Spider Web

by Danielle James

  “Well, you know, knocking off convenience stores doesn’t help your image.”

  “Man’s gotta eat,” he said, as if that explained it all. Shannon shook her head and walked around her car. This was the hardest part of being a local cop. Sometimes she had to arrest people she knew. Sometimes people she cared about.

  Once at the station, Shannon surrendered her captive to the booking officers and retreated to her small desk. It was really nothing more than a computer desk with a computer. There were no pictures of family or friends, nothing personal about it at all. She shared it with two other officers, so they all three tried to keep the personal clutter to a minimum. She settled in to fill out a couple of hours’ worth of paper work before her shift ended.

  “Wait,” Michael said, laying a hand on her shoulder. Shannon abruptly stopped, one foot raised. She lowered it back to the curb just as a car spun around the corner. It zipped past her, clearly not abiding by the speed limit. Had she completed her step into the street, she would have been hit by the speeding car. More than that, she would have been flat as a pancake on the side of Main Street. She turned her head, as if looking to see who stopped her. She did that often. Michael knew she hadn’t heard him with her ears, just as she didn’t feel his touch with her skin. When he spoke to her, it was to her soul. That was the way it had always been.

  Humans couldn’t see or hear angels unless the angel wanted to be seen. It was a conscious effort to allow a human to see an angel, and it was against the rules except in extreme circumstances. Of course, when Shannon had been very young, she could see Michael. He used to make faces and dance for her while she was in her crib. She would wail with laughter. When she was a toddler, he would play dress up or hide and seek; he even had tea parties with her. Most children could see angels. It was because their souls were pure; because society hadn’t taught them not to. Children had open eyes and ears until they were taught what was real and what was make believe. Often enough, an adult will pass off a child who talks and laughs to herself or plays with some unseen individual as having an imaginary friend.

  That’s what angels are to children. A friend, a parent; whatever the child needs. But as children grow, they forget their angel. Some vaguely remember their imaginary friends, but not with any detail. Then the angel must do what Michael was now doing for their charge; guarding. Gentle nudges in the right direction. Advice spoken directly into the charge’s unconscious mind.

  Shannon flipped her long chestnut hair over her shoulder and stepped out onto the street. Michael followed. He followed her to work every day. Ever since she decided to become a police officer, Michael kept a close eye on her. She was good at her job, and with his protection, she usually came out of any situation unscathed. Some of her fellow officers teased her about having a guardian angel. Because how else would she know when to duck, when to run, or when to shoot? If only they knew.....Michael felt his heart swell with pride as he walked two steps behind her. Even as a child, she was always playing cops and robbers with her stuffed animals. She would spend hours cuffing the bad ones and putting them in jail. Michael smiled as he remembered Shannon’s mother complaining about the perpetual shortage of shoestrings and tape in their home. What else was she supposed to tie up the bad guys with?

  As Shannon walked through the glass doors of the station, Michael stepped in behind her. He followed her into the elevator and down the hall to the office. He watched as she turned on her computer, and shuffled through the mail on her desk. He watched as she opened her email account.

  He felt a surge of joy when she smiled at her screen. Mike122 sent me another message, she thought. Yes, he could hear her thoughts, when he wanted to. It was all part of the guardian angel package. He watched her eyes skim over the message, and awaited her reply. He stood silently as her fingers tapped over the keypad. He would open the email from the library later.

  “Michael! What are you doing?” a deep voice said from behind Michael.

  Busted. He spun around, smiling. “Hello Gabriel,” he said. “What can I do for you?”

  “You know you’re not supposed to send messages that way,” Gabriel said, taking on a fatherly tone. He was another angel, another guardian. He looked similar to Michael only in the fact that they both had shimmering wings. Where Michael’s wings were the whitest white, Gabriel’s were a nice tawny brown. Michael had dark hair and blue eyes. His face was angular, his jaw strong. Gabriel was blonde with wide brown eyes, shorter than Michael, and his face was round and young. Gabriel was Michael’s best friend, next to Shannon.

  “There is nothing in the rules about email. Besides, I’m doing what she needs. Right now, she needs someone to talk to and who better than an angel?” Shannon had just gone through a terrible break up with her long- time boyfriend, Robert. She had caught him red handed, cheating on her. It was for the best. She deserved so much better than him. So Michael pretended to be a guy she met online, someone uninvolved and unbiased, that she could speak freely to.

  “You know, if Father found out, he wouldn’t be happy,” Gabriel warned.

  “I don’t think so,” Michael replied. “I think it would be ok.”

  “Whatever, it’s your neck,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “So, how about we go and get some lunch?”

  “Sure, but hold on a minute.” Michael sauntered over behind Shannon and whispered in her ear to stay put, he would be back. She sighed, but gave no indication that she was even aware of the message. “So, where to?” he asked his friend.

  “Let’s go to the Hard Rock Café,” Gabriel suggested. The two shimmered out of the office.

