Rainbows & Memories

A short story that I wrote for a contest! I hope you like it.

Kara Washington rested her head against the cool window of her bedroom, which rested above the small bookstore that once belonged to her mother and now had been passed down to her. It was a cozy, welcoming shop that offered hours of reading, delicious coffee of only the most exquisite of blends, and of course friendly and helpful staff.

The little shop rested in the heart of the the city, and to Kara it was something that made the city thrive. She grew up there, as her mother and her grandmother had done; watching as someone came in and discovered the magical world of princesses, dragons, and castles. Or discovering something they hadn't known before. That was the joy that helped Kara, and her mother get through the day. Their little, Pot of Gold.

But today was different, Kara wasn't downstairs starting the coffee with Max, or double checking the small stack of books left out specifcally for the smaller children. She wasn't unlocking the doors to let the eager customers in or waiting behind the counter as the first person in line prepared to pay. No, today Kara Washington was in her room, still in her comfortable sweats and spaghetti-strap tank, resting her head on the window as she watched the rain pour down.

It had been a year now, since her mother had died from cancer; a year since Max had proposed and now six months since Kara decided the Pot of Gold had to go. It seemed so impossible that this bright little shop was dimming, her mother had put so much life into it; she always claimed it was it's name sake though saying that ever rainbow ends in a pot of gold. But it wasn't as active as it used to be with her mother around. And bills needed to be paid.

Blinking back a fear tears, Kara's eyes focused on the world just beyond her window, looking to the sky to find the rainbow her mother always talked about. But like everything else as of late, the rainbow was gone.. bleak, grey clouds covered the skies and the sun wasn't even peeping through. The rain fell with patters on the roof and distant thunder rumbled.

Kara felt that she could use a rainbow right about now, something to brighten her outlook, or at least give her hope for the future, or even just for the day. Her mind went back to the day when she was eight years old, and she had asked her mother what made rainbows so special.

"Mommy? Why do rainbows only come out after a storm?" Kara asked innocently as she sat out on the covered porch curled up in her mother's lap watching as the rainbow filled the sky.

Maddie Washington smiled at her daughter and brushed back the hair from Kara's face, "well lass, you see a long time ago God asked a man named Noah to make a big boat that would save all the animals and Noah's family then God filled the earth with water, and Noah and his family and all the animals were safe.

"After a long time, God made the waters go away and Noah and his family got off of the boat and thanked God for keeping them safe and dry. Well God felt bad about causing the earth to fill with water, so He told Noah that He promised never to flood the earth again, and as a gift of that promise, God gave Noah a rainbow in the sky."

Kara was silent for a moment, taking in the information and processing it in her mind. "So.. God wanted to make the sky pretty for Noah after it stormed to let him know His promise was still good and that as long as the rainbow was in the sky it would keep the rain from still falling down and flooding?"

"Yes, love." Maddie laughed lightly and planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead, "now off to bed."

A heavy sigh escaped Kara as she contined to look at the sky, searching for her rainbow, something to promise her that everything was going to be okay and that even though it rained, something bright came from it. "Kara?" A voiced asked cautiously from the doorway, "honey are you okay?"

Kara turned and faced her fiance, smiling sadly, "yeah hun, I'm fine. I'll be down to help you in a m-"

Max had entered the room and took the few steps to get to her, "no honey you do so much all the time, just take a break today. Addison, Teddy and I can handle it; take a walk, treat yourself.. do something, Kara."

She closed her eyes as Max traced his hand down her cheek and took in a quiet breath as he kissed her softly. "Alright Max, I'll do what you said. I'll take today off and maybe go for a walk up to the park or something."

A smile spread across Max's face, "Good babe, I'm glad you are taking my advice." He kissed the top of her head and left the room. Kara's small smile faded completely from her lips after the door clicked shut. She walked to the other side of the room and looked at her reflection in the mirror, tilting her head a bit.

After several minutes of looking at herself and deciding what to put on, she decided just to throw on a hoodie over her tank and some sneakers. She pulled her hair back into a pony-tail then walked from the room, going down the back stairs that led to the kitchen. Not seeing her friends or Max, she left a note and went out the back door of the shop.

