Save it for a raining day

He supposed he shouldn’t be outside, not in this weather. Not in the rain. His boots we’re wet, filled with water, covered with mud. His coat was soak, his brown curly hair no longer define gravity as the rain itself pulled his hair back down and he was alone. Standing in the middle of the street, by himself with nobody to talk to, but his own thoughts roll around his mind. Not even the cars we’re moving because nobody was silly enough to drive in this, sort of weather.

At least he thought he was alone because in the distance there was one person, skipping in the rain with a bright pink umbrella in their hands. He wonders why such a person would be out here. He was only here to pity himself after his older brother deiced that he was now head of the family, since their parents, death. The last thing he wanted to deal with was his older brother and even less so, after hearing Roy talk about how he older, how he runs the family now and how he must listen to him because William was the youngest and not even old enough to look after himself.

William would like to think that he can look after himself. Unlike his know-it-all brother, he knows how to make his own meals when Roy steps into the kitchen the impossible happens and a toaster is blown up. If Roy had any powers at all his magical, gift would be breaking things.

He also wonders, why someone would be out in the rain because unlike him this person sounded happy. Too happy despite the rain dropping on the ground, loud enough that he wouldn’t be able to hear his own music from his phone, if he played it right here and now. She was singing.

He didn’t know what she was singing about, but he can hear her happy tune from here and he could, clearly see her skipping.

“Hello mister,” she said.

Great. Just what he needed a woman full of life. Will by law, she wasn’t a woman, likely the same age as him and yet calling him mister. She had dark red hair, brown eyes and wore a bright yellow rai coat on her.

“If you are here to sell me something, I don’t want it.”

“I’m not here to sell you anything, but give away my umbrella. You could use one.”

“Why? What’s the point in using one? I’ll end up wet anyway.”

“That’s why you need one. If you’re going to stand out in the rain and sulk you can at least remember self-care.”

He didn’t want to take the umbrella, but he also didn’t want to deal with her.

“If I take it will you go away?”

She nodded her head and he took the umbrella the rain falling around it.

“Take care Mister.”

“Will.”

She seemed lost.

“Huh?”

“My name is William, but people call me Will.”

“Hope. My name Hope, see you Will.”

She waved a hand at him and skipped off in the rain, happily singing leaving him alone to his own thoughts. At least he thought he was going to be left alone. Until his older brother car, popped up beside him. The door opened.

“What are you doing? Get inside.”

He muttered, closing the umbrella up and stepping into the car. He listened to his brother lecture him about going out in the cold and rain, at this time a day and not even bring his phone. William told him, that he indeed had his phone he just ignored it because he didn’t want to speak to him. Off, course this didn’t at all make Roy happy and once more he was stuck listening to another lecture.

William tuned his brother out more focus on the umbrella as he, wonder why a stranger would give him such an object. Yes, he knew it was raining. Yes, he knew he shouldn’t be standing in the cold, wet rain, but he also didn’t want to be with his brother which ended up as a mistake because he ended up with Roy.

Still, he just didn’t understand what she meant by the kind gesture and he found himself overthinking about the matter the following night. Despite Roy, best attempted to snap him out of his thoughts.

It was later on that week when the rain cleared up and the water went away did, he went out for a stroll around town and saw her.

“Do you want your umbrella back?”

She jumped in shock the moment he said it before smiling it off.

“Oh, it’s you. Hello, again Will and no you keep it. Save it for a raining day. I have a lot more at home.”

He let her be and found her again later on that week. He asked the same question. His mind trying to understand why she wouldn’t take it back? Why would she give away a free umbrella?

She would say the same thing, every time and say save it for a raining day.

He would meet her again and again. The pair would end up seeing one another almost as it was faith to meet one another again, and again, over and over again. Sometimes they spoke about umbrellas, other times they spoke about cats, or coffee. They ended up finding out that both of them liked reading crime fiction.

It was nice spending time with Hope. Until William stop seeing her because one day she was no longer around and for a while, he wonders where she went until he found himself rushing home on a raining day, umbrella in hand and he sees her standing there, soaking wet, lost in thought.

He held it over their heads as the rain, rolled off the object. She smiled at him, but it wasn’t really there like it normally was.

“Hello. I see you saved it for a raining day,” she said.

“I did,” he replied.

The pair stood there together in the rain with only one umbrella to share. Until Roy, came picking them both up because William refused to let her go back home alone.