“Slip your bags on your backs,” Vin ordered, pocketing the keys. On the way to school, they’d discussed their plan; Tessa on his back, under his buckskin coat to keep her dry, and Chip and Eric on his chest - also under his coat. “Ready?”

“Yes, Sir,” the three stated.

Vin opened the door and was instantly bombarded with drenching rain. Closing the door quickly, he unlocked the back and turned around. Tessa ducked under his coat and scrambled onto his back. Then Vin swiveled, opened his coat and reached out for his two boys. Both leaped into his arms and clung to him. Drawing the coat around them, Vin slammed the door, looked right and left and then strode toward the crowded covered walkway that led to the school buildings; his kids clinging to him.

Rain cascaded down the father’s coat and off his hat. Pools of water were collected everywhere. Other parents were desperately trying to safely unload their kids, many looking like drowned rats.

Chaos reigned.

Shouting.

Crying.

Stepping undercover, Vin crouched, his three offspring all emerging from their dry cocoon of safety. “Okay?” he checked, calmly.

The trio nodded. Tessa looked up at her father and beamed. “Everyone else is wet. We’re all dry. You’re the best, Pa.”

Vin winked, rose and kissed each of his kids on top of the head. “Have fun today.”

“We will, Pa,” Chip stated, jogging off to join his somewhat bedraggled and soggy friends.

Vin slipped his hand around little Eric’s to wait for Chris. They’d walk Eric, Brooke, Dora and Theo over to Kindy together using the connected walkways. Noting that Tessa hadn’t moved, he asked, “Tess?”

“It’s raining. Caleb will need some help,” the child stated simply, scanning the cars for any sign of Uncle Josiah.

Vin smirked; his attention drawn to the familiar black Crysler as it pulled into the parking lot.

********

“Yes, Dad,” the kids all responded, following his instruction.

As Chris clenched the handle to release it, his phone sprang to life. “Hi, J.D….” Chris peered out through the windscreen, searching for the Dunne vehicle. “… a break in the rain… That’s fine, Kid. A little bit of rain won’t kill me.” Ending the call, he waved to Lara, Beth and Archie who were all flapping at him from the Dunne SUV. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Chris grabbed the umbrella from KB, leaped out of the vehicle, raced to the trunk, and pulled the four school bags out, covering them the best he could with the umbrella. Then, he strode around and opened both doors, watching as the older boys assisted their sisters. The family waited in the driving rain as five cars drove by. The sixth, the Jackson station wagon, pulled up and allowed the family to safely make their way across to the covered walkway.

Vin strode over and took four-year-old Brooke’s hand. Nodding his thanks, Chris handed out the bags to the others and then wiped away the water dripping down his face. He patted KB and Wyatt’s heads and then leaned down so Zara could kiss him.

**

Wyatt smiled at his father proudly. His dad was the best. Other fathers all had umbrellas. Not his dad. His dad was the toughest, bravest man on the planet.

“Hey, Wyatt,” his friend Aaron called. “Did you get wet?”

“A little bit of rain won’t kill me,” the boy stated boldly.

His dad bobbed his chin at him before turning to speak to Uncle Vin. Happily, Wyatt followed his brother and Zara off to class.

********

“Man, it is pissing down, Pa,” Chase stated.

“Chase, language! Where did you hear that? If your mother hears you say that, she will have your guts for garters, boy.” There was no anger in Buck’s voice. There never was.

Chase grinned.

“Wipe that smile off your face.”

“We only have one umbrella,” Jade pointed out.

“No problem,” Buck stated, signaling Chris who, he noted, had an umbrella. Larabee nodded and started towards them, darting between cars.

“Mum said we should take raincoats,” Polly lamented.

“Yep, she was right as usual. We’ll be fine. Help is coming.”

“Let’s go!”

**

Chase held on as his amazing Pa strode across the road. Then, he slid down from Pa’s back as they arrived safe and sound.

“Hey kids,” Uncle Vin greeted. Pa handed Dora to Uncle Vin and then checked on Polly and Jade. “Man, it is pis… raining very heavily.”

