The summer rain poured outside while Squirrel Girl typed away. The heat was unbearable, and it was a needed rain. Her favorite cafes were still closed but she chose a shopping mall to do some work. Thanks to Corona, she could not visit Sweden to escape the heat, but the icy air of the shopping mall was doable.

An interesting novel started to form, and she became absorbed when someone called her name, “Squirrel Girl!”

It was a pleasant surprise. One of her brilliant friends who was a mentor to her was standing next to her. It is always a delight to meet a friend unexpectedly. A surprise like that in the afternoon was like “Afternoon Delight,” the name of her favorite cocktail. Squirrel Girl rose and greeted her Mentor, “B-but … how did you recognize me with my mask on?”

Laughing Mentor said, “Even with your mask on, you are unmistakably the only Squirrel Girl in town.”

Squirrel Girl joined Mentor and laughed. Mentor spoke the truth. There was no Squirrel Girl that she knew of. She was very much alone. Yet, she was never lonely for Wind was always with her, and Wind carried her friends to find her, which was a boon on a rainy day. The last time she had a chance to talk to Mentor was almost a year ago before the pandemic happened. And since Mentor was someone she respected, she felt a need to offer him something like coffee, but all the cafes were closed at the mall.

Feeling like a bad hostess hosting a teacher, Squirrel Girl asked, “Would you care for some water?”

It was a stupid question. Why did she offer water when she knew that all the cafes were closed? Not only were there no coffee to be had but neither water. The mall was like a barren desert. If it weren’t for the sound of rain, Squirrel Girl would have thought she was in the Sahara Desert. Although, tea for two in Sahara … that wouldn’t have been so bad …

Feeling breathless in a mask, Squirrel Girl offered Mentor to walk outside in the rain, under the parking lot, and thankfully Mentor agreed. Thus, they walked outside and faced the gale, and Squirrel Girl made a mental note not to whistle in the gale, or she would be carried away by the storm. Even under the parking lot, the rain splattered them. Of course, Wind helped. It looked as if Wind was dancing with the rain. What a sight it was to behold. The summer storm was full of energy that took your breath away. It reminded Squirrel Girl of the storm she was caught in when she visited Virginia Beach.

Squirrel Girl was amused as she remembered Lucky Ducky saying in a peeved manner, “Squirrel Girl, rain seems to follow you.”

But was Lucky Ducky correct? Did rain also follow her like Wind? If not, how was it that whenever she met her friends, rain should pour like a blessing? And indeed, the rain was a blessing. It came to wash away all that was needed to be washed away. Even Corona had no chance when it rained and Wind assisted. As Wind blew and splattered rain on Squirrel Girl’s long hair like sparkling diamonds, she smiled her Mona Lisa’s smile. What was she thinking about? Who can ever know …?  Her smile was both amused and sad. Squirrel Girl’s smile was an enigma …