Read Online Every Storm by Lori Wick - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Love Stories, War & Military, War stories, Religious, Christian, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE, Survival After Airplane Accidents; Shipwrecks; Etc, Americans - Oceania, World War; 1939-1945 - Naval Operations; American
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to imagine any longer what battle looked like. She had become an eyewitness. She had ridden the waves of a PT boat under attack, both from the enemy and
72
miihthe elements. She had tasted the death of a loved one, much the
M! misame way any of these men might be asked to part with a fellow
sailor.
And not a word out of her. Other than feeling as though she needed a bath at an inopportune time, she had been almost invis ible. Not in the physical sense, of course-every man was aware of her-but she made no demands and was thankful for the small
est
act of kindness.
Rigg's mind ran with all of these thoughts as he waited for her to come from the officer's head. He knew his pride was on the line this day and would have freely admitted to anyone that he planned to deliver the admiral's granddaughter in the best shape he could. Just last night she had spent the night losing what little she held, and today he wanted her strong enough to walk off his boat.
Rigg was suddenly aware that the singing had stopped. He stood ready, his eyes on the door. Sure enough, she came out a few seconds later.
"Did I take too long?" were the first words from Lord's mouth.
"No, but I wanted to make sure you're all right."
Tm a little tired is all."
She was more than that, but Rigg didn't comment out loud. She was pale and still painfully thin, her eyes standing out like a frightened doe's.
"Ellis has made a good breakfast for you. We should be in port in about two hours, and I want you to be at your best."
"My grandfather will be there?"
"I'm not sure about that."
"You didn't get word to him?"
73
73
"We did send word, and maybe it reached him. But then the storm hit, and we haven't heard back."
"That's right," Lorri said, speaking her thoughts. "You don't know where he is, do you?"
Rigg smiled before saying, "Navy admirals don't usually check in with me."
Lorri smiled as well. She felt hungry and a little lightheaded, but she was close now-closer than she ever hoped to be.
"Go ahead and eat," Rigg urged her.
"I need to wash the fatigues I used."
"Don't worry about that right now."
Til take care of it after I eat."
Rigg didn't comment on this, but he planned to let her do no such thing. It was the least of their worries.
Seaford Naval Station
Dean Archer paced the confines of Captain Dunlap's office, thinking he might lose his mind if he had to wait any longer. He didn't let himself think about how close the call had been. Within the hour he'd been scheduled to head back out to sea. He'd been headed home to see Ruth and Max, knowing they needed him close. But then word had come. Lorraine was alive. Josephine was not returning.
It had never once occurred to him that only one of the girls would come home. In his mind he welcomed or mourned them both. That the pilot had died as well was almost more than his heart could take. What had Lorri been through? What had she survived? Would she ever be the same again?
74
Lori Wick
"I'm going for a walk, Captain," Dean said abruptly, desperate to divert his thoughts.
"Yes, sir."
Til be in plain sight and not far away."
"I'll find you, sir."
Halfway hoping the other man would tell him it would be better to stay, Dean made himself walk out the door.
Every Storm was headed to dock in an out-of the-way spot. All the men had come topside and were lined up, ready to speak with Lorri. She moved carefully on the shifting deck, Rigg and Lionel nearby.
"Thank you, Ellis," she told the cook. "Everything you did- it was so kind. I can't thank you enough."
"It was nothing, Miss Archer. You just get home and have a good life."
Lorri smiled at him and moved on. She shook the hand of each man, thanked each one, but took extra time with the men she knew a little better.
"One last picture?" Click asked, holding his Brownie in place, unaware that Lorri had not noticed how often he used it.
"Sure," she said with a smile, and Click made a few of the men laugh with his enthusiasm. He took great
72
miihthe elements. She had tasted the death of a loved one, much the
M! misame way any of these men might be asked to part with a fellow
sailor.
And not a word out of her. Other than feeling as though she needed a bath at an inopportune time, she had been almost invis ible. Not in the physical sense, of course-every man was aware of her-but she made no demands and was thankful for the small
est
act of kindness.
Rigg's mind ran with all of these thoughts as he waited for her to come from the officer's head. He knew his pride was on the line this day and would have freely admitted to anyone that he planned to deliver the admiral's granddaughter in the best shape he could. Just last night she had spent the night losing what little she held, and today he wanted her strong enough to walk off his boat.
Rigg was suddenly aware that the singing had stopped. He stood ready, his eyes on the door. Sure enough, she came out a few seconds later.
"Did I take too long?" were the first words from Lord's mouth.
"No, but I wanted to make sure you're all right."
Tm a little tired is all."
She was more than that, but Rigg didn't comment out loud. She was pale and still painfully thin, her eyes standing out like a frightened doe's.
"Ellis has made a good breakfast for you. We should be in port in about two hours, and I want you to be at your best."
"My grandfather will be there?"
"I'm not sure about that."
"You didn't get word to him?"
73
73
"We did send word, and maybe it reached him. But then the storm hit, and we haven't heard back."
"That's right," Lorri said, speaking her thoughts. "You don't know where he is, do you?"
Rigg smiled before saying, "Navy admirals don't usually check in with me."
Lorri smiled as well. She felt hungry and a little lightheaded, but she was close now-closer than she ever hoped to be.
"Go ahead and eat," Rigg urged her.
"I need to wash the fatigues I used."
"Don't worry about that right now."
Til take care of it after I eat."
Rigg didn't comment on this, but he planned to let her do no such thing. It was the least of their worries.
Seaford Naval Station
Dean Archer paced the confines of Captain Dunlap's office, thinking he might lose his mind if he had to wait any longer. He didn't let himself think about how close the call had been. Within the hour he'd been scheduled to head back out to sea. He'd been headed home to see Ruth and Max, knowing they needed him close. But then word had come. Lorraine was alive. Josephine was not returning.
It had never once occurred to him that only one of the girls would come home. In his mind he welcomed or mourned them both. That the pilot had died as well was almost more than his heart could take. What had Lorri been through? What had she survived? Would she ever be the same again?
74
Lori Wick
"I'm going for a walk, Captain," Dean said abruptly, desperate to divert his thoughts.
"Yes, sir."
Til be in plain sight and not far away."
"I'll find you, sir."
Halfway hoping the other man would tell him it would be better to stay, Dean made himself walk out the door.
Every Storm was headed to dock in an out-of the-way spot. All the men had come topside and were lined up, ready to speak with Lorri. She moved carefully on the shifting deck, Rigg and Lionel nearby.
"Thank you, Ellis," she told the cook. "Everything you did- it was so kind. I can't thank you enough."
"It was nothing, Miss Archer. You just get home and have a good life."
Lorri smiled at him and moved on. She shook the hand of each man, thanked each one, but took extra time with the men she knew a little better.
"One last picture?" Click asked, holding his Brownie in place, unaware that Lorri had not noticed how often he used it.
"Sure," she said with a smile, and Click made a few of the men laugh with his enthusiasm. He took great
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