by Day Leclaire
She looked at Reed then. He sat cross-legged on the floor, Becca perched on his lap facing him. She chattered a mile a minute, half her comments incomprehensible. Not that that bothered Reed. He simply sat, grinning. Every few minutes he’d reach out and touch his daughter—winding an ebony lock around his finger, feathering a thumb across her rosy cheeks, catching her dainty fingers in his massive hands. Angie touched Lorraine’s shoulder.
“See the good you’ve done?” she asked. “You’ve given him a gift no one else could have. How could he not be grateful?”
Scratch approached, pawing at Angie’s skirt. She understood his unspoken request. It was time to say goodbye. She’d been dreading this moment from the instant she’d arrived. Slowly she left the couch and joined Reed, kneeling beside him.
Becca took one look at Angie and immediately deserted her father’s lap. She held out her arms in clear demand, her hazel eyes so like Reed’s they were breathtaking. Unlike her father’s, though, these eyes were unfettered by shadows. Instead they reflected the beauty of the child’s soul and the sweetness of her nature. Utterly helpless beneath their joyous regard, Angie found herself falling in love all over again. Like father, like daughter, came the helpless thought as Angie took the little girl in her arms.
“Pretty!” Becca exclaimed.
It would seem her angel status was visible to Reed’s daughter. She caught at Angie’s wings, giggling as they fanned her, the downy feathers tickling the rounded chin and tumbling her tiny ponytail. She reached up, twining chubby fingers in platinum curls before swirling her hands through the halo’s golden light, scattering it like stardust. Becca gasped in astonishment as the light danced around them in brilliant swirls.
All too soon she was through with her play. Turning back to her father, she launched herself toward him, already secure in the knowledge that his arms would always be there to catch her.
For an instant Angie’s gaze locked with Reed’s. He appeared so replete, so contented. Yet even as she took pleasure in his satisfaction it faded from his face as realization dawned. His happiness had come at her expense.
“Angie—”
“I just remembered where I’ve seen you,” Lorraine suddenly interrupted. “But I thought you drowned with Emily.”
Reed turned sharply. “What?”
“That’s right. I never told you about the accident, did I?” Lorraine managed a brave smile. “Emily was knocked off a dock into the water while she was holding Becca. She hit her head on a boat when she fell, and drowned. A woman standing on the dock jumped in and managed to save Becca.” Lorraine looked at Angie in confusion. “The newspaper said that you drowned, too. Obviously, you didn’t.”
“Lorraine, please take my daughter and wait for me in the outer office,” Reed requested. “We’ll only be a minute.”
Without a word, Lorraine did as he’d asked, clearly sensing something amiss. The instant the door closed, Reed turned on Angie. “You saved my daughter’s life? You died saving her?”
“I didn’t die on purpose, you understand,” Angie said with gentle irony.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t positive it was Becca I’d saved. Not until recently.” She smiled, hoping to ease his distress. “I guess it’s Goodenkind’s way of helping me find completion. I can leave knowing that my death had a purpose. That it gave you your heart’s desire.”
“My heart’s desire?” He gripped her shoulders, pulling her up against his warmth. “You’re my heart’s desire.”
She carefully disengaged herself. “Not me, Reed. Becca is. She’s your wish, remember?”
She’d never seen a man so tortured, so torn. His teeth clamped together and a wild light flamed in his eyes. “No. No, you’re wrong. I didn’t wish for Becca.” His voice had taken on a fierce edge. “I wished for Emily. I wished to marry her if she had my child. That was what I asked.”
“Emily died.”
“Which means you didn’t grant my wish,” he bargained desperately. “Becca’s mine regardless. But you didn’t give me a wife. I’m short one bride.”
If it wasn’t so serious, she’d have laughed. “You didn’t want a wife. You told me that right from the start. Now you have your true heart’s desire—your child.”
“No! We made a bargain. And—and since you didn’t give me Emily, you have to fill in for her.” He thrust his hand through his hair, his fury dying beneath the strength of his despair. “Angie, please. Stay and marry me.”
