Christmas Angel
Introduction:
Another christmas story for you
Christmas Angel
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The harsh, bitterly cold wind blew past the figure of a man huddled on a park bench. Shaking his head he didn’t know whether to sit here and freeze or move on trying to survive another day. Taking a large lungful of the frigid air, a sigh escaped his lips, he’d given up hope, his life was in the toilet. Thinking back he decided that it must be his fault, he felt that no matter what, it was his fault. You see, he was a kind and gentle man who always tried to do for others, oh sure he had his faults didn’t we all but in general most people saw him as a good man.
He was the type of friend that you might go to for advise but never really took it, no matter how good it was. He’d make you laugh, talking about anything but him self, funny but that’s what drew people to him. He wasn’t completely unselfish no one can truly claim to be unselfish, though he wasn’t too far from it. Two bad marriages late in life still hadn’t damped his generous spirit, though it had served to press them down a bit. He was a good pretender, not many knew the pain he held inside from the world, from his self but a wonderous thing about him no matter how much pain, he always tried to have a smile, rare indeed.
Our story started this day though was deep seeded in his past, you see I had noticed him many times thoughout the years. He had done quite a few things that others would concider dumb, stupid or just plain crazy, giving the last few dollars in his pocket to help a man who was hungry living on the streets. Giving a crying child a stuffed animal from a claw machine that the child just couldn’t quite get, (he was good at it) even though he didn’t have the money to spare. His wife had been degrading and nothing but negative towards him to the point that he knew that no matter what he did he’d fail and she’d be right there to tell him what a failure he was.
He’d taken her advise and gone for some off shore training, something about under water evacuation from a crashed flying transport. He’d become trapped but got out; the experience changed him you might say opened his eyes. When he told her he’d almost died, her only responce had been so? That was the last he could take, packing a few of his things he left, of course she was yelling at him (when wasn’t she) that he was immature but he just couldn’t take anymore. He had no plan being spur of the moment, he walked for miles before he realized how far he’d gotten, for a few days he was ok, then he was told by a friend that he’d been fired from the convience store he’d worked at.
They say that when you’re at your lowest, you find out who your true friends are, no one wanted to help him, talk to him yes but help no, or they just weren’t able to. Alone and depressed, we are now where he had sat on the bench deciding that he was done, no point in trying any more. I knew that this night, was the point in time that he was meant to be at, the point our paths would cross and I could finally reward him for all his kindness. The weather reports had mentioned snow all day but as so far there’d been nothing. The man looked up at the sky his unshaven face having felt the first flake of snow fall on it. Smiling he thought to his self perfect, just lay down and go to sleep no more worries.
Now was the time, I rushed forward and stood before the man, “You know I don’t think this was the plan for you.”
“Huh? Oh hello sir, I’m sorry if I’m taking up the whole bench, here let me clear off a place for you to sit,” with that he sat up and moved his few meager possessions over to one side. Just like him to think of another even when he was contemplating suicide. Taking his hand I shook it vigourously, “I’ve seen you from time to time,” I said, “Thought you’d be at home preparing for Christmas.”
Sadly he shook his head, a stray brown curl escaping his toboggan hat, “Not this year, the kids are all grown, the spirit has left this body, you know I used to love Christmas,” a huge sigh escaped his dry, chapped lips again, “with everything that has happened I lost it, now I feel that the world would be better if I just faded away, one less mistake it has to correct.”
Though not a violent man this one time I actually wanted to slap the man and wake him up to all the good he’d done but unfortunately I’d have knocked him unconscious and still not accomplished what I was here for. “Wow,” I said, “That has to be the biggest crock of bull shit I’ve heard in a long time!” The man could only stare at me, I was a little surprised my self I don’t like to swear but it seems it was the only thing to do to get his attention.
His mouth still agape, I grabbed his hand and we were off! Stopping at a church we walked in seeing a few of the people that he’d worked with. “Why are we h…,” he started.
