Her Guardian Angel- Gabriel's Story

Chapter 2- Invincible

9 years later

Talia's pov

"Talia, Talia! Come inside for dinner!" Momma was calling for me, again. I know I shouldn't keep her waiting, but I really can't figure out how to get down from this tree!

It was so easy to get up here. Almost as if the breeze helped lift my every step. The neighbor kids called me a monkey after I got up here so quickly, but now they are all home for dinner and I'm left pondering whether or not to jump down? I usually have this inner voice that tells me I can do anything! Giving me the confidence, I need to take on the world! Or at least prove the neighbor boy, Adam, wrong. Like today when he told me I couldn't climb this tree. I sure showed him! He even said he'd give me $5 if I made it... but now I can't seem to get down, and my confident inner voice seems to be extra quiet right now.

My inner voice isn't really my own. I don't know how to describe it best, but it's more like my best friend than my own voice. They help me solve problems, get out of trouble, or into it depending on the day. He keeps me company when I'm lonely. And yes, I did say he. Somewhere along the line I even started dreaming of this voice. He's my best friend if I'm being totally honest, and I even started calling him Gabe in my dreams. I know, I know, sounds a bit psycho. I told my mom about my dream friend once and she got all nervous and weirded out by it. Dad said it was probably just an imaginary friend and not to worry about it. I know about imaginary friends, but Gabe just seems different to me. Sometimes I just think he’s my guardian angel, even though I know that sounds silly too.

I decided I should probably just jump… it was a very tall tree and I was higher than the second story windows of the house near-by. I let go and stepped off the branch. The sudden loss of physical contact took my breathe away. I swear it was all slow motion. Gravity pulling me down, but the breeze seemed to pick me up, slowly setting me on the ground as if it was the most natural thing for me to do. When I turned around, I thought I saw a young man in a white dress, but he was gone before I was even able to blink again.

Without even thinking it through I said “Thanks Gabe!” and ran home for dinner. That was the first time I saw my angel, but it would not be the last.

Gabriel’s POV

Heaven

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh… what did I just do? Did I really just materialize in front of my girl? What was I thinking? That’s a cardinal rule. Our humans can’t know they have an angel following them around. It will change their behavior and effect the way they live their lives too much!

Oh, this is bad, what should I do now? I have been so involved in this little one’s life from day 1, she really has kept me on my toes. Constantly pushing the limits on what a human body can sustain, which pushes me to intervene often. Probably too often if were being honest, but how could I let anything happen to my girl, my princess? And no one has said anything either, yet. Except maybe for Isaac, he seems to be watching my work a bit more these days.

“What was that tree incident about?” Isaac questioned me.

“Oh, that little thing? I just didn’t want her to break her leg…” I slyly responded, wondering where this line of questioning was going.

“You know a broken leg can build character for some humans, maybe you should back off from helping Miss Talia so much.” He quipped back.

Back off, why would I back off? I’m her guardian angel. It is my job to keep her safe, and I take my job very seriously. “You focus on your job, and I’ll focus on mine.” I told him. “I don’t see you with any special humans to take care of. So, I must be doing something right.”

“I am just saying, you don’t have to protect her from everything life throws at her. Life is hard for humans, it’s not our job to make it easy.”

I didn’t respond and just walked away. Part of me knew he was right. It wasn’t our job to protect our humans from everything, but for Talia everything seemed different. From the moment she was born I’ve been by her side. I would comfort her to sleep every night, singing “you are my sunshine”. She loves that song and would fall asleep with the sweetest smile on her face when I sang it.

When she’s sick, I hold her tight in my invisible hugs to help her heal faster. I could never sit back and watch her suffer with even an ear infection. It was almost like her pain became mine, and I gladly took as much of the burdens of life away from her as I could. It became my obsession. I rarely ever made it back to heaven, earth became my home, as long as I was with my sweet sparkling Talia.