“You know that’s not possible.” She took a step backward. And then another.
“No, dammit! If you don’t stay, you won’t have given me my heart’s desire. Becca is my world, but you... You’re my life.”
Angie shivered, feeling the familiar tingle that seized her whenever she was being called home. “It’s time for me to go.”
He made a move toward her. “No, wait. You can’t leave. Not yet!”
“Goodbye, Reed. Be happy.” She heard the call grow louder, felt the irresistible pull. She reached for love, but it was too late. He was beyond her grasp. “I love you,” she whispered.
“Angie! No!”
She heard his shout, heard the torment, heard the painful echo all the way to the gates of Heaven.
“Angie! No!”
He stood in the middle of the room and bellowed the denial. Not that it did him any good. She was gone, snatched from him before he could even respond to her whispered confession.
She loved him!
He closed his eyes, the pain threatening to rip him in two.
He hadn’t been able to tell her... Tell her that he loved her, too. Loved her with all his heart and soul. The irony didn’t escape him. He glared heavenward. “You sent her to me on a mission, a mission to find true love. Well, I finally found it. Only now you’ve taken her from me.” His hands fisted. “You heard my wish—the one I made by the lake. And it wasn’t what I told Angie. I didn’t know Becca existed then, so I didn’t wish for her. You know that! You know it!”
His voice caught, shattered into fragments. “You know what I asked,” he whispered. “I asked for Angie.”
“Angie! Angie! Angie...”
His call followed her all the way through heaven’s gates, the final faint whisper chasing her down the hallowed halls, filling her ears and beating against her heart. She forced herself to ignore it, to pretend that the painful longing in his voice didn’t cause her the most intense misery she’d ever experienced.
“Angie Makepeace. Please report to your supervisor. Angie Makepeace to Supervisor Goodenkind.”
She stepped onto the gilded path, suddenly realizing that no one looked askance or muttered comments behind their hands. In fact, several angels smiled at her. How odd. Perhaps they were glad to be seeing the last of her. No sooner had the suspicion entered her head, then shame filled her. Such uncharitable thoughts were no longer acceptable. Taking a deep breath, she returned their smiles with a cheerful grin and continued on her way.
Goodenkind stood in the threshold of his office, waiting for her, his expression as solemn as always. “Ah, there you are. Finally. You’ve really made a mess of things this time, my dear young angel.”
“I excel at it, as you’re well aware.”
“That’s quite possibly the understatement of the century. Come in and sit down.”
“Thank you for all your help, Good,” she said, taking her usual seat. “I know you tried your best.”
“I most certainly did.”
“So what happens now? Am I...” She swallowed hard. “Am I out?”
“Yes.”
Blunt and to the point. She appreciated his candor. “It’s not like I really belonged,” she said, hoping to ease his disappointment. “I just made it in by the tips of my fingernails, anyway.”
“Oh. really?” Goodenkind tilted his head to one side, regarding her sternly. “And why do you think that, Ms. Makepeace?”
“You and I both know that I didn’t live an exemplary lif
e. I made more than my fair share of mistakes.”
“Do you seriously believe that you only came into our care because you saved young Becca’s life?”
“Didn’t I?” she asked uncertainly.
“Far from it, my dear. It’s not quite that easy. We expect more from our angels, even angels-in-training.” He leaned forward, his words hitting with quiet force. “You have a capacity for love and acceptance that outstrips most angels of my acquaintance. You were always kind to others, forever cheerful and helpful.”
“But I made mistakes—”
He dismissed that with a wave of his hand. “Everyone makes mistakes as you. so rightly told Lorraine. For instance, this wish business.” He shook his head. “You really turned that into an unmitigated disaster.”
“I—I gave Reed his wish.”
“No, my dear. You did not.”
“I don’t understand,” she said, thoroughly bewildered. “I gave him his daughter.”
“You were supposed to give him true love.”
