A Family To Cherish (9 page)

“It depends on how much damage it sustained. I pray to God it can be repaired. But meanwhile…”

“Where will we stay?”

“I don't know. A hotel?”

“If everyone around us has this kind of damage, the hotels will be overflowing by evening.”

Doug reached over and clasped Barbara's hand. “I don't want you staying here in town, anyway.”

“Not stay in town? What do you mean?”

“The aftershocks. They could be as bad as the original quake. Or worse. They could finish what the first one started.”

Barbara shrugged helplessly. Tears welled in her eyes. The hopelessness and severity of the situation was dawning on her. “Then where can we go? What can we do?”

“If there was only somewhere to go, away from the quake area.” He paused for a long moment, then exclaimed, “Of course, why didn't I think of it sooner? The cabin!”

She looked at him. “The cabin? You mean our cabin at Lake Arrowhead?”

“Why not. It's far enough away that it shouldn't experience any serious jolts from this quake.”

“You mean we'll just get in the car and drive to the mountains…now?”

“Why not? What can we do here? I'll turn everything off and lock up the house, and we'll go. Of course, it may not be as easy as we think. The freeways could be damaged. Traffic could be backed up for miles.”

Barbara hesitated. “But shouldn't someone stay here to keep an eye on the house.”

“Someone will.” Doug squeezed her shoulder, as if silently asking her to understand. “I'll drive you to Lake Arrowhead, Barbie, then I'm coming back.”

“Here?”

“Yes, here. I'm a doctor. I'm going to be needed in the next few days.”

Barbara stared hard at him. “Then I'm not leaving, either. Why should I go without you? We can both help where we're needed.”

“Barb, I really—”

The ground began to shake again. Barbara clutched Janee, and Doug wrapped his arms around both of them. “Hold on,” he directed. “It's an aftershock.”

Barbara could feel the strange tug and pull of the earth, as if some sleepy underground giant were rousing himself. Janee screamed, and Tabby bristled like a porcupine and would have leapt from Janee's arms if Doug hadn't seized the nape of her neck. A crash resounded from the neighbor's yard; their brick chimney had toppled like a child's plastic blocks.

After a few moments the quaking subsided; the sleeping giant was still.

“See what I mean, Barb?” said Doug. “It's not safe here. You've got to let me take you to the mountains.”

“If it's not safe here for us, it's not safe for you, either,” Barbara argued. “Stay with us, Doug. Please!”

He ran his fingers through her sleep-tousled hair. “I can't, Barbie. I've got to do what I can here.” He stood up and brushed off his knees. “Now you and Janee and Tabby go get in the car. Turn on the
radio. They should have some news about the quake—magnitude, epicenter. It had to be at least an eight.”

“Wait, Doug. Where are you going?”

“Inside. For my wallet. And some clothes and blankets.”

“Get my purse if you can find it. But be careful!”

As Doug disappeared inside, Barbara gazed around her broken, once-beautiful neighborhood in disbelief. Dawn had washed the horizon with brilliant splashes of orange and pink that illuminated the surrounding houses and streets. The golden rays of morning underscored the scope of the quake's damage, and what Barbara saw made her weep.

“W
ell, ladies and gentlemen, as you all know, sunny Southern California awoke this morning to a huge seismic jolt. The magnitude was eight point one, according to the Richter scale. The quake was felt as far north as San Francisco and as far east as Phoenix. Several heart-pounding aftershocks have rocked the Southland since the original temblor at 5:38 this morning. The epicenter is believed to be about two miles east of Pasadena. Large sections of Glendale and Pasadena are without power, and numerous fires have been reported. Reports of injuries are coming in. Several overpasses have been severely damaged and most freeways are bumper-to-bumper traffic. If you're trying to get out of town this morning, you might as well sit back and relax. You have a long wait ahead of you.”

“That's for sure,” said Doug, switching off the
radio and white-knuckle gripping the steering wheel. Irritation was thick in his voice. They were creeping along on the 210 freeway and were still no farther than Monrovia. “At this rate we'll get to Lake Arrowhead by next Tuesday.”

“At least we're all in the same boat,” said Barbara.

Doug cast a quick glance into the back seat where Janee lay sleeping with Tabby in her arms. “The thing is, Barb, I was hoping to get you and Janee settled in the cabin this afternoon so I could get back in town by tonight.”

