Short Stories

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It was a dark and moonless night, as Amy sat on the old worn out, paint chipped bus stop bench. The city should have replaced it years ago. But the east side of town is always the last place to get anything new. She shivered with the damp chill of the night air. It had just stopped raining. The rain had been pouring down since the night before.
Usually, she would have never ventured into this area after the sun went down. But last night, her husband was taken to the County hospital when he collapsed from a heart attack. Their only car had been repossessed when Carl had been laid off and missed a few payments. She scraped up her last bit of change to take the bus to the nearest bus stop to the hospital.
Down the street just on the corner, Amy heard an argument going on at the local bar. Amy checked her watch, and sighed anxiously, for she had just missed the bus and had another twenty minutes to wait for the next one to arrive, that is, if it was on time.
Just then, the wind stirred up some autumn leaves and trash along side the street, splattering some muddy water on her shoes. Amy started to reach down to wipe off her right shoe but heard a car engine approach. Amy forgot about her shoe and looked up as an elderly woman in a car pulled up to the bus stop and stopped in front of Amy. Amy frowned, wary of the intruder, and pulled her worn jacket closer to block out the wind.
“Miss, the bus isn’t going to be here for a while,” the old lady addressed her. “This area isn’t really safe at all for a young lady, such as yourself, being all by yourself, and all. Please, allow me to drive you to where you are going.”
Amy knew that it wasn’t a safe place for her to be. But she was scared of getting into a car with a stranger, even if she did look old and harmless. You never knew in these days, especially in this neighborhood. Amy spoke up, “Thank you, but I think I’ll just wait for the next bus.”
The little old lady had a kind face. Amy felt a bit guilty when the woman looked at her pleadingly and said again, “Please, let me take you where you’re going. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you. It will be no problem, whatsoever. I promise I will take you straight to where you need to go.”
Amy looked at the woman again and noticed a tenderness in her eyes that she hadn’t seen in a while. She decided to take a chance and trust the old woman. Amy told her where she was going and the old woman drove her to the hospital. The old woman was quiet on the drive. And just as she promised, she drove Amy straight to the County hospital.
She thanked the old woman and scurried off to the hospital entrance to visit her husband.
Amy stayed until visiting hours were over and gave her husband a kiss and told his still body that she would be back tomorrow. When she came out of the front door, the same old lady was still there and drove up to where she stood.
“Let me take you home. I think the last bus has already made its last run. I won’t be able to sleep tonight unless I know that you got home safely.”
Amy thought it strange that this old woman had stayed there waiting for her. But she also silently admitted to herself that if the last bus had already run, that she really did not have any way home, unless she walked.
She let the old woman help her again.
The next morning was Sunday. Amy went to church and prayed for her husband. After the service, the pastor looked at her nervously and asked her if she had let the old woman help her last night. Wow, was Amy taken back. She frowned, wondering, “How did the Pastor know about the old woman?” But she told the Pastor, “Yes, yes, I did let her help me.”
The Pastor appeared to be extremely relieved, and said “Oh, good, good. I’m so glad that you allowed her to help you. He didn’t say anything else to her. He just turned to another person and shook their hand and started a new conversation.
Later that afternoon, Amy was running late and ran to that same bus stop. She had just missed the bus. Fear clutched at Amy’s heart when she realized that this was Sunday and the bus schedule was different on this day. The last bus stopped two hours earlier than during the week and Saturday. She would have to cut the time down to visit her husband in order to catch the last bus to go home. She so wanted to be able to see her husband longer.
Just then, that same old woman stopped and asked if she would like a lift. Amy wondered if this woman was stalking her. She got a strange feeling and almost told the old woman “no.” But her need was greater than her fear. She again, accepted the old woman’s offer of help.
The old woman told her to take as long as she wanted with her husband, that she would be there to drive her back home again if she didn’t mind. Guilty of taking up the old women’s time, and gasoline, she wanted so bad to say “no.” But she didn’t. She let the old woman help her, again.
Her husband was still in ICU. His condition was serious, but, however, stabilized.
Monday, Amy decided to go to the church to pray for her husband. As she was leaving, the Pastor approached her smiling, and asked, ”Did you let the old woman help you for the second time?”
This was just too strange. She didn’t understand the Pastor’s insistence in knowing about whether or not she let the old woman assist her. But she told the Pastor she did let the old woman help her again, and the Pastor, once again, seemed to be relieved and pleased at the same time. He walked away smiling and nodding his head, yes.
Amy was emotionally exhausted. Silently she thought, maybe she could rest a few hours before going back to visit her husband. She unlocked her front door and walked into her quiet apartment, all alone and forlorn, completely worn to her bones, kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the old well-worn couch. She tried to quiet her mind and slow the beating of her heart. It wasn’t easy, having so much on her mind. Her heart felt heavy in her sorrow. But in a short time, her weariness took over, and her eyelids began to droop.
The loud ring of her telephone made her jump as her eyes popped open, now, quite wide and awake. Amy answered the phone, “Hello.” It was the hospital letting her know that her husband had woken up and was being transferred to a shared room, and if the Doctor’s check up was good, he might be released in a day or two.
Comforted by the welcomed news, Amy drifted off in peaceful slumber. Several hours later she awoke with a start. She was running a little late again. She skipped taking a shower, grabbed her purse and locked the front door as she ran out, running to the bus stop without missing a beat.
She still had a few minutes to spare when she arrived at the bus stop. Right on cue, the old woman drove up and stopped. She asked Amy if she could drive her where she was going, but Amy declined, saying she could catch the bus.
The old woman looked crestfallen. But Amy stuck to her statement and didn’t relent. Amy caught the bus and walked the block to the hospital. After visiting with her husband, she walked out the front door to see the old woman again. She asked if she could give her a ride home and again, Amy gathered enough courage to say “no thank you, I have enough time to catch the bus.”
The old woman sadly rolled up her window and drove away.
The next evening, Amy went to her church’s Wednesday night service. After the service, the Pastor approached Amy. He asked her she let the old woman help her the third time. Amy nervously looked into his eyes and said, “no”, I caught the bus, instead.”
Amy would never forget the look in the Pastor’s eyes, or what he said next. “Oh, no!” He said. “She wasn’t able to earn her wings.”
You see, the old woman was Amy’s Guardian Angel. She hadn’t earned her wings yet. She was trying to earn them. She had to get Amy to allow her to assist her three nights before she could earn her wings. One more day was all she needed, one more day, the day that Amy decided to do it all alone.
Now, Amy searches and searches for her Guardian Angel, hoping for another chance to let her earn her wings. She prays daily for her Guardian Angel and asks Jesus to forgive her for stopping her Guardian Angel from earning her wings.

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