Chark Tales That’s shark, with a ‘C’!

Jessica’s mouth dropped open in shock and then quickly she looked behind herself to verify that it was her that Gabriel was talking to. When she saw no one else in the vicinity, she turned her attention back to Gabriel.

“Me?” she asked him.

He nodded and then squinted his eyes at her again, as if to get a better look, and she realized that the medical staff must have removed his contact lenses. “I saw you! Back at the store. I thought…”

With a patience that Jessica was just learning to master, she waited for him to complete his thought.

When no further explanation seemed forthcoming, she prodded him, “You thought what?”

Gabriel jerked his attention from the blanket he had been fiddling with back to the angel sitting in front of him. “I thought that you were the angel of death. I mean, to take me away. Silly, huh? Seeing as how I’m still here.”

She shook her head and reached out to pat his hand in reassurance. She sighed as her hand once again passed through. Gabriel gasped and pulled his hand back as if burned. His eyes lifted and bored into hers. “Who are you?” This time the tone of his voice held a note of fear, where previously there had been anger.

Jessica blinked for a few seconds, as she thought through the ramifications of his being able to see and hear her. She lifted her head up and yelled out for Michael. A moment later, a delicate cough could be heard from the other side of the bed.

“What…” Gabriel was about to ask who or what she was doing Jessica could tell, but his words stopped when Jessica’s attention was diverted and he followed her gaze.

“Michael, thank God you’re here.” Jessica stood up and went to her ‘boss’ and when her charge started to make sounds of sputtering and choking, she focus on him again.

“Gabriel, are you alright? What’s wrong?” she asked, the concern in her voice evident.

“Who are you talking to?”

She cocked her head to the side, and then her head swung back and forth as she tried to understand the situation.

“Oh, my!” Jessica would have fainted if it were physically possible. “Michael, we’ve got a big problem.”

Michael, who had been silent and had watched the proceedings with concern, finally spoke,” It would appear that way, but honestly Jessica it’s not as much of a problem as you think.”

Before Jessica could respond to Michael’s statement, Gabriel spoke again, “Would you kindly tell me what is going on? I’m a man in pain, who now thinks he’s so high on pain meds that he’s imagining people who talk to imaginary people.”

“What…?” She turned to Michael, “Can I tell him the truth? I doubt he’d believe me if I were to tell him. Should I still even be here? Shouldn’t you put another ang… um… in my place?” The questions came tumbling out in rapid succession.

Michael reached out and patted Jessica’s arm, and with that small gesture of comfort she calmed. “No, you are his guardian angel until the task is done. And to answer your questions, you can tell him almost everything, but not the ultimate reason as to why you are there. He should come to the realization of what he needs out of life on his own.”

With a bit of humor to his voice, he continued speaking, “And as to not believing in you, I think the facts that you’ve got wings, that he can’t touch you and no one else would be able to see you would be proof enough.” As Jessica’s attention returned to the man lying in the hospital bed, Michael spoke softly to himself, “This couldn’t have worked out any better, if the good Lord himself had planned it.” Then he promptly disappeared.

“I’ll try to answer your questions, but I won’t be able to answer all of them. You aren’t imagining me and I’m not an hallucination. I’m your guardian angel, plain and simple. And I was talking to Michael, who I guess you would say is my boss. I don’t know why you can see me and not him; so, that’s just some unexplained mystery. And you shouldn’t worry about my being here, I won’t be anything more than an observer really. If you can, think of it like your being in front of a camera — an inanimate object that would record what you do but give no feedback.”

Gabriel sat quietly in contemplation of her words, before he continued their conversation. “How long have you been guarding me?”

Jessica has the good grace to blush and look away with a sheepish expression on her face. And she noticed that in her preoccupation with Gabriel, that Michael had left. She sighed and grinned.

“Not long, just a week. You should also know…” Jessica’s voice trailed off in embarrassment, but she plucked up her courage to continue, “You should also know that I’m kinda new to the position.”

