Angel's Mission

by Pamela J. Nerren

  “Don’t be afraid to love him,” she advised. “And don’t be afraid to let him love you. You both deserve that.”

  “Hey, Miranda,” Kevin said, “I’m glad you guys came.”

  Miranda gave Angel a wink before kissing his cheek. “Gracias, me too.” She turned back to Angel. “We’ll see you Saturday at the ranch, Angel.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “And how about you, Kevin? Will we be seeing you there as well?”

  “I don’t know. Am I invited?”

  “Absolutely,” Miranda answered.

  “Then you can count on it.”

  “Good. We’ll see you both there.” Miranda waved, opened her door, and got into the car. “Adiós.”

  Kevin slipped his arm around Angel as they watched the Lexus disappear into the night. “I miss them already,” she sighed.

  Kevin smiled to himself. “Me too. I had a lot of fun with my little co-conspirators.”

  “You think you’re pretty slick, don’t you?”

  “Absolutely,” he boasted.

  Manuel came up behind them. “Angel, Luisa asked me to bring this to you. She bagged up all your gifts from the party.”

  “Thanks, Manuel. Please thank her for me,” she said, reaching for the bags.

  Kevin stopped her. “Here, I’ll take those for you. Thanks, Manuel.”

  Manuel gave him a serious look, still holding on to the bags, “Take good care of them.”

  Kevin looked up at Manuel uncertainly. He knew he wasn’t referring to the birthday gifts. He studied the mountain of a man for a moment before he answered, “You can count on it.”

  Manuel gave him a nod, then let go of the bags and headed back to the community center.

  “After you,” Kevin said as he motioned for her to precede him.

  Once they were inside the apartment, Angel pointed down the hall toward her bedroom. “Can you put those bags in my room while I put this bottle of wine in the fridge?”

  “Sure.” Kevin set the gifts down in her room and walked back into the living room to join her. He wasn’t sure what to expect now that she had admitted that she loved him. He hoped she wouldn’t run scared again. He was pleasantly surprised when Angel wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. “Thanks, Kevin. I had fun tonight.”

  “Wow. You’re welcome.”

  She started to back away, but he grabbed her by the arm, stopping her. “Wait a minute. You still have one more present to open.”

  She looked wary. “I do?”

  He gave her a sexy smile. “Yes, you do.” He headed for his bedroom.

  Angel walked over to the breakfast bar and took a seat on one of the stools before peering cautiously down the hallway. “You’re not coming back out with a bow on your head, are you?” She heard his laughter ringing down the hall.

  “I hadn’t thought of that,” he said, walking back into the room. He handed her a large plain mailing envelope. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have time to get it wrapped.”

  She looked at him inquisitively. “Isn’t this the same package that arrived for you at the clinic yesterday?”

  “The very same.” He sat next to her.

  She turned the envelope over and read the return address label. It was from the Angel’s Foundation. She raised an eyebrow.

  “Aren’t you going to open it?” he asked.

  Eyes wide, she opened the end of the envelope. She tilted it up slightly and an eight-by-ten photograph, along with a stack of papers slid out. She picked up the picture and looked at it. It was of the property she’d told him she wanted to get for the orphanage. She turned to him in bewilderment. “What is this?” she asked as she put the photo down and picked up the papers that had come out with it. She read the paper on top. “This…oh my God. This looks like a deed.”

  “It is.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “It’s a deed to the property for a brand-new Angel’s House.”

  She put the deed down on the counter and grabbed up the other papers that had come out with the picture. Included among the papers was a bill of sale for half the amount that they had been asking for the property. She looked back at him in amazement. “How did you do this?”

  He shrugged. “I called Arthur. He made a few phone calls for me.”

  She sat the papers down on the counter and turned to him. “Kevin, I can’t take this.”

  He looked baffled as he reached for her hand. “Angel, I don’t own it. All I did was to make a few phone calls. The Angel’s Foundation bought it.”

