I heard thunder in my bedroom and quickly ran down the spiral staircase to the living room where I looked out to see my favorite thing. The droplets of water from the sky hitting puddles making a mess. Nanny Mal came into the room while the waiters were rushing all throughout the house.

“Can I please please pleaseeeeee go outside?” I begged that I already knew Mal's answer but I wanted to go play in the rain.

“It's too wet, you’ll get dirty, and I'll lose my job. If you ask me it sounds like a recipe for disaster I'd like to avoid today.” Mal said as if she were an automated robot.

“Fine.” I sighed as the rain pitter patter against the window.

Why my parents named me Raina and I can't be in the rain is an answer my mother can’t answer. I suppose it’s because she’s always busy and my father is nowhere to be found in America with giant men in suits.

Our home is quiet and mostly empty, with  endless days of playing board games, cards, and watching tv with Mal after school, but today I wanted something different. There was a dinner party tonight and that’s all everyone was worried about Raina brush your hair, Raina clean your room, Raina gett dressed. I wanted out and away from the chaos and confusion, so it was either the rain or me watching cartoon network while eating horderves with a frown. 

“Nanny mal my mother won’t be home for another hour or two you have to let me go pleaseeeeee, it hasn’t rained in ages and you never let me go.” I said imitating a beggar on my knees.

“Raina the rain is messy you know we don’t do that, plus your mother has dinner tonight and you know how she feels about the outside, I promise you’ll have fun… inside.” she says without even looking at me her eyes still glued to her clipboard making sure everything is perfect for tonight 

“Besides, you’ll get your pretty pink dress dirty” she says as she walks away.

I looked away and thought of my Mom, My mother doesn’t like outside considering she’s never home, the last time we talked was 3 days ago, we picked out my dress for the dinner and she had nanny Mall and the driver take me home, The rain taunts me  and my lack of freedom and isolation skidding down the window with only glass in my way. I just want to go outside.

I first tried walking out the front door but forgot I can’t reach the master lock. Instead I started pulling the knob. I’d seen it work in movies sure it would work for me. Instead I was met with sweaty palms, my fingers slipped and I knocked down a painting of my great grandmother. On my way down all I heard was “RAINNAAAA” from the 2nd floor balcony. “Sit, don’t move, watch your cartoons, and stay out of trouble” Mal repeated for the 100th time, giving me a juice box and turning on the cartoon network. The rain and wind still beating on the windows laughing at my demise.

I didn’t really need a plan since Mal was running around with the staff. All she did was occasionally ask if I was ok after my incident and run back to zombie land. Giving me plenty of time to realize the backdoor was always open, I ran upstairs putting on my yellow rain boots and my red raincoat. My hair had defined black curls so I put a hat on and just to be safe I brought my umbrella. I peeked out of my bedroom door to look out for Mal to see if she was lurking around the corner. I ran down the hall and to the stairs. 

The waiters and staff weren’t paying attention when I slipped into the kitchen and to the back door. I put my hand on the cold door knob and opened to the water wonderland, between the rain and muddy puddles, this felt more like home then the place I was leaving. I pulled out my umbrella and ran jumping into puddles. Feeling the rain fall onto my cheeks and down my face. It smelled humid and almost sweet. This feeling was like eating candy to me. I was mesmerized and didn’t notice the entourage of cars pulling up to the fence.

Just when I saw the most gigantic puddle I’d ever seen in my life the backdoor flung open and Mal had the look of murder on her face but my mother called my name “Raina” she said in dissaproval. My heart dropped. I felt embarrassed not only had I acted out but I was caught by my mother, MY MOTHER. I walked in trying not to look as in shock I'd really messed up this time. Suddenly my enthusiasm to be outside changed and the rain became more melancholy and as if I were on a walk of shame. The disapproval of my mothers face when I walked in made me sick. I knew she was more sick of me though. “Shoes off coat off, you're going to the tub” said Mall as I walked in with mud  dripping from head to toe, and I was soaked with rain water where rain water shouldn’t be. My mothers heels clicked behind us going up the stairs. “What were you thinking raina I know you're better than this, smarter than this” I was but I didn’t care I was too busy focusing on my mothers click clack on the marble floors as they faded away. 

The bath was warm, the bubbles weren’t even fun today. Mal was washing my hair and scrubbing my back. Normally I would love baths but today I just sat there.“Your mother is very disappointed in you, but she loves you very much.” Mal said rinsing my precious curls loose. “She thought you were ready. I did too but we were wrong to think of you as an adult when you're a child.” I wanted to cry so I did. Hot tears burned down my cheeks into the now murky bath water and Mal just rubbed my back. I got out of the bath and in my room I just layed in my bed with a new purple dress waiting to be worn sitting next to me, not even as pretty as the first. My mothers expression made my tummy ache, making me more disappointed in myself. 

The door opened and I assumed it was Mal here to help me get dressed and to brush my hair, but it was my mother. Her all white blouse and skirt were only ironic to the mess I thought of myself as she came in and splayed onto my bed beside me and the purple dress. There was silence before she spoke. “Your father was supposed to arrive today.” she said this but I knew he wasn’t. “I wanted you to look your best for him but I guess that doesn’t matter since I canceled the party.” My father always said he was coming home and most of the time he didn’t right away. I felt like even more of a failure for failing to reach my mothers standards today for a little adrenaline rush.

“You know me and your father loved the rain. In fact our wedding was greeted with a storm on the beach, you were there too but only in my tummy.” I'd never heard this story before or my mother talk about my father in any way pleasant since he left for America. Life seemed happier when my father was around, maybe because my mother was around too.“He insisted we take our honeymoon in maui where it once again rained on us everyday. I had to have been drunk on virgin martinis to agree on naming you Raina that day but I did.” ''He made me do a lot of things I never thought I would.” and here you are, she turned and looked at me. “I’m glad I did.” She held my hand and even though she still looked hurt by the childish actions she understood me, we understood each other. 

“What do you say? We get juice boxes and watch some cartoons the rest of the evening” she said, still holding my hand.

“I’d like that, I’d like that a lot,” I said as I got up and we raced down the spiral staircase to the kitchen where we scavenged for juice boxes and ate popcorn and Mal even joined us for the rest of the night. Today was the best day of my life and the start of something new.