The Greatest Angel Books Ever Written
Angel on Board
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Angel On Board - A look at life from the afterlife... |
EJ Thornton
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EJ Thornton's recommended list of great angel books...
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Angel On Board Watch out for angels watching out for you! Once you're aware - they're everywhere. Open up to a new dimension in reality and enjoy the wild ride through Heaven and Earth - where the angels live, work and play with us! ISBN: 096702420X |
The Book of Angels The world the archangels represent is unlike any you know, full of heroism and drama and the Book of Angels shines light on the angel lore hidden away for eons in forgotten writings. Stunningly illustrated by Ruth Thompson. ISBN: 1402738374 |
How to Hear Your Angels A step by step guide to clearly receive angelic messages. Doreen Virtue s workshops have been teaching everyday people this talent for many years. Doreen is by far, the most knowledgable expert in this field. ISBN: 1401917054 |
Encyclopedia of Angels What we know about angels, comes through our other worldly contact with them. All major cultures and religions have intricately developed angel systems. Guiley compares angels across denominations to trace their evolution. ISBN: 0816050244 |
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Angels 101 Angels 101: An Introduction to Connecting, Working, and Healing with the Angels is a non-denominational point of view of angels and their role in the spiritual disciplines. This text helps the readers discern guardian angels from archangels, and departed loved ones. ISBN: 1401907598 |
Angels in My Hair Beyond everyday experience, the mysteries of the afterlife are revealed in the autobiography, Angels in My Hair. It is a deeply moving and inspirational journey into the world of angels. Lorna Byrne has always been able to see angels. ISBN: 0385528965 |
Angels on Assignment What is the Mizpah Covenant? This covenant has the power to release angels to assist you and forges a protective covenant around yourself and your family. Discover how angels are involved in the lives of people on a personal and practical level. ISBN: 1599797526 |
Angel On Board - 1st Edition A collector's edition of Angel On Board, the first edition of this novel about angels is fun, entertaining, thought-provoking and comforting. Also available in a Kindle format. ISBN: 096702420X |
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RMWS feature book: |
Chapter XVIIMorning came. Naomi returned. I went to meet George at Jeannie's. She was getting the girls ready for school and herself ready for work. There was more coaching than normal this morning because Jeannie was very distracted by her situation. The girls' angels helped them find their socks and whispered to help them remember various other details. Lynne and Edwina played out in the living room, so George and I joined in a game of peekaboo with them. Little Lynne laughed so loud, a half-dressed Jeannie came out to the living room to check on her. All Jeannie saw was a smiling baby girl covering her eyes. Jeannie said, "Peekaboo," Lynne looked up, saw that Mommy was playing the game too and giggled even louder. Jeannie leaned against the wall briefly as she smiled warmly at her adorable daughter. After a bit, she went back to the bedroom to finish getting ready. We got the girls off to daycare and school and got Jeannie to work, almost on time. Still rushing to beat the clock, she finally reached her desk and turned on her computer, put away her purse, changed her shoes and all the rest of the typical morning fodder. Jeannie was edgy this morning, everything made her jump. Judie noticed that Jeannie was jumpier than usual and watched her, trying to figure her out. Jeannie saw Judie study her. Judie even mouthed the words, "What's wrong?" Jeannie shrugged her shoulders in an effort to deflect Judie's attention. "You look like a Mexican jumping bean," Judie informed her. "Too much coffee, I guess." Judie raised an eyebrow and sized her up to gain more information. "Is there something wrong with your coffee?" "Oh yeah, huh," Jeannie buried her head in her computer terminal without any further explanation. A frustrated and worried Judie left and went into the kitchen area to pour herself another cup of coffee. She decided to read her horoscope. Pearl had anticipated this move so Judie's horoscope read, "A friend needs you now more than ever. Be ready to listen today." Judie read it and looked out the door in Jeannie's direction, as if she could see through walls. She decided to read Jeannie's. It read, "Life is teaching you lessons. Learning is easy, if you are a willing student." Judie left with her coffee and went back to the desk. As she sat down, she studied Jeannie again. Jeannie felt the stare, bristled up and saw Judie watching her. "What?" "Nothing." Judie started to type on her keyboard and smiled. "What's so funny?" Jeannie