Angel

The next morning, when I woke up to the sunrise, I went through a moment of pure terror. My grogginess at the early hour made it hard for a second to remember where I was. Then it all can back the bus rides, the walking, the awful dinner, and finally James’ promise last night. I knew that if he even had an idea about where I’d been the past three years he wouldn’t have made that promise last night, but for now I just wanted to believe him. I wanted to have that family back. What I wanted most of all was to believe I was safe, and everything had just been a bad dream. But all I had to do was look in the mirror to know that was a lie. ‘Well I better get up if I want to catch James this morning. Didn’t his mom say something about him starting at Kingston last week? Maybe I’ll have time to make everyone breakfast,’ I continued looking at the sun and realizing just how early it was. Picking through my duffel bag I found some jeans and a baggy red tee. I usually hated the color red, because when you combined that with my pitch black hair it made my milky complexion look sickly pale. Today I wasn’t looking for cute, just comfy, so I didn't even bother grabbing my makeup before making my way to the bathroom.

Waiting a few seconds after turning the water on I stuck my hand in to test it. Finding it the perfect temperature I stepped into heaven. It felt so nice. It had been over a week since I’d had a hot show. While on the road I had stayed at motels so out of the way the water was always cold no matter how long I waited. The  TVs there only had three channels, and that was only on the rare occasion actually worked. I had to take showers when I could though, because with the way things were going it would have been a while before I could take another one. So yeah this was heaven. I had even managed to keep both of my favorite shampoo and lotion on the way here so I was feeling pretty good while I lathered up my hair.

Suddenly the door opened up and I heard someone walk into the bathroom:

‎ “‏Hey dude I need to borrow some deodorant where is it?” a male voice asked.

‎“‏What are you doing in here get out!” I yelled sticking my head out to glare at him.

‎“‏What who oh um you’re that Angel chick right?” Mark said clearly embarrassed, but he not having the decency to leave.

‎“‏Yeah now get out!” she yelled again.

‎“‏Hold your horses. It’s not like I’m looking or anything! I just need to borrow some of James’ deodorant.” Mark retorted starting to ruffle through the bathroom draws. “Besides you're the one in the guy's bathroom.” He continued.

‎“‏What are you talking about? This was my old bathroom when I lived here.”

“So your not just a friend of the family? You used to live here. I bet this story is more complicated than the little explanation you gave last night.” 

“Haven't you found that stupid deodorant yet?” I went back to rinsing myself of hoping he would leave soon.

“Oh‎ ‏that yeah I found it, but we were having such a nice conversation.” Mark chuckled.

‎“‏Out!” Well, there went my nice shower. Oh well, if I had stayed in much longer my skin might have pruned up. I grabbed my towel and dried in hurry in case Mark needed something else. I carefully got dressed making sure not to look in the mirror until I was fully covered. Then I moved onto trying and fix my hair. It was a lot shorter than usual; because when I had first taken off I had dyed and cut it. It used to be a deep burgundy with curls that ran all the way to my waist. Now it was a jagged blue-black bob. I missed my hair and that smile that had gone with it. But this style actually was more forgettable when combined with my age.

Shaking off my gloomy thoughts I headed downstairs to start cooking breakfast. Cooking always calmed me down it was a way to block out everything and make something new. That was probably why I loved singing too. I could remember the first time Mrs. Huriling had taught me both.

It had started the year I turned seven. I had just run away from home again. I had been a smart kid. I knew that running was a good way to escape, but I also knew that if I didn’t go back before long something even worse could happen.  I always stashed a bag outside in the bushes. It had all the essentials for a two day stay in the nearby woods. Staying at of sight until Stan calmed down was my best choice. That meant hanging out at the supermarket. I mean sure there were some parks around my neighborhood, but he would check those. Plus there were always weird people hanging around there. The supermarket was always a safe bet. There were cameras at the entrances and just enough people to hear her scream, but not overlook it as some bratty kid's tantrum

That day, I had gone to hang out at Green Thumb’s, which was an organic market, and I had been there enough in the past few months that the adult who worked there didn't think it was strange for a kid to be lurking around. All the cashiers knew not to call for a lost child, not to ask for her mom, and they definitely knew not to call her house. The one time they had Stan show up, he had a dark cloud around him. The cashier who had called him gave her a sorry look and handed her a number wrapped around a sucker. Of course, Stan had thrown the sucker away when we reached the door. But from that time on I had always felt safe going there.

That day, particularly, I was happy to be here because it was Shopping Day. That was my name for Thursdays. Every Thursday, a nice lady would come and pick out groceries for her family. If she saw me hanging around, then she would give me something to snack on. Usually, it was just an apple or a banana, but occasionally she would get a plum or maybe even a candy bar. Today I wouldn't be able to talk to the lady though. I knew if I went close to anyone they would see the bruise starting to form on my cheek, and the last thing I wanted was someone’s pity.

But it wasn't left up to me. Mrs. Hurling had found me at the store so she could give me a treat like normal. I would never forget the look on her face when she saw that red mark. That sweet, gentle look had been replaced with one so fierce that I had flinched away from her. That was it. From that moment on Mrs. Hurling had become my guardian angel. Every shopping day she would take me back to her house and teach me one new thing to cook. It had been fun. Mrs. Hurling would ask me about school or home at first, but when she realized I wouldn't talk she just talked for both of us.

This continued until the following spring, when I showed up at the market to see Mrs. Huriling, but she never came. I had started going every day for the next three weeks, but she still didn't show. Finally, being too stubborn to let the only good thing in my life go, the eight-year-old me had tracked down the Hurilings’ house. When I knocked on the door, a man answered. I had been scared at first.  He was big, definitely bigger than Stan, but his worried face lit up with a smile when he saw me standing there. That had never happened with Stan. He asked me if I was here to see his little boy, James. When I nodded, because I remembered that was Mrs. Hurling’s son’s name, he took me up the stairs to an area of the house I had never been in before.

There, lying on the bed, was the cutest boy I had ever seen. He had dark, rumpled hair and long eyelashes like a girl. I went and sat by the strange boy's bed as the man closed the door. As soon as the door snapped shut, the little boy opened his eyes.

‎“‏Hey, I don't know you! Or do I? It’s so hard to remember my head hurts.” He looked so sickly pale that it made me worry.

‎“‏No you don’t know me but I know a lot about you. Your name is James. You love playing video games. You had a dog named Lucky, but it ran away two months ago. And you cried for a week straight. Your mom was worried about you. I also know that your parents are married, and they love you very much.” Everything his mom had ever said about him came to my mind. It was great to finally have a face to put to this boy, but he was so sick. It was hard for me to see how that energetic kid was the same James.

‎“‏Are you my angel? Am I dying?” he didn't look particularly upset about this idea.

‎“‏No I'm Megan a friend of your mom’s. And no, you're not going to die, I won't let it happen.” I had decided this was not allowed. A boy this sweet was not allowed to suffer through this much pain and break his mother’s heart. For surely it was this that had kept her from the store.

‎“‏Then you are my Angel.” He stated, smiling. “Good, I didn’t want to die yet. My mom was worried so much that she got sick too. Now I can tell her that I’m going to be fine, maybe she’ll get better now.”

We kept talking until his dad came back to say it was getting late, and I had to leave. When I made it to the door, I decided I couldn't leave yet, and went back to hug him.

‎“‏Don’t worry, you’re going to get better soon, so will your mom,” I whispered into his ear.

‎“‏I know I will. Thanks, Angel.” He leaned back and closed his eyes. “My Angel.” He whispered, falling to sleep.