Behind These Wings

Snapshots

Andrew stared at the picture on his desk. He thought about how much had changed since the moment that it had been taken.

Why couldn't things go back to the way they were?

Why did life have to be so hard?

The picture that had sat in pride of place on his desk, ever since Izzy had given it to him one year as a present, was of the two of them. They were on a big wheel ride, at the very top with nothing around them but blue skies. Both of their wings were spread wide, the gold and copper blending together and glittering in the sun to create an aura of royalty that the couple remained completely unaware of.

In the picture they were entranced with each other. Nothing else existed to them as they floated above the ground, above reality.

Drew remembered every little detail of that moment. He remembered the way that the wind had picked up a few strands of Izzy's hair which he had returned to their rightful place only seconds later. He remembered the glorious smile that adorned Izzy's face as she looked out at the view that surrounded them both. He remembered thinking that even if nothing else went right, even if he was killed the next day it wouldn't matter because he had gotten to experience the love of this incredible angel and here they were together, sitting on top of the world.

Izzy's eyes were twinkling with mischief and Drew remembered how, just seconds after the shot was captured, she had leaned in and kissed him only to steal away the candy floss that they were supposed to be sharing.

He hadn't cared in the slightest.

He would have bought the entire fayre for her if it had made her happy but he knew it wouldn't. Material things had never been high up on the agenda for Izzy.

She had lived in poverty for eighteen years before she had met Andrew and, in his initial attempts to 'woo' her, he had showered her with gifts thinking that that must be what she wanted but she had returned every last one of them.

In fact there were only a handful of gifts that Izzy had ever accepted from Drew; a book on children's fairy tales that Drew had insisted was for their children but he knew Izzy kept in her bedside cabinet and would read whenever she thought no one was looking, a piano that he had not heard a single key from in three years and a locket which he was delighted to see that she still wore.

That locket signified all of Drew's hope. As long as she was still wearing it there was still hope for a better future because she some part of her, no matter how small this part was, still held onto Drew.

Raising two fingers to his lips he kissed them and placed them onto Izzy's face in the picture silently wishing for some kind of miracle.

A knock on his office door broke Drew from his rumination and he quickly moved some papers into his view to make it look like he had been working. Calling for whoever it was to come in he became alert when he looked up to see Bernard standing before him.

"What is it? Is she hurt? Is she ill?" Drew rose from his chair swiftly and was ready to sprint to his wife's side but Bernard stopped him.

"No, no. Clam down, as far as I know she is fine. Can an angel not come to simply speak to his son-in-law anymore?"

Bernard and his wife, Cassidy, were not Isabelle's biological parents as they had died when Izzy was twelve and Izzy had been forced to fend for herself since then. However, when Isabelle have arrived at the Palace, the Hallums had formed a strong relationship with Izzy and Drew knew that they considered her their daughter and, by extension, he their son-in-law.