Angel of Mine

by Jessica Louise

  My skin feels fresh and radiant after my mini facial. The improvement from the way it was yesterday is phenomenal. Bowls full of floating candles strategically placed throughout the room release a citrus scent. Rainforest music brings me peaceful serenity and I feel like I’m floating on a cloud.

  The stylist is doing my hair and I kick back with a magazine and relax. A jingling noise comes from the front door as Mum and Theo walk in. A large bag rests in Theo’s hands, and I wonder when Mum got here and what the two of them have been up to. More surprises?

  “No peeking, I’m not ready yet.” I hold the magazine in my hands up to obscure the view of my unfinished hairdo, but he tries to push it aside.

  “I mean it Theo. Do you want me to get that blindfold of yours out?” Through the reflection in the mirror, I see Mum raising an eyebrow and a look of alarm in Theo’s eyes.

  He holds his hands up and is quick to explain, “It wasn’t for what you are thinking, I swear. I put it on her in the car so I could surprise her with the spa visit.” A noticeable lump slides down his throat.

  Mum thinks this is hilarious. I know her well and I can tell. She is enjoying messing with Theo, only he doesn’t realize it’s a joke. With her hands on her hips and her mouth pressed into a hard line, she narrows her eyes and pauses a moment, letting him flounder under her glare. Then she promptly bursts out laughing. I definitely get my sarcastic, dry sense of humour from her.

  “Wha? What just happened?” Poor Theo, I’m not sure he knows how to take my mother yet. She has certainly put him off kilter.

  “Leave him alone Mum,” I laugh.

  “It’s okay Theo, no blindfold is needed. You can go home so you won’t be tempted to look and I will bring Ally home when she is done.” She sits down in the chair beside me and mouths ‘your hair looks stunning.’ However, she says aloud, “I’ve always wanted to see how dreadlocks were done.”

  She is so bad. “She’s joking Theo, I’m not getting dreadlocks. Don’t worry about me; my hair is safe. You will be bored here. Go home and relax, and I will see you when I get back.”

  “Okay, love you. Have fun.” He turns to leave, and I put the magazine down to get a better look at his backside as he walks out the door. No longer than a minute later, my phone dings.

  Theo – XXX wish I could have kissed you good-bye for real, but was worried your mum might throttle me. Love you. See you when you get home.

  A smile crosses my face as I reply.

  Ally – I might throttle you because you didn’t. ;) Love you too. xxx

  When we arrive home from the spa, Mum ushers me to her room and unzips a garment bag revealing the most stunning dress I have ever seen. Pale pink and lavender silk twist and flow in a multitude of layers. The colouring matches my new necklace perfectly. A fitted bodice gathers slightly on the right hand side. It’s full length and a pair of silver high heels rest in the bottom of the bag.

  “It’s gorgeous, Mum. Thank you.” She helps me change and I twirl around in delight in front of the full-length mirror in the corner of the room.

  “You are breathtaking honey. Why don’t you go show Theo while I get ready? “ It’s as if she can read my mind.

  “Thanks Mum, come and get me when you are done.”

  A soft light is coming from under the bedroom door and I open it to see Theo standing in a suit, in the middle of hundreds of candles. They bathe the room in warm orange and cast shadows all over the walls.

  He walks towards me with a look of pure love in his eyes and my legs turn to jelly. I can’t believe all the effort he has gone to today. The emotion it has evoked in me has me so happy I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  I take his outstretched hand and he spins me into his arms and passes me a rose. “You look absolutely gorgeous.” He pulls a remote out of his jacket and points it towards the stereo, then throws it on to the bed.

  ‘Time of my life’ from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack starts filtering through the speakers. “I’m no Patrick Swayze, but for you I’m not afraid to make a fool of myself trying. Dance with me?” Be still my beating heart. Even in the sappiest of romance novels haven’t swooned this much. I love how he is trying to bring all my favourite movie moments to life.

  “Why I’d love to kind Sir,” I reply batting my eyelashes and playing into his game.

