12
Some Kind of Angel
“What’s up with the band these days?” asked James, scrutinizing Reuben’s bobble head dog on the dashboard of the car, scrunching up his nose at it and squinting his eyes, as though searching for fleas.
Reuben sighed and drew his leg up on his seat, pressing it against the steering wheel for support, “I don’t know, since Craig started skipping it’s like the band’s lost its... its mojo, but he’ll be here tonight, he won’t leave us hanging when we need him the most.”
James looked over at him with a smirk, “Mojo?”
Reuben shook his head, smiling, “it’s an Alex thing,” he said.
“As in Mojo Jo Jo, from the power puff girls,” James teased. Reuben laughed.
“Yeah whatever man.”
James eyed him suspiciously, “you like her?”
Reuben shrugged, “she’s likable, she’s an interesting girl,” he looked over at James, “do you know she’s got a quotes for almost every situation, it’s freaky, they’re like her own bible verses. And she’s is absolutely ditzy about tropical skittles, she pops ‘em like vitamins and calls them her stress pills,” he shook his head as he chuckled, thinking about the odd girl that had somehow just dropped into his life.
James smiled, “ditzy?”
Reuben grimaced, “They stick in your head!” he exclaimed defensively, “Hold on a minute,” he said, leaning forward to withdraw his phone from his pocket.
James turned and looked out the window at a dog standing beside the car, he smiled, it was clear that the dog wanted to urinate on Reuben’s clean tire.
“Yes you may,” James said with a grin, amused at his own ridiculousness. He was feeling pretty good these days.
“She’s here!”
James turned to look at a red faced, wide eyed Reuben.
“She’s here,” he said again, punching the air excitedly, as though he’d won a million dollars.
“Who’s here?”
Reuben was still smiling, he leaned forward and started the car, “its Lisa,” he said with a grin, “she came in yesterday.”
James placed a hand on his where it rested on the steering wheel, “and where are you revving up to go?”
Reuben looked at him as though he’d asked the most absurd question, “to see her, of course.”
“You’re acting insane, you need to slow down man. Think about this for a second.”
Reuben looked over at him expectantly, beads of anticipation had already started forming on his brows and he looked like he would jump out of his skin if he had to wait any longer.
“She broke up with you on a phone call from another country while you were sitting at the airport waiting for her. I know you’re crazy about her, but remember that the bible says to be wise. Don’t rush into things with a heated head. She’s not gonna be excited to see you panting at her door with your heart in your hand, she doesn’t want your heart Reuben. She’s already made it very clear that that’s not good enough.”
“It’s fine, I did the work, I asked God about it and...”
“What did he say?”
Reuben looked down at his hand on the steering wheel, his fingers trembling slightly from this sudden burst of excitement, which seemed to threaten his sanity.
“Look, you can’t leave now, the band will be here any second, we have to practice for tomorrow. Look Sasha’s just arrived. God has done so much for us, and not just in the short time I’ve been here but throughout the year, all our lives. Pastor Roberts is counting on us to play for the New Years’ service tomorrow. This is what you do Reuben, you’re a leader, don’t let a girl with an ego and stupid conditions take that from you. Don’t let God down just because one girl broke your heart when he can put it all together again, He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. You just need to trust him man.”
Reuben nodded and turned off the car, “you’re right,” he snorted and looked over at James, “When did you get so... inspiring.”
James smiled and gave a conceited shrug, “hey, I’m an inspiring guy, with the help of King David every now and again.”
“I’ll see her at Church anyway.”
James rolled his eyes.
It was late. Bordering on midnight but it seemed that in this world of untamed vices and hardened consciences, time had neither power nor precedent.
James pulled the hood of his sweater over his head and eased through the boisterous wave of gyrating, pulsating bodies, under the dim overhead lights. He’d stopped asking God why these days, maybe it was because he realised that no matter how many whys he had, God’s plan superseded all questions, being able to surprise him by doing more than what he could’ve ever imagined.
He knew what his primary mission was; it wasn’t Reuben, yet he couldn’t help feeling like he needed to help him out. He’d prayed about it and he felt that maybe it wasn’t time just yet; right now he needed to focus on his original purpose for being here.
He’d just left band practice and it was the worst one they’d ever had, at least they had one more before the service tomorrow night. Either way both Reuben and Craig needed to get their head in the game, because he didn’t believe in mediocre praise.
James was making his way through the crowd, thinking on everything else but what he was doing here. He was just passing by on his way home when he’d felt it, no matter how many times he felt that feeling, it shook him. Then he saw him, standing just outside the entrance of a nearby house. He looked right at him, said nothing and then he was gone, just like that. Of all the gifts there were, God had chosen to give him this one, the ability to see things that some did not believe existed. He hurried to the house and scanned the crowd and he was sure he saw Alex walking up the drive with a boisterous group.
It was one of those exclusive house parties hosted by a group of guys from Martinique, he didn’t care for their names, all he knew was that he couldn’t just walk right on by, he couldn’t waste any more time. It wasn’t his kind of setting but...
“Angel?”
The girl turned around and her eyes widened at the sight of him, “Oh my God, you’re the guy,” she said.
He only stared at her, his lips set in a thin line, ensuring that his eyes clearly showed his disapproval.
“What are you doing here?”
She shrugged, her smile slowly fading from her face and she looked down at the drink in her hand, her guilt and discomfort was clear.
“I...um...I’m here with a friend,” she replied.
He shook his head and turned as if, he was about to leave.
“Wait, don’t disappear again, please just tell me who you are, why do you always show up like that?”
He turned around again and looked at her blankly, trying to ignore the warmth of her hand on his arm, “I was sent,” he replied.
