Death Talkies: Wheel of Time [Apr/04 P66] - Page 33

Eighty five seconds

There is something tantalizing about driving on a bike when there is a gentle drizzle. Heavy drops splatter on my hand which is clutching the handle and my hands slips every time I try to accelerate. Cold wind gives paper cuts and freezes my ears and waters my eyes. Even the chilly air brings soothe to my overworked body washing away the stress of the day. The traffic around me is lulled down by the unexpected autumn evening showers but it doesn't stop anyone from hurrying back home. People run across crossing with newspaper on their head trying to find any means of escape from the drizzle. The sight is somehow endearing. I am only a block away from my destination and I wonder if I am going to make it on time.

My slippery hands fail to accelerate on time which leaves me stranded in traffic and I manage to maneuver in between two cars. Splatter of rain on car tops, gentle hum of engine and splashing of puddles when people hurried over sang a distant lullaby. I am cozily tucked between two cars whose warming engines provide me warmth while I wait for eighty five seconds; eighty five seconds for traffic signal to turn green, eighty five seconds to start moving again. I can see my destination from where I am stand and the fact that there is someone waiting for me makes me break into a goofy smile.

I wonder if I should have taken the car out today. She is not the kind of person who would like to get her dress or shoes wet. She never really verbalized her dislike for rain but had always frowned whenever I had managed to get myself soaked or even sported drying drops of rain on my shirt. Somehow taking the bike out today seems like a really bad idea. Autumn air bites my fingers and flutter of my shirt tickles my stomach. Yes, riding a bike might not have been the brightest idea and especially if I were to meet her.

A hand clutched my arm using it for support and felt someone sitting on the back. For a minute I thought it was bike-jack, however lame that sounded in my head. I almost screamed when I felt the person settled their head on my shoulder.

"Did I scare you?" She whispered in my ears.

"I am scarred for life", I clutch my heart and bump her head with mine. She laughed. I could feel vibration of her laughter along the length if my spine. It was invigorating.

"What are you doing here? I thought you would be waiting at the hotel?" I ask her.

"I was standing on the other side of the road waiting to cross but saw you here standing alone in the rain. So I came." Her simplistic answer threw me away. She didn't want me to stand alone. I grinned.

"I thought you hated rain." I ask her stupidly.

"I do. But with you, it's an experience I cannot miss", she replied circling her hands around my waist. I could not reply to that. I was gloriously satiated by her answer.

"What do you want to do now?" The evening was too different to do our normal things.

"Let's go on a drive. I would like to feel for myself the combined effects of you and the rain."

Eighty five seconds were up. The lights turned green.

I sped into the evening.

Sookie

That was such a beautiful sweet moment! I am suprised to have read this today because the other day a very similar instance has happened to me. He contemplating about her reactions and she just reacting the opposite got some kind of special thing when read. Awesome Sookie!