A Poor Dad Waited In The Rain For A Taxi, Not Knowing a Woman Beside Him Was A CEO Who Fell In Love

An Unlikely Meeting in the Rain

Graham Jenkins tightened his grip on the tiny raincoat wrapped hand of his 5-year-old daughter Kelsey as thunder cracked above the soaked New York City sidewalk. “Are we going to miss the movie Daddy?” Kelsey asked her bottom lip trembling more from the cold than worry.

Graham crouched down brushing wet curls from her forehead. “No way kiddo we’ll get a taxi soon promise and I heard there’s a talking dog in this one”. Behind them traffic splashed by yellow cabs flying past without even slowing.

Graham stepped forward raising a hand but the taxi zipped by ignoring the drenched man in a threadbear jacket and scuffed sneakers. The woman to their right barely moved her designer coat soaked through but she stood still surprisingly calm.

Her glossy black heels were ruined and her dark brown hair clung to her face but she didn’t seem to care. Graham glanced over “you waiting too?”. She nodded eyes still scanning the road.

“Apparently getting a cab in the rain is a full contact sport,” he laughed under his breath. “Tell me about it been out here forever”. She looked down at Kelsey who clutched a stuffed bunny to her chest.

“She’s adorable,” Graham smiled “thanks she’s the boss of me”. “I can tell,” the woman replied her voice warm. “Where are you two headed?”.

“Supposed to be a movie night,” Graham said. “Had to reschedule her birthday trip because I picked up an extra shift so figured we’d do a little dadaughter date but I think the rain’s plotting against us”.

“I’m sure she doesn’t mind,” the woman said gently. Kelsey looked up beaming “i just wanted popcorn”. The woman laughed and it was one of those rare unguarded laughs that startled even her.

She glanced at Graham again and for the first time really looked at him. He had kind eyes tired but kind. His jaw was sharp a bit of stubble showing and his clothes were clearly worn but clean.

He was protective and present. When she looked at how tightly he held Kelsey’s hand he didn’t let go once. Her chest did something strange.

“Why don’t you take the next cab?” she said. Graham blinked “you’ve been waiting too we’ll be fine you’re soaked and you’ve got a bunny loving movie or here”. He hesitated then shook his head “no we’ll wait our turn”.

Just then a black car pulled up not a cab something sleeker. The driver stepped out and held an umbrella. “Ma’am,” he said to the woman “we should get moving you’ll miss your dinner with the Tokyo team”.

Graham blinked “wait that’s your car?”. The woman gave an apologetic smile “yeah I was trying to blend in didn’t work”. Kelsey tilted her head “are you famous?”.

The woman chuckled “no sweetie just busy”. Graham looked embarrassed “sorry I didn’t realize”. “Don’t be,” she said quickly “honestly I needed to stand in the rain clears my head”.

He raised an eyebrow “that’s different”. She reached into her bag and pulled out a card handing it to him. “I’m Gina Monroe if you ever need anything for her,” she motioned to Kelsey.

Graham took the card confused “is this like a charity thing?”. Gina smiled but there was something behind it. “No just I’m allowed to be kind aren’t I? Yeah you are”.

She looked at him for a second longer then said “You really are a good dad”. Before he could reply she turned and got into the car. The door shut and the car pulled away leaving Graham standing in the rain.

Holding the card he looked down at it “Monroe Tech” he read aloud. His eyes widened “wait what?”. Kelsey tugged his hand “daddy she was pretty was she your friend?”.

He stared at the card again “i don’t know yet”. Gina sat in the back of the car her assistant rambling over the meeting notes but her mind was still on the soaked man and his daughter.

His voice the way he didn’t play the pity card the way his eyes softened when his daughter spoke. “Cancel Tokyo,” she said suddenly. Her assistant turned “what?”.

“I’m not going to that dinner,” Gina said. “But I said ‘Cancel it'”. She looked out the window her heart still pounding for reasons she didn’t want to name yet.