“Shhhh,” I said, “Just listen.”
Many of the people were in prayer, the thing was, most of the prayers were about the man next to me. The man’s face was in shock when he heard them asking god to watch over him, that he was a good man and they were worried about him. It wasn’t nearly as shocking though than when his boss walked in and bowed to pray, she hadn’t wanted to fire him but unfeeling, uncaring corporate had told her to, as they put it, terminate him. Hell the entire store had almost quit but they still needed their jobs so of course that hadn’t happened.
“You see? They do care they are just shackled by the wants and needs of their own families,” I said though I knew that this wouldn’t really fix the problem.
Leaving we walked the now snow accumulating walkways, heading a few blocks up from the church we stopped in front of a rather large house. The front door was open so I led him directly in, a little girl was crying on the floor holding the same stuffed toy that the man had given her back at the claw machine. The parents could be heard arguing in the bedroom their voices louder than you’d hear in a pleasent conversation. Covering her ears with a couch pillow the little girl hugged the stuffed animal tigher to her small chest.
“Why can’t mommy and daddy be as kind as the man who gave me this?” Kissing the toy again her tear stained eyes looked into the bead eyes of the toy, “I wish mommy and daddy would stop fighting and just love each other again.”
From the bedroom there was sudden quiet, then the two were apologising to each other, when they walked out they scooped the little girl up and covered her face with kisses, “We’re sorry honey,” they both stated, “let’s say we go out and look for a few presents?” With a huge smile she shook her head vigourously.
We left there and continued walking down the street, “Wait a minute!” the man stopped to say, “why didn’t they see us?”
“Well,” I started, “you see we weren’t really there not in a physical sence.”
“WHAT!?” he shouted. “then I’m dead?”
“Oh no, not dead though you might say that for now your body is out of order and your mind, like a computer program, is somewhere else,” I had to chuckle I was used to this, having done it a few times.
“So…… what? I’m a ghost? A spirit?’ He asked a little befuddled
“Uummmm in a sence yes but remember your body is still alive,” I answered. With that we were whisked away to another town, where his oldest son was rereading a text the man had sent earlier, his son’s face held love for the man who wasn’t his biological father but was the only real dad he’d ever known. The man read over his son’s shoulder ‘Dad I know what mom has been doing to you, I know that you still love her but as bad as she was to you I was surprised you hadn’t left her sooner. I know it sucks to be alone but remember you’ve always been there for me and I love you for that’.
The man’s eyes filled with tears he’d always tried to be a good dad it hadn’t been easy, hell at times impossible but he’d never given up on his children, though he had been sure they’d given up on him a long time ago. Suddenly the man and I were whisked away to another home, the shock and anger was all I needed to see that we were in the place I had aimed for. His daughter was holding her son, “Sooner or later we’ll find your grandpa so he can see how big you’ve gotten!” the baby turned his head and looked straight at the man smiling the baby reached as well as it could towards him cooing.
“Can he see me?” the man asked me.
“Why yes he can,” I answered.
“But you said th…,” he stumbled over his words.
“That they can’t see us yes, but the baby is a pure soul they can always see what adults call spirits or nonsense things of childhood, oh so many have forgotten unlike you,” I said the shock apparent on his face, “yes I know, you have the sight or as we call it belief in what is there but most refuse to see.”
“I’ve had it for a long time, most of my life I never say anything, I had a nervous break once and I don’t want to go back to that place ever again.” he whispered.
“Don’t worry that’s not why I’m here,” I said, “I’m just here to put you back on the right path, that is when you can see it.”
“The right path, uh huh the right path for what? As I see it my whole life has been a failure,” he spat out.
“It’s not the right path for something, it’s just the path that you WERE walking but got sidelined,” I said trying to keep his hopes up.
“Ok so I did a few good things in my life, what’s the point?” he again bitterly spat out.
