Читать книгу Daniels Song - Katherine Dobney - Страница 8

Everything was ice blue. Everywhere I looked. The blue seemed to change and form to slowly become orbs. I blinked and when my eyes opened, there in front of me were those big beautiful ice blue eyes with long lashes. They sparkled with tiny bits of light that seemed to be dancing through them. I wanted to see the face that went with them. But for some reason I couldn’t see past the blue eyes. I so wanted to know what was beyond those eyes. It seemed all I could do was stare at them in wonder. A touch made me look down at my hand, so small in his. His hands were strong and powerful, yet the hold on mine was gentle and caring. I wished I could hold onto his hand, hold on so tight, so tight that they could not be pulled apart. The truth is I never wanted him to let go of me. A soft light seemed to glow around me. It was transparent at first. But the brighter it got, the more it seemed to become solid, a white light with sparkles of multifaceted colors. The light was emanating from angel’s wings, my guardian angel. With the light a feeling of warmth and love spread though me. No, it melted me reaching down to my bones. I was encased in his wings like a cocoon, secure and protected from the world around me. I was so much at peace, a peace I had never felt before. I was surrendering totally to this feeling of serenity.

“No!!!!”

My mind was wrenched into another reality. I turned to see Toby’s face. I could see the look of terror in his eyes when he yelled “No!!!!” again. Then there was the sound of glass exploding and metal screaming as it was being torn apart. I could hear Toby’s soft moans, his labored breathing.

“Toby,” I whispered “Toby,” but there was no answer.

I was in so much pain I could hardly breathe, then everything went dark and I couldn’t see. I felt so afraid. I knew that I was dying.

Now I am sitting up trying to breathe, trying to catch my breath. My heart, which felt like it had stopped a moment ago, is beating so fast I feel dizzy. I feel cold as I realize I’m covered in sweat cloaked in the darkness of my room. “It’s just a panic attack,” I tell myself over and over again “just a panic attack”. Tears swell in my eyes so I can hardly see. I feel lost with the sadness resting heavily in my heart. I would prefer the numbness of my missing memories to this bitter feeling of loss. The loss of Toby, of my friends, even the loss of my angel. My dreams always started the same, kind of the reverse of the accident. They begin with my angel then end with Toby. These are my beautiful nightmares.

It all started after the accident, when Dad told me what had happened. Dad tried what he could to comfort me and soften the blow. He was worried as he watched over my restless nights but the doctors told him the nightmares would get better with time. Sometimes, I thought I was losing my mind. The gaps in my memory were sporadic. I couldn’t tell what things I should or shouldn’t remember. So I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I thought I saw an angel. I didn’t want him to think I was as crazy as I actually felt.

“Thanks for driving me Dad.” I felt sorry for him giving up what little free time he had to take care of me. Jumping every time I stumbled, afraid to leave me alone.

“It’s not a problem Hope, it’s the part of the Dad job I like.”

“What part don’t you like?” I said as I cringed inside waiting for his answer. Did I want to know? Raising me, all by himself was hard enough. Heaven knows I didn’t always make it easy for him.

“Well,” as he paused I cringed again. “I didn’t like trying to teach you to cook. I was always afraid you would burn or cut yourself. Never thought you would catch the stove on fire.” We both laughed remembering when Toby and I tried to surprise him with cupcakes. Neither of us knew that you don’t fill the little cups to the very top. I recalled the shock he had coming home to find the fire truck in the front yard while Toby and I tried to explain the error in the Betty Crocker cookbook.

“Anything else?” I asked, feeling good about the memory fitting together like it should.

“Well, there was the time you tried to help with the laundry. Did you know that I really thought I was gaining weight? My clothes kept getting tighter and tighter until you told me you were giving them a nice HOT bubble baths.” He chuckled to himself, “Hope, you don’t have to worry, being your Dad is a great job, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

As the car slowed down I looked up to see the massive front doors of the college. “Thanks Dad.” I turned, giving him a kiss on his check before getting out.

“Hope, is Daniel bringing you home, or do you need me to pick you up?”

“Daniel will, if I don’t make fun of his car again.” My Dad had a look that asked, ‘what did you do now’.

“Long story, tell you when I get home.” As I closed the door he got the last word in.

“Love ya.”

I had to laugh remembering the first time I saw Daniel’s car. We had just gotten done with studying and were walking out to the parking lot. I was walking behind him when he stopped and turned so quickly I almost ran into him. I looked up and he was smiling at me.

