Angels Among Us

Angels Among Us: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Good morning, Alabama," a chirpy voice invaded Joy's slumber --albeit, a crappy slumber, but that happened when one had a lot on her mind...even in sleep.

"This is Allison Berkley, reporting to you outside the Grand Opening of the newest Journey store in the widespread national chain, re-built right here on the original spot of the very first Journey store back in 1977.  Now, considering how Black Friday for many customers began as early as midnight..."

Joy groaned and cracked an eyelid.  The small television set on her dresser flickered painfully in her meager vision.  Had she forgotten to turn it off last night before falling asleep?  That wasn’t like her.  

"The Journey stores have been the pride of Tuscaloosa, Alabama for many years, having openly dedicated a portion of their profits to needy families every year..."

Joy rolled away from the glare and tried to pull the covers over her head.  She wasn't ready to be awake...the state of wakefulness came with too many worries.  But her blanket refused to cooperate.  It seemed to be stuck.

"...In the spirit of that charity..."

"Morning," a male voice intoned from the top of her blankets.

Joy allowed her body to still as she exhaled noisily.  At least, she now knew she hadn't left the tv on.  "It's a holiday," she mumbled toward the voice.  "Is it too much to ask for an extra hour of sleep?"

"Yesterday was a holiday," her blanket pirate replied.  "Today is Friday...Black Friday, to be precise.  Shouldn't you be up and around like all the other crazies in this town?"

She smiled, despite her desire to return to dreamland.  "Give me a moment to decide whether that was an attempt at encouraging me to get up, or if it was simply an insult."

"I would never insult you, Mom.  I love you too much for that."

And that made her smile soften.  "I love you, too, Simon."  She flipped the covers down to point that smile at her son.  "Why are you up so early?"

"I’m always up this early, and you never really said if you were going shopping this morning...hey, did you hear that?"  He pointed the tv remote and turned up the volume.

"Hear what?"

"That Journey guy, the owner of the stores, is supposed to pay for someone’s stuff this morning."

Completely baffled at what Simon was saying, though she was fairly sure she was fully awake by now, Joy scrunched up her nose.  "What?"

“You know...the opening of the new store?  The owner is stopping by to give some lucky shopper a five-thousand-dollar shopping spree this morning.”

“Good for him,” Joy said.

Simon rolled his adorable brown eyes behind his glasses.  “Maybe you should go...it could be you.”

Finally forcing herself to sit upright in bed, she snuggled next to her precocious twelve-year-old son, who really needed to learn the treasures of sleeping late, and said, “Even if we had the money for me to go shopping this morning, I wouldn’t go there.  Look at those crowds.”

“You like being around lots of people.”

“I also like my sanity.”  She sighed, thinking of the sales she could take advantage of, if she had the extra money for shopping.  “They did have a good deal on that laptop you wanted...but we’re still fifty short.”