An Angels Last Fall

I was aware that Andy was talking but I was too focused on the world passing by the car windshield. Andy had stopped at the closest store. He had only traveled for a few miles.

“What size shoe are you?” He asked parking, turning to me.

“8 and a half.” I said turning to him.

“Stay, I’ll leave the keys in. Feel free to turn on the music or whatever.” He opened his door and looked back to me. “I won’t be long.” He smiled to me, it was warm, peaceful. “I promise.”

I smiled back and watched as he closed his door and walked into the store. I did not turn the music on. I wouldn’t know how to anyway. I was too busy thinking. How could one woman be so emotional toward one man? How could she change her moods that quickly? I let tears fall down my cheeks again. I had not noticed that Andy was back until he was wiping my tears with soft, easy hands.

“No…” I met his gaze. He took a deep breath, and grabbed the bags walking over to my side of the car. He opened the door and knelt on the ground with one knee. “Can I see the foot that’s hurt?” He asked pulling out packages from the bag.

Instead of giving a response I turned so that my foot was hanging over the car. Andy set the back of my heel on his knee. He tore out a fluffy white ball from a bag, and opened a brown bottle. He put the ball over the top of the bottle and tipped it over for a few seconds. He rested his hand on the top of my foot gently and wiped at the cut with his other, even more gently. I flinched, feeling it sting.

“That means it’s healing.” He said taking the ball away quickly looking up to me. “Is it okay if I wipe it off again?” He raised the ball slightly.

I nodded. “Thank you,” I said, “thank you so much.”

He shook his head and looked to me with sad eyes. “Juliet doesn’t look like a bitch…well…actually she does. But nobody really thinks that she would go to extremes when she does.” He wiped the cut again. I tried hard not to flinch away but breathed in through clenched teeth. “Here,” he said pulling out a box. He opened it and pulled out paper like rectangles. He ripped the paper and taped whatever was inside, over my cut. “Do you mind pink socks? They were the only ones left.” He chuckled pulling out bright pink ankle high socks. I laughed with him and shook my head. He put both my socks and shoes on for me.He patted my shins and smiled up at me, still on one knee. “I could so be a doctor.” He laughed standing to walk over to his driver side.

I laughed and positioned myself back in my seat with my seat belt. Andy was silent this time when he was driving. I continued to stare out my window with no connection to the present time. I thought of Heaven. I wondered if the Angels were watching my human life or they had given up. Before I was aware, Andy had parked at a grassy area with people watching children play on swings and in the sand. I looked at him curious. He nodded his head toward outside and he stepped out of his car along with keys. I took the hint and stepped out as well. It felt good to have shoes. My heel still stung but Andy did a good job at healing it as much as he could.

He waited for me to be next to him before he started to walk toward a bench in the middle of the grass, with one tree hanging over, providing shade. He sat down and I followed. He looked ahead breathing deeply. I looked at his face, content, yet, something else. I looked ahead as well, trying to see what he was looking at.

“I wasn’t really a…normal kid growing up.” He finally said. I looked to him again listening to what he was saying. “But no matter how many times I was picked on I knew I still had my parents who loved me, and looked after me.” He looked up tapping his foot a few times. I continued to listen but I looked to the ground. “When I started Black Veil Brides I was just trying to belong, but I ended up a rock star. I mean don’t get me wrong I’ve always wanted to be a rock star but, I hear fans come to me with stories of how music, my music, saved their life, or it gives them a belonging.” I looked back to him to see that he was staring at his hands. “Even when you’re an outcast I think you should always have someone who’s there for you. Or something.” He met my stare. “You will never be alone in this world. Whether you have me, or Steven.” He grinned.

“Who’s Steven?” I asked.

He chuckled and looked away toward his car. “The bear looks like a Steven.”

I started to laugh with him. I took a deep breath when our laughter had died. “I…honestly rather have you.” We both looked at each other. His gaze looking down at mine. That same stare in his car the day I kissed his cheek… “I don’t think Steven could heal my foot when I step on another piece of glass.” I laughed and looked forward.

I could still feel Andy’s gaze on me. “Where will you stay now? Do you have any family here?”

“I have no one…anywhere.” I sighed, looking at a mother with her child.

I felt Andy place a hand on my knee. “Come live with Ashley and I?” I can’t say yes to that. “He’s weird most times…hell we’re all weird all the time.” He laughed, “but, it’ll be nice.”

I shook my head and looked away. “No, I can’t.”

I could feel Andy lean in closer. “I don’t want you on the streets.” He was sincere. “It doesn’t even have to…”

“Yes.”

He looked to me confused. Then he smiled. “Let’s go home then?”

I stood up and we both walked to the car. “Home…” I sighed, watching Andy pull out of his parking space. I sighed again, smiling lightly, looking forward. Being human was turning out to not be such a bad thing after all.

Notes