Southern Attraction (7 page)

             
Heather was grieved at what she saw.  She marveled at what had become of the town.  As she looked into the distance she saw Principal Thomas approaching.

             
“Hey Mick.  Are you two alright?” Principal Thomas inquired. 

             
“Yes, we are fine.  We lost our house, but we are not injured,” Mick replied.                “I have plenty of room at my house, you can stay there with me as long as you need,” Mr. Thomas replied. 

             
“I might have to take you up on that, especially for Heather’s sake.  You know me, I could live in my truck, but she needs a place to stay,” Mick said.  Heather smiled as she heard Mick accept Mr. Thomas’ invitation.  She was amazed but elated at what she heard.  Someone actually offering her and her uncle a place to live was completely unheard of.  She never imagined someone being that admirable as to offer a place, like their home to someone else.  Especially since they were not family. 

             
“Why don’t we take Heather back to the house, and we can partner up looking for anyone that needs our help,” Mr. Thomas said. 

             
“That’s acceptable with me.  I’m sure Heather could use the break,” Mick replied. 

             
“No, I want to help,” Heather replied after hearing Mick and the principal talking.  Heather felt something inside her that day that she never felt before.  She felt a feeling of worth and joy that she could help someone in their time of need.               

             
“I know you want to help, but it is getting late, you need to get something to eat and get some rest.  Tomorrow is going to be a doozy,” Mick said.  Heather didn’t want to disagree, but was starting to feel tired and overwhelmed at what had just happened.

             
They followed Mr. Thomas back to his house.  Heather saw Shawn approaching them.  She felt relieved and was thrilled that she was going to be staying with him, even for a short time. 

             
“Oh my, are you alright?” Shawn asked looking at Heather. 

             
“I’m fine,” she replied. 

             
“Are you sure, you look like you have been through the ringer?” Shawn asked referring to the black smudges all over her face and clothes. 

             
“I’ve been helping Uncle Mick rescue an older couple from the debris,” she replied.

             
Shawn was amazed at what he heard.  He couldn’t ever imagine Heather getting dirty or lifting a finger to help someone that needed her. 

             
“Thank God, you weren’t injured.” 

             
“Shawn, Heather and her uncle are going to be staying with us for a while, they lost their home in the tornado,” Mr. Thomas said.  Shawn looked at Heather,               “Come on and I’ll find you some clothes so you can get cleaned up.  Don‘t worry Mr. Brandon, I’ll take care of her,” Shawn said.

             
Mick didn’t know what to do.  He couldn’t decide whether to push Shawn away from Heather or thank him.  Suddenly, he felt protective of her and he had never felt that way before toward his niece. 
That is what I’m afraid of
, Mick thought to himself as he walked away.

             
Heather followed Shawn upstairs to a large room in the back of the house.  It resembled the room she had in Manhattan.  She felt fortunate to have a place to stay, and overjoyed that it would be with Shawn and his family.

Xxxxx

             
After a couple of hours Mick and Mr. Thomas returned to the house while Heather was in the kitchen with Shawn eating dinner.  “Good, I’m glad you have something to eat,” Mick said. 

             
“Yes, Mrs. Thomas cooked the best chili and fried potatoes that I have ever eaten,” she replied. 

             
“Heather, I told you to call me Tanya,” Mrs. Thomas said. 

             
Heather turned and smiled, “I’m sorry, I forgot.”

             
“Sit down Mick, we have plenty to eat and I bet your starving,” Tanya said.                “Thank you ma’am,” Mick replied as he sat down to fix himself a plate. 

             
Tanya tried to get everybody’s attention off the tornado.  “So Heather, how are you liking Huckleburg.  I bet it is much different than living in Manhattan.”                “Yes, it is, but everyone here has been so kind,” she replied.  Shawn couldn’t help to snicker at what she said, knowing how he had treated her in the beginning. 

             
“What’s so funny?” she asked, knowing exactly what he was laughing at.  She smiled at him and he looked back at her with a smirky look on his face.  His mother knew that his heart had been touched by Heather and that made her feel good.  No one had ever affected her son like that before; and she was ready to see him grow up and become more responsible.  Responsible for himself and for the things that he chose to do with his life, including his love life.             

Chapter Nine

             
The next day, Mick and Heather drove back to his farm and they spent a few hours looking through the debris and trying to salvage anything that could be salvaged.  After stacking up a few items in a small pile next to the road, Heather sat down on the ground and wept. 

             
“Heather, I told you every thing was going to be fine,” Mick said.                Heather wiped her tears from her eyes and replied, “Mick, I know everything is going to be fine.  I am just thinking about what could have happened.  My life, your life could have been taken away so easily.  I am just thankful that God spared us both.” 

             
“It teaches you that life is more important that possessions or objects, doesn’t it?” Mick responded. 

             
“Yes, it does.  It’s funny, though.  I feel like my mother and father are looking down and teaching me from Heaven.  I never believed in things like that before, but now I know that there is a God and he is in control of us and our lives,”  Heather replied. 

             
“Yes he is.  I’m glad you made that revelation today.  I believe your mom and dad are watching over you and protecting you too.”

