Angel Gifts

by Mia Rodriguez

  As Alma Aurora and Snowy stepped out of the chimney, Snowy stared quizzically at the angel.

  “You’re wondering why we’re here, right?” Alma Aurora asked Snowy.

  “I’m very curious.”

  “You watch London Blair Worthington on TV and think she has the perfect life, right?”

  Snowy eyed her, startled. “Doesn’t she?”

  Alma Aurora sighed. “Don’t judge a book by its cover, Snowy.”

  “But I’m not judging it by its cover. I get to see inside her world every week.”

  “You mean because you watch her reality show on TV?” questioned Alma Aurora.

  Snowy enthusiastically nodded. “Yeah. Her life is soooo awesome!”

  “Oh, Snowy. I realize that even with what we went through last year, there’s still so much for you to learn again and again.”

  Snowy’s face became crestfallen. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. Learning and having to relearn is the way most human beings are built. The important thing is to be open.”

  “I hope that you know that I’m open, Alma Aurora. Last year’s journey taught me as much as that.”

  “I know,” Alma Aurora murmured, smiling.

  “So what are we doing first?” Snowy asked with curiosity.

  “Visiting with London Blair.”

  “We’ll be talking to her!” Snowy blurted excitedly.

  “Not really.”

  Snowy’s eyebrow’s knit together in a perplexed stance. “What?”

  “Just come with me.”

  They went past the numerous luxurious Christmas decorations. Snowy, of course, had seen the episode where London Blair had hired a special decorator to decorate her chalet with exquisite Christmas ornaments. Her father had told his sixteen-year-old daughter to spare no expense in doing it since he considered Christmas the most important holiday.

  Snowy and her friends thought Eben Worthington was the epitome of cool, letting his daughter have her own chalet at his estate when she landed the reality show. He also gave her a lot of independence which made him even more awesome to tweens and teens around the world.

  Snowy couldn’t help her stomach becoming more and more trembly as she and Alma Aurora were getting nearer and nearer to London Blair Worthington’s bedroom. The reality star had started her TV show only a few months ago but was already a full-fledged legend to tweens and teen-agers the world over.

  Before stepping into London Blair’s bedroom Snowy blurted, “How do I look,” as she smoothed her hair and clothes.

  “Snowy, you know London Blair can’t see us.”

  Snowy giggled at her silliness. She was acting like a giddy elf in the first stages of the Christmas season. “Yeah, that’s right. I’m so excited that I forgot.”

  London Blair slept profoundly on her four poster bed as Alma Aurora and Snowy stepped into her bedroom.

  “Wow,” Snowy burst in a strong whisper. “I just can’t believe I’m here.”

  “Snowy, you can speak normally,” assured Alma Aurora. “She can’t hear us.”

  “Oh yeah, right,” giggled Snowy.

  “Stop being so nervous.”

  “I can’t help it, I really can’t!” Snowy exclaimed, rushing to London Blair’s ample closet and swinging the doors open.”

  “Snowy, what are you doing?”

  “My friends will never forgive me if I don’t peek into her closet. It’s one of the wonders of the world!”

  Alma Aurora frowned. “You really think so?”

  “You don’t understand because you’re an angel,” stated Snowy as she touched the outfits hanging in the closet as if they were fragile glass holiday ornaments, “and you have to wear the same golden tunics over and over again.”

  Alma Aurora raised her dark eyebrows. “So please explain to me why what you wear so important.”

  Snowy let out an exasperated breath. “Fabulous clothes by top designers are important!”

  “Why?” Alma Aurora kept questioning.

  “Because … Because…”

  “Why?”

  “It just is, okay?!” Snowy declared defensively.

  Chapter 5

  “Snowy, I’m afraid you’re not getting off that easy. You’ll need to explain to me why expensive clothes are so important.”

  Snowy let out an exasperated and frustrated sigh. “Alma Aurora, it just is. It’s one of those things that don’t need an explanation.”

