Storm clouds hovered in the distance, and the air smelled like rain. Laura wondered what a summer storm would do to her business. Thunder rumbled as she hurried to the café to start the coffee before the power went out. She could cook on the propane stove without power, but the coffee pot was electric. She made coffee and put candles on the tables just in case. She’d just started the second pot of coffee when Meg came in. “Laura, there’s a tornado watch out for King County. I just now heard it on the radio. Those clouds are as black as midnight.” “Let’s make an extra pot of coffee. We can always keep it warm on the stove if the power goes out.” Laura didn’t expect much business that morning, but the regulars came, one at a time. The rain came down hard, but the worst of the storm passed south of them, and the power stayed on. She had to talk with Luke about getting a generator. They could use candles in the dining room, but she didn’t like the idea of losing the contents of the freezer and refrigerator or not being able to make coffee during a storm.