“Hope?” I realized he was holding the door open for me. I just stared at him. I was so embarrassed and I knew my face was turning red because his smile got brighter. All I could say was “Thanks” as I got in the car and he closed the door. Once inside all I could do was gawk at the dashboard as Daniel walked around the car and got in. There were round gauges across it that I had never seen before. There was a wide console down the center and something about the gauge in the middle, above the console, made me start to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” He had a smile that looked like he wanted in on the joke.

“It’s a clock?”

“Yes most cars have one.”

“Not like that one,” as I pointed at the clock. This one had hands on it, a big hand and a little hand. Just like the ones I had when I was little and learning to tell time. Now I had to put my hand over my mouth to stop laughing but it didn’t help. Daniel wrapped his arms across the steering wheel and leaned his head against it.

“Sorry,” I changed the subject. “What kind of car is this?”

“It’s a Jensen.”

“A what?”

“It’s a Jensen Interceptor,” he replied and the smile that said he wanted in on the joke was gone. As Daniel started the car and backed out of the parking spot I looked over my shoulder too. Bad mistake, because I started laughing again. He was driving away before he asked, “Now what?”

“Your back window looks like a fish bowl. The one I kept my goldfish in when I was a kid.”

“You’re laughing at my car? I’ll have you know, I have a friend who thinks it’s a cool car.” I started giggling and couldn’t stop, for a number of miles.

Daniel just took a deep breath, shook his head, and said nothing more. Every now and then I would giggle and Daniel would sigh. It was that way the rest of the drive. When we got to my house he got out and opened my door for me again.

“Thanks for the ride,” I said with a bit of glee in my voice.

“You’re welcome.”

“And Daniel, thanks for the ……laugh!” I could not suppress the grin on my face as I turned to go inside.

“You’re very welcome, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

It felt good to laugh. It just seemed so long I’d almost forgotten.

I still giggled whenever I saw his car. For the past two weeks I was getting better at controlling myself so maybe today I could see it without laughing.

As I was heading to the college library through the main building, someone stepped out of the Dean’s office and I walked straight into him.

“Sorry! I didn’t see you!” I felt bad for almost knocking him over. Then I realized he was holding my shoulders, holding me up. I was looking into golden brown eyes. He had a light olive complexion, and black hair that reminded me of a raven. The shine seemed to be multifaceted.

He said, “It’s my fault, I was in a hurry. I didn’t think when I opened the door. I should have looked before I stepped through.” He held out his hand to me. “I’m Alexander.”

“I’m Hope” as I shook his hand. His hand was warm and smooth. Not the hand of someone who worked with them for a living.

“Nice to meet you Hope. Please excuse me but I need to be going. I’m meeting a friend at the library.” With a smile, he added, “Maybe we’ll run into each other again soon.”

“There’s no one in the library, they all left for dinner.” This time of day it was only Daniel and I, which I was grateful for. I didn’t want to think of someone watching me as I sat there blindfolded.

“Thanks, I’ll see if I can find him later.” Then Alexander walked away down the hall. As I watched him, I noticed he was wearing a very expensive suit, silk I would guess. A thought came to me as I walked away myself. Alexander looked like he had lots of money or came from money. Maybe he was giving some to the library, heaven knew we could use it. The feeling of the over-the-top warm reading room came flooding back to me as I headed off to meet Daniel for our studying time.

“Am I getting any better?” I asked as we walked to the parking lot.

“You’re doing much better, some days you even surprise me.”

“Good, because here’s another surprise for you. My dad wants to take you out for dinner, this Friday. Six o’clock at the PIER. It’s his way of saying ‘Thank you’, for the past two weeks. He’s probably afraid if I cooked, I’d poison someone.”

“Tell your father thanks, I’ll be there.”

When Daniel stopped chuckling, he asked. “Is your cooking that bad?” Then suddenly Daniel stopped walking without saying a word. I looked up at his face, wondering if I had said something wrong. His eyes were burning with anger, a kind of anger I had never seen before. It looked so strange on his face. He was focused with what seemed every fiber of his body tensed, as if ready for battle. I was about to ask him what was wrong when I followed his line of sight. There stood the man I had run into earlier, Alexander. He was leaning against a red convertible that looked just as expensive as his clothes. The back of the car had four silver rings interlocking and “R8” near the taillight. As he stepped away from the car the license plate caught my attention, one word “DRAGON”.

“Well hello my dear, its nice to run into you again.” As he spoke, his eyes never left mine.

“Did you find your friend?” I asked.

“Yes, I think I might have,” he said with a strange smile as if he was hiding something.