  For a moment, she was speechless, tears filling her eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You can’t save the world all by yourself, you know. Let me help you.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know, Kevin. This is too much. How will I ever be able to thank you?”

  “How about simply saying the words, ‘Thank you, Kevin.’” Then he shrugged. “Or you could get on your knees and sing my praises while you vow to me your eternal love and gratitude.”

  She laughed and gave him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.” She put her arms around him and embraced him tightly. “Thank you, Kevin. This is the most thoughtful present anyone’s ever given me.”

  “Hmm, that leaves me with a very big problem.”

  “What’s that?”

  He shook his head. “How am I ever going to top this?”

  “I’m sure you’ll think of something,” she answered hesitantly.

  He gave her a naughty grin. “Maybe I will come out of my room with a bow on my head.”

  She laughed, and Kevin leaned in to kiss her. He felt her long, slow, sweet sigh of surrender. Then suddenly, Angel flinched and backed away at the rattle of a key in the lock. “Good night, Kevin,” she said, as she grabbed her present, hugged it to her chest, and ran to her room.

  Kevin was helping himself to a bottle of water from the refrigerator when Dr. Conner walked into the apartment. He gave Kevin a cynical smile. “Well, well, well. How’s it going Kevin? Say, I caught your little performance at the dance earlier. That’s quite a show you two are putting on.”

  Kevin put his water on the counter with a thud. “Did you want something? I’m on my way to bed.”

  Dr. Conner gave him a malicious grin. “Not with her, you’re not. That woman’s the coldest fish I’ve ever seen.”

  Kevin smiled secretively. “Good night, Dr. Conner.” He walked down the hall to his room and closed his door.

  Early Saturday morning, Kevin and Angel arrived at the Santiago ranch where Nina and her daughter had lived for the last few months. Angel quickly went in to see her friend, leaving Kevin sitting on the front porch swing to watch her through the open window. She talked to Nina about her work at the clinic; the new foal they were expecting at the Morales’s ranch—everything but Nina’s illness and the fate of her daughter. Finally Nina smiled and pulled one of her hands out from under the handmade quilt that was tucked around her frail body. She took Angel’s hand. “You know, you don’t have to pretend I’m not sick.”

  A wave of sadness washed over Angel. “I didn’t want to make things worse for you.” She squeezed her friend’s fingers. “You have to deal with it every day.”

  Nina gave her a knowing smile. “I’ve made my peace with it. I’ll be fine if Isabel is taken care of.”

  Angel smiled in return. “That makes two of us.”

  “I worry about her. She is afraid she will be alone with no one to care for her.” Nina shook her head.

  “You know I won’t let that happen.”

  Nina sighed, letting go of Angel’s hand. She pulled the quilt back over her thin shoulders. “I know you will try, but if they won’t let you adopt her, then what? You can’t control what the government will do.”

  Angel jumped up and paced the room. “It’s all because of that stupid law. Why do they think that you have to be married to be a good parent?”

  Before Nina could form an answer, four little girls flew into the
room. “Mama, mama!” Isabel climbed up on the sofa next to her mother.

  “What’s the matter, little one?”

  “I don’t want another mama. I want you to stay with me and be my mama forever!”

  Angel turned to the other three girls, looking for an explanation. Hope spoke up for the three of them. “It wasn’t us, Mom, I swear. It was the little boy down the road. He was teasing her.”

  Angel nodded. “Okay, sweetie. I believe you. Let’s go back outside.”

  She was ushering her girls back out when Nina called her. “Angel, please stay.”

  Angel nodded and quietly shut the screen door behind the girls before taking a seat on the other end of the sofa.

  Nina struggled to take a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts as well as some much-needed air. “Isa, you know mama is very sick.”

  Isabel gave a tearful nod, and her mother continued.

