Angel on a Mission

Chapter 7

Gabrielle's POV

The story ultimately made it to the news; however, my identity remained undisclosed to the public as it should.

I had strongly asserted my stance against having my name appear on any public platform.

I prefer to leave as little trace of my existence as possible.

I am an angel.

Not a celebrity.

This morning, I woke up to the soft sunlight streaming through my window, gently warming my face once again.

I sat up in bed and began my day with prayer, prioritizing my spiritual connection before anything else.

It was Sunday.

After taking a refreshing shower, I got dressed and made my way to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast.

Just as I was finishing up, my phone rang, and I noticed it was Bella calling.

“Heyyy,” I answered.

“Good morning, Bella,” I replied, a smile spreading across my face.

“Good morning, girlfriend! What are your plans for today?” she asked.

“Nothing particular. Why do you ask?”

“Should we go to the mall with Mika and Brooke?” she suggested excitedly.

“Sure, why not?” I responded.

“Yay! We’ll pick you up in thirty minutes, okay?” she chirped.

“I’ll actually meet you at the mall instead,” I informed her.

“Okiii! I’ll see you there!” Bella said enthusiastically.

“See you,” I replied before hanging up.

After finishing my breakfast, I changed into a more suitable outfit for going out.

I wasn't planning on buying anything, or shopping, as humans commonly refer to it.

There isn’t much I need, truly.

I possess everything I require, and that is more than enough.

I drove my car to the mall location Bella had sent me, and I patiently waited in the parking lot.

As I looked up at the sun, a smile crept onto my face, and I instinctively raised my arms to shield my eyes from its brightness.

It was a truly beautiful day.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over me, and I looked up to see Alexander’s face.

“The girls are waiting for you inside,” he stated, clearing his throat while diverting his gaze.

I nodded in acknowledgment and got out of my car.

We made our way toward the mall entrance, with Alexander following closely behind me.

I might have asked him to walk beside me, but I knew that would potentially upset him.

Something about him had changed.

He seemed more curious about me now, with a noticeable reduction in his anger. However, it's clear that trust is still an issue for him, and I understand that.

“Elle!” Brooke squealed, dashing towards me like she always does, and I caught her in my arms, hugging her tightly as she giggled happily.

“You look like her bodyguard, Alex,” Bella teased Alexander, who merely shot her a glare.

“Anyway, let’s go shopping!” Bella said excitedly, linking her arms with mine and Mika’s.

I held Brooke's small hand as we walked into the mall together.

We wandered around various stores while Bella took charge of our shopping adventure. She eagerly selected clothes for all of us, especially for Mika.

Although I usually declined her offerings, she would still end up purchasing things for me, much to my chagrin.

I watched as Bella skipped happily, her arm still linked with Mika’s, while I held Brooke’s hand.

“Alex,” Brooke called out to him, stretching her small hand toward his. Alexander glanced at her hand, but he hesitated. Brooke pouted at him.

“Hold my hand,” she insisted with a pout, causing Alexander to sigh before taking her hand. Brooke giggled joyfully as she clutched our hands.

“Oooooh,” Bella teased, eyeing the two of them, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You two would look so great together if only Alex wasn’t such a—” she started to say but was interrupted.

“Bella, you can’t say that word,” I interjected, glancing at the innocent Brooke who was listening intently. Bella composed a pout in response.

“What word, Elle?” Brooke inquired innocently.

“It’s a bad word, Brooke, so I can’t tell you,” I explained while slightly crouching down to her level. She nodded in understanding.

After some time spent browsing, we decided it was time for lunch.

I took a seat next to Brooke while Alexander sat directly across from me.

I helped Brooke with her food before finally digging into my own meal.

I could feel Alexander’s gaze on me.

“Alex, stop staring at Elle. You’ve been doing that since we started our shopping spree,” Bella pointed out, and he shot her a glare, turning his attention away from me.

Once we finished lunch, we continued shopping.

Or, at least, Bella continued with her shopping endeavor.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a man holding a crying child.

Sighing softly, I turned to Alexander. “Please hold onto Brooke for me,” I requested, handing him Brooke’s little hand without waiting for a response.

With calm determination, I walked toward the suspicious man, who appeared to be hastily making his way to the mall exit with the distressed child in his arms.

“Excuse me, sir,” I said firmly, positioning myself right in front of him. He looked both shocked and nervous.

