“It’s one thing asking you to deliver a baby at home and another thing asking you to deliver a baby at home with a category five hurricane on the way.”

“Low pressure brings the babies,” Sadie says. “I remember my mama delivering two or three babies during Marilyn in ’95.”

“I’m not sure how I’ll ever thank you,” Huck says.

“I’ll tell you how you can thank me,” Sadie says. “Convince your old friend Rupert to stop seeing Josephine.”

Oh, boy, Huck thinks.

“And Dora.”

It’s a small island, Rupert, Huck thinks. He takes the curve above the Reef Bay Trail at breakneck speed. The wind is picking up; trees aren’t swaying, they’re bending.

“And anyone else he’s got on a string,” Sadie says. She slaps Huck’s arm. “You hear me?”

“I hear you,” Huck says.

Maia

That was sick,” Maia tells Irene as she climbs into Cash’s truck. She puts down the window. “Bye, Shane! Stay safe! Text me!”

“Buckle up, please,” Irene says. “And put up your window. It’s starting to blow.”

“We gave out six hundred and twenty-two emergency kits,” Maia says. “Each one with two jugs of water, flashlights with batteries, bug spray, energy bars, and matches. The volunteers got to take home the extra fudge.” Maia pulls a piece of fudge wrapped in wax paper out of her pocket. “Do you want some? It’s fudge with Oreos.”

“No, thank you, honey,” Irene says. “Seat belt?”

“It’s on,” Maia says. “Is everyone at the house?” Maia knows this hurricane is going to be very destructive, but she can’t help feeling something like excitement anyway. Shane and Bright and Colton and Joanie were all at the volunteer effort, and Bright said that every news station in the States is focused on the Virgin Islands. They keep calling it “America’s paradise.” Maia is happy people are paying attention; normally, the USVI are overlooked because they’re a territory and not a proper state.

“Cash is on Lovango with Tilda,” Irene says.

“Ahh,” Maia says. She has been waiting for those two to get back together. Maia had caught Cash texting Tilda under the table during Irene’s birthday breakfast at Jake’s, and when Maia asked if they were starting back up, Cash said, She’s dating someone else. And when Maia kept staring at him, he said, It’s one text, Maia, relax.

“Your grandfather will hopefully be back by the time we get home,” Irene says. “And Maia…”

Maia has just popped fudge in her mouth. “Mmm-hmm?”

“Ayers is in labor.”

“What does that mean?”

“She’s having the baby.”

“Tonight?”

“Tonight most likely, yes. Or first thing tomorrow. Her water broke.” Irene sighs. “Her contractions were close when I left the house to get you. And she doesn’t want to go to the health center…”

Maia asks, “Why not?”

“She thinks that because of the storm, it will be better to have the baby at home.”

“Like in the olden days, when there were no hospitals?” Maia says.