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house is safe that I don’t take in what my father just said. Then I gasp. Willow Street? That’s where Mrs. Clark and Lucy live!

Chapter Six
    W hoa,” I mutter, grabbing the front door against a heavy gust of wind. The sky still looks gray and gloomy this morning. It’s been raining all night, but right now it’s only drizzling lightly. I saw on TV that Felix made landfall a couple of hours ago in southern New Jersey. I’d really hate to see what the wind is like down there.
    I glance over my shoulder at the cozy, dry living room behind me. For half a second I’m tempted to close the door and stay inside. Dr. Mac can manage without me. But then I remember Lucy. I have to check on her. It seems even more important now because of the storm. What if there has been some problem with Lucy’s splint or complications because of her diabetes, and Mrs. Clark can’t get to the clinic because of Hurricane Felix?
    Mother appears behind me, peering out at the steel-gray clouds. “Sunita, maybe you should stay home today. I’m not sure you should be wandering around town in this weather.”
    â€œIt’s only a few blocks to Mrs. Clark’s house, and then I’ll go straight to the clinic. Besides, it’s hardly raining anymore.” I hold my breath, hoping Mother won’t remember that Mrs. Clark lives on Willow Street. If she remembers that and thinks there might be any flooding, she might not let me go.
    Mother still looks uncertain, but finally she nods. “All right,” she says. “But be careful. Call me at the hospital when you get there.”
    â€œI will.” I smile at her as reassuringly as I can. It’s amazing. When I first started volunteering at the clinic almost six months ago, my parents hardly ever let me do anything on my own. I think working with Dr. Mac might have convinced them that I can handle more responsibility than they thought. And if Mother can make it to work today, so can I.
    I brace myself and head out the door. As I cross the street and walk down the block, it starts to rain harder. Then a gust of wind whips the hood of my raincoat right off my head. “Ugh,” I say, grabbing it and squinting against the rain blowing into my eyes. There’s no traffic in sight—unless you count the empty trash can spinning crazily down the street toward me. I jump aside to avoid it.
    Lucy needs me. Lucy needs me. I repeat the thought over and over, timing the words to my steps. It helps to keep me going as I trudge toward Willow Street. I don’t pass a single pedestrian, and only a few cars go by, their tires throwing up sheets of water from the puddles on the road. Quite a lot of tree branches blew down overnight, and leaves and stray bits of paper are blowing around everywhere.
    Finally I reach Willow Street. The little patch of grass in front of Mrs. Clark’s old-fashioned one-story brick house is submerged under a giant puddle. The water looks deep enough to slosh over the edges of my boots, but I try not to think about it.
    Mrs. Clark opens the door before I can knock. “Sunita!” she says, looking happy to see me. “I wasn’t sure you’d make it.”
    â€œHere I am,” I reply. “How’s Lucy? Is her splint okay? Is she eating normally? The storm isn’t bothering her too much, is it?”
    Mrs. Clark chuckles. “J.J. is training you well, Sunita,” she says. “You’re starting to sound just like her.”
    I blush. “So Lucy’s all right?”
    â€œShe’s just fine. But why don’t you come on in, dry off, and see for yourself.” Mrs. Clark gestures around her. “Sorry it’s a bit stuffy. The wind was gusting so much that I had to close all the windows.”
    I follow Mrs. Clark down a narrow hallway toward the kitchen at the back of the house. “Whew!” I say as I carefully unzip my raincoat, trying not to get myself or