I followed her every move during the day, and spent every night in her dreams. I did this often as it was a place I could really get to know her. It’s not against the rules to talk in dreams. I came to her however she needed me. I was the friend to play chase with, the horse she dreamed of riding, the warm blanket after a snowball fight, my role was always different, but it was always me and her. I found myself looking forward to our nightly ‘playdates’. Even in her dreams that sparkling spirit shined bright, bright violet.

When she turned four, she started remembering me from her dreams and talking to me during the day. She felt me with her, even when I wasn’t doing anything but watching. I didn’t have a name for the longest time. One night when I came to her in a dream, she asked me for my name. It was against the rules to give her my name, so I simply asked her what she wanted to call me. “Gabe, I want to call you Gabe…” Talia said.

“Where did you come up with that name?” I asked trying not to let my shock be too evident.

“He’s my favorite angel from the Christmas story, and since I think you are my angel, I want to call you that.” She smiled “His name is actually Gabriel, but I like Gabe better.”

I just smiled and nodded, “as you wish my princess.” It was like her spirit actually knew exactly who I was. We shared a popsicle after that in the dream. Just sitting on a bench by a lake. Just as I was wondering where she had come up with this dream she spoke up.

“Gabe?” Her voice was so sweet back then.

“Yes, my princess?”

“Do you ever wonder what heaven is like?”

“Do you wonder what heaven is like?” I was worried she was asking too much, and didn’t want to reveal more in her dreams.

“I think heaven is like this, sitting with your best friend, sharing popsicles.”

“And the lake? Is this what you imagine in heaven?” I was so curious as how this place was the setting of our dream. I had never been anywhere like it, and I didn’t think she had either.

“Yes, this lake is my heaven. As long as I’m with you too. I don’t want to go anywhere without you.”

“As you wish my princess.” And with that I phased out of the dream. Talia had put to words my very thoughts. As long as I’m with her, I felt like I didn’t need heaven.

---

Back to my reality today, I had just materialized in front of Talia when she jumped from a tree. A tree I had helped her climb way too high in. How was I supposed to handle this? You could say that I ran back to heaven to avoid making this mess any bigger. I wasn’t the first angel to materialize on earth, but it hasn’t happened for a long time. I did it once to tell Mary she was pregnant. Trust me when I say that wasn’t a message she wanted to hear in a dream. I can still remember the shock she felt when I appeared. Poor girl, that’s when I realized how scary seeing angels can be. But Talia wasn’t scared of me. I didn’t know how to process this situation. I wasn’t trying show myself, how could that have happened? I decided to lay low and stay in heaven for a few days. I am an archangel for God sakes, I don’t make mistakes like this.

After day three hanging out in the angel observation lounge in heaven, the place with the best view of earth, Isaac approached me again. He didn’t say anything at first, just sat down next to me. I had the perfect view of Talia from up here, angels have crazy zoom-in abilities and most guardians monitor their humans this way.

“So.” Isaac’s voice was laced with a deeper intent.

“Are you here to scold me?” I interrupted him before he could finish.

“No. But I am wondering why you came back up here.” What was he talking about? This is where most guardian angels do their jobs.

“I can do my job from up here just as easily.” Wasn’t it obvious to him? What was his deal?

“Then why have you spent the last 9 years on earth?” I hated that he actually made a good point.

“Talia’s special, she needs me close. It doesn’t feel right when I leave her.”

“Then why are you up here?” The million-dollar question.

“Listen, I didn’t mean to materialize. I messed up. I don’t know how it happened and I’m scared it will happen again. I can’t lose Talia!” I blurted out my deepest fear to my oldest friend. “I mean, I can’t lose my job and have another angel assigned to her.”

“God chose you specifically for this girl. I don’t know why she is special, but I know you are the only angel good enough for her.” Isaac reassured me. “Just back off from the personal connection with her a little bit. She’s still young and will forget your little slip up soon enough. You know you can’t stay this close to her when she is older and will remember.”

“I know you're right. I think it just scared me that I lost control of the situation like that.” Admitting mistakes is really hard, especially when you don’t make them often.

