Sunday's Child (28 page)

He looked at the pager and then at her. “I have to go. Don't stop on our account. Keep going.”

More pagers went off and across the room, the men and women of Red Watch shore and boat crew stood, saying brief and hurried goodbyes.

Cal leaned down and hugged her. “I love you. I'll see you soon.”

She grabbed his hand. “I love you, too. Be safe.”

He nodded and hurried from the room. As they left, applause rippled and then resounded. Hattie watched with fear mixing with pride. That was her man going off to save those in peril. They were all superheroes in ordinary clothing, though none of them would admit it.

Carter looked over at Hattie and she nodded to him. “Carry on,” she mouthed.

He nodded. “Well, it looks as if someone needs the guys and gals more than we do tonight. I've been told to carry on, so we'll do that. We're making a list of who wins who anyway and we can put pictures up of the dates instead of making them stand if they're not here. But first I'd like to invite Pastor Kenny up here, to pray for all those who've just left us and for whomever it is out in that storm that needs help tonight. Pastor?”

Pastor Kenny stood and nodded. “Let's pray. Lord God, we know that you are in control of all things, even the storm that is currently raging around us. We ask Your protection on those crewmembers of Red Watch who have just left. We don't know what dangers they will face or for how long they will be gone. Guide and guard them and, if it's Your will, bring them home safely. We also ask comfort for those left behind and for patience for those awaiting rescue or help. In Jesus' name, amen.”

Kevin nodded as he sat down again. “Thank you, Pastor. So as I was saying the winner of the dashing Callum Trant. And I know he's dashing because he just dashed out the door…” he paused as everyone groaned, “…is blue seven one five.”

No one said anything. Aunt Laurie nudged her. “Hattie, check your tickets.”

“Blue seven one five,” Kevin repeated.

Hattie looked down at the strip of tickets in her hand. Blue seven twelve to seven sixteen… She'd won him. She raised a hand. “He's mine.”

Carter laughed. “Think we all know that Hattie… oh my bad, you mean you're the holder of blue ticket seven one five.” He grinned and made a note.

They continued with the draw until it was finished. Carter grinned. “And now the hotel staff has laid on some music and there's dancing for anyone who wants to for the rest of the evening. Or feel free to sit here and chat until about ten when we end.”

Hattie sat still, the bad feeling in her stomach growing.

Aunt Laurie touched her hand. “You all right, dear?”

“Worried.”

“We all are, but it's something you need to get used to if you're going to marry him. He's not going to change what he does.”

“I don't expect him to. This is what he does.” She took a deep breath. “I should go and circulate. See you later.”

An hour later, she was doing the final tidying up. Tom came in and over to her.

“Hattie.”

She glanced up, her blood freezing at the look on his face. “What is it?”

“The boat's back.”

“I'm going over there.”

He put a hand on her arm. “No…they're going straight back out again. Sit down.”

“I don't want to sit down.” She shook his arm off. “Tell me what's wrong.”

“There was a child in the water. Cal dived in and rescued him. Got the child into the boat and started to clamber back in himself. The boat was hit by a huge wave that knocked him off. There's been no sign since. He's missing.”

 

 

 

 

29

 

Missing… Missing… Missing…

The word echoed round her mind. No matter how hard she tried to think of something else, she couldn't. She sat in the Ops room of the lifeboat station, still wearing her pale green evening gown. She had found Cal's tux hanging in the crew changing area and wore that in an effort to keep warm.

Cold tea sat in front of her, in Cal's mug. It had his name and a childish stick figure in uniform painted on it. She'd gone through the whole range of emotions in the last two hours. Anger, fear, tears…

Now she was numb. Just wanted to know where he was. She'd prayed so much. Asked why, then asked that God protect Cal and bring him home. Both lifeboats had gone out, with relief crews. But she knew they'd bring him back. They'd keep looking until they found him. He was one of their own and they wouldn't leave him behind.

“They're back!”

