Romantic love story

Chapter Thirty-four: Falling Skies with a Chance of Hail

It was then Terry noticed the hail bouncing off the ground.

"You all right?" John called.

"I'm fine." Terry didn't think about his words, but as he jogged to the truck's passenger side, his ankle forced him to slow down.

"It's getting serious out here," John huffed as he got behind the wheel.

Terry climbed in, slammed the door shut, and breathed in relief to be out of the storm. He glanced at the garage and saw Bill closing up. Terry waved to Bill, and Bill waved back.

John started the engine as hail struck their windshield. "Did the forecast mention all this white stuff?"

"Nope." Terry shook his raincoat. "Thanks for letting me haul you out here in all this weather."

"Hey, this is what family is for," John smiled. "This, and a hundred other natural disasters."

The moving truck pulled onto the road, the dull thump of the windshield wipers sounding more friendly than the hail pounding their roof. They could see the road, but Terry kept quiet as that visibility lessened and John cut his speed.

"You'd better pull off to the side," Terry advised.

John eased to the shoulder as a delivery van behind them did the same.

"If this doesn't let up in a few minutes, I'm calling home." Terry prayed the hail would soon pass, and that Maddie wasn't worrying about them. He tried moving his ankle and decided he could live with the pain. He had too many things to do, to slow down now.

"I think it's easing off. Let's see if we can't get home." John got back onto the road and kept his speed down, and the delivery van followed their example.

They had a short drive to get home, and it didn't take long before John was pulling up in front of the house. The delivery van passed them and went on with its business, the hail still coming, though not as heavy as before.

Opening his door, Terry got out as Jake met them in a raincoat and fishing boots. When Terry looked to the house, he saw Maddie waving from the window.

Terry waved back.

"Abby thought you might need some help," Jake called, as John went around to the back of the truck. "Uncle Terry, you're limping."

"I'm fine." Terry wiped his eyes as he went to help John open the cargo area. The hail had stopped, but the rain was picking up again. It was an improvement only by degrees.

Jake beat Terry to the back of the truck, and before Terry could insist this was a two man job, Jake was in position to help John lift the first couch.

"Would you take the bedroom door off its hinges?" John asked. "I think Jake and I can handle all the heavy lifting."

Even though John was overreacting about his ankle, Terry didn't fight it-- he would take care of the door. Anything to get these couches moved in and the job done.

Well before he reached the house, Terry saw Maddie waiting for him in the doorway. When he stepped inside, she rushed him with a hug. She didn't seem to care about his dripping wet raincoat, or the fact her clothes were getting soaked, and he was too happy to be home to pull her away. His foot throbbed, he was cold, and the rain had found its way down his neck.

Hugging Maddie, though. He could do that forever.

"You're hurt-- what's wrong with your foot?"

"It's nothing," Terry started to come back to his senses, and tore himself from Maddie. "They'll be through here with a couch, so keep the kids out of the way."