“He didn’t wish for love. He wished for—”
She heard a whisper, a whisper of longing. “I know . I shouldn’t want to make love to an angel. That I shouldn’t feel—” She’d sealed his mouth with her fingers, refusing to allow him to say the words. But his yearning continued to ring in her head, echoing so loudly it threatened to deafen her. The impossibility of it all overwhelmed her and she’d covered her ears to shut out the silent cry.
Tears filled her eyes. “He—he wished for me,” she murmured brokenly. “At the lake that day. And I wouldn’t listen.”
“Yes, my dear.” It was so gently said that she wept. “You’ve bungled your last mission, Ms. Makepeace, and now you must go. We’ve decided that the reason for such a wealth of failure is due to one unfortunate problem. You’ve never known true love. That’s why his wish never reached your ears, even when it was shouted so loudly all of heaven heard the cry.”
“I do know true love,” she protested through her tears. “I didn’t for a long time, but—”
“I’m sorry, my dear. You haven’t learned it as well as you should. And until you’ve experienced love in all its guises, you won’t be a successful angel. So, we’re giving Mr. Harding his wish and when you return to us, perhaps you’ll be more victorious in your missions.”
Understanding finally dawned. He wasn’t just putting her outside the Pearly Gates, he was returning her to earth—sending her back to the one man she loved with all her heart and soul. She wept in earnest, spending the very last of her angel tears. “How can I thank you? How can I ever—”
The tingling started again, the unmistakable pull. “Love long and well, my dear,” Goodenkind said. “That’s all I ask of you. Love long and well. Heaven won’t be the same without you.”
Her tears turned to laughter, her joy too great to contain. “Don’t get complacent, Good. I’ll be back.”
He smiled at her wavering image. “Of that, we have no doubt,” he whispered. “Farewell, Ms. Makepeace.”
Angie stood outside a large Victorian-style house, as beautiful a home as she’d ever seen. A white picket fence surrounded the property, the gate firmly shut. It was late evening, the shadows thick and heavy. She heard voices coming from the driveway to her right and watched as Joel, Reed and Becca progressed along the walkway from the garage to the front door.
Lorraine opened the door and called a greeting, bright, welcoming light streamed onto the covered porch. Becca and Joel stepped inside with Lorraine. But at the last minute, Reed hesitated. Slowly, he turned, searching the shadows.
He couldn’t see her, she suddenly realized, merely sensed her presence. So she stepped forward, into the light.
“Angie?” Her name sounded raw and harsh on his lips.
“Hello, Reed.” Hello, my love.
He didn’t move, simply stood and stared as though afraid she’d disappear if he came too close. “What are you doing here?”
For the first time a twinge of fear gripped her. “I’ve been put out of heaven.”
“But what are you doing here?”
She moistened her lips. “Same thing I’ve always done. I’m standing on the outside—” She bowed her head, unable to finish.
He took a single step toward her. “Looking in?”
“Yes.” She took a deep breath and forced herself to meet his gaze. “You once told me I didn’t have to do that ever again. That I could find a way in.”
His expression softened and a small smile played at the corners of his mouth. “You only have to do one small thing. It’s always tough the first time you try, but I have confidence in you, sweetheart.”
Ask, he’d told her on that special day by the lake. All she had to do was ask. Never had anything been so difficult—or so badly desired. “Please, Reed. I don’t want to be on the outside anymore.”
“Then come in.” He took another step in her direction. “Joel needs a sister. Becca needs a mother. And I—Hell, sweetheart. I’m in desperate need of a wife.”
Still she hesitated. “I can’t come in. Not yet.”
“Why not?”
She heard the underlying fear, but she’d given her word. And she wasn’t about to go back on it now. “I promised Joel that he could approve your choice for a wife. So, I’m afraid I can’t come in until he agrees.”
Reed turned toward the open doorway. “Joel!” he shouted. “Come here. I need you.”
Within seconds, Joel shot through the front door, skidding across the porch to stand beside Reed. “What? What’s wrong?” He caught sight of Angie and grinned.
