The dirty Rain

SAVED BY THE COPS

Frank sat on the chair that obviously appeared to be the largest of all the chairs in the living room. His dressing was casual with a nice white T. Shirt over a blue jeans trousers and a white tennis shoe to match. The face cap on his head has the wording "Don't mess with a big guy". Typically correct, the biggest cop in Newringa city with his protruding belly pushing on the shirt as if they were fighting for space. His appearance for the the evening outing with his wife Nina looked adventurous. The hot sunny weather of the day was already subsiding with the bright sunshine looking more like a golden rays casting its majestic beams over the Newringa city.

Frank has been sitting in the same position for almost half an hour apparently loosing his patients which was obvious by his legs crossed at the knee and shaking vigorously in his habitual signs of impatient. He muttered some words to himself

"I just don't know what women does when dressing. What is the big deals about putting on a nice clothes and damping the face with nice powder and a little perfume over the body! But not my wife, with all the natural beauty given by the almighty God when he painstakingly created her, she will still sat behind her dressing table with her "foundation face powder" and make ups, she will start laying down layers and layers of powders and stuffs on those beautiful face like a Professional bricklayer at work and by the time she is through, she will look totally different from the beautiful woman I married " he said as he managed to control the laughter that was already coming out of his throat.

He turned his head towards the direction of the room where his wife was busy dressing and with his hoase voice he called out to his wife

" Sweetheart the sun is going down faster, so we gonna leave in fifteen minutes "

"Honey am almost ready just give me ten" Nina his wife answered from the room

"Okay Ten minutes you said"

"Yea big man just give me ten"

Frank chuckles as he took out his smartphone tapped on the screen and scroll to the news sites of the only online news app specially designed for information about what's going on in Newringa city. He scrooled down the news headlines pages trying to get the whole information as quickly as possible before his wife ten minutes lapsed. His attention caught an headline about a particular news, he paused a little, used his fingers to enlarge the screen to get a better shot of the wordings. The headings and the phonograph of the person that was pasted on the news page made Frank facial expression changed in a moment. It reads "Silas our theatre manager had left us thirty minutes ago"

"Goddammit!" He muttered through his breath as he scrolled down to read the news details his face became more tighten as his eyes appeared misty. He took out an handkerchief from his back pockets and rubbed off the forming tears on his face.

"This can't be happened, Silas is just a nice, jolly good fellow with ambition and promising future, how come he just died like that!" he muttered trying to avoid his voice from been heard by his wife in the other room.

"I think I saw him last month when I started my annual leave at the theatre Hall when I went to watch that film" The other face of regret". Yea! He was there, I saw him " he said further pointing at the dead persons picture on phone screen.

" I think am gonna visit his family on the way from Chloe House later today " he said closing the news page and checking the time on the phone screen.

" It's already twenty minutes ago that I called this woman and she said I should give her ten, God have mercy! " he said raising his hands in prayer like manner

" Nina it's already twenty minutes, when are you going to come out for us to go to your friends house! "

"Am coming out right now" Nina replied her husband as her footsteps could be heard coming out of the room.

She walked towards her husband whose chair he sat was backing the room door.

"Honey does this match?" Nina said to her husband as she stood in front of him and turned round for him to see the back of the dress she was wearing.

Frank shook his head, raise an eyebrow as he tried to control the flow of the words from his mouth

"Sweetheart, you are wearing a Pink short gown on top green shoes, carrying yellow handbag and you are asking me if it match, No f*****g way! You look like a fairy queen in a Disney world Cartoon films"

"I thought it match! But do you need to call me a cartoon" Nina said as she stamped her feets on the floor in a childish protesting manner

"I am sorry but that exactly what you look like"

"Now get up and you need follow me to the room to find the shoes and bag that match this gown"

"Forget it! Am not getting up this seat. With all the time you have spent putting on these fairy pieces on your body. You can just go wear swimming trunks and go to the pool"

