Tornado

I woke up on a hard surface. I had something soft under my head and something warm on top of me. I opened my eyes, recognizing Zachary’s office. Ryder was sitting across from me, frowning as he tried to read. He kept rubbing his eyes, though. His face was pale.

“It wasn’t a nightmare, was it?” I asked in a hoarse voice.

He jumped a little and shook his head. I closed my eyes tightly and tried not to cry more. I heard him move closer and pull me into a hug. A jacket fell off of me and I realized he must have put it over me after Zachary got me to the floor. Sobs tore through my body but I didn’t want to let them go.

“It’ll only hurt more,” he whispered. “Go ahead and cry.”

“I’m tired of crying,” I sobbed.

He rubbed my back as I buried my face into his shoulder. A few tears leaked out but I was mostly tired. Then my phone rang but I couldn’t find it.

“Here,” he said softly and passed it to me.

“Hello?” I said through a stuffy nose.

“Oh, June!” Lisa sobbed.

Hearing her cry only made it worse, and I finally let it go. Ryder held me tightly as I cried.

“Are… are you okay?” I managed.

“Yes. Jennifer and I got to our shelter. The restaurant-” We both started sobbing again. “Are you at home? I’ll come visit.”

“No. I’m at United Reach. Ryder brought me to Zachary.”

“Do you want us to come there?”

“The streets are a disaster,” I said. “I don’t want you to risk driving in that.”

“How did you guys get to the hospital?”

“A storm chaser saw us walking. He took back roads that I didn’t even know about.”

“Okay. Call me when you can.”

“I will. Bye Lisa.”

I hung up and rested back against Ryder.

“Is she okay?” he asked and I nodded. “I thought storm chasers had special vehicles.”

“A lot of people in Oklahoma are chasers,” I answered, rubbing my eyes tiredly. “Random citizens that enjoy the thrill. From the sound of his accent, he’s from farther to the west. That must have been where the tornado came from.”

“His car didn’t seem very sturdy, though. What if he got sucked in?”

“That’s what they like about it,” I shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Ryder,” I whispered and his arms tightened around me. “Where’s Zachary?”

“He opened the hospital to anyone who was injured. He’s down there organizing it all now. Do you want him?”

I shook my head, my face red. “Stay with me, please. Just for a little while.”

I felt him put his head on mine. “As long as you need me to be.”

-

Zachary returned to the office about an hour later, carrying lunch for the three of us. His hair was on end and he looked slightly harassed.

“This tornado was as bad as the other one,” he sighed, handing us Styrofoam boxes. “It’s cafeteria food,” he added. “They’re working overtime there.”

I picked at the bread roll, not really hungry.

“You have to eat,” Ryder whispered.

“He’s right, Juniper,” Zachary said gently. “You’ll only make yourself sick.”

I sighed and took a bite of the spaghetti. We ate in silence, all reflecting on the morning’s events.

“I didn’t even know there was one in the makings,” I said, wiping spaghetti sauce off my face with a napkin. “Usually we know at least an hour before.”

“From what I’ve gathered, they thought it wouldn’t touch down.”

I sighed again, my appetite gone. I put the box on his desk and drew my knees up to my chest. I didn’t know what I was going to do. Though I hadn’t told anyone, the owner was about to give me the restaurant. Well, that wouldn’t be happening anymore.

I put my head on my knees and took a few steadying breaths.

“Maybe I shouldn’t live here anymore,” I mumbled to myself.

“Don’t talk like that,” Zachary said firmly.

“It feels like, every time there’s a tornado, it hits something I love.”

I felt two hands on my back and knew it was both of them. Zachary kissed my head.

“You can work here until you find something else,” he said softly.

I nodded. “Is there a more comfortable place I can sleep?” I muttered.

“Yeah,” Zachary whispered and led me down the hall to a room that was used mostly for storage.

I realized I was still wearing Ryder’s jacket as Zachary showed me to a couch that they hadn’t used in a while. I curled up and Zachary turned the light off, closing the door to give me privacy. I pulled the jacket close to me, enjoying the smell of his cologne, before finally drifting into an uneasy sleep.

-

“Do you need a ride home?” Zachary asked later that evening.

“No, it’s okay. You’re needed here,” I told him, looking around the busy lobby. “I’ll walk. It’s not too awfully far and it’ll give me time to think.”

“Okay,” he said and pulled me into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry, my dear.”

“Thanks,” I murmured and waved good bye.

I made it to the first stop light when, again, I realized I was still in Ryder’s jacket. During my sleep I must have put my arms through the sleeves. I was going to turn around to give it back but a car pulled up in front of me.

“Come on, June.” It was Matt. I stared at him. “I went by the restaurant. I’ll take you home.”

I was tempted until another car I recognized as Lisa’s pulled up. She got out and stormed over to his car. To my surprise, she slapped him through the driver’s side window.

“Leave her alone!” she screamed.

She grabbed my hand and took me to her car. I got in the passenger’s side and stared at the window as she pulled back out, flipping Matt off as we passed by him. She took a few back roads, too, until we got to the back of my apartment complex. She walked with me to my apartment and opened the door.

I let out a small sob. All of my employees were gathered in the living area, their eyes red and their faces lost.

“Hey everyone,” I said in a thick voice. Lisa closed the door and passed around shots of rum. We all tossed them back. “So, I know you’re probably lost and… and confused about where we go from here.”

“We know what we’re going to do,” Eduardo interrupted and I frowned. He stood in front of me, gesturing for Lisa to pour another shot. “We’re going to rebuild the restaurant. All of us.”

I looked around at them all. They were all nodding and standing up, too. I choked back a sob as Theresa held up her shot glass.

“To Mama’s Southern Cookin’,” she whispered and we did the same.

I tossed back the shot and stared at them. Their support broke me and I covered my face with my hands. They gathered around me and hugged me.

“We were told yesterday evening it’s your restaurant now,” I heard one of the line cooks, Marcus, say quietly. “We’re with you, Juniper. No matter what happens, we’re with you.”

I fell to my knees, overwhelmed.