  As he effortlessly guides me around the room singing in my ear, I come to realize my life is complete. There is no need for a bucket list as I have everything I could ever want right here in my arms. It doesn’t get any better than this.

  I feel compelled to use the time I have left to help others feel as good as I do right now. If I’m not going to be around to enjoy this anymore, then I should help as many people as I can before it’s too late.

  A flash goes off near the door and I look up to see Mum with a camera, “Mum this isn’t like before prom, you don’t need to take our picture.” But I smile for the lens regardless. This is a moment in time worth capturing forever.

  “I know honey, but it’s for your new photo album.” She continues to click away and Theo dips me, posing us both with a flourish. As the last lines of the song play out, Mum quietly disappears out of the room.

  Theo lifts me up in the air with his strong arms and slides me down against his firm body; my feet come to rest on top of his. His soft lips brush lightly over the top of mine, teasing my senses. I open my mouth slightly to him in and he deepens the kiss, keeping his eyes locked with mine. He takes his time with me and everything around me ceases to exist. All there is is here and now. Who needs dinner anyway? I just want to sink to the floor with him and keep this steamy kiss going forever.

  Too soon, he pulls away and looks at me through heavy half lidded eyes. “Happy Birthday Ally. Blow out your candles and make a wish, and I will try to make them all come true.”

  I step off his feet, and he takes my hand as I walk around the room to all the candles. At each one, I make the same wish. I close my eyes and gently blow. I wish I didn’t have to leave Theo.

  We enter the family room to find Theo’s family and my mum gathered around a cake, and they start to sing me happy birthday.

  “Ally, I wanted you to have this,” Rachel passes me a small box that contains a white gold ring with a large opal in the centre, a rainbow of colours shimmer off of the stone. It’s beautiful. “It’s a family heirloom,” she explains. “Happy birthday.”

  A family heirloom? Does that mean she considers me family? My heart swells and words elude me. I pull her in for a hug and squeeze her tight. “Thank you. I will treasure it.” I hope that those words are enough to convey to her how much this means to me. I’m too overcome with emotion to be able to express how I feel properly.

  Alex goes to give me a hug next, and at the last minute, he looks over at Theo and grabs my hand to shake it instead. “Happy birthday Ally.”

  I pull him in to my arms and give him a hug. “Thanks Alex and thank you for looking out for me yesterday.”

  He squeezes my shoulder as he pulls away. “Anytime Ally.”

  Joe gives me a hug last and after wishing me a happy birthday, he says he will pop the cake in the kitchen so we can have a piece when we get back from dinner.

  “Alright honey let’s go, before Romeo here tries to do more dirty dancing with you.” I can’t believe she just said that in front of all of Theo’s family. My cheeks flame.

  Joe laughs heartily and Theo is quick to correct everyone’s misguided conception, “The movie soundtrack, we were dancing to it.”

  Alex slaps him playfully on the back, “Sure you were. You just happened to have Dirty Dancing the sound track in your room. Nice come back bro, but no dice.”

  “It’s true,” Theo’s insistence is drowned out by everyone’s laughter and I don’t know whose face is redder, his or mine. Thanks Mum.

  “Young love, so cute,” sighs Rachel. “I remember when Joe and I were young...” Her eyes lose focus in a memory.

  Theo and Alex groan simultaneous
ly and hold their hands over their ears. “Ally get out while you still can,” warns Theo. Mum continues to laugh as we walk out the door, but a sudden thought occurs to me, I will never be around with Theo to torture our kids with lovey dovey stories like this.

  After Theo fell asleep last night, I laid awake for hours, staring into the darkness and listening to his muffled snores beside me. Between Theo and Alex fussing over me, I hadn’t had a moment alone. If I was ever going to get the chance to escape and go on a mass healing spree, I needed to formulate a way to get them to give me some peace. Unfortunately, a simple ‘hey guys, I’m off to go heal as many people as I can’ wasn’t going to cut it. By the time morning rolled around I had thought of a million and one excuses to get them to give me some space, and I don’t waste a second putting them into motion.

