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Angel Wings
by Edna Curry
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Lovely identical twins Laurie and LaRae have
always enjoyed switching places and fooling people as to their identity. But
Laurie never expected that game to turn deadly serious when, after LaRae's
death, an angel asks her to take LaRae's place and protect her niece from harm.
She falls in love with Jass and now has the home, husband and daughter she's
always wanted, but it's not really hers. Will it all blow up in her face when
handsome Jass learns his wife is dead and it is Laurie who's taking her place?
Will they succeed in saving his child from the attacker?
Review:
 4 stars from Simply
Dreams
"This story was gripping. Not
only did Ms. Curry weave a good tale, but she delivered the punch as well! This
is not a story you'll be disappointed with at the end. Except maybe that it's
over! I read Angel Wings through in one sitting. I was captivated by the
blooming love and hope engrossed in the characters. Susie is precious and
lovingly real. Good job Ms. Curry!"
Dedication:
This one is for my grandchildren, Jamie, Jason, Crystal,
Dustin and Alex. May a personal guardian angel always watch over
you.
Now also available in
paperback from:
http://www.diskuspublishing.com/ednacurry.html
paperback ISBN # 1-58495-292-x
or ebooks available in many formats from:
http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw
Read an Excerpt:
Angel Wings
by Edna Curry
Copyright © 2001 By Edna Curry
ISBN 1-58495-290-3
Electronically published in arrangement with
the author
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No portion of this book may be reprinted in
whole or in part, by printing, faxing,
E-mail, copying electronically or by any
other means without permission of the publisher. For more information contact
DiskUs Publishing
http://www.diskuspublishing.com
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DiskUs Publishing
PO Box 43
Albany, IN 47320
Chapter 1
Laurie
Johnson grabbed a silk blouse and a pair of slacks from her closet and slipped
into them.
She heard footsteps in the hallway
outside her dressing room as she fastened the last button. She answered the
knock on her door, startled only momentarily at the mirror image standing in the
doorway. She had expected her sister, LaRae -- but hadn’t expected her to be
wearing the same clothes.
"LaRae! It’s so good to see you
again!"
LaRae
returned her warm hug, then leaned back and looked at her. "It’s good to see
you, too!"
They burst
out laughing as they realized they had chosen identical outfits: white silk
blouses and black slacks.
Laurie put
her arm around LaRae and turned her to the long mirror on the wall. Identical
tall, willowy figures looked back at them from oval faces. Their hazel eyes met
in the glass.
"Just like
old times, eh, Sis?"
LaRae
nodded. "We look exactly alike. When did you let your hair grow out?"
"Right
after you sent those snapshots last year. I happened to show them to a client,
and she decided that was just the look she wanted for her
commercials."
"I love
it. I’ll bet we could still fool anybody we wanted to! Remember the fun we used
to have doing that?"
Laurie
grinned. "Amazing how we think alike, even when we’re thousands of miles apart."
She turned LaRae around and lifted her long blond hair to uncover the tag at the
neck of her blouse. "Even the same brand! Telepathy is working."
"Telepathy, my foot," LaRae objected. "I’ve been buying this California brand of
clothes ever since you gave me a couple of pieces for Christmas two years ago.
No mystery about that. Dayton’s carries it in their downtown Minneapolis
store."
Laurie
nodded. LaRae’s mention of Christmas brought up painful memories. Her own last
few Christmases had been spent here in California, lonely, dreary ordeals.
LaRae’s Christmases, of course, must have been ideal. Laurie imagined LaRae
sitting on the floor beside a beautifully decorated tree on Christmas morning,
opening presents with Jass and Susie. Jass would be sitting beside her, dressed
in a red plaid robe, with Susie on his lap while he helped her open her gifts.
LaRae was so lucky!
Laurie
pushed the mental images away and sat on the sofa, waving LaRae to the blue
upholstered chair. "How are Jass and Susie?"