This wasn’t the time or the place, but he’d approached her, he had engaged in conversation, it was clear she wasn’t afraid of him. It was like they’d known each other long before.
“Sent? By whom?” she looked at him with eyes aglow with interest.
He sighed, disregarding his mysterious front for a while, he said, “You’re not supposed to be here Angel, there are people.... around, that care about you and… some that don’t. Reuben will be very disappointed if he knew.”
“Reuben? How do you know Reuben?”
He smiled, but maintained the air of mystery and detachment that he seemed to have perfected in the couple of months he’d been here.
“I’m a friend.”
“Of Reuben’s? Are you stalking me? You were there at the party the other day weren’t you, I followed you. Yuh set me up?” she glared at him.
James shook his head, a semblance of a smile playing on his lips, he liked how she asked that last question, it reminded him of someone.
“I just looking out for you, but
honestly I wasn’t at the party the other day. I was back at church in the kitchen, since lunch time. I saw when you came with Reuben, saw when you left,” he said, leaning forward to ensure she heard him over the loud music, “Let’s talk outside.”
The music from the party could still be heard on the front porch, but it was muffled enough to allow proper conversation. James sat down on the step and she sat down next to him.
“What are you doing here Angel?” he asked, without even looking over at her he could sense her discomfort.
“No, I get a question now,” she said with that stubborn slant of her eyes, “and I prefer Alex.”
He sighed, and then shrugged, “fine.”
“What’s your name? Where are you from? What do you want....with me? How did you know my name?”
He smiled, “that’s more than one.”
“Take your pick,” she replied curtly.
“I’m James,” he replied, then he looked over at her, “Now what are you doing here Alexis?”
“It’s not what it looks like,” she lifted up the glass and shook it, “this is fruit punch.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t,” he said.
She narrowed her eyes at him and looked away.
“But that’s not what I’m referring to. Angel I know you’ve been going to church and I know it’s not something you do cause you’re bored. You’re searching for something, but you don’t know what. I know that God has a plan for your life but you have to decide. Instability isn’t going to take you very far, the bible says that a double minded mind is unstable in all his ways.”
She chuckled nervously, “what do you mean? I’m not unstable.”
“I’m talking about this here. If you search for God with your whole heart you will find him, you’ve got to be faithful and steadfast. This place Alex, it’s not the best thing you can do with your time,” he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the couple making out in the corner in the dark, “I’m sure their parents don’t know where they are, just like your mother doesn’t know where you are.”
Alex made a face at him.
“I could sit here and I could force a whole lot of biblical truths down your throat,” James continued, “but I won’t, what I need you to think about, is whether you really believe God can change the direction of your life. And more importantly, do you want God to work in your life at all.”
As though on queue two men stumbled out the front door, their legs wobbling like spaghetti beneath them, bouncing into each other as they made their way down the steps, while conversing in gibberish.
Alex got up so they could pass then sat back down again, “look James... I can call you James right. I’m not doing anything wrong okay, it’s just that my well...she’s sort of like a house mate, she invited me out with her just before Christmas and I have to admit I had fun. But it’s not like I don’t have my head in the game. I stick to my principles, I don’t drink. I think a person must be lacking all self preservation instincts to allow themselves to become so intoxicated they lose control of their own bodies. I most definitely don’t hide in dark corners with strange men, I’m just...I’ve got my head on. The art of being wise, is knowing what to overlook,” she said, spreading her hands in front of her as though presenting something tangible.
James nodded, “William James?”
She looked at him as though he’d just graced her with the grandest compliment a man can give, “yes,” she said airily.
“How about, the fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
She smiled wryly, “I don’t know that one.”
He chuckled, “Look Angel, sometimes making up your mind to not do something isn’t enough. Have you ever gone to the beach with friends and told yourself I’m not going to go in, cause I can’t swim, I’ll stay on the sand. But the longer you stay the more you want to and they continue to call to you, telling you how great the water is. The next time you go to the beach with them, you may plan not to get wet but you’ll pack your bathing suit just in case and one day you will get in,” he got up and dusted off his jeans, “think about it Angel, but don’t be a spectator for too long, I’d hate to see you drown.”
“Wait!”
He looked down at her expectantly.
“You know the first couple times I saw you, I thought you were some kind of angel,” she said with a grin.
James leaned his head to one side, “I’ve never been mistaken for an angel before, maybe a creature of darkness, but never an angel,” he said with an appreciative smile. He looked at her with those unnerving eyes for longer than was comfortable, “maybe you did see an angel, God cares about you enough to send one, but it wasn’t me.
Alex’s smile faded to a thoughtful frown and he turned and started to walk away, only to stop and face her once more.
“One other thing. Did you like it?”
“Like what?”
“The quote?”
She smiled, “actually I did. Where’s it from?”
“It’s a compilation of books. You may know it; it’s called the Holy Bible. The book of Proverbs chapter one, there’s a lot of other interesting stuff in there you might like.”
“The bible huh,” she chuckled drily, “of course.”
“You’ll be fine, see you around Angel Alexis,” and he disappeared into the darkness. As always it took a lot to walk away from her but he was becoming too comfortable speaking with her, and he knew that if he stayed any longer he would be tempted to reveal more than was needed; he needed to take things slow.
All good changes are made in stages, a process of personal growth and evaluation. He needed to get Alex to a place where she would begin to institute change in her own life, she needed to step forward and show God she wanted what he had to offer. He’d learned that late in his life, long after he’d burned so many bridges he needed to cross. He wasn’t going to let what was left of his family make that mistake too. So when he walked away, he didn’t look back, not when every bone in his body wanted to tell her everything, embrace her and help her vent her sorrow over the grief he was also obligated to bring, but God had a plan and he needed to trust him to do what he promised to do. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled, she was in better hands tonight anyway.