The shout had her on her feet and running for the stairs. Tom met her half way up. He gently took hold of her arms.

“Let go. I have to go to him.”

“They haven't found him. The search has been called off until first light.”

“Noooo…” The anguished cry was torn from the depths of her soul. “You can't do that.”

“It's not my decision. It's too rough. The boats are getting swamped, the choppers can't fly, and we could lose more men. The Navy has a patrol boat in the area, and they'll keep an eye, but we can't do any more until morning.”

“He's out there somewhere. You can't just leave him. He could be dead by morning.”

“Hattie, Cal would make the same decision.”

“No, he wouldn't. He didn't want to stop looking for Trevor. You kept going then, why not now?”

“We
will
find him. As soon as it's light.”

Tears streamed down her face. Pulling away from Tom, she ran outside into the storm and down onto the edge of the beach. She stood there, waves crashing over her feet, facing the sea, crying to the Only Hope she had left. “Why? Why take him now? After all we've been through?”

A quiet voice, full of peace echoed in her mind.
The eternal God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms
.

 

****

 

Cal struggled to keep his head above the water. He had no idea where he was or how far from the lifeboat he'd been swept. The current was strong and that combined with the wind, rain and raging storm had left him half drowned and fearing for his life.

Something red appeared in a break in the waves. A buoy. Maybe if he swam to it, he could hold on, stay afloat a while longer.

Swimming hurt. The waves crashed over his head, pushing him under. He reached the buoy and held on. His fingers, cold and numb, struggled to keep a tight enough grip.

Words from Psalm twenty-two filled his mind.
Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help
.

Cramps ripped through his legs and he let go of the buoy, crying out in pain. A wave pushed him under and for a moment he was afraid he'd stay down and never come up again. He was so tired, couldn't fight the storm any longer.

Hattie's face floated in front of his eyes. He leaned back into his jacket and closed his eyes.
Be with her, Lord. Whatever happens, Thy will be done.

 

****

 

First light of dawn began to light the eastern sky and the search and rescue mission finally resumed. Hattie had spent the night alternating pacing the shore and checking the Ops room for updates which never came. She watched both lifeboats launch and the coastguard helicopter fly overhead. She'd begged to be allowed to go, but Tom refused.

As the boats disappeared from view, she turned and trudged back into the crew changing area. Cal's spare bunny suit was hanging on his peg. Cold, she pulled off her dress and slipped into the bunny suit. She zipped it up, his scent washing over her.

Tears filled her eyes. “Where are you, Cal?”

She looked at the pile of old uniforms they'd used for photographs during the week. For a small payment, the public had been able to dress up in full lifeboat crew uniform and have their photo taken on board the lifeboat itself. She had to do something. She'd go stir crazy if she had to sit around for any longer. They'd wasted five hours as it was.

In that instant, the idea was born. Rummaging through them, she found one that would fit her and pulled it on over the bunny suit. The boots were too big but she'd manage. Not bothering with the life vest, she put Cal's tux back over the whole ensemble.

Turning around, she grabbed a backpack, containing a rope and first aid kit, a torch and checked the inside pocket of the tux to check Cal's phone was still there. It was. Good. She'd need it.

She grabbed a couple of bottles of water and shoved them into the backpack. Then she headed back outside to find Aunt Laurie looking for her.

“Hattie? Where are you?”

“I'm here.”

“I made you some…” Laurie's voice trailed off as she took in her outfit. “Where are you going?”

“I can't just sit here. I'm going to go along the coast line.”

“Why?” Aunt Laurie pressed the hot drink into her free hand.

Hattie gulped the scalding liquid, not caring if it burned her throat. It might be a while before she had another drink, even if she really didn't have time to spare. “The current here drove the debris field inland rather than out to sea right? So it stands to reason that anyone lost at sea would be dragged the same way.”

“I don't see what that has to—”

Hattie sighed. “It has everything to do with it. No one is searching the beaches. So I will. I have Cal's phone. If they find him then ring me. If I find him then I'll ring here.”