“What do you want?” he spat out defiantly.

The little girl in his grasp continued to cry uncontrollably.

“That’s not your child,” I pointed out, noticing the shock registering on his face, although he held on tightly to the girl.

“Move!” he barked, attempting to shove past me.

Reacting quickly, I grabbed him by the back of his shirt, yanking him back, and I swiftly took the child into my arms.

The entire encounter transpired in a matter of moments.

The little girl clung to me, trembling, while the man’s eyes looked as if he were ready to pounce on me.

As if on cue, he turned to look behind him, alarmed, just as guards rushed toward us.

“s**t!” he cursed, his face filling with rage as he turned his attention back to me. Just as he was about to grab me, I dodged to the side and kicked the back of his knees, causing him to fall to the ground.

The guards quickly apprehended him, and a distressed mother rushed toward us, crying out, “My baby!”

With haste, I returned the little girl to her mother, relieved to see them reunited.

“Mommy!” the girl exclaimed, bursting into tears once again.

I turned to watch the man being held by two guards, who had now pinned him down, and I caught his furious gaze directed at me.

“You b***h!” he screamed at me in sheer rage.

I chose not to acknowledge his words.

He had committed too many evil acts.

His heart was nearly blackened by malevolence.

He needed to be punished.

The guards dragged him away, leaving me with the grateful mother and her daughter.

I embraced them both, and as soon as my skin made contact with theirs, they visibly relaxed.

The mother looked up at me through tear-streaked cheeks.

“Thank you so much,” she sobbed, and I smiled gently in return.

“You're most welcome,” I replied softly. The little girl gazed up at me, wiping away her tears.

“Angel,” she murmured, reaching her tiny hand out towards me, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

She knew.

I took the little girl’s face in my hands gently.

“I hope you grow up to be a kind and loving child. Be a good daughter and a caring sister,” I said, and the mother looked at me in shock.

“What do you mean?” she asked, perplexed.

“I think you’re pregnant. You should get a check-up,” I advised her, and she stared at me wide-eyed.

“M-me? Pregnant?” she stammered, still trying to process my words. I nodded affirmatively.

“Take care of that baby. Keep it healthy,” I said, before delicately caressing the little girl's hair and walking away.

I had just saved a child, a mother, and an unborn child's life.

The child had been slated for sale, her life on the brink of being snuffed out. The mother would have succumbed to depression, possibly leading to a miscarriage, eventually resulting in her untimely demise.

That would have been the cruel fate that awaited them.

Until I came along.

That was my duty here on Earth.

“Elle, what happened?” Bella inquired curiously, a worried expression clouding her features.

“A k********g situation occurred,” I replied with a casual shrug, while holding Brooke’s hand as we walked.

“What?!” they all exclaimed in unison, shock evident in their voices.

We decided to take a break at a café, and Brooke rested her head on my lap, drifting off to sleep almost immediately.

I smiled warmly as I watched her peaceful expression.

I caressed her back gently and even whispered soothing lullabies to her to help her relax.

Our eyes caught each other’s, and I gave Alexander a small smile, which caused him to look away, a hint of nervousness evident in his demeanor.

“Alex, you’re so obvious,” Bella whispered teasingly to him.

I could overhear their conversation but chose to give them their privacy, pretending not to listen.

After some time spent at the café, Brooke eventually woke up.

“How was your nap?” I asked, cradling her as we gathered our things and prepared to leave.

“It was nice. Thank you!” Brooke replied, beaming happily.

“It’s still pretty early. Do you guys want to go to a playground?” I suggested eagerly.

“Yes!” the girls responded cheerfully in unison.

I turned to give Alexander a questioning look.

“He doesn’t need to be asked,” Bella remarked, dragging us along in her enthusiastic pursuit.

We made our way to a nearby playground by the mall, filled with other children and couples enjoying the day together.

“Ugh. Couples,” Bella groused, an eye roll accompanying her comment as she witnessed others engaging in public displays of affection.

Turning her attention back to me, she asked, “How many exes have you had, Elle?”

“Ex-boyfriends?” I clarified.

Bella nodded in affirmation.

We settled into a shaded area while Brooke played gleefully on the slide.

Mika, Bella, and even Alexander all looked at me, eagerly awaiting my response.

“I don’t have any,” I stated matter-of-factly.

