Chapter 30 Housemates
Logan stepped to the left, his foot falling through one of the boards. He groaned, Olivia screamed and Serena gasped. “I’m okay,” Logan called out. He got back on steady footing and retrieved Olivia from Serena’s arms. “I’ll follow you,” Serena said. Logan nodded, carefully bringing Olivia out of the bathroom. Oliver was seated on the floor, rocking back and forth, but holding the flashlight out just as Logan had asked. “Good job, buddy,” Logan said, setting Olivia down on the floor beside her brother. “Let me go help your mother.”
The sky was clearing. It was still early enough that the sun was up, bringing new light on the destruction of the house. Logan headed back to the bathroom. He held a hand out for Serena. She took it, and he carefully led her out of the dangerous room. He brought her to where the kids were.
“This can’t be as bad as it looks,” Serena said, looking at the damage from the tree. “We’ll get a better look when we get outside,” Logan assured. They each grabbed one of the kids. The stairs were still intact, so getting downstairs wasn’t too difficult. Logan was still careful in case there was structural damage. The walls were smeared with dirt and smooshed bark, water dripped from the hole in the roof, and there were still branches to navigate around. Getting outside wasn’t difficult, but it was precarious. Logan set Oliver down on the ground when he got outside. He looked at the damage from the outside. It didn’t look that horrible, but it would still take a lot to repair the damage. It wasn’t going to be an easy, overnight fix. “I should call my mother, make sure she got home safe,” Logan said when Serena joined him in the front. She nodded; her eyes nervous as she assessed the damage for herself.
Logan pulled his cellphone out and dialed his mom’s number.
“Logan are you alright? How are the kids, how is Serena?” Flo asked when she picked up the phone. Logan smiled. “I take it you and Holly are fine?” he asked. “We are,” she said. “We made it back before the storm really started.” “Good,” Logan said. “The kids are pretty shaken up, and a fallen tree caved in
their roof. I don’t know how complicated it will be to repair the damage.” They’ll be needing a place to stay,” Flo.said, hinting at the obvious. Logan sighed.
“I’ll figure it out,” he said. “Just…don’t say anything to Holly yet.” “My lips are sealed,” Flo said. “Come home soon.” “I will. Send me any other calls on damage reports to pack territory,” he said. “I’ll keep you updated” she promised. Logan hung up. “This is as bad as it looks, isn’t it?” Serena asked, setting Olivia down. The kids started splashing around in puddles that had been made in the grass. Oliver seemed to recover well from his fright.
“It isn’t good,” Logan admitted. “The damage can be repaired, but it will take a while. The tree has to be removed first, and it isn’t a small tree. The house has to be assessed, structural damage repaired first, then any internal systems like plumbing and electrical. Walls need to be replaced, fixtures repaired, and finally the roof put back on.”
Serena sighed, shaking her head. She hadn’t taken her eyes off the damaged house
yet.
“That sounds like a lot,” she muttered. Logan reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.
“It will get done,” he assured. “There could be a delay with other areas of the town that are damaged.” “I figured,” she said. “It isn’t like my house takes priority.” “I could make a few calls,” Logan offered. Serena shook her head. “No, I don’t want special treatment,” she said turning to face Logan. He nodded. “Okay, but I do need to give you a place to stay,” he said. “I can’t let the twins be homeless.” “That is appreciated,” she said. “Good, it is settled then, there is plenty of space at my house,” he said. “What!?” Serena asked. “No, that’s not what I was agreeing to.” Logan smirked at her. “Come on, pack some of your things,” he urged. “Let the kids get their things too, whatever hasn’t been damaged. My house is big enough for the three of you.” “Logan, you do realize that the more you are nice to me, the more Holly will torment me,” she pointed out. Logan shrugged. “Let me worry about Holly,” he said. “It
isn’t like we have a motel or bed and breakfast you can stay at. Adriana’s house is a one bedroom. At least at my house the twins would have their own room, and so would you.” Serena didn’t look convinced, but Logan wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer. “You enjoy putting me in awkward situations, don’t you?” she asked. Logan smirked at her again. “Come on, kids, let’s pack some of your things.” She went back inside with the kids following her. Logan followed too to make sure no one was going to get hurt. The kids headed around the mostly undamaged living room, collecting their toys and piling them on the table. Logan chuckled. “Don’t you want to get clothes and shoes too?” Logan asked. “I’ll get those things,” Serena said. “I don’t want the kids upstairs anyway.” Logan nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on them,” he said. “My new stuffy is all wet,” Olivia whined, throwing the sopping wet stuffed animal on the table. “The book is ruined too.” Oliver said, holding up the soggy version of Call of the Wild. “We’ll get another one;” Logan said. “I’ll finish reading it to you another time.” Oliver smiled and went back to collecting his things. Serena came back downstairs with two bags packed. She set one on the ripped, wet couch and opened it so the kids could put their toy sin. “Only pack what will fit,” she said. They started shoving their toys into the bag. “If you’re really not okay staying with me, I can make other arrangements,” Logan offered. He had offered because he knew his house had the space. He had a yard for the kids to play in, and the kids could share a room by themselves, their mother having a separate room. The three of them wouldn’t be cramped together, and the kids would have plenty of space to play. He’d also offered because he was Alpha, and it was his responsibility to make sure that she was cared for and had a place to stay. Since she didn’t know many people in the pack, he knew that she wouldn’t have anywhere else to go. Adriana didn’t have the space for them to all comfortably live together so some
unknown amount of time. “I understand the reasoning behind it,” Serena said. “It does make the most sense. I’m not sure how many pack members would be willing to put up a single mother and twins that they don’t know very well.” “At least at my place, the kids will have a yard and a room. My mother always loves having little ones around,” he said. Serena nodded. “I appreciate it,” she said. “But, can I ask that Holly is kept away from the kids as much as possible?” Logan chuckled. “I will see what I can do about that,” he promised. “I’m sure she will find lots of reasons not to be around as much with you and the kids living there.” “Or be around more often,” Serena pointed out. Logan shrugged. He picked up her bag off the couch and slung it over his shoulder.
“Either way, it is only temporary,” Logan pointed out. He reached for Oliver’s hand. Serena took Olivia’s and grabbed the second bag. The four of them headed out of the damaged house and went in the direction of Loqan’s house,
There were trees all over the neighborhood that had come down Cracketawa hung dangerously, and there were leaves and debris all over the ground w ith accumulated too, and both the twins wanted to jump and stomp in each puddle
“I know this isn’t ideal,” Logan said, walking beside Serena “We‘ll get you back in own house quickly. I wish there was a vacant house to relocate you to, but all the empty homes are being renovated and aren’t move in ready” “I understand,” she said with a nod. Again, her resilience and strength amazed hun Given un-ideal circumstances, and she was still making the best of it. She had it wanted to agree to stay with him. He’d known that, but she had evaluated how it would benefit the kids, and that was what had been the deciding factor
She really was a great mom! Logan couldn’t imagine Holly ever being like that, yo selfless and strong in the face of adversity. It made him question his relationship with her even more.