I had just laid my children down to sleep when the storm began to brew outside. I hurried to close the windows, then sat in my chair to watch the rain fall, sleep the furthest thing from my mind. A movement on my front porch caught my eye, and before a knock could be heard, I was standing in front of the door.
When I opened the door, I looked into the eyes of an old man, soaked from the rain. He was pale, weak, and could barely stand. Before he could say a word, I ushered him in.
"You poor soul, you must be freezing. Please, come in."
"Thank you kindly, ma'am," he said, his accent something I couldn't quite place, though it sounded as lovely as a soft spring rain. "If it's not any trouble, could you lend this weary traveler a place to rest for the evening?"
I agreed, doing much more than that. I directed him to the bathroom, where he could freshen up, and shower if he wished. I placed a set of my son's clothes on the counter for him to change into. They would be baggy on him, but it would be much better than the wet rags he now wore.
While he was in the shower, I searched the refrigerator, heating up leftovers from the evening meal. I was just setting a plate for him on the table when he entered the kitchen, his hair still damp.
"Please, have a seat," I instructed, retrieving a glass from the cabinet. "What can I get you to drink, Mr..." I trailed off, realizing I had never asked his name. "I'm sorry, where are my manners. My name is Sandra. I don't believe I caught your name."
"Joseph," he said, holding out his hand for me to shake. I accepted, noting the firmness in his handshake, despite his frailness.
"Well Joseph, I'll go prepare the guest room for you. It isn't much, but at least it's a warm bed." I then excused myself, prepping the room for him. He thanked me, before retiring for the night, while I returned to my chair, watching the rain continue to fall.
That morning, just before my children woke, Joseph walked into the living room where I was sitting. I noticed a certain glow about him, as if the night of good sleep had renewed him.
"I want to thank you," he started. "For you have shown that here in this world there is still compassion. I stopped at five houses before your own, all five turning me away. I had almost given up hope, but decided for the sake of humanity to try one more time. So, thank you once more for proving that there is still good in this world."
As he talked, he walked to the front porch, and I followed. Then he turned and planted a small kiss on my forehead, before I saw a light almost bright enough to be blinding surround him. White wings unfolded from his back, spreading wide. The storm above, that had raged on through the night cleared, and as he disappeared, a single rainbow took it's place in the sky.652Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNROQY8gPhG
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