Solar Storm: Book 5: Solar Storm, #5

PART 1

SEASON 2: EPISODE V

RECOVERY

CHAPTER ONE

Leah Cantrell looked down at her hands and closed her eyes, willing them to stop trembling. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen Thom’s injured face before, why was the sight of all that bruising still affecting her so much? In the couple of days since the rescue mission, Leah had largely hovered in the background while Meri and Kate tended to Thom and Mac’s wounds. Yet, here it was, almost three days since the rescue mission, and she still shook like a leaf kicked up in the wind at the sight of Thom’s abused body.

Meiner’s goons had done a number on what had been, she found herself thinking more often, a handsome face. His smooth cheekbones were both swollen and puffy beyond what she would recognize as normal. His left eye had a black ring around it, the eyelids so distended that even if he wanted to open them, he couldn’t. On top of everything else, Meiner’s thugs had almost broken his nose—which Meri had already bandaged—and split his lower lip.

Leah dabbed a little of the salve Meri had given her on one finger and gently massaged the bruised, swollen skin near Thom’s eyes. She clenched her teeth and fought back the tears that tried to form as she looked down on her patient. He’d slept through the night for the first time without painkillers, which Meri insisted was a very good sign. Leah frowned. Even the slightest touch of her fingertips on his injured skin caused Thom to moan in his sleep and turn his head away from her ministrations.

Leah took the opportunity to examine Thom’s neck, grimacing as her eyes fell upon the blurred, finger-shaped bruise where someone had choked him. Whoever did this to you, she whispered more to herself than Thom, must’ve had hands like bricks…

She wiped at her eyes before pulling a small notebook out of her sweatshirt pocket. Meri had been keeping track of patient vital signs and insisted Leah do so as well. Leah gently took Thom’s left hand in hers, and placed two fingers over his wrist, counting his pulse while looking at her watch. She jotted down her findings next to the list of vital stats on the paper and put the notebook in her lap.

At least everything is stable… she muttered. Leah leaned over and ever-so-gently brushed some of Thom’s black hair off his forehead, careful not to touch his skin. She could feel the heat rising off his brow.

Leah made a note for Meri in shaky script that Thom felt warm, but also suggested it could just be because he was covered up in blankets and had been sleeping through the night.

Writing down the observations helped Leah focus and kept her from crying. One side of her mouth curled up in a small, secret smile as she congratulated herself on finally being able to check on Thom without losing control of her emotions.

She sat back in the chair next to Thom’s cot and watched him breathe, slow and steady. He’d risked everything by defying Meiner and sending out the warning for her not to come back to Grover Creek. She crossed her arms, suddenly cold, and wished she’d added a second layer of clothing. The mere thought of Meiner gave her the chills.

He’s never going to stop…he’s going to hunt us down…I can feel it.

Leah stood to check on Mac, in his own cot on the other side of the room. The rustle of quilts and blankets made her pause and look back. Thom’s one good eye cracked open.

Hey, Thom breathed.

Leah flew back to him and knelt, taking his hand in both of hers, making sure not to put any pressure on his bruised, scabbed knuckles. It made her smile to think there might be at least one person in Grover Creek who was in as bad a shape as Thom himself.

You’re awake, she whispered. How do you feel?

Well, that was a stupid question…

He tried to nod and closed his good eye, compressing his swollen lips into as much of a straight line as possible.

Leah shook her head. No, don’t try to talk…your lips are pretty messed up…I mean, I guess you knew that…but…

It’s okay, he replied, the words slurred because of his puffy mouth. It’s good to see you…I’m glad you’re okay…

Leah wiped at her eyes. Me too. God, it’s good to hear your voice…

I owe Kate, Mac…and that other guy my life.

Leah didn’t know what else to say, so she nodded, trying to see Thom’s face through her increasingly blurred vision. He squeezed her hand.

Leah…there’s something I want to tell you.

She held her breath and waited.

After…when Meiner captured me…I didn’t have much time to think, but what got me through it was you.

Leah swallowed, her throat dry. Me? she breathed.

Thom tried to smile, but with his lips the size of small sausages, he grimaced more than anything. Yeah…every time they hit me, I kept thinking the longer they spent with me, the more time you had to get away…

He closed his eyes and sighed. Leah brushed her fingers over the back of his hand. I’m so sorry…

Thom’s good eye opened and fixed its gaze on her. For what?

We left you, Leah said, her words cut off by a sudden sob. She closed her mouth and swallowed. "We left you…" she repeated her admission of guilt.

There, I said it.

