Christmas Angel

I let a group of seasoned citizen ladies shopping together for bargains go ahead of me.

It was the right thing to do and an excuse to study her....her nametag said Amy.

Amy was very patient with them.

She helped them count out their money and make change.

She double wrapped one of the lady's dishes and made a fuss over the lady's eye for antiques which obviously from the woman's face made the woman's day.

She even helped one of the three ladies button her coat and adjust her scarf.

Yes, Amy is the genuine article.

What you see is what you get.

I estimated Amy to be five-feet five inches tall and close to 200 pounds in weight which was much too heavy for her small frame.

Amy's hands and feet were a dead giveaway to her frame size; small dainty hands and tiny feet.

I would say that Amy feet were size six at the most judging by the sneakers that she was now wearing in place of the pack boots.

Ideally she should weigh no more than 130 lbs.

She was also wearing red sweatpants with a baggy green sweatshirt embroidered with fine needlework.

The needlework was a Christmas kitten playing with tinsel and ornaments and it was very well executed.

Despite the weight and adding those beautiful, intelligent, kind and timid eyes, Amy had one of the most magnificently beautiful and stunning faces that I have ever seen on a woman anywhere and with a flawless complexion that was makeup free.

Yes those were the words describing her plus more; wholesome and youthful and innocent.

When we were outside the hat and hood and scarf hid her stunningly beautiful face.

When Amy looked up and recognized me, she smiled and I was bathed in wholesome.

I could not help but return that sweet smile.

In retrospect I should have pounded that pothead into ground for what he said to her.

Amy had dark brown hair that was fixed in a single thick braid down her back.

What beautiful silky hair she must imprisoned in that braid.

Not to mention a small perfectly shaped nose and tiny ears; plus she had lips.

Of course she had lips, the full lips sensuous of a heavenly angel.

So perfectly formed and waiting to be.....then the woman behind me burst my daydream.

"If you're not ready to check out accordion boy then step aside and let someone else go, jerk!"

She exclaimed nastily.

I ignored this rude woman and stepped up to the counter close enough to see Amy's long eye lashes and her angel wing eyebrows and I was thinking;

"I just turned thirty-five and she was nineteen or twenty at the most.

God in heaven if she lost the weight imagine how much better she would look and feel.

Amy would be Aphrodite/Venus incarnate; however Aphrodite/Venus incarnate pure and wholesome."

"What she needed was the right trainer...the right mindset and self discipline.

Why not, the training could start right away and she would be an asset to my business.

Besides, I wasn't seeing anyone now; no distractions and I could bring her along, slowly........"

"That will be 12 cents with the tax.

Will there be anything else, Sir?"

Amy asked.

I was daydreaming again.

I handed Amy a dollar for my purchase putting the change in a collection jar and then handed her my business card.

"Yes, two things beautiful brown eyes...you blush wonderfully."

Amy did blush wonderfully when I called her beautiful brown eyes.

"I need a cashier with open availability.

If you like we will hold your interview tomorrow.

I will pay you double what they pay you here.............................

I met Amy Jones as she got off the dial-a bus taking her hand and helping her to step down.

I then put my hand in the small of her back and guided her into my office.

I helped her off with her long wool coat.

It was close in color to her dress and came down almost to her ankles.

I hung it on the coat rack and then helped her to her chair.

During her job interview I observed some very interesting things about Amy.

For one she had other clothing other than sweat pants and sweatshirts.

Amy was wearing a navy blue dress with a white lace collar.

It had ¾ length sleeves and came down to her knees.

She was also wearing stockings or pantyhose and had on sensible black shoes; pumps.

From what I could see of them her legs were quite nice.

I liked very much what Amy had done with her hair although I had the urge to take it down and run my hands through it.

It was put up in an elegant French Twist and her stunningly beautiful, wholesome face was makeup free.

Her only jewelry was a small but intricate in detail gold angel pin affixed to the collar and from the looks of it the pin was quality gold.

What was most interesting to me was that Amy grew up in foster care.

She was moved from family to family from the time that she was three years old.

Amy was older than I estimated, she was twenty- five and that was the best news yet.

