DR. STEIN HAD talked only to Mom today. I was left sitting in the waiting room.
What horrible things was she saying about me?
I had to have faith that God could deliver me from being committed to a mental institution.
Mom entered the waiting room with her chin held high as if she’d convinced Dr. Stein I was crazy. I was confused. She’d begun to soften with me over the last few weeks. But she still seemed determined to push counseling on me.
As Mom and I drove home in the car, I gathered my nerve to ask, “So, what did you and Dr. Stein talk about?”
I fidgeted with my hair as I awaited her response.
She drew in a deep breath and blew it out. “Liv, listen, I want to be sure this is not something genetic. You seeing things . . . hearing things . . . ”
“Does Dr. Stein think I’m crazy?”
“Not exactly, but he’d like to do some tests.”
I leaned forward, “Like what?”
“I don’t know exactly. He said he’d get back to me this week.”
Thanks, Mom. That’s vague. Are they going to give me a lobotomy?
Shock me with electricity? Shoot me up with drugs?
I was better off acting calm, confirming that my metal state was stable.
“Mom, I’m fine. Please don’t do this to me.”
“I need time to think.”
I slammed back into the seat behind me and crossed my arms, refraining from any retort. “Mom, I’ll prove that I am mentally stable any way I can. Trust me. Please.”
The rest of the drive was silent.
Your faith is being tested, God assured me.
The minute we got home I raced up to my room. With a running leap I landed facedown on my bed, my arms sprawled in front of me.
I heard a shuffle behind me. There was Mike, sitting in the beanbag chair in the corner of my room.
“I’m about to be sent to the loony bin. Mom says they want to do some ‘tests’ on me. What the heck does that mean?”
“Oh, I have a surprise up my sleeve.” Mike made a military salute.
“I can’t wait!” I knew he had creative ways of intervening. How I hoped this would be one of those times.
There was a knock on my door.
“Who are you talking to, dear?” Mom must have been listening from outside my door.
“No one.”
Dang!
“I heard you speaking to someone. Please open your door.”
Whatever.
I hopped off the bed and opened the door.
Mom stood with her lips pursed and her arms crossed. “The visit with Dr. Stein certainly was timely. You’re talking to someone again. I’m very concerned.” Her tone wasn’t rude this time but concerned. She tossed an envelope on the dresser beside the door. “You may have some interesting news in there.” She shut my door.
My mother gasped on the other side of the door. Then she burst into my room, eyes wide. She slammed the door behind her and leaned on it. Her chest heaved up and down.
What the heck? She looks like she’s seen a ghost!
“I just saw . . . I don’t know what.”
I glanced over my shoulder at the beanbag chair. Mike winked at me.
Way to go, Mike. That was no ghost. It was an angel.
“What did you see?” I feigned a calm, concerned tone.
I’d never seen Mom so undone like this. She was always the picture of composure. Her eyes darted all around the room. She rubbed her eyes.
“Something bright white and shimmery that looked like a man—just standing in the hallway as I left your room.”
I stifled a giggle. “What do you think it was?”
“I-I don’t know.”
I feared saying the next words. “Did he look angelic?”
Mom came over and we both sat on the bed together.
I laid my hand on her thigh. “It’s OK, Mom. I’ve seen him. You are not crazy. Neither am I.”
Mom was breathing rhythmically as if trying to keep from passing out. “Oh, my gosh. It’s gotten to me too.” She clasped one hand over her mouth.
“No, Mom, it hasn’t. You’re just seeing what I see. I prayed that somehow you wouldn’t think I was crazy. Never in a million years did I think you’d see an angel. But I hope now you’ll understand what I’ve been going through.”
“I’m going to my room.” Mom stared in front of her like a zombie, probably trying to process what was happening. She stepped out into the hallway after peeking around as if to make sure he wasn’t out there. I heard her footsteps echo down the hallway.
I jumped on my bed like it was a trampoline, the way my mother scolded me for as a kid. Yes!
