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“Oh! Yes.” Emma opened a drawer and pulled out a chart. “Here it is. Lindsay’s chart. As I said, I have no idea how that got in here. Your daughter’s deaf, isn’t she?”
Rachel froze. “Hearing impaired. She can hear a bit.”
“Oh, really? I didn’t know that was possible. I mean for older people… Is that rain I hear?”
A loud crash of thunder sounded, and Rachel thought, Great, what a perfect addition to the day. She’d be soaked before she got back to City Hall.
“It was cloudy when I crossed the street earlier. I suppose it is rain.”
The wind shook the building, and it sounded like a whole flood had been released out there.
“Oh, my,” Emma said, her eyes wide. “That sounds like a strong storm.”
Rachel nodded. “Yes. I’ll just go take this to my mom.”
“You do that. Oh, and don’t forget to get Lindsay her shots.”
Rachel paused in the act of leaving. “What?”
Reverend Ben chose that moment to walk out of his office. She knew he had to be the pastor. He fit the description she’d heard of him.
“Shots. Your daughter’s shots are behind. Didn’t you know that? They’ve added new shots to the list of children’s inoculations.”
“Shots? Now, Miss Emma, I think Rachel here is past the age for booster shots,” the pastor teased lightly.
Emma giggled like a schoolgirl. “Shame on you, Reverend. I know that.”
He turned to Rachel. “Hello, I’m Ben. You must be Betty’s daughter, Rachel. You look just like her.”
Rachel smiled politely. “Yes. Thank you. I’m just on my way to see her now.” Rachel wondered if someone was trying to block her from going to her mother and yelling at her for doing what she did. Impatient, she smiled shortly. “I really should go.”
Rachel felt a drop of water hit her. She reached up, wiped it off and looked at it, hearing Ben say, “Of course. Tell Betty— Watch out!”
Rachel looked up just in time to see Ben lunge for her. Startled, she froze.
The air whooshed out of her when, with a thud, his body knocked into her, knocking her off her feet.
Fear, confusion and pain mixed together as he twisted, trying to keep her from taking the brunt of the fall.
She heard someone cry out and a loud sound like thundering and then another whoosh as water soaked her. Ben rolled with her, coming to a stop against the door with her on the bottom.
Rachel was certain every bone in her body had been rearranged. Dazedly she opened her eyes, to see Ben wince and then scramble off her. “Forgive me, Rachel. Ouch.” He rubbed his back. “Are you okay? Here, let me help you.” He offered her a hand.
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