Precious Miracles

Chapter 8

A few days later, it was finally Christmas. I wore my favorite green sweater dress, and Sméagol wore a candy cane onesie, exactly like Emily's. Sarah and Logan came over for breakfast and gift exchange with us. Over a hearty meal of sausage gravy and biscuits Sarah had cooked, they struck up a conversation with Sméagol and Gollum. Sméagol and Gollum told of their trials and heroic journey in Middle Earth, and how they met me during my sedation. Sarah and Logan were taken aback, almost as if they didn't believe it at first, but then, Sarah remembered how torn up I seemed when I'd finally come too. She asked me about the dream I had while I was asleep, and I told her and Logan every detail. Sarah wiped a few tears from her eyes as she smiled at Sméagol.

"Thank you," she said to him. "You saved Allie's life by being there for her."

"We were worried she would've..." Logan couldn't finish the sentence, but Gollum and Sméagol knew exactly what he was trying to say.

"Oh, our poor Precious," Sméagol said sweetly as he rubbed my back.

"Yeah," said Sarah, "I think Emily's death hurt her even worse than it hurt us."

I shook my head, as I seriously doubted my pain was worse than parents losing their child, especially a daughter as special as Emily.

After breakfast, we all gathered in the living room to open presents.

"Here," Sarah said as she handed me a gift bag. "This is from Emily."

I dug through the bag, and removed the tissue paper. I burst into tears when I saw what was inside. "Oh, my gosh!" I cried, lifting out a beautiful angel doll. I looked closely at it. It looked exactly like Emily, and it was even wearing her angel onesie.

"Bless us and splash us, Precious!" Gollum sighed. "She's beautiful!"

"Yeah, she is," I agreed.

Sarah and Logan gazed at the angel, and their eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, my God," Sarah sighed. "It's her."

Upon further inspection, I discovered that the doll was flexible. All her joints could move. I handed her to Logan. "Would you mind putting her on top of the tree for me please?"

"Certainly," Logan said as he carefully placed the angel at the very top of the tree.

"Wait," said Sméagol, "it forgets something."

"Huh?" I asked.

"In the bag, Precious." Sméagol gestured towards a large red envelope inside the bag.

"Oh." I pulled the envelope out, opened it, and found a large handmade Christmas card inside with a picture of myself and Emily on the front cover with the words "Guardian Angel" written above in glittery text. I opened the card, and read the long letter to myself.

"My Sweet Alliepoo," it read, "Merry Christmas. I'm so sorry I couldn't be here with you to celebrate with you this year. I know I broke your heart when I left this Earth, but I still remember the promise I made you a long time ago, that I would never,  ever leave you. I never broke that promise, and I never, ever will. The truth is, Baby, I never left you, and I never will. No matter what, I'll always be with you, and I'll always be there when you need me.

I still remember the day we met back in preschool. I thought you were the cutest, sweetest little angel, and I immediately wanted to be your friend. I knew God put you in my life for a reason. You needed someone to lift you up, to be your safe place, to sing to you, to love you, and I needed somebody to take care of. Even as a little girl, all I ever wanted to do was love and take care of someone special, and I was blessed to find that special friend when I met you.