Chapter 5
The next morning...
Jordan slowly woke up. Charlie was still asleep. She carefully untangled herself from him. He woke up. "Where are you going?"
She kissed him. "Bathroom and coffee." He nodded and closed his eyes. She scooted out of the bed.
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Ten minutes later, Jordan crawled back into the bed. Charlie briefly opened one eye. "Hey," he said, pulling her close, and closed his eyes again.
Jordan snuggled him. "I fixed you some coffee." She whispered.
Charlie didn't move. "I know. I smell it." He opened his eyes. "Tempting me with caffeine, huh?" He smiled.
"Tempting you is fun," Jordan grinned. Charlie chuckled, and he sat up and stretched. He reached for his coffee.
"Let's get in the pool." Jordan suggested.
"Now?"
"Sure, why not? It'll wake you up."
He laughed. "Why not?"
Jordan happily jumped up, and grabbed their swimsuits.
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Jordan stepped into the back yard. She stopped in her tracks. Charlie came up behind her, and nuzzled her cheek and kissed her. Normally, Jordan loved kisses from a scruffy, unshaven Charlie, but she didn't move. Charlie looked at her. "Jordan?"
"Charlie, 'look'."
Charlie stopped, and looked. It was eerily calm. There were low gray clouds, and no wind. The palm fronds were motionless. Charlie realized there were no birds singing. Nothing. He looked at Jordan. She turned, and ran back into the cottage, plugging in the television, and turned it on.
Charlie stood next to his wife, and watched the weather forecast. The hurricane was now a category 3. The hurricane would not be a direct hit, but it would come close. They were having voluntary evacuations. They showed a mass exodus of traffic, bumper to bumper, lined up for miles. The airport was closed. Businesses were closed, and the owners were nailing up plywood over all the windows.
Charlie looked over at Jordan. She looked scared. She looked at him, and grabbed his hand. "We've got to hurry." Quickly they changed into jeans and tee shirts, and Jordan bolted out the back door. Charlie followed. They gathered everything from outside not secured. They sank the lawn chairs and patio table into the pool.
Jordan came inside and found a roll of masking tape. She started taping up all the windows. Charlie watched. "Jordan, why are you taping the windows?"
"We always did. It keeps shattered glass from flying."
Charlie shook his head. "That won't work. With winds at 130 mph, taping is not going to keep glass from flying out."
Jordan looked at him, feeling herself getting angry. "I'm taping these windows. We 'always' taped the windows. I've 'got' to do something! It's too late to leave." She realized she was yelling at him. She stopped. "Charlie, I'm sorry."
"I know you're scared."
Jordan stopped taping. "That's not a good reason. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." He looked at her understandingly.
Jordan looked into his eyes sadly, then turned, and continued taping the windows. Charlie found another roll of tape and helped her.
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Alan Eppes stood in the den, watching the weather. He was worried. He had tried calling Charlie several times, but he kept getting his voice mail. He hoped his son and daughter-in-law were safe.
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Jordan filled every pitcher and jar she could find with water. She lined them up on the counter. She looked in the cabinets, and was relieved to find a few canned goods, a large box of matches, and a box of emergency candles. She went into the bathroom, cleaned the bathtub, and filled it full of water. They would need that for flushing the toilet, and for bathing.
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Charlie stood on the back porch and watched. The wind gusts had started. Charlie watched the trees, observing the degree they were bending to. Loud claps of thunder made him jump. Charlie stepped back into the cottage. He looked at Jordan. "I'd better call Dad."