  “I’m still really tired. Why don’t you and Alex go play some football or something fun this morning while I nap?” I feel guilty about lying, but it’s for the greater good.

  “Are you feeling okay? Do I need to get the doctor out?”

  I fake a yawn so that I don’t have to look at the worry in his eyes as I reply, “I’m fine just a little tired, no need for concern.”

  As I shut my eyes and pretend to fall asleep, he hops out of bed and tucks the blankets more snugly around me. He runs a hand across my forehead and kisses my cheek. “Okay, you nap but I won’t go far. I’ll be in and out to check on you.” Drat. Looks like it didn’t work. Now what?

  “Hey Theo,” I hear Alex’s hushed voice by the door. “You might want to come out here a minute. I think you’ll want to know what’s going on.”

  When I hear no reply, I assume Theo is looking at me to see if it is safe to leave for a moment. I try to keep my breathing even and lay as still as possible.

  “Okay, what’s up?” Their voices drift down the hall and my eyes snap open. Score. That was lucky. Whatever has captured their attention intrigues me, but time is of the essence, and I don’t have enough of it to wonder what is going on. I will have to move quickly before one of them gets back. I jump out of bed and get started on my plan of attack.

  I’m not dressing up as a ninja this time, although I do need a disguise. The media seems to have died off, but still, I don’t want to risk anyone seeing me. I won’t be able to make it very far if they do.

  My eyes scan the room for anything that might be able to help me in my mission and fall upon a cap and sunglasses. Perfect. To carry out my master scheme I head to Theo’s closet and grab a football jersey. It’s baggy and hides that fact that I’m a girl, just what I need. I twist my hair up and place it under a backwards cap, adding sunglasses for extra discretion. Voila, disguise complete. Damn I’m getting good at this.

  If I go out the window, I will definitely capture the attention of anyone lurking outside. Everyone is in the front living room, so I think I can slip out the back unnoticed. Snatching the water bottle off the bedside table, I move into action.

  As I sneak by the entry to the living room, I steal a quick glance to find everyone huddled around my mother. She is on the phone as they all listen intently, but I don’t have time to ponder what’s going on. Thankfully, I go by unnoticed, and I don’t look back.

  Unfortunately, I’m on foot. If I grabbed the car keys, I would have been seen for sure. An empty crushed up coke can is in my path. I kick it along as I continue on my way. The sound of the tin as my foot kicks it along is the only sound that reverberates through the silence. I’m exhausted. My muscles are screaming in protest, and I’m getting dizzy.

  The changes my body has gone through have really taken their toll. Maybe this wasn’t such a crash hot idea after all. The streets are deserted, and I haven’t come across one person who needs my help yet. As I venture further out of my neighbourhood, the oak trees are getting few and far between. Bushland covers an entire side of this street, and gum trees are starting to show up more often.

  A massive dizzy spell sweeps down upon me, giving me no choice but to stop walking. I close my eyes tight to ignore everything spinning in front of me. I sway on my feet and try to push the nausea I feel away. It’s only a moment before it passes, and I plop down on the kerb to regain my balance.

  Sharp rocks that are loose on the ground dig into my palms, so I dust them off on my sides and lean back further to rest them on the grass. Eyes closed, waiting to regain my composure. When I feel steady again, I pick up my water bottle and down a good mouthful, hoping it will aid my current situation. The cool liquid is refreshing as it slips down my throat. After I get my fill, I place it down beside me and rest before I continue walking.

  Something nudges my hip. At first, I think my water bottle has toppled over, but when I look down, I’m surprised to see a koala rubbing its nose against my drink. “Oh wow look at you. Hey little fella, you’re so cute. What are you doing down here?” Tentatively, I rub my hand down its soft fur that is so thick that it feels like at least ten layers of the fluffiest blanket I own. Unbelievable. I don’t frighten this beautiful creature. With its nose continuously nuzzling the bottle, anyone would think it was thirsty. I wonder if the koala is unwell, since it is down here on the ground acting out of character instead of up in a tree.