“The point is you are not as you put it a waste of space, a useless human being, something and not someone, a something that only deserves to be punished,” I patiently told him. “You have many gifts that you haven’t used til now, I know you love to write but you haven’t for over twenty years you have an imagination that few have, and even fewer act upon.”
I was starting to see a new light in his eyes but I knew that it would die if I couldn’t feed it quickly. Sighing I knew I had my work cut out for me but I had to keep trying, this man was a rare treasure that needed to be saved. “I know of several sites you can post your stories on if you want,” the light in his eyes grew brighter, hmmm this might be what I needed to concentrate on. Taking his hand I led him to a local library where I showed him several of the sites that were free to post stories on, shocked he said that he’d try to remember when he woke up. Suddenly he grabbed his chest and screamed ah well I knew it wouldn’t be long now, I shook his hand, “It was an honor to know as kind a soul as you and I’m sorry you won’t remember most of this, especially me,” with that we were both yanked back to his body on the bench, a pair of paramedics were trying to resuscitate him, his heart had stopped and they’d just tried to jolt his heart the second time.
“Charging defibrillator, clear!” we watched as his body jerked and his heart started beating, with that his spirit was drawn back into his body.
“Ok Travis, we got a rhythmn,” loading him into the ambulance, they quickly loaded their equipment speeding away to the hospital. The man awoke in a hospital bed, opening his eyes he was confused where am I? A pretty, older nusre about his age walked in, “Ah! You’re awake! Starting to feel better?” she said
The man could only stare at her, 5′ 8” about 155 pounds, long light brown hair in a pony tail, her face was what the man thought an angel would look like. The man tried to speak, to ask her her name but only the slightest sound came from his cracked lips, a tiny squeak and that hurt like hell.
“It’s ok you’ve had a tube down your throat for 3 days, it’ll take a little time to get your voice back, when they brought you in you had no wallet or id. Can you tell me what your name is so I can record it on your chart?” She asked her kind and gentle voice washing over him an almost soothing balm to his hurting soul.
Taking the pen and tablet she handed he thought a moment he tried to think of his name for the life of him he couldn’t remember. Carefully he wrote on the tablet I don’t know who I am, there’s nothing there before I woke up.
The Nurse nodded, she’d heard of near death amnesia but hadn’t seen it before in person, “Well, I am Rose I’ll be the floor nurse tonight.”
The day went on into 3, the man was released and walked out the front door not sure of where to go. I was sorry that he’d lost his memory but it was part of the plan for him so I didn’t argue. I watched him sit on a bench outside the hospital, it was now 2 weeks before Christmas I had only 13 days to finish or the world would lose a rare treasure that it needed. The man’s head was bent in thought when the same nurse that had been there when he awoke spied him as she was walking out the front doors.
“Hey!’ she yelled across the parking lot, “What are you still doing here? No one came to get you? I thought that someone would have come for you after we put you picture out to the whole city.”
Looking up he saw true compassion and something else though he wasn’t sure what in her eyes that were sparkling as she came towards him.
“No, no one has claimed me,” he said standing, a sad lonely voice that ate at her heart, “but I wanted to thank you for taking care of me, you seemed to do more than was expected of you,” he took her hand, bowed his head down and lightly kissed it. “Again, thank you.”
Rose’s heart was beating a mile a minute what was that just now? Laughing Rose curtsied, “Why thank you kind sir the compliment was well appreciated.”
The man smiled, again Rose’s heart began to pound in her chest dear god! What is it about this man?
“You’re very welcome, but I wouldn’t have given it unless it was true, beautiful lady,” once again he bowed low and kissed her hand. This time Rose turned a deep shade of red and for a moment thought she was going to pass out.
“Please excuse me,” she said as she quickly sat next to where he’d just been sitting.
“Why most certainly,” he said as he helped her to sit, then sat next to her the worry apparent on his face. “Are you well?” he asked the worry now seeping into his voice.
