Chapter 8

In the morning, we had an early breakfast and started out. Without the trailer on the back, the truck was easy to handle. We made it down to Helena without any issues. The road to Bozeman looked a bit bedraggled but was usable. We used it.

The RV was where we left it and seemed to be unharmed. Dave took the keys, went inside it, and started the motor. Sharon joined him and they pulled out heading back to our site to the north.

We had driven down at a normal speed. We started back that way, too. We were halfway back when the ground shook bouncing both vehicles badly. Dave and I managed to keep both of them on the road but it was a scary few moments. We pulled over to check everyone and both the truck and the RV. All were okay.

I looked south. In the distance, I could see what I now knew were the signs of a big eruption. I said, “That’s not good. Get inside and strap down. It’s either going to shake some more or we get a shockwave. Start moving but slowly.’ Dave nodded as he and Sharon got inside the RV. Misty and I got inside the truck.

“Do you think we will be okay, Taylor?”

“I hope so. I think so. We just have to be careful. I have concerns about ash but more about a super-heated cloud coming our way. There’s just not much we can do that we aren’t doing now.”

She held my hand as we drove north.

We arrived without incident other than another shake. Over the TV later, we heard that there had been a cloud which had vaporized the snow on the mountains around Yellowstone and flooding was now being experienced. While it wasn’t getting worse fast, it was getting worse steadily. I wondered about going further north and also east. I knew that a big Yellowstone eruption could cover many miles in ash though I didn’t believe we had seen a super eruption nor really think there would be one. Finally, I mentioned it to Misty and that I thought we should wait some more.

I used the Internet to find what raw data that was available. I had learned many years ago that I wasn’t smarter than the talking heads but that I was a good analyst and tried to keep my prejudices from affecting my analyses. I was also willing to do my own homework to get to raw data. Those two things led me to conclusions that were correct rather than popular. They also were part of what made me a good lawyer.

While I was doing this, I had three observers. Sharon knew, from a lifetime of experience, that I would tell what I discovered whether it agreed or not with others. Misty and Dave were watching as I searched and analyzed information from many sources.

“Taylor, what are you trying to determine?”

“The future. I’ve been concerned about some things ever since all this started. First, what is the likelihood of more and more powerful eruptions. Second, how will the answer to the first affect weather? I’m hoping that some good idea of the answers to those questions will tell us if and how to duck.”

Dave said, “I guess you’re thinking about heading home and what would constitute a safe path?” That wasn’t a question but was asked with that tone at the end.

“That’s true, Dave. The answers to my two issues will tell us a lot about how likely going home will be and what dangers there might be. Also, what dangers might there be in staying that we haven’t considered? I think we need to think as far ahead as possible.”

I smiled grimly. “I have a question for the three of you to consider. What constitutes success? Are we to fight to get home? Should we find somewhere safe and ‘hole up’ for some period? I want to stay with Misty regardless of where that may be. I don’t have to return to Atlanta.”

Misty looked at me with warmth in her eyes. I decided to push it further. “I would like to be married pretty soon if we can arrange that.” Misty nodded.

“Dad, are you two that serious?”

We looked at each other and nodded. Sharon said, “Wow! That’s cool.”

Misty grinned. “Actually, your dad is pretty hot.”

She leaned to me and we kissed.

Sharon and Dave were quiet. I continued my research with Misty’s help and under Dave and Sharon’s continuing observation.

What I found wasn’t comforting but also wasn’t very definite either. No one who had the information or experience really would predict what more, if more, might occur. There seemed to be agreement that the level of eruptions wouldn’t slow down very soon.

That led me to meteorologists’ predictions. Those were all over the place. They ranged from a terrible heat wave through no change to nuclear winter for the world. From what I could see, I was pretty sure that the hot half through and including no change wasn’t correct. I felt the other end of the spectrum, nuclear winter, probably wasn’t either. I started looking at weather patterns that might be showing up now. I quickly realized that the amount of ash would tell a lot about future weather. Hot ash would stave off cold. On the other hand, the cold ash would absorb the sun’s heat and bring on more cool weather sooner than normal. Ash, it seemed, cooled quickly. It also seemed to blow around in clouds easily blocking the sun.

Finally, I decided that I could guess as well as they. More data was needed and that wasn’t available yet.

I then looked up marriage in Montana. We could be married. Misty would need a blood test though I wouldn’t. I thought that strange. I figured that, tomorrow morning, Misty and I would drive into Shelby and get married. We cooked a good meal and took things easy.

In the morning, Sharon and Dave wanted to come with us. The four of us went into Shelby and stopped at the courthouse. We were directed to a place that could give Misty a blood test quickly. We went there, got a blood test and the results print-out. We returned to the courthouse and I paid for the marriage license. We were married by the local justice.

After that, we shopped for rings. With the rings purchased, Misty wanted to get some more groceries. We did that and returned to the trailer and RV. We chased the kids out and consummated our marriage joyously. I was still amazed by Misty’s figure. She seemed happy with me. We lay back lazily and I said, “Well, Missus Misty, what do you want to do?”

She smiled. “First, I have a new name and you should use it when referring to your wife formally. It is Missus Anderson. I may hyphenate professionally but, in all other situations, I will claim your name.