Angel Unaware (27 page)

“Whatever made you think she felt like that?”

“She told me the other night. She thought I hated her because of it. She said if she hadn’t asked for pizza that night, they wouldn’t have been there, and the accident wouldn’t have happened.” He sighed and leaned his head against the sofa back. “I tried to convince her it wasn’t true, but to be honest, Millie, I’m not sure I was successful.”

Millie patted his hand. “I don’t think this is something you can explain away with words, Tony. Just love that baby with all your heart and soul, and she’ll know. In my experience, love speaks louder than anything else on this Earth.”

After they’d had their celebratory snack and Millie had gone home, Tony sat on the sofa alone while Dora put Penny to bed. Was Millie right? Would Penny eventually believe she hadn’t been responsible for her parents’ deaths? He could only pray it would be the case. In the meantime, he had a lot of time to make up for with Penny. He silently promised that from now on not a day would pass without Penny knowing how much he loved her.

Christmas Eve day dawned with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, a direct contrast to Dora’s emotional state. This would be her last day with Tony and Penny, and although her heart was breaking, she planned on trying not to dwell on her departure from their lives instead of focusing on the joy of the time she had left to be with them. However, it was easier said than done. Keeping her feelings at bay got harder with each tick of the kitchen clock, and the time seemed to be passing with alarming speed.

Tony sat at the kitchen table overseeing the completion of a pumpkin pie and, as he’d been doing all day, he was studying Dora with unusual intensity. Penny had stirred the ingredients, and she and Dora poured the batter from the large mixing bowl into the unbaked pie shell. When the bowl had been scraped clean, Penny caught a drip on the tip of her finger and licked it up like a thirsty cat.

She grinned at Tony. “This is gonna be the best pumpkin pie ever, right, Dora?”

Dora heard Penny, but only nodded. She didn’t trust herself to speak. Emotion had clogged her throat, and it seemed no matter how many times she swallowed to remove them, tears continued to threaten to break through. She could not, would not cry. Tony and Penny would inevitably ask what was wrong. What would she tell them?

I’m an angel, and I have to go back where I came from tonight. I’ll be leaving both of you forever. I’ll never see you again
.

Once more, she swallowed back the tears and forced a smile to her lips. Carefully, she picked up the filled pie plate. “Let’s get this in the oven,” she said, thankful for a reason to turn away.

She’d just slid the pie in the preheated oven and closed the door when she felt Tony standing close beside her.

“Is something wrong, Dora?”

She pushed her mouth up in a smile and faced him. “No. Why would you think that?” Averting her gaze before he could see the lie in her eyes, she skirted around him and busied herself clearing away the floury mess she and Penny had made while assembling three pies.

He followed her. “Because you’ve seemed preoccupied, maybe even a bit sad, all day.” He ran his fingertip down her cheek.

Making a conscious effort to tamp down the shudders of delight threatening to take over her good sense, Dora pulled away, bit her lip hard, and made her way to the refrigerator.

When it came to her moods, Tony had become far too perceptive of late. She had no idea how that had occurred, or why, but she did know she could not have him probing into the reason behind her mood.

“Okay, Miss Penny,” she announced with false cheer, “are you ready to get the dressing ready for the turkey?” Dora returned to the counter with her arms laden and deposited celery, onions, sausage, a package of bread cubes, and several bright red apples in front of Penny.

Penny pulled up the stool, scooted a large, clean bowl toward her, and held up a clean wooden spoon. “Ready.”

“Can’t some of this wait until tomorrow?” Tony asked, reseating himself at the table, but continuing to eye Dora skeptically.

Tomorrow
.

The word hit Dora in the gut with all the force of a battering ram. Tomorrow didn’t exist for her. At least not in the world of mortals.

A sharp pain pierced her heart. She knew letting go of the only family she had ever and probably would ever know would not be easy, but she’d never imagined the agony that would accompany it.

