Read Online Every Storm by Lori Wick - Free Book Online Page B
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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delight in lining everyone up, positioning people just so, and making them stand there for at least five takes.
They were docking by the time he was done, but Lorri didn't hurry. She took time to thank the rest of the crew, with special words for Lionel, Jack, and Hugh, and then turned to accompany Lieutenant Riggs ashore.
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"Are you all right?" Rigg asked as soon as he could.
"Just a little shaky all of a sudden."
"Ellis tells me you didn't eat much."
"I tried," Lorri said apologetically.
She was pale, her dark hair accenting that fact, but Rigg decided not to worry about it. Her grandfather wasn't going to care how she looked, and Rigg had only one goal at the moment: to see her safely to that man. Even if the admiral wasn't there, he still knew she would be safer at Seaford than on the boat.
Lorri was vaguely aware of the eyes that watched them. Rigg walked her onto the dock and then toward a building and an office. He held the door for her to go inside and waited for her to precede him. The sailor inside had heard about the admiral's situation, and he was swift to make a call to his superior. More calls were made, and in moments Captain Dunlap and an aide were running for a jeep, intent on finding the admiral on his walk.
Lorri sat inside the office and looked out the window. She didn't want to cry but felt tears threatening nonetheless. She had made it. She had made it safely to land where telephones worked and the world didn't rock with every whim of the sea.
She was trying not to think about all that had brought her here when her grandfather walked past. Lorri came to her feet, swaying a little.
"Are you all right?" Rigg asked.
"That was my grandfather," she got out just before her eyes rolled back in her head.
76
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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77
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."
78
"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
They were docking by the time he was done, but Lorri didn't hurry. She took time to thank the rest of the crew, with special words for Lionel, Jack, and Hugh, and then turned to accompany Lieutenant Riggs ashore.
75
75
"Are you all right?" Rigg asked as soon as he could.
"Just a little shaky all of a sudden."
"Ellis tells me you didn't eat much."
"I tried," Lorri said apologetically.
She was pale, her dark hair accenting that fact, but Rigg decided not to worry about it. Her grandfather wasn't going to care how she looked, and Rigg had only one goal at the moment: to see her safely to that man. Even if the admiral wasn't there, he still knew she would be safer at Seaford than on the boat.
Lorri was vaguely aware of the eyes that watched them. Rigg walked her onto the dock and then toward a building and an office. He held the door for her to go inside and waited for her to precede him. The sailor inside had heard about the admiral's situation, and he was swift to make a call to his superior. More calls were made, and in moments Captain Dunlap and an aide were running for a jeep, intent on finding the admiral on his walk.
Lorri sat inside the office and looked out the window. She didn't want to cry but felt tears threatening nonetheless. She had made it. She had made it safely to land where telephones worked and the world didn't rock with every whim of the sea.
She was trying not to think about all that had brought her here when her grandfather walked past. Lorri came to her feet, swaying a little.
"Are you all right?" Rigg asked.
"That was my grandfather," she got out just before her eyes rolled back in her head.
76
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
77
77
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."
78
"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
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