A hand touched her lightly on the shoulder and she looked up to see who it was. It was someone she barely knew. He was under the protection of an umbrella, shielding her too from being beaten by the rain. He was dressed in a pale shirt which was unbuttoned at his neck. She gave him a forlorn look when she looked up at him.
"I thought you were dead." He said to her.
She kept on staring at him as if he was from another planet or another world.
"You might catch a cold lady, you have to find shelter." He said.
Slowly, she stood up, she staggered and fell against him. His hands reached out quickly like a reflex and pulled her up while his umbrella fell behind them into a growing puddle. He scanned her face carefully unaware of the falling rain. He walked her to his car while he held her by her shoulder. Then he placed her in the other seat while he sat before the steering wheel. Water trickled from her clothes as he coated her shoulders with a thick towel. She reminded him of his wife, he shut his eyes briefly laughing at the silly thought that had just circled his mind.
******
Her eyes slowly opened as she wrapped the towel securely around her upper body. The cold was creeping in on her. The rain had stopped and she was in...... Where was she?
She stopped and looked down at herself then at the man beside her. He was humming a song to himself, tapping away at the steering wheel, probably waiting for her to wake up.
She sat up and coughed to get his attention. She was embarrassed at herself when she recalled what had happened between them. This kind hearted man had helped her out of the rain. It was wierd especially in a place where people minded their businesses. She coughed again and he turned to look at her.
"Good. You are awake. I probably thought you might die in my car." He scoffed.
She blinked, she thought she heard wrong.
"So, where do you live?" He asked her, narrowing his brows as he asked her.
"Em.... That won't be necessary Sir. I do appreciate your act of kindness." She told him giving him his towel.
"Well, I shouldn't have to worry either. But I am afraid you might slump in the streets. I wouldn't want to be identified as a killer." He smirked again.
"Do you find death to be such an enjoyable event?" She couldn't hold back the question that screamed in her head.
"No, of course not. But next time don't sit out in the rain, you might get pnemonia. Even the cold can kill a man." He started the car. "So, where should I go?" he raised the question.
He dropped her off at a junction leading to an almost deserted street. She didn't want him to know where she lived. He had been so generous that she silently prayed within her that her next job would get her someone like him.
"Mum, you are all soaked." Melissa looked surprised as she opened the door for her mum to come in.
"Please, make some tea for me. I prefer ginger tea." Mrs. Taylor said shredding herself of her wet clothes. They dropped to her feet as they fell from her body.
Melissa nodded and turned to go to the kitchen. "Where is Melina?" Her mum threw at her.
"She is eating in the dining room." Melissa answered her.
Mrs. Taylor yawned. It was a good thing that she had a house all to herself, a place to live, a place to lay her head. She hardly pay rent which was clearly a good thing and she owe it all to her husband. She walked into the bathroom to pull off the rest of her clothes. She couldn't help but frown as she recalled the words of the man who had helped her.
"He talk about death as if death is his bossom friend." She said to herself as she prepared for herself a hot bathe.
"Does he talk to everyone like that?" She asked herself laughing at the silly question then she shook her head to shake off the image of the man who had helped her. She should be grateful to him if not...... But why was she thinking about him? He had only being fortunate to have rescued her while he was passing by, that was all. He was a stranger, just a stranger she wouldn't want to meet again.
She draped herself in a warm robe after the warm bathe while drinking her tea. "How was school Melina?" Mrs Taylor asked as she strolled into the sitting room.
"Bad. My friends taunted me all day. Some said, Melissa and I have no father, that is why we haven't been in school for the past months." Melina said, demonstrating as she said so.
"You should learn to ignore most words your peers say about you two. It is not everything that you pay attention to. Where did you meet these set of friends?" Their mother was curious.
"They came by the house today. We saw them because we were outside." Melissa explained to their mother.
"Mum, we really want a dad. We haven't been in school and our graduation is fast approaching soon." Melina eyed her twin to say something.
Melissa eyes were bulged as she received the signal from her sister. "Yes mum. We do want a dad." Melissa added.
Their mum smiled at them. "Having a dad will make you girls return to school?" She asked them.
"We believe so." Melissa nodded excitedly to that.
Their mum laughed. They just didn't understand how the world worked. They were kids and they will always act like it. "But you have me. I am both a dad and mum to you." She told them.
"No mum, you are not. But we can help you." Melina said to her, beaming from ear to ear, pleased that their mother found pleasure in such a conversation.