Chapter 13: Home
They say that the storms move in when we least expect it. Life can be perfect and the next thing you know everything falls apart. They come when we aren't looking, they tear the covers off of our grills, the branches from our trees and occasionally we encounter a storm so strong, it tears the people we love from our lives.
Evelyn's whole body hurt when she let out a cough that nearly knocked the breath out of her. She lifted her head off of the hard floor and realized she had passed out in the living room of John's South Carolina beach house. She had been there for only a week and one week had been enough to change her. She knew hanging out with a band during their time off would be a big party but she greatly underestimated how tightly the party life would grab onto her. She was glad she was so far away from home because her parents would be so disappointed if they could see her now. She pushed herself up off the ground and adjusted the white dress she had on the night before. Evelyn passed a mirror and almost threw up over her appearance. Her face had become dark and sullen. Her eyes were surrounded by black circles, not only from unwashed eyeliner and lack of sleep but from the alcohol. It was as if it had seeped through her skin and latched around her face like a demon. She pulled her hair back into a pony tail and gently pushed open the sliding glass door, careful not to wake those around her. The sand felt cold as her bare feet seeped down into the ground. Evelyn looked out over the ocean and realized just how homesick she really was.
It was embarrassing the way she had acted over the past seven days but for some reason she felt as if she needed to justify it to herself. She loved John she did but just not quite in the way she thought she had before. His decision to leave and time had pushed her away from him though it seemed as if the time had only made him love her more. He had been careful not to take advantage of her but she could see the love in his eyes every time he looked at her. It wasn't fair for her to be there, not when she wanted be with Mike though she didn't even know if that was possible anymore. Evelyn was sure her Mother had told him where she was. Evelyn had sent him a picture of herself and a short letter earlier in the week and tried to call him every day but she never got an answer. She wished more than anything that Detective Shepherd would call and tell her that she could go home.
She escaped actually having to speak to talk to John about his feelings or having to deal with the pain of her father and Mike by drinking. Tequila shot after vodka gimlet after beer kept her partying with the best of them. This particular morning though she was clear headed and realized what she was doing to herself. She had done to her best to avoid life by doing the same thing she had condemned her grandmother for so many times.
"Evelyn!" she heard John yell from behind her. She didn't want to turn around and look him in the face. "Evelyn Stop" he said panting by the time he got to her. "You about ready to go? The guys are cleaning up back there. Texas here we come?" he said smiling enthusiastically.
"Yeah" she said dredging up the biggest pile of fake enthusiasm she could. "I am ready. Off to the lone star state!" They were headed out to visit a band member's family and give Evelyn yet another location to be homesick in.
John's smile quickly faded. "Evelyn are you okay?"
"I am fine, just tired. That was quite the party last night"
"Yeah, it was" he said not quite believing her.
"Listen, I am going to call my Mom really quick before we leave and let her know we are heading out" she said taking a step back to head towards the payphone.
"Do you want me to go with you?" John asked.
"No that's alright. I will only be a second". With that she walked away and felt his eyes on her back. She hated how he knew her so well, knew where there was something wrong even when she tried to hide it. "I'm with Mike, I'm with Mike" she just kept reminding herself.
She made it to the payphone and picked it up for the last time. She smiled when her mother answered the phone. "Hey Mama, how are you?"
Back in Fairview Lynette smiled when she heard the clarity in her daughter's voice. "I am good baby. You sound better today, not so out of it". She had tried her best to call her mother during the sober points of her day if there was one. Obviously her mother had caught on to the change in her demeanor.
"I feel better today. I just wanted to call and let you know we should be in Texas by tomorrow". The phone got silent and she could hear the kids carrying on in the background. "It sounds like you have your hands full there".
Lynette let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, there is a tornado warning for the area and the kids are acting like the world is ending".
Evelyn laughed and smiled, wishing she was there to help. "Well I know I am not supposed to stay on the phone long, detectives orders, I just wanted to check in and let you know what was going on. Don't blow away" she said jokingly.
"We won't and you call me as soon as you get to where you are staying."
"I will Mom. I love you"
There was a brief moment of silence as if Lynette was tuning the words over in her mind before she said. "I love you too sweetie" and before Evelyn could respond Lynette had hung up the phone. She never liked to talk long; it drudged up too much pain. Evelyn sighed and placed the phone on the receiver before heading back to the beach house to pack up her things.
The ride from Rodanthe to El Paso seemed to take days though in all actuality it had only been one. Tommy had insisted they drive through the night so after three fast food meals on the road everyone was ready to stop and stretch their legs. They arrived at a small diner on the side of the interstate just before everyone starting eating the furniture. Evelyn stepped off the bus and smiled at the change of scenery. The dry air was quite a contrast from the salty air of the Carolinas. Where there had once been a sea of shops and boardwalks was now a vast Texas desert and groups of cacti. She stepped inside the small diner and slid into the first booth she could find while the guys settled into the bar and examined the plethora of pie that lie behind the 1950 glass case near the register. John turned around and smiled at her as he grabbed a menu out from between a set of salt and pepper shakers. Mark settled in across from Evelyn, obviously he didn't take the hint that by separating herself from the others she didn't really feel like talking.
"Not much for conversation this morning?" Mark said as he pulled out a menu.
Well maybe he did take the hint he just didn't care she thought to herself.
"Just tired, it's been a long week" she said looking around for a waitress. As if on cue a bubbly young girl in her teens appeared at the end of their table requesting a drink order.
"Coffee" Mark and Evelyn said simultaneously causing the young girl to laugh before she walked away.
"Tired and homesick huh?" Mark asked placing his right arm across the top of the booth.
"Yeah, when you are around the same people for 23 years of your life, it gets hard to be away you know?"
