Page 57 of Fire and Rain
“Yes, the rain is cold, isn’t it?” The wind was even colder. “Let’s go.”
She led him out to the sidewalk and down the block, heading toward the trail to Old Woman Mountain. She had no fixed goal in mind. This was about getting fresh air and teaching Maverick to enjoy being outdoors in all weather.
And it might help take her mind off Sean.
After that dance and the kiss—oh, my God, that kiss!—she’d thought they were about to turn a corner in their relationship. She’d known from the moment he’d touched his lips to hers that he wanted her. She’d felt undeniable proof of that in his jeans and the racing of his heart. It would have been a new beginning for both of them. But he’d put on the brakes with all of his talk about duty and being Justin’s best friend.
Life isn’t just about what I want.
Eden had gone to bed weighted down by sadness and loneliness—and buzzing with sexual frustration. But if that’s how Sean truly felt, there was nothing she could do. She didn’t play games, and the last thing she wanted him to do was betray his own beliefs.
A few feet ahead of her, Maverick discovered a small puddle next to the sidewalk and did what Eden would have done at his age. He stepped into it and stomped his feet, laughing in delight as the water splashed around him.
“Splash! Splash!” If it hadn’t been raining so hard, she’d have taken a photo to send to her family and Justin’s. “You’re a little duck.”
When Maverick had gotten his fill of jumping in the puddle, they continued to the trailhead, where Mavie had room to run and explore. He picked up interesting rocks, oddly shaped pieces of bark, a weather-worn stick, and a small empty crab shell.
He held up the shell. “See, Mommy?”
“Oh, look at that!” She knelt beside him. “That’s an empty crab shell. I bet an eagle sat in that tree to eat it and let the shell fall to the ground when he was done.”
When she looked up, she saw that the treetops were swaying ominously. Their roots weren’t deep, and every big storm caused trees across the island to topple. Every once in a while, someone was killed. Not wanting to be caught in a blow-down, she took Maverick’s hand again.
“Let’s head home for some lunch. Are you hungry?”
As they neared the house, she heard it—the whir of a helicopter. There in the distance was a white-and-orange H-60 returning to base, ambulances waiting on the tarmac. It was the peak of the fishing season, and with thirty- and forty-foot seas, the Coast Guard would be busy.
Stay safe, Sean.
When they got home, Eden removed Maverick’s rain gear and was happy to see that he’d stayed warm and dry and was cheerful. Creating good memories outdoors was the best way she knew to teach children to love nature. “Let’s have some lunch.”
She made grilled cheese sandwiches, chopping Maverick’s into bite-sized squares, and placing them on his plate with apple chunks. “Here you go, buddy!”
She kissed the top of his head and sat beside him to eat her own lunch, talking with him about the day’s adventure. By the time his tummy was full, he was falling asleep in his highchair. “Come here, sweetie.”
She picked him up, carried him to his crib, and tucked him in for his nap.
Then she walked to her bedroom closet, took out her VHF radio, and set it up in the living room to monitor Channel 16.
“…amplifying information, over?”
Eden thought that was Spurrier. Justin had flown a lot of SAR cases with him.
“Rescue Six-Zero-Three-Two, Sector, that’s a negative. We haven’t had contact with the Sea Dog since their original call, over.”
“We don’t know whether they had survival suits or a raft. If the boat sank, they’re in real trouble.” That was James again, talking to the crew. “You’ve got door speed.”
“Cabin door open. Vis is so poor I can’t see much, even with the IR goggles.”
Eden’s pulse picked up. That was Sean.
“I’m going to circle around. I don’t see anything, and we’ve passed the boat’s last reported—”
“Mark! Mark! Mark!” Sean cut him off. “We’ve got at least one PIW about two hundred yards off at our five o’clock. The survivor has a strobe.”
Eden let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. They’d found someone in the water. But was the person still alive? Were there others?
She shouldn’t sit here listening to this. It would only upset her.