  “And you know it won’t be long before I have to go live with God in heaven.” Again Isabel gave a solemn nod. Nina took a moment, clearly choosing the rest of her words with care. “When I found out that I was sick and wouldn’t get better, I prayed very hard. I asked for God to send me an angel to take care of you, someone who would love you as much as I do.” Nina turned the little girl’s tear-stained face around to look at Angel. “And he did. He sent us to our very own, very special Angel.”

  Angel tried to give the little girl a reassuring smile through her tears. Isabel sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “Is that true? Are you going to take care of me?”

  Angel hoped she spoke the truth when she answered the little girl, “Yes, Isabel, I promise. I will take care of you, no matter what.”

  “Okay.” Isabel hugged her mother.

  Angel slipped quietly out of the room to give them some time alone. Kevin met her at the door. “That’s a mighty big promise you just made.”

  Angel felt panicked as she met his eyes. “I pray every day that I can keep it.”

  Kevin let out a sigh of frustration. “I’ll help you, Angel.”

  She warily looked up at him.

  “Trust me.”

  He put his arms around her as she nodded and wept softly on his shoulder.

  11

  Early Monday morning Kevin and Angel were back to film the grand opening of the newly bequeathed Villa Mendoza Dental Clinic. As Kevin filmed, Angel cut the ribbon, their last official duties before they headed for Mexico City. He watched her speak with the locals. Does she have any idea how beautiful she is inside and out? The denim bodice of her rose-print sundress had three red ribbons that held the front of the dress together. Briefly, he wondered what it would be like to be the man who helped her untie them.

  When the ceremony was finally over, he looked around. He was really going to miss this place. A gentle hand slipped into his.

  “This job can really get to you, Angel,” he said. “I never would have believed it.”

  She smiled. “It’s not the job, Kevin. It’s the people. God always leads me to good people.”

  He beamed back at her. “You can’t fool me. You inspire all this. You’re the reason all this is possible.”

  She looked pleased with his words, but she wasn’t going to take credit. “Who? Me? I’m a simple hygienist. Come on; it’s getting late. We’d better get started if we’re going to make Mexico City by this afternoon.”

  A short while later as they drove through the village, Angel pointed out a small cantina on the right side of the road. “How about some breakfast, Kevin? It may be a while before we find another place to eat.”

  “Sounds good to me. I’m starving.”

  He pulled up in front of the cozy little restaurant. They both went in and had a seat at the counter. The railroad car turned café was quaint and colorful with a golden sunrise and dusky sunset painted on each end of the rail car. They placed their order of spicy huevos rancheros and orange juice and sat back to relax until their food arrived. Halfway through the meal, Angel caught him looking at her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Tell me about your family.”

  “Well, you’ve already met most of them. The people that I work with are as much a family to me as anybody. My parents, my brother, and his family live in Mississippi just a few miles from us. My folks are retired, and my brother works with the local police department.”

  “Your brother’s a cop?”

  Angel laughed. “Yep and he taught me a thing or two about self-defense, so you’d better watch your step, buddy.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Kevin grinned at her.

  “What about your family?”

  He shrugged. “There’s only my dad, one brother, and one sister. My brother and sister are both married, and they all live in or around Philly. Dad’s retired. My sister’s a stay-at-home mom with three kids. My brother is married with a couple of kids. And we have a…well, I told you what we do.”

  “You love what you do, don’t you?” she asked, watching him closely.

  He looked back at her. “Yeah, I do.” Then his lips thinned as he thought about the years of publicity he had had to endure. “Well, most of the time anyway.”

  She nodded. “I know what you mean. I guess there’s good and bad with anything you do. You have to hope the good outweighs the bad.”

  He nodded in agreement and was about to suggest they get back on the road when he noticed a couple of rough-looking men at the other end of the counter watching them. Something about them made the hairs rise on the back of his neck. “Do you know those two guys?”

  Angel turned to look at the two men at the other end of the counter. They both turned when Angel looked their way. The tall, slender man looked decent enough, wearing a clean T-shirt and jeans, but his portly friend was filthy, wearing worn, torn khakis and a tattered black Van Halen T-shirt. “No, they must not be from around here. I know most of the local people.”

