CHAPTER FORTY-ONE. The continuous pounding against the shutters made for a sleepless night

The continuous pounding against the shutters made for a sleepless night. Pat was constantly tossing on the small sofa, trying to get comfortable. Finally, she gave up. Four-thirty. Great.

She walked down the hall to Carly's bedroom. The door was opened but the soft glow of the nightlight in the hallway wasn't enough for her to see Carly's face. But she imagined how she would look in sleep. She'd been imagining it for weeks. She quietly closed the door and crept back into the living room.

The Weather Channel was having continuous coverage and after starting coffee, she settled down to watch. Landfall was predicted by late afternoon and already the storm surge was hitting. The nighttime pictures they showed of Corpus, Port Aransas, and Galveston were frightening. The only encouraging thing she heard was that the strike probability was now north of them. They would be spared the brunt of the storm.

She was on her third cup of coffee when Carly stumbled in. Her hair was a tasseled mess and she wore plaid boxers and a wrinkled white T-shirt. Pat was certain she'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

Carly rubbed her eyes with one hand and murmured, " Coffee? "

Pat grinned.

" Not a morning person? "

" No. It's best you find out now."

" Like that matters. You look gorgeous, by the way."

" Rule number one. Don't talk to me until I've had coffee."

" I guess I should warn you now. I'm a morning person. Actually, I'm a chatterbox in the morning. Unfortunately, I seldom have anyone to talk to. Maybe that's why I have a penchant for talking to myself."

" Shut up."

Pat laughed and watched as Carly shuffled into the kitchen. She heard coffee being poured then a quiet sigh. Ah, her first sip. Won't be long now.

Carly came back and this time her eyes were opened. When Pat opened her mouth to speak, Carly held up her hand.

" Don't."

Carly sat in the recliner and sipped her coffee, her eyes on the TV. Pat watched her, saw her stretch slightly as she moved her shoulders, then her neck. Finally, nearly ten minutes later, Carly turned and looked at her.

" What ungodly hour did you get up? "

" Four-thirty."

" I knew you were insane."

" Couldn't sleep. I think I'm longer than your sofa."

" Christ, why didn't you just come to bed with me? "

" I thought we'd already covered that? "

" Trust me. Once I'm asleep, I'm asleep."

" Yes, I know. You also snore."

" I most certainly do not snore! "

" Not like big burly men snores, but yes, you snore. It's very cute."

Carly stared at her, contemplating tossing the rest of her coffee on Pat's head. She smiled slightly. That was a pleasant thought.

" Don't even think about it."

" Too late. And if you spread nasty rumors about my snoring, I'll take you out into the bay and drown you."

" You're vicious in the morning."

" Yes. And don't ever forget it."

" Do you like to make love in the morning? "

Carly choked on her coffee and Pat laughed.

" Do I look like I like to make love in the morning? "

" You look like you could be...extremely aggressive, " Pat said. " Could be fun."

Carly couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. Even in the dreaded morning, Pat could make her laugh.

" How about a weather update? " Carly suggested, changing the subject.

" It's category four, just barely. Winds are at 135. Gusts at Corpus were already 80."

" Jesus Christ. What's the prediction? "

" More strengthening today, but it's moving faster, which is a good thing. It's also turned a bit to the north."

" Galveston? "

" Between here and there."

" Category four is very dangerous. But a category five? "

" It won't reach that. It's so large, when the outer bands hit land, it'll stop strengthening."

" Do you think we should leave? "

" If we were on the island, sure. Port Aransas has been evacuated. Galveston Island, too. But, we've got the barrier island and the bay between us and the storm. I think we'll be okay. Besides, our Jeeps would get beat to hell out there."

Carly looked back to the TV, watching as a reporter stood in the early morning dawn near Corpus Christi Bay as the water from the bay washed above the jetty.

" I hope my parents are okay, " she said.

" Were they going to leave? "

" Dad said they were going to wait until today. Both my brothers live inland." Then she looked at Pat. " Do we need to check on Rachel? "

" No. She's boarded up. She'll be okay."

Carly nodded. " Let's make some breakfast. I can do eggs, " she said.

" Yes. We should probably cook while we still have power."

Pat sat at the table and watched as Carly opened the package of bacon they'd bought last night. Pat couldn't remember the last time she'd had a real breakfast cooked for her, other than Alice. This was nice, she decided. The smell of frying bacon had a soothing effect on her and she was content to sit and watch Carly as she moved about her kitchen. She was bent over now, head stuck inside the refrigerator. It was a nice view.