"Susie is
thrilled with kindergarten. Jass is boringly happy with his job, as usual. I
swear that man loves his office more than me."
Laurie
stared at LaRae, surprised at the bitterness in her sister’s voice. "You sound
as though you’ve been fighting."
LaRae
grimaced. "You could say that. He thought I should take Susie with me on this
vacation. Can you imagine? A whiny five-year-old on a plane trip clear to
California, when she has a perfectly competent nanny at home?"
Laurie’s
voice grew wistful. "I would’ve loved to have you bring her. She’s such a sweet
thing, and I’ve only seen her three times since she was a baby...."
"You sound
just like Jass," LaRae said with a frown. "But I managed to convince him that I
needed a break from the Mommy routine. Come on, didn’t you say you’d made lunch
reservations? Let’s get going."
"Sure."
Laurie rose and slipped on her jacket. "We can stop by my apartment to drop off
your luggage. It’s only a few blocks from here."
"Okay. I
can’t wait to hit the shops. I brought my credit cards, and I intend to max them
all out, whether Jass likes it or not!"
Laurie
raised an eyebrow and smiled as they walked to the elevator. In that respect,
she and LaRae were not alike. She was good at managing money while LaRae loved
to spend it. "So, money is the problem?"
LaRae
nodded. "He thinks it should be saved. I like to spend it."
They
dropped off LaRae’s luggage at Laurie’s apartment. As they headed back
downstairs, LaRae eyed a tall young man who got off the elevator. "Hello,
there," she said, giving him a big smile.
Laurie
stared at her, openmouthed. The elevator door closed, and she admonished,
"Honestly, LaRae, this is San Francisco, not rural Minnesota. You don’t flirt
with strangers."
"No harm,"
LaRae shrugged. "He was just a nice young man with cute buns. We’re in a ritzy
apartment building, for cripe’s sakes, with a doorman and everything." When they
stepped out into the lobby, she gave the doorman a dazzling smile to emphasize
her point.
"Yeah, and
look at the hitch-hikers right on the beach across the street." Laurie waved an
arm at the young people sprawled on the grass boulevard, backpacks strewn on the
ground around them. Some bicycles nearby belied her assumption that they were
all afoot. All of them seemed to be enjoying the early April sunshine. "You have
to use caution in a big city."
LaRae
laughed as they walked to the mid-size red Chevrolet she’d rented. "Honey, don’t
be such a prude. Minneapolis is a big city, too, and I only live fifty miles
out, so I do get there once in a while. You drive, Laurie, you know the way."
She tossed the keys to Laurie and got in the passenger seat.
Starting
the car, Laurie pulled out into traffic. She glanced at her sister, then
frowned. "Hey, fasten your seat belt, LaRae!"
"No way. I
never wear a seat belt. It wrinkles my clothes."
"But it’s
the law! And the traffic’s terrible! Every truck in the country must be
delivering something here today." When LaRae said nothing, Laurie sighed and
changed the subject, not wanting to start an argument on the first day of their
visit.
LaRae went
on, "I intend to have a little fun while I’m out from under my dear hubby’s
thumb."
"Under his
thumb?"
"Honestly,
he’d have me staying home with the kid all the time if I didn’t object," LaRae
said with a shudder. "I really won’t put up with this kind of life! Since we
moved out to that house on the lake, it’s worse. I’m so far away from my friends
at the club now."
Laurie
concentrated on traffic. She didn’t want to hear this. LaRae had never mentioned
marital troubles in her letters or on the phone. But then, they didn’t talk very
often, since hearing about LaRae’s happiness only made Laurie feel lonelier.
What did she mean by not putting up with that kind of life?
She didn’t understand LaRae. How
could she object to a beautiful new home away from the noise and pollution of
the city?
LaRae went on, "I’m filing for a
divorce when I get back."
"Oh no! Really?"
"Yes, really. I’m through putting
up with being the good wife and mother and I’ve had it with the guilt trips.
