It was raining, the first day we met. I was drenched. He was dry, under a red umbrella. Naturally, I tripped in a puddle. “You look like you need some help. And an umbrella.” He said as he pulled me to my feet. “I’m not sure an umbrella could help me now.” I said with a giggle. “Nonsense!” he said as he took his own coat off and put it over my shoulders, then held the red umbrella over my head, smiling. “Which way are we walking, rainbow?” I laughed at this new nickname. As did he. Even though he was now soaked from the rain.
Two weeks after we met, it was our first date, to the beach. He planned on staying all day. All he brought was a picnic basket, and a red umbrella. “But it’s so sunny! Why would we need an umbrella?” “I want to be ready for the right moment, rainbow.” He whispered as he looked at me with his big brown eyes.
Three months after our first date, we went to dinner together. He took along some money, and a red umbrella. “I want to be ready for the right moment, rainbow.” he winked, I smiled.
Whenever we went somewhere, he would take the red umbrella. “I want to be ready for the right moment, rainbow.” He would always say. But whenever we went out, it was sunny. We never ended up using the red umbrella.
Four years after that dinner, we’re living together. We took a walk to the place we first met. Of course, he brought along the red umbrella. But this night it was different. He handed me the red umbrella, and it started to rain. I struggled to open the umbrella. While I was distracted, a car hit him. I dropped the red umbrella, and rushed to his side. He was taken to the hospital, and he kept mumbling, “Red umbrella.”
Five hours later, he murmured, “I love you. Red umbrella. The right moment. Now.” I took a cab back to the place we first met. And there was the red umbrella, sitting on the ground, waiting for me. I calmly walked over to it, and opened it. There was a little pocket on the inside of the umbrella. And inside of it was a ring. An engagement ring with a note attached. “When it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” I looked up, a tear rolling from my eye, and I smiled. I went back to the hospital, and they concluded that he would live. “I love you.” he said again, as he slid the beautiful ring onto my finger. I smiled and glanced at the red umbrella that was now leaning against the window, and outside, there was a rainbow.