Guardian Angel

Chapter 8 - Daniel

Normally Daniel enjoyed Melody singing under the shower.

It usually meant she had had a good day or it meant she was simply in a good mood.

Today Daniel was hating the sound of her voice echoing through the entire building. Because he knew that whatever she was singing was not meant for him. He had no idea why he had done it. He had no idea why he had simply showed himself and had started talking to her. He had no idea why he was so desperate to be seen and heard by her that he was willing to ruin a day that was supposed to become perfect.

"And what can I do if finally for the first time..."

Daniel sighed and he pressed his hands to his ears.

"The one I'm burning for returns the glow?"

With every minute that passed the date of tonight was coming closer. In only two more hours Max would ring the doorbell, would smile his charming smile and would be Melody's first date.

Daniel would hate every second of it. He would hate every word that would come out of Max' mouth. He would despise every time the mailboy would try to touch Melody's delicate and soft skin. He would curse anything sweet and tender Melody would say and do to Max in return. He would dislike all the smiles she would smile at him. He would loathe her giggling and her terrible attempts to flirt back. And most of all he would detest how Max would probably ask her for a second date and how Melody would answer with yes.

"And we won't wait, to say good-bye..."

The raging fire racing through his veins reminded Daniel of that one time he had begged the Lord to allow him to stop protecting someone. Daniel had never had much understanding for people who picked violence over love, but all of a sudden it started to make a lot more sense.

Michael had been the owner of a small farm. The cows in the stables had ensured him enough milk to make cheese. The amounts of cheese on the shelves had ensured him a stable income. Michael's life had been easy and not very complicated and even with what little he had had he had been happy.

Until one day his wife had disappeared.

Michael had been to the market, but due to a storm he had come home early. He had been used to finding his wife reading a book or baking in the kitchen, but this time she had not been home at all.

Her best jacket had been gone from the peg. Even her expensive hat had been gone. The high heels that were always standing in her closet had disappeared too.

For hours the farmer had been worried sick. He had thought that something had happened to her. That maybe they had been robbed and she had gotten hurt or worsen.

When she had eventually come home, half an hour before Michael would have gotten home if the storm had not been ruining his day, she had been smiling brightly. But the worst part had been that she had not been alone.

One of Michael's best friends had been with her. The man had had an arm around her waist and had pressed a soft kiss on her lips.

When his wife had walked in Michael had done as if he had not seen or heard anything. He had acted as if he had believed all her lies and cover stories. He had put up a smile and had acted as if nothing had changed. In the middle of the night he had however sneaked out of his bed. He had draped piles of straw all around the house and eventually he had grabbed a torch from the wall and had set the whole thing on fire.

Daniel could still hear the screams of Michael's wife while she had been trapped in the flames. It was the only time in his entire career as a Guardian Angel that he had almost begged his boss to set him free, to allow him to come back to Heaven, to send him to someone else. How could he guard a man who did something this cruel to the person he loved most?