Angel Unawares

The Fight

"So where did you guys go?" Bailey asked Amber.

"To the movies," Amber told her.

"Cool! What did you see?"

"What movie have I been wanting to see for so long?"

"Magic in the Moonlight?"

"That's the one!" Amber didn't really like being dishonest with her new friend and foster sister, but she felt that the only option available to her at this point was to be deliberately evasive. Otherwise, what could she say? I'm dating an angel? Certainly Mrs. Anderson would send her to a psychiatrist, and she definitely didn't want that. Word would get around the school, and she'd be considered a 'nut case' and ostracized.

"How did you meet that guy, anyway?" Bailey continued. "He doesn't go to our school, does he?"

"No. He dated my sister Jade for awhile, but three years ago...he had to move away. He just now moved back."

"Oh yeah, now I remember. But Jade has another boyfriend now, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. Danny had only been gone for a couple of months when she met Gideon."

"Boy, that sure was fast!"

"I know!"

"She sure seemed keen on getting him back, though."

"Yeah. Jade can be pretty fickle sometimes."

"I'll say! So she's back in California now, huh?"

"Yes, thank goodness, and I hope she stays there."

After composing the message to Danny, Jade turned the computer off, went back to bed, and was soon asleep. A short time later, Gideon woke up and went into the kitchen to look for a snack. Jade's been acting a bit strange lately, he said to himself. I wonder what's up with her? After fixing himself a sandwich, he sat at the computer and turned it on. On impulse, he checked the 'history' tab to see whether Jade had been looking at any dating or pornography sites. He saw that the 'find-a-grave' site was listed first.

That's weird, he told himself. A thought occurred to him. Danny. Within seconds he'd pulled up the relevant page and was looking through the messages. He found Jade's with ease. He's nothing to compare with you.

Gideon finished his sandwich and began to pack. He was about halfway through when Jade awakened. "Gid?" she asked. "What's going on? What the hell are you doing?"

"What the hell does it look like I'm doing? I'm leaving!"

"But why?" Jade wailed.

"You know damn well why. Why are you sending messages to some guy who's been dead for three years, telling him he's better in the sack than I am?"

Jade felt as if all the air had just been knocked out of her. "Oh, you found the message."

"Damn right I found it! If you've got a problem with my bedroom performance, why didn't you tell me to my face instead of sniveling to your dead former boyfriend about it?"

"I don't have a problem with your bedroom performance at all, Gideon!" Jade whined. "It's just that..."

"Just nothing!" Gideon exploded, tossing a pair of worn sneakers into a suitcase. "If you don't appreciate me, I'll find someone who does!"

"But I do appreciate you, Gideon!"

"Yeah, right! Sure you do! That's why you're writing messages to some dead guy, telling him how bad you miss him and want him back?"

"I swear to you, Gideon, I didn't mean a word of it!"

"Why did you write it, then?"

"I don't know!" Desperate, Jade struggled to find the right words. How could she ever diffuse Gideon's rage? "I guess...I just got to feeling all sentimental and thinking about the way things used to be, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy with the way things are now!"

"You mean the way they were. They're not anymore!"

"Please, Gideon!"

He ignored her and finished packing. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"Anywhere to get away from here. I'd imagine Noah could probably put me up for a few days until I can find a place of my own."

Jade threw herself across the bed and cried until there were no more tears left.

Sunday morning, Amber awakened and thought of the church she'd been required to attend while she'd been staying at Our Father's House. She hadn't returned to it since her miscarriage and wasn't sure why it had suddenly come to mind.

As she went about her usual morning business, memories of the few services she'd attended there still lingered in her mind. After eating breakfast, helping with the dishes, and getting dressed, she was just about to sit on the sofa watching television with Bailey when she noticed how sunny it was outside and decided to go for a walk. She was only mildly surprised when she saw that he was walking beside her.

"Nice day for a walk, isn't it?" he asked her.

"Gorgeous." It was crisp and cool but very bright. The leaves were changing colors and falling from the trees. It was a perfect autumn day.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you what a great time I had last night," he told her. After seeing her home, he'd squeezed her hand as he'd said good-bye to her and, after making sure that she'd gotten inside safely, had disappeared.

"I had a great time too!" she said with a smile.

He grinned. "I'm glad you did."

"I was just thinking about the church I went to a few times when I was staying at Our Father's House."

"That isn't the only kind of church there is, you know," Danny told her. "There's a really nice one not far from here that I know of. How would you like to try it?"

"Oh, yes!" Amber exclaimed.

Danny didn't tell her about the message he'd received from Jade. He didn't want her to worry needlessly.