“How new?” Gabriel asked with a quirk of his lips, a smile tugging at the corners.

Jessica smiled in response. “Um, I’ve been an angel for all of a week. I died seven days ago and before I could even say hello to my grandfather, I was whisked away to watch over you.”

Gabriel grunted in surprise. “So does everyone who dies become an angel? Specifically a guardian angel.”

She shook her head. “Apparently the wings and the guardianship are because you do something extraordinary. Most everyone goes to heaven to reside as a citizen.”

A confused expression appeared on his face. “So let me get this straight. You do something wonderful and when you get to heaven, you’re immediately set to work. And yet the average joe, when they die, just gets to stay in heaven.

“How is that fair?”

Not certain how to respond to that, Jessica stood up and moved around the rooms as she thought out her response. She turned back to him once she felt she had the words.

“I don’t think it has to do with fairness, so much as a mark of excellence. Like an executive to a business who gets promoted up the ladder for a job well done. Sure, you also get better pay, but with it usually comes more responsibility. Being a guardian angel — watching over people, making sure that the path they take is of their own choosing and that it’s a good life they live — is the reward. A sense of satisfaction of having contributed is what will come with a job having been done well.”

The understanding washed over Gabriel’s face as he watched Jessica glow with purity and passion. Such devotion and love for a fellow man was something he’d never truly understood, but watching it and seeing it in front of him in this woman was like having a visual epiphany. it was like being wrapped in a warm embrace.

“What did you do then?”

At first, Jessica wasn’t sure what he was asking and then she realized he meant what extraordinary thing had she done that had resulted in her current situation.

“Oh, well,” Jessica wasn’t one for being a braggart, so she was hesitant to tell of her selfless deed. “It was nothing, really. Just a last minute save, I guess you could say.”

Jessica could see that Gabriel was trying to process all that she had told him; his face had a mix of confusion and concentration to it. But she decided that he still didn’t have all the information he needed, so she through one more question of her own into the mix. “Will you be okay with knowing I’m here, following you around everywhere?”

A look of pure surprise crossed his face and the question that came out of Gabriel’s mouth was more of a squeak. “Everywhere?”

Jessica laughed and shook her head. “Oh, oh… not everywhere. I’d never invade your privacy like that. Of course, now that you can see and hear me, you can tell me when you do want privacy.”

“Yeah, okay. That’s cool. So, if I couldn’t see or hear you and I’m just at home most days, what would you do or have been doing to occupy your time? I mean it’s not like I’m on a set shooting a movie or a television show, where there’s more going on to keep your attention.”

Jessica watched Gabriel as he talked, and noticed that he hardly ever really focused on her and would look around and down at his hands. She knew it would take time for him to feel comfortable in her presence, she was sure of it.

With a hum, Jessica got up from the bed and stood across the room in the far corner. She decided that it would be best to give him a more visual answer, than a verbal one. So, she knelt down to pray. Even though she was doing so to illustrate a point, she took the opportunity to say a prayer of thanks and praise to God. She’d never been very religious before, but she’d always had her faith. She’d always known that one didn’t necessarily dictate the other, and she’d been rewarded even for that belief. So she had found a comfort in showing that God’s faith in her was justified. Plus, she could only hope that her example would lead Gabriel into a more faith filled life.

She could feel Gabriel’s eye focused on her and she lifted her head to return his regard. She smiled at the look of awe on his face; she assumed no one had ever knelt and prayed so freely in his presence before which led to awe-inspiring look. She was not aware that she glowed and was radiant. Her feathers had been like the sun and illuminated the room with clarity and sparkling brilliance. A halo had surrounded her face and hair. In that unguarded moment, Gabriel fell a little in love with his guardian angel.

Similar Posts:

• Guardian Angel - Chapter One
• Guardian Angel - Chapter Two
• Guardian Angel - Chapter Three