by Celeste King
“Beth!” Joan screamed. “I hear you! Where are you?” The moaning stopped. She looked in every direction, but couldn’t see Beth. Maybe she was covered by some leaves or behind a tree. Suddenly, Joan looked down at the drop off in front of her. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled to the edge so in case she lost her balance she wouldn’t go tumbling down. She peeked over and there, at the bottom of a shallow ravine was Beth.
“Sweetheart!” Joan cried with a sense of relief. It was short-lived as she could see Beth was badly injured. Joan knew it was dangerous for her to try and crawl down to Beth and wasn’t sure how she would get out if she did. She reached for her cell phone in her pocket, but knew she wouldn’t have service this deep into the trees. Just in case, she ripped open the front pocket of Beth’s backpack and pulled out her cell phone. There were no bars on that one either.
“Beth, it’s Mom!” Joan yelled down the ravine. “I’m going to get help!” She could hardly bring herself to leave Beth just after she had found her. She didn’t even know if Beth realized she was there, but she had to go. Joan stood up and made her way back in the direction she came, ferociously breaking branches and disturbing the bushes, intent on leaving a clear trail to Beth. She remembered the makeup bag in Beth’s backpack and stopped to pull it out. She found a bright pink lipstick and began to smear it on the smoother tree trunks as she went. She made her way down the trail, checking her phone constantly to see if she could call for help. Amongst all of the chaos she was creating in the forest she said a prayer in her heart. Thank you, she prayed, thank you.
~ Chapter 17 ~
Joan had spent so much time in the hospital over the last several months, but she would never get used to it. She had sat in waiting rooms while David had chemo treatments and surgeries. Then she had sat by his bedside for hours feeling completely helpless. Now she sat next to the hospital bed that held Beth, but she didn’t feel helpless. She knew there had been divine intervention in the events that had transpired over the last twenty-four hours. She had been given all the help she needed.
The beep of the machines and whirring of IV pumps were the only sounds in the room. Beth had just undergone surgery for her broken leg and was still under the effects of the anesthesia. She had multiple bandages around various parts of her body, including her head. She had a concussion, but thankfully no permanent damage. Her leg would have pins and rods, but it would be ultimately be fully functional.
Joan held Beth’s hand as she lay resting. She thought back on how it felt like years before help had come in the ravine. Joan had run to the car where she had just enough reception to call 911. In reality the rescue workers had been quick to respond, but every second to Joan felt like a lifetime. She had been told to wait by the car so she could lead the paramedics to Beth. Thankfully Joan had the map with her so she could give quick directions to the dispatcher.
When the ambulance arrived Joan ran up the trail with the paramedics following quickly behind. The trail she had forged to Beth was easy to follow and they got to work. It was only a matter of several minutes before they had her in the ambulance.
Joan was brought back to the present by Beth’s stirring. Beth moaned quietly as if she were coming out of a dream. It was different than the moan Joan had heard in the ravine. The medications were blocking out the pain. Beth’s eyes fluttered open and she gained focus. She looked over at her mother and stared for a Moment while the memories of the day came creeping back to her. Immediately tears began to fall down her cheeks. Joan also couldn’t help but cry as she gently held Beth in her arms. Beth had never felt more comforted.
“Mom,” Beth said slowly, “Dad was there.”
“I know,” said Joan, understandingly, “He lead me to you.”
“I’m so sorry, Mom,” Beth said between tears. “I’m so sorry I didn’t listen. I should have listened. I should have been listening for months and not pulling away.”
“It’s alright, sweetie,” Joan said quietly, “You’re alright. You’ll be good as new in no time.”
“Mom, what about Eric?” Beth said quickly. She was scared he might try to find her or come to the house again.
“Don’t worry about him,” said Joan. “The police have already been to his home and from the evidence at your picnic site and on your cheek they had pretty much already figured out what had happened.”
“What will happen to him?” Beth asked.
“I’m really not sure, but I’m not worried about that now. I’m just happy to have my daughter.” Joan smiled down and Beth smiled back.
They were together again, not just physically, but as a mother and daughter. Looking at each other, they both understood that they could weather any storm. They would be there for each other and would protect each other. Beth, who had not prayed in quite a while, wanted to give thanks for everything that had happened, even the bad. The trial had restored her relationship with her mother. In the small hospital room they prayed together and felt that God and his angels were listening.
~ Chapter 18 ~
“I must say I’m very impressed with the way the Joan and Beth case was handled,” Joseph said smiling over at Cassandra and her team. The Quorum of Ministering Angels had gathered to hear the report on the case. Joseph continued, “Cassandra, please go ahead and give us a break down of what your team did to watch over this mother and daughter.”
“Of course, Joseph, thank you.” Cassandra was back to her very bubbly self now that her case was over. “As you know we had helped Joan and Beth recently because of Joan’s prayer for help during David’s death and funeral proceedings. Just to review, we stood by her during the funeral supporting her both physically and emotionally. Patience was working on the first case and provided a very comforting touch. Will you please explain Patience?”