demanded. "Nothing," Judie said innocently. Then she muttered under her breath, "Life needs to teach you to be more pleasant when your friends are trying to figure you out!" They both went back to work, but they were both very conscious of how much they watched each other. Jeannie, still extremely jumpy, heard a noise behind her. She turned quickly and spilled coffee all over her lap. Luckily, it was barely lukewarm. It forced her out from behind her desk to make a hasty dash to the ladies room to try to wash it out. She left the room without saying anything to anybody. Judie gave her a bit of a lead, then followed her. When Judie got into the bathroom, she saw Jeannie washing out the stain and muttering to herself, close to tears. "Are you all right?" Judie asked. "Oh, yeah," Jeannie answered. "It was pretty cold coffee." "Jeannie, I want to know if you're all right, you've been overly tense all morning and now you're about to cry over spilled coffee. Something's going on. Did something happen with Jeremi?" "You could say that." Jeannie bit her bottom lip. Judie put her arms around Jeannie and led her to the couch in the bathroom's lounge area. Jeannie broke down. "Did you guys break up?" Judie asked, but Jeannie shook her head. "Did you guys have a fight?" Again Jeannie shook her head. "Did you guys . . . eat ice cream? Either give me a decent clue or just tell me what's wrong." A peculiar look came over Jeannie's face and she stopped crying momentarily. "Ice cream?" She paused for a moment, then continued very sarcastically, "Yeah, that's it, we ate ice cream. I ate so much ice cream that my rabbit died." Then Jeannie waited long enough to see if Judie had understood the clue. "How could ice cream kill a--? Oh, my!" Judie fell back on the couch and looked back at Jeannie. She stared at her friend, in shock for a few moments, then covered her mouth to conceal the fact that she'd started to giggle. "Are you laughing at me?" Judie shook her head, then let more laughter escape between the fingers covering her mouth. She finally let go and broke out laughing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She kept laughing, however. "Then what's so funny?" "I'm sorry." She swallowed hard to try to gain control. "I'm sorry. Did you read your horoscope this morning?" Jeannie shook her head and looked at Judie with anticipation. "Life is teaching you lessons." Judie laughed again. "I guess 'black' is a significant color to you now, eh?" Pearl busted up with that one. The rest of us angels were already laughing. Judie laughed so hard she had to hold her sides. After watching Judie howl for a few moments, Jeannie gave in and began to laugh a little, but it was obvious, she was still pretty upset. "I'm sorry, this is serious," Judie said. Then accidentally snorted, attempting to keep the laugh in. "I'm glad I could amuse you." "I'm glad you could, too," Judie said and kept on trying to regain her composure. After a few more moments, she settled down. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, let's talk." Right then another lady walked into the restroom and both Jeannie and Judie immediately clammed up. "Let's take a walk," Jeannie said and they both left quickly. Pearl and Judie's angel took off with the girls, but George lagged behind. When I questioned him, he pointed. From behind a partition in the lounge where they kept a cot, another lady peered around the corner to see if she could get out undetected. She had obviously heard everything the girls had said and this gossip was just too hot to keep in. Her angel talked with us. "You let her hear everything," the angel scolded George. "You could've blocked her hearing and just let her rest? You know how much she loves to gossip. We keep teaching her the same lesson over and over and over again, but she keeps gossiping." "I bet we can work this out so they both benefit from this one. Will you work with us on this?" George asked her. She agreed. "Buy us some time and we'll be back." "Okay," the angel agreed. We caught up with Judie and Jeannie on their walk. Jeannie was deep into her story about the night at the hospital. Pearl asked us, "Where were you guys?" "Talking to Marla's angel in the bathroom. Marla was behind the partition," George answered. "I know," Pearl said. "Once I saw her there, I was sure she was the one I needed to help me with this. How can I say this nicely? Marla has a lot to say, even when there's only a little to really say. Darlene, her angel, has tried time and again to teach her about talking about other people, but she continues to do it. What did Darlene say?" "She agreed to help," George said. "Good. Then we need a plan," Pearl said. "With what objective, exactly?" I asked. "School's in session for Jeannie. She's about to be the subject of a whole bunch of gossip and from people who barely know her, but who have a whole bunch of opinions about how she got into this situation and what she should do about it," Pearl explained. "In essence, she has done this to