“Daniel, this is Alexander.” I gestured from one to the other as Daniel suddenly stepped in front of me.

“I know,” he said in a flat yet enraged voice that matched his eyes. He was staring at Alexander. “Who in hell?”

“Now… now… no name-dropping.” Alexander seemed cool and calm, while Daniel was tense with anger.

“What do you want here Alexander?”

“You, my dear friend, I have missed you.”

“No!” Daniel said the word with so much power it seemed to vibrate in the air around me.

“Daniel, one day, one day soon, you and I shall dance.” Alexander put his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. Daniel just looked at his hand while every muscle in Daniel’s body went ridged and the fire burned in his eyes. Alexander continued, “Then you can stand at my side. Brother.”

“Get… your… hand…off…of…me.” Alexander removed his hand from Daniel’s shoulder smoothly and without haste. As he did so, he turned to look at me and smiled, with only one corner of his mouth turning up.

“Hope, we should have coffee sometime.” With that comment he abruptly turned and walked around his car to get in.

“Alexander, leave her out of this.” Alexander just closed his car door and started the car, revving the engine. Before I could comprehend what was happening Alexander was out of the parking lot.

Daniel opened his passenger car door for me to get in so I slid into the seat. He closed the door and walked around to the other side. I was still trying to understand what had just happened. Were they friends, brothers? Whatever they were to each other, Daniel was definitely not happy to see Alexander. That was very evident by his reaction - both body and words. I was so caught up in my own confusion I hadn’t noticed that Daniel was holding my hand, calling my name. I looked up at him as he sat behind the steering wheel of the car.

“Hope, please stay away from Alexander. He only brings pain and suffering to people.” After that Daniel didn’t say a word until he dropped me off at home. He seemed so deep in his own thoughts. His eyes were no longer burning. There appeared to be sadness and a longing in them.

It was Friday and I was looking forward to seeing Daniel. He was always so gentle and kind to me, and as patient as a saint. It wasn’t easy because I got so frustrated trying to put my thoughts together. I felt like a kid putting an intricate puzzle together, only with a few pieces missing. I wondered if I would ever find the “Hope” other people knew. I was mourning for a part of me I couldn’t quite remember. It was like being two different persons. The “Hope” I was before the accident; the “Hope” I was now. Trouble was I only knew this “Hope” and Daniel only knew this “Hope” also. Maybe that’s why I liked being with him, he didn’t judge me like I did to myself. I so wanted to see him more.

The funny thing was I didn’t actually see much of him ‘during’ our study sessions because I spent most of our time together blindfolded. The scarves were beautiful, the next one more than the last. However his technique was working. I was remembering events, tying people and places together through touch and smell and sound and taste.

Daniel tried many things to prompt my senses and my memory. It did occur to me that some things smelled better than others. I will always recognize the flowers and those wonderful smells. Roses and freesia and some I’ve never heard of. “Your own Hanging Gardens of Babylon,” Daniel had told me when he gave them to me to take home. Even Dad noticed how nice they made our house smell. Each history session was fun and unique. The ‘ocean breezes’ air freshener in the shape of a tree smelled nothing like the ocean. The sound of the water did nothing but make me feel like I had to run for the bathroom. But the stale crackers made me feel terrible for Christopher Columbus. Most of the food experiments weren’t bad though. Spiced figs, sugar cane. I even learned that you don’t really eat sugar cane; it’s more like sucking on it. I was always amazed at the ideas Daniel came up with, and the thought it had taken.

My anticipation at seeing Daniel for dinner had caused me to daydream the whole drive and Dad hadn’t said a word. My body stopped moving forward. I focused my eyes on what was in front of me, the restaurant. The PIER wasn’t very busy so my favorite table in the corner was available. It was by the large windows where I could watch the boats on the river and daydream a little longer.

I saw a blue car pull into the parking lot. The back window shaped like a fish bowl gave it away and I knew it was his before he got out. I watched him walk toward the restaurant, standing out because I’d never seen him dressed the way he was tonight. Instead of dress pants he was wearing dark denim jeans with comfortable broken in boots. His usual button down shirt was replaced with a thin blue sweater, a few shades darker than his eyes. Over this he wore a three quarter length black leather jacket. I realized that he reminded me of a model walking through the doors.

Dad stood and greeted Daniel with a handshake while patting him on his shoulder like they were old friends. Daniel sat across from me and smiled, a smile that could light up any darkened room. As Daniel and my dad talked, I sat watching. To be honest with myself I was staring, trying to figure out how old Daniel was. He looked to be in his early twenties with those ice blue eyes and long lashes any girl would be envious of.

