6 Months of Rain (Book 1)

July 8th - Rain Child

"Have you ever done it?" 

"As a matter of fact, I have gone cliff-diving with a walrus. Why do you ask?"

She laughed her light summery laugh. "No, I meant have you ever had sex?"

"What?"

"It's when you take your—"

"Yeah, I know what sex is. I meant more... Why do you ask?"

There were a few days in July when I couldn't keep Candy out of Harley's field. All she wanted to do was run through the tall grass, take naps in the shade of our favorite tree, sling mud at me whenever I wasn't looking, and ask me random questions that made my heart stop beating. 

She paused a second, before she said, "Curiosity."

"I'd stay away from that guy, Candy. He kills cats."

"Come on. Tell me."

"What's it to you?"

"Elmore, please? Tell me." Her gaze was intent.

There was a part of me that hated her whenever she used her eyes to attack my resolve.

"For your information, no. I've never had sex."

"I have to think it's like dancing in the rain."

"How do you figure?"

"At first, it's a little uncomfortable, you know? That cold hot water sensation, but after awhile, nothing feels better."

"And . . . you're sure you weren't smoking grass while my back was turned?"

"Seriously." She smiled. "Don't you think it would probably feel like that?"

"I don't know."

"Oh, come on, El. You've imagined what it would feel like."

She was right. I had. "Not really."

"Liar."

"I mean, as much as anyone has, I guess."

"Well, what did you imagine?" She pulled her knees up to her chest and peered at me overtop.

Sometimes, I felt incapable of lying to her, like the only words that would come out of my mouth were the words that were true. 

"I imagined a warm night on the riverbank."

"And?" her voice got quieter when she listened.

"Stars."

"And?"

"No one but us for miles." Shock mortified me, as I realized the words that had fallen out of my mouth. Without warning, she rocked forward, leaning in closer to me. 

She kept my eyes locked in hers. "Are you falling for me?" 

"What?" Except by what, I meant yes.

"I'm kidding, El. Relax!" She teetered back with a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Look. The rain stopped!"

No sooner were the words out of her mouth, that she'd heaved the car door open and slid down the small muddy slope into the marshy field.

 This was the way I always remembered her--in the summer heat, twirling around in a sundress, one she hated, just to get it dirty. She laughed and laughed, as though the hot air she breathed was the sweetest thing she'd ever tasted. She especially loved the summer storms, when she could unleash her curly hair and run, like the rain-child she was, from the street all the way to the stream and back. We'd sit in my truck, if the lighting didn't stop, and she'd make me sing the songs she hummed all day. 

I would always remember that on that day, she also made sure my heart would never beat the same way.