herself. When her friends came to her--pregnant and before they were married--she was very supportive, like her friends are to her now. If it was someone she only knew in passing, without trying to find out any more about them, she was fairly harsh in her judgment of the situation. She's merely receiving back what she's given in the past, all at once. It will be hard for her, but she will hopefully learn a whole lot about how that feels. How hard the lesson will be, depends on her. You know a lesson must be repeated until it is learned." "So she's going to reap what she's sown in the past. But when she's gathered up this harvest, she'll be a better person for it--much more patient and much less judgmental. At least that's the plan," George concluded for Pearl, who wholeheartedly endorsed what he said. "So how does Darla and Marlene--" I began. "Marla and Darlene," Pearl corrected. "Sorry, Marla and Darlene, fit in?" Darlene joined us at that moment. "Marla got sent on an errand to the statehouse, so she's stuck standing in line at the Treasurer's office. I've got a few minutes. Another angel there will call me back if there's a problem." Pearl introduced us. "Martin, this is Darlene, he's the baby's Guardian. Darlene, Martin was just asking us how we could help each other here." "Good to meet you, Martin," Darlene said. "I think we could do a lot of good for both of these girls." "So how do we get them together?" I asked. "Without them knowing they're together." "We can handle that like they did this morning," Pearl said. "Then Marla can tell Karen. You know Karen will shut Marla right down." "I can arrange that," Darlene said. "Who's Karen?" I asked. "She sits across the room from Marla. They were both recently reprimanded for their lack of professionalism and personal conduct in a similar situation," Darlene answered. "So the plan is to have Jeannie hear them talking about her?" All the angels confirmed my guess. "Then let's go to work." "Right," George said. "Marla will get caught," Darlene commanded. "By Jeannie?" I asked. "No, by someone who can really make her think about spreading gossip while she's at work. Someone who makes sure she'll be reprimanded expressly for that," George answered. "And worse than the last time," Darlene added. "Her boss?" I asked. "I think it'd be better if the director caught her," Darlene said. "Her boss caught her before. This time we'll put the heat on the boss through the director, and hopefully Marla'll get that message." "Will that jeopardize her job?" I asked. "We'll maintain the proper boundaries," Pearl said. Then she looked at Darlene for confirmation. Darlene agreed quickly. "But to make it all the more effective, I think Marla needs to see the direct result as well," Darlene said. "We need Karen to tell Jeannie what was said about her and by who, while Marla is listening." "Okay, so we have a plan. Places everyone," Darlene said, then left. Judie and Jeannie were almost back to the office. Judie's tone had grown more supportive. Jeannie seemed more relaxed. "It's just every time the phone rang last night I jumped out of my skin. I had to unplug it," Jeannie said, continuing her story. "Well, if you resist telling your family and wait until they call you, you're at the mercy of the whims of fate. It you might be in really terrible shape some night when they just decide to call. Just call them and get it over with! You sound like you know what you're planning to do. Let them deal with it," Judie counseled. "You know, she's right," Pearl told Jeannie. "I know you're right," Jeannie said, "That sounds really easy and logical on the surface, but you remember what happened when I told them about the divorce. I'd really like to avoid that. That was crazy-making!" "Honey, that's old news," Judie said with a drawl. "Boy, it is now! Okay, now, please for now, let's keep this our secret." Judie agreed. They went back into the building without saying another word and quietly went to their desks. Pearl started to work on Jeannie. "Jeannie, you're so tired. You should go lay down on the cot in the bathroom." Jeannie yawned. She looked over at the coffee cup she had spilled earlier and gave it a look like, "You're kidding, right!" She turned back around to her desk. "You're pregnant; you're tired. Go lie down. Nobody will miss you for a few minutes." Jeannie looked around to see if she thought anyone was watching--nobody was. She got up and went into the ladies room. She snuck up to the partition, in case some might already be there. All clear. She set her watch alarm for fifteen minutes, lay down and closed her eyes. Within moments, Marla and Karen came in. Marla was so excited to tell Karen this news, she skipped the usual precautions of looking around to see if anyone else was in the ladies room. "This one is so big, you'll just, just, I gotta tell someone, this is so big," Marla said. "You said that already. What is it this time?" Karen asked, with a giant lack of enthusiasm. "Jeannie is pregnant!" Marla blurted out. "Can