Earth Angels Part Four

CHECK OUT PART ONE, TWO & THREE BEFORE PROCEEDING PLEASE :)

CHAPTER NINE

"Layla, why are you so downcast?"

I stood in front of God, clearly in despair, and for the first time, I wasn't able to form the words to express how I felt. David was troubled and so was my heart. Had I been on Earth too long? Those human emotions were getting to me. I didn't want to admit it, but April was right.

As usual, before we went before God, she invaded my thoughts.

"I was trying to warn you, you're getting too close," she said. She wasn't trying to control my feelings for David. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't. She was being a protective sister, although, it was just the beginning of being too late. My heart was already warped, already involved, already connected to David.

And so the both of us stood before the Father, wings at our sides brushing gently against our backs. April looked at me, and I felt the sorrow she had for me reflecting off of her, her light illuminated in yellow, an angel's sign of caution and care.

I took a deep breath and said, "Father, I'm worried about David. Someone broke into his place and now it's like a part of me is broken too. I couldn't protect him from heartache. I was too busy trying to fulfill something else, too busy fulfilling my own desires, my own feelings. I was so selfish. I feel bad because I really am feeling a way I shouldn't be, but I can't help it.”

"Why did you send me to protect him? Why did you allow me to go to Earth to spend time with him? Was it some sort of cruel punishment because now I feel more torn than I've ever felt in my life? I know I have a responsibility to hold and be in charge of...that's my duty as an angel....but now I feel the emotions humans feel and it's changing me inside." I said all of that internally, too ashamed to form them into words before the Father.

He stared at me with loving compassion in His eyes. "Layla, there's no need to feel ashamed for feeling love. It's the essence of who I am. Out of love came everything, for I am love myself. That being said, there's a bigger lesson to learn out of all of this in which you will learn the longer you spend time with David."

April's eyes opened wide. "Spend more time with David? Father, do you really think that's the best thing for Layla to do?"

"Yes, and she has to go alone. April, you'll monitor from here with me, but from here on out, David's in Layla's hands."

April's yellow glow dimmed though not fully gone. I knew she was still concerned, as did God, but she listened, bowed her head then flew away to her mansion.

I looked back at God. "Okay, Father. Was there anything else I should know before I go back to Earth?"

"Watch her," He replied.

"Watch who?" I asked.

"Josephine. There's something about her that doesn't align with David."

My eyes widened. So, my gut instinct was right. "I'm on it, Father."

"Great," He said. "Now, go and be well."

As I glided out of His presence, I took some time to explore heaven. For the first time in a while, I wasn't looking at the humans on Earth; I was watching the ones who were already in glory. They giggled as they held each other and walked on the streets of gold with no memory of all the pain being on Earth caused them. It was strange because I felt those emotions: pain for David, concern for David, questions for David.

As an angel, I was appointed to protect: to protect his heart, to protect his mind and guide his soul back to the Heavenly Father. I found myself asking, "Was I leading him astray by my own emotions tied to him? Was I disqualifying my role as an angel by pursing him instead of protecting him?"

Time would tell very soon.

CHAPTER TEN

"Layla, So good to see you again! Did you hear about what happened to David's place?"

The pitter patter of the rain poured heavily on my umbrella. It was an odd thing to see Josephine as she asked me that question. She was out jogging in the rain, and I just happened to run into her again at the same corner near his house. It was very strange. It made my angel alarms go off and I was on high alert.

"Yes," I responded. "I was with him when it happened."

"Were you really?"

I shook my head not wanting to say too much.

"Well, it's absurd. I really hope they catch who committed such a heinous crime. He didn't deserve that."

"Agreed," I replied.

“Any plans for this evening?”

I stayed silent for a moment trying to think of a lie. “Nothing set in stone yet.”

It wasn’t a lie, just not the full truth. If I told her that I was planning to invite David out for a mental distraction from all the chaos, she would have surely wanted to have known more. I wasn’t going to risk that.

“I understand,” she said. Her eyes scanned me quickly from head to foot. “Well, I must finish this run. I’ll see you later.”

I watched her as she waved and ran down the side walk. I wondered exactly where she was going, since she apparently lived next door, it didn’t make sense that she was going in the opposite direction. At that time, I let it go, but it became essential information later on.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“You still haven’t told me much about yourself. Don’t be shy, where are you from?”

“I’m not from here,” I said.

“Oh,” David said, “Where are you from?”

My eyes locked on the tiles of the restaurant floor. I wasn’t sure how to answer that. It wasn’t because I didn’t know the answer; rather, it was more a matter of if he would believe me.

“It’s really far from here. You might not know,” I said with a chuckle.

David leaned in, “Try me.”

For some reason, I felt I could trust him. I’d gone on dates before, but he was different. He was a stranger, yet familiar, like I’d known him my whole life.

“Would you consider yourself to be a spiritual person?”

David sipped his water. “Yeah, I’d say so.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Do you believe in God, Jesus and angels?”

“I do,” he said, “Why?”

"I believe they walk amongst us all the time and that we are with them before we come here.”

“I’m not following, sorry.”

“Earth Angels. Have you heard of them?”

“If you mean the song by The Penguins then yes.”

I sighed. I took the last bite of my chicken taco as David wrote his signature on the check.

“All set?”

We walked together to the entrance of Melrose next to David's car.

“That was nice,” David said. "I don't want to intrude. Would it be too soon to ask you out on a second date?"

I smiled. "I’d like that.” Then I thought about the question. “This is our second date though, David.”

“Is it though? The last date we had was unfortunately interrupted. You picked the place for this date to take my mind off things. I just feel like I should make it up to you.”

“He’s so sweet,” I thought.

“Did you need a ride home to that mysterious residence that you won’t tell me about?”

I chuckled. “Actually, that got me thinking. How’s your home looking? Were you able to get everything replaced?”

“Not yet. It’s been a real headache. Just have a couch right now.”

I frowned then said, “Why don’t I come over and take a look?”

If only you could see the way his eyes lit up when I asked him that. “Let’s go,” he said.

I sat in his passenger’s seat as he drove us down the road. I looked up at the night sky: the stars were bright, there was a gentle breeze brushing my hair as the windows were cracked and smooth jazz played on the radio. We didn’t talk much. Maybe he was nervous, anxious or enjoying the moment. Me? I was all of the above, especially when he reached over and held my hand.

“You’re trembling,” he said, then smiled at me.

How was it that he noticed that before I did?

We reached his house and he held the door open for me to exit his car. He headed for his front door to put in his security code.

Something caught my attention at the corner of my eye: in the window across from us was a glowing red light. It wasn’t one that I was used to seeing for it was not angelic at all. This light glowed in the shade of blood red. The red that glowed with the intention of causing human harm. I turned my head to focus more on what I was seeing when Josephine caught my gaze. It was a drastic difference from the kind, curious human she appeared to be earlier that day. She glared at me, the white in her eyes completely darkened and she glowed in the light of blood red hues.