“What was that again?” Isaac playfully grinned.

“Huh?” I wasn’t following him.

“The part where you said I was right…” His grin was so mischievous and his eyes flashed dark again.

“Very funny! But yes, in this case you are right. Don’t let it get to your head! Pridefulness leads to sinfulness….” I laughed with my friend.

“That my dear Gabriel is a conversation for another day.” I wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that, but decided it wasn’t important.

“You should get back down there. I think she is calling for you….” With that Isaac left, and my attention went back to Earth, to the edge of a little town in Oregon, where my little human was tucked in bed silently crying, asking for me….

Talia’s POV

It’s been 3 days since I thought I saw Gabe, my angel, in real life. When I jumped from that tree, I knew he would guide me down, like he always did. But this time I saw him. The most beautiful young man I had ever seen. Light brown shoulder length hair, glowing blue eyes, draped in a white gown, just like pictures from the bible. My guardian angel is real. But I don’t think I was supposed to see him, because the look on his face was not what I expected. He was shocked and maybe even mad that I saw him. I ran home after that, sure that I would see him in my dreams like I did every night, but he never came. I didn’t feel his presence the next morning, or for the next few days. I thought I did something wrong. Gabe was always with me. That constant comfort, giving me the confidence and courage to jump head on into everything I did.

I laid in bed that night and said my nightly prayer, “Dear God, thank you for this day, and all the blessing you have given me. Thank you for my mother, father, and for Gabe….” I silently started crying after I said his name. I couldn’t finish the prayer and found myself calling out for Gabe to come back to me. I missed him so much. It was like part of me was missing. How could my angel leave me? What did I do to make him leave?

It was then that I heard my song, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away….” That song always put me to sleep, and this time I knew my Gabe was coming back to me, because that was his song for me.

“Gabe!” I called out in my dream. “Gabe! Where are you?”

“I’m here my Princess.” I ran to him, noticing for the first time that he looked just like he did at the tree. He’s always been in different forms before, I wondered if this is what he really looks like. “I’m sorry I left.”

“Why? Why did you leave me? Did I do something wrong?” I blabbered as I held onto his waist as tight as I could in a dream.

“It wasn’t you, my princess. I’m sorry I made you worry.” Gabe whispered into my hair.

I couldn’t let go. It was like my missing piece was found, and if I let go, he might disappear again. “Please don’t leave me again!” I begged.

“My dearest Talia, I will always be near, but I am not supposed to let you see me outside of your dreams.” Gabe gently pulled away from our hug.

“Is this what you really look like?” I asked.

“Yes, more or less, but I come to your dreams however you need me.” He confessed.

“So, you are my guardian angel?” I had already come to that conclusion, but wanted some confirmation.

“I am whatever you need me to be my princess.” He bowed to me gracefully.

“Good! Because I need you with me always!”

“My sweetest Talia, there will come a time that you do not need me anymore. When you are strong enough, you will be able to go on with me faded into the background. I’ll always be there, but you won’t be able to feel me someday.” I started to cry again, but Gabe gently brushed my tears away.

“Please don’t cry, we still have a long time together. I just want you to know that one day, I will have to disappear, and you will still be ok.”

I was worried if I kept talking, he would tell me that time was coming sooner. Instead, I imagined the lake of my dreams. I had never been to a lake like this, but it is somehow my place of comfort in my dreams. As I have gotten older it has gotten more detailed. I sit on a bench near a dock that juts out into a clear swimming area. There is a rope swing and a cabin behind me on the bluff. A rocky stream flows by the cabin and down to the lake. If I look closely, I can even see fish swimming under the dock. In this dream Gabe and I sat quietly on the bench watching the sunset behind the evergreen trees. The sky had a lot of orange and purple in it today. Purple is my favorite color; it seems to hold all of my emotions in one beautiful shade.

Before I knew it, I was waking up in my bed, in my room, in my quiet house. I paused before getting up to get dressed, to see if I could feel the electric tingles that I sometimes felt when Gabe was nearby. It was as if he knew I was checking on him and I felt a gentle embrace and little tingles like a kiss on my forehead. With that, I sighed with relief and got ready for school. With Gabe by my side, I could do anything.