  “Hmm, I thought I saw them sitting on the side of the road in an old blue van when we left the clinic earlier.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Angel asked as she turned to look at them again. “Maybe they had a flat.” A lewd look from the filthy man caught her attention, and she quickly looked away.

  Kevin noticed it as well and gave the fellow a heated look before he smiled reassuringly at Angel, wanting to set her mind at rest, even if he didn’t really feel it. “Maybe you’re right. Let’s go.”

  Angel thanked their waitress as Kevin threw some money on the counter, and they headed out of the cantina. They were almost to their vehicle when Angel saw a dark blue van sitting under a tree some distance away. “Is that the van you saw, over there?”

  Kevin stopped and turned to look at the vehicle. A cold chill passed through him. “Yeah, that’s it. I guess they fixed their flat.”

  * * *

  Angel put a hand over her eyes to block the sun, straining to see. A sad-looking, dark-haired little girl of around six or seven years of age peered out of the open side window. “There’s a little girl in there.”

  Angel smiled and waved. The little girl sat there, looking small and helpless. Something was wrong. Angel felt it in the air. The little girl’s eyes seemed to beg Angel to help her. Instinctively, she took a step toward the van just as the two men came out of the cantina and headed for their vehicle. The neat-looking taller man of the two gave her a wink as they passed, and Angel quickly stepped closer to Kevin. They made their way to their vehicle and drove off.

  A couple of hours later, Angel pointed to a small building on a hillside on the right side of the dirt road. “Oh. Thank God! Would you stop here?”

  Kevin pulled off the road in front of the small wooden building. “What is that?”

  “It’s an outhouse. It’s rural Mexico’s version of a visitors’ center. Hey, kidding,” she said. “It’s not really their version of a visitors’ center, but it is an outhouse. We’re lucky to have found one.”

  “That’s lucky?” Kevin muttered, opening his door to get out.<
br />
  She laughed at the look on his face. “It’ll be okay. Let me get my backpack.” She climbed down out of her seat and walked to the back of the van.

  Kevin was opening the van door when she got there. “Why do you need your backpack?”

  She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her right shoulder. “Necessities; this is where they really come in handy.” She hurried into the small room, shutting the door behind her.

  Several minutes later, Angel came back out. “Okay, your turn,” she said, gesturing to the doorway of the facility. Kevin peered cautiously into the small, dusty room, making Angel laugh. “Don’t worry. Nothing’s going to bite you in there. There’s toilet paper and baby wipes in the backpack, and I’ve already sprayed with disinfectant spray.”

  “Ah…necessities.” Kevin nodded his understanding.

  She giggled. “Now you’re catching on.”

  He stepped in and shut the door. Angel walked over and had a seat in the back of the nearly empty van to wait. She leaned her head back against the doorframe, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, taking in the sounds and smells around her; the delicate scent of wildflowers, and rain in the distance; the soft song of the birds in the dense trees of the jungle surrounding them. She was about to drift off to sleep when a sound came from beyond the hill.

  She looked up just in time to see the blue van coming over the hill. The better-looking man was driving, and he hit the brakes when he saw Angel. He stopped in the middle of the road, watching her. Angel stared back at them. She had a bad feeling. “Kevin, we need to go.”

  The van slowly started moving again and pulled up to stop on the opposite side of the outhouse, out of Angel’s sight. She broke out in goose bumps where she stood. “Kevin, we need to go, now!”

  Kevin opened the door and walked out, still fastening his khaki shorts when the heavier, dirtier of the two men came around the corner.

  “What’s the rush?” Kevin asked. A gun cocked behind his left ear. He froze.

  “No!” Angel raised her hand in protest.

  The foul-smelling man smiled at her, motionless except for the gum he openly chewed with his half-decayed, half-missing teeth. With his gun pointed at the back of Kevin’s head and a wicked gleam in his eye, he licked his lips, looking her over from head to toe and back again. Angel felt nauseous.