Mike joined me on the bed, his face radiating amusement. We jumped in unison for several minutes, stifling our giggles to try to avoid attention from my mother.
“That was sweet! Great timing.”
“Glad you liked my creativity—and my timing.”
“You’re awesome!”
We stopped bouncing and stood facing each other. “Couldn’t you have done that sooner?”
“Didn’t have permission to. It was a faith-building process I had to let you experience.”
“Who was the shimmery guy?”
“Her guardian angel, Touriel.”
Love it! “Well, tell him I said thank you.”
“I will.”
I jumped onto the floor and grabbed the envelope off the dresser that my mom had placed there. When I saw University of Delaware in the return address, I ripped it open and yanked out the page within.
After the greeting, I read, “Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Delaware.”
“I’m in,” I squealed. “Now all I have to do is wait for a call from the athletic department to see if they want me to play volleyball.” I knew the tuition would be a burden on Mom and Dad, so I hoped for a scholarship.
“I’m sure you’ll hear from them. You’re an excellent player.” Since Mike knew about “the one,” I took reassurance that he was right on this matter as well.
I tossed the letter and envelope back on the dresser.
Mike returned to the beanbag chair, picked up my Bible, and began to read it.
“Don’t you know all that stuff already?” I sat beside him on the floor.
“Yes—and no. We angels still ponder the mysteries of God. We love to hear and read the Word. To us it’s a living, breathing revelation of God. We love to worship God. And we’ll do it for all eternity, alongside you humans.”
I looked forward to that day. No school, no parents, no bullies like Vicki.
“I’m sorry you have to babysit me.”
“You know, if it weren’t for the Fall, I wouldn’t have to be babysitting you.”
“Gee, I never thought of that. You weren’t originally created to do this guardian thing, were you? I’m so sorry.”
“It’s my pleasure. If it’s the Father’s will, then I take joy in the task of protecting you.”
“Someday in heaven things will be different, huh? I mean, we’ll be similar, right? Kind of like it was originally intended. Two different creations, yet unseparated by realms.”
“Yeah. The Bible says you Christians will judge angels.”
“Really?”
I doubt I’ll ever feel worthy to judge angels.
“Before the Fall we were not that different. We were created as different beings, but there wasn’t a veil between us.
“I look forward to being in heaven with you.”
“I do too. I can’t wait to hang out with you there, where we won’t have to do any spiritual battle.”
“But there’s going to be a larger war before that, isn’t there? I’ve read about Armageddon in Revelation.”
“I’m afraid so. The enemy will unleash every scheme in his bag of tricks during the last days. Are you ready if this war happens in your lifetime?”
“I pray that I would be. Will Lagarre’s son be back?”
“No. But his nasty friends may be.” Mike disappeared.
I figured the ancient grudge wouldn’t be over. They’d be back—one way or another.
I couldn’t wait to talk to my mother at breakfast. I wondered if she’d tell my dad about what she saw. Her worst fear had come true. I wasn’t crazy. Or she was as crazy as me. I relished the thought of her chewing on that thought.
My cell phone rang. Christina.
“Sorry to bother you so late.”
“No problem. What’s up?”
“I was in a car wreck last night.”
“Are you OK?”
“Yes. But my car is probably totaled.”
“What happened?”
“Some girl hit me from behind on Mainline Boulevard. She’d been tailgating me for miles. She kept looking down. I bet she was texting. My car spun in a full circle, then landed on the sidewalk in front of that new shopping center across from the mall. Luckily, there weren’t many cars on the road. No one was hurt.”
“Thank God!”
“When my car came to a stop, this guy appeared at my driver’s side window. He told me his name was Gideon.”
I knew it. I knew she’d see him.
“He helped me get the door open so I could get out since it was stuck. Cars were coming at my car in each direction. As soon as he got me out of there, two cars smashed into mine. He stayed with me while I phoned the police and got the other driver’s insurance information. When the cops arrived I turned to look for him so I could thank him. But he’d vanished. He never said good-bye or anything. But I felt like I’d known him my whole life.”
