Chapter 48

 "At least" Charlie replied "I listened to you and parked the truck at the parking garage.  I put it on the fifth floor, it's NOT flooding".  

Jenny's text message alert went off and she checked it.  Javin 

"TRAILER OK DON'T WATCH TV"  

WHAT? she texted back 

WE'RE REALLY SORRY GRANDAD IS CRYING.  

WHATEVER IT IS (she frowned) I FORGIVE YOU BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYTHING YOU DID WRONG.  

COME BACK AS SOON AS YOU CAN.  

ARE YOU GUYS OK?  

YEAH BUT YOU NEED TO TALK TO POPS.  

She frowned at her phone as Charlie packed.  "How are we getting back with the power out?"  Charlie paused.  

Her phone pinged again. Miguel, her neighbor from across the street.  He was a nice Latino man with prison tats and sad eyes, who always called her mija.  "My neighbor will get us if I give him the address.  He has a lifted truck.  Is that cool?"  

Charlie could be jealous in the past.  She didn't want more trouble.  "How do you know him?"  

"He moved in a year or so back.  He killed someone in a bar fight a long time ago and has been out for a while". 

His lips tightened "You live near an ex-con?"  

Jenny stood up and turned on him "We're all sinners deserving of hell, buddy.  At least he paid his debt instead of hiding like a coward!"  Charlie flinched, looked around his apartment.  Princess had a leg up in the air grooming her privates while Baby Girl ate some wet food.  "And he got born again in prison, he is a lot better than I am at apologetics."  

He looked at the cats, the spreading wet spot on the ceiling, and Jenny, so fierce standing there in his apartment.  He didn't want to lose her again and he did need the help.  "I have a terrible time asking for help, Jen.  Yes, if we'll all (he waved his hand) fit".

She smiled at him like the sun coming up "It's a double cab!"  she began texting.  Charlie began rounding up the cats and putting them in their carriers.  He only got scratched a few times.  

Miguel knocked on the door about half an hour later, looking inside and whistling when he saw the water stain.  "No Bueno, buddy!  You gotta get out of here before the mold sets in!"  They introduced themselves as "I can get it all in one trip" Jenny pushed through with two cat carriers and a shoulder bag. 

Charlie looked up at the sky, it was clearing but he could see debris everywhere, a few tree limbs knocked down and trash scattered all over the ground.  "How is it" he asked Miguel quietly "Back at her place?   The little boy seemed upset"  

Miguel frowned "It's better if you see it, but her trailer is OK.  It's a good thing you got her in there, and took her with you last night."  He thumped Charlie on the back.  "Acting like a real husband!"  Charlie flinched.  

"What do you need to move?" Miguel asked and Charlie pointed out a few bags and the unopened cat litter.  "You had better take the box, too, buddy".  Charlie paused.  "The litter box?"  

"Yes, I watched a lot of cat shows and a cat does better in a new place if you bring the old box.  We can put it in my truck bed, we'll just wrap it in one of my contractor garbage bags."  Charlie shrugged.  

The trip was about what they had expected but Miguel was able to navigate some high water spots easily with the truck. The cats had a chorus of protest.  

Miguel pulled the truck over before they turned into the neighborhood.  "It looks bad, mija, but remember you, the cats, and the trailer are OK.  And remember a lot of people love you".  Jenny sat up a little straighter, peering out the passenger side window, as he turned.  

And there it was, the huge, dead, pine tree fallen on her house, tangled up in electrical wires, the house a smoldering ruin.  The trailer perched off to the side and back from the street, apparently fine, but the top of the pine tree rested on one of her storage containers.  Pops and Javin were out in the street talking to some people from the fire department.