For the very first time ever, and only for a fleeting moment, she questioned her desire to become mortal. The doubt passed quickly. In her heart she knew she’d suffer the ravages of hell if the Heavenly Council endowed her with permanent mortality, and she could stay with Tony and Penny forever. But they wouldn’t and so she couldn’t. Come midnight, her reason for being here would be no more, and she would have to return to her job in Celestial Maintenance.

“Some things just can’t be put off until tomorrow,” she said softly. She swallowed the newest threat of tears and began chopping celery for the dressing.

Dora and Penny spent the rest of the day in the kitchen, preparing for the Christmas feast the following day. Dora was intent on getting as much done as she could. When Tony repeatedly told her some of it could be done the next day, she’d shrugged him off. He’d even tried tempting her with constructing a snow-lady to keep their snowman company, but she’d turned him down.

Despite her denials that nothing was wrong, he’d detected an oddly poignant ring to her voice. When she continued to stick to the explanation for her strange mood, Tony finally passed it off as a remnant of the emotional upheaval of the previous days and her drive to make this a great Christmas in every way she could.

In contrast to Dora’s pensive mood, Penny’s laughter filled the house as they worked. By evening, exhaustion had laid claim to Penny, and she went to bed without protest, eagerly looking forward to what she’d find under the tree the following morning.

Dora tucked the lavender coverlet around Penny’s slim body. “Good night, honey.” She kissed Penny’s smooth forehead as she always did, but this time, as she memorized everything about the child, she let her lips remain against the sweet-smelling skin for few moments longer.

This was one more in a long line of
last times
Dora had faced all day. The last meal she would prepare for them. The last time she would listen to the sound of Penny’s laughter filling her heart. The last time—

“Dora?”

Roused from her pity party, Dora sat up and gazed down into Penny’s sleepy eyes. “Yes.”

“Do you love my Uncle Tony?”

Coming out of nowhere, the question sideswiped Dora. “Uh … of course. I love both of you.”

Penny propped herself up on one elbow. “I don’t mean love like you love your mommy and daddy or your sister and brother. I mean real love like daddies and mommies have. The really special kind. Do you love him like that?”

Love him
? Tony’s face swam before Dora’s eyes. His strong brow and square, determined jaw. That errant lock of black hair that fell across his brow when he was upset. The strength of his arms holding her close. The feel of his lips on hers. When she’d left to come down here, she’d never expected to experience such emotions taking over her thoughts and dreams. And even though she knew nothing could come of it, she would not have traded loving Tony for anything in this world or above.

She opened her mouth to answer Penny, but when she looked down, the child was sleeping soundly. Dora kissed her and rose to leave the room. Suddenly, she knew she had to leave Penny something of herself.

Tiptoeing, she left Penny’s room and went to her own. Slipping the sheet from the mirror, she stood before it. Taking a deep breath, she allowed her wings to spread out behind her angel image. Reaching behind her, she plucked one feather.

She replaced the sheet over the mirror and made her way back to Penny’s room. Careful not wake her, Dora slipped the feather under Penny’s pillow where she would find it and maybe remember the angel who had loved her.

As she looked down at the sleeping child, Dora brushed a coppery strand of hair from her cheek. “Have a blessed and happy life, little one. May it always be filled with love and laughter.” She swallowed hard and added hoarsely, “Take care of your Uncle Tony for me and al- ways remember that he loves you with all his heart.”

Tony waited in the living room for Dora, determined to get to the bottom of her mood.

“She was exhausted. All that cooking must have taken the stuffing out of her,” Dora exclaimed with forced cheer and collapsed with a tired sigh on the sofa beside Tony. The unrelenting drive she’d been caught up in all day had finally taken its toll. Leaning back, eyes closed, she yawned.

“Are you ready to tell me what’s been bothering you all day?” Instantly, a frown drew her brows together. He waited for her to answer, but she remained silent. “Dora?” Still, she said nothing. Instead she stared at the Christmas tree. Finally, she sighed. “I guess everything just caught up with me. You know, the hearing, Penny running away … all of it.” She turned to him and smiled, but he could find little joy in her expression. “Don’t tell me you didn’t find it emotionally draining.”