  “Do you want a drink buddy?” As I reach to take off the lid, I notice a faint glow coming from my hands. I was so surprised and totally focused on my new friend that I wasn’t aware of them radiating any light straight away. Come to mention it, I had the usual tingles in my hands that I wrote off as pins and needles from being in the same spot on the ground for too long. It must have all began happening after I started to worry about the animal’s health. Maybe thirst is the problem.

  I unscrew the cap and tilt the bottle up to the koala’s mouth. To my amazement, it drinks what I offer, and I watch in fascination as the water glides down its throat. Wow, no one is going to believe this. Curiously, my hands still glow, so thirst must not be the only problem here. I place the drink back down and run my hands over the tiny animal until they come to a stop by a limp hanging arm.

  “No wonder you are down here on the ground. You can’t climb can you? You poor little thing.” My hands glow brighter and a feeling of wellbeing encompasses me. For a few wonderful seconds, I feel complete euphoria. My head is clear, and my body is so light and free of pain it feels as though I might actually be floating above the ground. The feeling isn’t long enough though, and as it fades away, a new ache settles around my wrist. A dull throb pulses in the area; although no stabbing, uncontrollable pain like the last time I broke my arm. Sprained, it seems. I’m not a doctor, but I would bet money on it.

  With round clear eyes peering up at me the koala pauses, then wraps its little arms around my leg as what I can only describe as a hug before making its way back across the street and up one of the towering gums. Incredible, that was a once in a lifetime experience just for me. My wrist hurts, but I can’t help the smile that fills my face. If this means my downfall is quicker, then what a way to go.

  I cradle my arm in front of me, gazing up at the spot where the koala just disappeared. Leaves sway in the breeze as though they are waving good-bye on the koala’s behalf. “Goodbye little fella,” I say, as I push myself up on my feet and am on my way yet again. There is a bin on the kerb, and I throw in the empty water bottle on my way past.

  It really isn’t the day for a healing spree. “Just my luck, I actually go out trying to heal people instead of hiding away and the streets are deserted.” I snigger to myself. I’m going to keel over in exhaustion of finding someone before I get any healing done at this rate.

  About a kilometre up the road at a small grocery store, I see an elderly lady struggling to get her groceries to her car. She is hunched over a walking stick, and it looks as though she is about to drop the bags everywhere. A few people are in the parking lot, and none of them came to her aid. What is wrong with people these days? Can they not take a minute out of their day to help someone in need?

  With renewed determination t
o assist as many people as I can today, I increase my pace and go to help her out. “Here let me give you a hand to get your groceries to the car.” She looks up at me, and smiles, sending warmth through my veins. It feels so wonderful to be able to help somebody.

  “Thank you young lassie, that is very kind of you.” At a snail’s pace, we creep to her car and I pop the groceries in the boot while she catches her breath.

  “My old joints aren’t what they used to be anymore I’m afraid. Arthritis makes them stiff and sore, and it’s hard to walk, especially with the groceries. I appreciate your help.” I open her door for her and step aside.

  At the mention of arthritis, I start to tingle all over and jolts that feel like electric shocks shoot down my arm. My hands heat and a glow radiates from them. I stare down at them fully immersed in the energy that consumes me.

  The loud clatter of the alloy walking stick as it hits the ground brings me out of my revere, and I look up to see the elderly lady gasping and gripping on to the door frame for support. Her pale blue eyes are as wide as saucers as she stares down at my glowing hands.

  I would rather heal someone younger who has more life to live, but I haven’t had many options in the way of candidates today. I really should have thought my plan out better, gone to the children’s hospital or something. Now it looks as though I will get to know what it feels like to live to a ripe old age after all. I just hope I don’t give her a heart attack from healing her arthritis.

  I run my hands over her knees, hips and shoulders, where she appears to be in the most agony. The blissful energy that flows through my body is doused with a dull ache that slowly increases to fire. There is so much pressure building in my joints it feels as though they might snap.

  For the first time ever, I collapse to the ground before my healing hands have finished doing their job. They must have done enough though, because the old lady is standing up straight and looking down in awe at what must be a rejuvenated new body.