Colin had two of his crew coming in the morning to try and keep her culverts clear. It had taken hand crews several days to loosen the rocks wedged inside the pipes that ran under her driveway. Backbreaking work that no power tool could make easier.

Four pieces of equipment stayed behind when the bulk of the guys moved on to other jobs once they’d cleaned the basins out. It was comforting to see them there. She was hopeful they’d be able to stay on top of the mess Mother Nature was bound to throw their way.

She walked on top of the Arizona crossing and leaned on the split rail fence that was more decorative than functional. Water flowed under her. The sound was peaceful since it had been several days since the last rain. She closed her eyes and imagined it was a river . . . a real river and not a wash that only funneled runoff from the hillsides. She’d always thought she’d want to one day have a small home on an open piece of land where a river ran three hundred sixty-five days a year. Now when she brought up those images, she saw walls of fire with no way to escape.

She supposed the need for a therapy couch was in her future. But it would have to wait for another day.

Parker took a second trip down the driveway with her car, parking it inside the gate, but out of the danger zone. By the time she had to leave for work, one of the crew would be there, and she was confident they’d be able to get her out.

Mallory was pulling her car out as Parker walked up. “I parked Austin’s car down the street a ways. Lots of neighbors did the same,” she told her sister. “How early are you leaving in the morning?”

“Study group, so early.”

“You might wanna park outside the gate, then.”

Mallory gave her a thumbs-up and drove off.

She walked over to the guesthouse and knocked on the door.

Erin was already in her pajamas. “Sorry to bother you.”

“No worries.”

It looked like she’d been crying.

“Are you going anywhere tomorrow?” She reminded her about the parking situation, but Erin shook her head.

“I’m hibernating. Getting some work done.”

Parker offered a smile. “You all right?”

“I’m okay. I am.”

“Well, you know where I am if you need me.”

“Thanks, Parker.”

She turned and walked away.

Once inside the house, Parker went around turning off lights.

Mallory bounced up the back stairs from the garage and rounded the corner.

“All set?”

Mallory nodded and paused. “Thanks, sis.”

“For what?”

“For taking care of everything around here. I know it’s not easy, and I don’t thank you enough.” Mallory took a step forward and gave her a hug.

She squeezed her sister hard. “That means a lot to me. Thank you.”

“I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Mallory disappeared down the hall to her bedroom.

Scout was nowhere in sight, and Austin’s bedroom door was closed.

Sushi meowed at her feet and looked at the door.

“Oh, no, you don’t. Not tonight.”

Her cat complained for ten minutes about not being let out, but then got over it and joined Parker on the couch.

She looked at the picture of her parents over the fireplace. For the first time in a long time, she spoke to them.

“Can you believe Austin’s almost out of high school?”

They stared at her, their smiles frozen in time.

“He’s a great kid. Reminds me a lot of you, Dad. He has your sarcasm. I thought I was witty, that boy has a comeback for everything. I’m not sure what happened to your culinary skills with me, Mom . . . but Mallory seems to have caught on to some of them. I try, but I suck at it. Nora’s helped me out with that. I think you’d like her. I think you’d both like the whole family.” She sighed. “Colin is amazing. He puts up with me and all my drama.”

She found her eyes swelling with tears. “It’s been really hard this year. I keep asking what you guys would do. But it’s hard. I hope you’re both up there keeping things going on whatever path it is we have to have. No derailing.”

Sushi jumped in her lap, circled twice, and then sat down.

“Just keep them safe, okay? Watch over them. Together we’re going to be fine. We made it after you, we’ll make it after this.”

She wiped the tears that fell down her cheeks.

Her phone buzzed with a text message.

Everything is going to be fine tonight. I’ll be there tomorrow after the morning meeting in the office.

Her belly warmed. Did you bug the house? Are you spying on me?

Ha! I don’t have to spy on you, I know you’re nervous. Whatever happens, we’ll fix it.

You’re a great guy, Mr. Hudson. I haven’t figured out why you’re still single. She was all smiles.

I’m not.

She wasn’t expecting his words, which made them all the more powerful.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Good night, Miss Oakley. Get some sleep.

Parker looked up at her parents again. Couldn’t help but feel they were smiling a little brighter. “Did you make him happen?”

They didn’t answer.

“I love you,” she told the quiet room.

She didn’t fall asleep until after two in the morning. Rain started to fall, and every gust of wind kept her from rounding that last counted sheep to a blissful night’s sleep.

Sushi jumping up on her bed woke her. The sun was up, barely.

Scout sat beside her bed, his nose rested on the edge as he scoffed at her.

“What are you doing?”

His whole body moved with the shake of his tail.

Austin must have left already. The clock said seven.

At least they still had power.

She padded to the window to see a soggy day.

From her view, she saw her car parked on the other side of the wash, and one car that belonged to someone on the crew. No white county trucks in sight.

She looked to the sky. Dark and dismal. And nothing that couldn’t wait for a cup of coffee and a hard-boiled egg.

Scout whined at the door, so she opened it and let him out.

He was smart enough to stay away from raging water. The dog didn’t even like jumping in the swimming pool after a ball.

Mallory had brewed a pot of coffee before leaving for school, so all Parker had to do was pour herself a cup.

Within five minutes Scout asked to be let back in, and she obliged.

She clicked through a few e-mails . . . nothing important, and finished her coffee.

After dressing in the jeans from the day before, a sweatshirt, and a raincoat Mallory had bought her for Christmas, she ran a toothbrush over her teeth and made her way outside.

Parker forced the dog to stay inside. There was no real way of knowing what was going on out there until she was in it. With only a couple of hours to do a damage report before she needed to get ready for work, Parker walked out of the house.

One step on the driveway and she knew today was going to be different.

Mud and rocks flowed from under the burned fence she’d left in place to hold back the hillside behind it. A look over the fence and Parker’s eyes grew wide. No less than three feet of mud climbed up behind it, forcing much to escape and run across her driveway and into what remained of their manicured yard. Water rushed, but not to the point where she couldn’t walk through it, over the entire field that once housed the barns. The chain-link on the east side of the property held back rock, but not water and certainly not mud. It was everywhere . . . but spread out, as much of it rushed to the lowest point.