need a warm bed,” she pressed, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the surrender in his eyes.
Only then did he and Opal turn to gaze at their destroyed restaurant. Long minutes passed as they stood, hands clasped, staring at the obliterated dream that had become a red-hot tomb.
Janie turned to the crowd of people still huddled close. “I’ll take good care of them,” she promised.
“You knows Eddie and Opal from back in Richmond, ain’t that right?” one woman asked, her eyes soft with compassion as she gazed at the shattered couple.
Janie nodded. “Yes. I live here now. I’m taking them home tonight.”
Eddie turned. “We’re coming back in the morning,” he said firmly, only his eyes revealing he was still in shock.
A group of the men stepped forward. “We’ll be here to help you go through everything,” one of them promised.
No one bothered to voice the words that nothing could have possibly survived the inferno caused by the explosion of the oil vats. There was an unspoken agreement that Eddie would not be alone when he discovered the remains of his family.
Janie felt the bile rise in her throat again when the image rose to taunt her, but she forced it down, grabbed Amber and Carl’s hand and began to walk away from the rubble. She was relieved when Eddie put his arm around Opal and turned to follow her.
Chapter Five
Janie felt like she hadn’t slept at all when she finally crawled out of bed. When she glanced at the clock, she knew she was right. She had drifted off around three o’clock. It was now six o’clock. She yawned and stretched, reaching for her robe and slippers. She doubted she had enough brain cells to absorb anything in class this morning, but she was determined not to miss a single session. Splashing cold water on her face helped, although she thought longingly of a hot bath. There was certainly not time for that.
Suddenly it all came rushing back. She gasped as she sank back down on the bed and covered her face with her hands. Sadie…Sadie Lou…Susie…Zeke . She choked back a groan as visions of their bright, happy faces filled her mind. She saw Zeke’s determined eyes when he spoke of heading west, saw Susie’s warm love as she gazed at her husband. Sadie Lou’s bright eyes laughed at her, as Sadie’s courage to push beyond her crippled leg pulled at her. The groan ripped from her throat. All of them had endured so much. To die in a senseless fire, killed by a searing explosion, was more than she could fathom.
Janie huddled for long moments on the bed before she could force herself to stand. Mindlessly, she reached for a dress and put it on quickly. She wanted nothing more than a hot cup of coffee, hoping it would take the edge off her pain. She bit back another groan when she thought of Eddie and Opal’s loss. She had heard the murmur of their voices long into the night before she finally fell asleep.
Carl and Amber, still in a state of shock, fell asleep quickly when they were tucked into the warm bed in Florence’s room. Florence shared a room with Alice, while Eddie and Opal took the room that would be Carrie’s. Stunned by their loss, all her housemates insisted they could stay for as long as needed and offered to do whatever they could to help.
Janie took a deep breath and opened the door to her room. She stopped and raised her head, wondering at the sudden aroma that struck her senses. Overcome with curiosity, she followed her nose to the kitchen. She knew Alice, Elizabeth, and Florence all had to be at class by eight o’clock. None of them would have time to cook a breakfast but there was no mistaking the smell of frying bacon and biscuits.
Janie jolted to a stop when she reached the kitchen. “Opal?”
Opal turned from the stove and gave her a solemn look. “I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t see no reason to just lay there when I knew none of you would eat
Only then did he and Opal turn to gaze at their destroyed restaurant. Long minutes passed as they stood, hands clasped, staring at the obliterated dream that had become a red-hot tomb.
Janie turned to the crowd of people still huddled close. “I’ll take good care of them,” she promised.
“You knows Eddie and Opal from back in Richmond, ain’t that right?” one woman asked, her eyes soft with compassion as she gazed at the shattered couple.
Janie nodded. “Yes. I live here now. I’m taking them home tonight.”
Eddie turned. “We’re coming back in the morning,” he said firmly, only his eyes revealing he was still in shock.
A group of the men stepped forward. “We’ll be here to help you go through everything,” one of them promised.
No one bothered to voice the words that nothing could have possibly survived the inferno caused by the explosion of the oil vats. There was an unspoken agreement that Eddie would not be alone when he discovered the remains of his family.
Janie felt the bile rise in her throat again when the image rose to taunt her, but she forced it down, grabbed Amber and Carl’s hand and began to walk away from the rubble. She was relieved when Eddie put his arm around Opal and turned to follow her.
Chapter Five
Janie felt like she hadn’t slept at all when she finally crawled out of bed. When she glanced at the clock, she knew she was right. She had drifted off around three o’clock. It was now six o’clock. She yawned and stretched, reaching for her robe and slippers. She doubted she had enough brain cells to absorb anything in class this morning, but she was determined not to miss a single session. Splashing cold water on her face helped, although she thought longingly of a hot bath. There was certainly not time for that.
Suddenly it all came rushing back. She gasped as she sank back down on the bed and covered her face with her hands. Sadie…Sadie Lou…Susie…Zeke . She choked back a groan as visions of their bright, happy faces filled her mind. She saw Zeke’s determined eyes when he spoke of heading west, saw Susie’s warm love as she gazed at her husband. Sadie Lou’s bright eyes laughed at her, as Sadie’s courage to push beyond her crippled leg pulled at her. The groan ripped from her throat. All of them had endured so much. To die in a senseless fire, killed by a searing explosion, was more than she could fathom.
Janie huddled for long moments on the bed before she could force herself to stand. Mindlessly, she reached for a dress and put it on quickly. She wanted nothing more than a hot cup of coffee, hoping it would take the edge off her pain. She bit back another groan when she thought of Eddie and Opal’s loss. She had heard the murmur of their voices long into the night before she finally fell asleep.
Carl and Amber, still in a state of shock, fell asleep quickly when they were tucked into the warm bed in Florence’s room. Florence shared a room with Alice, while Eddie and Opal took the room that would be Carrie’s. Stunned by their loss, all her housemates insisted they could stay for as long as needed and offered to do whatever they could to help.
Janie took a deep breath and opened the door to her room. She stopped and raised her head, wondering at the sudden aroma that struck her senses. Overcome with curiosity, she followed her nose to the kitchen. She knew Alice, Elizabeth, and Florence all had to be at class by eight o’clock. None of them would have time to cook a breakfast but there was no mistaking the smell of frying bacon and biscuits.
Janie jolted to a stop when she reached the kitchen. “Opal?”
Opal turned from the stove and gave her a solemn look. “I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t see no reason to just lay there when I knew none of you would eat
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