An Unsanded Floor

By Clint Townsend

Lindsay Nicole Snider was not yet nine years old when her father passed away. It was after his funeral that Lindsay’s mother made the selfish and cruel decision to isolate her only child from her daddy’s side of the family. 

Fifteen years later, following the passing of her paternal great grandfather, Lindsay is asked to reestablish her relationship with the family and take on the responsibility of being the sole caregiver to the frail grand matriarch. 

What effect will a sudden and immediate move to the Texas panhandle have on the relationship between Lindsay and her fiancé? Will the extended family accept Lindsay back into the fold after a fifteen-year hiatus? Is Lindsay willing to forgive her mother for years of sequestration? Can Grandma Nina’s story of growing up in a house with “an unsanded floor” help to heal Lindsay’s broken heart and resurrect her relationship with Jesus Christ? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 7, 2024
• ISBN: 9798889607656

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An Unsanded Floor

Clint Townsend

Copyright © 2023 Clint Townsend

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-88960-757-1 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88960-765-6 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

For my family

Chapter 1

A Difficult Farewell

Chapter 2

The Short List

Chapter 3

A Familiar Destination

Chapter 4

An Unsanded Floor

Chapter 5

The Doctor Is In

Chapter 6

Dinner Is Served

Chapter 7

The Lonely Ones

Chapter 8

Sunday School and Headstones

Chapter 9

Grandpa and the F5

Chapter 10

From Green to Brown

Chapter 11

The Murdered and the Missing

Chapter 12

Deck the Halls

Chapter 13

Make a List, Check It Twice

Chapter 14

Uncle Lee

Chapter 15

Name-Dropping

Chapter 16

'Twas the Night

Chapter 17

The Blowup

Chapter 18

Brothers Will Be Boys

Chapter 19

To Have and to Hold

Chapter 20

Wedding Week

Chapter 21

Rehearsals

Chapter 22

I Do, I Do

Chapter 23

A Sunrise in May

Chapter 24

The Big Plan

Chapter 25

Milk and Honey

Chapter 26

A Stranger in the Storm

About the Author

For my family

Chapter 1

A Difficult Farewell

A re you a relative or friend of the family? the old man asked sympathetically as she entered the foyer, his outstretched hand shaking slightly. His face smiled in empathetic kindness as he softly squeezed her fingers.

Relative, she replied sheepishly.

He turned, politely offered his arm, and led her toward the double doors of the sanctuary. Lindsay Nicole Snider glanced behind her, checking on the whereabouts of her fiancé, Robert. She had attended more than her fair share of funerals for both friends and family, but by comparison, this appeared to be a spectacular event. Upon arrival, the Church of Christ parking lot was packed to such a degree that many cars were forced to drive halfway down Mordecai Road and parallel-park near the culvert ditch. Both senior citizen vans were following the onslaught of slow-moving cars. When a few of the mourners had parked and exited their vehicles, the van would stop to pick them up and take them to the church. Lindsay's fiancé, Robert Andrew Mainus, dropped Lindsay off in front of the staircase leading up to the two sets of white double doors and was one of those who had to be shuttled back to the capacity-filled church.

Luther Gene Sageser, Lindsay's great-grandfather, died five days earlier of natural causes at the age of ninety-nine. He passed on around dusk while seated in his favorite armchair. Luther enjoyed spending his evenings overlooking the backyard and flower beds and reveled in the setting of the sun and how it cast its long purple shadows across the cool, deep-green grass. Nina May, Luther's 101-year-old bride of eighty-two years, found him. She had gone to the kitchen to take a peek at the small meatloaf she placed in the oven and, after checking its progress, returned to the den to discover that her beloved was gone.

As the church elder escorted Lindsay past pews of family and friends, she felt a multitude of eyes following her. Directly in front of her, at the end of the center aisle, lay her great-grandfather's casket. All at once, she remembered back to when she was a small child and how her father would take her to visit Luther and Nina May for a week in the summer. Luther owned one and a half sections of land but farmed almost four complete sections. For more than a half century, he'd wake before the rising of the sun and work late into the night. He knew his land, the way it smelled, how the water and raw sweet corn tasted, and how the wind sang when it swept across the fields. Whether on his tractor or changing water lines, upon seeing little Lindsay break into an awkward run across the rows of tilled soil on her first day of vacation, Luther would have his world of work come to a standstill to make his granddaughter the center of his universe.

