#513
Bruce and Tom were rousted out of their rooms and parked by the front and back doors with rifles. Tom tried his charm on Tilly, wheedling cookies with a pitiful puppy dog look that made the cook laugh.
The triplets washed their hands and went into the cookie making business, keeping wary eyes on Tom, as he was new; and they were a little shy. Talking almost non stop, Tom was doing his best to get the boys warmed up and in a generous cookie sharing mood.
Clora stood deep in the shadows of the hallway, eyes closed, senses open and keenly attuned to the swirling thoughts circling in her mind. Tess looked at her mother with a questioning frown, her own mind a curious empty blank. Tess was getting and thinking nothing, and it was very apparent that Clora was deep in thought about the impending danger.
Clora could feel that the danger was going to happen tonight, but there was no what, when or where that was discernable.
Milo and his family were the first of the men to arrive. Honey looked very frazzled, scanning frantically over the stash of their belongings for important items. "I need more diapers and the baby food grinder, I don't see a heavy coat for Robbie, or gloves for any of us. Robbie, would you please stay with Mila, while Dad escorts me home. I know where everything is, we shouldn't be gone long." Honey was almost out of breath as she and Milo went out the door at a trot.
Toby was a half hour later, coming in as Milo and Honey held the door open. Rennie looked less than thrilled at the confusion of the family get together.
Clora looked at her oldest daughter in law's set face and smiled gently in remembrance of herself, and the fact that she preferred to be in charge, in her own house.
"The rooms will be the same as before," Clora called out, and left the families to sort out their belongings. Big came to the front door and tapped with his foot, his long arms full of coffee sacks. Robbie was hired as door man and all hands went to unload the wagon.
Clora took a sack of the green coffee beans and handed them to Tilly. "Let's have some real coffee. Do you know how to roast the beans?"
Tilly nodded and gave the bean sack a loving pat. It was so much like Clora would have reacted, that Tess just shook her head, and sat down the armful she had brought in.
Tess worked hard carrying in items while she put together a list of items she needed to bring from her apartment. Telling Clora, who had moved over to take Robbies place as door person, "I've got to get somethings from the apartment."
Clora nodded and the grocery chain continued to bring items to the house.
It was noted and commented on; that the weather was changing. Thick clouds were piling up in the sky, the wind increased and the air was taking on the peculiar shade of roiling yellow proceeding a violent weather event.
Tess was back in the house, perturbed at the portending weather. "Ma, are we gonna have another tornado? It;s getting down right spooky out there."
"Possibly, I'm not sure what's going on, If I yell basement, I want everyone on the move."
An hour later, the wagon unloaded, the retreat secured as much as possible, all were in except for Wyatt who refused Tesse's pleadings that he come to the house.
"I'm fine, nothing is going to happen I just get exhilarated by storms, that's all." was his excuse as he sent Tess back into the house. Wyatt was firm that Tess not be out there with him, and on the way back, Tess had the most awful thought.
"He's out there to show raiders the way in and not be shot in a fire fight, isn't he?"
Tess whispered miserably. "How does he know they are coming tonight; has he been in touch with someone? What does he know?" she cried.
There was silence in the kitchen and dining room. If Wyatt was in league with the brutal raiders, he deserved to die.
Clora and Mark locked eyes and Clora nodded slightly, telling Mark that Wyatt was guilty as sin.