Juliana

The rain started to pour, the water quickly gathering into puddles everywhere. Juliana watched out the back window with a grin, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Collin!” She yelled. “Where are you?”

“Upstairs. Hiding.”

She laughed as she continued to look out the window at the rain. “Hiding? Are you scared of a little rain?”

“No.” His indignant reply had her skipping up the stairs.

“Then come on out and play Collin! You’ll only get a little wet.”

His laughter gave him away and he knew it. As she waltzed into their room with a huge smile on her face he was already climbing out of the closet.

“Why do you think hiding is going to help you? One would think after all these years you would know better.” She shook a finger at him. “Come on then. We need to hurry or we could miss it.”

“Jo. It is supposed to rain all day.” He let her drag him out of the room and toward the stairs. “We won’t miss it.”

“You don’t know that for sure.” She spun back around. “Besides, who knows how long it will take to actually get you out there. You disappeared and hid in our closet when you said you needed to get your shoes.”

She didn’t wait to listen for any response. Pulling open the back door she sighed as her smile grew wider. “I love the rain.” She whispered.

They both stepped out onto their covered patio and silently watched the rain fall together. Juliana softly slipped her hand into his.

Collin looked down at his wife and smiled. No matter how many times she dragged him out into the freezing cold rain to splash in the puddles, it was worth it to see her whole being light up with joy.

She peered up at him as she huddled closer to him. “Why do you still fight me on this? You know that I’ll win and you will still end up going out and running in the rain with me.”

“That may be true Jo but what fun would it be if I didn’t at least put up a little fight after all these years, for old times sake.”

She shoved him a little. “We aren’t that old.”

“Old enough that our youngest is graduating high school next year.” Collin hip checked her gently.

Shaking her head at him she scoffed. “That does not make us old, Collin.”

“Old enough.”

“If Jack was here he would go run out there with me.” Juliana moved closer to where the rain was falling.

“Of course he would. Any of our kids would.” He paused to chuckle. “Because you’ve conditioned them since birth to go out and run in the rain with you. Puddles are in their programming.”

“Yeah, but if you think about it that way, I have been working on you longer and still haven’t made progress. In fact, based on the fact that I still have to drag you out, we might need to put in some extra rain time in today.”

“So what you’re saying, just so we are clear, is that it hasn’t rained in a really long time and you want to run around outside for a little longer than usual.”

“Precisely.” She beamed.

“Where are the kids when I need them?” He fake groaned.

“Aww you don’t need them. You’ve got me to keep you feeling young.”

She didn’t wait. She yanked on his arm and hauled him out into the yard. The downpour drenched them both in seconds. With a squeal she ran to the nearest puddle, leaping up to land straight in the middle of it with both feet. Mud and water flew everywhere with an incredibly satisfying splash. Her smile shone brighter, the warm happy glow shimmering in her eyes as she flicked her dripping hair out of her face.

She didn’t pause as she ran to the next. Splash after splash, Collin watched her with rain dripping down his own face. That was the woman he had married, radiating a genuine joy that time and age could never wear down.

Standing drenched and wet in the rain may not be what he had first thought when he heard the first drops of rain hit his office window but he knew it was coming. He wouldn’t miss that smile on her face for anything.

“Come on, you old fart.” Juliana called from the far end of the yard.

Collin took off at a run, roaring as he ran straight for her. “Watch who you call old.” He yelled.

With a happy screech she turned and ran away, running directly through every puddle she could find. As she ran she called back, “I would but then you would catch me.”

For several minutes they were both transported back in time to when they had first met and had ended up playing tag in the rain for over an hour.

It only took a few minutes for Collin to catch her. As he held her close he laughed, “Juliana, I hope you never change.”

Twisting in his arms she hugged him tight. “But I have changed.”

“You haven’t missed a chance to run and dance in the rain yet.”

“True.” She laid her head on his very wet shoulder.

“I think it was when we were running around in the rain on our first date and you ran all the way across the park to splash in that gigantic puddle that I first fell in love with you. The splash was not nearly as big as your smile as you stood in the middle of it afterwards, so pleased with yourself.”

“That was a good puddle.”

He nodded. “You have a knack for finding those.”

“Are you ready for your hot chocolate?” She was back to bouncing with excitement.

He picked her up and carried her toward the back door. “Ah and there it is. Half the reason you love the rain so much…the hot chocolate that always comes after.”

Both of them laughed as he set her down and bent to take off his soaked and muddy shoes.

“There is that.” She managed to say in between laughs.