But the rain didn’t stop.
If anything, it was pouring harder when Willard struggled awake at 5:00, showered and shaved, threw on his clothes, grabbed a left-over corn muffin from yesterday’s breakfast, and shuffled off to work.
It was pouring even harder than that-solid sheets of water that almost obscured the world outside and left eerie dark patterns on the windows-a few hours later when Catherine finally had all of the kids up and seated at the breakfast, putting the finishing touches on their school lunches.
“I don’t want peanut butter and jelly,” Burt muttered. “I always have peanut butter and jelly.”
“But that’s your favorite, isn’t it?” Catherine knew that he insisted on the same thing every day for his lunch, had insisted on it since his first day in kindergarten.
“No. I hate it.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but your lunch is already made and packed and you’ll just have to eat it.”
“No!”
Catherine turned to stare at him. Will, Jr., and Suze were staring at Burt as well. Sams ignored his bigger brother, intent on destroying his bowl of Sugar Crisps and drawing circles in spilled milk on the tray of his high chair.
“Burt!” Catherine’s voice was sharper than she intended. “It’s made and you’ll eat it.”
“But…”
“Don’t argue with me.” She glared at him, unsure herself why it was so important that she win this small tug-of-wills. Usually she wouldn’t have minded, just made him a tuna sandwich like she made for Will and Suze. And peanut and butter was his favorite. The whole family knew that. Burt would almost rather have that than a bowl of chocolate fudge ice cream, his second favorite thing. But today…
“Okay,” Burt muttered, lowering his gaze to his plate. He spooned fitfully at his own bowl of cereal, complete with milk, slopping soggy bits onto the table.
“Burt! Don’t do that…” Catherine suddenly broke off.
With the part of her mind that mother’s use to keep track of everything going on around her even while dealing with her children, she had heard something on the radio that she turned on each morning while setting breakfast out. The announcer’s voice was low, almost inaudible, and rarely intruded into her conscious awareness.
“…reports the following school closures because of unexpected flooding in the…”
“What’s wrong, Mom?” Will turned to look at the radio.
“Shhh.”
“For the Newton Park area…”
“It sounds like they’re closing some of the schools today. Too much rain. Shhh.”
“…and for Tamarind Valley, Reagan Jr. High, Pitt Elementary, Redwood Heights Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, Charter Oaks Elementary…”
Hearing the name of their school, Burt and Suze broke out into spontaneous cheering. Will was quieter but a broad grin creased his face.
“No school, no school, no school…,” the younger two chanted. Sams waved his arms up and down and joined the chorus. “No school, no school, no school…”
Will restrained himself.
Catherine sighed. No school today. Great.