The Archangel's Gift

Chapter 2 Gabe After Jamie had climbed into bed, just as her feet were starting to warm up wrapped inside her cuddly, her dad lumbered in and sat on the edge of her bed. He tousled her hair lightly—more like straightening than a tousling, really. He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Merry Christmas Eve,” he said. “Your mom called. She said to say she’s sorry she has to work on Christmas Eve, but she’ll be here first thing in the morning.” Jamie’s mom’s job was to be the first nurse to see people who came in the Emergency Room doors. Christmas to Jamie’s mom was a wonderful time, too. But it was also a busy time for the hospital, and she had been unable to get Christmas Eve off. She had said she would make it up to the girls. That could mean extra presents. Between Mom and Santa, all hopes for a good Christmas haul were not lost. “Will she be here when I wake up?” “I’m sure she will,” her dad answered. “Good. I’ll probably want to open presents right away.” Jamie liked to plan ahead. Especially ahead to Christmas morning. “Try not to get too far ahead of yourself, kiddo,” her dad said. “Sleep first.” “I’m not going to sleep tonight. I’m going to stay awake and listen for Santa.” Jamie’s dad tucked her in anyway. “Suit yourself,” he said. “But no one ever sees him. They say that sometimes you can hear his reindeer on the rooftop, though.” “Dad, did you ever hear Santa Claus when you were a kid?” “No. Now, no more questions. Try to sleep.” He started to rise, but her hand stopped him. “Dad, you never really answered my first question tonight,” Jamie said. “What was the most favoritest gift you ever got?” Her dad looked down at her and smiled. “I’ve had so many wonderful gifts. I have my job, my health, a wonderful family…” “Not that kind of stuff,” Jamie said. “I mean an actual gift from somebody on Christmas.” “Well then,” he said, “I guess it would have to be this.” He pulled the Christmas angel from his pocket and set it on Jamie’s night-stand. The angel’s rough edges glowed dimly in the light from Jamie’s night light. “I found it at the very bottom of the Christmas chest in the attic this year. I’d forgotten all about it. My father gave it to me when I was about your age. Lindsey’s too old to appreciate it, so I’m giving it to you.” “That’s your best gift? No train sets, or remote controlled sports cars? No big TVs? That’s dumb!” Jamie’s hopes for a good haul were definitely sliding downhill. This was probably going to be a socks and underwear kind of Christmas. Maybe Santa would bring something. She’d stay awake and listen. “Well, you asked, and I told you. Actually, I thought it was a dumb gift too, at first. But I learned that it was given with a great deal of love, and I don’t doubt it carries much love with it even yet. Now, good night and sweet dreams. I love you, Jamie.” “Night, Dad. Love you too,” Jamie said just as the door closed. A line of light shone from underneath the door. She watched it until, after a few moments, it went out too. She listened for sounds like sleigh bells or hooves on roof shingles, but she only heard a few of the normal evening bumps, and occasionally a quiet voice. In the dim glow of her night light, she could just barely see across her room to where her dolls and teddy bears sat along the wall. She only had two Barbies, but she had more teddy bears than anyone she knew. She had won them in the grabber machine in the supermarket entrance. She tried to remember their names, just to stay awake. “Let’s see, there’s Lily-Bear, and Lumpy-Bear, there’s Sailor-Bear, and Yum-yum…” “Jamie” Jamie rubbed her eyes and poked at her ears. She must have nodded off for a second; she had thought she heard someone say her name. Well, she was all that more determined to stay awake. “Let’s see, where was I? Oh yes, Yum-yum. And that’s Jessie-Bear, and Erin-Bear…” “Jamie” The voice was louder this time, and she was definitely not asleep. But there was no one there. At least, no one that she could see. She scooted down under the covers and drew her cuddly up from her toes all in one motion. With her cuddly over her head like a jacket hood, she peered around the room. “Jamie!” This time she heard it unmistakably. It had come from the direction of her night-stand. She looked at the Christmas angel. Had it changed position? Suddenly, the Christmas angel began to glow in a soft, pale light, like moonlight, in which everything appeared to be the same color. And it began to move as well. It flapped one wing as if testing it, and then extended the other wing in a long, slow stretch. Feathers pointed every which-way, like quills on a half-bald porcupine. The angel was definitely peering back at her. Jamie went all the way under the covers and pulled her cuddly in after her. After awhile, she peeked out with one eye. The angel was sitting on the edge of her night-stand with his head cocked way over to one side, as though looking for something under a table. “Don’t be afraid,” the Christmas angel said. They stared at each other awhile longer before the angel spoke again. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” he said in a sing-song voice. Jamie shook her head. “Ollie, ollie, ox-in-free?” the angel chanted, ending in an upward sound, like a question. “I don’t think so,” Jamie said. “Ready or not, here I come?” The angel was resting his chin in his hand and tapping his cheek with one finger. “Don’t you dare!” Jamie said. “Look, kid, come on out of there and we can have a chat.” The angel motioned with his hand. “Nuh-uh, I don’t think so!” Jamie said, her voice quivering just a little bit. They stared at each other awhile longer before the angel spoke again. “I’m a nice guy, really. Wouldn’t hurt a fly. Actually, I have trouble catching them anymore.” He flapped his wings, and one of his feathers kept on swinging like a pendulum after he stopped. He tucked it back into place. “Can’t you come out just a little-ity-bit?” The angel held up a finger and thumb, close together. “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” Jamie said. “Hmmm. That’s pretty good advice.” The angel stroked his scraggly stubble of a beard. “But Jamie, didn’t your father give me to you? I’m yours now. Don’t you ever talk to your dolls?” “Maybe sometimes,” Jamie answered, poking her head out just a little, holding her cuddly out in front of her like a shield. “But they never ever talk back. How did you know my name, anyway?” “I’m an angel,” the angel said, lifting his chin up and spreading his wings out wide, flapping them slowly. He glowed a little brighter, too, but lost a couple of wing feathers in the flourish. He scooped them up and tried to poke them back into place. “Got any duct tape?” he asked. Jamie giggled in spite of herself. “Who are you?” she asked. “Oh my goodness,” the angel gasped. “Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself, didn’t I? Time was, everybody knew me. Now, well, ahem.” He straightened his pale ankle-length robe, slicked back his sparse hair, and tucked in his wings as best he could. “My name is Gabriel, but my friends call me Gabe. Pleased to meet you.” He reached out his hand to shake, but Jamie shied away from it. He withdrew his hand and straightened a stray lock of hair, pretending that that was what he had intended to do all along. “I need a shave and a haircut, don’t I? Christmas sort of snuck up on me this year. Listen, I know I’m—what did you say—‘so, so, ugly!’” he said in a voice just like she had said it earlier. “But listen. I’m not really ugly; I’m just starting to molt, and it’s not a pretty sight at my age. In my day, though, I used to turn some heads, let me tell you.” “How old are you?” Jamie asked. Gabriel glanced at his wrist where a tiny hourglass was held in place with duct tape. “Four thousand...