The Last Rainbow

Posted by Paula Gembarosky in Stories - Uplifting on 18-12-12

The car engine was shut off; the only sound that could be heard was the swiping of the wiper blades and the sound of rain on the roof of the car. A small face was pressed against the window, eyes taking in the beautiful trees of the park.

The woman in the driver’s seat leaned back in her seat. A puff of air escaped her lips as she let her lids close. The child climbed into the front seat; her head moved with the wiper blades.

The woman opened her eyes and looked at the clouds that overshadowed the Heavens. “Just this once. It has to be done. The promise must be kept.”

Her attention turned to the girl who’s eyes were so innocent to the horrors that life could bring.

“My last hope is in you child. I pray that this will fulfill my promise.”

The girl looked out the window, watching the rain as it beat on the car. The woman felt her eyes as they closed and she was transported back to another time.

Olivia and her mother sat upon the park bench. It was damp from the rain that had came and gone. Olivia squirmed back and forth as the wetness soaked through her ruffled dress. Her mother looked down at her, then at the trees. She moved her arm around Olivia’s shoulders and held her close.

“See those trees, the raindrops lay on the leaves? The drops hit the ground. They sparkle like rainbows.”

Olivia’s eyes followed the glass-like droplets as she snuggled against her mother.

“Mama, I love rainbows. Do you think we’ll get to see one?”

“Yes Livie, I do. In fact Mama would love to see just one more rainbow.”

Her mother let a deep breath out. She let her eyes drift close and leaned back. She turned her head as a tear escaped beneath her lid.

Olivia reached up to her mother’s face and wiped the tears that followed.

“Mama, you okay?”

“Yes Livie.” A sigh, then she continued. “You know why I brought you here?”

“No Mama.”

“Hunny, this will be hard to understand. Mama went to the doctor’s the other day. She’s very sick. The doctor found out I might not be here too long.”

Olivia cocked her head to one side, her hand caressing her mother’s face.

“Mama, are you dying?”

Her mother placed her hand over Olivia’s; the sob she had been keeping inside broke free.

“Yes Livie, Mama has cancer. I wanted to see you grow up, to see your children. I wish we could see one last rainbow together.”

Olivia felt her own cheek. It was damp. She slid her hand over her eyes, then over her mother’s.

“Mama, I have one wish too.”

“What’s that Livie?”

“One more rainbow. Then after that, when I have a little girl she can see her Grammy looking down at her.”

The two slid back on the bench. They held on tightly to each other. They watched as the rain fell, then stopped. But the sun never came out that day, nor did the rainbow.

A few days later, Olivia’s mother was admitted into the hospital. An hour had passed when the line on her monitor had one long beep. Doctors and nurses ran into the room to try and save the woman, but there was nothing to be done.

Unnoticed amongst the chaos was Olivia. Her mouth turned into a silent scream, her tiny body shook. She fell to the ground when the doctors finally saw that she had gotten into her mother‘s room.

The only sounds in the room was the downpour on the roof of the hospital and the tears of a little girl.

On the day of the funeral, the sky was black as the mourners‘ attire. Olivia wore the dress she had on the day in the park. She stood in silence, her eyes not leaving the pale face of her mother. A woman walked up to the girl, hugging her and petting her head like a dog.

“Honey, I know this is hard to understand but, your mama was real sick. She is now watching over you from Heaven.”

Olivia broke free from the woman’s embrace. Her face might as well had been a statue. One foot behind the other; she backed away from the woman.

The woman’s hands reached for Olivia, but the girl was too fast. Olivia flung herself to the edge of her mother’s coffin.

On her knees, her hands were made into fists and raised to the Heavens. She shook them back and forth as though she were conjuring a spell. Thunder crashed throughout the sky and lighting struck a tree in the distance. Wind picked up dead leaves and made them dance.
“Mama, I know you’re there. I know you can hear me. If you are really watching over me like everyone says Mama, show me our last rainbow.”

A crack of thunder and a bolt of lighting lit up the sky. The mourners scattered to get to their vehicles until all that remained was Olivia.

Staring at the sky, she refused to move. She clung to the edge of the coffin.

Her guardian picked her up in his arms and carried her to his car. Olivia watched the sky the whole way, but no rainbow ever appeared.

A loud squeal awoke the woman. She felt her daughter bouncing in the car next to her.

The rain ceased and the woman opened the car door. Dragging the girl with her; she walked to the park bench and sat the girl down. Smoothing her skirt out beneath her; she sat next to the girl.

“Mum Mum, why we here? It’s too wet Mum Mum. Can’t we go home and play?”

Olivia looked down at her beautiful daughter who looked so much like her grandmother. It was the anniversary of her mother’s passing. She came to the park every year to try to keep the promise. Every year was another failure.

Olivia looked at the trees that still remained. The droplets of rain fell just as they had all those years ago. She pulled her daughter close to her and her tears were masked by the rain that was starting up in a drizzle.

“Sandy, we have to wait for the rainbow. Then you can meet my Mama, your Gamma.”

Sandy looked at Olivia and smiled sweetly. “Gamma?”

“Yes Honey, Gamma.”

Olivia could wait no longer. All those years passed. She had to know if her Mama really was watching over her.

“Mama, if you’re really there with me, give me that one last rainbow. So I know you’re still with me.”

The sky blackened, then the rain came. Olivia ran with Sandy to the car. After fifteen minutes, Olivia decided to go home. All of it was a lie. Her mother was gone, her heart shattered. Her hope gone; she could no longer bare the pain. Her hand reached for the key, almost fully turned to start the engine when Sandy squealed.

Sandy’s little hand point to the sky, the springs in the seat squealed as she bounced up and down in her seat.

Olivia’s head shot upward. The sun broke through the rain. Out of the clouds formed an arch of color. Olivia reached for her car door. She grabbed Sandy and ran to the bench.

“Mama, Mama, I knew you were with me. Oh Mama, can you see my baby? This is Sandy, your granddaughter. Oh Mama, our wish. Our last rainbow. Mama, you really are with me.”

The sun shone all day long and the rainbow stayed for almost an hour. Olivia and Sandy sat on the bench together as the two dozed off.

Olivia stirred only as she felt lips pressed to her cheek. Her eyes opened to find no one around them except for a white dove. It flew up to the rainbow as the vibrant colors faded away.

Olivia snuggled Sandy closer to her and let her tears fall.

“I love you Mama. I always knew you were with me. I know you always will be. I love you.”

She laid her head on Sandy’s and closed her eyes. She could now rest as her promise had been kept.

Rainbow in a…   Stacy Gold   Buy This at Allposters.com

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