The
Calm After the Storm
by Mya O’Malley
Can true love shine through the darkest storm?
The storm of the century raged through the northeast, causing
destruction and despair, millions were left without power and hope. Weeks
later, countless people were still devastated by the destruction of Hurricane
Sandy, Emma Riley among them.
Determined she didn’t need the help of a man, Emma was convinced
that she could brave the aftermath of the storm on her own. That is, until Jake
came into her life.
After having suffered heartbreak and embarrassment, Jake Mack, a
utility foreman, volunteered to travel north from small town, Georgia to assist
with the aftermath of the storm. Jake was decidedly done with women. But he
didn’t count on meeting Emma or falling in love so quickly. Can he trust this
woman or will his past get in the way and ruin the relationship with the one
woman he truly loves?
As the day was wrapping up. Jake and Chris met up with some of
their crew in the next town to finish one more area before calling it quits.
The chill in the air was something that Jake had prepared for, but was not
accustomed to. Clutching the new flannel he had purchased right before his
trip, he put it on over his thermal shirt. Thankful for his thermos filled with
hot coffee, Jake grabbed it but quickly tossed it aside.
“Come on, Chris! I asked you to stop drinking my coffee. Now
there’s none left,” he said as he shook his head, irritated at his friend.
Chris looked up at his boss sheepishly. “Sorry, man. I didn’t
sleep well last night. I needed some caffeine.”
“Well, that makes two of us.”
They rode until they approached the utility pole that needed
attention. Jake and Chris were among the first to arrive and got busy setting
up for the job. Within minutes, the rest of the assigned crew trickled in. The
workers were now familiar with the details and routine of this job, so for the
most part they worked in silence, focused on getting this last job done so that
they could grab some dinner and hit the sheets. It was cold and dark, the night
chill settling in upon them. Jake supervised and helped his crew perform their
individual duties as quickly as possible. As they were just about wrapping
things up, Jake headed over to Steve, one of the older guys directing traffic.
He looked frail and tired.
“Hey, Steve. I got this. Why don’t you call it a night, huh?
We’ll meet you at the hotel for some dinner.”
“Nah, Jake, we’re almost done here. I’m good,” Steve said as he
looked up at Jake with glaring dark circles under his eyes.
“Steve, go. I’m serious. Get in a hot shower and we’ll meet up
for dinner. Boss’ orders. Now go and take Andy with you,” Jake gestured toward
another man on the crew who looked like he was ready for bed.
Shrugging his shoulders, Steve made his way to one of the
smaller utility trucks, calling for his co-worker to join him. Jake took over
the responsibility of directing traffic, slowing people down and stopping cars
when necessary. Yawning, he waved a small SUV along, noticing that the
approaching driver was slowing down, much more than necessary. Jake squinted
his eyes to get a better look. The car came to a stop when Jake stepped up to
it and its window rolled down. Looking back at Jake was a woman who appeared
pretty, even in the diminished light. Wait, scratch that—she was stunning, with
long, wavy hair and piercing eyes. His heart faltered just a bit.
“Hi. I wanted to thank you guys for all of the hard work that
you’ve been doing. We really appreciate you guys coming up here. I think I
speak for everyone,” she said as she smiled widely. Her smile hitched his
breath ever so slightly. Jake smiled back. This was certainly a change. Since
he had been in this area, some people waved, some people smiled, others
remained with their eyes straight ahead, but nobody had yet offered any thanks
verbally. So different from the Southern hospitality way of life where he grew
up, Jake mused.
Here it was different, the pace of life was much faster. People
always seemed to be in a rush, and they minded their own business for the most
part. Sure, being so close to the big city must be nice and the landscape was
quite beautiful at times, but he didn’t think this lifestyle was something he
could ever get used to. It seemed too stressful, too impersonal. He would be
glad to be back home when his job was finished.
The woman leaned over and offered Jake a box of donuts,
disposable coffee cups, and a box of hot coffee. Jake was impressed.
“Thank you, that was very thoughtful!” Jake gushed, thrilled at
the idea of hot coffee. He thought he felt warmth spread across his cheeks
despite the chill in the air.
The woman stared back and smiled at Jake for a minute and then
set her eyes on the road ahead. She waved as she pulled away.
“Wait!” Jake called out. “Wait, what was your name?” But the
words were lost. The mysterious woman with the coffee and donuts was long gone.
“Guys!” he called out as his crew worked on cleaning up for the
night. “Guys! Our guardian angel just appeared, and she brought coffee!”
The coffee and donuts were gladly received, but the idea that
someone would go out of their way to show a random act of kindness truly
touched Jake. He felt the warm liquid slide down his throat and knew that he
would always remember the woman’s thoughtfulness. Who was he kidding? That
woman’s beautiful face was what he would most remember. He just wished that he
had gotten her name.
Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York
City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three
step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers, named Destiny and
Dolce, and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in
special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a
special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her
students.
Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and
poetry since she was a child. She spends her free time reading just about
anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to
create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel and has
visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico, and Costa Rica. She is currently
working on her sixth novel.
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