Waiting and Worrying

     Alex was horrified seeing the tornado; it was coming, coming closer. It was coming down the hill tearing up trees and everything in its path. Debris was being drawn in and flying out at the same time as it passed through an adjoining neighborhood. Taking cover in the bathroom, arms circled the bottom of the toilet, clinging tightly. The devil in the tornado howled and pounded until it had finally passed. Then a quiet took over the little neighborhood. Not a bird sang the dogs were all quiet.

     A search of the yard brought relief; the tornado had gone behind the house. Trees were twisted and uprooted just yards from the back fence. Sheet metal from someone's trailer lay just beyond and there was insulation strewn along the path where the devil had charged through. Branches lay all around in the grass. Where was their garbage can?

     Inside the house the only sound was the battery operated wall clock ticking away the seconds. The electricity was off. The phones required their power bases. Alex couldn't even call Cheryl. Questions: was she in the path, was she safe somewhere, where the heck was she? The clock clicked the seconds slowly.

     Watching through the street through the curtains, Alex could see the neighbors coming out and walking to the end of the block where the tornado had crossed over from one side to another. Walking with them and talking about how narrowly they had been missed. They could see the disaster that was across the highway. One of the houses had been moved off of its foundation. It looked like every mobile home was simply missing.

     Worry set in deeper; eyes searched for Cheryl in the wreckage that had been a store. Looking everywhere and no way to search for her, she had taken their car.

     The only thing to do was go back to the house and wait. The seconds ticked by slower. Looking around, everything was about her. Their wedding picture was on the TV. Her slippers that she loved were at the door waiting for her. Now she was an hour late! Had the devil taken her for a ride in the air? Had she been in an accident? Was she with someone else? Visions of her in the car wrapped around a telephone pole were haunting.

     Finally the car came up the driveway. Alex went tearing out the door and as soon as Cheryl got out of the car she grabbed her, holding her tight.

     "Why are you so late?" She said kissing her.

     "They had the road blocked and I had to go around. You worry about me too much." She told Alex giving her a hug.

     "The ones at home are the worriers I guess." She said. "Hey look, the power is back on. It does pay to live on the same block as one of the electric company's bosses!"

We always think the worst when our loved ones are late don't we?