I DON'T OWN THEM. I WISH I DID. *weeps in corner*
For Genevievey
#74 Umbrella (T)
It had been a miserable day.
Everything that could go wrong had.
Her night was starting off to be just as miserable.
And now it was raining.
Not the light, almost pleasant kind.
Not the even the medium, "oh bugger, but what can you do?" kind
Oh no, it was the torrential, I'm-going-to-drown-you-and-occasionally-pelt-you-with-a-piece-of-hail kind.
And Edith was without a jacket or umbrella.
Typical.
Edith stood in the entryway of her workplace, barely under the awning, just waiting for it to end. Today would have to have been the day she parked far away from the door.
It was late, she was tired, and it was cold.
At this point she felt like cursing the heavens for this latest bullshit.
She couldn't exactly go back to the office and wait it out either. She and her boss, Mr. Strallan, had been the last ones to leave, and he had locked the door behind him.
Just thinking of her boss made her heart race. He was a kind man and had a wicked sense of humour. It didn't hurt that she thought he was drop dead gorgeous.
The only bright spot in her day had been working with him, editing a new literary journal for publication.
She was lost in her thoughts. So lost, that she missed the umbrella place above her head.
"Need some help?"
She let out a yelp and placed her hand over her erratically beating heart.
"Mr. Strallan! You startled me!"
He looked abashed. "I'm sorry it wasn't my intention." He sigh in mock annoyance, "And how many times have I told you? Please call me Anthony."
"I'm sorry Mr-"
His eyebrow rose.
Edith was thankful for the poor lighting coming from the street; it was saving her from the blush spreading over her face.
"Anthony. I'm sorry, Anthony."
"Much better. Now, then. How far is it to your car?"
"Oh- you don't have to—"
"Nonsense. My umbrella is large enough for the both of us. And if you think I'm going to let my best employee catch a cold just because she bucked the English stereotype and didn't bring an umbrella, than you have another thing coming."
His kind smile put her at ease. However at this proximity, the enticing scent of his cologne was making her pulse jump for an entirely different reason.
"I'm afraid I parked quite a distance away."
"That's not a problem. It just so happens that I had to do the same."
Stepping off the pavement, they fell into a companionable silence.
The rain fell down harder, and Edith found herself inching closer to Anthony. Closer to escape the rain. Closer to feel his body heat. Closer to avoid the unforgiving wind.
Close enough, that she casually wrapped her arm around the one that was holding the umbrella, huddling to his side.
Despite the rain she was floating on cloud nine.
All too abruptly, she spotted her car.
"Well, this is me."
She looked down to dig out her keys when she heard him begin to laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"That's my car next to yours. Fate's a funny thing."
His easy manner had her smiling and suddenly working up the courage to stand on her tip-toes, to kiss his cheek in thanks.
Little did she know that his heart was pounding in sync with hers as her lips landed just slightly at the corner of his own.
He stood there, still feeling the heat of her kiss as she turned around and got into her car. She smiled at him one last time and waved as she cranked the engine and drove away.
Neither had ever been so glad for a rainstorm and a shared umbrella in their lives.