He couldn’t deny it. The past few days had exacted a heavy emotional price from him. And Dora had supported him every step of the way. It was logical that she had been undergoing the same emotional strain. Taking that into consideration, he decided he was making more of this than need be. Tomorrow Dora would undoubtedly be her old self. Satisfied with her explanation, he let it pass.

“I want to give you your Christmas present.”

She rolled her head sideways on the sofa cushion. “Shouldn’t we wait until tomorrow?” For a scant second, something resembling pain shown in her eyes, but before he could analyze it, it was gone.

“No,” he said simply. “I want you to open it now.” He picked up a small, rectangular package lying on the end table beside him. It was wrapped in bright red foil and sported a green bow. Handing it to her, he smiled secretively and leaned back. “Go ahead. Open it.”

Dora held the box as if it would break with her slightest movement. If he didn’t find it absurd, he’d think this was the first time she’d ever received a gift.

As he watched, she carefully removed the ribbon and picked at the tape holding the wrappings closed. “Oh, good grief, please don’t tell me you’re one of those people who unwraps gifts with all the precision of a surgeon performing an open heart operation. For goodness’ sake, just tear the paper off. I promise I’ll buy you more foil, if you want it.”

Dora giggled and tore into the wrappings. She lifted the lid and gazed down at the snowman charm attached to a fine gold chain. Her eyes grew large, and her mouth opened in a silent
O
.

“I thought it would help you remember the day the three of us made the snowman.”

She picked up the necklace and held it against the palm of her hand. “It’s beautiful, Tony. You couldn’t have chosen a more perfect gift. Whenever I look at it, I’ll think of you and Penny. Thank you so much.” She held it out to him. “Please, put it on for me.”

Taking it from her, he opened the clasp and looped it around her neck. She turned her back to him and held her hair aside so he could fasten it. His clumsy fingers skimmed her bare flesh, and as though he’d just received a jolt of high-voltage electricity, his body came to life. With concentrated effort, he managed to get the clasp fastened.

Covering the charm with her hand, Dora faced him. “You have no idea what this means to me. I’ll treasure it always.”

Tony heard what she’d said, but the only thing that registered in his brain was that he was here with Dora, they were alone, and he wanted her as he’d never wanted any woman in his life.

He drank in the beauty of the incredible woman at his side. What had he ever done to deserve her in his life?

His heartbeat hastened in his chest, filling him with the overwhelming urge to gather her close and never let her go. No matter how hard he tried, never in a million years could he envision his life without her with him. For a man who had sworn never to get into a serious relationship, it came as a startling admission. In some nebulous way he couldn’t put his finger on, she completed him, made his life whole and full.

Not so nebulous
, a little voice inside him said.
If you think about it, you’ll know why she’s become so very important to you, and it has nothing to do with Penny and everything to do with you and that vast, empty hole inside you reserved for someone to fill with their love.

Love
? As though he’d been struck by lightning, as crazy as it seemed, he suddenly realized he’d fallen in love with Dora.

The idea left him speechless but elated. He knew having her around had given him a peace of mind he’d desperately needed, but he’d always thought it was because of her ability to relieve him of some of the burden of caring for Penny. Dora’s presence in the house had definitely lightened his emotional load in that arena. Despite the truth of that, right now, he wasn’t so sure it was the only reason for the surge of happiness.

It wasn’t just Dora’s outer beauty, though God knew she was as intoxicating as an expensive bottle of champagne. Neither was it because she’d come into his life and through patience, understanding, and love had changed it forever. It was more, a combination of things that put together made up the incredible woman beside him. Every time he’d needed an emotional crutch to lean on, she’d provided it. She’d been there for him … just like Rosalie had always supported him through every troubling time in his life.

He thought back to when she’d held on to his hand and helped get him through the hearing with the Randalls. How she’d given him hope the night Penny had run away. How she’d always seemed to be there for him, no matter what. How, when he’d hidden behind his protective wall, she’d fought for him to understand and love Penny.

More than anything else, how she’d encouraged him to open his heart. And now that he had opened it, he was suddenly acutely aware that someone other than Penny had slipped inside it.