“I believe so I was just feeling a little light headed,” rising he did also, “Thank you for your concern I feel much better now.” He nodded watching her walk away towards her car then he sat to think. Rose had just reached her car when an idea hit her, hmmm why not?
Turning back she hurried across the lawn to where the man was sitting, still in deep thought.
“Uh,” Rose started, “I’m not sure but it appears that you have no where to go. I have a spare room at my place if you care to do a little work around there to pay for your stay.”
The man’s head snapped up as her voice again washed over his skin and a tingling crept across his arms and chest.
“Miss Rose, I don’t want to be an inconvenience or bother to you, it isn’t necessary for you to go out of your way like this though I do thank you for the offer.” The man said in a truly appreciative voice.
Undaunted Rose pressed until he relented and accepted her gracious offer. Driving to her place, little to nothing was said between them, basicly because the man was almost a blank slate when it came to things to talk about.
After he’d settled in he could only stare at the ceiling trying to remember anything of his past. The fact that not soon after this his head began to pound from trying to almost will his memory back wasn’t lost on him either. Each day Rose would leave a few things that needed done around the place, the man though he couldn’t remember, seemed to have a knack for eventually getting them done, though not always the exact way she wanted them but more than close enough. Twelve days later he was no closer to discovering who he was when, while at the market, his wife saw him walking down a far aisle. She waited till he was outside and she was sure before she caught up to him and laid into him with a tirade of ugliness that had him backing away from her in terror. Several people saw as she advanced on him yelling and screaming at him like he’d attacked her, the whole time he was backing away almost to the point of running. Finally he grabbed his head and bolted away around a corner, her yells chasing after him even as he put more and more distance between him and her.
That night Rose came home only to find the man huddled in a corner weeping, a look of terror in his eyes but the lost look she saw there was what tore at her heart. Holding him close she tried to comfort him as his sobs finally started to receed, she carefully pried what she could from him, what had happened and how he’d run terrified. This was the first time she had any information on anything about who he was, in the hospital they’d found that his finger prints were almost none existent something about natural acid that had eaten them away, there were no dental records as he had false teeth nothing they had tried had seemed to work. Rose was afraid that he might never get his memroy back now, the trauma he’d suffered today might make him retreat that much farther.
Rose awoke the next day almost afraid to go to work, afraid that the man wouldn’t be there when she returned, for you see unbeknowst to her she had fallen for the kind, soft spoken man. Knocking at his door, she was almost afraid of what she might find or not find in his room. Slowly the door creaked open to reveal the somber face of the man that had lived with her for almost two weeks.
“Are you ok?” she asked holding her breath while she awaited his answer.
“I’m not sure,” he replied his voice shaky at best, “My head was hurting when I awoke this morn, I am seeing pictures flash before my eyes. I can place them here and there but I still don’t know exactly what they are.”
Rose nodded she knew that the trauma the day before had shaken something lose and possibly broken though what was blocking his memory.
“I don’t have anything for you to do today, why don’t you stay in and rest? After yesterday you more than deserve to be lazy for once,” smiling she hoped he’d listen to her, maybe give his mind a chance to clear.
Nodding he replied, “I just might do that, thank you.”
Feeling better, Rose left for her shift at the hospital, while the man sat thinking again. Suddenly the thought came to him to visit the park, I smiled as I took my hand away from his head, good, now I could get him moving and finish this rescue mission. Retrieving his coat he walked out, locking the door, heading directly to the park. Upon arriving he sat on the first bench he came to, looking around he saw that alot of the snow had melted and the temperature had risen, a good many people were out. I stood nearby making sure everything went according to plan, a minute later a young woman pushing a baby stroller walked past the man. The baby in the stroller started to coo till the woman walked past the man, that’s when the baby let loose a shrieking cry. Stopping the woman walked around to the front of the stroller to check her son.
Scooping the baby up she was checking to make sure he was alright when she spied the man on the bench.
“Dad? Is that you? Oh my god! I’ve been looking for you for almost a month now!” she exclaimed.