For Lindsay, those good times disappeared forever upon the sudden passing of her father when she was just eight years old. Sadly, soon after his funeral services, Lindsay's mother made the intentional effort to separate her from her father's side of the family.

While examining the faces of those who had turned to see who was coming down the aisle, she thought to herself, Is that Travis and Karen? I wonder if Terry and Whitney will be here. I wish I was sitting with Aunt Maddy and Uncle Takkett.

A pianist was just starting to play In the Garden when Lindsay was directed to the last remaining open space on the end of the second pew. Seated next to her were her cousins Annette and Michael. Lindsay felt a bit uncomfortable when Annette, whom she hadn't seen in over fifteen years, wrapped her left arm around her and offered up a gentle squeeze. Michael reached across Annette, patted Lindsay's knee, and silently mouthed the words We've missed you.

Just then, Robert appeared at the end of the row and delicately tapped Lindsay's left arm. Lindsay, Annette, Michael, and the other benchwarmers scooched and shuffled themselves to the right to make way for the fiancé. Lindsay leaned over to her cousins, thumbed to her beau, and mouthed, Robert. Annette, Michael, and Robert reached across Lindsay and politely shook hands.

Lindsay turned to her right and glanced back over her shoulder to get a glimpse of who all was in attendance for the most somber occasion. Although the reason for the reunion of the families was to mourn the loss of and to show love and respect for the grand patriarch, Lindsay saw only playful winks, smiles, and subdued waves from her relatives.

Who's that woman sitting next to Ryan? she thought and Is that Anna and Jaydon at the end of the pew?

Suddenly the music stopped; the sanctuary grew silent.

Lindsay and the rest of the congregation shifted in their seats to watch Nina May slowly inch her way down the aisle to the front row. She used a walker for support, and flanking her were Lindsay's cousins Greg and Terry.

With the aid of her great-nephews, Nina eased herself down onto the bench cushion directly in front of Lindsay. She had held it together and kept her composure right up to the point where the congregation was asked to stand and sing How Great Thou Art. Maybe it was the combined sight of her grandmother staring at her grandfather's coffin or perhaps it was being in the presence of her cousins and aunts and uncles again, but for whatever reason, Lindsay's knees abruptly buckled from beneath her, and she collapsed in a heap on the pew. She lurched forward and buried her face in her hands as a tsunami of memories and suppressed emotions quickly bubbled to the surface. The church. The music. Her dead father and now-deceased great-grandfather. Over fifteen years of separation from the families. It was all more weight than her heart could bear. Robert tried to comfort his fiancée by lightly patting her shoulder, but Lindsay lost complete control when she felt the familiar warmth of Annette's hand on her back, rubbing soft, smooth circles.

Aunt Michelle leaned in from behind her and tenderly whispered in ear, We all love you. We're glad you're here.

The song ended, and yet Lindsay continued to weep.

The elderly pastor stepped to the podium overlooking Luther's casket and confidently said to the congregation, Dearly beloved…

*****

At the luncheon after the conclusion of the services, Lindsay's mood made a dynamic shift. No longer crying and sniffling, she regained control of her senses and emotions. She felt a comfortable sense of discomfort as she reestablished brief channels of communication with her relatives. Robert was introduced to an ever-rotating curious throng and subjected to friendly interrogations from all directions.

Where are you from?

What do you do for a living?

How did y'all meet? and Have you set a date?

Email addresses and phone numbers were exchanged as well as Facebook friend requests. For Lindsay, the funeral provided a chance to quickly play catchup on relationships and time lost. Had it not been for the psychological and emotional insecurities of her unstable, sociopathic mother, Lindsay's life might have been different after the passing of her father. Yes, Grandpa Luther was gone, but now God was opening new doors right before her very eyes, and she suddenly realized the value of this occasion. Today wasn't just about saying goodbye to Luther but rather a whole new batch of hellos.

