It was two months, one week, and four days since Ricky had been shipped out when the first tornado warning of the year came onto the TV in the middle of Spongebob. Tony, who at five considered Spongebob to be the most important thing in his life, let out a sort of heartbroken gasp that turned into a scream a moment later when the power went out. Baby Carly and seven year old Rachel added their voices to the choir as Tessa scrambled in from the kitchen, suddenly panicked. She had handled broken plumbing, roaches, and even a small fire since Ricky had left, but this was what she had been most dreading.

He was always the one who took care of storms. Every time the thunderstorms and occasional tornado warning came about, Ricky was the one who shepherded the kids to the basement, wrapped them in blankets and told them the scariest, best stories that they had ever heard- according to them. At least, that’s what they told their mother after the storm was over.