Startled the man looked up at the young woman, “I’m sorry mam, I don’t know you but I swear I’ve seen you before,” grasping his head, the pain returned but not even half as bad as the day before.
The young woman’s mouth hung open, “It’s me your daughter! This is your grandson Xavier!”
The man stared hard at both of them but nothing solid came to him, only flashes of pictures as had been the case earlier that morning. Shaking his head tears began to flow unashamed from his eyes, “he is a beautiful child but I’m sorry I have no memory of either of you.”
The young woman could only stare almost heart broken, she loved her dad, worrying the whole time that he’d been killed or died alone. “Mother did this to you didn’t she?” she said an almost touch of hate in her voice, “I won’t let her get away with this!”
“No,” he sobbed, “I don’t want anyone hurt because of me, promise me!”
The young woman could’t believe her ears, as much shit as her mother had put her father through and he still wanted no revenge, no retribution? He truly was a kind man, too kind for his own good, she’d always tried to be like him but her temper always got the best of her. Sighing she relented, “Ok dad, I promise but please let me know how to contact you. Here’s my cell number, call me whenever you remember more.” With that she begrudgingly put the baby in the stroller and walked on a smile on her face, no she wouldn’t hurt her mother but she’d make her life a living hell now that she knew more of what was going on.
I smiled as I followed him back to Rose’s place, it was finally starting to come together, looking up I nodded, yes his memory should start to return very soon. The man sat at the dining room table staring at the wall, try as he might there were still no clear memories coming to him. Sighing he felt as lost as he could get knowing he had family but not knowing who they were and obviously his daughter as she called her self loved him very much. The man sat there all day trying to dredge anything up that would help him, not noticing the time almost the rest of the day passed with him sitting there. Rose came home to find him still there in the dark a look of intense concentration on his face. Worried, she rushed to his side concern apparent on her face, had he met up with that woman again, at least he wasn’t huddled in a corner again.
“Are you alright?” she asked sitting next to him, “did you go out and meet up with that woman again?”
“Yes,” he replied still deep in thought, “and no, I met a young woman today who said she was my daughter. She told me she’d been looking for me for over a month.” Tears started to flow again from his eyes, “I had no memory of her or her baby Xavier, my grandson. He was a beautiful child but there was nothing there.”
“It will return soon, I’ve never heard of a case like your’s that was permanent,” Rose replied now even more worried, she’d read up on the condition and knew that any severe trauma could set him back.
“Thank you Rose,” the man said into her shoulder as she had hugged him, hoping it had a calming effect. “you’ve done so much for me, I feel as if I haven’t done even half as much to repay you. Letting me stay here, it’s… something I can’t begin to thank you enough for.”
I smiled, it was finally time to start letting a few memories through. The man suddenly sat up straight, “June! That’s her name!” he shouted to the heavens.
Rose could only stare a moment, “who’s name?” she asked.
“My daughter! Xavier is my first grandchild! OH my god how could I’ve forgotten that?” Now new tears fell from his dark brown eyes though this time they were tears of happiness.
“You remember!” Rose cried hoping that finally the man was getting the break he deserved.
“About her yes, but the rest is still fuzzy,” he shook his head as if to bring more to the surface. “I was hoping when that came through that others would start to pop up.”
Holding him closer Rose’s heart was beating fast finally he’d start to know who he was. Then she felt the pain, holding back tears she knew that he might also leave when he did regain everything. When did I start to fall for him she thought? I know so little about him but the thought of life without him makes my heart hurt more than I’ve ever thought it could. Sighing, I was afraid that this might happen, touching her head gently I felt the pain ease slightly. The man seemed to sence her sudden change and held Rose tigher to let her know he was there for her though he wasn’t sure why he suddenly felt that way.
“Rose,” he started, “I want you to know I owe you so much, I won’t forget not this time, ok?”
Rose’s eyes began to tear up it was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to her.