Thom squeezed her hand and shook his head, the movement causing him to furrow his brow. Shit…that hurt more than I thought it would… He closed his eye and tensed his neck for a moment, then relaxed. It’s not your fault…Kate did the right thing. I could’ve made it to the van, but I knew that guy was right behind me and if I didn’t slow him down, he’d step out the door and spray the entire van on full auto.

Leah stared at him. You sacrificed yourself for us?

"For you… Thom whispered. When I was at school, I never really thought much about emotions and relationships…that kind of stuff, you know? But, ever since that day I met you coming out of the dorm… He stared at her for a long moment in silence. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. And if Meiner taught me anything, it’s that this world is a much harsher place than any of us ever imagined. I don’t think we’re going to get many second chances anymore. About anything."

Leah wiped the single tear that rolled from his good eye off his cheek as gently as she could, but the touch still caused him to wince. I’m sorry, she said blurted.

Thom winked. Don’t worry about it. What I’m trying to tell you, he said before swallowing, is that I love you, Leah. I’m not gonna to hide it, or be afraid of it, or not think about it anymore. Kate and Mac and…?

Leland, Leah offered.

Leland. That’s a funny name. Anyway, they gave me a second chance. I’d be dead by now if they didn’t come back for me. I’m living on borrowed time, you know? I won’t waste it.

Leah stared at him for a moment as he watched her. She knew he must be expecting her to say something, but her mouth had locked shut like a steel trap, her throat as dry and parched as any desert. She tried to speak, but her tight throat made that exercise futile.

What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I say anything?

Leah closed her eyes and ignored the wetness she felt on her cheeks. She forced herself to swallow. Oh God, Thom… she finally managed to say.

When she opened her eyes, Thom’s good eye watched her with a softness she’d never seen before.

It’s okay, he mumbled. You don’t have to say anything…sssh… he murmured. "I get it…it’s a lot to take in…I wanted to tell you earlier, but I just…I couldn’t, he said, his mangled lips muffling his speech. I’m just not waiting. I mean, he said quickly, I’ll wait for you as long as it takes…I just meant I don’t expect you to, well I hope you will, but…wait…"

Leah laughed softly. She squeezed his hand in reassurance. I know what you mean and thank you…I just…

The smile faded from her face. Why can I say it? What the hell am I so afraid of? Leah clenched her teeth and looked down at the cracked, scabbed skin of Thom’s bruised knuckles. She traced the bones underneath the healing skin with one fingertip. You’ve put yourself in danger to protect me more than once now…

As Leah wrangled with her conflicting emotions, she glanced up at Thom’s face and saw him try to smile again.

The first time I saw you, after I woke up…after… Thom licked his lips and swallowed, blinking back the pain.

Leah choked back a sob and brought Thom’s hand to her lips. I’m sorry, Thom…I’m so sorry…I want to, I want to say…I just…

It’s okay, Thom soothed. Really. I never expected you to say anything back…I just had to tell you. With the way everything is out there, I just wanted to make sure I got my chance to say it. At least once.

Leah didn’t know what else to do, so she nodded and tried to put on a smile. A lock of black hair came undone from her ponytail with the movement and fell across her face. She moved a hand in irritation to brush it aside, but Thom stopped her.

Don’t…just let me look at you for a minute. His gaze moved around her face, taking in every square inch of her skin, her nose, the shape of her eyebrows, her forehead, and the mass of unruly hair, black as coal, tied back in a sloppy ponytail behind her head.

"God, you’re beautiful…I don’t know why I didn’t see it before…I don’t know why I didn’t say it, either."

Leah smiled. Well, you’re saying it now, she breathed.

Really? Is that the best I can do?

Sitting there holding his hand, Leah felt a warmth growing in her belly. The same giddy, lightheadedness came over her as when she rested her head on his shoulder during their flight from Brookville. Driving through the wasteland of Indiana heading back home seemed like a lifetime ago when it had only been a matter of weeks.

Was it really that long ago? God, that was before we made it to Michigan, before Grover Creek…

I— she began.

No…don’t, Thom said. If you don’t mean it, don’t say it. It’s okay, he said, once again trying to smile. Even if you never feel the same way, it’s still okay.

Thom closed his eye and sighed, relaxing his neck muscles and letting his head sink into the pillow. He gave one final squeeze of her hands and relaxed.

Behind her, Mac stirred in his cot and released a tremendous fart. Leah turned and glared at him.

Well, that sure killed the moment…

When she looked back at Thom, his breathing had once again steadied out, his grip nonexistent as he fell into sleep’s healing embrace once more. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she was afraid to say…but…

You need to heal more than you need to hear me stumble over words. Leah frowned to herself. Why am I such a chickenshit over this?