  “Do these clothes cure your illnesses while you’re wearing them?”

  Snowy giggled at the thought. “No, of course not. That’s silly.”

  “So why are these clothes so important?”

  “They … Uh, they…” Snowy stumbled. “They impress people.” Snowy was relieved that she had found the words she was looking for.

  “It’s important to impress people?” Alma Aurora asked.

  “Well, yeah.”

  Alma Aurora frowned. “It’s important to impress people you’ve never met?”

  “It’s not just about people I’ve never met; it’s also about my friends.”

  “So, you have the type of friends who would value you for your clothes? I thought friends were people you could share what’s inside of you with. Am I mistaken, Snowy? ”

  Snowy dropped her sight to the ground. “No, you’re not wrong.”

  “I may just be a silly, clueless angel, but don’t friends go beyond things like designer clothes and expensive stuff? I mean, a person who wants to be my friend because of what I wear and what I own wouldn’t be much of a friend, right?”

  “Yeah, right,” mumbled Snowy.

  “I wouldn’t want a friend like that, would you?”

  “No.”

  “I’ve got to say that you humans often surround yourselves with people and ideas that do nothing but mess you up.”

  “I guess so.”

  Alma Aurora nodded. “Do you think God would be impressed with London Blair’s closet?”

  “Probably not.”

  “Definitely not. How about Jesus— would he be impressed?”

  “Don’t think so,” Snowy mumbled.

  “We should follow their lead, don’t you think?”

  Snowy nodded as she quickly closed the closet door and stepped over to Alma Aurora. “What are we doing next?”

  “We need to get into London Blair’s life,” responded Alma Aurora.

  “Get into her life?”

  “Yes.”

  “How do we do that?” questioned Snowy.

  “Very carefully.”

  “Will we be going back in time to visit with her and witness her adventures personally?” Snowy asked, excited.

  “No, not that.”

  Snowy scratched her head. “Will we be looking at the life screen of her life?”

  Santa used the life screen, like a three dimensional huge flat screen-like TV, to find out whether the kids had been naughty or nice.

  Alma Aurora sighed. “Not this time. We need to do something much more potent.”

  “Like what?”

  “We need to get inside her head,” Alma Aurora declared.

  Chapter 6

  “Get inside her head?” asked Snowy, startled.

  “Take my hand, Snowy,” Alma Aurora said, extending her hand.

  Snowy had to admit that she was a little freaked out at this time. What did Alma Aurora mean by getting into London Blair’s head? Nevertheless, she gave the angel her hand. Alma Aurora waved her other hand and golden flecks appeared all around them. Then abruptly, Snowy felt herself swooped rapidly inside the air with a whooshing sound.

  Suddenly, she and Alma Aurora were in a dark and sad sort of space. Grey. gloomy. No windows—no light.

  “Where are we, Alma Aurora?” Snowy mumbled, immensely disliking their destination.

  “We’re inside London Blair’s mind,” informed Alma Aurora.

  “Wow!!! We can get into people’s heads for real?!!!”

>   “Yes.”

  “Are we really in her mind?”

  “Yes.”

  “But this can’t possibly be her mind—no way!” blurted Snowy.

  “Why not?”

  “It’s too depressing in here. London Blair is a happy and fun person.”

  Alma Aurora sighed. “Yes, that’s what she is on the outside.”

  “Not from the inside?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure we didn’t get inside someone else’s mind by mistake?”

  “Snowy, I didn’t make a mistake.”

  “But how can London Blair be so happy on the outside and like this on the inside?” Snowy questioned as she waved her hand in the air indicating the gloomy place while turning around to take a good look at the place.

  “Human beings fake so much on the outside while falling apart on the inside.”

  “But—” As Snowy saw a bright red banner hanging in the air, she stopped in her tracks and stared at it with her mouth wide open.

  “What is it, Snowy?”

  “That banner!”

  “What about the banner?”

