Neal Rolland stood under the porchlight of his home. Light summer rain was pouring down. He listened to the pit-pattering of water droplets hitting the ground. The earthy smell enveloped him. There was nothing he loved more than a rainy day.

He opened his umbrella and stepped out from the overhead cover. The rain bounced off of the nylon umbrella panels as he strolled down the street. It was quiet as it usually was when it rained. No sound of the usual neighborhood kids playing on the streets. 

Turning the corner of the sidewalk, he stopped abruptly. A familiar brunette girl was standing on her front lawn, an umbrella in her hand. He watched her as she smelled the potted flowers lined along the fence. She looked so beautiful in the rain. 

He grinned as she looked up, waving at him. A brilliant smile spread across her face. She ran her fingers through her messy hair and shouted, “Hurry up and come over here!”

At her words, his legs started moving by themselves, his feet splashing through the pools of rain. By the time he was in front of her, his pants were soaking wet. He didn’t care. Her warm laugh echoed in his ears, her bright blue eyes twinkling. “Why’d you step in the puddles, you silly goose?”

Silly goose. Neal’s face heated up. He never would admit it, but he loved that nickname. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

Yes. There was someone Neal loved more than a rainy day.