the sleeping bags. The dining room table is sky-high with snacks. The air, oddly, is filled with delicious smells.
Evvie runs to hug me. "Thank God you're all right. I was so afraid you wouldn't be able to get back in time." Her hug is tight, I hug her back. We hold on to each other for a few moments. For the first time I allow myself to think of what might have been, had we left any later.
"Welcome to Hurricane Central, Operation Gladdy's Apartment," says Ida. "We decided to use your place because it has the least amount of clutter."
Bella adds, "So we could be able to fill it with the biggest number of people."
"And because if you returned very late, you'd be able to find us." This from Sophie.
"What's going on? Do you have a plan?" I ask. Jack stands close to me, holding my hand.
"You bet we do," Evvie says. "Every building has made sure no one is left alone. People are staying together in groups. We have a telephone outreach so we can check on one another, and we know where every person is. That means we all have the phone numbers of the apartments with groups staying in them. For as long as the phone lines stay up. About five to eight people have been placed per apartment."
"Yeah," says Bella, seated cross-legged on one of the mattresses. "The stores ran out of candles and flashlights so we're all sharing everything."
Sophie adds, "Everyone brought food from their apartments. And we figure before the power goes out we're cooking all the frozen food."
That explains why I smell pot roast. And chicken, too.
Bella adds, "And we made a ton of ice cubes to keep the stuff in the fridge from spoiling."
Evvie looks shyly up at Jack. "Sorry your vacation trip was ruined."
"Me, too," Jack agrees stoically.
It's already getting much darker outside. I can tell from the tiny slits of sky showing through the rough plywood boards.
Denny and Yolie walk carefully over and around all the stuff on the floor. "Best I could do this fast," he tells us.
The girls hug the two of them and thank him in unison.
"Where are you and Yolie staying?" I ask.
"With Sol and Tessie and Mary and Irving in Irving's apartment." Yolie nods for emphasis. They head out the door, into the wind.
Evvie calls after them, "Be careful."
They wave and with heads down, holding hands, they run to the stairs.
Out of curiosity, I ask, "Where are Hy and Lola?"
Ida grins. "Home alone. They insisted on being by themselves."
Evvie looks at Jack. "You'd better get back to your place while you still can." As she says this, she hands him a sheet of paper.
I look at Evvie, upset. "What are you talking about? I want him to stay with us."
Jack glances at the list. He looks at me. "I guess I better go." He hands the sheet of paper back to Evvie.
"No," I say quickly. "That's ridiculous. We need you here. I want you here."
Jack shakes his head. "Evvie's right. My building has a number of women who live alone. Our Canadian neighbors all went home days ago, so Abe Waller and I are the only men left. He'll need my help. They must be frantic waiting for me to round them up into my apartment and I can't let them down."
I grab the list and look it over. I know they are right. Evvie looks at me. "I'm sorry," she says.
Jack gives me a quick hug and turns to the girls. "Take good care of one another."
With that he gets hugs from them and a chorus of "We wills."
With a last kiss for me, he hurries out. Before I shut the door, he calls to me, "We'll keep talking on the phone until the lines go down. I love you."
I shout, "I love you, too." But it's drowned out by the wind.
When I go back in, I notice for the first time that my bedroom door is closed, as is the screened-in Florida room.
Evvie sees my look. "We have all the furniture up against the screens to protect the inside as best we can, but I doubt it will help . . ."
"What
Evvie runs to hug me. "Thank God you're all right. I was so afraid you wouldn't be able to get back in time." Her hug is tight, I hug her back. We hold on to each other for a few moments. For the first time I allow myself to think of what might have been, had we left any later.
"Welcome to Hurricane Central, Operation Gladdy's Apartment," says Ida. "We decided to use your place because it has the least amount of clutter."
Bella adds, "So we could be able to fill it with the biggest number of people."
"And because if you returned very late, you'd be able to find us." This from Sophie.
"What's going on? Do you have a plan?" I ask. Jack stands close to me, holding my hand.
"You bet we do," Evvie says. "Every building has made sure no one is left alone. People are staying together in groups. We have a telephone outreach so we can check on one another, and we know where every person is. That means we all have the phone numbers of the apartments with groups staying in them. For as long as the phone lines stay up. About five to eight people have been placed per apartment."
"Yeah," says Bella, seated cross-legged on one of the mattresses. "The stores ran out of candles and flashlights so we're all sharing everything."
Sophie adds, "Everyone brought food from their apartments. And we figure before the power goes out we're cooking all the frozen food."
That explains why I smell pot roast. And chicken, too.
Bella adds, "And we made a ton of ice cubes to keep the stuff in the fridge from spoiling."
Evvie looks shyly up at Jack. "Sorry your vacation trip was ruined."
"Me, too," Jack agrees stoically.
It's already getting much darker outside. I can tell from the tiny slits of sky showing through the rough plywood boards.
Denny and Yolie walk carefully over and around all the stuff on the floor. "Best I could do this fast," he tells us.
The girls hug the two of them and thank him in unison.
"Where are you and Yolie staying?" I ask.
"With Sol and Tessie and Mary and Irving in Irving's apartment." Yolie nods for emphasis. They head out the door, into the wind.
Evvie calls after them, "Be careful."
They wave and with heads down, holding hands, they run to the stairs.
Out of curiosity, I ask, "Where are Hy and Lola?"
Ida grins. "Home alone. They insisted on being by themselves."
Evvie looks at Jack. "You'd better get back to your place while you still can." As she says this, she hands him a sheet of paper.
I look at Evvie, upset. "What are you talking about? I want him to stay with us."
Jack glances at the list. He looks at me. "I guess I better go." He hands the sheet of paper back to Evvie.
"No," I say quickly. "That's ridiculous. We need you here. I want you here."
Jack shakes his head. "Evvie's right. My building has a number of women who live alone. Our Canadian neighbors all went home days ago, so Abe Waller and I are the only men left. He'll need my help. They must be frantic waiting for me to round them up into my apartment and I can't let them down."
I grab the list and look it over. I know they are right. Evvie looks at me. "I'm sorry," she says.
Jack gives me a quick hug and turns to the girls. "Take good care of one another."
With that he gets hugs from them and a chorus of "We wills."
With a last kiss for me, he hurries out. Before I shut the door, he calls to me, "We'll keep talking on the phone until the lines go down. I love you."
I shout, "I love you, too." But it's drowned out by the wind.
When I go back in, I notice for the first time that my bedroom door is closed, as is the screened-in Florida room.
Evvie sees my look. "We have all the furniture up against the screens to protect the inside as best we can, but I doubt it will help . . ."
"What
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