" Bacon, eggs, toast? " Carly asked.

" Sounds great."

Carly pulled out jar of what used to be some sort of jam. Pat smiled at the frown on Carly's face.

" Guess it's only butter on the toast. I'm not really certain what this has turned into, " she said as she tossed the jar into the trash. " Don't know why I even packed that." Then she looked up. " What time is it, anyway? "

Pat turned her wrist. " Almost six-thirty."

" I hate it all boarded up like this, " Carly said. " I'm going to be crazy by the end of the day."

" I know. I hate not being able to see what's going on out there. But we should move our Jeeps as soon as we eat."

" There are two oil lamps down in the kitchen. Remind me to bring one up here. With the shutters closed, it's going to be dark as hell when the power goes out."

" Candles? "

" Yes. I have some." Then she paused. " You're not going to suggest we fill the bathtub up with water, are you? I never understood that."

" I think that precaution is still from the old days when utilities could be out for weeks after a storm hit."

" Have you been through many? " Carly asked.

" A few tropical storms but only one hurricane. The first year I lived at the beach house and I was totally unprepared. I did get new furniture out of the deal."

" But your house is safe now? "

" Category four? I don't know. The storm surge alone will probably have water up to my deck. But the structure, the roof...I don't know."

" I'm sorry. You're worried about it, aren't you? "

Pat nodded. " But I don't have a lot there. I keep all of my prints and negatives at Aunt Rachel's and some of my equipment."

Carly took the bacon out to drain on paper towels and cracked four eggs into the pan.

" Do you have any inventory? I mean, do you sell over the Internet? "

" No. I've got a deal with a place in Corpus that produces my prints and does the framing for the large ones that I market locally."

" Why don't you have your own gallery? Surely, you've got enough material."

" I've actually been thinking about that for awhile now. There's an old T-shirt shop in Rockport that Aunt Rachel's heard is going to come up for sale by the first of the year. She wants me to get it. But owning a gallery means more work and I'd have less time out in the field."

" And that's why you hire a good manager, " Carly said. " Why have other galleries sell your work and make a profit when you can do it yourself? "

" I know. Flip those already, would you? " she said, pointing to the eggs.

" Sorry. I normally do scrambled."

Pat put bread in the toaster while Carly filled their plates.

" Juice? "

" You have some? "

" Yes. Two days to expiration. You're just in time."

They sat across from each other at the table and ate in silence. Carly looked up from time to time, watching Pat. For the first time that morning, she allowed her thoughts to revisit last night. She shouldn't have. Her skin tingled, her breasts ached. She closed her eyes, remembering Pat's urgent hands as they touched her. She suddenly found it difficult to breathe and when she opened her eyes, Pat was watching her. She dove into the blue eyes but said nothing. Finally, Pat's hand reached out and covered hers.

" I'm thinking about it, too, " she whispered.

Carly blushed. God, was it that obvious?

" You have no idea how long it took me to get to sleep last night, " Carly admitted.

" At least you got to sleep. And trust me, all the squirming I did had nothing to do with the size of the sofa."

" Well, it's your own fault."

" Yes, I'm a glutton for punishment."

" I think you may be, " Carly said. She got up and took her plate to the sink, then reached for Pat's. She was going to be absolutely crazy by the end of the day if they were stuck inside. " Let's move the Jeeps. I need to get outside."

But Pat grabbed her arm as she walked past, pulling her close.

" Don't...please? " Carly whispered when their eyes met. " I still haven't recovered from last night."

But Pat lowered her head anyway. She couldn't help it. But her kiss was light, brief. She hadn't recovered, either.

" I'm sorry."

" It would be so easy to fall in love with you."

" Yes, I know. It's my glowing personality, " Pat said.

" Please don't make me."

" It's too late. And you know it, " Pat said quietly.

" Yes. That's what scares me."

" I want to do a lot of things to you, Dr. Cambridge, but scare you is not one of them."

" Well, it's too late for that, too."

Pat smiled warmly then backed away.

" Come on. Let's get our Jeeps in the barn."

The wind was ferocious, but not nearly as fierce as it would be later in the day. Already, small branches from the oaks were breaking off, littering the ground. The pounding rain of the night before had slacked some but the swirling clouds only promised more.

Both Jeeps fit easily inside the barn and they closed the double doors with Pat on the outside pushing against the wind. Then, with the hoods of their rain jackets pulled over their heads, they ran back to the ranch house. Carly looked back once, a frown creasing her brow, then she closed the door.

