can, but more displaced families are arriving all the time. Two more hands will be a great help, and God bless you for offering to help.”
Shannon managed a weak smile. Telling the preacher’s wife the truth would have been too embarrassing under the circumstances. She rose to her feet and followed the preacher’s wife into a hot, crowded kitchen.
For the next two hours, Shannon cut up a gigantic mound of potatoes for French fries, cooked them in boiling oil, then served them to a seemingly never-ending line of refugees.
She was hot, sweating and had aching muscles by the time all the stranded families had finished eating. When it was time for the volunteer help to sit down at the tables, Shannon had little appetite left. Ignoring the food that had been prepared, she searched the kitchen and found one of the bananas that had been in her confiscated grocery sack.
Like a fugitive escaping, she slipped out the kitchen door. Outside the building, a night breeze bathed her perspiring face with blessed relief. A faint glow on the far horizon marred the dark night sky, and the cool air was tinged with the odor of burned wood. As she walked around the building, eating her banana and enjoying the blessing of being alone, she prayed that the wind was blowing the fire back on itself.
She didn’t see the small figure on the sidewalk ahead of her until she heard a childish voice calling in a whisper.
“Pokey! Pokey, where are you?”
As she came closer she saw a little boy about four years old standing in the middle of the walk. When he heard Shannon’s footsteps, he turned quickly and came running up to her.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, seeing his tear-streaked face.
“Have you seen my puppy dog? His name is Pokey. He’s black with white paws, and not very big.”
“No, I’m sorry, I haven’t,” she said gently. “Did he get loose?”
“We left him behind. He didn’t come when Mama called. She said we couldn’t wait to find him.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Shannon said. Pokey must have lived up to his name one too many times, and had been left behind. Even though she’d never had any pets of her own, she could certainly sympathize with the loss of one. She felt the youngster’s anguish and tried to console him as best she could.
“I’m sure he’ll be all right,” Shannon said, not really being sure about anything at the moment.
“I know Pokey would find me if…if he knew where I was.”
“He’s probably just waiting for you to come back home.”
“When can we go home?” the child sobbed, asking the question that was in both their minds. “I want to go home now.”
“I know.” She brushed a shock of brown hair from his forehead.
“I don’t like it here.”
Me, neither, Shannon added silently.
She spoke with more conviction than she felt. “I’m sure they’ll have the fire put out soon. Now, we’d better go inside. Your mother will be looking for you.”
Even as she spoke, they could hear a woman’s strident voice calling, “Kenny. Kenny. Where are you?”
Shannon took the child’s hand and led him to a worried and anxious young mother.
“Oh, thank God,” she breathed. “You scared the living daylights out of me, Kenny. I’ve been hunting everywhere for you. You know you’re supposed to stay inside unless we’re with you.”
“He was looking for his dog,” Shannon said quickly, trying to help the little boy out. “He’s worried about Pokey being left behind.”
“I know,” the mother said wearily. “The dog didn’t come when we called and called, so we had no choice but to leave without him. Our home is one of the highest on the mountain.” Her lips trembled. “We couldn’t take time to hunt for Pokey. We barely had time to collect Kenny, the baby and pack a few belongings. The road is still closed, and we can’t go back until they say so.”
“Maybe tomorrow they’ll open it, at least for a little while,” Shannon offered hopefully. “I guess it depends upon the wind.”
Kenny’s mother nodded. “I’m Alice Gordon.” She smiled when Shannon introduced herself. “I’m glad to meet you, Shannon. We’re all praying they’ll get the fire out before it makes it over Prospect Ridge.” Shannon could see her lips quiver as she took her son’s hand. “Thank the Lord, we’re all safe here.”
She disappeared inside the building, leaving Shannon alone. Not wanting to go inside, Shannon continued along the sidewalk that led to the parking lot at the far side of the school.
She slowed her steps when she reached the lot and was about to turn around when she saw Ward heading for a pickup truck parked nearby.
Shannon was debating whether to call to him and give him a piece of her mind when he glanced back and saw her in the glow of one of the high arc lights.
He waved, then came quickly over to where she was standing. “I wondered where you’d gone. Hiding out, are you?” he chided with that easy teasing smile of his.
“Should I be?” she countered, still debating how she wanted to handle this infuriating man. “Have you decided to volunteer me for something else?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Not a good idea, huh?”
“Frankly, I don’t appreciate someone manipulating me like that.”
“Sorry, I thought that it would do you good just to mix a little bit with the others.”
“Thank you for your concern, but I’m perfectly capable of looking out for myself. Good night, Mr. Dawson.”
“Wait a minute.” Her cool and dismissing manner was a new experience for him. Ward wasn’t used to having any female, young or old, treat him with such cold indifference. None of the women he’d dated since Valerie’s death had come close to leading him to the altar. He’d given the reins of his life over to God, and so far, he hadn’t found anyone who held to the same spiritual values. A deep Christian dedication had been absent in his first marriage, and he wouldn’t make that mistake again. He didn’t know why he felt the need to challenge this stubborn, self-assured woman, but he did. Even though she’d made it plain that she didn’t appreciate his interference, he couldn’t help chipping away at her crisp edges.
“Laura said she appreciated the help and told me to thank you. You know, it’s going to take all of us pulling together to get through this thing.”
His clothes were dusty and wrinkled. Fatigue had deepened the strong lines in his face. Shannon wondered how many jobs he’d taken on.
“I really didn’t mind all that much,” she admitted. “But you would never have volunteered me for kitchen work if you knew what a disaster I am when it comes to cooking.”
“I guess that was pretty nervy of me,” he admitted with a wry smile. “I just thought things might be easier for you if you mixed a little bit
