Angels Brought Me You *Chapter 2*

The worst part of loosing someone you love is the memories that flood back. Kate relives her past, remembering the good times. Whilst Charlotte and Gabe get up to some mischief at school.

Charlotte woke up the next morning, she had dreamt about a pink unicorn and little kittens and puppy dogs and her Uncle. She remembered the night before and looked around the room. She had heard his laughter, had heard him talk. She had even seen him, standing in front of her as she clutched at Paul. Perhaps she had dreamt it, perhaps she was imagining it, like her new best friend Kendra. Despite making Kendra up herself, Char didn’t like Kendra. She was no friend like her Uncle. Charlotte climbed out of bed. Careful not to wake her Aunt. She grabbed Paul from under the covers and tip toed down the hallway, back towards the laundry. She opened the door. Flicking on the lights as she entered. No one was there. Char let out a little sigh and walked back towards her bedroom. As she walked along the cold hardwood floors, they creaked underneath her light foot. A confused look spread across her face. The floor never creaked before, when she walked across them. She stopped in her tracks and spun around.

 

Paul’s ears flapped as Char spun around. She came face to face with long legs. Dark denim was the only thing she could see. She knew who’s denim it was though and a heartfelt smile passed her lips. Her little eyes looked up, and up, until her gaze was on her Uncles face. He was smiling. Char jumped at him and threw her arms around his long legs.

"Your back. I knew you would come back." She said, a small tear escaping her tiny eyes.

"I’d never leave you baby." Gabe said wrapping his arms around her tiny frame. Then it hit him, she wasn’t supposed to be able to see him. The angel had told him so. But right now he didn’t care, he was with the girl he loved and that was all that mattered to him. He kissed her forehead and took her hand in his. Leading her back up to her bedroom. He stood in the door frame and looked in at his wife, sleeping so peacefully, dreaming about him, of course. He knelt down in front of Char, still clutching her hand.

"Don’t tell Aunt Kate you saw me ok." Gabe said, worried that it might hurt her, if Char told Kate she could see him.

"Why?" Char asked.

"Because this is one of our secrets." Gabe told her.

"Ok, just like the broken lamp?"

"Yeah, just like the lamp you broke." Gabe smiled. God she was good.

"No, you broke it!" Char said smacking him hard in the shoulder. He had taught her how to fight, letting her punch him in the stomach one day. She had almost hit him in the crutch one time, and he had picked her up and swung her over his shoulder, to do a bone crushing wrestling move on her. But the only thing that had been crushed, was her Mum’s lamp. They had kept that lamp a secret for a week, until Gabe had found the exact same one, the week after. He bought Char an ice-cream and told her not to lie to her family, but just this once was fine.

 

"Get to bed kiddo." Gabe said giving her one last hug and watching her crawl back under the blankets. "Will you still be here when I’m awake?"

"Yeah, of course, I’m not going anywhere."

"Good, Love you."

"Char, who are you talking to?" Kate asked in a sleepy voice.

"Unc. . .Kendra, she woke me up."

"Is Kendra your imaginary friend?"

"No, she’s real." Char said wrapping her scrawny arms around her Aunt.

"Ok, right." Kate said. before Char drifted off to sleep. "Goodnight Kendra." Kate said to the doorway.

"Goodnight Honey." Gabe whispered.

 

A week had passed and it was Charlottes first day at school. She was so nervous, Gabe had been giving her a pep talk in the car. He had insisted that he go to school with her, even though he hated the place. As he entered the huge gray gates of the school, dread set over him and he looked around. ‘Not again’ he said as he took a large gulp. Char walked with Paul in her hand, towards the classroom. Gabe and Kate right beside her. Gabe’s arm brushed against Kate’s skirt and she looked down. Almost as if she had felt his touch. Her hair drifted in the wind, the smell of coconut lingered in her hair. He loved the smell of her shampoo. Whenever he smelt coconut, it reminded him of her. Just how he liked it. The three made their way into the classroom. Kate informed the teacher of who Charlotte was, then stood in the doorway.

 

Gabe stood in the doorway beside Kate. He looked over her shoulder. His eyes were pinned to her throat. He remembered the times he had kissed her neck and the hollow of her throat. He stuck his head in her hair and took a long sniff. He was sure if he had a heart it would have fluttered, but he gave that away the day a semi trailer ploughed into his land cruiser. Of course, it wasn’t his fault the truck driver fell asleep behind the wheel on a long haul. It happened all the time and Gabe didn’t blame the guy, he just hated the fact it was his turn to go. He probably could have stuck it out if his heart hadn’t crapped its pants and stopped. ‘Quitter.’ Gabe grumbled as he thought of his s**t heart. It had always been a pain in the arse, now he was glad it was finally gone.

 

Charlotte sat on the gray carpet. She looked at the doorway to her new classroom. She saw her Aunt and Gabe with his head stuck in her hair. Char started to giggle. Kate smiled at her and waved. Char kept laughing. When Gabe pulled away, Char noticed his facial expression. It was that look he got when he saw Aunt Kate in a dress, or on days when she wore his favourite shirts, or when she was in her pyjamas. Char didn’t understand the look, but of course she was too young at the time. It wouldn’t be until she was twenty two, that she would ever understand that look. A small girl sat down beside Charlotte and then a little boy with brown hair flopped down on her left. Charlotte looked around at the two kids.

"I’m Spencer." The boy said. "I can spell it too. S-P-E-N-S-E-W." He said as he sounded out the letters. Charlotte giggled and looked over at Gabe. He was watching the boy closely, making sure he didn’t make any hasty moves.

