. Williams, can I get you anything?”

     Ben’s mother slowly shook her head.  With a faraway look in her eyes, she stated, “For nearly four years I had nightmares that I would lose one, or both of my sons in the war.  Then when they returned, I was so thankful that I didn’t have to worry any more.  Now this happens.”  She suddenly burst into tears.

     Miranda walked up to the older woman, and hugged her.  She could feel her body trembling.  She needed to get Louise inside.  The shock, along with the night air could cause her to become sick also.  “Come along.  Let’s go inside where it’s nice and warm.  We’ll wait on Mr. Williams and Alec to bring Ben and Cassie.”

     Louise only nodded her head, and they headed inside.  Miranda led her to the sofa, and sat down beside her, trying her best to comfort her.  It had been nearly one o’clock in the morning when Alec and Ethan had left, and now almost three and a half hours later, she heard them pulling up in front of the house.  She felt as if her heart was in her throat.  She looked at Louise, and knew she was feeling the same way.

     She ran to the door and pulled it open, and what she saw made her heart drop.  She watched as Alec and his father helped Ben from her father’s buggy, then she saw her father, go back and lift Cassandra in his arms.  At this distance she appeared dead.

     She ran outside, into the pouring rain yelling, “Cassie!”

     Alec took her by the arm, “It’s alright, Miranda.  She’s still alive.  We just don’t know yet how badly she’s hurt.  She’s unconscious.”

     They entered the house and Louise ran and hugged her son.  He looked at her and said, “Mama, I tried to get her out of the house, but I was too late.  We didn’t wake up in time.  By the time we did, it was already there.  Oh Mama,” he cried. 

She wrapped her arms around him once more, consoling him.

     Alec had gone to get the doctor, and when he arrived, he examined Cassandra.  Ben waited outside the bedroom door.  As soon as it swung open he noticed the doctor had a grave expression on his face.  “What is it, doctor Mitchell?  Please, tell us everything.  Don’t keep me in the dark about anything.”

     “Son, let’s go downstairs so I can talk with everyone at the same time, alright?”  Ben didn’t like the sound of this, but he had no choice but to follow the doctor. 

    
When they had all gathered in the dining room, he began, “I’ll be honest with you. I don’t know if she’ll make it or not.  She’s taken an awful blow to the head, and she has some broken ribs.  I don’t know if she has any internal bleeding or not.  It’s too early to tell.  She’s going to have to be watched around the clock, for at least forty-eight hours.  If she survives that long, she may have a chance.”

     Ben felt numb. 
What if he lost her?
  It would all be his fault.  He should have heard the tornado coming and gotten her out.  He should have protected her.

     Unable to take it any longer, he balled up his fist and hit the table, then got up and ran outside into the pouring rain.  He didn’t know how long he had run, but when he stopped, he dropped to his knees and cried.  “Cass, please don’t leave me!  I can’t go on without you!  You’re my life.  Without you, I’m nothing!” 

     The rain was beating upon him, as he lowered his face into his hands and sobbed. He stayed that way a long time, until his crying finally ceased.  He had to get back to her.  He had prayed, and with his faith renewed, he returned to the house.

***

     Frank had gone home, long enough to check on his wife.  He hadn’t known how to tell her, especially in her delicate condition.  Now after hearing about Cassie, Mary had begun having contractions.  She was going into labor early.  All this had been too much for her. 
What was he going to do?
  He couldn’t be with both his wife and daughter at the same time.  Knowing both Miranda and Ben were with Cassie, he decided it best to get the doctor, then return to be with his wife.  He would go back and forth as often as possible.

     After informing Mary that he would get help, he promptly left her in Alice’s hands and drove as fast as possible to the William farm.  Once there he sent doctor Mitchell ahead of him to take care of his wife, then told him he would return as soon as he checked on Cassandra, and after telling Miranda about her mother. 

     Cassie was holding her own, and Miranda told her father that if there was any change, for better or worse, she would let him know immediately, and for him to let her know what was happening with her mother. 
Oh when will this nightmare be over?
Miranda wondered.

***

     When Frank returned home, he hurried upstairs to his wife’s side, and asked the doctor how she was doing.

     “Well, things seem to be going fine so far,” he answered,   “but we may be in for a long day.  Her pains aren’t coming very close yet.  I’ll just leave you both alone for a while.  I’ll be in the other room if you need me.”

     “Alright, doctor Mitchell, and thanks,” Frank said appreciatively.

     Mary looked up, and asked, “How’s Cassandra?” 

     At that moment another pain hit, and he waited until it had passed to answer her question.  He stroked his hand over her hair, as he softly spoke, “She’s holding her own, dear.  Cassie’s a fighter, you know that.  Miranda said she’d let us know if there’s any change, either way.”

     She began to weep.  “Oh Frank, just as our new baby is born, we could lose Cassandra, and I can’t even be with her.  She’s my baby too.  I want to be with her.”