"There is a storm coming." she said. I looked at the dark sky above the sea. - "Yes, I think so too." We were cleaning the table outside, bringing the empty dishes and empty bottles of beer inside. It had been a hot day and we had ended it with a small dinner and beers. In those days we still ended days with small dinners and beers. She hugged me and gave me a kiss. - "I like thunderstorms", I said. She smiled. "I never liked them", she said, "except with you."
We went inside, but left the door open. Outside we could see the first rain falling. Thick, wet drops of water were raining down on the terrace. Somewhere in the distance, a first lightning strike over the sea.
We went to bed. It was still hot, way too hot for me. She put her head on my shoulder, while we listened to sound of the rain and the far away thunder.
"Did you ever fear thunder?" she asked.
I thought for a while. - "I don't think so", I said. "I think I've always loved it."
The drops of rain got thicker as the storm got closer.
- "Did you fear thunder, when you were small?" I asked.
"Yes", she said, "a bit."
- "What do you think about when you hear thunder?"
Now it was her turn to think for a bit. After a long silence, she said: "Only you."
The storm was getting really close now. Thick drops of water turned our terrace into an ocean of water. The sound of thunder really filled the air now, with lightning almost constantly filling the dark, night sky.
- "Let's go outside," I said, "to watch."
She wasn't sure. "Why?"
- "Just, to watch. We can stay at the door."
We went to the terrace door. I went outside, she stayed inside. Immediatly, I was wet to the bone, but I didn't mind. I loved the feeling of rain, the thick drops massaging my body. The skyline was amazing, the sea seemingly filled with balls of lightning. It felt like we were in the middle of a fight between two unearthly forces.
It didn't take too long. After about twenty minutes the sky got less dark again. The rain stopped. We went outside and I took a shower. She smiled at me, when I came back to the bed. She put her head on my shoulder again, looking at the open window.
"Do you think this will last forever?" she asked.
- "The storm?"
"No." She paused. "Us."
I smiled. "Why not?"
She smiled. "Yes, why not."
Somewhere outside the last raindrops were falling, and for one moment I believed, from now one everything would always be fine.