#fridayflash: Touched

They were toiling away, each concentrating on the job in hand, whether it be weeding the strawberry patch, picking the beans or planting more potatoes for next year. Heads were bowed down and all that could be heard was the scrape of trowels or the thud of a spade being thrust into the soil.

They had been working like this, in utter, blissful silence for some time, when all of a sudden, the sun came out from behind a cluster of clouds and shone all it's gloriousness over the fields and beyond. In unplanned unison, the women raised their heads towards the brilliant light, closed their eyes and savoured the heat and the pleasure it brought as it radiated through their aching bodies. Then they looked around, turning their heads this way and that, catching the eyes of each and every one of the other women. They all started to smile at the same time and small smiles spread to enormous beams then gentle chuckles, finally culminating in a chorus of laughter ringing like the peal of Sunday bells across the land. Each knew what the other was thinking: that this beat working in an office any day and how lucky they were to be doing this, out here, with such dear bosom buddies. It made each of them positively glow with contentment.

Presently the women, still stood there admiring the day and taking a well earned break from work, felt a spatter of rain upon their faces. Again they looked towards the heavens as droplet after droplet began to sprinkle down. They all grinned broadly again and one or two of the girls did a little jig to express their sheer happiness and elation.

At that moment, the Mother Superior came out of the convent, viewed the scene before her and then smiling too, walked amongst the women, laying her hand on the backs or arms of each one as she passed them. Her gesture, they knew, meant assent to their mood, to them taking a break and and appreciating the joyous day, so they couldn't help but continue to smile, convivial looks passing between them as they stood there in harmony, silently celebrating the day.

And before long, after the rain had only been splashing down for a few minutes, all heads turned simultaneously toward one direction. The girls gathered together, held hands and beheld the wonder that is a rainbow.