The thunder and lightning
Seem to be having their way,
But as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day
—Fred Astaire
Quinn and I were supposed to move out of our home, put it up for sale and split the assets. That's what happens when a couple decides to call it quits.
Our decision to move to the country and try small town life backfired because it worked for Quinn who's a country girl but was pure hell for me having lived in a big city all my life.
Of course having Morlocks for neighbours didn't help--I just don't get the small-town mentality and the windy wide open spaces drive me crazy.
Who closes shop at 5 pm every day and why do we have to drive 10 miles to find a big box store or go to a mall?
Pure insanity, I think.
And, right now, after being drowned in a country downpour, we're stranded in the house, soaked to the skin and having to wait out the storm.
Fun? ...Wow! Decidedly not happy times in Pleasant Valley.
I come back down after my warm shower, wearing the white bathrobe Quinn left for me on the floor—I know, I caved—but it was warmer than the blanket, and didn’t have to be constantly held up.
Quinn’s lit some candles and set out trays by the fire. It looks like a picnic in our own front room—make that, Quinn’s front room.
We sit and eat and talk. I forgot how easily we could both talk.
And as we’re eating, she laughs and for a moment, just a fraction of a second, the firelight gilds her face and hair and she’s eighteen again, and I feel the same way now as I did then.
I’m still in love with this girl.
What the hell is happening to me?
She stops eating and looks at me, and knows. She feels it too.
There’s a knock on the door that startles us both.
“Go answer it, Gray—send whoever it is away.”
I get up, stumble through the dark to the foyer and open the front door.
It's Jim Kerr, our neighbour. He flashes this huge search beam on me—and my cute white robe.
“Hey, sorry to disturb you, Gray—just checking up on you folks.”
His eyes are huge and I can only imagine what he’s thinking.
“We’re fine, Jim—thanks for asking.” He’s staring at the robe.
I feel the need to explain.
“We got caught in the rain and got soaked. I just got out of the bath and grabbed whatever I could find.”
I knew it sounded lame, but Jim—well, he kind of played along.
“Good. Then, I won’t keep you from your evening—just wanted to make sure you folks all were safe.”
I wondered what the Morlocks would gossip about that tomorrow.
Still, it was pretty neighborly of Jim to come out in the rain just to be sure we were okay.
I went back and told Quinn—we laughed so hard, we felt sick.
Then we talked about all the crazy things we’d come through—our joys and pain, and something broke.
We fell in love again.
It’s funny—just as I was going, leaving Quinn and feeling all at sea—the clouds broke, and something in me broke...
What a break for me.
I told Quinn how I felt and she agreed—she couldn’t envision a parting from me.
As far as I’m concerned, the rain can pitter-patter, and it doesn’t really matter if the skies are gray.
As long as we’re together, who cares about the weather? —It’s a lovely day.