Annette Darden continued to stare out the window, watching the gray clouds cover the sky and let down a light drizzle of water. Annette hated the rain, absolutely hated it. She didn’t see how people could enjoy getting soaked or get splashed from cars driving through puddles.
“Lovely, isn’t it?” Mabel said from nearby.
“Yeah,” Annette answered dryly, “absolutely lovely…” Annette sighed, gripping the papers in her arms tighter and walked back over to her desk.
“You’re the only person I’ve ever known that hates the rain, Annette.” Mabel looked to her coworker, putting her hands on her hips. “Why is that? What is so wrong with the rain?”
“Nothing’s wrong with it,” Annette chuckled, setting down her papers gently. “It’s just…gloomy.”
Mabel shook her head. “Rain is a gift from God. There’s nothing ‘gloomy’ about it!” Mabel smirked, holding her head high. “Rain is quite romantic in my opinion.”
Annette could only roll her eyes at this comment.
“Anyway,” Mabel continued, grabbing her bag and umbrella from the desk drawer, “I’m heading home. I’ll see you Monday, Annette.”
“All right,” Annette replied, watching her friend head towards the office door, “be safe out there, and say hi to Steve for me.”
Mabel looked back over her shoulder grinning. “Will do.” She then left.
Annette sighed again, fixing her glasses, and turned to look out the window again. Why did it have to rain on the one day she forgot her umbrella?
Annette looked back to the papers scattered across her desk. She knew there was no possible way she would be able to finish them all and be able to get out of the office before midnight. So, she decided they could wait until Monday.
Annette grabbed her brown jacket off the back of her chair and slipped it on before taking out her dark red hair from underneath it. Once her jacket was buttoned, she reached down took out her purse from the desk drawer. She slung it over her shoulder, kicking the drawer shut. Annette then began making her way down to the ground floor then out onto the busy street.
As usual, the street of New York were anything less than quiet and empty. Somehow, the young woman had managed to make it to the crosswalk with a group of fellow laborers. She stood there waiting patiently for the light to change; yet, it refused to do so.
Annette looked down to her watch, but what was the point? She didn’t have anywhere important to go, she simply wanted to get out of the rain. At this point, she was drenched in rain water her bag had neglected to keep off of her and it was hard to see anything with rain pellets covering her glasses. If only she had an umbrella.
Annette had to sigh as she glowered at the red hand across the street keeping her from getting to her home. But soon her focus went off that derisive hand across the street and went to the fact that she was no longer getting bombarded with rain. She looked up and was surprised to find a bright blue umbrella overhead. Annette blinked and followed the long rod towards the arm holding it then followed that to the face of the kind pedestrian; however, with her glasses so murky, it was hard seeing anything.
After cleaning her glasses she looked to the person again, quite surprised to see in was a gentleman with black hair and glasses wearing a black jacket and scarf.
“You looked a little wet,” the man said over the loud clatter of the rain. He motioned to the umbrella, giving a small chuckle at Annette’s wide eyes. “I hope you don’t mind me-”
“Oh, not at all,” Annette replied quickly, not realizing that she was gawking at the man. She smiled sheepishly. “You surprised me, really. Not very many people would do this. Thank you very much!”
The man smiled at Annette before holding out his free hand. “I’m Sean, by the way. Sean Tinley.”
Annette shook Sean’s hand. “I’m Annette. Annette Darden.”
Before more words could be exchanged between the two, the crowd around them began moving forward. The light had change and it was time to cross.
“I guess that’s our cue to go,” Sean said, looking back towards Annette. “You look a bit cold.” Sean motioned down the street. “I know a good coffee shop just down the street from here. How would you feel to me treating you?”
Annette giggled. “Isn’t it a bit late for coffee?”
Sean shook his head with a grin. “It’s never too late for coffee.”
Annette couldn’t help but laugh at this as she nodded, agreeing the Sean’s request.
Perhaps the rain wasn't so gloomy after all.