Mac groaned behind her. Leah sighed and carefully placed Thom’s hand back on the cot. She swallowed, adjusted her sweatshirt and fixed the stray lock of hair back into her ponytail. It was time to see to her other patient.

CHAPTER TWO

Jay Cantrell opened his eyes and inhaled. The smell of eggs cooking and fresh made coffee wafted in through the open bedroom door. Over the mumbled conversation from the kitchen, the melodious sound of utensils clinking against plates made him smile. His stomach rumbled, the loud gurgle waking him better than any alarm clock.

Jay sat up in the guest bedroom he and Kate shared at Mac’s house and rubbed his hand through his tousled hair, relishing the sensation of his actual fingers touching his head instead of a bandaged hand. He looked down at the pink laceration on his right palm, no longer an angry mess, the sign of real healing. His hand would recover, he felt sure of it now.

As he did every morning and many times throughout the day, Jay stared at it and clenched the fingers into a fist before opening them, wincing with the tightness of the new skin. They had a limited supply of lotions, ointments—everything really—so he was loath to slather it on whenever the skin felt tight, but this morning it felt particularly taut.

He sighed and reached for the milk-crate nightstand. A small tube of Vaseline lay on top, left there for his hands by Meri. He doled out a tiny amount, mindful of their ever dwindling reserves, and lathered it on the skin. He worked his hand open and closed several more times until it felt better.

Jay tried the same routine with his left hand, but the wound was just not healing at the same pace. On the surface, the sutured skin look similar: pink, healthy, healing. But the thug trying to rob Mac—when they’d stopped to help Shelia, the pregnant lady, on the way to Brookville—had cut deep and done damage to the tendons three weeks ago. Try as he might, Jay could only close his hand halfway. He worried he’d never again be able to hold anything with any strength in that hand. Jay swallowed the fear and moved on—it was all he could do.

Cradling his left hand in his right, Jay stared out the room’s single frosted window, overlooking the lake behind Mac’s house. It’d snowed again last night. Not much, but enough to leave a white blanket over everything he could see. He remained still and quiet for a moment, contemplating the future. Would they stay here forever, hidden away in the forest? Would they venture out at some point, looking for help or simple human contact? Would the government rescue them all?

Beyond the would they…could they?

Looking down at his hands again, he realized a crippling injury to the extremities could well be a death sentence in the new world they found themselves in. Jay said a prayer of thanks to whatever god/gods might be listening, for his continued health before he got out of bed and dressed for the day.

He padded into the warm kitchen to a rousing chorus of greetings from the assembled survivors. Kate smiled from the table, patting the wooden chair next to her and holding out a fresh cup of coffee—black and strong. As he passed, he let his fingers touch his daughter’s head and smiled again at the simple joy tactile sensation provided after being deprived of it for several weeks.

Leah smiled up at him around a mouthful of scrambled eggs. Thom grinned, ever at her side, also with a plate full of eggs and a glass of milk. His face still looked like something out of a nightmare, but at least he looked human again.

Jay sat, took the offered cup of coffee from Kate and the accompanying kiss.

"Come on, man, Hunter complained. We’re trying to like, eat, you know? You two need to get a room…"

Everyone laughed—even Mac—who leaned against the kitchen counter, holding a cup of coffee. He looked thinner and pale, but it did Jay a world of good to see his neighbor standing again after being shot.

Before you say anything, Mac said, staring at Jay, I’m only on my feet long enough to get a cup of coffee…doctor’s orders. He arched one bushy gray eyebrow.

Aye, and then it’s off to bed with you again, once you’ve had a full meal, Meri said, her stern voice conflicting with the smile on her face.

When Jay looked down, he found a plate full of steaming eggs, three slices of toast, and a cup of milk in front of him. Since leaving Grover Creek, the group had been surviving on whatever meager stores they’d managed to bring with them—which mostly consisted of dried fruits, cans of soup and broth, and several days worth of MREs. Along with the pasta, Ramen noodles, and tuna Jay’d salvaged from the wreckage of his house, the group had been able to survive—their meals were little more than keeping starvation at bay, but it was enough.

"Where did this come from? Jay asked, staring at the steaming plate of eggs. He looked across the table at his daughter. Leah grinned from ear to ear. Am I dreaming?" he asked.

Underneath the table, Kate’s hand landed on his upper thigh and proved he was in fact not dreaming. He turned to her and received a mischievous grin as she squeezed.

Happy New Year, Daddy! Leah said.

Jay blinked, as Kate’s hand returned to a more proper position. New Year? he asked.

Yeah, man, Hunter said around a mouthful of eggs. It’s like, a brand-new year and stuff!

Really? Thom said with a crooked smile.

Hunter stared at Thom as he chewed in silence. Well, yeah, he said