Rose’s tears of joy were short lived though as there was a knock at the front door. I took a deep breath now the moment of truth was at hand, Rose went to answer the door unsure of who would be here at this hour. Opening the door a rather well dressed woman was there about to knock again, “is he here?” she asked apparently in a hurry.
“Is who here?” Rose answered with her own question.
“My fucking asshole of a husband,” the new woman snapped nastily, “I was told the shit head was here.”
It was about that time that the man walked into the room, “alright you son of a bitch get your ass home now, I’m here to make sure you go, because of you our children won’t even speak to me,” now the woman had barged past Rose almost knocking her smaller and lighter frame to the floor.
Rose recovered quickly stepping inbetween the woman and the man she claimed to be her husband.
“I suggest you leave NOW before I have you forcefully removed,” Rose wasn’t a violent woman but if this woman set the man’s recovery back she her self would bring the woman up on charges of endangerment.
“Yeah right, I’m not leaving without my sorry piece of shit husband,” the woman was now almost screaming at Rose and the man. The man had backed away grabbing his head the pounding there was to the point that he was starting to get dizzy. “I said get your fucking ass home!”
Looking at the new woman the man could only whisper, “I don’t know you, I don’t know you.”
“Ah don’t pull that fake shit with me! I know all the tricks you’ve used the last 2 years, the headaches, the nose bleeds, the supposed vomiting up of blood!” the woman had advanced upon the man even closer he’d suddenly stopped and was staring straight at her.
“Alright that’s enough!” he suddenly yelled, I sighed finally! The new woman was shocked into silence. “I’ve taken your abuse, your negative comments, your berating, bitching, screaming long enough! You’re the one who has told me for the last 2 years that you didn’t love me 2, 3, 4 times at least an hour, and though I love you, which you constantly said was a lie, I won’t stay where I’m not wanted. That’s why I left, as I told you that day, you’ve made it abundantly clear you didn’t love me, but the last draw was when you said that you didn’t need me. We’ll see, we are done, you wanted that fucking divorce? Fine no problem I’ll have it to you within the week.” Rose could see that the man was having a hard time breathing and started screaming rushing to him as she spied the now trickling blood from his ears. The police showed up a moment later the new woman still too stunned by the man’s tirade to even move.
“I need an ambulance NOW,” Rose was screaming, the man, finally finished, suddenly collapsed hitting the floor like a ton of bricks his body starting to convulse, Rose was directing the police to lift the man placing him on the couch.
The new woman finally moved away asking Rose what was wrong with him, “He has a large brain tumor, they were unable to operate because of his loss of memory. They were afraid that it might have been caused by a physical trauma but I see now that it was mental abuse. I’m afraid that your abuse tonight has pushed him over the edge, he only has a few hours unless we get him to surgery. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW! Don’t ever come back or I’ll have you brought up on murder charges! That is if he doesn’t die, you better pray he doesn’t!”
I sighed again reaching out to slow the flow of blood and decrease the pressure on his brain. I watched as the man’s wife ran from the house as fast as she could mumbling she had a good lawyer.
Rose rode in the ambulance as it sped quickly to the hospital, the man once again was standing next to me as we watched the paramedics worked to stabilize his body. “I didn’t think I’d go this way,” he whispered staring intensely at Rose, “I love her but I never told her, now it appears that I’ll never get the chance.”
I patted him on the shoulder, “No I don’t think you’re done yet son. From what I see you have quite a few years left with Rose. Besides it’s Christmas eve, remember all those prayers for you?” He just nodded as he continued to stare at Rose. “This night is when the strongest prayers are often answered, son I haven’t heard prayers this strong as I am right now for you. I think you’ll be ok.”
“I have to ask though,” he said, “just who are you? I know that you’re always there, I can always feel you but never see you.”
Sighing I was afraid he’d get around to that, I looked up and waited for what I thought would be an order to not tell him, though I wanted to so bad. I smiled when I heard a voice say it was alright to tell him.
