“Please daddy,” five-year-old Michaela wheezed, tubes protruding from her nose. Stuffed animals surrounded her hospital bed. “For my birthday?”
“Of course.” Orion felt guilty for the empty promise. His employer would never permit a rainstorm without government approval, especially the type that produced double rainbows. Michaela relaxed her hand in his and fell asleep.
Her condition worsened.
***
A funeral coordinator lowered a white, forty-eight-inch casket into the ground. Even though the forecast predicted a sunny morning, a coworker–one of many in attendance–passed Orion an umbrella. He didn’t understand, until an unusual weather pattern formed, followed by a pair of rainbows.
Zack Lux lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. When he isn’t writing, you can often find him at the beach, rain or shine. His stories have appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Nature Futures, Martian Magazine and other markets. Find him on Twitter at @ZackLuxSF.
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