Every Storm by Lori Wick Page B

at the gaunt figure of her daughter as she climbed from the interior of the vehicle. Tears already streaming down her face, Ruth watched Lorri pause and look up at the house. Without warning, Lord's gaze swung to the window. Ruth's and Lorri's eyes locked for just a moment, and then both were on the move. They met just inside the front doorway, tears unchecked, arms reaching to grab and hold on for dear life.
    "Mother, Mother," Lorri sobbed, not able to get close enough.
    Later it would hit Ruth very hard that her daughter was painfully thin, but right now her arms didn't notice. Right now her baby was home. Her baby was alive.
    "Here we go." Dean's quiet voice came to Ruth's ears as he gently propelled them out of the doorway and into the small foyer
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    Vlnloljlll
    I'll'just outside the living room. Not until Dean did this did Lorri
    llilllnotice her sister standing to the side, waiting her turn.
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    ||!|i"Oh, Max!" Lorri cried, an arm going out to drag her in.
    IffTheir small cache of luggage inside, Dean shut the door on
    IIIthe world and stood back and watched. Tears filled his eyes as he
    1stood and waited, dreading the story he would later have to tell
    111n'sdaughter-in-law.
    Ill"I need to sit down," Lorri said after a time. She'd been feel-
    liit'ii
    ing good, strong even, but the last few minutes had taxed her.
    Dean stepped forward and helped her into the living room and onto one of the chairs. Max sat at her feet, and Lorri looked down at her.
    "Your latest picture didn't do you justice, Max. You've become a beautiful young woman."
    "Don't say that, Raine. You'll have me bawling again." Lorri laughed in comfort and delight. She sounded like the [same old irrepressible Max she'd always known. Lorri reached to
    \ stroke her dark, thick hair, amazed at how shiny and full it was.
    '"Do I smell turkey?" Lorri suddenly noticed.
    |"Mother has one in the oven."
    iLorri looked across to where Ruth sat on the sofa.
    "You're baking a turkey?"
    "With all the trimmings," Ruth told her with a smile. "Thank you, Mother." Lorri smiled across at her and willed herself not to cry again. She glanced around the room, not wanting to feel like a stranger but not sure she had a choice. It was a very long time to have been away.
    "You need to sleep, don't you?" Dean spoke up. Lorri rolled her eyes. "I hate being so transparent."

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    "Just stretch out on the sofa, Raine," Max suggested. "I'll talk to you until you drop off."
    "That sounds wonderful."
    Lorri found three people fussing over her in the next few minutes. A blanket was laid over her and a pillow placed comfortably under her head. Lorri laughed a little at the way they hovered.
    "Sleep as long as you like," Ruth said, kissing her softly on the cheek.
    "Don't let me miss dinner."
    "I won't."
    Dean stroked her hair and smiled into her eyes before following Ruth from the room. Max, back on the floor, as close as she could get, looked into her sister's eyes. ' "I missed you,Raine."
    "I missed you too, Max." Lorri reached for her hand.
    "But you'll be glad to, know," Max launched in immediately, "that I've sworn off boys for good."
    Lorri chuckled. Looking into her sister's beautiful face, she knew that resolution would last only a day.
    Max told her the reason, explaining that boys her age were just too immature and that she was going to wait for five years at least. Lorri wanted to hear it all. She wanted to take in every word, but Max lost her before she could get to the good part.
    ^ Dean found Ruth in the family room that sat off of the kitchen;at the back of the house. She stood in front of the patio doors, h 'her eyes on the cement patio and yard beyond.
    "I'm sorry, Ruth" Dean said as he |oined her at the window. \Pm sorry I couldn't warn you."
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    "Where has she been, Dean? Is she ill? Am I going to lc too?"
    "No, she's not sick. She's been on an island without 1 food."
    Ruth turned her head, looking nauseous at the That then frightened at the