" What? " Pat asked.

" They'll never make it, " she said.

" The egrets? "

" Yeah. I'm sure the parents have already headed inland. The babies are on their own."

" You want to try and get them? " Pat asked.

Carly shook her head. " Our Jeeps barely made it to the barn without blowing over."

" We could walk."

" No. It's too dangerous. I just have to keep telling myself that this is nature and these things happen."

" I'm sorry, Carly."

" Come on. Let's go get dry. I could use a shower, " she said as they climbed the stairs. " You? "

" Yes. You want to go first? "

" No. Go ahead. I think I'll call Elsa and check in."

Pat took her time, then searched everywhere in Carly's bathroom for a blow dryer. She finally stuck her head out.

" Blow dryer? "

" Sorry. I don't use one, " she called.

No wonder her hair always looked wind blown. It was wind blown. She gathered up her things and walked back out to the living room, wet hair and all.

" Sorry about that. I haven't used one in years."

" It's okay. It'll dry soon enough."

Carly was again on the floor, watching the never-ending weathercast. Beside her was a tall drink that looked suspiciously like a Bloody Mary.

Pat raised her eyebrows.

" I thought it was a good day to stay inside and drink, " she said.

Pat nodded. " And mine would be where? "

" In the fridge. I left the Tabasco on the table. I wasn't sure how spicy you liked them."

Pat came back with her glass and sat down beside Carly and they watched the TV in silence. It wasn't long before the rain started in earnest again and they listened as it pounded against the shutters.

" I really hate this, " Carly said. " I hate that the marsh will be flooded, that trees will be lost. And I hate it about the egrets, " she admitted.

" I know, " Pat said. " Listen, it's still manageable out there. Why don't I just go out and get them? "

" It's too dangerous, Pat. You can hear yourself that the wind is picking up by the minute. Limbs will be snapping off and blowing around. It would be insane to go out."

" I can stick to the woods, " she said.

" You can't penetrate the oak motes and you know it."

" Look, I like the damn little birds, too. They're ugly as hell but...they're ours, " she said. For some reason, she equated the safety of the egrets with the fragileness of the relationship that she and Carly were starting. If the egrets died, she was afraid that she and Carly would have no chance either.

Pat's words touched Carly. She knew Pat had become fond of the nest. She'd seen her sneak off with her camera on numerous days, but Pat never said anything. Carly thought maybe she would be embarrassed over the attention she was giving them. But still, it was too dangerous.

" You could get hurt, " she said. " I would never forgive myself. They're just birds."

" They're not just birds, Carly."

The romantic part of Carly wanted to say, yes, go save them. But the sensible part said it was totally irresponsible to try. But Pat's eyes were so sure and confident. As fierce as the storm raging around them. She wanted to believe her. She wanted to believe that it was worth the risk to try and save them.

" Okay. But only if I go with you."

" No way. You're not going out. No offence, but I'm bigger and stronger than you are." She was already getting to her feet and Carly followed.

" I don't think you should go out alone, Pat. What if something happened? "

" Then it shouldn't happen to both of us."

" That's just crazy."

" Maybe. But you're staying here."

" You are so fucking stubborn, " she said to Pat's retreating back. She was already headed down the stairs.

" I thought obnoxious and arrogant."

" Those, too."

Pat grabbed her rain jacket off of one of the chairs and slipped it on. She looked at her bare legs, wishing she'd put jeans on. But there was no time. They both looked up as a limb slammed against one of the shutters, shaking the window.

" This isn't a good idea, " Carly said.

Their eyes met and Carly walked to Pat, slipping her arms around her without thinking. She kissed her cheek, then moved to her lips, kissing her gently, then with more pressure.

" If you let anything happen to you, I'll never forgive you, " she whispered.

" Don't drink all my Bloody Mary while I'm gone."

" Pat, please don't do anything foolish. If it's too bad, just come back. Please? "

" I promise. Now, what am I supposed to put the little monsters in? "

" Shit. I didn't think. Wait, " she said and ran back up the stairs. She came back carrying a pillowcase. " Put them in here. It's the best I've got."

Pat nodded, then bent and kissed Carly hard.

" I'll be back."

" Watch your head, " Carly called after her as Pat sprinted out into the storm. Suddenly, Carly wanted to call her back. She wanted to tell her that it was foolish. She wanted to take her upstairs where it was safe. But Pat was already to the barn and Carly watched as she disappeared around the corner.

" Please be safe, " she whispered.