"Do you have any hobbies, Miss Jones?

Keep in mind that question is optional."

"I like to read and I'm pretty good at crossword puzzles. I knit; crochet, tat and I can sew."

She answered.

"My sister Mary knits and crochets, plus sews out of her home providing a nice little income for herself.

You and she have much in common and I am sure that you would like her."

I was rewarded with a sweet wholesome smile.

"I took piano lessons all throughout school and I am told that I play well" she offered.

"Do you or your sister play?"

I was thinking what a delightful woman she is and I still wanted to take her hair down.

I have done hundreds of job interviews and I generally ask the questions not answer them.

But there was just something about her, something that felt right to me.

"I am more into sports; particularly weight training, wrestling and gymnastics and I competed during high school and college.

Mary is the one with musical talent; she plays the violin and the cello.

Every Sunday morning during the nine o'clock mass she plays the cello in a string quartet."

Amy's face lit at the mention of my sister and church and she continued.

"The piano and organ are similar you know and sometimes I am called to play for weddings.

Emma has a piano and when I visit her she loves to hear me play; I so love classical music, don't you?"

"Some, although my tastes run more towards Country Western & Rock & Roll.

Was Emma a foster parent?"

"Emma is more than a foster parent; she is my mother and is the only real family that I ever had.

When Rodney..... I'm sorry you really don't want to hear all of this."

"It's all right."

I said gently putting my hand on hers.

"We are like family here.

Take Mrs. Mueller for example, the lady you are replacing; the one with the blue hair.

You must have seen her when you walked in.

She is still as sharp as a tack at eighty-three."

"She has been working here 45 years which is longer than I have been alive; my Dad hired her.

She is moving to Florida to live with her sister and already has a job lined up and".....

There was a knock on the door and we were interrupted.

"Come in Mrs. Mueller"

I answered as she was walking in, I was already standing.

"I'm leaving now, Gabe.

Don't forget that inventory must be done by Friday."

"Yes, Mrs. Mueller."

"Remember heat rises, turn the thermostat in my apartment down to forty; there is no need to heat empty rooms."

"I'll remember, Mrs. Mueller."

"I'm going to see the children and have lunch with Mary before I meet my plane.

Is this the girl that is replacing me?

I didn't like the girl you interviewed last week." She said, frowning.

"I'm Zeta Mueller young lady"

Zeta said holding her hand out for Amy to shake.

Amy stood and they shook hands.

"I'm Amy Jones and I'm pleased to meet you Mrs. Mueller."

Zeta did not let go immediately.

"I like this one, Gabe.

She has good manners and is wholesome besides being very pretty.

Are you married, honey?"

"No, ma'am." Amy answered, blushing.

"And she blushes, yes I definitely like this one."

Zeta added which caused Amy to blush even more.

"Gabe is quite the catch and is a good man.

I've known him all of his life.

He owns his own business and has a house; a barn, two barns actually.

He converted the largest into a house.

He also owns more acres of land that any sensible person needs who isn't a farmer of course.

It's just him alone in that empty house most of the time except when the twins are there for overnights.

Zee-Zee used to change your diapers, didn't I Gabriel?"

"Zeta!" I exclaimed.

"Do the elephant thing for her, Gabriel."

She said winking at Amy.

"Zeta" I said sternly.

"I was only teasing; can't an old lady have her fun."

She said letting go of Amy's hand and then we hugged and I kissed Zeta's cheek.

"Your luggage is already loaded in my Jeep, Zee-Zee.

Have a good time and kiss Ben and Cindy for me.

Call my cell phone when you are ready to go the airport and I will come and get you."

I then took my Zee-Zee's arm and escorted her out.

We stopped at the front door and I adjusted her scarf.

I checked to see that her hat and gloves were on and then made sure that her coat was zipped before we walked out to the warm pickup truck where my brother-in-law Charlie was waiting.

When I returned Amy had just sprayed breath freshener into her mouth and was returning the small aerosol bottle to her purse.

I pretended not to notice the breath freshener.

I also pretended not to notice the folded fast food breakfast wrappers in there.

