Christmas Angels

Chapter 33 & 34

 Chapter 33:

Marianne was waiting at the door for them when they arrived, just as Josh had predicted. She had lost some weight since the last time Angela saw her, but her colour was good and she appeared to be feeling well enough. The weight loss worried Angela since it suggested increased frailty, but her mother's demeanour suggested inner strength. Her age was becoming a factor too, of course. Angela suddenly realized that Marianne was now forty-seven years old. She didn't think of that as old, but with a bad heart it wasn't exactly young, either. A feeling of dread came over her at the thought of breaking her news to Marianne. She suddenly decided to confess to both of her parents together so that Marianne would have Josh to support her and share her pain. She would do it tonight, after dinner.

Josh helped her unload the van, moving her belongings back into her bedroom. Everything in her old room looked small and innocent to her now. The furnishings and decorations seemed immature and girlish but also comforting and familiar at the same time. Angela was frightened about the future and it was good to return to the security of home and the love and protection of her parents.

When they were finished, Josh went to help Marianne make dinner while Angela unpacked and rearranged her room. She lay down on the bed and looked at Angelique, the doll her parents had given her on her sixteenth birthday. As always, it sat on her dresser, its big blue eyes looking directly at her, the perennial smile upon its lips. Angela smiled back at the doll and prayed for the strength and courage to confront her parents later in the evening.

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It was inevitable that the subject of David would come up. Angela had foolishly hoped that it could be put off until she had the opportunity to tell her parents everything, but of course that was not to be. David was one of the first things Marianne mentioned when they sat down to dinner that evening.

"And how is David doing? Did his exams go well?"

"He's fine Mom. I think he probably did OK on his exams. I know he works hard," Angela replied noncommittally.

"Will we be seeing him again soon?"

"I don't know, Mom. He is going home to New York for the summer. I think he needs to spend some time with his parents first. He hardly saw them all year."

"Well, he's welcome anytime," Marianne assured her.

"How are you doing, Mom? Are you feeling OK? You look like you have lost weight", Angela said, trying to change the subject.

"You worry about me too much, hon. I'm fine. You should enjoy yourself and relax a little," Marianne scolded. "Thank you for asking, though," she added with a smile.

"Your mother will be even better now that you are here, Angela. She has hardly known what to do with herself since you went to Yale. You two are going to have a great summer, I'm sure of that," added Josh.

When they finished dinner, Angela thanked them for the first home cooked meal she had enjoyed in quite some time. She started clearing the table and insisted that they leave it all to her, since they had done the preparation. Marianne protested but Angela asked her to go to the family room with Josh and enjoy their coffee. She would join them when everything was done. She had something she needed to tell them. Josh and Marianne looked at each other questioningly. Marianne was disturbed by the serious way her daughter sounded but she conceded without further argument.

Angela was thankful for a few more minutes to compose her thoughts and to rehearse in her mind how to tell them what she and David had done. She finished up by packing everything into the dishwasher and turning it on. The table was wiped clean, everything was put away and she could stall it off no longer. She followed her parents into the family room.