you beat that?!" Marla snickered. Jeannie stayed behind the partition. She covered her mouth quickly. Her eyes were huge and they darted back and forth trying to figure out how Marla could've found out. Realizing she was where Marla had to have been, her figuring gave way to anger very quickly. "She just got divorced. I doubt she's pregnant. Why would you make something like that up?" Karen asked in disgust. "Honest to God! I heard her tell Judie this morning. I was back there, lying down. I heard it all." She pointed toward the cot. Then she whispered, "I had cramps." Jeannie made a face like she was grossed out at this information and squirmed away from the center of the cot, like there was something on it. "Careful," Pearl told Jeannie, "you still need to stay hidden." "I think that's absolutely the stupidest thing I've ever heard?" Marla tried to get Karen to gossip with her. "If I were her, I'd-" "Well, I doubt Jeannie will ever ask you for advice, so I'd keep whatever you were planning to say to yourself, and since this is what got me into trouble the last time, I'm getting back to work and you better too." Karen left. "Humpf," Marla snorted. A toilet flushed and out came the director, who adjusted her skirt. Marla realized that she had been caught in the act. She left hastily, but it was too late. Jeannie knew full well there was still someone in the ladies room, so she stayed hidden. The director left and Jeannie got up and left, too. "Naptime's over," Pearl chuckled. "Phase one, mission accomplished," George exclaimed. We followed Jeannie back to her desk. She was even jumpier than earlier. The director was already in a closed-door session with Marla's boss. Marla cringed at her desk. Karen worked across the room, oblivious to Marla's predicament. Judie saw Jeannie come back in. "Is something wrong?" she whispered. Jeannie nodded and sat down. Judie motioned to her to go down the hall, but Jeannie was emphatic. "Later... much later!" Judie shrugged her shoulders and went back to work. Jeannie tried to work, but kept making mistakes. The more she tried, the more frequent the mistakes. She took several deep breaths and kept on at the task at hand. Things eventually got better. She was still very jittery. Darlene called us over when Marla was called into her boss's office. The director was still in there. There was a little yelling, then it got quiet briefly. Then the director came out. After a few more minutes, Marla came out. Her eyes were downcast and she sheepishly walked back to her desk. Karen was oblivious to Marla, but I could tell that something still bothered her. Karen got up and went over to talk to Jeannie. As soon as Karen left the room, Darlene got Marla to go to the restroom and wash her face. Karen knocked on the post closest to Jeannie's desk. Jeannie jumped a mile. "Can I talk to you?" Karen asked. Jeannie nodded. They also went to the ladies room. "They invented conference rooms, ladies," I said sarcastically, when we got there for the third time this morning. "They should try that, huh?" Pearl replied. All the angels laughed. Marla heard people coming in. She quickly turned the water off and hid in the stall that had the door that looked most closed, without actually being shut. Darlene shook her head in disgust as she watched her charge stand on the toilet. "I knew she'd do that!" "It's all just part of the plan," George comforted her. Darlene sighed, but agreed. Karen said, "I know I should do this at break time or after work, but I thought you should know that Marla is spreading gossip about you, that you're pregnant." Jeannie looked down and was close to tears. "I know." "Well, I just thought you want to know," Karen said. "I appreciate that very much," Jeannie said. "Marla is such a liar. She's gotten in trouble so much, you'd think she'd learn when to quit," Karen vented. "Well, unlike the rest of Marla's gossip," Jeannie took a deep breath and said softly, "it's true. I am pregnant." "Whoa, Jeannie, I'm sorry," Karen said sympathetically. Jeannie looked at her, shocked. "Sorry? Why would you be sorry?" Poor Karen was shocked by Jeannie's response and started to back pedal. "I mean I thought that you . . . I mean, you just got a. . . I mean, oh the heck with what I mean, I thought you'd be upset." "I am upset. I'm upset at Marla. I wanted to be the one to tell people, when I was ready. I really wanted to wait for a while." George decided it was time for Marla to be exposed. George imagined a doctor's hammer and tested Marla's reflexes. Marla's leg went right out from under her and George and Darlene helped her to the ground. Marla fell as quietly as she could, but the fact that something fell was very obvious. After hearing the noise, Karen and Jeannie went to investigate, only to discover Marla sitting on the ground in a very awkward position. "I'm outta here!" Karen said angrily and immediately left, totally disgusted. Jeannie glared at Marla, almost like someone from an old science fiction movie. She should have had