My name is Maxine Taylor. I'm starting out this morning like I do every single morning of my adult life. One difference today, it's my thirtieth birthday. I turn off the Weather Channel, whose forecast predicts an eighty percent chance of rain. I hope it doesn't rain today. It's the middle of September. It's damn-near fifty degrees outside. I need to grab my jacket and umbrella on my way out to work. I just got my hair done this past Saturday. Luckily, I'm working a half-day at work, so I can meet my best friend, Donna Graham for dinner to celebrate my birthday.

Okay, I've got my purse, my jacket, and my umbrella. I get my hand on the doorknob and now the phone is ringing. Damn! I throw everything down on the floor in the living room of my apartment. I grab the phone and yell, "Hello! I'm on my way out." I didn't even look at the caller ID box.

"I didn't mean to bother you this morning, but it's important," my favorite cousin, Tonya Smith said. I can tell she's crying, but I can't imagine why. Oh God, I hope it's not her mother.

"What's wrong, Tonya? Is it Auntie Lynn?"

"No, she's fine. I don't know how to tell you about this, Maxine."

"Just say it, Tonya," I sit down knowing this isn't going to be good news, but not sure exactly how bad the news will be once she finally tell me.

"Donna died this morning in a car accident on her way to work," Tonya lied.

I hang the phone up in her face. I'm not going to acknowledge that lie. And that's all it is, you know. It's a lie. Donna ain't dead. We were talking on the phone earlier this morning on her way out the door discussing our plans for this evening.

I'm not even going believe that lie. I'll see her this evening for dinner and we'll celebrate birthday as planned.

It's almost seven o' clock. I wonder where Donna could be this evening. She knew we had these plans to celebrate my birthday. Tears are falling down my face, but I don't understand why because Donna is alive. It's been raining all day. Wouldn't you know it? Those weather people didn't lie about the rain.

The End