Thunderstorm

Angela had spent most of a peaceful summer afternoon curled up with a copy of "Persuasion" on the window seat of her bedroom. Even though the book was one of her favorites, today she found herself continually distracted by the show taking place outside the window. For the past half hour or so she'd been watching as the soft blue sky was being overtaken by invading storm clouds. They conquered the blue as they moved in, layer by layer. First, the light gray clouds moved in; then thicker, darker clouds peppered their way over the lighter color. Angela was amazed at the speed that the clouds moved across the sky. There was going to be a storm, of that she was certain, and it was going to be a big one.

A flash of lightning added a quick, bright yellow wash over the gray; illuminating the sky and the room. Angela finally gave up on the book and drew a little closer to the window to watch the show. Thunder announced itself, taking its time by tolling through the air and echoing all around. The rain soon followed; it was not a gentle spring rain, building drop by drop into a soft all-encompassing waterfall. This rain inundated; it was as though the clouds had a false bottom and someone had slid the bottom open creating an instant deluge. One second the road was dry, the next Angela could barely even see the road for all the rain obscuring the view.

"Maybe the rain will last all afternoon and evening," Angela thought excitedly.

Another flick of lightning and another roll of thunder and Angela smiled, knowing that this would be a very good storm. The sky darkened even more, darkening the bedroom along with it. It was time to have some fun, "Tony!" she yelled, trying to sound helpless.

Tony was coming up the staircase with a basket of clean laundry, he heard his wife call and knew he should have expected this. The weather report was very specific today; 100% chance of thunderstorms. Which only meant one thing, 100% chance that Angela would use the rain for her benefit...and his. Tony put the basket down in the hallway and decided to play a little himself. "What is it, Angela?" he said, pretending to have no idea what she was up to. He peeked his head into their bedroom.

Angela looked at him like he was every knight in shining armor who'd ever lived, "oh Tony, you know how I hate thunderstorms," she simpered, her eyes begging him to come save her from the dragon of the weather.

Tony raised an eyebrow in response to let her know he was on to her latest flirtation. Angela? Afraid of thunderstorms? Not likely. Another stroke of lightning seared through the room quickly followed by a house shaking crash of thunder. "Oh Tony, that one was close!" she purred in mock fear, "hold me!" she begged as she held out her arms to him. Tony walked over to oblige his wife's latest request. She sighed as he slid behind her and positioned himself on the window seat. She cuddled up to him as he put his arms around her to protect her from the storm.

"Closer, Tony."

What could she mean, he was already almost as close as he could get, "what?" was the only word he could think of to answer her.

"The storm, it's coming closer."

It was true, closer and closer the storm came, its primal energy inciting Angela's anything but cold fish libido. What was a girl to do? Here she was stuck in the house on a very rainy day, she didn't dare turn on the tv or make a phone call. What safe activity could she do that was not dependent on electricity? Angela could only think of one thing to do; poor thing. An activity that wasn't dependent on electricity, in fact it could be said it created its own electricity. If she played her cards right it could be enough electricity to light up someplace much larger than Dubuque; Des Moines, perhaps.

Another flash of lighting gave Angela her opening; but she had to work quickly. She tore herself away from her very comfortable spot in Tony's arms and placed her hand on the top button of his shirt, "one Mississippi," she said as she rendered the button irrelevant. She kissed his exposed skin and moved down, "two Mississippi," she whimpered as she unfastened the second button. She kissed him again and mover farther down his chest. "Three Mississippi..."

As the third button disappeared, Tony said a silent thanks to whatever power prompted him to wear a button down shirt today.

"Four Mississippi," the thunder had long ago completed its journey; but Angela would continue her journey down the Mississippi until there were no buttons left. She pulled Tony's shirt out of his pants as another crash of thunder boomed. Tony put his arms around his wife and nodded toward the bed; even with the rain coming down as heavy as it was they were still in the window and in view of nosy neighbors; and Mona. Angela took the hint and held out her hand to him as she removed herself from the window seat; her beloved took her hand as they walked to the bed. Tony started grinning before they even took two steps; his grin became broader.

Angela couldn't help but notice, "what?"

"You're wearing a button down shirt too; but you won't be wearing it for much longer."

Now Angela was grinning too; after all, turnabout was fair play.

They reached the bed, the storm continuing to crescendo outside. Snuggling themselves in, Tony now seized his opportunity as another bolt of lightning illuminated the room. "One Mississippi," he said as he unbuttoned the top button of Angela's shirt and touched the soft skin underneath. "Two Mississippi," he grinned as the button slipped away revealing a lacy bra underneath, "yeah, two," he grinned. It would take a while to get to 'three Mississippi'.

The rain poured down; harder and harder, not letting up in it relentless pursuit of cleansing release. The lightning and the thunder pressed on in their tandem frenzy of light and sound, each one taking their turn in igniting the senses. The wind created its own harmony to the symphony of the storm, adding its own gasps to the soundtrack. Waves of rain caressed the roof as the storm grew in intensity. The power of the storm rattled the house as it reached the height of its intensity.

Then, suddenly the storm was over. The rain stopped even more quickly than it had started, leaving nothing but a calm haze behind. The thunder and lightning continued to echo, creating soft tremors. The wind abated, leaving nothing but gentle wisps soothing the surroundings.

The height of the storm was over; which is why Tony and Angela were startled when the lights flickered. Electricity was crackling everywhere.

Thunderstorms always ebbed and flowed; even though round one was over; round two wouldn't be far behind. As round one abated, a bird or two started to chirp. In Angela's mind, the birds were singing, "Climb Every Mountain."

"Don't worry, Angela; there are thunderstorms in the forecast for tomorrow. I'll save you from those too," Tony soothed as the second round of today's rain started to fall. He always was her knight in shining armor.