There was something about his eyes. When you looked into them they seemed to reflect so much wisdom. I knew he helped the Professor and did tutoring on campus. As he talked I noticed something glistening around his neck. It was a gold chain with a pendant that looked like a Celtic star. One piece of gold wrapped over then under to make the star, and diagonally through the star was a sword.

“Hope, stop staring. It’s not polite.” I looked away as I heard Dad’s voice. Daniel was smiling as they were both watching me, waiting for me to do something, answer one of them? I was trying to collect myself so I said the first thing that came to my mind, “Daniel, I like your pendant”. I probably looked as confused as I felt. I know my face had to be as red as Alexander’s car.

“Thank you,” Daniel said with a smile.

At least he wasn’t laughing at me I thought. “Is it a star formation, like one of those on the star charts I sat on?”

Dad gave me a glance of horror, and then asked Daniel, “Do you study astronomy?”

“The stars are a passion of mine, they always have been. I tried to show Hope how you can read the stars like a map.”

I pointed my finger toward the sky. “They look different on paper than when you look up.”

“I’m going out Sunday night, if you’d like, I could take you. That is if your father doesn’t mind.” Daniel and I looked at my Dad waiting for his answer. He was staring at the pendant deep in thought. Then he finally spoke, “I haven’t seen that emblem in a long time.”

Daniel looked a bit quizzical and I watched my Dad smile at us. “It was when I was in college. We were studying some artifacts from a dig in England, that mark was on a number of them.”

My Dad was one of the smartest men I knew; one day I should tell him that. “Dad, do you know what it means?”

He looked steadily at Daniel, “Something like ‘star warrior’, as I remember.”

“Yes, it’s called the Genesis Star,” Daniel said as he nodded to my father. “My father gave it to me long ago.” This was the first time I could remember Daniel’s eyes light up as he referred to his father. He was just as proud of his Dad as I was of mine.

“Daniel does your Dad enjoy history as much as you do?”

“More”, he said with a small laugh. Dad and Daniel returned to their conversation. I couldn’t stay on track feeling like a child at the adult table.

My mind drifted as I watched them use their hands to describe something every now and then. Daniel had large strong hands with long fingers, which I knew to be gentle as well. The kind of hands Toby once described to me as the hands of a musician. Toby had said that his were too small to be really good at playing the keyboard or guitar. I was lost in my own thoughts staring out the window or staring at Daniel. Whenever I caught myself watching Daniel I noticed I always had a strange feeling of wonder, one that I couldn’t explain even if I tried.

Slowly Daniel stood up followed by my Dad. I glanced around wondering why we were leaving so soon when I noticed a woman walking toward us. She had light brown hair that went past her shoulders in waves. As she got closer I noticed her beautiful smile and green eyes, almost the color of jade. I was starting to dislike meetings like this wondering if I should know the person but not quite recalling the face or name. When Daniel gave her a little hug, I felt relieved that he was the one knew her, not me.

“Elizabeth I’d like you to meet some friends of mine. Elizabeth Jensen this is Robert and Hope Shears,” he gestured with his hands.

Elizabeth was focused on my dad as she spoke. “Nice to see you again.” Her voice was as beautiful as she was.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t know, you already knew each other.” Daniel said with a smile.

My dad didn’t take his eyes off her as he replied. “We met at the hospital, Elizabeth would keep me up-to-date on Hope’s progress, with an endless supply of coffee. I don’t know if I ever said thank you?” The sound of my dad’s voice was so sincere.

“You did many times, and you`re welcome.”

“We should up-grade our coffee date to lunch one day,” my Dad remarked smoothly.

“I would enjoy that.” Elizabeth smiled and walked away. I sat there stunned. Dad, Elizabeth, and coffee dates? I didn’t remember her. It made me so frustrated I wanted to cry. I kept thinking if Dad knew her shouldn’t I? My head hurt and I was getting tired.

Though I wanted to enjoy my time with Daniel, and Dad, I felt as if I was so out of it for the rest of our evening. They carried on through the meal and Daniel was gracious with thanks going both ways before we parted for our separate journeys. Even on the way home all I did was look out the window, watching all the cars go by, wondering where they were heading. When we finally got home, Dad went to the dining room table, which was full of papers.

“Hope don't wait up for me, I've got a lot of paperwork that needs to be done before tomorrow.”

“That's okay, I think I ‘m going to take a hot bath.”

