The Saved and the Damned

I sat up from my bunk in the bus and wiped the sleep from my eyes. Sleep was not a normal thing for me so I was always up first. One thing I realized during this whole experience was that rock stars never woke up before 10 in the morning. I straightened out the tee-shirt Ashley gave me to sleep in and walked to sit on the couch. I never wore pants to sleep. I found that they got twisted around my legs. So while they were asleep I was pant-less. I folded my legs under me as I sat on the couch. We were stopped somewhere in the desert and the boys were snoring loudly. I had gotten used to it even though in Heaven is was always quiet. This world was so noisy I don’t think I could ever go back to silence.

I stared out the bus window to see that a bird was enjoying his breakfast of an unwanted fast food bag. I watched as it grabbed a fench fry, or what I learned to call them from being on Earth, and flew off. I wondered if the food was for himself or for a family that was waiting upon his return. I ran my eyes over the desert the trailer park was in. I let my eyes land on a family that had just pulled in. The father of the family stormed out of the trailer with a crying mother behind him. I could hear screaming from his part but I couldn’t pick up on any words he said.

I could see a forming bruise on her upper arm. I shed a tear for her. What person would stay with another after such an incident? I wanted to help her. I wanted to heal her bruise. I wanted to tell her that God saw her pain. But did he? Or was her Angel on lunch break? I slipped on a pair of jeans that Andy got me and threw on CC’s sweater. I walked outside and pretended to get water while I overheard the couple yelling at his wife.

“What whore reads the map upside down?!” He looked like he was about to slap her when he saw me. “Pay attention next time woman!” He spit then walked toward the bathrooms.

I finished my fake water drinking and walked over to the mother who was trying to get her young son into pants. She was startled when I gently placed my hand on her. I put my hands up in defense.

“I just wanted to know if you’re okay. Are you hurt badly?” I asked. In a soft voice.

She wiped anther tear from her cheek and nodded softly. “Please leave me alone. I thank you for checking on me but I’m fine. If I couldn’t handle him I would leave.” She went back to fixing her sons clothes.

“Your arm is bruised. And you’re in tears. It doesn’t sound like you can handle him.” I said.

She sniffed and wiped another tear away. She put her son in a stroller and stared at me. “I can’t leave him.” She said.

“You can leave now. Take your son. Leave him here. And drive.” I said pointing to the keys in the ignition still. She looked to the bathroom, then to the keys, and finally at me. “How will he hurt you when you’re 100 miles away?” I smiled. “God will always help you.”

She put the stroller and her baby in the trailer and started the vehicle. She mouthed the words ‘thank you’ and drove off. I looked back to the restroom and quickly made my way to the bus. I got inside to see that Ashley was making coffee. He greeted me good morning and I did the same. I took off CC’s sweater and sat on the couch like I was before.

“Nice shirt,” Ashley commented before sitting with me with his coffee in hand.

“Thank you for letting me use it.” I said.

“No problem.” He took a sip of his coffee then rested it in his lap. He took a breath and looked to me. “Andy is fragile right now.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean if you’re going to let him get into this relationship try not to hurt him too badly.”

“Ashley, I don’t like him that way. You have nothing to worry about.” I said looking down at my hands. Even I didn’t believe what I said.

“Yeah right!” He yelled. I was worried that was going to wake the boys up but they continued to snore. “I see the way you look at each other. You may not think you like him now. But I know you do.” He set his coffee mug on the side table next to him. “If you keep your feelings for someone hidden, eventually they will move on knowing you don’t feel the same way they do.”

“It feels wrong.” I meant that as an Angel talking.

“Give him a chance? You won’t regret it. Give him one date. You will have the time of your life.” He smiled.

I took a second to think. I didn’t want to give him a chance. If I gave him a chance it would end up to be a life time. But I knew my priorities. Andy needed to be off of Earth. “Alright, one date.”

Notes