  “You’re right about being inside London Blair’s mind. The banner says, ‘Be worthy of being a Worthington’,” Snowy burst with excitement.

  “As you can see that phrase is always foremost in her thoughts.”

  “Her father always tells her that, so she always tries her best.”

  Alma Aurora sighed. “Do you think it works?—that London Blair does her best because of what her father tells her?”

  “Yeah! Definitely. Before she does anything like go on a trip or other stuff, she tells herself, ‘Be worthy of being a Worthington’.”

  “You don’t think that’s a lot of pressure for her?”

  Snowy grew pensive for a few moments. “I don’t know? She seems up to the challenge.”

  “Seems?”

  “Yeah, seems.”

  Alma Aurora stared at her for a few seconds. “Let’s see what’s underneath the banner, shall we?” She stretched toward it and tore it down. Snowy stared, fascinated at the other banner underneath.

  “‘Am I good enough’?” Snowy read out loud.

  “That’s the question on the mind of most humans all the time.”

  Chapter 7

  Suddenly, the original banner reappeared in front of the ‘Am I good enough’? one. Snowy stared at it with a puzzled expression—‘Be worthy of being a Worthington’.

  “Why did that banner go up again?” Snowy questioned. “You tore it down.”

  Alma Aurora sighed. “Unfortunately, it takes a lot more than just a teardown to do away with signs like that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Human beings are engraved with so much—they have a very difficult time erasing the negative from their minds.”

  “I still don’t see how it’s negative to try to be worthy of being a Worthington,” Stormy stated.

  “You’ll see before the night is over.”

  “It’s a privilege to be a Worthington.”

  “We’ll see,” Alma Aurora murmured.

  “I’m really freaked out about the other sign, though. Why would London Blair be asking herself if she’s good enough?!” Snowy blurted. “She’s the most famous girl on TV. Everyone wants to dress like her and actually be her!”

  “Haven’t you heard the saying that everything that glitters isn’t gold?”

  Snowy groaned with frustration. “But I know what her life is like! I watch her show with my own two eyes every week!”

  Alma Aurora sighed deeply. “Just because you think you see something doesn’t mean it’s the truth. There’s usually very little reality in reality shows.”

  Snowy crossed her arms in front of her and scowled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Alma Aurora!” she snapped.

  “I don’t?” Alma Aurora questioned gently.

  “You might be an angel, but you don’t know everything.”

  Alma Aurora eyed her with patience. “Snowy, why are you getting so defensive?”

  “I just don’t like to see my friends maligned!”

  “London Blair is your friend?”

  Snowy became uncomfortable. “Kind of.”

  “She knows you personally?”

  “No, but I know her personally.”

  “You’ve had an actual conversation with her?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “You’ve told each other your secrets and dreams?”

  “You’re trying to twist things and confuse me!”

  “I am?” Alma Aurora asked gently.

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Snowy retorted.

  Alma Aurora nodded. “Okay. We have the whole night for you to open your mind.”

  Snowy groaned loudly. “Okay, whatever.”

  “Let’s go see what else is in here.”

  Snowy quietly followed Alma Aurora to what seemed a closet door. When Alma Aurora opened it, Snowy’s eyes grew wide, and her mouth dropped open. Instead of pricing clothes, a whole slew of food fell out.

  “These are London Blair’s favorite foods!” exclaimed Snowy, as she picked through tacos, chocolates, cupcakes and the like from the floor. “What are they doing here?”

  “If I tell you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

  Snowy eyed her with a puzzled expression. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “At this point your mind is too closed off.”

  “No, it isn’t!”

  “Yes, it is,” Alma Aurora insisted firmly.

  “This food in the closet means something bad, right? I have an ugly feeling about this.”

  “Your instincts are good.”

  “Alma Aurora, I’d like to know about anything bad that concerns London Blair. You have to tell me!”

  “All in its right time or you’ll refuse to believe me.”

  “But how can I help if I don’t know what’s going on?”

  “Just trust me, Snowy.”