"Come on get you fat lazy a*s up, the doctor said you need be active during this annual leave of a things, so take it as part of your exercise"

"Not a chance! After spending an hour in the gym for Christ sake!. I have done enough, just go sort yourself out with your dress please"

"You serious you are not going to follow me"

"Yea as serious as a soldier, go sort yourself out please"

"You will regret that" Nina said as she walked away from her husband towards the room flinging the shoes from her feet in protest

"Am already regretting that, just go sort yourself out very fast before I changed my mind about this visit to Chloe House." Frank said making a face at the back of his wife

"anyway am doing it for Chloe not for you. That girl is a very nice fellow. Those vegetables she brought when I was sick seems to do some magic in my body and I feel better since then. So I own her big time" he continued as he fumbles with the phone.

After about Ten minutes of sitting down waiting for his wife to come out, with no end in sight. Frank got up the chair, shook his head and made his way to the room muttering as he went

"I better get up and find the damned shoes for her otherwise she may come out that room wearing a pyjamas on top blanket and a winter booth"

As Frank pulled aside the door curtains of the room, the sorry sight that greeted him made his expression to change as he shouted

"What the hell were you looking for that made you messed up the room this way"

Nina turned around, walked some steps towards where her husband was standing at the door, put both hand in the waist, tilted her head to one side as she replied

"Oh! Big man you finally come! I think you feel way too big to help your wife looked for her shoes and bags?"

Frank threw up his arms in signs of surrender as he moved closer to his wife

"Okay my dearest, beautiful wife what are we looking for here? He said in a palacative voice.

" Now you are just talking! Just get me any half-shoes and bag that fits my pink gown, Honey that's all I am asking from you! "

" Oh! That's the easiest thing I have ever done today" Frank replied sarcastically as he bent down and pick up a black shoes and a black handbag from among the items that littered the bed.

"I don't want black, I would have picked those ways back if I want. No black colour on me, today is Saturday. I need something casual"

"Sweetheart, black colour is casual enough and it's already getting to evening, so no one will cares the colour" he replied almost pleading.

"Stop wasting time and get me another colour"

"Okay" Frank said as he bent down to pick a cream coloured shoes and bags from the bed.

"I hope you like this" he said as he stretched them towards her and placed them beside her to check the matching colours.

"Yea! They look better on me" she said gingling

"Okay let put them on you and get the hell out of here" Frank said as he bent down to put his wife's feet in the shoes after which he gently placed the bags on her arms. He romantically put his right arms round her back and walked her out of the room.

Frank smiled as he muttered to himself

"If I leave her behind for another minutes she may change her mind and end up messing up the whole dressing again"

Still resting on the arms of her husband as Frank reached down with the left hand to pick the car keys and his smartphone from the table, a laughter from the dining hall down the room made the couples turned around. Seated at the dining table with two bowl of popcorn in between them the twin's children Sam and Beth were watching their parents and laughing at their displays.

"So you were here all the time I was looking for my shoes in the room" Nina said pointing fingers at the direction of the twins

"Mum that's your cup of tea" Sam replied as he stuffed an handful of popcorn into his mouth

"Okay I will get back at you for that" Nina said pointing her finger towards Sam's direction

The twins gingled as they looked at their father who winched his face at them in sarcasm

"Bye Dad and get some onions from Aunty Nina when coming " they both waved at their father as Frank gently pushed his wife towards the door as she still looked at the direction of the children her winking eyes as they walked out of the door.

Sam looked at her sister, took our some money from his pocket and placed it on the table

"I bet this with you, your mummy will soon come back through that door in the next few minutes to get something she forgot" He said to her sister

"No f*****g way, she would not. Dad won't agree, they were already late, you got it all wrong this time and am gonna win your money " Beth replied as she hurriedly took out some money from her pockets and placed it on the table in a bet with her brother.

"Okay it's a deal just watch " Sam said pointing his fingers towards the direction of the door. They both turned their chairs to face the direction of the sitting room entrance door in agreements.