laser beams come out of her eyeballs to melt the person in front of her. I think if she could have, she would have. "I know what you've been saying. This is none of your business. When I want someone to know about this baby, I'll tell them!" Jeannie yelled at Marla. "I bet," Marla snapped back sarcastically. "What's that supposed to mean?" "I bet you were going to take care of the baby before you told anyone about it." Jeannie gasped. "Maybe that's the way you'd handle it, but--" "If you were smart, that's the way you'd handle it." "You really think that?" "Yes, I do." "I pity you," Jeannie said quietly. "And now I know so much more about you. Stay away from me. Quit talking about me. I mean it!" Jeannie turned and left Marla on the floor, without so much as offering to help her up. Instead of going back to her desk, Jeannie left the building and walked around the corner very fast to get out of the situation. Once she got out of eyesight of the building, she sat down on the curb and cried. Pearl stayed right with her. "I know this is hard, darling, but you need to think back. Think back, Jeannie. Do you think you ever made anyone feel like that? Unfortunately, you did. Without thinking about what you said, you hurt their feelings over these exact circumstances. You need to remember that. You need to reflect about that and learn from it so that it never happens again. The next time you run across this situation in someone else's life, you need to have the perspective of acceptance, judgment just wounds people. Think long and hard about that." Then Pearl put her arm around her and held her tight. Jeannie cried harder for a while, then finally slowed down, then stopped. After another little while, Jeannie got up and walked the rest of the way around the block and went back into the building to her desk. Judie was waiting for her. She met her at the door and whispered, "Are you all right?" Judie saw Jeannie's tear-stained face. Jeannie shook her head, then went to her desk and got ready to leave. "Just go, I'll tell them you felt sick and left. That's the truth, right?" Judie asked and Jeannie agreed. Jeannie packed up her purse and the rest of her things and left through the back door. George and I went to talk to Darlene to see if we had helped Marla at all. They were back in with Marla's boss. Marla's head was down and the boss was scolding her again. Karen had apparently complained to him. "Is her job in jeopardy?" I asked. The way the boss talked was pretty severe. "No," Darlene said. "Marla does a good job. She always gets off with a warning, although she's never had two in the same day before." "It's been a busy day," I said. "Martin, George, I need you now!" Pearl's voice blasted into our conversation. "And the hits just keep on coming!" George said. "Take care, Darlene. We have to go now." Darlene waved good-bye and we caught up with Jeannie and Pearl. Jeannie was out of control. She had fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. She was speeding. She muttered angrily to herself. It was a good thing we showed up, poor Pearl was doing the work of three angels trying to calm Jeannie down, keep the car safe and warn the other drivers. Jeannie drove straight to the pub. Jeremi was there. She walked right past him because her objective was a drink.. The bartender knew her by name and said, "You're in early today, Jeannie." "Bad day," Jeannie muttered. "Are you all right?" he asked, genuinely concerned. "I really need a drink, gimme a beer!" Jeannie ordered. The bartender promptly served her. Jeremi walked up as she paid for the beer. "Thanks, babe," he said flirtatiously. "You must've bought this for me." He motioned his eyes toward her stomach. "Give it back; I've had a really bad day!" "I'm sorry, but we both know why," he said forcefully, but as low as he could to keep the conversation private. "Scott, she'll have a spring water!" "You drink the spring water, I came in for a beer." As she glared at him, she reached for the beer again, Pearl held on to her little finger and let go of it suddenly as Jeannie's hand was coming around the top of the glass. To everyone but the angels, it looked like Jeannie spilled the beer all over herself. All the angels present cheered for Pearl, who took a quick bow. Jeannie yelled at Jeremi for spilling the beer on her. He pulled back from her. Jeannie stormed off to the bathroom to dry herself off. "Do you think the lesson sank in?" Pearl asked us. George nodded in agreement. "Tantrums usually signify that it needs to be repeated. I agree, same lesson, different players?" he asked. "Pretty much," Pearl confirmed. After Jeannie had rinsed herself off, she went into one of the stalls and put her head down and cried some more. Before too long, two young girls came into the bathroom to freshen their makeup. The first one let the other in on the hottest gossip to hit the pub in a while. "And," she gloated, "at first, they thought it was her appendix, but turns out, she's pregnant!" Jeannie quietly gasped. "You've