Laundry hangs in the backyard. Blown in a heavy breeze. Shirts and sheets waved like American flags. It will be coming soon, she said.

Kids huddled against walls in the hallway. Television shows maps and announces a tornado warning in effect for the following counties: Lake….Newton….and Jasper. Seek shelter now. Once again. The National Weather Service…..

Mom looks out the kitchen window. She’d been through hundreds of these warnings. Usually, they go over. Hit the next county. Or destroy a trailer home park down the road a bit. But never has one hit her home or damaged her property.

The baby child, Honey, begins to cry. The mother of four picks her up and rocks the kid back and forth in her arms. I, used to do this task. I’d give her a bottle and watch out the opened front door. A screen separating the family from reality. 

I’ve been gone a long time. Passed away ten years ago. Baby child Honey was unexpected. She was conceived on a lonely night with a stranger in town who was on his way to Los Angeles. She didn’t know his name. What kind of car he drove. Where he was from. He might have had a family somewhere else. People do that sort of thing.

Shhh Honey. Momma is here to take care of you. She kissed her on the forehead. The kids stayed crouched down, hands over ears, head against the wall.

The television said a tornado had touched down in Newton County. This is not a watch. This is a warning.  Take cover now.

Mom wished she’d taken cover a long time ago. As the tornado approached, I swear I could hear her say, take me away, oh Lord. Take me away.