I’ve hinted about getting my freedom before, and Jass said I’d be hurting Susie.
But she’s so little, she’ll recover in no time anyway."
"But...."
"No buts, Laurie. I’ve made up my
mind."
Laurie
sighed and changed the subject. "I thought we’d have lunch at the new restaurant
at the Sheraton, so we won’t have to worry about parking. We can leave the car
there while we shop."
"Wherever
you like. Did you make a beauty salon appointment? My nails are a mess." LaRae
held up a hand to show that her red polish was chipped.
Laurie
nodded. "Two o’clock. Darcy’s Salon. It’s in the next block."
She parked
in the hotel parking lot, and they walked up the cement steps side by side, like
the best friends they had been in childhood. The hush of luxurious carpeting and
soft music surrounded them as they walked through the elegant lobby to the
restaurant. They followed the hostess up a few steps to a table overlooking the
lobby, sat down and picked up oversized menus.
Laurie
studied hers a while. "What are you having?"
"Just a
salad. I’ve gained five pounds." LaRae laid the menu down with a sigh. "You’ve
no idea how having a child changes your life. I’ll bet you never have to worry
about your weight!"
Laurie’s
lips twisted in a wry smile. "All the time. The camera adds pounds, you know.
But you look the same as you always have."
Their
salads arrived and they chatted non-stop as they devoured them.
Over coffee, LaRae said, "It’s so
good talking like this again! I’ve missed you, Sis! Now that Susie’s not a baby
anymore, we’ve got to get together more often."
"I’ve
missed you, too," Laurie said, past the lump in her throat. But she made no
promises. How could she admit that it wasn’t only work that had kept her from
visiting these past years, it was also the pain of seeing LaRae happy with a
family, while she was still looking for the man of her dreams? And now she’d
learned that LaRae wasn’t happy.
On the way
to their salon appointment, LaRae said, "Let’s see if your stylist can tell us
apart." She sent Laurie a sly grin. She slipped off her diamond engagement and
wedding rings and dropped them into her purse. "Remember how much fun it always
was to fool people?" She gave Laurie a hug.
When they
walked into the exclusive salon, Laurie’s usual stylist, Darcy, greeted her.
Then she saw LaRae and stared. "My God, you’re twins!"
The
sisters exchanged grins and Laurie said, "I told you she was my
sister."
"But you
never said you were identical twins! How do I know who is
who?"
Laurie
laughed. "Who cares, Darcy? Just do both of our hair and nails alike, and the
one that pays is me, Laurie. It’s my treat today."
Two hours
later, they were happily shopping. By five o’clock, they were back in the hotel
restaurant having a much-needed cup of coffee and dinner.
Laurie
said, "I’m dead on my feet. Let’s quit for today, okay?"
"But I
haven’t even gotten anything for Susie! I’ve decided I want that white plush
teddy bear we saw after all. Let’s go back and get it. That store’s open until
nine."
"Tomorrow,
LaRae, tomorrow. I’ve had it for today." She slipped off a shoe and rubbed her
sore foot. "I’ve got an early appointment in the morning. You can sleep in, then
drive downtown. We’ll have lunch again, and you can make another attempt to max
out your credit card, okay?"
"Sure."
They
climbed into the car to go back to Laurie’s apartment.
"That was
fun!" LaRae said with a yawn. She slid down in her seat and leaned back, rubbing
the muscles along the back of her neck. "You’re right. We’ll finish shopping
tomorrow. I’m tired, too. Let’s turn in early tonight, okay?"
"Sound’s
fine to me," Laurie said, pulling out into traffic. "Tell me about
Susie."
"What’s to
tell? She’s growing like one of the weeds in Aunt Martha’s garden. Remember when
we were kids and Aunt Martha always made us weed her flowerbeds when we stayed
with her?"
"I
remember. She had the most beautiful flowers around. I especially loved the King
Alfred daffodils in the spring. Oh, and remember her Peace roses?"