Lindsay looked across the meeting hall and noticed the crowd gathered around Nina's table had dwindled slightly. Now was her chance.

Grabbing Robert by his forearm, Lindsay lowly commanded, C'mon! Follow me.

She quickly wove her way through the tables and chairs, dragging Robert behind her. Upon reaching the family matriarch, Lindsay pulled Robert up beside her, interlaced her fingers with his, and timidly said, Grandma?

Chapter 2

The Short List

"W ait, wait, wait. What? You want us to take care of Grandma Nina?" Lindsay asked.

Well, if it's something you think y'all are interested in and can handle, then yeah, said her cousin Holly.

You know I love Grandma, and I'd really like to help, but Robert and I are in a one-bedroom efficiency. There's just not enough room.

Oh no, darlin'. This would be a situation where y'all would be living with her.

What, in Slaton?

Yes. Well, their house is southwest of Slaton. Actually, more like halfway to what's left of Southland. The farm is west of Highway Eighty-Four.

Lindsay stepped to the refrigerator, grabbed herself a Shiner Bock, and headed for the living room patio doors as she continued her phone conversation.

We can't just pack up and leave, she said, plopping herself down in one of the decorative lounge chairs on their fourth-floor balcony. Robert still has something like four to six weeks left remaining with his internship.

Where's he doing that?

Methodist. The Smith Tower.

Lindsay took a deep swallow of her beer while taking in the sight of the distant illuminated Houston skyline.

We're in Katy, right off I-10. Robert takes 10 to 610, then loops south to Fannin. It's only like twenty-five minutes away.

Well, Robert doesn't necessarily have to come with you right now. He can join you once he's all wrapped up with his internship. What does he do again? I'm sorry, I forgot.

Anesthesiology. He's been applying everywhere in the medical district. He'd love to stay at Methodist, but just in case that falls through, he's already spoken with the chiefs of staff and HR departments at Presbyterian, Baylor, Scott and White, and UT.

Good for him. Sounds like a man with a plan.

Lindsay took another deep swallow of the cold Shiner, stood, and leaned on the patio handrail.

Isn't there anyone in Lubbock that can help out with Grandma? I mean, why me? Why us?

Well, it's not just you, Lindsay. I've been on the phone for five days straight, calling and talking to everybody I can think of in California, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma, asking them the same thing.

Well, why doesn't Nina just sell the house and land and move to Lubbock to live with someone?

Lindsay sat down hard in her patio chair.

This is why I'm calling you and everybody else. Nina doesn't want to sell and move. She wants to stay right where she is. I mean, my gosh, she's been in that house for more than a century.

Well, how about a senior care facility in Slaton? Or one of those nurses that comes out for the day?

Lindsay swallowed deep and long from her beer.

"Nina has some money, but not that kind of money. She'd have to sell everything to afford the care, and that would defeat the whole purpose of her staying in her own home. She needs someone there twenty-four seven. Nina can't be left alone for the night or the weekend. Can you imagine if she fell and broke something like Janette did?"

Janette fell? When did that happen?

This happened a while back out at their place on south Milwaukee. She was in the kitchen, and for whatever reason, she turned, broke her hip, and fell to the floor.

Nooo!

Yes, ma'am! There was a phone in the kitchen, but it was a wall-mount, and she couldn't reach it. So for more than twenty-four hours, she dragged herself across the kitchen, through the living room, and down the hall to her bedroom where there was another phone on the nightstand by the bed. She yanked it down and called Jesse and an ambulance.

Oh my gosh. Poor thing! I never knew that.

Now can you imagine something like that happening to Nina over a weekend? The shock of that alone would probably kill her!

Lindsay took another long, deep gulp from her beer.

What about somebody switching up to help, you know like tag-teaming? Have you been in touch with Sheila and Nick?

Nick has his cabinet and door business, and they're already taking care of his daddy. Plus, they're looking out for a friend's place at Lake Allan Henry.

Lindsay stood and began pacing in a circle on the small balcony patio. She could feel herself growing agitated and frustrated as the conversation dragged on with no solution in sight.