"Do you see the kind of lifestyle I live? Of course I know" he replied smiling. The waitress sat down two cups in front of them and filled them with coffee before promising she would be back in a minute for a food order.
"Why do you do it then?" Evelyn asked with little bit of venom mixed with curiosity. She couldn't understand why anyone would want to be away from their family this many days out of the year.
Mark sat back as he thought about it for a moment. "I don't really have much left. My wife left when it came between staying with me and going to Europe to work and we never had children. She didn't want them". Evelyn immediately regretted the way she had phrased her question.
"I am sorry Mark, I had no idea".
"It's alright, it's usually easy for the ones who don't to judge. Usually when they see a bunch of older guys in a band they automatically assume I have left my family behind to pursue some foolish dream". Evelyn softly smiled at him in understanding before their silence was broken by a yell from the counter.
"Turn that up!" she heard John say and everyone was quickly pulled in to the newscast on TV.
"While rescue crews are trying to make their way through the rubble, the Fairview police department has received hundreds of calls from people trapped below the debris of their home" the reporter announced.
Evelyn immediately jumped up from her seat and moved closer to the television.
"As you can see perhaps the area most affecting by the F-4 tornado was the Oakland subdivision and particularly Wisteria Lane".
Evelyn thought she was going to vomit. The camera was too far away to see her home but she saw 's house completely flattened in the background and that was enough to make her panic.
"I need a phone, please" Evelyn said quickly. The woman on the other side of the counter quickly obliged. She didn't notice John jump out of his seat and run out to the bus.
She quickly dialed her house and all she got was a busy signal. "Damn it" she said. She felt Mark put one hand on her back and place another on her shoulder in support but it didn't slow her down. She dialed Mike, her mother's cell phone, the pizzeria, Susan's house and Bree and nothing. All of the phone lines must have been down. "I've got to get home, what if something happened to my mom and the kids?"
"I am sure they are all okay" Mark said, but when Evelyn caught his eyes glance back up at the TV she knew he wasn't sure.
She felt John grab hold of her arm and pull. "Come on let's go".
"What?" she asked confused.
"You're not going to get a flight in there this quickly. Its 8 hours from here to Fairview, your stuff if loaded on the back of the bike, let's go".
Evelyn just stared at him for a moment before jumping into his arms. "Thank you". When she pulled away she caught a smile on John's face. She didn't know anyone else who would be so quick or so happy to help her. She quickly hugged everyone and quickly kissed Mark on the cheek before heading outside with John. The warm air hit her like a brick once more and she sighed and did her best to keep it together while she strapped on a helmet and wrapped her arms around John's waist.
The ride to California was quicker than Evelyn anticipated. She stayed clinging to John's waist as he wove in and out of traffic and tested the speed limit the whole way. John made an 8 hour drive in 6 and once they hit the outskirts of Fairview it began to pour. Evelyn was soaked and shaking by the time she made it to her neighborhood. He drove very slowly through all of the debris, the destruction was unimaginable. Night had fallen which hid a lot of it, Evelyn knew it would look worse in the morning. From what she could see houses had been flattened, their shingles tossed into the street. Children's toys hung from the trees and cars lie upside down in the middle of the road. Emergency vehicles and ambulances had covered the street so John and Evelyn parked the bike near the Solis house and made their way through the crowd on foot. Evelyn caught the first sigh of relief when saw Bree.
"Bree!" Evelyn yelled over all of the noise. Bree turned around and in all that desolation she somehow managed to smile. Evelyn ran and clung to Bree so hard she almost knocked her over.
"Oh, Evelyn" Bree said through tears as she ran her hands through Evelyn's hair. "I have missed you so much".
Evelyn pulled back but kept her hands on Bree's arm. There was a moment of silence before Evelyn could finally manage to say. "Is my Mom alright? Where are the kids?"
"They are fine. Come with me."
Evelyn turned to look at John and he motioned for her to go, walking a little ways behind them. They stopped at near Katherine Mayfair's nearly demolished vehicle and Evelyn saw exactly what she was searching for. There was her mother, clutching tight to a cup of coffee in the multi-colored scarf the kids had bought her and Evelyn's white Columbia jacket.
Evelyn took a few steps forward. Susan was standing next to her mother with her arm around her and nudged her in the elbow when she spotted Evelyn first. Lynette turned around and dropped her cup of coffee to the ground when she saw her daughter for the first time. "Oh my God" she cried before she buried her face deep in her daughters hair.
"I was so worried about you" Evelyn said in tears and she clung tight to her mother.
"McClusky's house just collapsed and I was supposed to be there with the kids but Ida's cat got out…" she tried to say through her tears.
"The kids are under there?" Evelyn said pulling back.
"No, I mean they were but they are fine. The front yard and a few windows took a hit but our house is okay. They are all camping out in the living room. …It all happened so fast Evelyn; we didn't know it was going to be this bad".
"Your face" Evelyn said softy and traced a cut on her forehead and at the corner of her mouth.
"I am fine, we are all okay. I am so glad you are home" she said hugging Evelyn once more. "It feels like you have been gone forever".
"I know, but I am here now. I don't care what that stupid detective says I am staying I am not going back I want to stay her with you".
"It's okay" Lynette said reassuring her daughter. "You don't have to go". Evelyn turned to the side not letting go of her mother's hand. She saw Mrs. McClusky speaking to Katherine, saw Susan talking to Edie and Bree had stepped back and was speaking to Orson. She searched methodically through the crowd but couldn't find the face she was looking for.
"Mama, where is Mike?"
The sudden loss of color in Lynette's face told Evelyn everything she needed to know.
Storms come and pass. They unleash the rain, the lightening, and eventually the thunder booms. It's usually a quick storm, but there are those that inevitably stick with us forever.