ENTRY - Angel - 451wc

Lynn held the figurine in a wrinkled hand.  The white dress of the angel was yellowed and stiff.  It made her pale skin even paler. 

         “Can I put it on the tree, Grandma?”  The little voice came from Lynn’s grandson, nearly five now and almost hidden by the stacks of half-packed boxes.

         Lynn hesitated, lost in thought.  She remembered when she got the angel, it was a gift from a good friend, just after she had lost Teddy.  Everyone can use an angel.  It was a beautiful angel, but it had been much more than a gift, for it made her realize that she already had an angel. 

         “Nanny?  Can I put that angel on the tree?”

         Distractedly, Lynn looked up.  “No…  The tree’s gone.  We had to take it down, Gavin.”

         “Ohhh...  Cuz you’re movin?”

         “Yes.”

         As Gavin ran out Ryan came to the doorway, “Nanny, I’m moving out the other dresser next.”  His eyes paused briefly on the angel.

         Lynn stood up, still holding the figurine.  “Do you remember coming to Nanny’s house?  You always used to come to Nanny’s house and you’d want to setup that little porcelain Christmas tree.  Even when it wasn’t Christmas.”

         Ryan smiled a little.

         “Do you remember that?”

         “Yeah.  I liked the little presents we’d put under it.”

         Lynn giggled like she used to when they’d stay up late, playing scrabble and watching movies.  It seemed so long ago now.

         “You tried putting this angel on that little tree!”  She was grinning broadly now and laughing.  “Teddy used to do the same thing with Papa and I’s angel.”

         Ryan chuckled, crossing his arms.  He always listened to stories about Teddy.

         “We waited so long to get a real tree each year, your uncle just couldn’t take it.  He’d put the little tree up and set the big ol’ angel right over it.  Your papa would hide it from him sometimes.”

         Suddenly, her voice became serious, “I’m giving you that little tree, when I die.”  Her eyes smiled warmly, “It’s yours.”

         Ryan stood in the doorway, frowning.  “Well that’s a long ways off, Nanny.”  He looked at the overwhelming sweep of boxes.  “Now, lets get these things packed.”  Lynn’s eldest grandson disappeared around the corner.  She could he hear him pulling out the drawers of her bedroom dresser.  He was the only one who had come to help her move out.

         Ryan had been her angel when Teddy died.  In the hardest, most painful moment of her life, there was this little boy, her first grandson to care for.  There was hope.  She had a responsibility to help bring him into the world, and that gave her hope.