“Of course,” Patience said in her very respectful manner. “Pink roses were very special to Joan and David and I knew having them at the funeral would be very comforting for her. So, I prompted many of the friends and family that sent flowers to include pink roses in their bouquets.”
“I do think that was a wonderful touch,” said Joseph approvingly. Patience always had the ability think of tasks above and beyond the necessary help. She was not only concerned with just helping her people, but bringing them peace and comfort.
“Thank you, Joseph,” said Patience.
“We also worked to help Joan’s dear friend Sandy be a strong support for them,” continued Cassandra. “She lived up to the task beautifully and provided so much comfort. Not only did she provide services herself, but she helped prompted other to do the same. Sandy is definitely a person with a heart of gold. Ok, let’s move on to the second case with Joan and Beth.” Cassandra pulled out a few notes she made. She didn’t want any good deed to go unnoticed. “First, Jayna went to Beth’s best friend, Josie.” Cassandra motioned for Jayna to stand up. “When Joan called Josie to try and find out where Beth might have gone with Eric, Jayna helped her have the courage to be honest with Joan and tell her the true feelings she had about Eric.”
“This helped to convince Joan that Beth was truly in the company of someone not worthy of her presence,” confirmed Jayna. “Josie was very brave in what she did and didn’t take much prompting. She is a girl of great conviction. She had tried to help Beth before by expressing her true feelings about Eric. She wanted to protect her friend. Also, I heard Beth called Josie from the hospital to apologize to her for their falling out, is that correct?”
“Yes, it is,” said Cassandra. “Of course, Josie was quick to forgive Beth. Milton, would you talk about your time with Beth?”
“Of course.” Milton’s large frame always gave him such a presence at these meetings. “I tried to help Beth by giving her promptings that she was in danger. It was difficult to get past her anger and to her heart. She Momentarily felt uneasy about Eric, but promptly convinced herself she was wrong.”
“Much like a teenager to discount her inner feelings for outer beauty,” said
Joseph. His experiences with this were numerous. “There is no emotion more difficult than anger to maneuver past. It can sometimes be so thick it’s impossible for us to get a message across.”
“Agreed,” said Milton. “I believe she had spent so much time with Eric, who had become very good at controlling her, that she was reluctant to listen to anything negative about him.”
“Is this the point at which we needed David’s help?” asked Joseph.
“No, not yet,” responded Milton. “Andy was able to communicate with Joan in a way that was crucial.” Milton motioned to Andy, who stood.
“Well, really it was Joan who set herself up to receive the communication,” said Andy, humbly. “David had given her advice their entire marriage to be still so the angels could be heard. Joan was in tune enough to realize that’s what she needed to do. I was able to direct her to Beth’s room so she could find the map. I must say it was one of the easiest times I’ve had getting someone to hear me. She was so still and quiet.”
Joseph chimed in, “I think that’s the reason so many people forget to ask us for help. The world is so loud. All people listen for are ringtones, text alerts, video games, and loud music. It they would just be still for a little while they might be able to receive some insight for their lives.” The Quorum nodded their heads in agreement. They were so happy to help those who asked for it in prayer, but wished they could do so much more. “Sorry to interrupt, Cassandra. Please continue.”
“Thank you, Joseph, I think you are very right on that point,” said Cassandra as she looked back to her notes. “This is when I approached you about the possibility of David’s help. Beth was at the bottom of the ravine and losing hope. Joan would quickly become hysterical in the car without some kind of intervention. I felt David was the best option for both of them. David, would you like to continue?” The Quorum turned to the back of the room where the newcomer stood. He had a calming demeanor and a kind face. Joseph had invited him to the case review since he was being considered to join them.
“Thank you, Cassandra,” David said in his deep, booming voice. “I must say I was happy to be able to speak with my wife and daughter, but sad it was under such circumstances. My wife, Joan, was feeling so discouraged and I knew she would really want to blame herself for Beth’s actions. If I didn’t stop her thinking and help her realize these things happen with children she would have held onto that belief forever. Joan has always felt very responsible for the happiness of others. I was able to speak with her in the car after she decided she would talk to me as if I were there.”
“It really helped to calm her,” Cassandra interjected. “It gave her the ability to stay focused on finding Beth instead of panicking.”
“You’re very right,” continued David. “Next, Beth was in such horrible condition with a broken leg and concussion at the bottom of the ravine. It was in her subconscious that I had to speak to her. Beth has always been my little girl and it was heartbreaking to see the influence Eric had on her. I was also feeling some of the guilt Joan had felt, that maybe I had not been in tune with her feelings enough while I was sick. It gave me the chance to really talk her through her trial.”
“What he said was beautiful,” added Cassandra. “Beth is a bright girl and her heart was quickly softened toward her mother. I think now she’ll be looking for a boy that is a lot more like her father to be around.”
“So everyone is healing nicely then? Physically and emotionally?” asked Joseph.
“Yes,” said Milton. “I was just in the hospital with them making sure they were getting along ok. They send their thanks in prayer.”