“You can't go alone.”

“There is no one else free. I'll be fine. Just pray.” She gave the cup back. “I love you. See you later.”

Before anyone could stop her, Hattie headed down the beach to the shore line, using the torch to light her way. She followed it to where the cliff edge met the beach and cautiously edged around it. There was a slight beach at the bottom of the cliff, more at low tide, but the tide was gradually coming in. There was a chance she'd get cut off by the tide, and have to wait it out on the cliff itself, but hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

The wind howled and tore at her hair and her jacket. It pulled the breath from her and refused to give her the next one. It tugged Cal's name from her lips and tossed it like chaff into the distance.

Water spray stung her face and hands as the coldness dug into her body despite the layers of clothing. She stumbled, pushed into the cliff face by the rushing waves. She kept going, the oversized boots hampering her movements almost as much as the weather. A wave came in hard and fast, drenching her to the waist.

Her feet slid inside the boots, making walking hard. She hadn't had this much trouble walking since she borrowed her mother's high heeled shoes for a school play when she was ten. The wind made her eyes water. Rain kept falling, as constant as the prayers that fell from her lips. The faint dawn overhead, became an angry, grey sky. Finally, the sun rose enough to light the sky and she could see clearly, well as much as she could in the storm, and she turned off the torch and put it in the back pack.

A hundred yards further on, she stopped. A new rock fall blocked what little beach there was.
Please, God, don't let him be under that.

“Cal,” she yelled. There was no answer. Going around the rocks wasn't an option, not unless she wanted to be dragged out to sea and then tossed back against them. Just like in the kid's song, she had to go through it. Or in this case over it.

The slippery rocks cut her hands to shreds. Her feet slid and caught on Cal's jacket. Losing her balance, she fell, tumbling down the other side and landing in a heap on the sand. She lay there for a moment, winded, trying to get her breath back. If the rescue services could see her now, they'd probably laugh. Some rescuer she made. She shook her head, irritated at the way her mind was working, trying to distract her from what she had to do.

It was lack of sleep. Deep down, she knew that. Wiping the sand from her face, she pushed upright. Cal needed her. She checked the phone was still in the jacket. The last thing she wanted to do was lose it and not be able to call for help when she found him.
And yes
, she told herself,
that is when and not if
. There wasn't the slightest doubt in her mind that he was still alive and out there.

The rain eased off, the wind dropped.
Thank You, Lord. Did you rebuke the wind and the rain, telling them to be quiet, like You did all those years ago? I would ask that You change the course of the tide, but that's not possible. Too much relies on the tides and so on. Let me find him.

She started walking again, hugging her chest, ignoring the pain slicing through her. The cliff bent around to the left, hardly any beach for her to walk on. The waves lashed high against it and it took every ounce of courage she had to wade around it.

There was something just ahead, lying next to the water. “Cal,” she yelled.

The figure stirred.

She waded faster, feet sliding on the sand one minute and being sucked down deep the next. “Cal…”
Please, God, let it be him. Let him be all right.
She dropped to her knees beside him and turned him over.

His eyes flickered open. “Are you an angel?” he muttered.

“Cal, its Hattie. It's going to be all right.” She dragged him away from the water's edge, to the base of the cliff and onto an outcrop of rock. There was so much blood. It left a trail on the sand before an incoming wave washed it away.

“Have you come to take me home?”

“Yes. Where does it hurt?” OK that was a stupid question, but she needed to know how much he was aware of what was going on. He'd lost a lot of blood and if she didn't do something, he might just end up bleeding to death.

“Everywhere. Are you an angel?”

“You wish.” She pulled the first aid kit open and rummaged around the contents until she found a roll of gauze. She tied the bandage as tight as she could around his leg. Cal cried out in pain. “Sorry…” She cradled him against her body, trying to keep him warm. Pulling the phone from her pocket, she dialed Aunt Laurie's phone, praying she'd have it switched on.