Now I don't want to upset you with what I'm gonna say, but even if I knew how to get ahold of your mother, I wouldn't bother to ask her to help us with Nina. It just…it just wouldn't work with her. I'm sorry.

There was a sting to the words Holly spoke regarding her mother, but deep inside, Lindsay knew the truth. Her mother was manipulative, untrustworthy, and couldn't be relied on. Lindsay's heart and mind had been suckered in and burned too many times by her mom's words and actions.

I know. It's okay. Lindsay fibbed, wiping her eyes. Well, what about everybody in Bakersfield or Fresno?

Lindsay, if Nina won't sell and move ten or twelve miles, she's not going to turn around and come out to live with me, and I have the room. Again, if Nina's unwilling to move to Lubbock, then she'll absolutely refuse to live with me in California. Plus, it'll take some time and money to get that place ready to put on the market. And I don't think a house that old and large sitting on that much land will sell quickly.

Lindsay guzzled down the last of her beer and leaned back against the patio wall, sulking.

She's not leaving the house her daddy built a hundred years ago. Everybody you can think of, on all sides of the family, I've already called, and each of them kept on, just like you, with ‘What about so and so? Where's what's her name? Don't they have the room and time?' Everybody has said no.

No matter who Lindsay thought of as a viable candidate to care for Nina, cousin Holly had already spoken with them and exhausted all options and exit strategies to get the aged matriarch out of her home.

Um, Lindsay began, this is a lot for me to take in at one time and…I can't really give you a simple yes or no. I'm gonna have to talk to Robert about all of this.

I know it's a lot to throw at you at one time, hon, and I'm sorry.

Lindsay entered the apartment and slid the screen door shut. She headed for the kitchen as she listened to Holly; time for Shiner number 2.

I'm not expecting an immediate and definitive yes right now, said Holly. But I will need to know what you and Robert decide here in the next couple of weeks. I just want what's best for Nina and everyone involved.

I know you do, Lindsay stated, opening the refrigerator.

After peering inside, she hissed, Crap!

What? What's wrong?

We're outta beer!

*****

Here, take this, Lindsay kindly ordered Robert as he entered the kitchen. You're gonna need it.

Robert offered up a quick smooch for his bride-to-be while removing the freshly made cocktail from her outstretched hand. After taking a sip of the highball and lowering his computer satchel, he looked at the countertop to see a brand-new bottle of Blanton's bourbon sitting next to the sink.

Wow! That's great, baby! Thanks.

With drink in hand, Lindsay brushed by him, went to the sofa, and flung herself back on the smooth black leather.

Uh, if you don't mind me asking, what's the occasion? Why not Woodford or Four Roses?

Lindsay took a mouthful of her bourbon, looked down, and silently patted the cushion next to her.

Uh-oh. He moaned.

*****

Move to Slaton? Robert snapped, rising from the couch. "Are you outta your freaking mind? Is your cousin outta her freaking mind?"

Robert went to the kitchen, reached over the counter, and grabbed the bourbon.

They want us to just drop what we're doing, forget all of our plans, load up everything, and move to Slaton?

Robert poured himself a healthy dose of bourbon without adding any Sprite.

It's not like that, baby, Lindsay said, shifting on the couch to get a better look at Robert as she spoke.

"Nobody's expecting just us to pack it all in and move. Everybody has been asked to help out with Nina. So don't go thinking that we're being singled out. That's not what Holly or any of my family is trying to do. Okay?"

Robert brought the bottle of bourbon with him from the kitchen and set it on the coffee table.

"I just find it a bit odd that out of all your family in four or five states, none of your aunts and uncles, cousins, and in-laws can take care of your grandmother."

Robert paced back and forth in front of Lindsay, shaking his head as he lectured and belittled her for having dared suggest that they be the ones to make the sacrifice.

I can't believe this! We're about to cross the big finish line, and now all of a sudden, you and your family want us to drop out of the race.

We wouldn't be dropping out of the race! Lindsay snapped before finishing her highball in one large gulp.