"I’m Rita." The girl said as she looked at the boy. "And I can spell it as well. But I can’t be bothered."

"I’m Charlotte." She said smiling. "Will you be my friends?"

"Best Friends." Rita said laughing and taking Char’s hand in hers.

"Were getting married." Spencer yelled at the top of his lungs. Then took Charlotte’s hand and kissed her cheek.

 

Gabe looked at the boy, wow he was a quick mover. Already they were engaged. Christ it had taken him longer to actually think of the idea of being married, let alone asking straight out. Gabe looked at Kate. When he looked at her, he didn’t have to know, he could see the reason he married her. The glisten in her eyes, the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes when she smiled, her lips when she smiled. The way she looked at him. Oh he knew why he had married Kate, and not a doubt in the world would ever let him doubt wether it was a good idea or bad. His life with her in it was prefect, he wouldn’t change it for the world. Well maybe he would have liked a son, to play football with, instead of tea parties and Barbie Dolls. He had always wanted a son, just the thought of watching a kid who looked half like him and half like Kate, it was perfect, everything he could have imagined.

 

Kate waved goodbye to Charlotte and made her way back to her car. When she got inside, Gabe was standing at the drivers side window. Kate covered her face with her hands and started to shake. Gabe knew what she was doing, and he hated seeing her cry. Gabe sat in the passenger seat and leant over towards Kate. He kissed her cheek. Kate dropped her hand to her lap as tears constantly ran down her cheeks. Gabe wrapped his hand in hers. He made soothing noises, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him. She put her hands on the steering wheel and looked out the front window. Something about seeing Char in school broke her heart even more. Knowing she would never put her own baby into school when it turned five. Knowing life would never truly be for-filled.

 

When Kate arrived home, she sat on the couch, also harbouring her bed. She had made a cup of coffee and switched the TV on. Opra gloated about these new findings of children without parents, and Kate couldn’t help but think about people without spouses. She had once watched an episode of Opra, it was about widowed partners, but they were widowed from the wars and protecting their country in Iraq. Gabe had never protected his country, but he had protected her and his family, and to Kate that made him a hero. He didn’t need to risk his life, he just had to dedicate it to the people he loved. It may not have been an ideal heart to have dedicated, but even if it was weak it was one of the most loving ones Kate had been fortunate enough to meet. As she took a long sip of her coffee, she thought back to the day she met Gabe. Dressed in her red and yellow uniform. He had driven past and been so smooth and so perfect and that smile had made Kate spill the drink she got him. He sent chills down her spine, making her heart race and slow at the same time.

 

She remembered the time he proposed to her, she wanted to slap him so badly for saying the coat didn’t fit. But she couldn’t have pictured him doing it any other way. he thing Kate was going to miss most about Gabe was his personality. Not a minute went by when he was serious. Some days she hated it, but most days it made her relax and just b herself, who he loved most. She would miss his laughter, that filled the long corridors of their house, his smile that made a room brighten, just by walking into it. The way he got away with everything, but overall, she would miss his company, his arms wrapped around her, telling her, everything’s going to be airight. Kate leant forward for a box of tissues. She had begun crying when she got in the car, and was still going. So much so, that she was at the point of making herself sick. She covered her mouth and made a quick dash for the bathroom. Hunched over the pale beige seat. She looked up at her reflection in the mirror. ‘Gabe wouldn’t want to see you like this.’ She thought as she stood. In the mirror, she squinted. She thought she had seen something, someone looking back at her, but it quickly disappeared.

 

Gabe had made a trip back with Kate, just to make sure she got home safe. He hated seeing people cry, it cut at his already stuffed heart and made him want to do just about anything to make them stop. Usually with a hug. But seeing his wife crying, crying over him, he wanted to reach out and touch her, make her feel him, see he was with her, not gone. Gabe knew that was not a possibility, although part of him thought it might work, hell Char could see him and no one was supposed to be able to see him. He had watched Kate vomit into the toilet. She had glanced up at him, straight at him. He thought for sure she had seen him. Then she blinked and it was gone, that look, one that touched his face. He wanted it back so badly. But right now, he was supposed to be with Charlotte, because she needed him more than his wife. Which to his dismay, he didn’t understand. Why Charlotte, she was a tough kid, he had bought her up to be. But why did he have to watch over her? Was there something wrong with her, or was it just to help her comfort her Aunt? Gabe would never know.

 

As he sat on the carpet behind Charlotte, she sang at the top of her lungs. Within an hour, all the kids had been taught the traffic light song, for a good purpose, Gabe thought. Him and roads didn’t get along anymore. Being splayed across one, your heart failing to fight the fight of your life, he didn’t have a fondness for roads, so best Char learnt about traffic safety.

"Stop goes the red light, Go says the green, wait says the amber light, coming in between." The class sang, but Gabe could only hear Charlotte. Her voice rang in his ears, something so perfect, like an angle. As the teacher did her speal about cars and never to sit in the front seat until your eighteen years old. Gabe watched Charlotte. There was nothing wrong with her, she was perfect, why did he have to watch over her? He kept asking himself the same question, but he couldn’t answer it. Charlotte turned around and glanced at her Uncle, as smile crept across her face. As Gabe looked into her eyes, he saw why he was sent down to watch over her, and he didn’t like it one bit. It was as if a ray of light shone on her face, and he didn’t like it one bit. He was sworn to watch over her, not be her grim reaper. That wasn’t his job. He was going to have to watch her like a hawk, protect her from the elements. Be her guardian.

Author's Note

let me know how I'm going please.
ignore grammar, spelling and punctuation please