Memories of my night on that back road when Mike came to my aid rushed back.
“Liv, I think that guy might have been . . . an angel.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I prayed that God would let me see angels like you do. Up until now, I’d only seen demons. I wanted to see good spirits too.”
My friend saw spirits before becoming a Christian. It only made sense that God would redeem that gift and turn it into a discernment of spirits.
“At the festival I felt an invisible hand on my shoulder. Do you think that was him too?”
“I know it was.”
“How?”
“I saw him.”
I tiptoed down the stairs, hoping to grab a midnight snack, but heard Mom and Dad talking in the den. I sat on the bottom stairs, listening.
“ . . . I saw something. I know I’m not crazy,” Mom said.
“No, dear, you surely are not.”
“So . . . do you think our daughter sees things?”
“I’ll never forget that night she saw something choking me. She prayed.
It left.”
A short silence followed, and I heard the crinkle of newspaper that Dad must be folding.
“We need to tell her we believe her,” Dad said.
I closed my eyes and dropped my head on my knees in relief.
I rose and made a loud clamor in the kitchen, hoping they’d call me in.
Sure enough, Dad spoke up. “Olivia, can you come in here?”
“Sure, Dad.” I grabbed the bag of pretzels out of the cabinet above the microwave and brought them with me.
I walked into the den and sat on the floor, leaning against the TV stand with the bag of pretzels between my legs, which were crossed.
I bit off a chunk of the pretzel and waited for my dad to speak.
He removed his glasses and set them on the hearth behind his reading chair, then leaned forward, entwining his fingers into a fist, resting them on his knees. Mom closed her book on her lap and folded her hands on it. I swallowed the pretzel and didn’t take another bite, knowing the crunching would reverberate in my head so loudly I wouldn’t be able to hear Dad speak.
“Look, Liv. We’ve been a little too quick to jump to conclusions. About the things you see.” He rubbed his palms together, then held them out toward me. “We’re sorry.”
I glanced at Mom to see her reaction, and she gently nodded her head in agreement. For Mom that was a stretch. I don’t think she’d ever directly apologized for anything that I could remember.
I let out a sigh as I stared at the floor. “You know, it really hurt that you didn’t believe me.”
“I can imagine. And we are truly sorry,” Dad said.
“Thanks. I forgive you.” I grabbed my pretzel bag and rose. “Good night.”
“Night,” both said in unison.
“Oh, Liv, one more thing.” Dad rose from his chair. “Your mother mentioned you received a letter from the University of Delaware today.
What’s the news?”
“I was accepted!”
Dad clapped his hands together once. “That’s wonderful.”
“Congratulations,” Mom said. She dipped her head and looked up at me with her smile, which I knew meant she was pleased.
“I’ll hear soon about whether I’ll get a scholarship for volleyball.”
“We’ll pray that you do, Goldilocks.” Dad held his arms out for me to fall into. I readily complied.
Mom stood as well and held out her arms. Inside I was stunned but tried to keep my surprise from showing, hugging her in return. “You’ll get that scholarship, I just know it,” she whispered.
I turned and left the room, put the pretzels away in the kitchen cupboard, then headed to bed.
I wasn’t very patient, but I had to sit tight and wait for that call from the university athletic department. If I didn’t get the scholarship, I wouldn’t be able to afford to go to U of D. I’d have to go to a local community college. My dream had always been to play for U of D. I’d watched their team play since I started volleyball in junior high. Of course, every other fantastic player around the country was dreaming the same dream.
Christina, Ty, and Eden were planning on attending U of D. They’d decided way back as freshman that we’d all attend the same university and stay close to home. If I didn’t get my scholarship I wouldn’t be able to be with my friends next year. My heart sank at the thought.
I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the phone. The athletic department at U of D had called yesterday and set up an appointment for the volleyball coach to call me at four o’clock today. It was three fifty-five.
Eden, Christina, and Ty had also been accepted to U of D. Ty had gotten a football scholarship. He’d said he was sure I’d get one too. But I wasn’t so sure. My coach had gotten a few calls from U of D over the last couple of months. I took that as a promising sign.
