He watched her twirling around. She fell and he rushed to her side. She pushed him away, laughing merrily. He stood back, letting her spin herself dizzy. The rain was coming down in little droplets, hitting her dark pigtails in small splashes. The water obscuring his glasses.
She raised her face to the rain letting its cold touch wash over her. She motioned him over.
She pointed at his hood, he knelt and obliged her. She shoved his hood of his head, his hair springing wildly.
She grabbed his hand, forcing him to turn with her. They ran in circles, chasing each other. The rain pelting them. He held her hand as they jumped into a puddle. Water arced over them, causing loud squeals caught in rainbow-hued bubble.
Sitting in the puddle, she got up first. The girl however was brought down, when she offered a helping hand. "Cornelius." she yelled. " You're gonna pay for that." Cornelius splashed her and ran, "You gotta catch me first." he shouted.
On a hill overlooking this moment. A young boy sat in the time machine. He watched with sadness as the little girl tackled the blonde haired boy. " I give, Franny. I give." the boy screamed amidst loud giggles. He turned the machine around and disappeared into the future.
Twenty years later, this scene was repeated. Cornelius was once again running after a little girl, only this time, she was yelling. "Again, daddy again." Her blonde pigtails a dead ringer for his father's hair.
Wilbur had never had these moments with his father and he envied Bella.
"I remember a scene just like this, when I was a kid." Franny remarked, standing behind her 18 year old son. "Bella, sure loves the rain." Wilbur commented dryly. "We all do, Wilbur." Franny said, squeezing her son's shoulder.
"I don't." he announced angrily. Franny looked over at her son, his face showing his envy. Cornelius had overlooked Wilbur a lot when he was little. 'This will not happen ever again' she vowed to herself.
"Come on." Franny replied tugging him forward. Franny and Bella were chasing each other through the rain. Cornelius stared at his son. He had seen that look of longing along time ago on his own face, before he was adopted. The feeling of belonging to anybody.
Wilbur stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Cornelius knew from that day forward, his children would come first. He had a lot of time to make up for.
In the falling rain, Cornelius hugged him. "Sorry son," he apologized for all the lost moments. "It's ok, dad." Wilbur whispered enjoying this little wonder. Wilbur felt the resentment roll right off his shoulders, and he returned his father's embrace.
Franny ran to her boys and with Bella in tow, a Robinson hug was formed.
Anybody else would have thought this was strange. In a garden shaped like a tea party, a father and son splashed each other. A mother and daughter twirled in the rain and the little family enjoyed their little moments.
The END