Rain

"Hey, are you alright? You're kind of just... standing here.

"In the rain.

"Without an umbrella.

"Uh, miss? Can you hear me? Are you okay?

"Shit, she's just...

"Uh, okay, um, can you see me? Fuck, um, okay, okay.

"I'm going to... I'm going to take you someplace warm, okay?

"I'm just gonna, I'm gonna hold your hand, okay?

"Holy shit you're freezing.

"My names April, okay? You're gonna be alright. Just follow me.

"Just-

"Okay, you can walk, okay, good.

"Just keep following me, you're doing fine.

"I'm not pulling you too fast, am I?

"You can tell me if I'm hurting you.

"Please.

"Okay, we're almost at the steps.

"There's going to be steps, okay? We're going to climb some stairs.

"Right here, okay, just, okay, good.

"Yeah, just like that, keep following me, just like that.

"Okay, see, we're out of the rain now. Isn't that good?

"Hey Mel, you here?

"Can you grab a towel?

"Maybe a lot of towels?

"No, I'm fine, I just-

"I've got a guest and-"

"Holy shit, was she swimming or something?"

"She was just standing in the rain and-

"Okay, thanks for the towels, she's really, really cold."

"No shit she is. I think we've got a space heater around here somewhere..."

"And she's gone again...

"That was Melanie. She's my really good friend? She's kind of...

"You know? You probably don't... She's nicer than she acts, okay?

"Let's get you dried off. Let's just, actually...

"Shit, we really should get you out of those clothes.

"Fuck, uh, is that, is that okay?

"I'm just gonna, just let me know if you're uncomfortable, okay?

"Can you put your arms up. No, of course not, I'll-

"Oh! You, okay, good, good job!

"Okay, there we go, that's better, right?

"Let's get you dried all the way off.

"Is it okay? Are the towels too rough?"

"Found the heater! Let me just...

"There we go. Brought some blankets too.

"How's the girl? She seems kind of...

"Out of it."

"Yeah, she's...

"Yeah.

"Yeah she's really out of it.

"But she put her arms up when I asked her to!

"So she's not-

"She's not, you know. There's someone there.

"There's... there we go. All dry.

"You're all nice and toasty now.

"Are you feeling better? It's fine if you're not.

"Okay? It's fine. I just want to know how you are.

"Can you tell me? Please?

"Fuck.

"Fuck fuck fuck.

"What am I.

"What am I supposed to do?

"I don't-"

"Hey, calm down. You're fine.

"You're fine, okay? You're doing everything you're supposed to."

"Okay, okay."

"You brought the girl in, and dried her off, and warmed her up.

"That's good. You're doing good."

"But I just- She's not talking and-"

"Yeah, that's, yeah, but that's okay.

"She's just.

"She's just really, really out of it.

"Shock or something.

"Okay?

"The girl will be-

"We can't just keep calling her the girl.

"Hey, do you have a name? Can you tell me?

"Yeah, didn't think that would work.

"You pick something, April."

"Wha- Me? No, I-"

"It's not like she's saying anything.

"And you found her."

"Okay, um.

"Okay, I'm going to pick a name for you, okay?

"It's not- It's just temporary, okay?

"If you don't like it, we can change it.

"Just- okay, just... let me know.

"Okay, so, um.

"Fuck.

"How about Rain? That's... well..."

"Kind of on the nose, yeah?"

"No, um. Yeah, but, well, my name's April, right?

"April and Rain.

"They, you know? They kind of go together.

"How's that? Do you like 'Rain?'

"Is that, is it okay? Can I call you Rain?"

"Pretty sure you're not gonna get a response."

"But! I, okay, I know, but.

"But what if I do? I don't want to-

"I don't want to scare her or-

"I want her to know she's safe here."

"You're way too good of a person, you know?"

"That's- Anyone would-"

"They really wouldn't. At least not here."

"That, yeah, maybe...

"But, okay, Rain.

"You're safe here. I promise.

"You can stay here as long as you want.

"As long as you need.

"We won't kick you out into the rain again.

"Okay?"

"She means it, you know. She's the boss. What she says goes.

"What am I even doing.

"I'll leave the Rain wrangling to you.

"I'm going to make something to eat."

"Oh! Oh I forgot. That's a good idea.

"Rain, uh. Is there anything you want to eat?

"Um, something warming...

"Maybe soup? Do we have any soup, Mel?"

"Yeah, we've got some cans. I'll toss some on the stove.

"Soup's a good idea.

"It'll be easier to, well.

"You know.

"If she can't eat on her own."

"She- She moved earlier, so-

"And she could walk really well!

"I mean.

"I didn't have to carry her or anything."

