Every Storm (9 page)

"Are you all right?" Rigg asked.

"That was my grandfather," she got out just before her eyes rolled back in her head.

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I"Go after him!" Rigg barked to the sailor and gathered Lorri

in his arms to lower her back onto the chair. He thought it might be best if she lay down but wasn't about to put her on the floor. "Miss Archer," Rigg called as he tried to revive her. "Can you

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anytime soon, not with so many needed repairs. And anyway, right now it was best to occupy his thoughts with those duties- anything to get the reunion scene from his mind.

Dean sat on the room's one chair and watched his granddaughter sleep on one of the twin beds. On the floor by the bed were her saddle shoes, filthy and worn, but nothing else she wore was hers. This came to Dean slowly, after 30 minutes of studying her face, more tears trickling down his cheeks.

He would have to get word to Ruth and Maxine, but not just yet. Right now he was still taking it in. Almost seven weeks missing. He had started to give up hope. A small plane going down in these waters would certainly disappear without a trace. That the plane hit land was nothing short of a miracle.

The sailor had told him where Lieutenant Riggs would be. This was important to the admiral. He had questions for that man. Not right now, but eventually.

"Grandpa," Lorri suddenly asked. Dean had not seen that her eyes were open. "Do you have any water?"

"Right here." He went to the small bathroom and filled the glass provided. Their quarters weren't fancy or large, but they were one of several available to officers. Thankfully a room with two beds had been vacant, because Dean had no plans to let Lorri out of his sight.

Lorri sat up and drained the glass of water. Dean refilled it, and she drank half of it. He then sat down on the opposite bed and stared at her. Lorri looked back.

"I hope you're really sitting there and I'm not dreaming."

"I'm here, honey."

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"Where are we?" She frowned a little, not sure if someone had said.

"We're at Seaford, a naval base in Australia." IILorri showed a little panic over this.

I"Grandpa," her voice pleaded, "I wish to go home. I don't think

III can stay here and teach without Josie. I need to see Mother and..." I"Lorraine," her grandfather cut in, reaching for her hand and I waiting for her to focus on him. "We're going home just as soon I as I can arrange it. You're going back to California, and you're stay ing there."

ILorri nodded, her eyes closing in relief. She had been close to

Ipanic. This was almost worse than the island or the boat She wished

Ishe could think a little more clearly, but she found herself ready

Ito cry again. Never had she wanted to see her mother so much.

thing to eat?"

"Oh, food sounds good. Is there some place nearby?"

"You leave it to me."

Lorri nodded, feeling safe, and went into the bathroom. She used the commode and then moved to the sink to wash her hands. She ran the water but forgot to get her hands wet.

Had there been mirrors on the boat? Lorri couldn't remember having seen one. Right now she stood frozen as a stranger looked back at her from the vanity mirror. Who was this person whose cheeks were sunken and pale, whose eyes stood out unnaturally? There was a scar on her forehead. Lorri couldn't remember when she got that. Was it new, or did it happen during the crash?

"Lorri?" her grandfather called anxiously from outside the Idoor. "Are you all right?"

Ill

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"Yes, I'll be with you in a moment."

Just remembering she wanted to wash her hands, Lorri made herself look down and get the job done.

I'm alive,
she said to herself, enjoying the cool water and the white sink.
Nothing eke matters.
Her mother came to mind, but Lorri had no worries on her account. Her mother wouldn't care how she looked as long as she was alive.

Following Dean as he led her to the mess hall, Lorri could tell that her energy was low. The thought of food, however, was worth the effort of staying awake. They exited the barracks, not seeing anyone else around, and walked a short distance to another building, one full of tables and benches.

No one was eating, but Dean saw Lorri to a table and then went toward the galley. He wasn't long returning with a tray of food.

The meal was simple fare, bread and meat with some dessert on the side. Lorri built a sandwich and took sips of the coffee her grandfather had brought her. She was about halfway done when they were joined by another officer.

"This is Commander Tyler," Dean explained. "He's a doctor. I've asked him to examine you when you're done with your food."

"I'm all right," Lorri wasted no time in saying, her eyes direct as they met those of the other man.

Dean looked as if he would argue, but the doctor cut in.

"I'm just going to take your pulse, listen to your heart, and ask you some questions."

Lorri nodded, still not thrilled with the idea, but telling herself to be calm.

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Lori Wick

"If you want, we can even cover the questions right here."

"All right," Lorri agreed. No one was around, and she didn't think he was going to get overly personal.

"What day did you fly away from Carson Point?"

"The first of June."

"And what day did the PT crew find you?"

Lorri didn't know. Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember.

"Was it a week ago or a few days?" Dean prompted.

Could she have been through all she'd been through with the lieutenant and his men in less than a week? Or was it longer?

"A week, I think," Lorri guessed. "I'm not sure."

"Okay." The doctor kept his voice casual. She had stopped eating to concentrate, and he didn't want that. "What did you eat on the island?"

"Leaves and berries."

The doctor had not been taking notes, but Lorri suddenly realized that he watched her very closely.

"Why don't you just tell me what this is really about" Lorri said, not liking the way the interview was making her feel.