After I took my bath, brushed my hair, and put it in a hair tie, I put on my favorite comfy pajamas. I tried to remember if there was anything else that I had forgotten to do? I found myself thinking ‘STOP’. Finally I crawled into my bed pulling my fluffy quilt around me. I did remember Daniel giving me a hug goodnight and he kissed the top of my head. “Sleep well” was all he said when we parted tonight. Sleep well, and I closed my eyes. I waited for my beautiful nightmare to begin. This part of going crazy I could deal with, as long as I could see my angel.

As I sat on my bed looking into my closet, wondering what to wear, the pile of laundry on my floor reminded me how fast the weeks had flown by. I had taken my finals and passed. I could not have done it with out Daniel’s help. He volunteered whatever time it took, just as he had with Kayla. Daniel worked so hard to help me when he really didn’t have to. Heaven knows I was no easy task. All that he asked in return was for a picnic to celebrate and he told me he had a gift. “A little something to remember the journey,” when I told him I didn’t need any gifts.

Still staring at my closet I jumped when I heard the doorbell. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as I heard Dad yell down the hall “Hope! Daniel’s here.” I got dressed as fast as I could and left the disaster I called a room for later. As I reached the living room I could hear them talking.

“The best place is the cove. The easiest way to reach it is when the tide is low.” Daniel was telling my Dad.

“I think she would really enjoy it. She needs to have a little fun, start living again.”

I walked into the room as if I didn’t hear their conversation, smiling, then looking at Daniel. “So where are we going?”

“To the Column. It’s got a great view. You can see the mountains and the Columbia River. With a beautiful day like this, we might even see some sailboats.” Then Daniel nodded at me, “Are you ready to go?” I grabbed my sweater and headed toward the door hearing Dad tell Daniel “Thanks again, and take care of her.”

It was a quiet ride. No one had spoken. I hadn’t noticed until Daniel asked. “Are you alright?”

“Ya…. just thinking.”

Over and over in my head I heard Dad’s voice, “Start living again.” How do you start when you’re going crazy? Where do you start when the people you loved are gone? How do you begin when you feel your world is falling apart around you, how? I just wanted one thing to make sense, needed one thing to make sense.

I was surprised to feel Daniels hand on mine as it rested on the center console. “We’re here!” I realized, for the first time, I was at the top of the ridge looking out towards the river. Scattered across it like fall leaves were the colorful sails of the sailboats he had wished for. It was beautiful with the blue sky broken up with a hint of cotton candy clouds. The sun was warm on my skin. The airs smelled fresh and clean, with the hint of fresh cut grass. It was a perfect place to celebrate. A place I could forget about my life for a little while.

Daniel retrieved something from the hatch. Glancing back I saw that Daniel, of all people, was carrying an old-fashioned wicker picnic basket in one hand and a handmade quilt in the other.

“Coming?” he asked as he passed. Daniel walked to a sunny patch of grass as I followed him. I always felt warm when I was around Daniel for some reason. I stood and watched as he laid the blue and yellow quilt on the grass next to the picnic basket.

Daniel looked so different from those study nights at the college. His hair was soft waves down around his shoulders, not pulled back with his usual piece of leather. Wearing a pair of worn and faded blue jeans, a pale blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, his top few buttons unbuttoned, Daniel looked so casual, and so relaxed. This was certainly not the usual dress shirt and slacks that I had grown accustomed to seeing. Some people would spend hours to have this casual yet put together look, but I knew Daniel didn’t worry what others thought. He didn’t try to impress others, as his style was his alone. I looked into his eyes and that smile. It made the world around me seem to float away. I was blushing thinking, he was gorgeous and he was with me.

It was a great afternoon lying on Daniel’s quilt feeling the sunshine soak through me. I loved listening to Daniel tell stories of different places as his voice always gave me a feeling that was familiar yet I couldn’t remember, but didn’t care.

Something was glistening in the sun. A rainbow of colors, I never paid much attention to it before. It was from Daniel’s belt, a knife. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve seen hunting knives like my Dad’s but this one was different. The sheath was white and was luminescent, as if made out of quartz or moonstone. The hilt looked like two gold leaves, the handle looked to have five sides. The top had a soft blue stone that seemed to move in the light, as if it was watching me. Yep, I was losing it! It looked like a delicate dagger, the kind that would be worn on the beaded belt of a lady of the court in Camelot. It was so beautiful but somehow menacing at the same time.

“What are you looking at?” He asked.