Kara stepped onto the wet streets, turning her face upward and let the rain hit her, there was still no rainbow in the sky nothing to show even the slightest of hints that it was coming. As she started on her walk, Kara watched the raindrops splash into the puddles scattered along the sidewalk. When she reached the park the rain had slowed to a mere mist.

Making her way to one of the park swings, she recalled back to when her mother would walk with her to this same park and push her on these same swings. She said the best time to come and imagine yourself somewhere else was when the rain was fresh on everything and the colors of the rainbow were watching over you.

She sat down on the swing and slowly started to push herself back and forth; Kara closed her eyes and imagined her mother's smile, that was as bright as a rainbow it's self. "I miss you mom.." she whispered. Her mind began to wander, and soon she was thinking of her decision to sell Pot of Gold in order to pay expenses. She saw no getting out of it, and if she and Max wanted any kind of wedding they were going to need money.

Beginning to feel the dampness seeping through her clothes, Kara stood up and began to walk toward the street again. Just as she reached the sidewalk she noticed a stream of people making their way in one direction looking upward then pointing. Confused and curious, Kara followed the small crowd of people. "Excuse me, what's going on?" she asked as she tapped a young boy on the shoulder.

The boy turned around, his eyes bright with excitment, "something amazing is going on down at the Pot of Gold bookstore! Look!" The boy pointed upward; Kara followed to where he was pointing and took in a sharp gasp. The clouds were slowly breaking apart and nestled among them were the unmistakable colors of the rainbow. But that wasn't what was amazing; as Kara looked up at the sky she followed the perfect arch of the rainbow with her eyes. It seemed to be ending in the direction of the bookstore.

Running a hand through her hair, Kara began to push through the people quickly, trying to reach the bookstore. As she got closer she began to quicken her pace, and soon she could see the bookstore. What she saw made her stop in her tracks.

Where the clouds seemed to have parted, allowed just that bit of sun to come shining down onto the little shop, and.. more amazingly, the rainbow was actually ending at the shop. Kara blinked back tears and bit her lip. As she stared at the phenominon a hand slipped into hers and arms pulled her into a hug; she looked down and saw Max's hand in hers, giving it a small squeeze Kara turned her head and found Addison giving her a reasuring hug. Teddy kissed her lightly on her cheek, "amazing isn't it Kara? Do you think it's a sign?"

Unable to stop the flow of tears now, Kara smiled through them and gave a small laugh, "I don't know Teddy.. maybe it is." She gave Addison a hug back then rested her head on Max's shoulder as she looked back at the store. People were coming from all over, looking at the shop and pointing to the sky then calling more people on their phones to tell them about this.. miracle. And maybe it was a miracle, or maybe God was telling Kara that he was here, and that he still held his promise to watch over His people. Maybe her mother was smiling down at her right now, enjoying her rainbow and the Pot of Gold at the end of it.

With a bright smile through her tears, Kara headed toward the shop with her friends and her fiance to welcome the many people that were fighting their way to the doors; and a wind, so light it could have been a whisper brushed Kara's cheek before she stepped inside, and she could have swore she heard a gentle voice say, "there's always a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, Lass.."

Kara smiled and looked to the sky, at her rainbow, her promise. "It's going to be alright mom, your memory will live on." She was right, six months later, Kara and Max were married, and now run the little bookstore with their friends Addison and Teddy, who only a few years after Kara and Max, were married as well.

"Come on love! Time to eat!" Kara called, years later, from the kitchen in the back of the store to the little girl that stood, looking out at the special rainbow that her mother and her grandmother both loved.

"Coming mommy!" The little girl smiled and blew a kiss at the sky, "take care of our rainbow Gramma.." she whispered quietly then hurried off, her soft curls bouncing with her. And so the tradition, love, and memory continued.

Reviews

[Charles D. Moorer]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse but the prior reviewed points out the same thing. Six months later Kara and Max were married. The problem could be solved by giving the reader a definite number of years later, four years later, from her kitchen Kara called to her little girl who stood looking out at the special rainbow that her mother and her grandmother both loved.

[Elizabeth]

it is told that Kara has a daughter in years later because Max and her got married. (six months later, Kara and Max were married)

[Charles D. Moorer]

A sweet story. check: paid or payed? I am confused by the last two paragraphs. Does Kara have a daughter? Where does the daughter come from? It seems to me that she should have been introduced earlier. She could been born before Max showed up and proposed.