shouted at me holding his hand up. “A tornado hit this house. We’re going to have to send a rescue crew down to bring you both out. You were very lucky today,” he said.
“Did he say lucky?” I said angrily as I walked away from the stairs. “Lucky that my new house, the only place I have to live, is now destroyed?” I faced away from Tanner, aware that the tears were on their way.
“Yes, lucky, Shannon. We’re alive,” Tanner said putting his hands on both of my shoulders.
“I need to call Courtney… see if she is okay,” I said stepping away from Tanner enough to cause his hands to drop to his sides.
“The storm wasn’t tracking near Atlanta. I’m sure she’s fine. But, she is probably very worried about you,” Tanner said.
“We’ve got a rescue crew on the way. Just hang tight, folks,” the officer yelled down to us.
A little bit later, the crew arrived and used a harness system to bring us both up the stairs. I went first, followed by Tanner. When we got to the top of the stairs, neither of us was prepared for what we saw.
The top floor of the house was severely damaged. Over one hundred years of history was wiped away in moments. There was major water damage on the main floor, and the roof was sheared away in several areas.
“You realize this house is not habitable now, ma’m?” the officer asked me.
“Yes. I understand…” I said, mouth still gaping open in shock. My furniture was ruined. What little I had brought with me was either gone altogether or damaged beyond repair.
I felt like a black cloud had made its home above my head. Had John somehow orchestrated this tornado to steal more of my life away?
“Who is the owner of this home?” the officer asked me as we stepped away to have a conversation.
Tanner continued to walk around the living room and kitchen, looking up and down. While I talked with the officer, I could see the pain in Tanner’s face. He loved that old house, and he was just as devastated as I was.
I finished up with the officer just in time to hear excitement in Tanner’s voice.
“Shannon! Look!” he was pointing out the back window toward the guest house. I looked and saw the most amazing sight. The guest house and barn were still standing as if the tornado had skipped right over them.
“Oh my goodness! I can’t believe it. They don’t look like they were hit at all. Tanner, how wonderful for you. Your home survived,” I said touching his shoulder.
“Our home,” he said turning around and smiling.
“What are you talking about?”
“You need a new place to live, right?” Tanner grinned like a schoolboy.
“Um, no… I will go live with my sister…” I started to say.
“Shannon, stay here. Build your new life here. Let me help you have fun again…” he pleaded with me. “I will be a good boy. I promise. No funny business.” Why didn’t I believe him?
Chapter 13
Against my better judgment, I told Tanner I would take him up on his offer to move in. The guest house only had one bedroom, but he offered to sleep on the pull-out sofa bed.
It took a couple of hours for the police to finish up their work and instruct us on what to do. I called Parker to let him know what happened. He was none too happy that he would have to deal with the contractors and insurance company if he wanted the repair work done. Honestly, I wasn’t concerned about it. After all, it wasn’t my house anyway.
I called Courtney, who was beside herself with worry. She was moving to her dorm the next day, so I assured her that I was fine. I never mentioned Tanner. Just told her I was moving into the guest house for the time being.
Tanner prepared dinner that night again. It was grilled chicken with barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes and black eyed peas. I loved his Southern cooking. It made me feel at home. Cared about. Wanted.
We piled onto the sofa after
“Did he say lucky?” I said angrily as I walked away from the stairs. “Lucky that my new house, the only place I have to live, is now destroyed?” I faced away from Tanner, aware that the tears were on their way.
“Yes, lucky, Shannon. We’re alive,” Tanner said putting his hands on both of my shoulders.
“I need to call Courtney… see if she is okay,” I said stepping away from Tanner enough to cause his hands to drop to his sides.
“The storm wasn’t tracking near Atlanta. I’m sure she’s fine. But, she is probably very worried about you,” Tanner said.
“We’ve got a rescue crew on the way. Just hang tight, folks,” the officer yelled down to us.
A little bit later, the crew arrived and used a harness system to bring us both up the stairs. I went first, followed by Tanner. When we got to the top of the stairs, neither of us was prepared for what we saw.
The top floor of the house was severely damaged. Over one hundred years of history was wiped away in moments. There was major water damage on the main floor, and the roof was sheared away in several areas.
“You realize this house is not habitable now, ma’m?” the officer asked me.
“Yes. I understand…” I said, mouth still gaping open in shock. My furniture was ruined. What little I had brought with me was either gone altogether or damaged beyond repair.
I felt like a black cloud had made its home above my head. Had John somehow orchestrated this tornado to steal more of my life away?
“Who is the owner of this home?” the officer asked me as we stepped away to have a conversation.
Tanner continued to walk around the living room and kitchen, looking up and down. While I talked with the officer, I could see the pain in Tanner’s face. He loved that old house, and he was just as devastated as I was.
I finished up with the officer just in time to hear excitement in Tanner’s voice.
“Shannon! Look!” he was pointing out the back window toward the guest house. I looked and saw the most amazing sight. The guest house and barn were still standing as if the tornado had skipped right over them.
“Oh my goodness! I can’t believe it. They don’t look like they were hit at all. Tanner, how wonderful for you. Your home survived,” I said touching his shoulder.
“Our home,” he said turning around and smiling.
“What are you talking about?”
“You need a new place to live, right?” Tanner grinned like a schoolboy.
“Um, no… I will go live with my sister…” I started to say.
“Shannon, stay here. Build your new life here. Let me help you have fun again…” he pleaded with me. “I will be a good boy. I promise. No funny business.” Why didn’t I believe him?
Chapter 13
Against my better judgment, I told Tanner I would take him up on his offer to move in. The guest house only had one bedroom, but he offered to sleep on the pull-out sofa bed.
It took a couple of hours for the police to finish up their work and instruct us on what to do. I called Parker to let him know what happened. He was none too happy that he would have to deal with the contractors and insurance company if he wanted the repair work done. Honestly, I wasn’t concerned about it. After all, it wasn’t my house anyway.
I called Courtney, who was beside herself with worry. She was moving to her dorm the next day, so I assured her that I was fine. I never mentioned Tanner. Just told her I was moving into the guest house for the time being.
Tanner prepared dinner that night again. It was grilled chicken with barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes and black eyed peas. I loved his Southern cooking. It made me feel at home. Cared about. Wanted.
We piled onto the sofa after
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