“Your knife, it’s beautiful but what kind of stone is that and why is it watching me?” Looking up at that smile and those eyes, I just felt a pleasant warming sensation.

“Tomorrow.” Feeling a bit frustrated, the thought of a puzzle piece missing in my mind came back to me. Where was that piece that I was missing? I didn’t understand what “tomorrow” was supposed to mean. I stared at Daniel knowing the look on my face was screaming for help. Daniel’s smile was reassuring.

“Your father said that I could take you stargazing. If you still wanted to go?”

I took in a deep breath letting it fill my body as the worry quickly faded away.

“I would love to go.” Time with Daniel and his peaceful calming influence that seemed to radiate from him would definitely be good for me. Daniel stood, gazing at the sunset. Closing his eyes he lifted his face appearing tranquil and haunted at the same time. He turned back to me smiling his smile, the one that I loved, one that made his eyes light up from somewhere deep inside.

“The sunset tonight is beautiful like it’s burning with the fire of life. Kind of a reminder.” He held his hand out to help me to my feet. “And I think it’s time we should be getting you home.”

As I looked at the sunset again I noticed a star, the first one of the night, the wishing star. “Daniel look,” as I pointed. “We need to make a wish!” Taking a step back I must have tripped over the curb or something. Because next thing I remember I was lying on the sidewalk and my head was throbbing.

I could hear Daniel calling my name, “Hope… Hope are you all right?”

“Just a little dizzy,” I told him and thinking a lot more embarrassed. Daniel was kneeling beside me, holding my hand.

“Hope, are you sure you’re all right?”

As I opened my eyes, I saw the sunset with only Daniel’s silhouette in front of me. With the sunset behind him, he looked like a fiery glowing figure. There was my beautiful nightmare starting over again. Yet, I wasn’t asleep. Blue eyes were staring at me, this time not with determination but confusion. Ice blue eyes like Daniel’s eyes… like Daniel’s.

“Hope?” This voice, Daniel’s voice, was not comforting but a bit frightened.

With tears in my eyes and streaming down my face I managed, “This can’t be real! It can’t!” Now I was frightened. “You?” As I pointed at him, “It was you, you were there?” The look on his face went from frightened to an understanding as he closed his eyes. “You were there, I remember.” I couldn’t say any more. I was crying and dizzy and my head hurt. I felt like I was falling apart.

“Yes.” He said as he kneeled beside me. “Yes, I was there, I was with you.”

“But my dream? It’s turning into a nightmare. I keep trying to see the truth, reality, but I can’t. It’s all so foggy, like some of my memories.”

“Hope,” Daniel picked me up off the ground and carried me over to a small rock bench. He sat me gently on the bench and as he sat down Daniel hugged me. “What do you mean you’re having nightmares? Have you told anyone?”

“No!” I cried, “I feel like I’m losing my mind. As if the way people are looking at me already isn’t bad enough.”

“Hope, please talk to me, I want to help.”

“Daniel, you must think I’m nuts.”

“Why would I think that?” He held my shaking hands.

“Because it’s about you and what I think I saw that night.”

“What exactly do you remember?” His voice was kind and soft.

“I saw you Daniel. You were holding my hands. You were telling me that I was going to be O.K. I didn’t realize it until now but it was you wasn’t it?”

His voice remained soft. “I’m sorry that you’ve had nightmares. I didn’t want that to happen. I was there to help you, not to hurt you, never hurt you.”

“Daniel, but it’s also the other things I believe I saw that make me think I’m going crazy? Sometimes it feels like a beautiful nightmare. Daniel,” I started crying again, “when I looked up at you, the air around you looked like it was on fire, the aurora borealis. I don’t really know, and the blanket that you were holding around me glowed, and looked like wings. I know I’m going crazy.”

He just smiled at me, as if it was a private joke. “You are not crazy.”

“What… what did you say?” It just wouldn’t sink in.

He was still smiling at me. “I said you’re not crazy nor are you going crazy!”

“You’re not lying to me, are you?”

“Hope, I’m not lying to you.” He was still smiling which made me really worry.

“Then you’re… an… angel? My guardian angel?”

“Angel… yes.” He said with a chuckle. “A guardian angel… no.” I was starting to hate that little smile of his, it made me feel… actually I didn’t know how I was feeling right now. “It’s getting late and I need to get you home. That bump on your head might need an aspirin or two. Tomorrow I’ll tell you more and answer any questions, tonight you have enough to think about, and you need your sleep. Deal?”

“Deal.” At least I wasn’t going crazy, yet, I think.