got to be kidding me?" the other asked in disbelief. "God's honest truth!" They both laughed. "She seemed so much smarter than that." "Poor Jeremi," the first girl said, while fixing her lipstick. She blew a kiss toward the mirror and they both left quickly. Jeannie was so taken aback with that conversation that she stopped crying. She was hurt, offended and extremely angry. Now she wanted to find out who that girl was who was taking pity on "poor Jeremi." Jeannie flew out of the stall, the bathroom and the hallway to end up in the bar area where Jeremi was waiting for her. She saw the two girls walk sexy past him. The first ran her finger across his back as she walked behind him and said, "See ya, Jeremi." To which he nonchalantly replied, "See ya." Jeannie sat down beside him. He looked over at her and saw she was really upset. "Do you want the water?" "You know what?" Jeannie started, "It was stupid of me to come here. I've got to get out of here." She picked up her purse and started to leave. Jeremi grabbed her arm, "Do you want to go and do some-" "Yeah, right," Jeannie interrupted him angrily pulling away. Jeremi watched perplexed as Jeannie stormed out of the bar. Then he and the bartender continued the conversation they started while Jeannie was in the bathroom. Jeannie looked like she had every intention of driving off as crazily as she had driven to get here. So Pearl pulled the keys out of her purse a few parking places away from her car. "Let's skip the 'DWI' part!" Pearl announced. The keys landed on the ground without a sound. "How could she get a DWI, Jeremi did all her drinking for her." "DWI - driving while infuriated," she corrected me. When Jeannie got to her car, she frantically dug through her purse to find the keys. She finally threw it down and sat on the curb in front of her car in complete frustration. "Please," Jeannie looked up to Heaven, "please tell me what you want from me! I'm sorry for whatever it is I did, just please, please, give me my car keys back so I can get out of here!" She put her head down and cried some more. "You say you're sorry for whatever you did. Honey, you've got to be more specific than that," Pearl coached her. "You're moving in the right direction, but reflect on this day, the encounters of the day, the people who upset you." Jeannie started to cry harder. "Did you know your thoughtless comments hurt your schoolmates the same way? How about your in-laws, remember how you talked about them?" Jeannie looked up and sniffed, but she began to calm down. Jeannie looked up to Heaven again. "God, help me please. I just want to go home. I want to go get my girls and go home. I'm sorry for whatever I did. . ." Pearl cleared her throat. "I'm sorry if I. . . if I--" Jeannie swallowed hard. "I'm sorry if I ever made anyone feel like this. I'm sorry if I ever thought someone else in this situation was stupid. I'm sorry if I ever thought I knew what they should do better than they did. I'm sorry." "That's my girl!" Pearl said. Then she shined her angel light on Jeannie's keys. Jeannie saw them, retrieved them, got into her car and drove out of the parking lot carefully. She was completely drained. Poor Jeannie was exhausted by the time she got the girls home from daycare. She went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator and promptly closed it. "How's pizza sound?" she asked the girls, who jumped up and down excitedly. Jeannie went over to the phone to order pizza. The answering machine's light was blinking. The whole time she was on the phone ordering the pizza, she stared at the blinking light. When she hung up, she unplugged the phone and the answering machine, too. "Why did you do that?" Carole asked. "Because I want it to be just us guys tonight, just us three," Jeannie said and got down on her knees and hugged her girls. All the angels present joined in on the hug. It seemed to be the medicine Jeannie needed. She went into her bedroom and returned a few minutes later, having changed into sweat pants and shirt. She popped a movie into the VCR, grabbed the girls and said, "Let's get comfy." They all snuggled together on the couch to watch TV. The girls enjoyed watching the movie, snuggled up close with their mom. Jeannie's thoughts were far away. Her eyes were glazed over. Carole had to nudge her mother about three times when the pizza was delivered before Jeannie was back in the moment and aware their dinner had arrived. It had been a tough day on her and a tough day on Pearl. It had gone well, but it took a large toll on both charge and angel. George and I stayed with them for the rest of the evening to support them with our presence. After pizza and the movie, Jeannie put the girls to bed. Then she went back out to the living room. She stared at the phone and turned away to clean up the kitchen. "Jeannie, stop being afraid!" Pearl said. "If you call the family and face this, it'll be easier than if you wait until it all catches up with you. Stop living in fear of your phone. You need the