             
Mick walked over and gave Heather a hug and a pat on the back.  “I believe that you were sent here for a reason.  I’ve been alone for a while now, and I forgot to appreciate the simple things like having a place to sleep and food to eat.  I’m glad you are here with me,” Mick said. 

             
“Me too.”  Heather sniffled and wiped her eyes again. 

             
“Heather, I have some news to tell you,” Mick said as he leaned over looking at an old photo. 

             
“What is it?” Heather asked. 

             
“Some of your friends were injured in the storm.  Lonny and I was driving around and saw several people badly injured, and several were taken to the hospital.  There is no telling how many people died.” 

             
“Oh no.  Is there anything I can do?” 

             
“I’m not sure, but I told Lonny to tell me if he needed my help.  Another thing I didn’t want to tell you, as we were driving around trying to help, we drove by the school and it was hit pretty hard by the tornado.” 

             
“What are they going to do about the school?  Can we still attend classes there?” she asked. 

             
“I’m not sure, but Lonny said he would have to contact the state’s emergency service and the national disaster assistance and relief service for their help and guidance on this situation.”

             
“Do you think we’ll be able to get some help here?” Heather inquired. 

             
“I’m sure we will.  They have programs set up for things like these to help people during natural disasters.” 

             
Heather thought for a minute and replied.  “I hope we can get enough attention here that we can get some people to help us build back our town and our school.” 

             
“It’s nice to see you think of Huckleburg as your town,” Mick replied.  

             
“It is nice, isn’t it.  I never thought I would think of any place as my home except Manhattan, but I have grown to love it here,” Heather said. 

             
“That wouldn’t have anything to do about a young man, would it?” Mick inquired. 

             
“Maybe, but I think it is because of how much that I have grown to understand what really matters in life.  It isn’t having the nicest house or the nicest clothes.  It’s about caring for one another.  This place has a sense of warmth to it that no other place has.  The people are more like family, and that is why I love it here. 

             
Thanks, Uncle Mick, for giving me a home and for caring about me.  I never thought I could ever feel whole again after my parents died, but you have helped me in more ways than you know.  Now I want to help others.  I know there are going to be plenty of people that will need our help during these trying times,” Heather replied. 

             
“I’m sure there will be many that could use both of our help.  Let’s get back to Lonny’s house and find out what we can do to help,” Mick replied.

Chapter Ten

             
When Mick and Heather arrived at Lonny and Shawn’s house, Shawn walked over toward them. 

             
“I’ve heard some bad news.  A couple people from school were hurt and they are at the hospital.  I was wondering if you want to drive to the hospital with me to see them,” Shawn asked looking at Heather.  “Of course, let’s go,” she replied.  

             
Heather followed Shawn to his pickup and they drove over to Regency Memorial Hospital.  Heather could tell the hospital was privately owned by its size.  It was much smaller than the ones she was used to.  The hospital had an ER, surgery unit, labor and delivery unit, an ICU unit, and about thirty patient rooms.

             
Heather and Shawn walked into the front sliding glass doors to a volunteer desk.  “Could you tell us what room Jake Parker is in?” Shawn inquired.  Heather took a gasp.  “What’s wrong?” Shawn asked.  “You didn’t tell me you were visiting Jake,” she replied. “Yes, my dad said he was badly hurt during the storm.  I just wanted to check on him to see if he was alright.  You don’t have to come unless you want to,” he replied.  

             
“No, I want to.  It okay.”

             
After writing down a number, the volunteer handed them a small piece of paper and directed them to the closest elevator.  “The elevator is over there and once you get off on the second floor take a right.  His room is down on the right.”  “Thank you,” Heather said as they turned to walk away.

             
Heather could smell fresh paint on the walls and it made her feel a little queasy.  “Gross, it stinks in here.  I smell paint,” she said.  “Yeah, me too.  Maybe it won’t smell like this upstairs,” Shawn replied. 

             
After they got on the elevator, Heather noticed that the walls were made of wood and it was smaller than any other elevator, she had ever been on before.   Shawn pressed the number two button on the front panel and then there was a jerk and the elevator was on its way.  “I’ve never seen an elevator like this one; it looks very old.”  “It’s old, but it’ll serve its purpose,” Shawn said.  Heather liked to hear Shawn talk.  His accent was very sexy to her, but country sounding.  Every time she heard his talk, small goose bumps ran up and down her body.  “Are you cold?” he asked.  “No everything is fine,” she replied as they got off the elevator and headed down the hall.

             
Jake’s room was three doors down from the elevator and two men were standing outside the door.  Heather said, “Hello” as Shawn nodded his head.  They slipped by the visitors to see Jake lying in a bed with all types of tubes and wires running off his body.  Jake’s mother rose as Heather and Shawn approached the bed.  “Hello, I’m Sue.   You must be friends of Jake’s from school.”  “Yes, I’m Heather and this is Shawn.  How is he doing?” she questioned. 

             
“Jake is in a coma.  The doctor says that it is
touch and go
right now and we have to just wait to see if he wakes up or not,” Sue said with tears in her eyes.  Heather walked over to Sue and gave her a hug.  “I’m so sorry.  Do you mind telling us what happened?” Heather asked.  “He was thrown over one hundred feet into a field.  Luckily, he didn’t land on anything sharp.  He landed on a pile of hay that helped cushion his fall,” Sue explained.