  Once outside, they ducked behind a building and shimmered into human form. It was necessary if they wanted to eat. But doing it in public could cause a bit of a problem. People were likely to notice two men appearing out of thin air. They rounded the corner of the building together, laughing about something Gabriel’s charge had done. Neither was concerned about leaving their charges alone, as they were connected to their charges on a very deep subconscious level. If there was any chance of trouble, they would know. It was like having an upset stomach; a mental and physical pull toward their charge that would not be ignored.

  When they reached the Hard Rock, there was already a line forming. Gabriel wanted to wait, like everyone else, but Michael was impatient. “Why should we wait when we already have reservations?” he asked mischievously.

  “You didn’t!” Gabriel said.

  “Michael’s party,” he said to the hostess.

  She looked at her clipboard, observed the reservation that she had not noticed before, nodded, and motioned for them to follow her. She stopped at a small booth in the corner, laying two menus on the table. “Marley will be your server,” she said, “can I bring you guys anything to drink?”

  “Coke,” Gabriel said.

  “Make it two,” Michael chimed in. He flashed his smile at the hostess, and her cheeks burned red as she nodded and hurried away.

  “Is it really necessary to do that?” Gabriel asked.

  “What?” Michael feigned innocence.

  “You know how humans react to us. She never had a chance!” The men dissolved into laughter.

  The hostess disappeared behind the service counter, then a moment later, several female employees began ducking around the corner to ogle the two men. Hushed giggles and snickering could be heard even though the restaurant was crowded and noisy.

  The server appeared a moment later with two cokes. She was thin, with light blonde hair tied at the back of her neck. She was smiling, but the pain in her eyes told the men that she was fighting an inner turmoil. “Here you go, my name is Marley. Have you decided what you would like to eat today?”

  Gabriel’s eyes met hers. He gazed at her for a moment and her eyes glazed over. The pain in the young woman’s eyes dissipated. He ordered the steak, and Michael ordered the fish.

  After the server was gone, Michael smiled at his friend. “That was nice. I never get tired of
that.” Gabriel nodded in agreement, taking a long pull on his straw. Angels could temporarily alleviate stress and painful emotions. It would come back, but at least that poor girl could work in peace for a while.

  “So how is Robin?” Michael asked.

  “She’s good. Almost four weeks along now. She bought a test last night, but hasn’t used it yet.” Robin was Gabriel’s charge. She was pregnant, but she didn’t know it yet. Gabriel was certain that after a small bit to get used to the idea, Robin would be pleased. “I think that Tom is going to pop the question, but he hasn’t worked up the nerve yet. He just keeps fiddling with the ring in his pocket. I might have to “suggest” that he ask her before she tells him that she’s pregnant. Wouldn’t want her to think that’s the reason he wants to marry her.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Michael said. “I hope he does, he’s really good for her.”

  “Yeah,” Gabriel agreed. “So what’s going on with Shannon lately?”

  Michael told him about her break up, and how she was handling it. He also told him that she caught that jerk cheating.

  “You didn’t have anything to do with that, did you?” Gabriel inquired.

  “With him cheating? Of course not,” Michael snapped, offended.

  “No, not with him cheating. With her finding out.”

  “Oh,” Michael said, taking a long pull from his straw. “Well, maybe. But it’s better for her to find out what kind of man he is sooner than later.” Gabriel just nodded. He knew what kind of person Robert was. That man cheated like most humans changed clothes. Not to mention the drinking habit that he tried to keep hidden from Shannon. He also knew that Michael was harboring feelings for his charge. Many angels did. They were given feelings, just like humans. They were not, however, allowed to act on them. It was a gift and a curse at the same time. Angels were only allowed to guide, to make suggestions on a subconscious level.

  The server, Marley, returned with their food. “Here you go,” she said, gingerly setting the plates in front of each man, “Let me know if I can get you anything else.” She smiled hugely and flirtatiously at the men, baring a mouthful of perfect teeth.

  “Thank you so much,” Michael said to her. He smiled, and just like the hostess, she blushed. She practically ran back into the kitchen. Michael could hear her gushing about the two hot guys at her table to another server. Just to be sure her friend was telling the truth, the other server poked her head around the corner. The angels smiled at her. She disappeared just as quickly, blushing just like the others.

  “I know you have strong feelings for her, and I am sorry,” Gabriel said, returning to the conversation.

  “Of course I do! It’s my job.”

  “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. Just be careful, ok?”

  “I will.” They ate their food in silence. Michael chewed his fish slowly, savoring the lemony pepper flavor. Human food was wonderful. For angels, no nutrition was actually needed. But they liked it. It was worth hiding their wings for a short time to enjoy it. What good was it to watch over humans if you could enjoy none of their pleasures?

  The angels parted ways after lunch. Michael left a twenty, half the amount of their food bill, on the table for the server. He thought that might help make her day a little better. If she had to go back to whatever it was that was making her so unhappy, at least he could see to it that she had a good day at work. Besides, it wasn’t like he didn’t have a never ending supply. Angels always found that they had whatever they needed at the time, whether it was money, clothing, or a cab. Part of the package. Whatever they needed, it just appeared.