connection to your friends and family intact. You'll need them now more than you have in a long time. Quit being so proud. You know that you need them. You're strong enough, and help will be there when you need it, unless you alienate them. It will be all right, stop being afraid. Face your fears head on! I'm right here with you." "This is silly!" Jeannie muttered to herself and turned around and plugged in the phone. She took a deep breath and pressed the play button on the messages. There was only one message from Anne about garage sales this weekend. Jeannie breathed a sigh of relief. She went back to cleaning the kitchen. As she finished cleaning up, there was a knock on the door. It was Jeremi. "Can I come in?" he asked timidly. "Yes. I'm feeling much better now." Jeremi gave Jeannie a quick hug. "What was wrong?" "I had a really bad day," Jeannie told him and pulled away. "Everyone at my work knows I'm pregnant and now apparently so does everyone at the pub." She sat down on the couch. Jeremi was close behind. "I know," Jeremi said. Jeannie looked at him suspiciously. Jeremi shrugged his shoulders. "It out now. Scott must've told." "Who told Scott?" Jeannie demanded and leaned back into the couch and stared at the ceiling. She let out a heavy sigh and so did he. Then there was a long moment of silence. They both seemed lost in their own thoughts. Jeannie broke the silence. "Do you ever feel like you're being 'tested'?" "Tested?" Jeremi asked, surprised. "This feels like a test." "What's being tested?" Jeremi asked. "Maybe my character, my principles, you know, the things I always said I'd do. Now it's the moment of truth. I know, I'm rambling, but there is something important I need to understand here." "Yeah, maybe I know what you mean." Jeremi picked it up where she'd left off. "It's like someone's up there watching us, waiting to see what we'll do. I know it's my dad. He's saying 'Son, get yourself together, you've got responsibilities now.'" He was so close that I wanted to give him a signal that he was right. I made the power blink in the apartment. Jeremi jumped. "What?" Jeannie asked. "Did you see that?" Jeremi asked. "The lights flickered. That was Dad. I know it was." Jeannie looked around the room. Her heart pounded and she breathed a little faster. I think Jeremi had spooked her. "Man, I've got chill bumps." Neither one said anything for a little while. Eventually Jeannie yawned and Jeremi decided he needed to go and let her get to bed. After all, tomorrow she had to go back to work. They kissed goodnight and Jeremi left. An exhausted Jeannie made her way down the hallway, turned out lights as she passed them and plopped into the bed. She was asleep in a couple minutes. George and I gave Pearl, Edwina and Marie the night off. "I suppose I'll have to get used to guarding the house sometime, it may as well be tonight." They thanked us and went off together. George and I spent this night in Jeannie's apartment talking about the things angels need to do for their charges. Occasionally we checked on our sleeping girls. Somewhere around midnight, Carole got up and went in to sleep with her mother. After another hour, Lynne got up and climbed in on the other side of the bed. "Where's she going to put the baby?" I joked with George. "On top!" he answered. We chuckled and kissed the girls and nudged them away from the edges of the bed, closer to the middle. I wanted to get to know Jeannie better. I wanted to get inside her thoughts and discover why her family finding out about the baby upset her so much. I understood the things that Jack and Pearl had told me, but I had questions, a lot of questions. If I could talk to her, I thought I could help her. "I want to meet her in a dream, like I did with Jeremi. Can I find a way to keep it from being as traumatic as it was for Jeremi. Can I do that?" I asked George. "Relax, this one is easy. If she knew who you were, it would be harder. Since you never met, it will simply be a very vivid, memorable dream." "Should I go back to the beach, like I did with Jeremi? Where's a special place that we can both share?" "Walk with her around her work, like she does with Judie Plant that seed in her dream, that she's walking with Judie around her work," George suggested. I took her hand and stroked it gently. I began describing the beautiful neighborhoods where she and Judie walked everyday. Suddenly, we were there. Jeannie talked, the way she always talked to Judie. I stepped up right beside her, where Judie would have been. She kept talking. "It's beautiful out here at night, do you agree?" I asked her. "It sure is," she said and looked over at me. "Do I know you?" "I know you," I answered, testing to see if I could get away with being very vague. "How do I know you?" "Through Jeremi. We're close." "Oh," Jeannie let it go. We walked a little farther. "Tell me about Jeremi," I requested. She smiled. "He's cute. He's the best singer I've ever met. He's easy to talk to. We have a lot in common." Then her smile