The Magical Raincoat

Wonder

"Barnaby?"

"Wally!" The dog stopped his tricks and smiled as he spotted his little buddy. "I noticed you went back to Home last night. Has all been forgiven?"

Wally nodded and clutched his raincoat close to his chest. "Yes, and I will be cleaning the attic by myself when it so chooses, but I've come on a separate matter." He shifted the yellow coat in his arms further into Barnaby's view. His smile grew slightly. "I need your help."

Barnaby's eyes flitted to the coat. "You still haven't tried it on, have you? Well, what are ya waiting for?"

"Trying to figure it out. Any chance you might be able to help?"

"Hmm... I can try!" Barnaby sat down in the grass next to his best friend and tugged him closer gently, grabbing the plastic coat. "See, you put one arm in, and then the other--"

"I know how to put it on, Barns!" Wally stepped back and pulled his arm back out of the coat. Barnaby smiled warmly.

"Then what's really the problem?" Wally looked to the ground and Barnaby sighed. "Listen, I talked to Howdy, and I heard what you said to him. You really are the friendliest neighbour. You shouldn't have to worry about what other people say, and I'm sure whoever said those things feels mighty bad about it now."

"I know she does. But do you think she's right? What if my weather is something weird? Or bad, or dangerous, or--"

Barnaby set his paws on Wally's shoulders to ground him. "Walls. It will be fine. And you can always take the coat off if it's not! But it will be."

The little yellow puppet nodded. "Okay. Can you gather everyone for me? I have to talk to Sally."

"Of course. Is everything all right?"

"It will be. Meet us at the stage."

"Welcome, everyone!" Sally stood on the neighbourhood stage.

When Wally had come to her with this idea, she couldn't pass up the opportunity--moreso, she was happy to be putting it to work while she was in between writing plays!

"My, you all look so happy and beautiful today! Well, other than Frank, of course." Frank gave a sarcastic smile and rolled his eyes. "Anywho, I'm sure you've all been made aware by now that our dear Wally Darling has, as of yet, been unable to adorn his wonderful coat out of fear of something I said. However, this has been mended, and he is ready to join in the fun! Let's all give him some warm encouragement!

Wally, come on out!"

Wally took a deep breath and set one foot forward, stepping around to the front of the stage with his coat still clutched in his arms. Howdy and Sally looked at him with gentle understanding while Julie cheered loudly and shook Frank's arm.

Somehow still, Barnaby was the most excited, up on the stage with his best friend, his paws on his shoulders to guide him. There was no verbal cue, but it was written all over his face that he wanted this more than anybody, and whether he was just trying to get Wally's confidence up or was being genuine, no one but him knew.

"You can do it, Wally!" Julie shouted. "Let's see the rain!"

It felt like it had been so long since Wally had been the centre of attention, but even just this simple act of excitement aimed at him made him feel special.

Another deep breath and he finally slipped an arm through one hole, then the other.

Julie went silent, grinning with glee. Barnaby stepped back, paws ready to clap for joy.

A drop fell right on Wally's head before he could pull his hood up, but that seemed to be all the sky had to offer. It was left barren of clouds or any other signifier of rain.

In fact, it was completely barren of everything, including the sun and the blue colour surrounding it.

Silence struck the neighbourhood. Eddie reached up to scratch his head in confuzzlement and Poppy shrank into herself, hiding her face in her feathers.

Sally put on her best worried face, though somewhere inside she was shouting, "I was right! I was right!"

Then, as suddenly as it happened, the grey sky started to become blue again, though the sun didn't return. In it's place appeared gently: a rainbow. Masked by a light fog in the distance.

Wally grinned. After all, he knew there was nothing to he worried about now. Everything was as it should be.

"Hey, uh, Home?"

The house creaked a vague, "Yes?" as Wally swept the attic clean of dust. It had made a couple of sneeze-like motions at first but had since stopped and was just letting Wally do his thing.

"The rainbow was really me, wasn't it? I mean, it's not exactly weather, or can these coats do more than just what we had initially thought?"

Home went to respond with something even more vague, but Wally stopped it, "I know you know more than you tell me. Please, all I ask is this one thing."

Wally leaned on the broom and waited, and waited, and waited. "Home--"

"Yes," the house responded again. "The coats do... more."

Wally's eyelids dropped and he hummed as he set back to work. "What a thing to know. I suppose this means more experimenting is in order, then. Someday."