There were a couple of things Sean and Scott had noticed recently that was disturbing. After they’d told Dad and Dave about their theory, Dave asked them to sit on the information for the time being so as not to scare the others.
As he looked up into the clear, cloudless sky and gazed at the stars above, he said a silent prayer that things would work out for Charlie and everyone in Shady Oaks. They could begin again there. Shady Oaks was much more than just a small town, it was the place everyone pinned their hopes on.
****
Mick went in search of Dave the morning after Charlie, Dexter, and Darrell had left. He found him on the rooftop fussing over one of the generators.
“ Everything ok?” He asked as he gestured toward the generator.
“ Think so, was running sluggish, but think I fixed it,” Dave replied as he stood, wiping his hands on a rag. He glanced up at the bright blue sky and said lightly, “Beautiful day today.”
“ Sure is,” Mick agreed absently. “You know, we haven’t heard from Charlie yet, do you think it’s time to get worried or is it still too early?”
Dave stuffed the rag into a back pocket of his jeans before replying. “Not sure, I was planning on listening for a bit before breakfast, wanna join me? I’d be so relieved if we do hear from them today, although I miss chatting up folks on the radio, if there’s one voice I want to hear right now, it’s Charlie’s.” Dave had been able to receive messages and news from other ham radio operators for about a week, then there had been nothing but static or silence since.
“ I’m hoping when he calls that it’s good news all the way - we so need this to work.”
“ I hear ya,” Dave replied soberly. “Before I came up here, I asked Jeff to listen in, he’s pretty familiar with the radio, and maybe he’s got some news for us.”
Mick followed him down to the second floor; Jeff was busy turning dials as they entered the small room located just outside the library. When they’d first arrived, he had assumed it was some type of closet or storage room, and he wasn’t far off as to its size.
“ How’s it going, anything yet?” Dave asked as he looked over Jeff’s shoulder to see what he was doing.
Jeff glanced at the two men with a shake of his head. “Hi - and no - nothing yet.” He shrugged. “I bet we hear from him today though, don’t you?”
“ That’s what we’re hoping,” Dave looked over the dials. “Looks like you’ve got everything set up, want me to take over for a bit?”
“ Nah, you guys can go have breakfast if you want, I’m good for now,” Jeff said with a toothy grin as he adjusted another dial. “I have a walkie here, if I hear anything I’ll give you a yell...I see you have yours,” he said, pointing to the walkie fastened to Dave's belt.
“ Yep,” Dave replied as he gave Jeff a pat on the shoulder. “Ok, you hold down the fort and I’ll be back soon as I eat.”
“ Shouldn’t take you too long, we’re having oatmeal today,” Jeff chuckled and winked at Mick.
Dave groaned and slapped his forehead. “Nooo, not oatmeal! Well, guess I’ll be scrounging around for something else today.”
Everyone knew Dave hated oatmeal, he said the consistency reminded him of baby barf, and Mick couldn’t contain his grin. “C’mon Dave, it’s not so bad,” Mick teased with a wink back at Jeff. “A little sugar and milk, and it’s pretty good stuff.”
Dave rolled his eyes at Mick and pretended to gag, which got laughs out of both Mick and Jeff.
“ Geez, such a drama queen!” Mick chuckled, and then ducked as Dave took a playful swipe at his head.
“ I’ll show you drama queen!” Dave muttered as he and Mick left Jeff to his radio, still chuckling and shaking his head as they continued to fuss at each other all the way upstairs.
Chapter
As he looked up into the clear, cloudless sky and gazed at the stars above, he said a silent prayer that things would work out for Charlie and everyone in Shady Oaks. They could begin again there. Shady Oaks was much more than just a small town, it was the place everyone pinned their hopes on.
****
Mick went in search of Dave the morning after Charlie, Dexter, and Darrell had left. He found him on the rooftop fussing over one of the generators.
“ Everything ok?” He asked as he gestured toward the generator.
“ Think so, was running sluggish, but think I fixed it,” Dave replied as he stood, wiping his hands on a rag. He glanced up at the bright blue sky and said lightly, “Beautiful day today.”
“ Sure is,” Mick agreed absently. “You know, we haven’t heard from Charlie yet, do you think it’s time to get worried or is it still too early?”
Dave stuffed the rag into a back pocket of his jeans before replying. “Not sure, I was planning on listening for a bit before breakfast, wanna join me? I’d be so relieved if we do hear from them today, although I miss chatting up folks on the radio, if there’s one voice I want to hear right now, it’s Charlie’s.” Dave had been able to receive messages and news from other ham radio operators for about a week, then there had been nothing but static or silence since.
“ I’m hoping when he calls that it’s good news all the way - we so need this to work.”
“ I hear ya,” Dave replied soberly. “Before I came up here, I asked Jeff to listen in, he’s pretty familiar with the radio, and maybe he’s got some news for us.”
Mick followed him down to the second floor; Jeff was busy turning dials as they entered the small room located just outside the library. When they’d first arrived, he had assumed it was some type of closet or storage room, and he wasn’t far off as to its size.
“ How’s it going, anything yet?” Dave asked as he looked over Jeff’s shoulder to see what he was doing.
Jeff glanced at the two men with a shake of his head. “Hi - and no - nothing yet.” He shrugged. “I bet we hear from him today though, don’t you?”
“ That’s what we’re hoping,” Dave looked over the dials. “Looks like you’ve got everything set up, want me to take over for a bit?”
“ Nah, you guys can go have breakfast if you want, I’m good for now,” Jeff said with a toothy grin as he adjusted another dial. “I have a walkie here, if I hear anything I’ll give you a yell...I see you have yours,” he said, pointing to the walkie fastened to Dave's belt.
“ Yep,” Dave replied as he gave Jeff a pat on the shoulder. “Ok, you hold down the fort and I’ll be back soon as I eat.”
“ Shouldn’t take you too long, we’re having oatmeal today,” Jeff chuckled and winked at Mick.
Dave groaned and slapped his forehead. “Nooo, not oatmeal! Well, guess I’ll be scrounging around for something else today.”
Everyone knew Dave hated oatmeal, he said the consistency reminded him of baby barf, and Mick couldn’t contain his grin. “C’mon Dave, it’s not so bad,” Mick teased with a wink back at Jeff. “A little sugar and milk, and it’s pretty good stuff.”
Dave rolled his eyes at Mick and pretended to gag, which got laughs out of both Mick and Jeff.
“ Geez, such a drama queen!” Mick chuckled, and then ducked as Dave took a playful swipe at his head.
“ I’ll show you drama queen!” Dave muttered as he and Mick left Jeff to his radio, still chuckling and shaking his head as they continued to fuss at each other all the way upstairs.
Chapter
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