Angel Lighoon

Night to Remember

Angel rolled over and uncovered her face. Her eyes were closed and she quietly whispered curses at herself for not closing the curtains. She was thankful she didn't feel anything remotely close to a hangover. She didn't drink as much as she wanted too, but she had a feeling something was going to happen today. She first started having that feeling a little over a month ago. She did everything she could to ignore it. As always, she failed.

"Ughhhhh" Angel huffed out. She sat up and grabbed her robe. As usual They were right there. She walked past them looking straight ahead. It was second skin to not see them. It took 7 years to get here. She preferred it this way.

She hung her robe on the door hook and did her routine. She knew it would be hard to control herself. She was turning 33. The very few that she allowed in her life knew it was a day that she was left alone. No party's. No gifts. No cakes. No wishes. Today is the one day a year she is left completely alone. She cell phone turns off. No computer. No television. No radio. She walked to the kitchen to pour her coffee.

With coffee in hand, she walked outside to get the paper. She loved living here. East Knoxville is completely what she loves. She still had a love for old things, historical things. Her house was more than perfect. She was sure people thought she was crazy to own a house that some would think was too big for one person. She didn't care. It was hers and just what she wanted. It was a 3 story Victorian home made in 1910. The wood was painted a dark tan with a black, shingled roof. The third floor was a tower. It was truly out of a fairy tale.

After putting the paper on the kitchen table, Angel walked back upstairs to her room to get dressed. She turned on her Bruno Mars playlist and headed up to her Tower.

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Certain times memories and feeling come flooding over Angel that she is so overwhelmed by hurt and pain and anger and questions. Her Dr wants her on medicine but she is completely against pills. For her, there really is no reason to medicate something so it can effect another part of her. She chooses to self medicate.

Walking into the only room she allowed herself to be the broken woman she really is gave her a sense of relief and dread. She stood at the door and looked at her space. She painted it turquoise with light gray trim. She had different paintings hanging of ocean scenes and mountain scenes. A huge bookshelf filled with all different types of books to the right of the door. Her sitting area is directly across from the door. She walked over to her desk and looked out the window at the Smokey Mountains. When her thoughts tried to go to the past, and her old special place, she went to her sitting area and sat down. She picked up the hardback book off the table. As usual, she had a twinge of conviction. She paused for a minute and stared at her hands. The minute passed and she lifted the glass to her mouth and lit the lighter.

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Fifteen minutes later she was ready to start her day. She walked to the half bathroom connected to the Tower room and washed her hands. She looked in the mirror. She looked calm. A little tired and red eyed but OK. She hated looking in the mirror. She sees so much of both her parents in her face.

She walked downstairs, stopping in her room to grab a jacket. She headed to the kitchen to get her purse and keys. She turned the coffee pot off and the doorbell chimed. Angel turned toward the living room. She walked to the hallway in between the kitchen and living room. The bell chimed again and she looked through the peek hole. She did not recognize the teenage boy standing there. He had red hair and brown eyes. Freckles and acne shone through. Without meaning to, her guard dropped. He felt familiar.

"Miss Angel Lighoon?" His voice crackled.

"Yes?"

"I'm Kevin Puxel from Townsend. I was asked by great granddad to read this to you." He cleared his throat while he pulled a folded piece of paper out of his back pocket. He started to read before she could say or do anything. Something kept her standing still.

"Angel, today is a day that has been waited for. By many. You have a choice to make. Your choice will impact more than you could realize. It's time to remember. Your needed back home. As soon as you can get here. Your house is being prepared. Your spot is still there. Come soon. Happy birthday. Gracie."

He held out the paper to her. She stood frozen just staring at the paper in his hand. A million different thoughts rushed around her head like a jar of jelly beans being shaken. She couldn't focus. She couldn't move. She couldn't feel. She tried with everything in her to look at Kevin, to look at the trees, to look anywhere but that piece of paper. The longer she was staring the bigger it seemed to be until all she seen was white paper.

"Miss Lighoon? Are you ok? Should I call someone?" Kevin seemed really nervous. She was finally able to look at him. She tried to smile at him to ease him some. She reached out and took the paper. She took a step back and smiled the best she could.

"Thank you Kevin. I hope you didn't go through to much trouble. Tell everyone hello." She walked into the house and shut the door. She went to the living room and calmly set the paper, folded again, on the coffee table. She wanted to tear it up and scream like a maniac. She wanted to throw it in the fireplace. She wanted to cry. Instead she went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. She looked at herself and thought....

This can not be happening.