"Whatever.
You always liked the yellow flowers best, didn’t you? I never could tell one
from the other. She’d yell at me for pulling up the wrong thing all the time.
‘Those are petunias, LaRae! Can’t you see that?’" she mimicked.
Laurie
laughed and glanced at her sister. "I think you only pretended you couldn’t tell
the weeds from the flowers, so she’d let you get out of doing the
weeding."
"Well, it
worked, didn’t it? Hey, look out!"
"Oh, my
God!" A black van cut into her lane ahead of her. They were much too close.
Laurie slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. There was nowhere to go
except into it.
The noise
of glass shattering and metal grinding against metal blended with their screams
as they hurtled forward. Their airbags exploded in front of them. A split second
later, a semi-truck slammed into their car from the rear.
Laurie
couldn’t breathe.
Tires
screeched as the traffic came to a halt around the accident. Laurie heard car
doors slamming and feet pounding on pavement as people jumped from their cars,
running to help.
"Are they
alive?"
"Anybody
got a car phone? Call the police!"
"Get an
ambulance!"
"Call
911!
"I think
it’s too late."
In the
distance, Laurie heard sirens wail.
Then she
heard a roaring sound in her ears as everything went black.
###
Laurie was sailing along a dark
tunnel, LaRae beside her. She tried to reach out to take LaRae’s hand. She
couldn’t reach her, yet she felt no distress.
Ahead she saw a beautiful garden,
bright with sunshine. There were her parents! It didn’t seem strange at all to
see them coming to meet her, smiles of welcome on their shining faces. Laughing
and calling to them, she and LaRae hurried forward into their waiting
arms.
Others
who’d gone ahead were there, too: her friend Jodi who’d died in a plane crash
two years ago and Ginny, the cousin they’d lost to pneumonia at twelve. Joyfully
they all hugged each other. A wonderful warm feeling of love surrounded
her.
Oh! There
was Emy, her friend who’d been murdered on a nearby farm when Laurie was five.
Now Emy looked healthy and beautiful. She was talking earnestly to LaRae. That
was odd. Laurie didn’t remember that LaRae and Emy were especially good friends.
LaRae was shaking her head and Emy was frowning. Laurie watched LaRae turn her
back and drift off toward their parents.
Laurie
glided over to talk to Emy, determined to learn the truth of what had happened
to her so long ago. Emy seemed to know immediately what Laurie wanted to ask,
and didn’t seem at all disturbed to explain the awful circumstances of her
death.
"It was
Harvey who came to my bedroom that night. He said not to be afraid, we were just
going to play a game, then he’d bring me back." She shrugged. "I knew him, after
all. I didn’t think he’d hurt me. So I let him carry me outside. He took me to
the woods and raped me. I cried and he kept saying, ‘Shut up, somebody will hear
you!’ I kept on crying and then he got mad and choked me ‘til I blacked out.
That’s all I remember."
Laurie
nodded. They seemed to be supported by soft, wooly clouds without actually
standing on them. Sweet, lilting music swelled around them, its pleasant strains
in sharp contrast to the ugliness of the story Emy had told her.
"I thought
so," Laurie said. "But no one would ever explain what happened, just that you
were dead. I heard lots of whispering, but no one would talk to me about it. I
was only a little girl, and not supposed to know about those things."
Emy
nodded. "So, now my job is to try to prevent that from happening to others like
me. We all have a purpose here, you see. I’m sure you’ll learn yours
later."
"You mean,
you’re an angel?"
Emy
shrugged. "I haven’t earned my angel wings, yet. I’m a helper, for now. You will
be, too, now that you no longer live on earth."
"And your
job is, that is . . . You’re to prevent men like Harvey from raping
children?"
Emy nodded
eagerly. "Yes. To try, anyway. Especially little girls. Like LaRae’s
Susie."