“How wonderful,” said Joseph. “That’s so nice to hear. Well, what do we think fellow angels? Shall we include David in our team of guardian angels?”
“Without question,” said Patience and the Quorum nodded their heads in agreement. David smiled at them all and was so happy to know this was the reason he had to leave his wife and daughter for the time being. He had tried to help others feel God’s love on Earth and now, as an angel, he would get to do it again.
~ Chapter 19 ~
A year and a half had passed since Beth’s stay in the hospital following her tumble into the ravine. She was eighteen and a Senior in high school. She had been filling out college applications and thinking about what kinds of things she would like to study. Joan had been by her side helping her word things correctly and find all of the information she needed.
The counselor at school had told Beth to start applying for scholarships immediately since the cut off for getting them was a lot earlier than most people realized. Beth found numerous scholarships that she wasn’t perfectly qualified for due to her grade point average or extra curricular activities.
One night Beth and Joan decided to take a break from college preparation and invite Kevin, Beth’s new boyfriend, over for dinner. Beth met Kevin a few months after getting out of the hospital. He was in her grade at school, but they had never officially met. When the new school year started Kevin walked into his Spanish class and sat in the front row determined to focus and pull a good grade. He laid out his notebook and supplies then noticed a girl walk through the door. She was possibly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Kevin watched Beth as she walked along the second row and sat directly behind him. He knew his efforts of trying to concentrate were completely obliterated. It had taken a couple of months before Kevin summoned the courage to ask Beth out on a date. When he did Beth couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. She immediately accepted and they went that night to get ice cream and talk.
Joan and Kevin hit it off immediately. When he picked Beth up for dates he came to the door and always checked with Joan to see what time he should have Beth home. They started spending more and more time at Beth’s house and Joan never felt nervous when they left to go on a date.
Beth called Kevin and let him know she needed a break from filling out applications and to come over for dinner. While they were just about to sit down, the telephone rang. Joan picked up.
“Hello?” she said. “Ok, yes, one Moment please. Beth sweetheart, it’s for you.”
“Who is it?” Beth asked.
“Not sure,” Joan responded. Beth took the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Beth?”
“Yes?”
“I’m not sure if you remember me, but I’m your old fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Bates.”
“Mrs Bates!” Beth exclaimed. “Hello! How are you?”
“I’m well,” replied Mrs. Bates. “Still teaching the fifth grade, you know.”
“How wonderful,” said Beth. It was so wonderful to hear the voice of someone who had such a large impact on her life.
“Beth, the reason I’m calling is I know you’re graduating this year and I’ve found a scholarship I think you’re perfectly suited for. It’s a writing scholarship and you have to complete an essay entitled ‘My Biggest Life-Changing Moment’. How does that sound?” Beth felt the calm that came over her when something just felt right. She got the information from Mrs. Bates and spent several more minutes catching up with her. Mrs. Bates had heard all about Beth’s experience with her father’s death and her own near-death experience. Beth hung up the phone and filled her Mom and Kevin in on the opportunity. They were so excited for her. Beth got started on her essay that evening.
A couple months passed and she had submitted her essay a few weeks before. She knew the finalist results would be posted online any day now. She was checking so often it was making her crazy. Kevin had been checking for her as well when he could.
She was at the mall with her Mom when her cell phone rang. It was Kevin. His name on her phone always made her smile.
“Hi!” Beth exclaimed. “How are you?”
“Wonderful,” Kevin replied. “You made it. You’re a finalist. You are going to read your essay for a panel of judges in a few days.” Beth was elated and even happier Kevin had broken the news to her.
A few days lat
er she was sitting in front of the judges with the five other finalists. She was fourth in line. She listened intently to the other contestants whose essays truly moved her. Finally, it was her turn. She stood up and walked to the microphone. The butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She closed her eyes for a Moment and saw her father giving her a thumbs-up from the audience. She opened her eyes and began to read the story inspired by him.
To be continued in
Love COMMITTEE (Angelic Novella) Series,
Novella #5
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~ About the Author ~
Creative freelance writer, Celeste King is a Tennessee native who was born with an inquisitive mind and a desire to know the purpose of life and God’s creations. Her short stories transport readers into the heavenly realms and introduce the colorful and helpful angelic beings who are working on our behalf. The vivid descriptions of the crystalline cities where angels reside not only delight the soul, but they enliven the mind to the reality of the home from which we came. This is the same home to which we’ll all anxiously return when our learning on earth is completed.
Always in awe of the beauty and symmetry of the infinite universe, King wondered why and how the innumerable stars and worlds were created. She also wondered how human beings figured into the equation. She was enveloped with a sense of the spiritual purpose of our experience on earth, and with a feeling that we all came here to learn. She concluded that learning through experience seems to be part of God’s plan for us, as no one from the beginning of time has ever been exempt from the process. Learning to live happily with others, as the angels already do in heaven, seems dependent upon our recognizing the difference between right and wrong. That concept is reinforced daily through our earthly experiences.