The Summer Rain

• Heidi Langston, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2019

During autumn, mummy and I would make piles of leaves to jump in. I end up laughing, whilst mummy struggled to get the leaves out of her beautiful, brown hair.
In winter, mummy would wrap us in a large furry blanket, spending most of our time inside. But she loves the outdoors, so even winter was no match as we played in the snow.
When winter ended, mummy would rush outside to meet Spring. We walked in the park and fed the birds, but of all the seasons, mummy preferred Summer.
My mummy loved summer, specifically the summer rain. It was her favorite time of the year, and one rainy summer day, she told me of her childhood. She would run into the garden and splash in muddy puddles, getting mud everywhere. I made a face stating that that was gross, but she laughed and dragged me outside into the garden and jumped into the biggest, muddiest puddle. It got everywhere, and her cheerfulness was contagious, so I laughed too.
That was a week ago. Presently, I walk to an old-fashioned white building. But before I went in, I spotted and moved towards the garden. While viewing the cloudy sky that promised rain, the wind whooshed by and ruffled my hair. It reminded me of how mummy would stroke my brown curls when I was upset. But the wind and memory ended in a moment, and I lowered my head towards the dirt garden, waiting for the tears of heaven.
Finally, the rain poured down, and it was as if I was punched in the chest, forcing me to release air with a sharp, painful breath. I closed my eyes to calm down, but the memory of mummy and I playing in the rain, suddenly pierced my mind. It was like a video playing on repeat, until I heard laughter in front of me.
It was mummy’s laugh. She must be enjoying the summer rain, splashing in the garden’s puddles, I thought. As I raised my head with excitement, my small body about to run to her, I froze. Looking through the warm rain that mummy loved, hot tears flooded my face. I called out for her and knew without a doubt, that she wouldn’t hear me, and will never hear me again.
Realization made my legs weak. Falling to the ground, mummy’s cheerful laugh echoes in my mind. A suffocating scream crushes my chest as the tears of a wailing child threaten to drown me.
Daddy rushed out the church, finding my little pain filled body kneeling in a puddle. I screamed for mummy to return, but as daddy fell to his knees scooping me into his arms, I knew she couldn’t. Daddy trembled, trying to retain his heartache. But eventually, he wept with me, and our sorrow merged. Two broken hearts beating together. The thought was comforting, as our hearts made a silent promise… we are never alone, in the summer rain.