Christmas Angel

The young woman could only stare almost heart broken, she loved her dad, worrying the whole time that he'd been killed or died alone. "Mother did this to you didn't she?" she said an almost touch of hate in her voice, "I won't let her get away with this!"

"No," he sobbed, "I don't want anyone hurt because of me, promise me!"

The young woman couldn't believe her ears, as much shit as her mother had put her father through and he still wanted no revenge, no retribution? He truly was a kind man, too kind for his own good, she'd always tried to be like him but her temper always got the best of her. Sighing she relented, "Ok dad, I promise but please let me know how to contact you. Here's my cell number, call me whenever you remember more." With that she begrudgingly put the baby in the stroller and walked on a smile on her face, no she wouldn't hurt her mother but she'd make her life a living hell now that she knew more of what was going on.

I smiled as I followed him back to Rose's place, it was finally starting to come together, looking up I nodded, yes his memory should start to return very soon. The man sat at the dining room table staring at the wall, try as he might there were still no clear memories coming to him. Sighing he felt as lost as he could get knowing he had family but not knowing who they were and obviously his daughter as she called her self loved him very much.

The man sat there all day trying to dredge anything up that would help him, not noticing the time almost the rest of the day passed with him sitting there. Rose came home to find him still there in the dark a look of intense concentration on his face. Worried, she rushed to his side concern apparent on her face, had he met up with that woman again, at least he wasn't huddled in a corner again.

"Are you alright?" she asked sitting next to him, "did you go out and meet up with that woman again?"

"Yes," he replied still deep in thought, "and no, I met a young woman today who said she was my daughter. She told me she'd been looking for me for over a month." Tears started to flow again from his eyes, "I had no memory of her or her baby Xavier, my grandson. He was a beautiful child but there was nothing there."

"It will return soon, I've never heard of a case like yours that was permanent," Rose replied now even more worried, she'd read up on the condition and knew that any severe trauma could set him back.

"Thank you Rose," the man said into her shoulder as she had hugged him, hoping it had a calming effect. "you've done so much for me, I feel as if I haven't done even half as much to repay you. Letting me stay here, it's ... something I can't begin to thank you enough for."

I smiled, it was finally time to start letting a few memories through. The man suddenly sat up straight, "June! That's her name!" he shouted to the heavens.

Rose could only stare a moment, "who's name?" she asked.

"My daughter! Xavier is my first grandchild! OH my god how could I've forgotten that?" Now new tears fell from his dark brown eyes though this time they were tears of happiness.

"You remember!" Rose cried hoping that finally the man was getting the break he deserved.

"About her yes, but the rest is still fuzzy," he shook his head as if to bring more to the surface. "I was hoping when that came through that others would start to pop up."

Holding him closer Rose's heart was beating fast finally he'd start to know who he was. Then she felt the pain, holding back tears she knew that he might also leave when he did regain everything. When did I start to fall for him she thought? I know so little about him but the thought of life without him makes my heart hurt more than I've ever thought it could. Sighing, I was afraid that this might happen, touching her head gently I felt the pain ease slightly. The man seemed to sense her sudden change and held Rose tighter to let her know he was there for her though he wasn't sure why he suddenly felt that way.

"Rose," he started, "I want you to know I owe you so much, I won't forget not this time, ok?"

Rose's eyes began to tear up it was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to her.

Rose's tears of joy were short lived though as there was a knock at the front door. I took a deep breath now the moment of truth was at hand, Rose went to answer the door unsure of who would be here at this hour. Opening the door a rather well dressed woman was there about to knock again, "is he here?" she asked apparently in a hurry.

"Is who here?" Rose answered with her own question.

"My fucking asshole of a husband," the new woman snapped nastily, "I was told the shit head was here."

It was about that time that the man walked into the room, "alright you son of a bitch get your ass home now, I'm here to make sure you go, because of you our children won't even speak to me," now the woman had barged past Rose almost knocking her smaller and lighter frame to the floor.

Rose recovered quickly stepping in between the woman and the man she claimed to be her husband.

"I suggest you leave NOW before I have you forcefully removed," Rose wasn't a violent woman but if this woman set the man's recovery back she her self would bring the woman up on charges of endangerment.

"Yeah right, I'm not leaving without my sorry piece of shit husband," the woman was now almost screaming at Rose and the man. The man had backed away grabbing his head the pounding there was to the point that he was starting to get dizzy. "I said get your fucking ass home!"

Looking at the new woman the man could only whisper, "I don't know you, I don't know you."

"Ah don't pull that fake shit with me! I know all the tricks you've used the last two years, the headaches, the nose bleeds, the supposed vomiting up of blood!" the woman had advanced upon the man even closer he'd suddenly stopped and was staring straight at her.

"Alright that's enough!" he suddenly yelled, I sighed finally! The new woman was shocked into silence. "I've taken your abuse, your negative comments, your berating, bitching, screaming long enough! You're the one who has told me for the last two years that you didn't love me two, three, four times at least an hour, and though I love you, which you constantly said was a lie, I won't stay where I'm not wanted.

That's why I left, as I told you that day, you've made it abundantly clear you didn't love me, but the last draw was when you said that you didn't need me. We'll see, we are done, you wanted that fucking divorce? Fine no problem I'll have it to you within the week." Rose could see that the man was having a hard time breathing and started screaming rushing to him as she spied the now trickling blood from his ears. The police showed up a moment later the new woman still too stunned by the man's tirade to even move.