Chase grinned up at Pa. “Yep.”

“Knight in shining armor,” Uncle Chris chuckled.

Pa handed the umbrella to the struggling lady, reached in and released the stubborn seatbelt, and then assisted the little boy out of the car. Taking back the umbrella, Pa shepherded the mother and child across the road, the umbrella over them, not himself.

“Thank you so much.”

“All in a day’s work, Ma’am,” Pa stated, flashing his bright blue eyes at her.

Chase’s smile widened as his Pa shot back out into the rain to assist others - just like a superhero. His Pa truly was the best.

********

“Team Jackson,” Nathan chuckled, waiting for a gap in the traffic. As the family had no umbrella, a hasty plan had been formulated to get them all to school as dry as possible. For emergencies, Nathan always kept a green canvas tarp in the back of his old station wagon. He’d never used it before, but there was a first time for everything. Now, he, Siena, Rick and Miles were each holding out a corner of the tarpaulin, with little Theo in the centre, holding Nathan’s free hand.

“Wait, Dad… Come over here,” Sienna called to two small children getting drenched. They darted under the Jackson canvas, along with a mother and her three kids.

“Okay, everyone. It’s clear. Wagon’s roll,” Nathan ordered. The group crossed the road and arrived under the walkway relatively dry after their twenty-metre dash across the parking lot.

“Thank you so much,” the mother stated, as she emerged.

“You are very welcome, Ma’am.”

“It was only sprinkling lightly when we left home.”

“Same,” Nathan agreed, hauling the tarp to the side, and scooping four-year-old Theo into his arms.

**

Siena smiled up at her dad. He really was the best. The tarp was the perfect solution. He was such a clever man and they’d been able to help others, too. Her dad had impressed upon her how important it was to help others. He was right. It gave Siena a good feeling when she helped.

“Do you want me to walk Theo over to Kindy?” she asked.

“No, that’s okay, Love. I’ll take him.”

Siena beckoned for him to lean down so she could kiss him. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you, too. Have a lovely day, Sweetheart.” Siena waved and then headed off towards class.

********

“The rain is getting lighter,” Beth cheered.

“You were right, Dad.” Lara smiled proudly. Everyone else had got out of their cars when it was pouring. Her dad had said there was going to be a break in the rain, and he was right. He was always right. No one was as intelligent as her dad. He was the best.

“Okay. Let’s go,” Dad stated.

Lara climbed out of the SUV and waited with her back against it as she had been taught. She reached down and took Beth’s hand and waited as her father came around with Archie. The light drizzle was swirling a little, but their raincoats were protecting them. As they waited, she spotted Uncle Josiah enter the parking lot at the other end.

Lara blinked. She turned to check if her father had seen, too. Dad was watching the Sanchez Jeep heading for the furthermost part of the carpark. “Daddy, was he… will he…”

Dad sighed. “It’s Uncle Josiah, Honey.”

At that moment, a rose gold, four door, Porsche Taycan pulled up to allow the family to cross. “Hiiiii Uncle Ezraaaaaaaaaaaa!” Archie bellowed.

********

“We have arrived, princesses,” he announced, getting out under the cover of the walkway. Striding around to the other side of the vehicle, he opened both doors for his daughters and bowed.

People stared; some with annoyance, others with envy; most with admiration that he had been able to maneuver the car between the posts.

“Ballet this afternoon. Aunt Rain will collect you both,” he reminded, leaning down and kissing them. “I had better vacate this spot. Technically, this isn’t a bona fide parking space,” he stated with a wink.

**

Antoinette Standish stared at her father in awe. He’d driven right onto the walkway to ensure they didn’t get wet. No one else’s dad had done that. “You’re the best, Daddy.”

**

“Yes, it is true,” Ezra laughed, blowing a kiss to his girls as they trotted off toward the rest of the family. Waving to the boys, he climbed back into his Porsche.

********

“Ez sure knows how to make an entrance,” Vin chuckled returning the wave and smiling at Anty and Maggie as they approached.

