A Rainy Day In A Mother's Life

Waverly stood at the window with a cup of freshly brewed tea. It had started to rain before sunrise. And now she watched as the raindrops on the glass searched their way down. The midday sun, shining through small gaps in the cloud cover, made them sparkle like little diamonds.

The front door was opened and immediately closed again loud. Waverly had knew who had come home. She turned and sat down on the couch, took a magazine and began to read.

"Mom ?"

The sweet voice of Waverly's and Nicole's 13-year-old daughter filled the house. Trisha stood in the doorway and looked at her mom.

"Yeah ? How was school today ?"

Waverly glanced at her daughter before she continued reading.

"Mom ? Can I ask you something ?"

"Sure."

Waverly answered without looking up to her daughter.

"How did you met mom the first time ?"

Surprised, Waverly put the magazine aside and smiled. Memories. She looked up and ...

"Shoes !"

"What ?"

"Your shoes !"

"Oh, mom, seriously ?"

"It's raining outside ... put your shoes in the hallway. Now !"

Trisha went into the hallway, muttering to herself at first, then repeated her question a little louder while removing her shoes.

"And ? How did you met her the first time ?"

"You really want to know that ? I mean it's a loooong and boring story."

Waverly smiled again. Trisha came back and sat down on the couch next to her mother.

"You mean it's a long and romantical story ?!"

Trisha also started to smile because she knew she was right.
In these moments, Waverly was glad that Trisha came after her mother.
Her eyes, her smile, her dimples ... she looked like the younger version of Nicole ... her wife. She missed her so much when Nicole had to spend several weeks in a row again at the military base. But she still had Trisha.

"I'm listening."

"Don't you have any homework to do ?"

"No, mom. Everything already done. Tell me the boring story, please."

Trisha snuggled into a warm blanket that had been lying on a chair beside her.

"Alright. But if you fall asleep I will not wake you up for dinner."

"I will survive it." Trisha rolled her eyes.

She knew about the deep love between her moms. They were made for each other. But she had never asked them how they met. She was excited about that story.

"Okay, uhm, I was in the same age as you are now ..."

"Wait ! You know her such a long time ?"

"Your mom ? No. But I thought you want to hear a boring story so I started a little earlier ... okay, we skip the teenage years ... You know I grew up in a small town named Purgatory. I didn't have an easy childhood. Friends were the exception. I mean real friends who are always there for you. I spent most of my free time alone. Mostly with reading books about ancient cultures and languages. After leaving Purgatory and moving here, I noticed a downtown movie theater that had just reopened. The new owner showed older movies in the first few weeks and I decided to watch one of these movie for once. To be honest, it was a spontaneous decision to prove me that I don't need friends to have fun. And if I remeber correctly, it was raining at that time as well."

"You watched a movie alone ? Really ? Please, tell me the popcorn was the best you have ever eaten !"

"Do not interrupt me !"

The two of them looked at each other seriously. But in the next moment they couldn't hold back their smile.

"Sorry, mom. I didn't want to interrupt you. Which movie did you watch ?"

With mock seriousness, Trisha waited for her mother to continue the narration.
Waverly raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat. She leaned back, opened her arms and gestured Trisha to sit closer to her. Trisha was only too happy fulfill this favor to her mother. The rain had gotten stronger and with her daughter in her arms Waverly didn't have to speak louder to be understood anyway.
Trisha rested her head on her mother's chest and took a deep breath. She enjoyed these moments of closeness very much and knew at the same time that someone else was missing.

"Top Gun."

These two words put Trisha out of her thoughts about her mother who was currently pursuing her sometimes dangerous job.

"Top Gun ? You mean that movie from the 80s ? You weren't even born then !"

"What did we say about 'interruptions' ?" Waverly asked with a soft smile.

Trisha looked at her mother apologetically and then put an arm around her.
Waverly sighed and continued with her story.

"Where was I ? Oh, right. So, I sat in the cinema and watched that movie. Without popcorn."

