Pictures of Passing Cars

Thunder erupted throughout the sky

as the porcelain plates rattled in their nests.

Jude glanced over fearfully

before turning to the door of the kitchen where his mother sat.

The adjoining rooms were dimly lit, she preferred natural light to much else.

Now the tall floor lamps glowed dimly,

and invitation for shadows to congregate.

He scrambled his feet, toppling his block structure in his wake. 

The shadows stretched and flitted with the light that sifted through the stormy sky.

In all his four years

he had never seen water nor heard thunder claps so menacing,

“Mama!”, He cried.

One of the terrifying shadows shifted amiss from the others from the others

and suddenly became comforting with the knowledge that this was his mother coming to rescue him

Jude let out his breath,

running into her safe arms.

She took his small hand in hers

and led him back into the kitchen.

He felt much braver now

confident with the knowledge no shadow could touch him.

They came to the darkened cabinets,

and he felt her hands on his waist as he was lifted onto the counter-top.

He planted his feet on the surface and his hands on the window ledge.

She pushed back the curtains and cleared a clear spot on the condensation filled window pane.

Outside water was pouring from the sky.

He listened to the pitter-patter on the roof,

splashing down the gutter pipes that ran down the sides of their little house.

Amidst his listening,

his mothers melodic voice pervaded his ear.

“Listen sweet one.  Do you hear that?”

He nodded mutely, slowly, listening harder. 

“The angels are weeping.”, she whispered.

He stared with new eyes, transfixed with the new concept.

“Why Mama?”

“Why are they sad?”, he inquired.

“I don’t think they are sad.”

She said tilting her head slightly.

He didn’t understand.

“Then why do they cry?”

“They weep tears of joy!”, She whispered excitedly.

“Because you have discovered the beauty of their rain.”

Jude smiled at his new-found secret.

“Is Daddy an angel too Mama?”

She smiled.

“Yes sweet one, he’s looking at you right now”, she whispered into his hair.

“Is he proud of me mama?”

“Now that I know?”

“Yes darling, so very proud!”

He wrapped his arms around her neck,

and she lifted him down to the linoleum floor.

Jude forgot about the scary shadows as they drifted passed

his demolished block building,

down the hallway.

Their muffled footsteps drowned out by the rain.

They turned into her bedroom

struggling to keep his eyes open,

lulled by the cadences of the angel tears.

He climbed into her king size bed and pulled the indigo covers over his head.

 Somwhere between sleep and wakefulness,

he felt her lips brush his forehead.

He did not try to stop her as she left the room.

He did not call out for his favourite stuffed dragon. 

He kept the sound of the rain close to his heart instead

as he drifted into dreams of angels weeping tears of ecstasy.