The rain had started slowly but it was coming down in buckets now. With every passing minute the Inn began to fill with travelers who chose to hole up instead of weather this freak storm. Steve had his hands full to say the least and though he wished he could spend more time with Millie, Brook and Bennie, he found himself chained to the registration desk. He tried to light the ‘No Vacancy’ sign but a rogue wind had taken it out a while ago and aside from that, his better judgment told him that no matter what he had to help these stranded travelers out. At this point he was asking people to share their rooms with total strangers.

The dining room was jammed to the gills and Steve felt pretty damn lucky that Andy and Lucy had full charge. He’d be happy to lend them a hand but his were tied. Directly in front of him, a family of four stood drenched to the bone and exhausted. They were driving south and got caught in this gully washer well before their holiday destination. The hundred yard trek from their car in the lot to the door of the Inn made the poor group look as though they’d swam instead of ran.

Steve had no place to put them but one, in his family’s suite. H wasn’t sure how Millie would feel about this with the new baby and all but there was no way he could turn this group back out into the storm to seek lodgings elsewhere. What if it were his family?

Putting a sign up on the desk that said he’d be back in a minute, he helped the man with his wife and two kids carry their bags upstairs. Not knowing exactly what to expect when he opened the door, he bit his lip as he showed the family into his abode.

Millie came to greet him, carrying Bennie in her arms. She gave him a puzzled look as she saw the group he had in tow.

Steve nodded to her and spoke. "We have no more rooms. The Benson family here is stranded because of the storm, Mil. I said they could stay with us, okay?"

She shifted the baby in her arms so she could extend her hand to Mrs. Benson. "You are welcome. This must have been a horrible experience for you. Come, we’ll make some tea for everyone."

The younger of the two Benson children had already spotted Brook hiding shyly behind her mother. He grinned at her and held out a toy he was holding in his hands to her. It was a little wooden car that seemed to be carved perfectly for little hands to hold.

"Wot’s his name?" Brook asked shyly.

"Bobby, little one." Mister Benson answered with a warm grin. He turned his gaze to Mille and smiled. "We’re much obliged for your kindness ma’am. I don’t reckon we’d have got much further before we’d have, God forbid ended up in a ditch or something."

"We’re happy to have you." Mille said. "Say hello, Brook, its okay." she added as she moved aside. In moments flat the two young ones were on the floor rolling the car back and forth to each other. Bobby’s older brother had discovered Chris the bulldog and they were bonding just as fast as the lad took joy in the pups desire to chase him around.

"I’ll start a fire to get you all dried off." Steve spoke. "Then I’m afraid I will need to get back downstairs. It’s going to be a long night."

"If our wives don’t mind, I’d be glad to help you out. By the way you can call me Nate and my wife is Janine. The kids are Bobby and Nate Junior."

"That’d be great, Nate. I sure could use an extra pair of hands tonight. I think we’ll need to say that during this storm…all travelers are welcome. It’s going to be a long night."