Bella gasped, and Mika and Alexander appeared equally shocked.

If only they knew the reason why.

“Really? You must be joking! Tell me you’re lying right now!” Bella exclaimed incredulously.

I hadn’t lied about anything since my arrival on Earth.

“I’m not lying. This is the truth,” I told them firmly.

Bella gasped again in disbelief.

“Unbelievable! You mean to say you’ve never been in a relationship before? Not a goddess like you?” she exclaimed, clearly astonished.

“I’m not a goddess,” I replied, shaking my head softly.

“But wait, are you serious SERIOUS?” Bella pressed for confirmation.

“Yes, Bella, I am,” I reiterated with a nod.

“But why?” she continued to press.

Because angels don’t engage in relationships.

“I just don’t want to,” I shrugged nonchalantly.

I caught Alexander’s gaze; he was staring intently at me as if searching for answers.

I could sense the curiosity racing through his mind, but I chose to remain silent.

“Why don’t you want to be in a relationship, Elle?” Mika asked curiously.

“I’ve got other priorities at the moment,” I replied.

“That’s shocking news, right, Mika?” Bella said, turning to her friend.

Mika nodded, conveying her surprise.

“I honestly expected you to have at least one ex-boyfriend. At least one, because I’m sure everyone would be eager to have you as their girlfriend,” I chuckled lightly at the thought.

They all looked genuinely shocked.

“You know what? I should probably set you up with someone, like a blind date or something. I know a few great guys,” Bella suggested excitedly.

I quickly shook my head.

“No, thank you. I’d prefer to remain as I am,” I told her firmly.

“But I promise it’ll be fun! The three of us can even go on blind dates together!” Bella insisted.

Mika’s eyes widened in alarm.

“No, thank you for me either. I really don’t think I like that idea all that much,” Mika said, her cheeks turning a rosy shade as she nervously left to join Brooke.

“But—” Bella started to protest.

“Bella,” Alexander interjected with a firm tone to redirect the conversation.

Seeing her pout, Bella sighed in defeat.

“I suppose that’s not happening,” she conceded, feeling disappointed, and she trudged off to join Brooke and Mika.

Feeling a wave of relief wash over me, I welcomed the peace.

The last thing I needed at that moment was to get entangled in the complexities of 'dating' humans.

Such situations could lead to an array of unforeseen troubles.

I was explicitly not supposed to develop romantic feelings for humans.

It was both something I couldn’t and shouldn’t engage in.

It was one of the gravest sins for angels like myself.

We were sent down to Earth to aid humans and to fulfill our divine duties to God.

Falling in love with humans was not part of our mission.

That was never our calling.

For the time being, Alexander and I sat at a distance from one another.

He would glance over at me every now and then, but I chose to ignore him.

I managed to ignore the first ten glances he shot in my direction.

“Do you need to say something?” I finally asked, looking straight at him.

Alexander looked back at me, a flicker of hesitation passing across his features.

“Nothing,” he lied.

Clearly, he had numerous things to say to me, questions swirling in his mind.

Pride was what kept him silent.

Not to mention, he seemed both embarrassed and shy to start a conversation with me.

A short while later, Brooke came back to where I was sitting and climbed onto my lap, facing me.

“I’m so happy and tired,” she said, resting her head against me.

I smiled tenderly, running my fingers along her back in a comforting gesture.

Not even a minute later, she had fallen fast asleep.

I smiled warmly at her, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment.

“We should probably head out,” I said gently after a while.

I stood up, and Alexander attempted to take Brooke from me.

“It’s alright. She’ll wake up if you take her from me,” I explained while still carrying her myself.

With a sleeping Brooke nestled in my arms, we headed to the parking lot.

As we reached Alexander's car, I carefully placed Brooke in the child seat in the passenger side.

“Bella, could you please check on Brooke tonight?” I requested, turning my gaze towards her.

“Why?” Bella asked, curiosity evident in her voice.

“She’s been having nightmares occasionally, hasn’t she?” I probed.

“How did you know that?” Bella replied, a puzzled expression crossing her face.

I simply nodded knowingly.

“A hunch,” I said lightly, shrugging my shoulders. Bella, though still confused, seemed to accept my answer.

Leaning in, I pressed a gentle kiss to Brooke’s forehead before bidding goodbye to everyone and walking away.

It had indeed been a very tiring day.