The sky is dark with heavy clouds and it resonates with frequent claps of thunder. Peering out the window, my spirits lift as I see sheets of rain pouring down.
Surely we can’t go driving in this crazy weather, I smile to myself. Just then I hear the doorbell screech. I drag myself to the door. I half-expect to see Ramona; she seemed quite determined to go driving. I hesitantly open the door. Instead I find a dripping Lorraine standing outside on the porch.
“What are you doing here at this unearthly hour?” Startled, I ask my girlfriend even though it’s just six in the evening.
“I was visiting Aunt Carole when suddenly this deluge started. Couldn’t trust the old jalopy to take me home safely. Since your place was just around the corner, I thought of dropping by for a romantic evening,” she says with a naughty gleam in her eye.
My face drains of colour and I stand transfixed. Not sure if it is because of Lorraine’s unannounced visit or because I expect Ramona to barge in any minute now.
“Someone looks really happy to see me. Won’t you ask me in?” remarks Lorraine sarcastically.
I apologise and usher her in. I hand her a clean towel to dry herself and ask her if she would like something hot to drink.
“A hot kiss would definitely warm me up,” she says mischievously, wrapping her hands around my neck. At any other time, this statement would have evoked unchecked emotions but right now my mind is in a tizzy and my eyes keep darting to the door.
“How about warming up with some hot chocolate first?” With a fake smile and some wriggling, I break free of her embrace.
Just as I am about to escape into my tiny kitchen, I hear loud honking outside. My heart sinks, again.
In a few seconds the doorbell rings. Lorraine gives me a quizzical look. I shrug my shoulders in ignorance.
Could it be Ramona? Of course not! She can’t drive, that’s why she is taking driving lessons, I remind myself.
But my hopes are crushed as I see Ramona standing at the door, her tall and bulky frame almost filling up the entire space.
“Did you drive to get here?” I ask her incredulously.
“Yes, it’s my Dad’s old rattler. The keys were hanging in the garage,” Ramona replies with a grin.
“You can’t drive. It’s illegal. You could have hurt yourself.”
“I presumed there would be no cops on the roads today. Besides, you seemed reluctant to pick me up. So here I am,” says Ramona cheekily.
The expression on Lorraine’s face has changed from romantic to testy. She looks at me with one eyebrow raised indicating that some explaining is in order.
“We were scheduled to have a driving lesson tomorrow you see,” I begin pathetically.
“But I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to see him,” interjects Ramona locking her arm in mine and pulling me towards the door.
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