Not Your Average Family

Rains and Umbrellas

Rhea's POV

"Okay cool. I'll see you tomorrow, then?" I nod. 

Walking away from our lockers and into the gym room, I contemplate upon this first day. So much has happened. I found somebody who was compatible with me in a way no one ever was. Not even Dad. We have a lots of interests in common, and worst of all, he reminds me of someone. I can't identify who it is, but I know there is someone.

With that thought at the back of my head, I walk out of the gym, fully prepared for an intense schedule of softball practice. I walk out onto the pitch, surprised to find it wet. I look up to see overcast clouds. They weren't there when I came to the gym first. Then I realised, I had seen nobody in the gym, changing with me. Just as I contemplate whether to continue practice on my own or go back home, something wet splashes onto my cheeks and nose. Before I have a chance to look up, the rain is pouring down on me and I am left with no choice but to run back inside.

Drying myself and my hair with my towel that I brought for a shower, I change back into the clothes I wore in the morning, seeing that my practice clothes are completely drenched. I wring them out and shove them into the waterproof compartment of my bag, heading out to the front office. They usually had spare umbrellas there, in case anybody forgot or misplaced theirs. I'm lucky the path between gym and the main building are covered by a roof.

Reaching the front office, I see Hector still standing there. "Not gone home yet?"

"Oh hi. I'm waiting for my mom. We were supposed to go out, but it is raining heavily, so she's booked a cab to pick me up."

"That's nice." I look at the umbrella stand. "Shoot. I'm stuck." I turn to the telephone in the office. It was free for students to use as long as the call did not last longer than three minutes.

"Uh, Dad? I'm kind of stranded at school. Can you maybe pick me up?"

"Hi sweetheart. I'm waiting for a meeting to start, but I'll see if I can send someone over to pick you up. Stay in my office when you get here. I should be done in about an hour. I am so sorry. I love you."

"Okay, thank you. Love you too." I cut the call and hook the receiver back up.

"Do you need a ride?

"Um, kind of. I forgot my umbrella and there are no spare ones left. My Dad works only a block away, so he's sending someone over to pick me up."

"We can drop you there," Hector persists.

"No, really. I can manage," I try to protest. A honk at the gate makes us turn our heads. Hector grins, waving to someone inside. His mom. I can't really see her, but I can make out its a woman in the backseat. Hector gives me one last, apprehensive look. "I'll be fine. You're making her late," I say, referring to his mom. I look at him as his figure sprints the distance between the gate and the office. He gets in the car and I turn around, sitting on one of the chairs.

"Here you go. Just in case you decide not to trust whoever comes to pick you up."

"What are you still doing here? Didn't you leave, like, two minutes ago?"

"My mom asked who you were and why you were standing alone, so I explained your situation. She told me to give you her spare umbrella." I notice the small fabric cylinder in his hand, a feeling of gratitude spreading from the middle of my chest.

"Thank her for me, please." He flashes me one of his biggest grins to which I respond with an equally big smile.

"Are you sure you don't need a ride back home, Rhea?" I nod, opening up the umbrella at the door. I step out, looking at Hector expectantly. He blanked. I cock my head, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh. Sorry." Hector walks out and under the umbrella. We walk to the cab his mother is sitting in and he gets in while I wait. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Butterworth," I whisper upon seeing that she's on her phone, talking to someone in a very serious tone.

"It's Ms. Butterworth, Rhea." Hector chuckles as I nod in understanding, rolling up his window. The car zooms down the road and I walk up the other way, towards home. As soon as I reach home, I call Dad from the telephone at home.

"Hi Dad, I've reached home."

"I thought you were stuck at school...?"

"Well, my new friend's mother came to pick him up and offered me her spare umbrella when he told her I was stuck at school, so I just came home because I could."

"Well, I hope you will return the umbrella to him first thing in the morning."

"I will, Dad. Don't worry. Come home soon."

"I'll try, honey. I can't promise though, okay? Try to keep yourself occupied until I get back home, and don't cook. I'll do it."

"Okay. You know I can't cook for my life, right?" Dad chuckles from the other end.

"I know, which is why I told you not to. I've gotta go now. Bye kiddo!"

"Bye Dad." With that, I end the call and head into my room with the intent of freshening up. I flop onto my bed, closing my burning eyes.

I think I only closed my eyes. Yet, when I open them, 45 minutes have passed. I quickly gather a change of clothes and hop into the shower. Walking out of the bathroom, I see that my laptop is flaring. Grabbing one of Dad's old shirts I wear while sleeping, I answer the video call from an unknown number. Who could it be?

"Hey Rhea...I can't see you."

"Yeah, one second. Let me get the napkin off the camera," I say, letting the hem of my shirt drop to the middle of my thighs.

"Okay, done. Why'd you call?"

"Mom wanted to make sure you reached alright. Didn't you go to your dad's office?"

"I was supposed to, but I live a block further from my Dad's workplace, so I just decided to walk up there. Thanks for the umbrella and for checking in on me."

"Not a problem. We're friends and that's what friends do." I nod.

"Listen..."