disappeared. "But he drinks too much and that scares me." "Why?" I asked, although I already knew the answer. "Because of the girls and because of the baby. I know I can handle it, right now they are too young to understand about his drinking. When I think about the future, that thought really bothers me." "Are you ashamed of him, that's why telling your family about the baby is so hard, because he drinks?" I asked. I thought I might have a handle on the situation. "That has nothing to do with it," Jeannie answered strongly. She took the wind right out of my sails! "Then why?" "Each member of my family had a different opinion of what I should have done about my ex-husband once we split. Each one treated me like I was a little girl again and gave me orders on how to run my life, much the way they used to tell me to clean my room. Then each one was offended when I solved my own problems, on my own terms. I made them all mad because I was me. There are so many more facets to this situation. I know each one will have a different opinion again; it'll be the same thing. I'll offend each one again. I know what I need to do. And believe you me, none of them would advise me to do what I know I have to do. I know they'll all be disappointed in me--again." Jeannie told me exactly what I wanted to know. I think this helped her specifically identify her fears, too. "What do you wish they'd understand?" I asked her, in hopes she'd continue. "That I feel like this is my destiny and this baby is meant to be and he will be incredible." Jeannie patted her stomach. "Why do you say that?" "Because, from the second I knew he was there, I've felt a determination, a strength coming from him. I've felt like this baby is using me to get here. That there's a much greater purpose for him coming into this world than just to be a part of my life. He's strong and special. I can really feel that." "You seem sure it's a boy." "From the second I knew he was there, it was like there was a voice that told me that," Jeannie said, sure of herself. I chuckled to myself and thought about all the times a little voice had told her that exact thing. "What do you think this baby's purpose is?" "It's beyond me. I'll treat him the way I want to be treated and let him figure out his own destiny, but somehow, I just know it's going be important," she answered, then went silent. It seemed she was finished giving me answers. She began to look to me to answer some of her questions. Time to plant the seed. "When was the last time you went to church, Jeannie?" "Last Easter," she replied. "Regularly, you mean?" I nodded. "Oh, it's been a long time." I took her hands and looked into her eyes, as deep as I could see. "When I feel like I'm in a situation that's bigger than I am, I turn to someone bigger than I am. If you want answers, ask God and then be quiet and listen to what comes to you." She looked back into my eyes and indicated she understood. "I should go now," I told her. I was back in her bedroom. I continued to stroke her hand. She tossed in her sleep and reached out. "Shhh. Stay asleep. Dream a sweet dream of your baby. Shhh." She settled back down and thankfully, stayed sound asleep. Thankfully, we avoided the jolt like Jeremi did, especially since the girls were right next to her in the bed. George waited for me. "Did you have a nice talk?" "Yes, we did." "What did you learn?" I quit stroking her hand. George and I went out to the living room to talk. I wanted to look at her family pictures more. There she was, in each one of these old family pictures. Someone was always holding her. I could see why she would be sensitive to standing on her own two feet. "I learned she's very strong-willed and independent. But her family still thinks of her as a little girl. She can handle her problems independently. But she really has to work hard to prove to them that she can handle her own responsibilities. I think she really wants her family in her life, but on her terms. They really need to respect that she can make her own decisions and right now. I think she needs to set some reasonable boundaries with them. I get that, but it's hard for people to change in relationships, I also get that. This is going to be an adjustment for everyone." "She'll come around and they'll come around, all in the fullness of time. After all, Jack is there to help all sides and Pearl will keep it from getting out of control. There will be some stress, and strain, there always is. They call 'em 'growing pains'. Jeannie needs some space right now. She needs to make her decisions herself and be at peace with those decisions, so she can stand up for them. She needs to attain that kind of inner strength to stand up for her choices and own that they are hers and hers alone." What a productive night! If I had been alive, I would never have been able to have such an enlightening conversation with her. I really looked forward to getting to know her and her family better in the coming years.
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