Spanish Moss

     The angry storm approached as if being pushed by the devil himself. Gigantic sheets of driving rain swept across the flat land, hit the car and shook it with the force of a wild beast. Haphazard forks of brilliant lightening sliced the sky, followed by the sound of pounding thunder that rolled around them like loosened boulders in a mountain avalanche.  

     “I hate to be out in these summer storms,” Megan said.

     Jack slowed the car and briefly squeezed her hand. “We’ll be okay.” The wipers whipped frantically back and forth. He turned on his blinking emergency lights and gave his full attention to his driving. Visibility became nearly nonexistent and Megan felt her body grow rigid. Sensing her discomfort, Jack told her he would pull off as soon as they came upon a safe place.

     “There are deep canals on both sides of the highway, so be extra cautious,” she told him.

     The car had slowed to a crawl when the downpour abruptly ceased, leaving behind a steady rain, as well as welcomed improved visibility.

     Jack sighed and slowed the wipers to a less frenzied speed.  Megan drew a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Sporadic lightening continued around them and the thunder slowly diminished to a rumble.

     “Wow, quite a storm,” Jack said. He reached over again and patted her hand that was still holding the seat down between them. “Are you okay?”

     “I’m glad you’re driving. Our storms are pretty wicked at times. I enjoy the drama when I’m inside looking out, but I don’t care for these live performances.”

     Jack pulled off the highway into an abandoned building lot. “It’s not over - look ahead, another downpour is coming. Let’s wait here until it passes.”

     “Good idea.” She shuddered and rubbed her arms chilled by the air-conditioning.  Fresh, clean smell of rain filled the car.

     Jack slowed the wipers to an intermittent mode and raised the temperature on the air conditioning.  He turned toward Megan and placed his arm across the back of the seat.

    “You’re cold,” he said, and reached into the back for the lab coat he had thrown on the seat when he left the clinic. She leaned forward as he placed it across her shoulders. He massaged her upper arm gently.  “That should help.”

     Tension grew as the second band of rain began plummeting the vehicle. Jack raised the armrest and unfastened Megan’s seat belt.“Come here, let me hold you.”

     Had he been an ax murderer, Megan could not have resisted him. The lab coat still held a subtle clinical aseptic aroma which she found not the least offensive. She pulled it closer as he unfastened his own seat belt, turned and guided her under his arm. They huddled together as the merciless wind whipped the driving rain over and around the car. He turned off the wipers, further reducing visibility to the confines of their temporary oasis.