Leaning forward, she grasped the bottle of whiskey and, like her fiancé, poured herself a glassful of straight bourbon.

The only change would be our location. You're still gonna finish your internship, somebody's still gonna hire you and all…it'll just be somewhere else other than Houston.

Robert continued pacing while sipping his drink.

Where am I supposed to work after I've completed my residency? You know how many chiefs of staff I've been meeting and talking with for the past six months?

I know, baby. I know.

Well? Do I go and tell all of 'em never mind?

I know we've been planning on staying here in the Houston area, but maybe, if we go to Slaton, you could get on with the hospitals in Lubbock and be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

Robert stopped pacing and glared at Lindsay. He had no immediate snappy comeback to her statement, which did have some merit.

Here, sit down. I wanna show you something.

Lindsay scooted to her left to make room for her beau. Robert reluctantly joined her on the couch and collapsed hard into the leather cushions. As soon as he was seated, Lindsay lifted his left arm onto her shoulder and snuggled against his chest.

Now, she began, showing him a map on her cell phone screen, "look at all the hospitals in Lubbock. Here's Covenant, Covenant Children's, the Tech hospital. There's like eight or nine of 'em. And I read where the Tech Medical Center is called something like a ‘Trauma One' hospital, so all of the big-time emergencies from all over the panhandle and eastern New Mexico go to the Tech UMC. From Grandma's house, you can be at any of the nine in about the same amount of time it takes you now to get to Methodist, without the traffic delays."

Robert sipped in silence as he listened to Lindsay's reasons and justifications for the move.

And if you look here at the hospitals and clinics in Plainview, there's something like five or six, and in Amarillo and Canyon, there's more than fifteen.

Amarillo? Why Amarillo?

Lindsay took a big swallow of her iced whiskey and again reached for the bottle of Blanton's.

"You could be someone on the same level as an independent contractor, she stated while refilling both of their glasses. Go where you're needed, do the job, and come home."

So basically, I'll be nothing but an on-call glorified plumber with a service radius of one hundred fifty miles.

"Baby, you're a great plumber!"

Lindsay clinked the rim of her glass against his and offered him a kiss.

You know, this could actually work, Robert stated semi-enthusiastically. I wouldn't have to obtain permanent residency with anyone. I could go anywhere, anytime, and work for anybody.

Robert stood, stepped in front of the coffee table, and joined his bride in identifying the potential positives of the situation.

All I'd need is to be approved by the hospitals as a kind of independent, on-call contractor.

And cousin Holly said we could stay at Nina's rent-free.

Rent-free? Holy crap! That's about two thousand dollars a month we'd be saving!

I know, Lindsay said, rising from the couch.

Joining Robert in the middle of the living room, Lindsay wrapped her arms around his neck and slowly swayed from side to side. They tenderly kissed each other's mouth and neck as they spoke and danced.

I could drive to Mercy or Covenant, do an appendectomy, and come straight home.

You can have the rest of the day off, and I can take care of Nina while you're gone.

We'll save thousands of dollars every month.

We can pay off your school tuition loans faster.

I can learn some about farming.

We could buy and raise a few head of cattle.

Robert kissed Lindsay deeply and passionately, wrapping her tightly in his arms.

After pulling away, he stared into her gleaming, greenish-brown eyes, and asked, When do you start packing?

Chapter 3

A Familiar Destination

H old on, baby, I'm pulling over, Lindsay nervously stated.

No sooner had she turned into the cotton gin parking lot that a brilliant bolt of purple lightning struck a mere two hundred yards away. The flash was immediately followed by a mighty crash of thunder that shook and rattled her vehicle.

Wow! she exclaimed. That was close!

Are you all right? Robert asked. Where are you now? What's happening?

Robert's voice was cutting in and out with each lightning strike.

Well, I'm about twenty miles west of Sweetwater on Eighty-Four. I was making good time and hoping to get to Nina's at around seven, but this storm is coming in quick, so I'm expecting a significant delay. You wouldn't believe these winds! I mean, looking to the west, the top of the sky is nearly black, and underneath it's all brown.

Another bolt of lightning illuminated the ever-darkening landscape.

