Simon Rendler is an expert at judging the distance from a lightning strike, but not so skilled at gauging the proximity of personal danger. Emerging from a childhood marked by the sudden disappearance of his teenage sister, Rachel, and the impenetrable silence of German immigrant parents, Simon tracks storm systems, sets a course for a career in Meteorology and falls in love with the tempestuous Beth.
Although his relationship with Beth has clearly ended, his protective instincts are ignited with the birth of their five-pound daughter, Sophia. When Beth, wanting the best possible life for the child, attempts to have her adopted, Simon steps in, postpones his career and cares for his daughter alone.As Sophia grows, Beth’s attachment to her also grows, and Simon, trusting that Beth can provide a better home than he can, agrees to shared custody. As the months pass, however, it becomes apparent that Beth has little intention of including Simon in Sophia’s life, which compels him to take increasingly dramatic measures in order to stay close.
When Sophia is six years old, Simon is charged with assault and issued a restraining order. Loss of contact with his daughter intensifies his search for Rachel. Once he finds and visits her, the veil of deception in Simon’s early life is revealed, which arms him with the resolve to win back his daughter at any cost. The Cost of Weather tracks Simon’s life from Sophia’s conception in a Jamaican tropical storm, through her birth during Toronto’s most devastating snowstorm to her suspicious return during the eruption of an Icelandic volcano.
The genesis of this story occurred in 2007 after a psychic predicted meeting a tall man with a sense of humour. Three days later I met him. I thought it might be about romance but it turned out to be about story.
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