Becca came tottering onto the porch, too. One look at their visitor and she let out a shriek of sheer happiness. If Reed hadn’t caught her up in his arms, she’d have chased down the sidewalk after Angie.
“Where the he—heck have you been?” Joel questioned.
“It’s a long story.”
“She says she made you a promise, little brother. She says she won’t marry me unless you approve my choice.”
“Oh, yeah. That’s right.” He winked at her. “Angels aren’t allowed to break their promises, are they?”
Reed glared at his brother. “How did you know she was an angel?”
“Scratch told me.”
Angie sighed. “He always did have a big mouth.”
“Well, shoot,” Joel groused in disgust. “And here I thought it was the wings that were the dead giveaway.”
“Are you going to stand there all night grinning like an idiot,” Reed demanded. “Or are you going to let her come in?”
“Give me a minute. I’m thinkin’.” Reed made a threatening move and Joel burst out laughing, fending him off with an upraised hand. “Okay! Okay. You wanna marry my brother?” he yelled down to Angie.
“Well, he’s a pretty crummy date, but I think I can work on that. I guess I’ll take him on, if you agree, that is.”
“Well, he—heck, yeah!”
Reed held out his hand. “Come on, sweetheart. Come on home.”
She took a deep breath. Thank you, Good I’ll make you proud You’ll see. I’ll make the best da—dang! wife and mother heaven has ever seen. The gate blew open at her touch and she started up the walkway. Then she was running, flying into his arms. Reed caught her, wrapping her in a tight embrace, holding her like he’d never let go.
“Don’t leave me,” he ordered against her mouth. “Don’t ever leave me. I love you, Angie. I love you more than I believed possible.”
She sealed his vow with a kiss. “I love you, too, Reed. I love you so much, I swear they’ll hear our happiness all the way to heaven.”
Together the three of them crossed the porch and walked inside. Before they could close the door, a black and white polka dot streak rocketed up the porch steps and into the house after them. Scratch barked at Joel and Becca’s excited welcome. Reed rolled his eyes, but
Angie just smiled. Guardian Angels might be tricky creatures, but they were also welcome additions to any family.
The door closed, securing them inside.
Home.
She was home at last.
EPILOGUE
“Now you sit here,” four-year-old Becca instructed, pulling out a miniature chair for Tiger. Gingerly, he eased his bulk into the fragile seat, accepting the cup and saucer she handed him. She fluttered at his elbow like a dainty butterfly, her wide-brimmed hat clipping his nose. Not that he’d have complained. Not for anything in the world.
“Would you like cream and sugar?” she asked, clutching her white-gloved hands together, not a hint of her usual mischievousness showing—at least for the moment.
“Er, just sugar, thanks.”
Joel grinned, looking frighteningly adult in his suit and tie. “Aw, come on, Tiger. Have some cream. And for cryin’ out loud, get that pinkie up. Don’t you have any couth?”
Tiger struggled to contain the fragile bit of china within his meaty hand. “Don’t give me any lip, boy,” he growled, glancing up from his juggling act long enough to shoot Joel a threatening glare. “Or I’ll have you in the office doin’ bookkeeping for the next week.”
“Can’t do it next week. College starts, remember?”
“Oh, yeah?” The foreman tugged at his bow tie, crumpling it beyond repair. “Well there’s always spring break.”
Becca continued around the table, stepping between her two grandmothers and pouring invisible tea into their cups and saucers, as well. “Two lumps of sugar for my grandmas.”
“Why, thank you, sweetheart,” Lorraine said, exchanging a smile with her counterpart. Flowered bonnets topped each gray-streaked head. “You always fix the best tea.”
“That’s ’cause it’s love tea. That’s what you always told me.” She continued around the miniature table. “And some for Mommy and Daddy.”
Scratch whined. Sitting on a leather hassock, he wore his best red bow tie and a hopeful expression.
“I’m coming,” Becca said with an exaggerated sigh. “I still have to get the baby, first.”
Angie frowned as she watched Becca pretend to pour tea into a spare place setting. “Darling, I think you miscounted. There’s only eight of us, not nine.”