“So soon? I was hoping you'd stay with us a day or two. If you come back, where will you stay?”

“The hospital. With all the injuries, it'll be a madhouse. I may be working day and night. So I'll catch a few winks on the sofa in my office.”

“How do you feel about treating patients again?”

Doug was silent for a moment. “I'll do what I have to do. Serve where I'm needed.”

Barbara twisted her purse strap. “And our house—what about our house?”

“I'll try to get someone on it as soon as I can. The housing authorities will be backed up with demands. People wanting to know if their homes are safe to occupy. Meanwhile, I'll go back inside in the daylight and see what I can save.”

“The refrigerator needs to be emptied out. With the power off, everything will rot.”

“I'll see what I can do.”

“But be careful, Doug. I don't want you getting hurt.”

He reached over and patted her hand. “I'll be fine.”

Barbara stifled a sob. “I can't believe this is happening. Our home. Our beautiful home. We've worked so many years for it. Now it's in shambles.”

“Don't think about it, Barb. Just be thankful we all made it out alive, without a scratch. That's something to be thankful for.”

She nodded. “I know it is, and I'm trying to be thankful. It's just that I never dreamed we would ever be…homeless!”

“It may not be that bad, hon. A little cleanup, some paint and plaster, and the place could be as good as new.”

“I pray to God you're right.”

They drove in silence for a long time, inching along until they reached the 57 freeway. Traffic finally opened up, allowing Doug to accelerate to the speed limit, and was lighter still when they turned onto the San Bernardino freeway heading for Lake Arrowhead.

By the time they had driven through scenic, majestic Rim Forest and were approaching the quaint mountain town of Blue Jay, Barbara began to feel a twinge of nostalgia. “Goodness, this brings back memories,” she sighed. “When were we last here?”

Doug's voice was tight. “Don't you remember? Caitlin's last summer.”

Barbara felt her breath catch in her chest, as if she'd been struck. “Yes, I remember. She had so much fun swimming in the lake and going hiking with you.”

“Remember the day we drove over to Santa's Village and she got to see Santa's workshop and all the elves? She was so excited, you'd think she'd died and gone to heaven.” Doug's voice broke off and a tendon tightened in his jaw. He looked over at Barbara, his face blanched white. “I'm sorry, hon. That was a stupid thing to say. I don't know how I could—”

“It's okay, Doug.”

“It was just a crazy expression.”

“I know. But it's the truth. Caitlin is in heaven.”

Doug drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Look, Barb, we're passing the Blue Jay Ice Castle.”

She followed his gaze out the side window. “Isn't that the skating rink where some of the Olympic skaters practice?”

“Yeah. Especially that one gold medalist. I can't think of her name. She used to practice here all the time.” He turned onto the narrow, winding road heading for Lake Arrowhead Village. The picturesque road was lined with towering pines and giant cedars. Doug rolled down the window and inhaled deeply. “Man, smell that fresh mountain air. No smog. Just a clean, sweet breeze. I'll tell you, Barb, this place brings back lots of memories.”

“Same here,” she conceded in a small voice.

“Remember the night we met?”

“How could I forget? The Cottage Restaurant on Highway 18.”

“Best Italian food on the mountain. You were there with that guy—the mountain man.”

“You always called him that. His name was Trent. Trent Townsend. A very nice man.”

“I never trusted him. Something in his eyes and his manner. Like he didn't care what impression he made on people. A real wildlife freak. I think he preferred bears and squirrels to people.”

“Really, Doug, you're faulting him for loving animals?”

“No, it's just… He always dressed like a lumberjack. Like he thought he was Paul Bunyan or something.”

“He did not. He was wearing a suit when you met him.”

“Oh, you remember?”

“Of course I remember. It was my eighteenth birthday. Trent took me out to celebrate.”

“And, as I recall, the two of you looked like you were having a pretty good time.”

“We were. I cared for Trent, you know that.”

“And he was madly in love with you.”

“That's how you saw it. Our families were neighbors on the mountain. We spent every summer together from the time we were toddlers.”

“And you probably would have married him if I hadn't come along that night.”

Barbara rolled her eyes. “You should talk. You were there with my girlfriend Sheila.”

Doug chuckled. “Sheila. Now there was a girl!”

Barbara scowled. “She was a little on the wild side, as I recall.”