"If you say so.

"I'm just, you know.

"We need to look at this honestly.

"She's not-

"She's not responsive, April.

"At all. To anything.

"Maybe she did put her arms up for you.

"Maybe you pulled them up and didn't notice."

"No, I, she definitely-"

"We just- You said she could stay here, right?

"That's fine. I'm okay with that.

"It's not like she'll get in the way of anything.

"But.

"If she's going to be here, she's going to have to do some things.

"She's going to have to eat, and go to the bathroom, and wash up.

"And if she can't do that herself.

"One of us is going to have to do it for her.

"If we can't-

"If we can't, then she can't stay here.

"We'd have to take her somewhere.

"Where there are people who could do those things for her.

"Okay?

"April?

"That's what keeping her here means.

"That's what caring for her means."

"O, okay. Okay. That's-

"Okay, I-

"I understand. Okay. I understand."

"Soup's done."

"Oh, okay, okay that's-

"That's good, can you-

"Thanks, thanks, um.

"Rain? Rain, I've brought you some soup, okay?

"Here's the bowl, right here.

"You can feel it with your hand, right?

"It's right here.

"And here's the spoon. I'll put it right in your hand, okay?

"Just, right here. Right in your hand.

"Can you-

"It's fine if you make a mess, okay?

"Just, please-

"Oh!

"Mel!

"Mel! Look!

"Look she's eating!

"All on her own!"

"Huh, that's...

"That's good. That's great.

"That's... that's really good.

"Good job, Rain."

"Yeah, yeah!

"Good job Rain! You're doing really well!

"You're really careful, aren't you?

"That's good. You're a very neat eater."

"...Huh."

"Hm?"

"I don't think Rain can see.

"Look.

"She how she sort of... feels around with the spoon?

"And then she follows the curve of the bowl really closely.

"She doesn't just dip her spoon straight in."

"Oh, that's. Huh. That's actually really cool."

"Yeah, she seems pretty used to it.

"She's probably been blind for a long time."

"Do, do you think she got lost??

"Is someone looking for her and we-

"Did I-"

"Calm down. Calm down.

"Breathe.

"I don't think anyone is looking for her.

"She was soaked.

"She was out there for a long time.

"And she wasn't... wearing much.

"Not enough for the weather. Even without the rain."

"Then..."

"I don't know. We can't know unless she tells us.

"Or we find something.

"I'll check the missing person reports tomorrow.

"Okay?

"And we'll take care of her until then."

"Okay. Okay. Thanks.

"Oh, you're done?

"You finished it all, good job!

"That's really good.

"I'm-

"That's really good.

"We should, um.

"We should go to the bathroom.

"Do you have to go to the bathroom?

"Here, just-

"I'm going to hold your hand again, okay?

"I'll show you where the bathroom is.

"It's right over here, see?"

"Pretty sure she can't see, Aps."

"It's a figure of speech Mel!

"Sorry, sorry, just ignore her, Rain.

"The toilet's here and-

"Oh!

"Okay, I'll.

"I'll leave you to it."

"That's a relief. I really wasn't looking forward to that.

"Oh hey, she even flushed."

"That's good, you did really good, Rain!"

"What is she, a dog?"

"No! No it's- It's different, okay?"

"If you say so. Always wanted a dog..."

"She's not a dog! She just-"

"I know, I know, calm down. I'm joking."

"Ye, yeah. I'm sorry. I'm just-"

"She's triggering your motherly instincts.

"Hard."

"Yeah, yeah, that.

"Um, what are we going to do for clothes?

"Can you-?"

"Yeah, I should have some spares.

"Still too big, but they'll be fine for now.

"At least she doesn't have to wear yours.

"She'd be swimming in them.

"Not to mention incredibly unfashionable."

"Hey! My fashion sense is just fine, thank you very much!"

"Uh huh."

"It is! It is, right Rain? Mel's just being mean!"

"Doesn't sound like she agrees with you."

"That doesn't mean she agrees with you either!"

"Okay, okay, your fashion sense is fine.

"For a lumberjack."

"That's better."

"I'll see what I can find. Can you-"

"I'll get the pullout bed ready.

"Will you be okay sleeping on your own, Rain?

"I'd stay with you, but.

"I kind of snore.

"Really badly.

"But you can come to me at any time, okay?

"I'll show you where I'm sleeping-"

"Or just follow the buzz saw."

"And you can come in and sleep with me, or wake me up, or anything.

"Okay? At any time.

"Here's where my room is, okay?

"And this is Mel's room.

"And here's your bed. Okay?

"We've got lots of blankets for you.

"So you can stay nice and warm.

"So just lie down and-

"Good night, Rain."