Rain

"We can expect a light rain all day long," Marty Brubeck said to the cameras at WJW-TV News, casting a snarky smile into the cameras and then lowering his voice an octave, "and a 57 degree high for the day."

Marty smiled to himself. The rain would give him yet another excuse to spend the day at home pestering Martie for an afternoon siesta. He knew she'd say no and she knew he knew she'd say no, but they'd go through the routine anyway. It was their game. She only said yes on Tuesday evenings after Jeopardy and a light dinner of chicken livers and beets.

"Thanks, Marty, for the weather report for metropolitan Spokane," news anchor Marta Radetzky said, "and we all know how surprised we are to have another day of rain in December."

Marta laughed into the camera, and Marty made a grimace. Echoes of faint guffaws reverberated through the halls. Marty smirked some more. He knew the employees would kiss butt for Madame Radetzky. But he didn't really care. If he'd had a date in Portland, he would've cared. But no one who lived and worked in Spokane would care a whit about the rain.

"As surprised as I am, Marta. You never know how the weather's going to turn out," Marty said.

"Especially in a place with weather as unreliable as Spokane," Marta said. She looked into the camera and gave her best throaty laugh. Marty grimaces again. Some people were totally about themselves.