She probably ate breakfast on the bus on the way here.

I noticed that the wrappers were in her purse to be disposed of properly and were not thrown the floor of the bus..............

Amy:

My goodness, Fifteen dollars and hour!

I've never made that kind of money before.

Thank God Gabriel came along when he did.

He rented that vacant three bedroom apartment above the store to me for a song and without a security deposit.

We sealed the deal with a handshake and my promise to have the first month's rent in two weeks.

I don't care if I lose the security deposit on my studio apartment even though I just painted the place.

Dear sweet Emma I can't wait to tell you about my apartment and new job.

You always treated me like a daughter instead of a monthly paycheck to supplement your income.

You paid for my braces and for my piano lessons out of your own pocket when you couldn't afford it and you often did without.

I lived with six different families from the time that I was three until I was nine.

You took me in on a temporary basis and then finally for good.

Most of the families kept my hair bobbed just below my ears or shorter and I always had short bangs.

I hated my short hair but I knew better to complain.

You gave me a choice and let me grow it long just like yours.

When I was a little girl you would brush my hair and braid it for me.

And when I was older you taught me many ways how to pin it up.

I remember that I got head lice from one of the foster sons living with the Winslow's.

The other nine foster children got head lice as well.

We were nothing more than free labor and a monthly income to them.

They also had twin daughters of their own who were about around my age my age if I remember correctly.

I never played with them and they never let me forget that they had a real Mommy & Daddy and I didn't.

The boy's were from seven to sixteen and they all were made to work on the farm.

We foster children were all treated equally during our lice infestation.

We all had our hair clipped down to the scalp by Mr. Winslow.

Then Mrs. Winslow applied a paste made from cornstarch, Crisco, kerosene with a few drops cattle insecticide to kill the lice.

Their daughters didn't have their long curls off.

They got the proper store bought head lice treatments that didn't irritate their scalps or sting their eyes from the fumes.

John the eldest foster boy threatened to report them to the authorities.

John received a terrible beating with a horse cane plus a broken arm.

Mr. Winslow told him to say that it was an accident and then offered him money to keep quiet.

When that didn't work he threatened him with God knows what and then locked him in the barn.

We broke him out and John reported them.

John had to spend a night in jail because the Winslow's lied and got to the Sheriff first.

Thank goodness the truth got out.

Because of John's courage a new social worker was assigned to my case.

He brought me to Emma's home to spend the night.

I got to a shower with hot water followed by a hot bath and I could soak in the tub for as long as I wanted.

Emma sat outside the open bathroom door and knitted.

I had my own room with a full size bed that had clean white sheets and a beautiful handmade quilt to keep me warm.

This was the first time in my whole life that I actually had bed of my own.

Can you imagine that a whole bed all to me and with four pillows nonetheless.

I was living with her for a month when Emma gently brought up the subject of church.

I didn't know that people sang in church.

I loved to sing and Emma would play her piano and we would sing songs together, silly happy songs mostly mixed in with hymns.

We bought some blue material and thread.

Emma made me my first Choir robe and I got to help.

It had a beautiful lace collar just like hers.

Two days before Christmas Emma took me shopping for a new dress.

I had never owned a dress before or even new clothes, just hand- me- downs.

I never dreamed that she would buy me new shoes, plus a little white hat to cover my poor shorn head.

I even had a pair of little white gloves, just like Emma's and a black beaded purse with a whole dollar in it to put in the collection plate.

My first time in church was Christmas morning.

Emma introduced me to the congregation as her little angel from heaven.

I stood next to Emma with my new robe over my new dress and sang hymns.

I sang my heart out.

I was overwhelmed with the beautiful stained glass windows, the fresh flowers; the incense and the beautiful organ music.

When we got home from church that afternoon there was a brown cardboard box wrapped in gold paper underneath the tree with my name on it.

There was a kitten in the box.

A tiny male tabby with green eyes and he was wearing a red bow.

He was not a feral cat likes the ones on the Winslow's farm.

They ran away, or bit or scratched you when you tried to pick them up.

Gabriel was a sweet little kitty.

