Hmmm... Hadn't quite thought that far ahead in all the commotion to get in out o' the rain.
"You got an idea about where we could stay, Boeing? Cause if this rain keeps up, we definitely may need a place."
I smile at Vignette. "Of course. Just don't forget you got people other than them an' you'll be nice and dry."
My eyes fall on Boeing. Poor guy. I meander over to him.
"So you plan on stickin' around, my friend? That means I might give you somethi…
I mull over Vignette's words for a minute as we walk.
"That is a hard rain right on ya, Vignette. An' I have to say, I don't think anyone would fault ya for doin' somethin' just to hear yer ma's voice. In this world, we all do what we gotta to sur…
I turn to see Vignette. "Of course, Vignette."
Turning to Ghost I say "Why don't you take Rei and QuePasa and go help out Bon. I know how much you enjoy that. If either of 'em give you any guff, tell 'em I put you in charge." I muss Ghost's hair an…
I take a knee to get on Ghost's level. "Well hi there, sister Ghost. And, like I've told ya', call me 'brother.' None o' this 'sir,' stuff. When the Lord comes back, we can all call him 'sir,' but that ain't fer me. And yes, it looks like we got eve…
I'm proud of the family for pullin' together and helpin' to get everyone inside and safe. Stuff is safe too. They can really muscle down when they need to.
As QuePasa speaks to me I stare at the money in my hand. Feels like it's burnin' a hole in m…
Well, drat. We gotta get these folks and all this stuff inside. I turn to my family and say "Folks, we got to move as fast as we can, but people's safety is the main concern, so be careful as you go. Don't strain yourself, don't damage anything, and…
I immediately feel bad for assuming Vignette wasn't gonna help. Real bad. The Lord uses folks surprisin' you to teach you lessons, though, so I guess I gotta learn somethin' from this.
"My apologies, Vignette. Of course, yer help would be much appr…
Well, heck, don't that just beat all.
The family's already started walkin', so I call out to Valentine. "Hey Valentine!? Can I borrow a few of yer friends from SafeCo? Mox here needs some help carryin' some sick folks and I can't do that all by lo…
"Sorry to barge in on you, Vignette, but Val and I are tryin' to get everyone and everythin' outta here and we didn't want to leave you. You good to go?"
"Works for me, HM," I say, as I stroll past him casually, with a bit of a smile. "Let me just go grab Vignette, then. We got some big ol' folks here with Val and my people, maybe someone can carry her, then you don't have to troubler yourself."
See…
Well don't this just smell like it's been left out in the rain, eh?
"That's definitely correct. We have to get outta here. Why don't we wake up Vignette and we can all get a move on. You too, HM. Rain's comin'."
What's my best way past HM (to get …
I shake my head. "Seen her around, but never had the pleasure. I'd be happy to be introduced, though, if you want to do the honors. Maybe we'll have stuff to chew on."
I glance back inside, a bit nervous. "What's say you and I go see if we can't fi…
I knew this question was comin'. If not from Val, from someone. Wicked men tend to make enemies, fast if they're stupid, slow if they're smart. HM is smart, but his time to make enemies is here. And I seen the way Val looks at him. Sizin' him up. Sh…
I shake my head. Both in answer to Val as well as in concern for Vignette. "No idea, but it ain't good. I got a feelin' in my bones."
I pause to think and then tell Valentine to hold on a for a sec. I jog over to QuePasa. "Que... we're gonna check…
As I finish up explainin' the situation to folks, that we need to move, and now, I see Valentine.
"Okay, all y'all, we gotta get a move on if we don't want a nice, red bath. Can I get an Amen?"
After the Amen, I jog over to Val. I'm definitely ha…
I look out at the red, red water around the boats. He's right. This is no place for folks to be in the rain. We'd better move, then, if we're gonna make this happen. As I hear the distant thunder, though, I wonder if that's even possible.
I turn an…
Hmm. Poor kid. That one hurts. Not because he hasn't heard o' the Lord. That ain't all that weird. Most folks haven't heard o' much and what they have heard of is usually a whole bunch o' nonsense. It's that he don't seem to have a good sense o' who…
I let out a sigh. I was worried that's what it was.
"Nope. You can't, my friend. Nothin' against you. I'm sure you're good at it, an' all. Just that my happiness is dependent on only two folks: me n' the Lord." I pause, mulling things over just fo…
I look Boeing right in the eye. "You okay, fella? Someone put you up to this? I'll keep my mouth shut about it if so, just tryin' to get to the bottom o' what's up. You seem a lil... on edge."
I chuckle as Boeing asks me to help him. Probably not my best fake laugh, but good enough.
"I'm mostly here to supervise, friend. Moving furniture is a young person's game. I ain't old, but I ain't young, neither. So I think I'll just wait outside.…