Saving Rain

by Kelsey Kingsley

friends?” I asked as I pulled out Ray’s chair—that was what guys on dates did, right? She sat as she nodded. “She comes into the library a lot. She’s studying to be a teacher.” I took my seat across from her and opened the menu. “What kind of teacher?” “English, I think.” An image of Mrs. Henderson came to mind, clouding my view of the list of appetizers and drinks. She had been the only teacher I could remember liking, the only one I could recall caring. There might’ve been more in my youth, but that wasn’t the time of my life when it mattered. I needed kindness then, I needed compassion, and she had given it to me—even if it had, at the time, fallen on deaf ears. Then, I remembered that Ray had gone to the same school, so I asked, “Did you ever have Mrs. Henderson in high school?” She smiled with instant recollection. “Oh my God, yes! Wow. Yeah … I haven’t thought of her in forever. She was so sweet.” “She was,” I agreed. “I had the dumbest crush on her. But I think part of that was because she was so nice to me when nobody else was.” Ray nodded somberly. Her menu still sat on the table in front of her, untouched. I had her undivided attention. It was nice to feel so important, and I wanted her to feel the same. So, I put my menu down and said, “She’s Harry’s daughter. Have I ever told you about Harry?” Ray and Harry had yet to be formally introduced, but I knew she had to have noticed the older guy coming around my place once or twice a week since I’d moved in. His visi...