I named my kitten after Gabriel the archangel.

Emma told me that the name Gabriel means "Man of God".

Well my Gabriel was a sort of a man; he was a male even though he was just a cat.

Gabriel became my friend, my companion and protector.

There was another box for me underneath the tree, a very small box.

Inside was a gold pin...a small but intricate angel cast in solid 18-karat gold.

The pin was originally a gift from her mother when Emma sang in her first Christmas Choir.

Emma is a woman of principal and taught me to be a lady.

She taught me that I was a good person and that she was blessed to have me as a daughter.

Emma loves me like her own daughter and she made me promise her that I should never to settle.

Not that she is perfect; Emma can be difficult at best when she wants to be.

Emma even took my side against her stepson, Rodney when he tried to force himself on me and to rape me.

I was just thirteen and he was twenty-seven.

Rodney's mother died when he was fifteen and he always resented the fact that his father remarried

He left home when he was sixteen coming back from time to time when he needed money.

Rodney was drunk and was groping me.

My blouse was ripped off and he had me pinned to the floor.

Gabriel jumped on Rodney's back and clawed and bit him allowing me to break free and then I ran and locked myself in the bathroom.

Emma found me curled up in a ball and crying in the bathtub when she came home.

Rodney was gone; but so were Gabriel; I never saw him again after that day.

Emma was enraged and confronted Rodney when he returned sober the next morning.

He denied everything calling me a whore and a liar but the evidence was there; the bite and scratch marks on his neck and face were turning red and starting to get infected.

There were bruises on my back and shoulders where he slammed me against my bedroom door frame.

Emma told him to leave or she would call the authorities.

He laughed at her saying that it was his father's house even though his father was dead, by rights it should be his.

He then took a beer out of the fridge and then sat down the kitchen table.

He wasn't laughing when Emma returned and pushed the barrel of a .410 gauge Mossberg Pump Shotgun loaded with double aught buckshot into his crotch and racked the action...he left in a hurry.

If he had succeeded in raping me Emma would have shot his..... Shot his you know what off.

Then a week later he sent his best friend Sam, another bum just like him over with a pickup truck to get his things.

I started gaining weight soon after that despite the counseling and loving support from Emma.

I never saw Rodney again, until.............................

Gabriel:

"Well, Miss Jones, everything seems to be in order.

It seems that you have the job.

Do you have any questions?"

"Yes, is the apartment above the store for rent?

I don't go out much and even though I drive I don't own a car.

If I lived here with my open availability I could be downstairs working at a moment's notice."

Marvelous, everything was falling into place but I didn't want to appear too eager.

I knew where she lived, it was a dump and besides she would be so much safer living here.

"It really needs to be cleaned or at least painted first although you will find that Zeta kept it spotless."

"I'll clean it', she said hopefully "And I can paint." she said confidently. "May I at least look at it?

"I suppose it won't hurt." I said smiling and she rewarded me with her beautiful wholesome smile......

Amy:

Gabriel stood up smiling and offered me his hand helping me to my feet.

He then put his hand flat at the small of my back.

"This way please."

My goodness he is such a gentleman.

Emma would love him if I brought him to meet her but those were just wishful thoughts.

We then walked to the back of the store and he opened the heavy steel fire door leading to the back stairs that lead to the second floor apartment.

The stairway was double wide and we walked up side by side with his hand in the small of my back to keep me from falling.

"This building once housed a bank that went belly up during the depression, although the vault is still in fine working order.

The elevator works but of course walking is better for the heart, don't you agree.

If there is a fire you may access the fire escape from the roof through the roof's fire door or a bedroom window.

The ladder will drop down to ground level when you pull the orange lever

Zeta had a little patio on the roof and would sit outside when the weather permitted."

Then he stopped and gently took my hands in his strong

Gabriel gave me goose bumps and I was sure that I was blushing.

"Can you keep a secret, Miss Jones?"

He whispered, leaning close while looking into my eyes.

I just nodded, I was flustered and my face was hot.

I wanted to kiss him or for Gabriel to kiss me.

"I know that I can trust you, Miss Jones.