"There is no hidden agenda here, Lorri." Her grandfather fielded this one. "You've been through an ordeal, and I'm concerned about you."

"What does it matter how long I was on the boat?"

"I'm trying to figure out how long you went without food," the doctor replied.

"How did you know I went without food?"

Dean could have kicked himself for allowing this conversation to go on here and not in the privacy of their room. His mind

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scrambled to make light of the fact that she was not the same girl he remembered. At least, not yet.

"Commander Tyler is just guessing that you might not usually be this thin."

Lorri looked into her grandfather's eyes and smiled at the smile she saw there. She had been through an ordeal, an ordeal so fierce that she had stopped trusting even those who loved her.

"I'm sorry," she began, but the doctor put his hand up and flashed a smile of his own.

"The apology should come from me," he said. "I need to let you finish your meal. How can you think clearly on an empty stomach?"

Lorri went back to eating, and Dean was pleased to see the tension pass. He had not meant to plot against her or go on the attack. He'd seen men come back from battle in great need of care. He was swiftly learning that it was entirely different when it was his own granddaughter. He would stay close but let the doctor finish in his own way, not worrying about the details. Anything Lorri couldn't remember from the last week would surely be covered by Lieutenant Riggs.

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Seven,

"I've got a meeting this morning," Dean told Lorri early the next day. "Will you be all right?"

"I'll be fine. I'll probably lie here for a while and then take a bath."

"Good. When I get back, we'll eat breakfast and try to find some other clothes for you to wear."

Lorri agreed, thinking that might be a very good idea. She kept to her bed even after he left, and although she thought about getting up-a bath sounded wonderful-it wasn't long before she fell back to sleep.

"What day and time did you get to the island?" Dean asked Rigg as soon as he thanked him for rescuing Lorri.

"Saturday the fourteenth."

"Just five days ago?" he confirmed quietly, not seeming anywhere near as fierce as all the rumors.

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"Yes, we got to the island at about eight bells. We needed repairs. We found Miss Archer when we heard her singing."

A heartfelt smile came to the admiral's lips.

"Let me guess, a mixture of hymns and the latest songs hitting the airwaves."

"That about sums it up."

"She has all the words memorized the first time she hears a song. Put something to music and Lorri has it." The admiral paused for just a moment. "Josie was her biggest fan."

Rigg watched the other man, whose attention had strayed to a place in his mind. Both of Rigg's parents were alive, as were both of his brothers. He had no reference point to losing someone as close as a granddaughter. Clearly the man was hurting."

"Did you leave the island that day?"

"No, the next. I put a man in charge of her, and we got some food to her as soon as we could. She had found an excellent water supply and was sleeping in the plane, which was in a small clearing."

"And did she talk to you about what happened?"

"Not until Tuesday"

"What did she tell you?"

"That Clarence Fuller, the pilot, did all he could. She described the rain as being all around them. They couldn't see a thing. She said the trees rushed up to meet them, and all was black with the rain still coming hard. Her sister wouldn't answer her." Rigg made

himself tell the painful details. "It took her days to dig the holes. She buried the pilot first because she couldn't put Josie in the dirt at that point. She took Josie's locket and put it on.

"It sounds like she ate what food she could find, which wasn't much, and had plenty of water. She was a little confused and

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mmdisoriented from time to time, but until she saw you from the

||office window, she hadn't fainted.

"We stopped again near Cooley, and she had an encounter with another boat crew. It was upsetting to her, but she handled herself well."

"Did you report the men?"

"No, sir. Miss Archer would not elaborate on what happened."

"So she might have been hurt?"

"No, sir. My men saw a sailor touch her hair and try to detain her by grabbing her wrist. My men were on hand a moment later, and Miss Archer was able to walk away."

"Do you know what was said to her?"

"No, sir."

Dean fell silent for a moment. Rigg watched him and waited.

"Where did she sleep on the boat?"

"In my bunk. I took Ensign Westland's bunk. I hung a sheet to give Miss Archer privacy."

Dean's eyes were suddenly intent.

"And your men were gentlemen?"

"Yes, sir. I would swear to it."

Dean didn't need to ask about Rigg's conduct. His gut told him there would be no offense there.

"Did you see the graves?" was the next question, coming on a rather hoarse voice.

"Yes, sir. They were in another clearing."

Dean's eyes closed for a moment. He tried to fight the tears, but it was no use. Rigg came to his feet. He went to the coffee pot, filled two mugs, and returned to the table.

Dean opened his eyes when he heard the mug placed in front of him. He stared down at it for a moment and then reached for

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his handkerchief. He blew his nose and took a moment to compose himself before reaching for the hot drink.

"I think you should also know, sir," Rigg said without permission, "that we had Zeros almost as soon as we left the island. We traveled in daylight and took down two planes, but one got away."

"And where was Lorri during all of this?"

"On her bunk. We also had a storm the night before we made port. She was very seasick."

Dean was without words. It wasn't enough that Lorri was plane-wrecked and had to bury her sister. She had also been on the boat when it was under enemy attack and experienced a storm only days later. The emotions running through him were so varied and strong that for a long time he said nothing.

Rigg was quiet as well. Again he was having to imagine this for someone he loved and could see why it would be nearly impossible to take in.