A chill
slid over Laurie in spite of the warm glow of light that surrounded them. LaRae
and Jass’s beautiful daughter! Her own little niece! "Susie’s in
danger?"
"Not
immediately. But there is an aura of danger around her, and now there’s no one
to protect her who understands that kind of danger. I was trying to convince
LaRae to return. But I can only suggest and try to persuade. She won’t go
back."
"Why
not?"
Emy shook
her head. "I’m afraid LaRae didn’t especially like being a mother."
"But she
must go back if Susie needs her!"
"LaRae
says Jass has a good job and can hire plenty of people to care for
her."
"But those
people don’t love Susie. They won’t be careful enough. Maybe I or my parents can
make LaRae do it."
Emy shook
her head sadly. "No. LaRae must want to go back. You see, love must be very
strong to help her get back. It’s not easy to cross over."
Laurie’s
voice grew desperate. "But Susie will be hurt, maybe killed like you were, Emy!
Jass . . . Jass is still back there. He loves her, I know he does. We just have
to make him understand the danger. He’ll protect his daughter."
Emy shook
her head. "He’s at work most of the time."
"There
must be something we can do, some way we can warn Jass."
"We?" Emy
looked at her speculatively. "No. We can’t talk to him or interfere. If LaRae
won’t go back immediately, there’s nothing I can do. It’ll be too late. Unless .
. . ."
"What?
What? Tell me, Emy."
"Well . .
. ."
"Tell me.
I’ll do it. I’ll do anything . . . ."
"You could
do it for LaRae."
"But,
how?"
"Take her
place."
"You mean,
go back as LaRae?" She swallowed. "Live in Minnesota as Susie’s mother? As
Jass’s wife? Have a real family of my own? That would be a dream come true." She
laughed nervously, staring at Emy. "Of course, that’s impossible. Isn’t it?"
Emy stared
back at her for a long minute. "You can’t change into LaRae. If you want to try
saving Susie, you’d have to remain Laurie and figure out some way to do it on
your own. Maybe you could make Jass fall in love with you."
It seemed
strange to be discussing grown-up things like falling in love with a
five-year-old girl. But Emy seemed to have a mind equal to her own.
Laurie said, "That might take too
long! He’ll be grieving for LaRae and won’t want to date anyone for a long time.
Besides, I live so far away. What could I do in Minnesota to get close to him?
How could I make him notice me?"
"That will
be a problem. I can’t tell you how to work it out."
"We used to play a game, LaRae and
I. We’d pretend to be each other, just for the fun of fooling people. Do you
think it would work now?"
"I don’t know. You’ll just have to
do your best. Do you want to try?"
Laurie
looked at Emy, then around her. It was so beautiful and peaceful here with LaRae
and her parents. The sweet fragrance of roses filled her nostrils. She could
hear LaRae and her mother’s beloved voices and wanted so much to drift over to
join them.
Yet Laurie
felt a strong urge to go to Jass and Susie. It’s my fault LaRae is dead,
she thought. I was driving and had the accident. I have to go back and
protect Susie.
Her gaze swept back to Emy. "Yes, I
want to do it."
Emy
smiled, evidently pleased at her decision. "But there are rules," she
cautioned.
"Rules?"
"I can’t come with you to help. You
have to do it on your own. I can’t give you any help, like LaRae’s memories.
You’ll still be Laurie, just pretending to be LaRae."
Laurie stared at her in panic. This
was so important a step, what if she was making the wrong decision? "But, how
will I know how to protect Susie? What and who do I watch out for?"
Emy shook
her head. "I can’t tell you that. Your love will have to be strong enough. It
will sharpen your instincts. Love, and your memory of what happened to me, to us
as children. It’s already had a strong influence on your life, hasn’t
it?"
Laurie
looked at her friend, and knew that was true. "Yes. Yes, Emy, it
has."
"Go then.
Walk back into the dark tunnel. Good-bye, Laurie. I’ll be watching."
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