Somewhere Over the Rainbow

“Happy birthday, dear Sophie! Happy birthday to you!”

Little Sophie blew out the candles.

As Loretta leaned down to kiss her goddaughter’s cheek she brushed against the toboggan Sophie always wore. It kept her head warm and hid that she had no hair.

“How old are you now, Ms. Sophie?”

Sophie held up her hand with all five fingers spread wide.

“What did you wish for?”

“To see a rainbow!” Sophie whispered.

The smile Sophie’s mom wore faltered.

Loretta understood. Rainbows require rain and it doesn’t rain in northern Alaska.

***

Loretta jolted out of bed and rushed to the living room. She scanned the shelves. Where was it? She started rifling through National Geographics.

“Aha!”

Greenland.

A plan.

***

Sophie and her parents would return from the hospital in two days.

It took some convincing, but before noon the whole town rallied.

They marched through a fresh layer of snow to the hardware store. Wallace thought it was a dream when they bought him out of his dustiest cans: magenta, turquoise, canary, and tangerine.

***

It was a close call but they were ready. Everyone gathered at the bottom of the hill, peering at the sinking sun and the SUV approaching.

The car stopped. Sophie’s parents emerged and her dad gathered Sophie from the backseat.

“Welcome back, Sophie! We have a surprise for you!”

The crowd parted, revealing a snowy hillside speckled with radiant colors. Every building donned a brilliant shade.

Sophie’s eyes and smile widened, “Look! A rainbow!”