Man! That one was big! said her beau. I'm not even there, and I can tell that one was close! Are you somewhere safe?

Well, for being in the middle of nothing, I guess. The rain and wind are pretty bad, and me and maybe seven or eight cars have pulled up to the south side of an old cotton gin.

Lindsay looked back to the west as she gave a blow-by-blow account of the current events. She could see the rolling dust cloud closing in on her like a mighty tidal wave.

Have you heard any weather reports?

Up to about ten minutes ago, I was getting some reception from a station in Abilene, and they said to expect wind gusts up to sixty and seventy miles an hour. They were breaking up a lot, but from what I gathered, we've got a dust storm wrapped up in an electrical storm and deep-fried in a cold front mixed with hail.

Wow! That's crazy! You…safe…please…get there…love… Robert's voice, like that of the disc jockey in Abilene, kept breaking up.

With a quick glance to her left, Lindsay watched the thick wall of sand and dust cross over the highway.

Oh my gosh, baby! Here it comes!

Lindsay received no response from Robert.

The ferocious winds struck the driver's side of the tiny SUV like a battering ram and began rocking it violently from side to side. Even though it was only 5:00 p.m., the dense and ferocious storm system blotted out all sunlight, turning day into night. Had it not been for the headlights of the vehicles surrounding her, Lindsay surely would have lost sight of her fellow companions in the swirling darkness.

One of the pickups in front of her drove closer to the steel building and turned his truck directly into the wind. Lindsay and the drivers of other vehicles did the same.

Lindsay sat in awe as she watched the deluge of large rain droplets land on her windshield. Even with the windshield wipers cranked up high, they couldn't keep up with the torrential downpour.

Suddenly, a loud pop pierced the car's interior. Lindsay saw a dime-sized ball of hail bounce off the hood of her car. Then came another and another. It soon sounded as if someone was standing above her and dumping a box of ball bearings on the car.

Crap! This is gonna take out my windshield! she thought.

There was then a distinct sound of metal striking metal. One of the doors leading to the office of the abandoned mill was swaying wildly and slamming against its steel frame. She looked above her through the glass sunroof and noticed that several of the long sheets of corrugated metal had partially blown loose and were now flapping and thrashing about.

That's gonna decapitate someone! she told herself.

Lindsay looked at the screen of her cell phone. Although she was a mere twenty miles out of Sweetwater, her phone registered zero bars of tower reception.

Most cars had taken her lead by pulling off the highway to find refuge on the southeast corner of the mill. By now, not only was Lindsay's car being pummeled with rain, hail, and blowing sand, but the whole metal building began rocking back and forth.

This thing is gonna collapse on all of us!

Lindsay looked in front of her just in time to watch an 18-wheeler get blown over onto its right side. The truck and trailer slid on the slick asphalt past the end of the mill, leaving a shower of sparks behind it.

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! she shouted, reaching for her phone.

Lindsay then heard a couple of dense thuds off to the right of her SUV. Two of the men sitting in the pickup parked next to her had jumped out to brave the elements and raced to the west end of the mill. She watched them run headlong into the driving mix of rain and hail and disappear around the corner of the building.

Lindsay repeatedly dialed 911 but was unable to get a connection. She sat and waited and waited…and waited. It felt like hours had passed since she watched the duo launch themselves into the groaning tempest.

Come on! Come on!

Suddenly, from out of the darkness, three men rounded the corner of the shivering mill and ran toward the pickup. The man in the middle had an obvious limp, but with the aid of the two Texans flanking him, the trio quickly reached the warm and dry safety of the truck.

After wiping her moist eyes, Lindsay flashed the high beam of her headlights and honked her horn. The drivers of the remaining vehicles did the same to show their thanks and appreciation for the impromptu heroism of the amateur rescuers.

