?I will be right behind you. It will take fifteen minutes?everyone is ready to leave.?
For the first time she was frightened. It must be much worse than she thought. ?We planned to leave together?in one vehicle. Together.?
He kissed her. ?Sara, I need you to be safe. We need the kids safe?before the wind picks up, before traffic gets heavy. I?ll check?I know they have planned for this?and I?ll be right behind you?promise. I?ll get there before you check in.?
Sara got in the van. The babies were asleep; Eli and Bizzy were happy, waiting for the cartoon to begin. The dog was sitting in the front seat, enjoying the luxury of having a window. ?Okay, but leave?soon.?
?Promise.? He held up his hand to wave. ?I love you, Sara.?
As she backed away, she looked at him seeing even more concern on his face. She could see distant clouds that were not clouds but smoke on the horizon. Quickly, she put the van in park, opened her door and stepped out. He was at the door in three strides.
?I?ll be right behind you, Sara. I promise.? He said as she reached arms around his neck.
?Hurry, please,? she whispered. ?I love you.? She kissed him, passionately, holding him to her as she ran fingers through his hair. ?Be safe. We?ll be waiting.?
He grinned and she saw relief, less worry, in his eyes. ?Get out of here, woman!? His voice reflected a return to happiness that was usual. He continued to wave until they were out of sight, then he returned to the house. There were more things to do here before he checked on his neighbors.
?Sara drove and sang to her children, laughed with them at the cartoon playing in the back of the van. Bizzy dropped into a nap and Eli asked question after question that she answered with simple responses required of a four-year old. By the time she got to the main highway, traffic picked up and blinking blue lights told her that others had put into action the same plans?escape while they could. She met heavy equipment and firefighting trucks arriving but had seen no fire, just smoke billowing along the horizon.
Along the congested road, wild, tangled vines were green with purple and white flowers pushing out to the sun. Fields were dry, but not dead, and trees concealed cool earth where more wildflowers and brambles survived on little water. Houses appeared among the rolling hills, everything looked peaceful, normal; these families were not fleeing an approaching storm. It was a beautiful day before glancing back to the horizon.
By the time she arrived at the hotel, the parking lot was full of vehicles and families loaded with personal belongings, children and pets. She managed to load babies into the stroller, hold a sleepy two year old, get Eli to place his hand on the stroller, and wrap Hank?s leash around her wrist. They resembled half a dozen other families when checking in and Eli quickly saw other children playing in the corner of the lobby. He pulled on his mom?s shirt and pointed.
?You can play in just a little while. Let?s look at our room first.?
Two young teenagers volunteered to help her with bags, a cooler, and a box of food. An adventure of a hotel room to a four year old and a two year old provided entertainment for the first hour as Sara fed babies, gave crackers and juice to the older children, and tried to call Grissom. His phone rang several times before rolling over to ?leave a message?. She left a message, giving him the room number and asking where was he. She knew he would be walking in to the room any second.
Eli stood before her as she placed Annie into the stroller. ?Can I play? Those boys looked like friends.? His green eyes were so much like his father?s. She found she could rarely refuse his requests, especially since he was such a sweet, generous child.
?We?ll go as soon as Ava finishes. It won?t be long,? she said with a smile. If there was a God, he had blessed her with two sweet, loving children. She looked down at the nursing baby. She wasn?t sure about these two; they seem to have their own way of doing things. As she thought this, Ava turned her face towards her mother and smiled the toothless grin of a baby. ?You little monkey,? Sara whispered. The baby smiled again before turning back to her primary business as Sara fingered a golden curl.
Another thought, which she often expressed, came into her mind. How had she?mother of three girls?borne children with the clear blue eyes of their father; only the oldest had the loose, dark curls of her mother. She would swear each one had the ability to raise an eyebrow just as their father could do in a self-confident smirk. Where was he, she asked herself.
The family made their way back to the lobby, Sara keeping watch for Grissom, checking her watch and phone too often. Eli was correct; boys were playing and welcomed a newcomer as quickly as children do. Bizzy clung to her mother, smiling at strangers, but unwilling to move into the improvised play area. The babies were happy in their stroller as Sara found a nearby chair, took Bizzy into her lap and held her oldest daughter, who was content for now to have her mother to herself as they watched Eli make friends and share toys from his backpack.
Eli was the one whose genes reflected his father, from his green eyes to his long slim fingers. He was the child who brought so many emotions to Sara and Grissom. Sara had heard his real father declare a son?s love and devotion to Grissom; when his birth mother called, there was no hesitation about taking Warrick?s son into their family.
She watched as little boys played with trucks and cars, airplanes and tanks, in some miniature game of their own making. Parents kept watch gradually entering in conversations of polite strangers, reporting local news in quiet voices. Sara watched and waited for Grissom. Mothers made introductions and pointed to their children; Ava and Annie gurgled and were entertained by an older girl blowing bubbles. Even Bizzy forgot her shyness in a new place as bubbles floated around the lobby and children squealed and chased floating effervescent orbs.
Without Grissom, Sara chose to prepare a simple meal in the room rather than brave the chaos of the restaurant. She had sandwiches, fruit, tomatoes, cookies, milk and juice that she placed on the small table for Bizzy and Eli. Both were excited about being in a hotel room, playing with other children in a new place; both unaware of the constant worry troubling their mother.
She had left several messages before deciding Grissom?s phone was turned off or was not with him. It had been over five hours since she left him alone and she had heard nothing. Downstairs, the talk about fire had been quiet, but it appeared to be contained for the night, the wind had not increased?all good news. What had happened to her husband, she asked herself, as she fed children and got them ready for bed.
