Chapter 115 Safety First
The sun dipped below the horizon as dark clouds pressed down, and in a matter of moments, lightning split the sky, followed by a torrential downpour.
Leopold glanced at the time, a flicker of worry in his gut. Caroline probably wouldn't remember the umbrella he'd stashed in the trunk for her. He opened WhatsApp and shot her a quick message.
Leopold: [Honey. Put an umbrella in the trunk for you.]
Five minutes ticked by. No reply. She must still be swamped.
Elysia emerged from the kitchen. "That's some serious rain. And both of them are still out in it." She turned to Leopold. "Did Caroline say when she'd be back?"
"I just messaged her, but she hasn't read it yet. Must still be busy," Leopold replied.
Elysia started muttering to herself, more thinking aloud than anything. "On a clear day, it's a forty-minute drive from downtown. With a storm like this, it'll take her over an hour."
Leopold stared out at the sheets of rain, his expression mirroring her concern. "It would take me an hour in this weather, too."
"Let me see if your father is coming home for dinner. He never gives a straight answer," Elysia said, grabbing her phone. She walked to the window, watching the cars slice through the watery streets as she waited for Elijah to pick up.
After seven or eight rings, Elijah's voice crackled through the line.
"What's up?"
"Are you coming home for dinner? Caroline and Leopold are here."
"They're back?"
"Yes, and Leopold's waiting for you."
"Tell him not to wait for me. We've got a severe weather alert upstream from Seaside City, and the storm's hitting us hard here. The weather service is forecasting a flash flood. The water level is going to rise fast, probably within the hour. My colleagues and I are grabbing a bite at the cafeteria, then heading out to inspect the levees along the Starlight River. No idea what time I'll be home. Don't wait up for me, either. If it gets too late, I'll just crash at the office." The Starlight River was the largest in Seaside City, the lifeblood for countless people.
"Be careful down by the river tonight," Elysia urged. "Don't make me worry."
"I know. By the way, there are some cigarettes under my desk. You can give them to him."
"I already did. Don't worry about things at home, just stay safe. And Leopold brought you two cartons, by the way."
"He didn't need to do that. Anyway, got to go, another call's coming in."
Elysia hung up and glanced at the clock. Four-thirty.
"Your father isn't coming home for dinner. He has to go inspect the levees. And who knows when Caroline will get here. I'll heat up the Beef and Root Vegetable Stew. You should eat first."
Leopold stood up. "It's okay, Mom. I'm not in a rush. We will wait for Caroline so we can eat together."
"You're not hungry? You helped me with all that grocery shopping this afternoon, carrying everything," Elysia said, already heading toward the kitchen.
"Really, Mom, I'm not hungry. I'll wait for Caroline," Leopold insisted, stopping her.
Just then, Elysia's phone rang. "Alright, we'll wait a bit then. If you get hungry, just go ahead and eat."
"Okay, Mom."
He wandered into Caroline's room, his eyes scanning her bookshelf before landing on the photos displayed there.
Most of them were from her middle and high school years—school IDs, candid snapshots, and group photos from sports days and school festivals, all bursting with youthful energy.
He picked up a photo from her middle school days. Her hair was long then, and her small face was adorable when she smiled. He'd only ever known her with short hair, and he had to admit, he thought it suited her better.
By high school, at sixteen or seventeen, her features had matured. Her eyes and brows were more defined, sparkling with the pure, soft beauty of a young woman. She had cut her hair short by then, and her smile for the camera held a new layer of intelligence and gentleness.
An idea for some light-hearted teasing later sparked in his mind. He snapped a picture of her middle school photo and then her high school one. Suddenly, that little stuffed pony appeared in the frame of his phone.
The more he looked at that thing, the more it grated on him. But he didn't dare mess with it. He knew it was tied to a precious memory for Caroline.
Outside, the rain intensified, falling in a dense curtain that nearly obscured the street below.
Just as Leopold was about to message her, his phone rang. It was Caroline.
He answered immediately. "Are you done with work?"
Caroline was standing at the entrance of her office building, staring through the glass doors at the deluge. The sound of the downpour was a roar in the background.
"Just got out of a meeting. This rain is insane," she said. She was trying to figure out how to make a mad dash to the parking lot when one of the other station chiefs walked by with an umbrella. "Hey, can you give me a hand?" She called out. "My car's just across the way."
Leopold's voice was urgent on the other end. "Caroline, if the rain's that bad, just wait it out!"
But before he could finish, she cut him off. "Gotta go, talk to you later."
Even with the umbrella, her pants, shoes, and half of one shoulder were soaked by the time she slid into the driver's seat. She fumbled for some tissues to wipe the water from her face and hands.
Her phone rang again. It was Leopold. "You got wet, didn't you?"
Caroline put him on speaker, dabbing at her skin. "It's not too bad."
Leopold was now getting a taste of Elysia's earlier anxiety. "Drive safe. Take it slow."
She shrugged off her damp jacket, rolled up the cuffs of her blouse, and cranked up the heat, sighing as warmth began to seep back into her.
"I know. I'll drive slowly in this rain. You and Mom go ahead and eat, don't wait for me."
There was no way in hell Leopold was going to sit there comfortably sipping stew while she was driving home in a storm.
"I'm not hungry," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm waiting for you."
Sensing his worry, Caroline didn't press the trivial point. She glanced at the time on the dashboard. "I should be home around five-ten."
"No rush," Leopold said, a smile in his voice. "I think you know what's most important."
Caroline smiled, too. "Safety first."
"Drive carefully."
"Don't worry," she teased. "I wouldn't want to make you heartbroken."
Leopold's expression turned mock-serious. "Don't even joke about that."
"Alright, alright. I'm about to head out."
After hanging up, Caroline switched on the windshield wipers, gripped the steering wheel, and let out a steadying breath as she faced the road ahead. "Alright, time to put my driving skills to the test."
Leopold stood by the window, his eyes fixed on the street below, watching for her car. Each time a vehicle approached, his hope surged, only to fall as it drove past.
Watching his silhouette, Elysia was reminded of when Caroline was a little girl, standing by the door waiting for them to come home.
"Leopold," Elysia called. He turned. "What is it, Mom?"
He walked over as she held out a fruit platter filled with freshly cut cantaloupe. "The guy at the fruit stand said this one was really sweet. Try it."
"You first, Mom," Leopold said, taking the plate with both hands. Elysia speared a piece and popped it into her mouth. "He wasn't lying. It's delicious. You should come sit down and eat some while you wait instead of just standing there."
Leopold settled onto the sofa. This home, this family, made him feel a sense of ease he rarely found. Whether it was Elysia's nurturing care or Elijah's quiet acceptance, he was completely enveloped in its warmth.
The clock was nearing five-thirty. Leopold figured Caroline had to be close.
As Elysia went to the kitchen to heat up the dishes, Leopold grabbed an umbrella. "Mom," he called out to her, "I'm going downstairs to meet her."
Before she could even call him back, the front door had already clicked shut.
Elysia smiled to herself, a fond, helpless shake of her head. He was so eager, she thought, but her heart swelled with gratitude for his thoughtfulness.
Caroline guided her car into the complex and had just pulled into a spot in front of the building when she saw a figure burst through the main doors, running straight for her car.