Something caught Lindsay's eye. To her left, coming from the south, she could faintly see the distinct flashing red-and-blue lights of an emergency vehicle approaching. The combination of blowing rain and sand obscured the car's headlights until it was nearly directly in front of the cotton gin. It was a highway trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety. This one happened to be a Chevy Suburban K-9 unit. The large SUV came to a stop a few yards behind the flipped trailer but angled itself toward the mill and small fleet of hunkered autos seeking safety. The trooper aimed his exterior spotlight at the vehicles and turned it off and on a couple of times as if to ask, Are you all right? Lindsay and her stranded companions flipped their high beams in unison with an unspoken reply of All is well.

The arrival of the officer brought peace of mind to Lindsay and her compadres. With his reassuring presence came the inexplicable and abrupt halt to the dust storm. The winds were still delivering a hard, pounding rain, but the overall severity of the situation was suddenly and greatly diminished.

Lindsay saw more flashing red-and-blue lights farther to the south. Upon arrival, one of the DPS cruisers pulled into the parking lot and drove around the parked vehicles to the northeast corner of the shifting metal building. The driver of the overturned truck and trailer exited the pickup next to Lindsay and hobbled his way around the mill to meet the waiting trooper.

The officer on the highway emerged from his SUV, ignited several emergency flares, and strategically placed them on the wet highway at an angle to divert any oncoming traffic to the left lane. After placing his flares, the trooper started down the small embankment and, with flashlight in hand, motioned for Lindsay and the others to back up. By now the second patrolman was standing behind the parked cars and was waving his arms in a circular pattern, directing them to drive to the north side of the mill and enter the highway.

As the tiny convoy passed the demolished truck and trailer, Lindsay saw and realized that had it not been for the incline of the embankment and a long, deep puddle of water and mud, the cab of the truck would have slid directly into the utility pole and well house of the neighboring property. The truck driver was indeed lucky to be alive.

Lindsay found herself sandwiched in the middle of the wagon train as they pulled onto Highway 84 and proceeded north. The rain beat down hard on their windshields as the caravan slowly but surely advanced against the ferocious winds.

Later, just as the entourage was approaching Justiceburg, it was as if an invisible hand had flipped a switch; the rain and wind all but disappeared. Lindsay sighed a silent breath of relief when she could again see the rolling hills and forests of tall, white windmills with their flashing red beacon lights.

When climbing a small rise in the road on the outskirts of Post, the bottom edge of the sun dipped below the western rim of the squall. Lindsay basked in the beautiful, warm, golden light. The emergence of the sun told her that God would make sure that she'd soon arrive at Nina May's, safe and sound.

*****

I'm about to exit onto FM 7900, Lindsay said. I should be there in less than fifteen minutes. Maybe sooner.

I'm just glad to hear your voice and know you're all right, said Robert, When you got cut off, I really started to worry. I wish I was with you.

Me too, baby.

Lindsay exited off Highway 84 to FM 7900, turned left, and headed west.

I was listening to KLLL a while ago, and they said that there was a tornado in that storm, and it touched down just northeast of Sweetwater. Nobody was hurt, but it totally destroyed somebody's barn. They said it was rain-wrapped, and no one saw it coming.

Well, it's a good thing you stopped then. Otherwise, you might have driven right into its path.

I know. Isn't that crazy? Hey, baby? I'm about to pull up to the intersection of FM 3100 at Nina's house, so just consider me as good as there.

All right. I'm glad you made it safe. I love you.

I love you too, baby.

Tell Nina howdy.

I will. I can see the house from here.

Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

K. Good night.

Lindsay disconnected the call with Robert as she arrived at the four-way stop sign. She turned right onto the gravel and dirt road, then immediately turned left into the arched driveway of her grandmother's home. Years of severe panhandle weather had not been friendly to the exterior of the aged Sageser house. Lindsay parked directly in front of the porch steps and turned off the engine. Once out of her SUV, she stretched and yawned, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and reached in for her phone and purse.

After taking a long panoramic look at the front of the house, Lindsay climbed the three rickety steps of the wraparound deck. Other than the porch light, there was a hand-painted, double-bowl glass lamp sitting in the window to the right of the front door. Lindsay stopped to admire the lamp and hearkened back to those times long, long ago when she was just a little girl and she and her daddy would arrive late in the evening. For her, that irreplaceable, old, tiny lamp, shining bright in the darkness, was Luther