"I need an ambulance NOW," Rose was screaming, the man, finally finished, suddenly collapsed hitting the floor like a ton of bricks his body starting to convulse, Rose was directing the police to lift the man placing him on the couch.

The new woman finally moved away asking Rose what was wrong with him, "He has a large brain tumor, they were unable to operate because of his loss of memory. They were afraid that it might have been caused by a physical trauma but I see now that it was mental abuse. I'm afraid that your abuse tonight has pushed him over the edge, he only has a few hours unless we get him to surgery. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW! Don't ever come back or I'll have you brought up on murder charges! That is if he doesn't die, you better pray he doesn't!"

I sighed again reaching out to slow the flow of blood and decrease the pressure on his brain. I watched as the man's wife ran from the house as fast as she could mumbling she had a good lawyer.

Rose rode in the ambulance as it sped quickly to the hospital, the man once again was standing next to me as we watched the paramedics worked to stabilize his body. "I didn't think I'd go this way," he whispered staring intensely at Rose, "I love her but I never told her, now it appears that I'll never get the chance."

I patted him on the shoulder, "No I don't think you're done yet son. From what I see you have quite a few years left with Rose. Besides it's Christmas eve, remember all those prayers for you?" He just nodded as he continued to stare at Rose. "This night is when the strongest prayers are often answered, son I haven't heard prayers this strong as I am right now for you. I think you'll be ok."

"I have to ask though," he said, "just who are you? I know that you're always there, I can always feel you but never see you."

Sighing I was afraid he'd get around to that, I looked up and waited for what I thought would be an order to not tell him, though I wanted to so bad. I smiled when I heard a voice say it was alright to tell him.

Taking a deep breath I looked deep into his eyes, " I was assigned to watch over you I wasn't the best person when I was here in physical form. Nor was I a very good father," here I lowered my eyes, " I am making amends now to the living to earn a place." I hoped he wouldn't see but I knew any moment now he would.

"D-D-Dad? you're my guardian? I wanted to be there I was in shock for three days almost unable to speak, I felt I was a big part of why you died, that and that jerk of a boss you had with the state."

Sighing I knew this was for him as well as me, "no son it wasn't your fault nor was it his, I had a brain aneurysm I was dead almost as soon as I hit the ground. Besides even had it been your fault I've forgiven you years ago, always know I was proud of you of the things you tried to do and proud of the man you've become."

I could see the tears falling from his eyes unashamedly, as I knew well that they were falling from mine.

After we arrived the man and I waited with Rose in the waiting room, hours later I knew that our time was coming to a close. "It's almost time, though you won't remember much, I love you son I know I didn't tell you that often enough, for that I truly am sorry."

"Dad, I know that you need forgiveness, though I don't feel you have anything to be forgiven for. If you need it from me you have it and my love also." I could see in his eyes love that I thought I'd never see let alone feel.

"Good bye son," with that he was drawn back into his body. A few hours later Rose and I went back to see him.

As we walked in Rose went straight to him, in a croaking voice he whispered, "Rose, you stayed."

"Of course, what you think I'd leave? Boy you really are out of it." she said with a smirk.

"I know you don't owe anything and I owe you my life but I ... I think I've fallen in love with you." The words were difficult for him to get out, hurt so bad for so long, afraid of what she could do to him with her rejection he still stumbled on. "I know it's insane to feel this way this fast but I can see you don't feel the same way so I wanted to thank you for all you did again."

Rose's eyes flew wide had she heard him right? He loved her? Damn! here she thought she was the one who'd lost her mind. I felt a tug at both my shoulders strange it wasn't time for me to go yet.

"Phil, where did you g... ," she stopped short at the odd look on his face.

"How did you find out my name? I just remembered it right before I passed out," he replied surprised.

"I'm afraid that was our fault," turning Phil saw three of his four adult children standing in the doorway, "We found out where you were, what had happened and just got here a few minutes ago. Thank god you survived." All 3 came and embraced him, Rose went into the hall to allow them to talk. two hours later they were leaving when the oldest daughter stopped by Rose, "Oh hello June." Rose said.

June's eyes rose a moment, "We wanted to thank you for taking care of Dad, we'll be back soon. By the way he was asking for you had a serious look on his face."

As Rose walked toward the room I felt another tug at both shoulders again I just brushed it off more concerned about what was supposed to happen. Walking in Rose could see that Phil was half asleep but his eyes flew wide when he saw her approaching. "My children have offered me a place to stay till I get back on my feet so I don't have to impose on you anymore."

Rose was actually upset now and was about to start shouting but stopped her self short no she thought, there was a better way as a sly smile crossed her face. "Well that's a shame."

"A shame, why do you say that," he asked puzzled.

"Well, you see as I was about to say before we were interrupted," here Rose walked to the door closing and locking it. "I was going to offer you a present that might make you want to stay."

"A present? What present could make me want to be a burden to you?" he asked truly confused.

"Well first part is my love, Phil I love you as crazy as it sounds I have fallen hard for you." Phil was shocked then smiled large.

"And the second part?" Phil asked still curious.

"That I'll show you but you can't have any till your out of here." Rose smiled slyly then dropped her coat standing there before him stark naked. Phil could only stare, "Merry Christmas, I love you."

At that moment I felt a huge tug on both shoulders as my wings sprang forth, I swear Phil could see me as I saw him look straight at me and smile.