Frank was playing a country music in the car stereo as the couple drove out of their house parking space down the neighbourhood road which was about ten miles stretched towards the city main road. After driving down about Nine miles down the road with the city main road already in sight, Nina suddenly stamped her feet on the floor of the car as she exclaimed.

"Sweetheart please you need to stop the car and turned back, I forgot to lock the door to my room" She said turning towards her husband.

"That's no big deal, we don't have any thief in the house so nothing gonna happen to your room" Frank replied his wife smiling in the process.

"You don't understand, the last time I left the door opened, Betty went into the room and used my make up, took some of my jewelleries and used them to the church. I don't want that girl to use make up yet, she is too young for that. Tomorrow is Sunday she will do the same. Please stop the car right now, I can't take the chance on that girl she seems too be too free, we need to put her in check " she said with the words flowing out of her mouth in rapid succession.

" You really serious "Frank asked with surprise.

" Yea danmed serious! Okay just drop me here and wait I'll catch a cab back fast "

" There is no cab in this neighbourhood road for Christ sake " Frank said almost pleading.

" You will have turned and reached the house by now, so make a choice and do that fast, it's almost evening, time has gone "

" I just don't know why you refuse to grow up all these years, you are still the same Nina! the last time you did this we were twenty miles away from the house and where we were going was already in sight " Frank murmured in protest as he turned the car around and speed back towards the direction of their house. In few minutes he came to a halt by the entrance.

Nina quickly jumped down from the car and walked hurriedly towards the house as he opened the door and made her way to her room door, without even a glance at the twins who were watching her from the dinner room. She locked the door and dashed back out of the sitting room into the waiting car. She slammed the door shut as Frank reversed away from the parking space into the neighbourhood road and speed towards the city main.

"Honey thank you, you are just what I needed to be a complete person" Nina said as she gently touched her husband ears.

"You absolutely right, no man on earth but Frank will take your fantabulous attitude" Frank said laughing.

Back at the house, Sam packed up the money on the table and made a face at his sister.

"You know the doctor said you were born thirty minutes after me. So you gonna respect me for that thirty minutes anytime I tells you something" . He said teasing his sister

"Suit yourself! It's not your fault anyway, it's mummy's fault she seems totally predictable"

"Do you wanna know why she came back to lock that door?" Sam asked smiling.

"Because she doesn't want me to use her danmed make up isn't?"

"Yea! You were right, I would do the same if it were me"

"Why would you do that? Its like you don't want me to use makeup too? You i***t you are my brother, you should wish the best for me and have my back" She replied knocking Sam head in the process.

"Betty stop that please you are hurting me"

"Am gonna hurt you more, bad fellow"

"But Betty you know I always have your back, but truth be told, you know you took Dad's status, with this your fat cheeks, the last time you used mum's make up to church, you look so much like a witch who came to the church for deliverance" Sam said as he hurriedly got up and ran away from his sister, but not fast enough as empty plastic popcorn container her sister flung landed on his back.

"If I ever caught you today I will squeeze you out, you know you are skinny like mum right?" she said threatening as she draw the popcorn container her brother abandoned in hurry closer and started stuffing them in her mouth in anger.

"That's why you are too fat, all the junks goes into your systems. No loss, I have your money am gonna stuff myself with fresh yummy meat pies" her brother replied waving the money as he hurriedly walked out of the house to spend the cash he won from their bet.

After about twenty minutes drive, Chloe mother store came to sight as Frank survey the area for a parking space after few seconds of looking around, his cops keen eyes caught up some men about four in numbers walking with menacing steps towards the store entrance. Frank slowed down the car and watched from few blocks away to be sure of what was happening in front of him.

Few steps from the store entrance, the man in front brought out the g*n from his back pocket and c**k it in preparation for the robbery, as he looked back at his fellow to signal to them, his watchful eyes caught the car parked few blocks away as he took another glance at the car occepants, he quickly uncock the g*n and put it back hurriedly into his back pocket and took a step back from the entrance. With disappointment in his eyes, he turned to the last guy with whose role was to serve as a sentry.