Taking a deep breath I looked deep into his eyes, ” I was assigned to watch over you I wasn’t the best person when I was here in physical form. Nor was I a very good father,” here I lowered my eyes, ” I am making amends now to the living to earn a place.” I hoped he wouldn’t see but I knew any moment now he would.
“D-D-Dad? you’re my guardian? I wanted to be there I was in shock for 3 days almost unable to speak, I felt I was a big part of why you died, that and that jerk of a boss you had with the state.”
Sighing I knew this was for him as well as me, “no son it wasn’t your fault nor was it his, I had a brain aneurysm I was dead almost as soon as I hit the ground. Besides even had it been your fault I’ve forgiven you years ago, always know I was proud of you of the things you tried to do and proud of the man you’ve become.”
I could see the tears falling from his eyes unashamedly, as I knew well that they were falling from mine.
After we arrived the man and I waited with Rose in the waiting room, hours later I knew that our time was coming to a close. “It’s almost time, though you won’t remember much, I love you son I know I didn’t tell you that often enough, for that I truly am sorry.”
“Dad, I know that you need forgiveness, though I don’t feel you have anything to be forgiven for. If you need it from me you have it and my love also.” I could see in his eyes love that I thought I’d never see let alone feel.
“Goodby son,” with that he was drawn back into his body. A few hours later Rose and I went back to see him.
As we walked in Rose went straight to him, in a croacking voice he whispered, “Rose, you stayed.”
“Of course, what you think I’d leave? Boy you really are out of it.” she said with a smirk.
“I know you don’t owe anything and I owe you my life but I… I think I’ve fallen in love with you.” The words were difficult for him to get out, hurt so bad for so long, afraid of what she could do to him with her rejection he still stumbled on. “I know it’s insane to feel this way this fast but I can see you don’t feel the same way so I wanted to thank you for all you did again.”
Rose’s eyes flew wide had she heard him right? He loved her? Damn! here she thought she was the one who’d lost her mind. I felt a tug at both my shoulders strange it wasn’t time for me to go yet.
“Phil, where did you g…,” she stopped short at the odd look on his face.
“How did you find out my name? I just rememberd it right before I passed out,” he replied surprised.
“I’m afraid that was our fault,” turning Phil saw 3 of his 4 adult children standing in the doorway, “We found out where you were, what had happened and just got here a few minutes ago. Thank god you survived.” All 3 came and embraced him, Rose went into the hall to allow them to talk. 2 hours later they were leaving when the oldest daughter stopped by Rose, “Oh hello June.” Rose said.
June’s eyes rose a moment, “We wanted to thank you for taking care of Dad, we’ll be back soon. By the way he was asking for you had a serious look on his face.”
As Rose walked toward the room I felt another tug at both shoulders again I just brushed it off, more concerned about what was supposed to happen. Walking in Rose could see that Phil was half asleep but his eyes flew wide when he saw her approaching. “My children have offered me a place to stay till I get back on my feet so I don’t have to impose on you anymore.”
Rose was actually upset now and was about to start shouting but stopped her self short no she thought, there was a better way as a sly smile crossed her face. “Well that’s ashame.”
“Ashame, why do you say that,” he asked puzzled.
“Well, you see as I was about to say before we were interrupted,” here Rose walked to the door closing and locking it. “I was going to offer you a present that might make you want to stay.”
“A present? What present could make me want to be a burden to you?” he asked truly confused.
“Well first part is my love, Phil I love you as crazy as it sounds I have fallen hard for you.” Phil was shocked then smiled large.
“And the second part?” Phil asked still curious.
“That I’ll show you but you can’t have any till your out of here.” Rose smiled slyly then dropped her coat standing there before him stark naked. Phil could only stare, “Merry Christmas, I love you.”
At that moment I felt a huge tug on both shoulders as my wings sprang forth, I swear Phil could see me as I saw him look straight at me and smile.
