Guardian Angel

I never thought I would meet my guardian angel... but one night, in a dream, I did...and it was my father.

***

I loved my dad so much. As a daddy's girl, we did everything together from trick-or-treating, school events, Christmas shopping, and much more. My favorite thing in the whole world— our ice cream adventures. Every chance we got, we visited ice cream parlors to taste their chocolate flavors. Many places recognized us and our motto— "Give us chocolate or give us death!"

He took care of me while my mother worked at a prestigious law firm in New York City. During family vacations, Dad and I convinced Mom of where to go and what to do. Mom always gave in and was a good sport.

After I turned twelve, my dad died of pancreatic cancer. His death not only left a whopping hole in my heart, but also disrupted my entire life.

Mom took time off work and catered to me, anything to console me. We did what I did with my dad, but it wasn't the same. Dad pleased me with the simpler ways of life; like a walk in the park versus going to the mall or just looking at the sunset versus going to a nail salon. He loved Nature, and that's how he raised me.

Mom tried very hard to reach my inner thoughts, but I acted distant. I loved her, but she wanted to change me. While her obsession with her career had limited her deposits to our memory bank, she loved me and did the best she could to secure a stable life for the entire family. Sometimes, her judgmental attitude would vex me, and her listening skills needed work. So, for several months, I kept my feelings to myself and never shared my secrets. Looking back, I wished I would have been more understanding because she must have hurt inside, too.

Over time, our relationship improved greatly. Once I started high school, Mom made a big sacrifice and quit her job so we could move to West Palm Beach, Florida to start a new life. She returned to work part-time, in a smaller firm, to have more time to spend with me. She got extra points for that!

Six Months Later...

"Alex, you're going to be late to school. Come eat something," Mom called me from the kitchen.

"Comin." I dashed down the stairs.

"Those boots sound like you're marching in an army parade." Mom chuckled.

"They are. It's a war out there. Don't you remember how it used to be?" I got a yogurt from the refrigerator.

"Different times, my dear. Madonna fashions only." She smirked, then looked at my breakfast choice and said, "It's that all you're gonna have?" She carried the almond milk container in one hand and her bowl with cereal in the other to the kitchen table. "I can fix you up some eggs if you'd like."

"No. No time. I'm walking to school. I'll eat this on the way." I pulled a plastic spoon out of the kitchen drawer. "It looks like it's not gonna rain, so I'll walk back home. No need to pick me up. See you later." I blew her a kiss, opened the front door and closed it behind me. The one-and-a-half mile twice a day walk served as my daily exercise, but only during the Winter months. Summers were brutal, and I welcomed the rides in Mom's air-conditioned and comfy SUV.

I met my best and only true friend, Summer, by the lockers. "Hey bestie. See you got some sun. Those red cheeks are stunning." Her locker was three doors down from mine. She opened the door with such force that some pictures she had attached inside the door fell out. "Oops." She picked them up and pressed them against the door to stop them from falling.

"You okay?" I opened my locker and took out my notebook for the next classes.

"Yeah...stressing over my party. And you? Have you heard from Bryan?" She closed the door to her locker. This time, gently.