Angel Unawares

Jade

Bailey's mother, Susan, was very surprised to see Amber but readily agreed to the proposal that she stay with them, temporarily, at least. "Great!" Bailey exclaimed. "It's almost like having a sister again!"

Her words made Amber think of Jade. It's really been too long since I talked to her, she told herself. So much has happened, and I need to at least let her know I'm OK.

Amber liked her new room. It was painted light pink and had a bed with a matching frilly pink quilt and even a pink lampshade. It looked very feminine, and joy of joys, it boasted a computer. Amber logged onto her f*******: account right away and clicked on her sister's profile.

I'm with a new family now, she wrote. I had to leave home because of Bruce. I met Bailey Anderson in the library. Her sister died, so her family has room for an extra person. Her Mom seems really nice. She hesitated. Should she tell Jade that Danny was back? Somehow she felt it should be a secret; yet, on the other hand, perhaps Jade had the right to know. After all, Danny had been her boyfriend, not Amber's.

It was Danny who helped me find a home with the Andersons, she finally wrote. He's been back for awhile now. He's helped me a lot. If it weren't for him, I don't know what would have happened to me.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the 'send' button and hoped for the best. Susan called her to dinner then, and she met Bailey's father, Paul, for the first time. He was a nice-looking man with a full head of dark brown hair and mournful brown eyes. Amber wondered whether he ever really smiled. To her he seemed permanently sad. She felt terribly sorry for him.

On Monday she started school with Bailey. It was a different school from the one she'd attended when she'd lived with her mother and stepfather. She was glad, as it would have been terribly awkward to have had to explain everything that had happened to her.

Over the course of the week, Amber slowly began to feel as if life was finally back to normal again. Soon she was busy with classes, homework, and after-school activities. On Friday night she went to a movie with Bailey and her friend Dara, and on Saturday the three girls went roller skating together. Jade was waiting for her at home when they got back.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"What are you doing here?" asked Amber. Bailey just looked puzzled.

"Bailey, this is my sister, Jade," Amber said. "Jade, Bailey. What are you doing here, Jade?"

"I came to see him, of course. Where is he?"

"I'm right here." Suddenly Danny was there, dressed casually in t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, as always.

"Danny!" Jade lunged at him and tried to hug his neck.

"You shouldn't have come here, Jade," said Danny. "You belong in California, with Gideon."

"But you're the one I love, Danny!" Jade wailed.

Danny shook his head. "What we had is over, Jade. I came back for Amber because she needs me. You don't."

"But I do need you!" Jade protested.

"No, you don't. You have Gideon now."

"But I gave my virginity to you!"

"And I gave mine to you." At Danny's words, Amber felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart. So Jade and Danny had slept together.

"Well, doesn't that mean anything at all to you?" asked Jade.

"It did at one time," Danny replied. "But it doesn't anymore. Go back to California, Jade. That's where you belong now."

Jade was crying now. Danny turned away from her and looked at Amber. He held his hand out to her, and she took it. They walked along together silently for awhile.

"It upset you to find out that Jade and I had s*x, didn't it?" Danny asked quietly.

Amber nodded. "It just seems so unfair! She voluntarily gave hers out of love, but mine was stolen from me in a very cruel way!"

Danny shook his head. "You didn't give it voluntarily, so you still have it."

"Danny, can you still...you know..." She blushed.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I was just curious. That's all."

"I still have a body, don't I? So I can still do all the things a person with a body can do. Look, Amber, we were young, only seventeen, and we made a mistake. Don't make the same mistake I did, Amber. Wait until you're older, and you're sure it's the right time."

"What are you exactly, Danny? Are you a ghost?"

He laughed. "Ghosts don't have bodies, do they?"

"Well, what are you, then?"

He grinned. "What do you think I am?"

She frowned in concentration. "An angel?" she asked after awhile.

"So you've heard of us."

"Well, of course I have! Is that really what you are, Danny? An angel from heaven?"

"That's where we come from, yes."

"Is heaven really as wonderful as I've always heard it is?"

"It's even better."

"And you left all that just for me?" Amber was astounded.

"Sometimes we miss human companionship."

"But why me?"

He laughed again. "Why not you?"