  He despised the way most people treat servers. Most servers were great people. Sure there were some that were burnt out, tired, and just plain rude, but most were just trying to pay the bills. Michael was contemplating this as he made his way to the public library. He knew that it was now Shannon’s lunch hour. She would not leave the office; she never did. She always brought a sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a diet soda. And just as she always brown bagged her lunch, she always ate at her desk. He wished that she would go out, away from work for lunch, just once in a while. But Shannon was stubborn, and had a ridiculous work ethic. Again, the makings of a good cop, he thought to himself.

  Michael stepped out into the street that would lead him to the library. It was only another two blocks. He walked down the center of the street, between the passing cars. He wasn’t concerned about being hit, or causing an accident; no one could see him. In this form, any cars would pass straight through him without notice.

  Inside the library, Michael listened to all of the things being read. He could hear the thoughts of many people at once, and it came in handy when he was searching for a good book. He preferred mysteries, but had taken the unspoken advice of many people, reading a wide variety of books.

  Michael sat down at one of the many computers in the media room and logged on. He impatiently typed in his password and waited. He silently thrummed his fingers on the desk, wondering how, with all the technology humans had, Yahoo couldn’t open any faster? When he finally got his email account going, it took only seconds to get his inbox open.

  New message from savy22inky. Shannon. Michael’s heart did a little flip as he opened it.

  Dear Mike122,

  I wanted to thank you for being such a good listener lately. You are a gift from Heaven.

  I don’t know what I would have done without you to talk to. I know that it is a bad idea,

  but would you be interested in allowing me to thank you personally? Maybe over dinner?

  Everyone always says to never agree to meet anyone you met online, but I feel compelled

  to thank you. I hope you aren’t crazy. I just want to put a real person with the man I have

  been pouring my heart out to. I understand if you don’t want to come, or if it seems like

  I am being a little crazy myself. I will be at the Olive Garden at 7:00 tonight. I will wear a

  blue shirt.Hope to see you,

  savy22inky

  Michael’s breath caught in his throat. She wanted to meet him. Of course, it was a bad idea. First of all, it was against the rules. Second of all, she didn’t know that he wasn’t crazy. Where was her judgment? Her police training? Hell, her common sense? On vacation, apparently.

  He stared at the letters on the screen for five full minutes before he took action. He didn’t reply. Instead, he closed the email account and logged off. Michael stood, taking his bounty of books, and left, uncertain of what he would do next.

  “Gabriel!” Michael shouted. He was in angel form again, and no one would hear him calling out except Gabriel. “Come on, I know you can hear me!” Gabriel materialized.

  “What do you want? I was just about to…” he paused when he saw the look on Michael’s face. It was contorted with worry. “What’s happened? Is Shannon ok?”

  “She’s fine,” Michael replied. “I just…. I need some advice.”

  Gabriel lifted one eyebrow. “About what?”

  “I know you said it was wrong, but I didn’t listen. Shannon sent me an email. She wants to meet me. Tonight.”

  “You have to say no. You can’t do it. You know that.”

  “I know, but, damn I want to.”

  “Michael…” Gabriel said, stretching his name out and rolling his eyes.

  “I know, I know. But really, what could it hurt?”

  “It could hurt you!”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry I bothered you. I guess I just needed to hear it.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Michael sauntered back to the apartment he kept in downtown Louisville. It was not the best neighborhood, but the apartment was sufficient for his needs. It had a refrigerator, a couch, a TV, and a bed. What more could an angel that was rarely home need?

  At first, Michael tried to read, and then he tried to watch TV. But his attention was elsewhere. He paced the living room carpet, his long white wings jerking slightly every few seconds. It
was a nervous twitch. After all this time watching, protecting, he could talk to her in person. He could sit across the table from her and talk and enjoy Italian food. He loved Italian.

  What harm could come from talking? He could think of none. Perhaps he should use the opportunity to chastise her for meeting someone from a chat room. Yes, that would be a reasonable excuse. She should know better. He would tell her.

  No. It was against the rules, he told himself, shaking his head. It would only get him in trouble.

  But what if he was very careful? What if he pretended to be just a man? She would have no way of knowing Michael was an angel unless he wanted her to know. Even then, she probably wouldn’t believe it.

  No, it was wrong, and he wasn’t going to do it, he resolved.

  Michael jumped up from the couch and headed for the shower. He stood there for several minutes, just permitting the water run over his head and down his shoulders and between his wings. It felt good. It washed away the knots in his muscles and the stress in his mind. He could think more clearly. He understood why it had to be this way. Why he had to let her down gently. He would tell her that he didn’t get the message in time. He would say that he couldn’t meet her because he was going out of town, anything. Anything except that he didn’t want to, because that would be blasphemous.

  The thought of hurting her feelings tore at his heart strings. He imagined the look on her face, the hurt in her eyes. She wouldn’t be able to stand rejection at this point in her life. He could not break her heart. He had seen her cry too many times lately and he would be damned if he would be the cause of more tears. His resolve broke then and washed down the drain with the bath water.

  He leapt from the shower and toweled off quickly. A glance at the clock told him there were only precious minutes to get to the restaurant. He jerked a brush through his hair and disappeared.

  In the restaurant, Shannon sat quietly in a booth by herself. She had told the hostess that she was expecting another to join her, even though she knew there was a good possibility that he wouldn’t show.