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My Angel

With a tender smile, Lynn ran her fingers over the grass and raised her head, gazing up at the sun that was beating down on her. Closing her eyes, she soaked up the sun’s rays. Lynn was a mere age of eight and had yet to see the cruelties of the world. In her young, innocent eyes, everyone was good and there were no evil people in the world. Her father, a wealthy businessman, was constantly basking her in his attention. Her mother, unfortunately, was gone the majority of the time on business trips. That didn’t seem to bother Lynn, who was constantly lost in her own world.

Her salmon pink lips turned down as a gust of wind blew over the field that she was hidden in. Turning, her frowned deepened, seeing the clouds slide over the sun. Reluctantly, she lifted her blue dress and hurried to her house, making it to the shelter of the veranda right as the rain began to patter down.

Her father opened the sliding doors and joined her, peering up at the sky with a curious expression. “It looks like a storm’s coming,” he said to her, smiling, his eyes crinkling beneath his glasses. “It appears we’ll be having a long night.” Lynn sent an anxious look to the clouds. She hated the thunder and lightning that happened during storms. Encasing her petite hand in his larger one, her father led her inside, sliding the doors behind him. “I’ll make us some soup to warm you up,” he offered.

“Okay,” Lynn answered, flashing a brilliant smile to him, her cerulean eyes sparkling. She turned her attention back to the doors, pressing her hands to the glass, watching as the wind coaxed the clouds across the sky. The sun was gone, obscured by the dark puffs of clouds. The wind flew the rain into the window and soon, Lynn’s vision of the outside world was blurred by the rain. Leaving the window, Lynn settled herself on a stool at the counter, watching as her father stirred the chicken noodle soup. “How much longer, papa?” She queried, laying her arms on the counter and resting her chin on them.

“Only a few more minutes,” he replied. “Be patient.” Lynn complied, swinging her legs. True to his words, it was only a couple minutes until he turned off the gas burner and took out two bowls and filled them with soup. He set one before Lynn and the other beside her. He left and returned with two spoons, sitting himself next to her. Lynn lightly blew on hers before eagerly eating it.

“Mmm!” She gave a sound of content. “It’s perfect during a storm!” Her father laughed.

“Yes, I suppose it is,” he agreed. They ate their soup peacefully before her father left to his office to work. Lynn continued to sip on her soup, swinging her legs playfully. She watched the rain pound on the earth when something white and large flew by the window. Lynn’s eyes widened in surprise and she slowly lowered her spoon to her bowl.

Was that a bird? She wondered. Hesitantly, she slid off her stool and toddled over to the window. She opened the doors and stepped out, her white-blonde locks blowing in her face from the wind. Looking around, she spotted a limp form slumped against the house. Her eyes moved over the lithe form, surprise filling her soft features. An angel! She concluded, cautiously moving towards the creature. “Hello?” She called just as she was a few feet from it. Jumping as the massive, gorgeous wings shifted, she hid behind a chair as the angel moved its wings from shielding itself.

“Who spoke?” A soft, masculine voice queried. Blinking, Lynn peered around the chair. “Ah. A child.” Lynn didn’t reply, her eyes fixed on the beautiful features of the male. His long, silver hair was tossed in his tan face and over his shoulders. His amber eyes drooped slightly with exhaustion and wariness. “What is your name, child?”

“Lynn,” she answered quietly, carefully easing out from behind the chair. With hesitant steps, she moved towards the angel. She paused when she was standing directly in front of him, the toe of her white dress shoes nearly touching his shining white boot. “Are you hurt?” He smiled lightly and shook his head.

“No, only very tired.” Lynn’s expression turned curious as she observed the angel. She knelt down, wrapping her arms around her legs. She pushed her hair back so the wind couldn’t thrash it around.

“You can sleep in my bed, if you want,” she offered, smiling kindly. The angel’s mouth curved in a weary, answering smile. Straightening, Lynn grinned down at him, her eyes twinkling. “Come. Papa won’t mind.” He gazed up at her uncertainly before slowly moving to his feet. She reached out and took his hand, guiding him inside the house. She quickly shut the doors behind her and then directed him upstairs to her room. After she had forced him into her bed (which was larger than normal for a girl her age) and covered him with her blankets, she perched on the edge, commanding in a gentle tone, “You will sleep and then leave when you’re better. Okay?” The angel stared at her, startled at her order. He then gave a soft, musical laugh.

“If that is what the lady wishes,” he agreed. “It’s best your father not know an angel is sleeping in your bed, though. He might find me an unwelcome visitor.”

“But you’re an angel,” Lynn said, as though his being an angel made him exempt from her father’s disapproval.

“Nevertheless, it’s best we keep this a secret.” Her feathery eyebrows knitted together, but she nodded, trusting him.

She left him after saying a brief goodbye, shutting her door behind her and leaving downstairs. Her soup was cold, so she poured the rest down the sink and put the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. Taking a coloring book and some crayons, she went to her father’s office and settled on the ground to listen to the tapping of his fingers on the keyboard. It was a comforting sound to her, knowing that he wasn’t far away. Smiling absent mindedly, Lynn settled in to color.

It wasn’t until her father told her to get ready for bed that Lynn returned to her room. Darkness had moved over the land and the storm had finally stopped raging outside. Carefully opening her door, Lynn poked her head in and then closed it behind her, flipping the switch on. The angel was standing by her window, looking in a better condition than when she had first found him. Turning, he smiled in greeting. “It is time for me to leave,” he informed her.

“Are you better?” She asked, ignoring his announcement for the time being. He nodded his head and went to her, placing his hand on her head, making her blink.

“Thank you for your assistance, young Lynn. You have a large heart.” She had always thought everyone’s hearts were the same size, but if he said she had a bigger one than everyone else, she supposed she did.

Beaming up at him, she responded, “You’re welcome, Mr. Angel.” He blinked and then laughed.

“My name is Ciasan, not Mr. Angel.”

“Oh. Okay.” He returned to the large window and opened it, swinging it out. She followed him to the window and tilted her head back to look at up at him. “Is Heaven very pretty?”

“Very pretty,” he answered. “I am certain that one day you will see it and we will meet again.” She gave another smile, feeling that was a good thing. He patted her on the head again and stepped onto the windowsill and launched himself out the window, his wings spreading out, catching his fall. Lynn leaned out the window, watching him disappear into the dark of the night.

“What are you doing, Lynn?” Her father’s soft voice queried as he walked up to the window. She pulled away from the window and smiled lightly, shaking her head.

“Saying goodnight, that’s all,” she replied, shutting the window. She smiled up at him. “I made a friend.”

“Well, that’s good,” he said, playing along, uncertain of what she was speaking about. She slipped her hand in his and he led her out of her room, flicking the light off. She paused, glancing out to the window. A smile curled her lips upward.

I’m glad I’ll see my angel again.

End