Eden sat across the table from me. “Breathe.”
“I’m nervous.”
Eden reached over and put her hand on mine to silence my finger tapping. “And remember to speak slowly. You tend to talk fast when you’re nervous.”
I’d never noticed that. “I’ll do that.”
The phone rang. I looked at caller ID. It said Athletic Department.
“Aren’t you going to pick it up?
“I don’t want to seem too anxious.”
I answered on the third ring.
“This is Coach Spencer for the University of Delaware volleyball team.”
I gulped. “Hello, sir.”
Should I have called him sir? Was that too formal?
“Your team had an impressive record this past fall.”
“Yes, sir.” I did it again. Oh, well. Better to be too formal than sound disrespectful, right?
“I’ve attended some of your games, Ms. Stanton, and you’re quick on your feet. A consistent setter and aggressive at the net. A good all-around player. I’d like to offer you a spot on our Blue Hens volleyball team.”
I looked at Eden and clenched my free hand to keep from screaming into the phone. “I’d be proud to join the team, sir.”
He didn’t say anything about a scholarship yet.
“We are prepared to offer you a full scholarship.”
I gave Eden a thumbs-up. She started dancing around the kitchen.
I waved at her to stop so she wouldn’t distract me. “That’s wonderful, Coach.”
“You’ll need to keep your grades up to stay eligible for the scholarship.”
“No worries there. I’ve gotten almost straight A’s all through high school.”
“I know. I’ve seen your transcripts.”
“I’ll be able to handle it.”
“I’ll have my secretary mail you a packet of information. We start practicing before classes start. I’ll let you know what day we begin when time gets closer.”
“I can’t wait.”
After I hung up, I jumped up and down, chanting, “I’m going to U of D. I’m going to U of D.”
Eden gave me a hug. “I’m so proud of you.”
I picked up the receiver and dialed Christina’s cell phone. “I have two words for you: full ride.”
She gasped. “That’s awesome.”
“Thanks.” I was ecstatic that we’d all be at the same school next year.
I couldn’t wait to tell Mom and Dad when they got home from work.
After Eden left I heard my mom come in from the garage. I met her with a smile, reaching for the brown grocery-store bags in her hands.
“Guess what?” I set the bags on the counter.
She placed her purse next the bags. “What?”
“I got the scholarship!”
“I’m so happy for you.” She smiled broadly, which was unusual for Mom, so I knew she was very happy. And probably relieved that the tuition would not put a strain on their budget.
“Your father will be pleased also. Can you help me carry in the rest of the sacks in the trunk?”
My excitement faded at the quick change of subject. “Sure.” I followed her into the garage and grabbed two of the four bags in the trunk.
That’s about as excited as Mom gets. Be happy with that.
By the time we finished putting everything away Dad came home.
“Hello, girls.” He set his shoulder bag on the floor by the door and looked at me.
“I got a call from Coach at U of D today. Full ride!” I jumped up and down, pumping my fists in the air.
“I’d been praying about that phone call all day.” He held out his arms. “Come here, honey.” We hugged, and Dad gave me three squeezes, meaning “I love you,” just like he used to do when I was a little girl. “This calls for a celebration. Let’s all go out for dinner.”
“Not cooking sounds great to me.” Mom let out a short laugh.
“Where do you want to go?” Dad asked me.
“Tortellini’s.” It was my favorite Italian restaurant, and we went there every year on my birthday.
Dad planted a kiss on Mom’s cheek. She placed her hand tenderly on his cheek and stared into his eyes for five seconds.
I didn’t get to observe many moments like these between the two of them. I felt that Mom was lightening up. And I hoped her new attitude was also improving their marriage.
I was light-headed with happiness over the scholarship, Mom being nicer lately, and getting to pig out on my favorite food.
Thank You, God!
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mike’s apparition sitting at our kitchen table. There was a glint in his eye. I knew that look. He had something up his sleeve.