Lauri had been visiting with William for almost a week now. Their relationship had grown beyond either of their dreams. That first day when Lauri stepped off the plane, she didn’t know what she was getting herself into. Both had been the product of broken marriages for whatever reasons, and they had met online in a chat community. Their friendship had grown stronger and stronger, until it blossomed into something totally unexpected. The day they confessed their love for each other had been wonderful. Albeit they had never met face-to-face, they still had come to love each other very deeply. The decision for them to meet, and physically spend time together, was made after they had been talking for almost two years. Both were glad they did.
The days they spent together, both alone, and in the company of his family had been wonderful. But this day had started out a little dreary. A dark gray overcast sky, along with high humidity promised rain would soon follow. Waking in each other’s arms as they had the past few days always brought a special feeling of closeness to each of them. They would lie in bed, holding each other close until the absolute last minute before getting the kids up and sending them off to school. Today they would be driven to school instead of letting them walk as usual. When William left to take them, the dreariness of the day really set in with Lauri. Here she was, a few hundred miles from home, in a place where she knew only three people. She began missing her own children who were back in Canada staying with her ex husband while she was here. Lauri’s mood was starting to turn just as gray as the outside sky when she heard William’s truck pull in the driveway.
When he walked in, William could sense her mood. The look on her face, even though she tried to smile, was that of loneliness, and longing. He went to her, sitting beside her and took her in his arms.
“What’s troubling you angel?” he asked with genuine concern.
“I guess it’s just the weather. It’s going to rain, you can feel it.” Lauri had kept her eyes a little downcast when she said this.
William studied her intently. Leaning in to brush her lips with his, he spoke softly. “There’s more. I can sense it. You’re missing home aren’t you? Your children, your mom?”
Her simple statement carried with it a large meaning. “Yes.”
They talked for a while, about her homesickness, and other things. When the rain started, it came slow and steady. The sound of the drops hitting the rooftop made a hypnotic sounding rhythm that both were soon lost in. Starring out the window, oblivious to anything else around them, they both drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms. Lauri awoke to tender kisses on her forehead. William had gotten up some time ago, and made them a wonderful lunch. Lauri felt a little better after eating, but was still down as the rain had not let up. William told Lauri to get dressed, and to make sure it was something she didn’t mind getting wet. When she questioned him, he simply stated that it was a secret, but that she needed to hurry. Lauri dressed simple in a pair of shorts and a short sleeve shirt along with a pair of sandals. On their way to wherever it was they going, Lauri got a twinge of excitement to her. She had seen the devilish look in William’s eyes she had come to know all to well in the past few days. She knew he was up to something, and that it would be something she would enjoy.