Gabriel’s POV

As I sat on the bench next to Talia, I noticed how detailed her dream of the lake had become. I found myself feeling so at home in this little spot, my own little heaven if I were to create it. And the sunset tonight was absolutely breathtaking. Although, its kind of ironic the sun sets in our dream world, just as the sun rises in reality. I looked down at my little human one more time before she had to wake up. That little blonde head had so much spunk and life in her. I never thought a guardian angel could be blessed by their human, but that is exactly what my princess was. A blessing, a gift that God had granted me another chance to see all the love that life on earth could offer his beloved humans. I thought of all the struggles I had helped her avoid over the years and realized that I couldn’t do this forever. She was human and needed to experience some of the pain of life to truly live it. But not today, and not for a while. For now, she can stay my sweet little Talia.

I bent over and kissed her forehead, gently waking her up. I hovered over her briefly before running ‘upstairs’ to chat with Isaac about something that was nagging me.

“Good morning, Gabriel, you seem like an angel on a mission.” Isaac greeted me.

“How do you know I’m on a mission?” I questioned my friend, “and good morning to you as well.”

“I’ve known you my whole existence, it’s pretty obvious…” His know-it-all demeanor this morning was slightly annoying.

“If it’s so obvious, then you will know my question already.” I challenged him, thinking I bested him on some level.

“You are wondering about your girl and how being her guardian will look in the future.” Isaac said nonchalantly.

“Bbbbbut…How did you know that? I was just now realizing that this is not how a normal human/guardian relationship looks.”

“Just now? Jez Gabriel, your relationship with that little girl has never been normal. It is special, God put you with her for a reason. You aren’t the average angel and don’t do guardian duty normally. I don’t know what to tell you if you are just now realizing this.” Isaac wasn’t smiling anymore. I couldn’t read his thoughts like I sometimes could back in the day.

“I know I can’t keep our relationship this close forever, but I don’t know when I should pull back? When do I let all the little things that come with life on earth hit her so she can grow up? How can I let my little girl suffer normal things that humans suffer? I can’t even stand to let her scrape her knee, or even shiver from the cold! For God sakes, my whole being is obsessed with this little girl!” I didn’t realize that I started shouting at poor Isaac and I was shaking to my core.

“That my friend is the dilemma. When and where do guardians draw the line…? It’s an age-old question, but you do seem to be in a bit more of a predicament.” Isaac seemed to be telling a story, but I wasn’t following.

“How so?” I didn’t know how it could be any more complicated than it already was.

“I’m pretty sure you love her.” Isaac’s statement caught me off guard.

“What? Of course, I love her, she is my human. She is the brightest shining soul I have ever met. She has an amazing destiny that I have been sent to help guide her to. Her soul shines the most beautiful shade of violet, which is my favorite color. Her dreams are almost custom created to keep me just as happy as she is while we chat. I’ve never met another human as perfect as Talia is….” I paused after gushing over my little girl as realization hit me. Most guardians don’t love their humans. Most guardians can’t feel love at all. How in heaven did I get this feeling.

“I’ve been watching you for a while, and I think this is how it’s supposed to be right now.” Isaac wrapped his arm around my back assuring me after my life altering revelation. “Your love for her is pure, and clearly given by God, and he doesn’t make mistakes. I’d guess the time to pull back will be obvious for you. It will be when she isn’t a little girl anymore and is ready to make her own decisions.”

I know I came to Isaac for help, but I really hate it when he right. He isn’t the most selfless angel and will probably remind me of this century for millennia to come. “Thank you, Isaac, you are right again…” I admitted both to Isaac and myself. If only I knew exactly when I had to pull back from my little girl. That will be the question I face every day for the next few years. In the meantime, I plan to make the most of my time with my little girl. She doesn’t need to suffer anything until it’s absolutely necessary.