  “But—“

  “Trust me, Snowy,” Alma Aurora repeated with patience.

  Snowy’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Why are we here?”

  “Just rest assured that we’re here to help London Blair. In fact, we’re here to help the whole family since the Worthingtons affect so many people.”

  “I hope we can do something for them.”

  “Me too.”

  “They are very important people,” declared Snowy.

  “All human beings are.”

  Snowy nodded with embarrassment. “Sorry, you taught me that last year.”

  “You’ll relearn it again this year.”

  “Thank you, Alma Aurora, for being so patient with me.”

  Alma Aurora smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”

  “I’m sorry if I’ve been rude to you.”

  “Forgiven. Now, we’d better get going.”

  “Where are we going?” Snowy questioned.

  “We’re going to visit London Blair’s brother. Brace yourself. It won’t be pleasant.”

  Chapter 8

  Snowy was more than a little curious about London Blair’s brother. He had refused to be on the reality show unlike both her parents, so his face was always blurred out the very few times he’d be on. Stewart Danforth Worthington, called Stewy by his big sister, was an enigma—even at twelve years of age. He grumbled a lot, hated the cameras, and refused to be famous. This concept of not wanting to be famous and rejecting London Blair’s fabulous life was too much to fathom for Snowy and her friends.

  How can anybody not feel privileged to be so close to London Blair? Snowy asked herself about Stewy. And what ‘s up with him not wanting to be famous?! Now she would get the chance to observe him in person. Snowy couldn’t help but feel a tinge of excitement in her stomach. Maybe she would finally uncover the mystery that was Stewy Worthington.

  Alma Aurora held out her hand. Snowy took it, and the angel wave
d her hand. Golden flecks filled the air. Suddenly, Alma Aurora and Snowy were whooshed in the air. Everything around them became a blur and then when the scene around them became focused, Snowy realized she was at the Worthington mansion.

  “Wow!” Snowy exclaimed. “I can’t believe I’m here!” Snowy didn’t know where to land her eyesight. Her eyes darted everywhere the huge museum-like mansion.

  “You can’t?”

  “I’ve seen it so many times on TV, but I never thought that I’d ever get to come!” She and Alma Aurora were in the expansive living room, next to the huge Christmas tree decorated by Elvinia Worthington’s favorite fashion designer who only agreed to do it for her because of who she was.

  “Why not?” Alma Aurora questioned.

  “Why not?— are you kidding me with that question, Alma Aurora? Not just anybody gets to come to the Worthington estate!”

  “Why not?”

  “Only special people get to come.”

  “All people are special. What special people are you talking about?”

  Snowy blew out an air of frustration. “You know the kind, Alma Aurora.”

  “No, I don’t. I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I mean, the kind of people that walk into rooms and everybody stops what they’re doing to stare.”

  “Like your grandfather?”

  Snowy vehemently shook her head. “No, not like gramps.”

  “Then I don’t understand. Santa Claus causes a commotion just about everywhere he goes. When he takes you out for a hamburger at McNorth Pole’s, everyone buzzes with joy and wants to talk to him.”

  “That’s true, but when I talk about special people coming to the Worthington palace mansion I’m talking about the type of important people that everybody is impressed with—like politicians and other famous people. Billionaires and the like. Do you see what I mean?”

  “No, not really.”

  Snowy blew out an exasperated sigh. Her eyesight suddenly fell on the luxurious Christmas tree. An idea occurred to her. “If Jesus was still walking the earth, he’d probably come here to celebrate his birthday!”

  Alma Aurora frowned. “I don’t think so, Snowy.”

  “He’d fit right in with all the other famous and important special people who come through here.”

  “You really think he’s like those people you’ve seen on TV schmoozing here?”

  Snowy sighed. “I don’t think anyone is like Jesus.”

  “Unfortunately, no. Human beings usually don’t try very hard to be like him. Following his example seems difficult for them.”

  “I suppose, but the people who come to the Worthington palace mansion are still amazing.”