“Here it comes again,” Buck commented as the rain began to increase, belting on the roof over them.

“Back in a moment,” J.D. declared, snapping up his umbrella and darting out into the heavy rain.

“Kid?” Vin called after him.

“I’m guessing he’s getting out of here before Josiah… too late. Here they come.”

Vin grinned.

Chris shook his head, the right corner of his mouth rising.

“Damn fool,” Nathan muttered. “They’ll catch their death.”

All talking around the men ceased.

Cars pulled to a stop.

Mouths dropped open.

Some had seen it the last time it rained, but nothing dulled the uniqueness of the spectacle.

All stared at the huge man and his four sons; Hammy 8, Zac 7, Abe 6 and little Caleb 5 years old, as they strode through the carpark, arms outstretched, naked to the waist and having an absolute ball in the rain.

“God broke the mold after he made Josiah,” Buck laughed.

“Nope, he made four more. Look at those kids,” Vin chuckled.

********

“Boys, look at how great God is. Thank you, Father for sending this life-giving water.” He looked across at his smiling boys through the deluge. Water was cascading down their faces, their eyes alive with wonder.

A sleek car pulled in beside the family Jeep, Josiah exchanging a nod with the driver.

“Dad, the story of Noah. You said you would,” Abe begged.

“Ahhh, yes. The great flood. Genesis 6, starting at verse 14. ‘So, make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out…”

Lifting his hands out to the side, and tilting his head back, Josiah stated walking, telling the story of the great flood while enjoying the sensation of the cold rain on his face and skin. It truly was invigorating.

All four of his boys copied him, Abe and Caleb skipping along behind their father laughing with pure joy as they jumped into every puddle.

Just as the Red Sea had parted for Moses, so did the vehicles and people in the carpark for the eccentric group as they headed toward the rest of their family with two sentries accompanying them; J.D. walking along beside them on the right and Ezra on the left to ensure they were safe.

As the group of seven stepped under the walkway, Josiah shook like a dog, his boys following suit.

“Sergeant Sanchez!” Ezra chastised, lowering his umbrella. “I was comparatively dry until that moment.”

“Boys. What a wonderful morning,” Josiah greeted, sliding the enormous knapsack off his back, and then pulling out his sons’ dry school bags. From the bottom, he dragged the five towels his wife had packed for them. “Your uniforms and dry shoes and shocks are in your bags,” he reminded.

Tessa Tanner walked over and smiled down at Caleb, took his chubby hand in hers and then led him off toward the sports’ dressing rooms.

“Thanks Tess,” Josiah called after her.

Hammy, Zac and Abe followed.

**

Hammy paused, turned, rushed back to his still crouched father, and threw his arms around his neck. “When we get home, will you tell us the end of Gensis Chapter Six?”

“If it is still raining, we will go out onto the Jungle Gym and finish the story of Noah - the lover of all animals – enjoying the feel of the rain on our faces. If not, we will finish the story snuggled up to your mother on the beanbags in the den, sharing hot chocolate. How does that sound?”

Hammy squeezed his dad. His dad was the best; the best dad in the world.

“Go on now. Go and get dry.”

**

Josiah watched his boy head off and rose to his feet, his attention drawn to Buck, who was again out in the rain assisting ‘damsels in distress’, to Chris, Nathan and Vin who were preparing to walk the four little ones to Kindy, to J.D. and Ezra, who had braved the elements to ensure the safety of his boys as they spent mediative time enjoying the wonders of their creator, and then back to young Tessa who always assisted Caleb to change into his uniform after their walk in the rain. At that moment, Siena appeared and took Caleb’s free hand, the trio disappearing into the building together.

Other parents and children continued to stare. Josiah couldn’t for the life of him fathom why. It was true, they were unique. Seven individual nuclear units, but also a single incredibly large, but extremely close, family.

Josiah lifted his eyes Heavenwards. “Thank you, Father for blessing someone like me, with a family like this. They truly are the best.”