Trisha exhales audibly and shook her head slightly. Waverly kissed her forehead.

"So I watched the movie but unfortunately it didn't have the desired effect on me. I didn't really have fun. Someone sat a few rows behind me. And I've heard her laugh softly from time to time. As the movie ended, I sat and waited to see who was obviously enjoying the movie more than I did. At first it was only dark outlines, but than I saw her. Definitely taller than me. She wore jeans and a brown leather jacket with patches. I couldn't recognize more in the darkness."

Waverly looked over her shoulder at the window. The rain had eased a bit.
So she imaged the perfect rainy afternoon : her daughter in her arms and talking about the love of her life. Maybe with a cup of Soothing Sunshine herbal tea.

"I left the cinema a few seconds after her. The rain was stronger now and since I had nothing else to do, I decided to go for a coffee in the diner. I ran across the street not to get wet, opened the door and entered the diner. And I think you know who already sat in the diner."

Trisha raised her head and looked her mother in the eyes.

"Mom ! That was destiny ! You met because you had to meet !"

"Yeah, maybe you are right."

A brief moment of silence. Waves and Nicole went together so well. Everyone said that. And maybe Trisha was right. Maybe Waverly and Nicole were really meant for each other. And a higher force had caused them to cross each other's path.

"I looked around the diner for a free table. But then our eyes met. She smiled at me and then turned back to the menu. I was frozen. Only for a moment. She looked amazing. She had taken off her jacket and ..."

Waverly could see Nicole right in front of her. Was it really almost 15 years ago ? It just felt like a blink of an eye.

"I mustered up my courage and approached her. She looked up at me and asked if I wanted to sit down. I was stunned and without saying anything, I sat down. She looked at me with her brown eyes, ran her tongue over her lips and waited for me to say something. But I couldn't. I wanted to get up but she put her hand on mine and called the waitress to "Two hot chocolate, please." I lowered my eyes." ...

"Two hot chocolate, please."

The answer of the service was a slight nod. Then Nicole turned back to me.

"You were in the cinema, right ?"

"Yeah, I was. You sat a few rows behind me."

"Your hot chocolate. Can I bring you something else ? Something to eat ?"

The question of the service came so surprisingly that Nicole and I looked at each other silently.

"Not at the moment, thank you." Nicole was the first to be able to answer.

"Okay." The waitress went to another table.

I took a sip of my hot chocolate. The heat was good. For a few minutes we sat there like that. Without saying a word. We both held our cup in the hands, took a sip or warmed our fingers.

Nicole looked fabulous. She sat in front of me with her wet hair. A drop just ran down her forehead and over her cheek to her chin. A strand of hair stuck to her forehead but Nicole didn't seem to mind. With her index finger she stroke the strand to the side and with the next movement she caught the drop on her chin with the back of her hand. Her movements looked like she had practiced them a thousand times.
I couldn't help but stare at her.

"So, you followed me to the diner ?"

At first, I was embarrassed that she thought I had followed her. But her smile made me realize that she was having fun. I'm sure that with her smile she was able to drive away all the bad things in this world.

"No, not really. I just thought ... because of the rain ... I thought coffee would be a good idea before I go home."

"And now it has become hot chocolate. Disappointed ?"

What did she expect from me now ? Of course I wasn't disappointed.

"How could I be disappointed with such a beautif ... nice company ?"

I blushed. And though I averted my face, I knew that Nicole had seen it.

"Don't worry. I will not get up and sing a song for you at the counter. I'm not that kind of a pilot."

"What ... what do you mean with 'that kind of a pilot' ? Are you a pilot ?" I stuttered.

"Yes, I am." And again this charming smile.

With that answer she had completely surprised me. I had never met a pilot or talked to one. And now she sat in front of me and told me that she, as a woman, was a pilot. I wouldn't have expect this.

"I like that look in your face. Unbelieving but impressed. Like a little child."

"But I'm not a child !"

