Our Lady of Latter Day Rain

It was breath taking.
I could hardly believe my eyes at the sight that unfolded.
When her eyes met mine my life flipped upside down and from then on I’d never be the same.

Day one.

“You’re kidding me.”
“You shouldn’t scoff at just a wonderful job opportunity.”
I sat behind my desk, arms crossed looking at my superior, or at least that’s what he liked to call himself.
He sat on my desk, “Honestly Nicolas you are a stubborn man.”
I rolled my eyes, “And you Jonas are far too flamboyant.”
He laughed loudly, “I may be! I may be!”
He got off my desk, thank god, and made his exit, “You should talk to Cooper; this job could be just what you need to get out of here Nicolas.” Jonas left with that, leaving me in my tiny office.
I sighed and looked at the cracked and chipping ceiling, “Out of here huh?”
I stood and crossed the ever busy news floor and made my way to the editor and chief’s office. I knocked on the fogged glass labeled ‘M.G. COOPER EDIT AND CHIEF’.
“COME IN!” Cooper shouted.
I walked in and a few reporters were crowded around his desk, I stayed in the doorway and waited.
“This is crap, reedit it.” Cooper shouted to Jonson from sports, “You’ve outdone yourself with this,” he said giving Lewis his political piece, “And you my dear, this is wonderful.” He said patting Ms. Jones’s hand for her advice work.
The three reporters shuffled out and I made my way to Cooper who had just lit up a cigar, no doubt a reward to himself for another outstanding edition.
“You wanted to see me?” I asked standing away from the smoke’s grasp.
“Ah! Nicolas Mittoff my good lad, yes, yes! Please sit!” Cooper flustered.
“All the same to you sir, I’d rather stand.” I said cordially.
“Fine fine then, now.” Cooper stood which was a feat for the elderly man, “I do miss your written work my boy.”
“Sir?”
Cooper paced and the room started to smell of sweet sickly cigar, he turned to face me, “My boy you are a very skilled photographer but I have a job for you that will require you to write again.”
“Sir, all due respect-“
Cooper held his hand out to silence me, “Do not interrupt, I want you to write one piece for me, if you do this I will make sure you will leave this place, and become the greatest newspaper photographer in New York.”
I felt excitement fill every pore of my body, “R-Really?! New York!”
Cooper chuckled, he knew my deep love for America and the papers they produced there; he sat in his chair, “So will you take the job?”
The excitement died down and a smirk crossed my features, “Now you know I need to read it first.”
Cooper laughed, “You are no fool!” he said and from under the ever clustered desk he produced a file, “This is where you will be going.”
The file was covered in stains, coffee, tobacco, ink of course and what looked like water, “Laurinburg?”
“Yes, it is in the country.”
I read the file; mostly it was a quite farming and shepard’s town and I was confused as to what I was to do, “So what? Go there writing a travel piece, Cooper you could-“
“Read on.” Cooper said firmly.
As I read I saw that the people were religious and in the center of their fair tiny village was a church as were in many a village.
“Latter Day Rain?”
“There it is,” Cooper chuckled.
“Shouldn’t it say Saints?”
“It is of latter day rain, and they say there is a Saint living in the village.”
“A Saint?” I chuckled, “Cooper you’re sending me on a goose chase.”
“They say the Saint performs miracles every winter, spring, fall and summer.”
“And you plan on sending me there to catch the Saint and his miracles.” I laughed.
“That’s right; pack your bags Mittoff, your train boards tomorrow at dusk.”