"You danmed bastard, you are so daft that you could not even see Frank watching us down the road, i***t" He cursed under his breath as the rest of the g**g turned their heads towards the direction of the parked car. They all stood there unable to run for the fear of been caught running and accused of attempted robbery.

Having noticed that the g**g had saw him and could not continue with their sinister acts. Frank took his g*n from the glove compartment of the car c****d it then opened the car door and walked towards the men as his wife who already understands the situation watched from the car. As he approached the men the man who appeared as the leader of the g**g raised his two hands up as he spoke.

"Chief you got me pant down" he said as he took a step towards Frank.

"Hold it right there! I danmed got you, now hand me those guns " Frank replied in a lower voice trying not to arose the passer-by or those in the store.

"We were just trying to get some cash, the g*n is just a to scare them it's empty" One of the men said as they handed the two guns over to Frank.

Frank took out the pistol cartridge to check for bullets but just like the men said it was all empty. He shook his head as he looked at the men face one by one as he put the guns in his back pockets.

"Come here" he said as he lead them away from the store area towards where he parked his car.

The men been fearful that he may want to arrest them as they all started pleading with hush voices

"Frank man you gotta let this go for God sake please just this time" one of the men said.

Frank did not spoke a word until they reached the car. He faced the men as he spoke in a tough voice

" I will not tolerate this in my city, Never! You need cash? You should just walked up to them and asked for a few hours job at the store, they would have take you in and paid you at closing time, that is the deal in this city! The city mall, the water works, the car wash, the city laundry and even the city fruit plantation are there for easy jobs that fetch reasonable bucks by the end of the day were all there for you! Just walked in there and asked for a job, there are more than enough for you to get enough cash, but robbery? no f*****g way! What were you thinking! " he said as he slammed the car bonnet in anger.

The men had their face towards the ground in regret of their actions as Frank's words dawn on them.

" Okay this is how its going to go down. How much you guys need, discuss and tell me now " he said pointing at them as he moved a few steps away from them.

The men talk in hush tones for few minutes and then moved closer to Frank.

"Just 1500 bucks total will do" the man who appeared to be their leader said to Frank.

"What the hell! that's less than just few hours job for the four of you!" he said to the men almost shouting.

He then signal on them to drew closer and form a circle as he spoke to them on a low voice.

"Am gonna drive all of you down the office, write a few statements, fill some forms and get you the cash from the welfare account and you go enjoy your cash. You will agree to where you will work tomorrow morning to repay the money and get additional cash. Is that a deal " Frank said to them.

" Yo! Man that the chief!" the men said in chorus answer as they hop into the back of the truck as Frank entered into the car.

As he sat down behind the steering, he turned to his wife who was already laughing at the men who were sitting at the back.

"Sweetheart I think we gonna choose tomorrow for Chloe visit" he said to his wife

"That's okay with me, anyway they never know we were here and am gonna stuff myself this evening again with enough meat steaks at the cops office. I miss your office steaks and yoghurt" she said laughing louder as Frank drove away.

At the store, Chloe and her mother were through with the money counting and the records as Chloe made her way to the store entrance to lock the door, she took a sweeping look at the street to see if the men who she saw few minutes ago hanging around the street were still there, but after some minutes of looking, she saw no one.

She breath in relief as she locked the door securely sliding in the bolts and made her way back to where her mother was standing waiting for her to walk together into the house through the back entrance.

"You still see those men" Nina asked

"No! No one there, just the passers-bys"

"Actually you might be correct about what you saw earlier, but such will never happen in this city again, not with Frank as the police chief. There are several cops security surveillance cameras in each street and most criminals were caught in the past even before they carried out their activities with their intended victims not even aware of the arrest. So I will not be surprised if those guys were already in the cops office writing statements " She said chuckling as they both walked out of the store through back entrance and Chloe locked the door securely.