Doug's voice took on a gently teasing tone. “Yes, she was something of a spitfire. Not a girl you soon forget.”

“How the four of us ended up spending the evening together, I'll never know,” said Barbara.

Doug's hand dropped from the steering wheel to Barbara's knee, which he squeezed fondly. “You don't know? It was my doing. The moment I met you I thought, I've got to know her better. I suggested we make it a foursome.”

“And while Sheila was in the rest room and Trent was paying the bill, you asked for my phone number.”

“And the rest is history, as they say,” said Doug with a seductive smile. “Although I don't think Trent ever forgave me for stealing his girl.”

“He must have. He married Sheila, didn't he?”

“I suppose he considered it the ultimate revenge. I stole his girl, so he stole mine.” Doug glanced over at Barbara and winked. “But I got the best deal.”

Barbara laughed. How good it felt to laugh. When
was the last time she and Doug had reminisced like this? And laughed together!

“Almost there,” he said as he took another winding turn through the giant pines. “We'll stop by the Village and pick up some groceries and supplies, then head for the cabin.”

“What about electricity?”

“You'll have to call the power company tomorrow. And the phone company.”

“I have my cell phone. And those kerosene lamps in the pantry will do for tonight.”

“You'll be roughing it for a few days in the cabin, Barb, but it should be better than sitting in some hotel room waiting for the next aftershock.”

“You're right,” she agreed. “It's just…”

“I know. It's not home.”

“I guess that's it. The cabin belonged to my parents. Every summer I had to leave my friends and go live in the cabin with my folks. They loved the mountains, the quaint towns, the rustic environment, the so-called untouched wilderness. But I longed for my friends and the city with all its hustle and bustle, not to mention the luxuries and comforts of home.”

“It won't be forever, Barb. Maybe I can get the house fixed and livable again in a few weeks.”

“And if you believe that, you might as well believe in the tooth fairy. It could take months, Doug, what with the red tape of insurance claims and building permits. And with all the damaged homes,
construction workers will be in short supply. And that's assuming our house can be salvaged.”

“We'll just have to take it a day at a time, Barb.”

“I know, Doug. I'll try.”

They were at Lake Arrowhead Village now, an elegant shopping area with red-roofed, brown-trimmed buildings that exuded a quaint, Old World charm. Its picturesque alpine shops and restaurants could have been plucked from the heart of Europe. Doug pulled into a parking space near the clock tower and remained in the car with Janee and Tabby, while Barbara went inside and purchased the necessary toiletries and supplies. Thank goodness, the cabin already contained some things, such as dishes, silverware and bedding, Barbara thought. But what about laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid?

And food. There would be nothing in the cabin. She would need to get all the staples, plus ice to keep things cold until the refrigerator could be turned on. And the electric stove. How could she cook without a stove? She would have to buy bread and canned tuna and lots of peanut butter and jelly for Janee.

The shopping trip took a half hour, plus another hour for a stop at a fast-food restaurant, and then they were back on the road, heading south toward Rainbow Drive. It was late afternoon when they pulled up beside the knotty pine, A-frame chalet nestled in a verdant alcove of the lush woodland.

“Looks the same outside,” said Doug as he un
locked the door. “The caretaker's kept the place up.” He pushed open the door and stepped back with a little flourish, letting Barbara and Janee enter. Janee, carrying Tabby snugly in her arms, looked around and asked uncertainly, “Where are we?”

“This is going to be our home for a while,” said Barbara with forced enthusiasm. “Sort of like a vacation.”

A vacation? Who was she kidding? The place was filthy with dust and dreary. Gauzy cobwebs drooped from the high-beamed ceiling to the cedar tongue-and-groove flooring. Barbara's gaze moved from the open-hearth stone fireplace to the wall of leaded-glass windows. “The place needs a lot of elbow grease, no doubt about it.”

Doug drew a sharp breath. “Man alive, I didn't know it would be so bad inside.”

Barbara shook her head. “No caretakers in here.”

“We could go to a bed-and-breakfast tonight, and clean the place tomorrow.”

“No, Doug. Everything will be filled up by this time of day. I'll clean the bedroom and make the beds so we can get some sleep.” She gave him a second glance. “You are staying tonight, aren't you?”

He nodded. “It'll be dark soon. I'll head back to town in the morning.”

She expelled a sigh of relief. “Good. I don't think I could handle this place tonight by myself.”