CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE. Carly paced as she watched The Weather Channel

Carly paced as she watched The Weather Channel. The storm was huge. It would grow by mid-day to a category two. It was barely daylight but she could tell the bay was restless. There were no pelicans. No gulls or terns. They had already moved inland.

She knew the construction workers would be there soon to move their equipment. And Elsa and Martin were on their way. The Visitor's Center was equipped with storm shutters. It wouldn't take long to secure it. And the ranch house was safe. It had survived worst storms, even without the added equipment. There really wasn't much that she could do. The marsh was on its own, she knew. But she did worry about her egrets. They weren't ready to fly. In just a few more weeks, maybe. But not yet.

She busied herself with breakfast. She doubted Elsa or Martin would take the time. And they would have a busy day. She was just finishing the eggs when she heard them drive up.

" Come on up here, " she called from the stairs. She didn't pause to wonder why they had arrived together.

" I see you're bribing us with breakfast, " Elsa said. " I assume we'll be doing manual labor today."

" Yes. And lots of it. We've got to move the pallets of grass and reeds into the barn, " she said. " Not to mention boarding up the Visitor's Center and this place."

" You hardly slept, " Elsa accused.

" I slept. I had a bottle of wine."

" Well, you can stay at my place tonight."

" No. I'm staying here. It's perfectly safe, " she said.

" You are not staying here alone, " Elsa said.

" Yes, I am. I live here. And I want to be here."

" Martin, tell her she can't stay here, " Elsa said.

" Dr. Cambridge, really, there's nothing you can do here. We'll come back as soon as it's over."

" Thank you both for your concern but I'll be perfectly fine here. It's not like it's a major storm. This house has seen much worse than Adrian. And Martin, if you call me Dr. Cambridge one more time, I'll deck you, " Carly threatened.

" You're as stubborn as a mule, " Elsa said, but she let it drop.

They were still struggling with the pallets of grass when Pat drove up. The construction workers had literally ignored them as they rushed to move their equipment to the other side of the barn. They were hand-loading yet another pallet onto Martin's truck when Pat walked up.

" Damn, talk about manual labor, " she said. " Don't they have, like machines to do this? "

" Yes they do, " Carly said. " And the machines unloaded it last week and left."

" Well, good thing I'm here. You know how much I love moving things with you guys. Why the hell are you moving it anyway? Surely a little rain can't hurt this."

" A little rain wouldn't hurt it, " Carly said. " A flood would kill it. And it would be thousands of dollars down the drain."

" Elsa, where are those burly men when you need them? " Pat asked.

Elsa and Carly laughed, glad for the humor that Pat brought to the situation.

" There's only Martin, and he's as burly as we get. Well, besides you, of course, " Elsa teased.

" I'm not sure if I should be offended or not, " Pat said as she lifted a section of the grass.

It took them three more loads to move the rest of the grass and reeds. By then, the lunch hour had passed and the clouds were dark.

" Let's take a break, " Carly said. " Then we do the Visitor's Center."

Lunch consisted of cheese sandwiches, all that Carly had in her fridge. She suddenly realized that if she were stuck there for more than one day, she would starve to death.

" No wonder you're so skinny, " Elsa said. " Not only can you not cook, you don't know how to shop for food."

" If I weren't so tired, I would argue with you, " Carly said.

" I think it's great, " Pat said as she bit into her sandwich.

" I take it you don't cook either, " Elsa said.

" Take-out. I know all the best places."

" Did you get your house boarded up? " Carly asked.

" Yep. Anything less than a ten-foot storm surge and I'm good."

" Are you staying with Rachel? "

" I suppose. I haven't talked to her today. She's busy preparing. She really gets into this."

" Well, she's lived here for years. I'm sure she's used to it, " Carly said.

" Yes. But she likes the excitement."

" I could do without it."

Pat put her sandwich down and looked at Carly.

" It'll be okay, Carly. You'll see."

Carly nodded, but she couldn't help but glance at the TV in the other room. It didn't look very promising.

By the time they'd put the last sheet of plywood on the ranch house, they were all exhausted. The rain had not yet started, but the dark clouds were swirling over the bay.

" I'm starving, " Elsa said. " Why don't we get cleaned up and have dinner somewhere? "

Carly was about to protest but Pat agreed.

" There's a great little place in Fulton. Best gumbo around."

" The Sandpiper, " Martin said. " Yes. I could go for a bowl of gumbo. And fried shrimp."

" Dios, I could eat a seafood platter this big, " Elsa said, spreading her hands apart.

" We'll meet you there. About seven? " Martin suggested.

" That's fine. That'll give me time to swing by Aunt Rachel's and get cleaned up."

" You're welcome to use my shower, " Carly offered. " I assume you have clothes. Your Jeep looks packed."

" I have some clothes and my camera stuff. But I should really check on Aunt Rachel. Thanks for the offer, though."

Elsa and Martin went ahead but Pat stopped at the stairwell.

" Do you know where it is? "

" I can find it. Fulton is not that big, " Carly said.

" I assume you intend on staying here, then? "

" Yes."

Pat paused, then met Carly's eyes.

" Want some company? "

Carly was about to decline. Surely Rachel would want Pat with her. But so did she.

" I would love company, " she finally said.

Pat smiled. " Great. We'll have a hurricane party. Of course, that means we'll have to shop. I've seen your refrigerator."