Everybody treated me like a little kid that had to be protected first of all. But this wasn't so. I was very good at taking care of myself.

"Yeah, I can see that." Nicole bit on her lower lip. "That's why I said 'like'." She winked at me and then looked at her cell phone. "Oh, shit. Is it already that late ? I have to go back to the base. I'm sorry."

I could see the disappointment in her face. When she got up, she shook my hand and ...

"It was nice to meet you, ... ?"

We smirked both. We had forgot to introduce ourselves.

"Waverly, Waverly Earp."

"Nicole Haught." She took her jacket and headed for the counter. She sensed that I didn't want to let her pay the bill. "Next time, it's your turn to pay." She put a few bills on the the counter and walked to the door. She was almost out of the doors when she turned and came back. "We don't want to leave anything to chance." She took a pen from the counter and wrote a few numbers on a napkin. "Call me."

With her charming smile she left the diner. I held this napkin in my hands and looked at the number. Was this really happening ? The day didn't start well. My car broke down on my way to work. Then the rain ... all day. Cinema ... allone. But then ... I met her.

"Are you already sleeping ?" Waverly said softly, gently stroking Trisha's head.

"No", came an equally quiet answer. "Did she come back again ?"

"No, sweetheart, I just sat there looking through the big window. The people who passed by hid under their umbrellas. I somehow felt like in a big bubble, sheltered from the rain and everything else out there. It was a nice feeling. So peaceful. I turned my gaze back to the table. Nicole's cup was still in front of me, as if waiting for Nicole to put her hands around it. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and looked at the display. Would it be intrusive to send a message to Nicole now ? Would she be happy ? Or was she already waiting for that ? For safety's sake, I added the number to my contacts. A napkin is lost quickly. I started to type in the name N - I - C - O - L - E. With each additional book I got my smile bigger. I shoved my empty cup next to Nicole's and took a picture. Along with the message "It was nice to meet you, too" I sent the picture. I waited for an answer but I didn't get any more that evening. And not on the following four days. I had already resigned myself to the fact that it had just been a cup of hot chocolate, not more. It was the morning of the fifth day. I was on my way to work. My cell phone was on the passenger seat when it beeped briefly. I waited until I parked my car in front of the bar where I worked. Then I picked my cell phone and read the message. She was from ..."

"Mom ! She took a lot of time !"

"Yes, she has." Waverly chuckled. She clearly heard the disappointment that Nicole had given herself five days to answer.

"And what did she say to you, did she at least apologize ?"

"Oh darling, she didn't have to apologize, wait, I show you what she sent." Waverly picked up her cell phone from the coffee table and searched for the message. "This was her answer." She handed the phone to her daughter.

"Wow. This is mom ? Cool, did she make that during a flight ?" Now it was clear to hear the pride in Trisha's voice she felt for her mother.

"Yes, and I'm sure that's not allowed." Waverly laughted softly. She knew Nicole would have gotten a lot of trouble if her superiors had heard about this action. "Tell me, why are you coming to ask me about our first meeting today ?"

Trisha crawled out from under the covers und sat down on the edge of the couch.

"Oh, uhm, just like ... uhm ..."

"Just like ...?" Waverly didn't want to let her daughter get away with it. "Did you meet someone ? Someone you like ?"

Trisha jerked up and headed for the hallway.

"Do you want to tell me about it ?"

Before Trisha ran up the stairs to her room, she turned around once more. She smiled at her mother and said :

"Oh, you know, that's a loooong and boring story, you certainly don't want to hear it."

What Waverly heard, though, was Trisha's swift steps on the stairs and then the door of her room which was closed with a powerful sweep.
Trisha had clearly inherited her mother's temperatment as well.

Waverly picked up her phone again and looked at the photo of Nicole. Then she looked out of the window. It had stopped raining and the sun lit up the many small raindrops on the leaves on the trees like little stars.

Don't worry about the the rain. The rainy days in life can be the most beautiful ones. At that time like today.