Blackbeard by Roo

"Here comes the rain again, falling on my head like a memory" The Eurythmics

Sara turned over in bed. It was raining at last, how long she didn't know. The past week had been so hot no one knew how to deal with it. She realised that Jack wasn't next to her. He'd been tired and out of sorts all day. Maybe he went to check on Charlie. There was a rumble of thunder. She got up and looked in on him. Charlie was still asleep. But if the storm got worse he wouldn't be. Going down stairs she checked the usual places. Jack wasn't on the couch watching TV, not in the garage either.

Then she spotted the patio doors were open and in the first flash of lightening she saw him standing barefoot in the middle of the garden in a t-shirt and sweatpants, his head tilted up at the rain. He was soaked. It was odd, him just standing there. A bigger rumble of thunder rolled above them and she heard Charlie calling for her inside the house. She was torn. She needed to help Jack but how? And Charlie needed her too. She rushed back inside; Charlie stood at the top of the stairs.

"I don't like the big noise and I'm scared of the flashes mommy."

"It's okay baby, I'm here." she wished she could say it to Jack too, but he wouldn't let her near him. "It's only a thunderstorm. It'll chase all the hot air away and make it fresher and nicer. Won't that be good?"

Charlie shook his head "Can I sleep with you and daddy?"

"Let's get you a drink. How about that?" That's real good Sara, delay tactics learnt straight from Jack. She was wary of what might happen if Jack had a nightmare.

Charlie followed her down stairs and into the kitchen. His keen eyes spotted the open patio doors.

"Why's daddy standing in the rain? Won't he get wet?" he asked as she poured a glass of milk.

"You're right. Stay here in the kitchen and I'll get him." Sara went over to the patio doors and called,

"Jack?"

No answer. Sara dashed out into the garden to him.

"Jack!" she said sharply and tugged on his arm. Suddenly he whirled around and grabbed her arms pushing her back as he did so. He shouted at her in that language again.

"Jack, you're scaring us. Come inside now." She was wet too now.

He blinked owlishly at her and looked at himself. There was a spectacular crash and flash of thunder and lightening. Sara pulled him into the house, silent and unresisting.

"Charlie, Daddy's fine. Why don't you get into bed?"

"Stay there a minute, Jack," she ordered as she followed Charlie upstairs to get him settled.

When she came back downstairs Jack was still standing where she'd left him, shivering and dripping onto the floor. Annoyed, she grabbed some towels from the done laundry pile in the kitchen.

"Why didn't you step over here, get a towel and dry off?" she asked as she rubbed Jack's hair almost dry and dried his feet, doing the same for herself.

"You told me to stay here," he replied.

Sara didn't know what to make of that as she wrapped a larger towel round his shoulders and led him upstairs to the bathroom. He sat on the edge of the bathtub.

"What on earth were you doing?" she asked hoping to get some response.

"Looking at the rain. Feeling the rain. I dreamt of rain, it's been so hot. And it rained. It felt nice." His reply was flat and full of something she wanted to know about and didn't know if he would ever explain.

"How long were you out there?"

He shrugged his shoulders at her like a child.

"You're freezing Jack," she said irritated with his attitude. She reached for his t-shirt with one hand and leant and turned the shower over the tub on with the other. His cold hand on hers stopped her from removing the t shirt.

"Okay Jack I'll leave you,"

When she heard him pull the shower door shut, she reached in and put the dry clothes on the chair by the door.

"Is daddy ok?" asked Charlie sitting in their big bed clutching his teddy.

"I think so Charlie. He just liked the rain that's all. Have you drunk all that milk?"

He nodded.

The storm outside seemed to have passed and she wondered if Jack's had too.

"Ok, then snuggle down baby. You want a story?"

"No"

Minutes later the bathroom door opened and Jack appeared out of the steam. He paused for a moment at the sight of Charlie and Sara cuddled up together. He warred with himself, get in with them or retreat to the couch? Taking a deep breath he got in.

"Hey Charlie" he said softly as he got in and kissed his forehead.

Charlie turned over sleepily, "Daddy!" he breathed happily.

Jack spent the rest of the night watching them sleep; finally he dozed off just before dawn.