ii. theme #2 "'in thunder, lightening, or in rain'"
Tifa is curled up in her bed, so empty nowadays, listening to the rain beating on the roof. Gusts of wind make the water spray on the window and the glass rattles loudly, accompanied by an occasional bolt of lightning streaking the sky white.
Her eyes rest silently, distantly, on the phone in her hand. A number is already dialed on the screen, but she cannot bring her thumb to press the green button yet – three more lightnings, and I'll do it, she keeps telling herself as the evening turns into night. The thunder goes on, the rain wetting the streets and making the homeless search for shelter.
She thinks he is in the church again. She had hoped he would be here with her, not there with the memories she cannot replace or ease.
One thing they have in common – they cannot save each other.
Finally, she presses the button, accidentally, when she is nearing the place between sleep and consciousness. Trees and leaves surround her, the faint sound of flowers draws tears into the corners of her eyes, and she can almost smell the nonexistent fragrance of someone whose hair is red. Surprised, she presses the phone on her ear and rather hopes that his is closed – it is not, of course, be it her luck or his need for friends.
"Hello?" Cloud's familiar voice says and words utterly fail Tifa. She swallows and gulps and chokes; she would like to say so much, so many things, make him come home and cry and beat him up, and offer him the small solace she can muster. "Hello?" he says again and Tifa closes her eyes to keep the tears from running down her cheeks.
Tifa hears his breathing and it is like he is here next to her again, not sleeping alone in the church with his nightmares and shadows and thoughts. In the end, she does not know whether it is he or she who closes the phone, and she finds herself more alone than ever before.
Thunder strikes again, painting the black sky brilliantly white, silencing Tifa's thoughts as she pulls the covers over her face, tasting the salt on her lips.