The Birth of an Angel

December 1987, she was born Dianna Hartel, at her birth she was 6lbs, 5 oz, 21 inches long, and a full head of hair, raven black. She had been born in Michigan at 10:45 pm. For her two Blond haired parents this was only the smallest concern they had, Dianna had small wings, just like a newborn baby bird they were featherless, instead covered by downy fluff like a baby hawk. “Kat darling, I uh….. I know she is mine.” But what had been the cause of her mutation. “Well George my love, they say it is the man's DNA that decides these things, so who slept with a Thunderbird?” she chuckled and he smiled and shook his head. She had always had a sense of humor.

  Now Kathrine and George knew she was theirs as George and Kat had been the last year in the remote part of Canada doing research on the Native American tribes that had migrated to Canada due to the deplorable Native treaties made by the US in the 1800’s. The indigenous people still lived in the region and had been the ones to invite George and Kat to conduct the archaeological dig. “Mr Hartel?” It was the Doctor that had been on hand to help with Dianna’s birth. “With the current state of mutant fear, we can prep surgery to remove the child's deform…” George cut him off and stepped up between his child and the Doctor. “Get out.” the reply was not but a whisper, but Doctor Smantel took a step back, there was no doubt that he had woken a sleeping dragon.

   The next morning the hospital discharged the three, many of the Nurses and Doctors were absent, The one old lady that discharged them simply gave them the “Yeah, they are that dumb. Sorry for all of this'' look and helped the couple get to their car. The ride home was a joyful one for the couple, and their baby girl slept most of the way. It was around 4 hours to drive home from Detroit Michigan to Anderson Indianapolis. When Dianna woke her squeals for milk because she was hungry had a slight squawk/baby cry mix that made both parents look back. Startled, George pulled over to check on Dianna. Realizing she was hungry and in need of a change he pulled her from the car and cleaned her up so that she could eat. Kat sat quietly as the two bonded in the front seat. And George leaned against the trunk of his station wagon. The 1970 Impala station wagon had been a gift from Georges’s family before they had left for Canada. It was in prime rebuilt condition. Currently it had all the equipment from their expedition into Canada in the back. 

It surprised him a bit to see a state police officer pull up behind him and turn on his lights. George's hair rose, and dread crept into his skin as the officer stepped out of his car. “Is everything alright sir?” the officer had his hand perched above his gun on his hip, “Yes officer, just been a long ride and my baby girl is hungry.” George kept his reply friendly and quiet. “Is there something we can help you with?” The officer shifted a bit from foot to foot seeming to relax a bit. “There was a report of a woman kidnapped by a man in a station wagon fitting this one's description. May I speak to your wife please?” George couldn’t see any reason not to let the officer after all what could have hurt “Sure she is feeding the baby can you wait for just another few moments” 

The officer pushed past him and Peered into the front seat of the car. He heard the officer ask her name, and look at the baby. Then the unthinkable The officer drew his gun and fired a round into the car. George heard his wife scream and rushed to the car. Blood was everywhere, his wife was cradled over the baby and blood soaked into the carpet of the station wagon. He looked back to ask the officer why and the world went black. When George woke he was being worked on by an emergency room trauma team. He tried asking about his wife and child but they only pressed him back down, and told him that he needed to lay still. Again the world went black. There was a nurse that had been waiting for him to wake. She knew that he would want answers. And to know that while his wife was dead he still had a reason to live. The baby that she cradled in her arms was different and beautiful. Every nurse on the ward had taken turns feeding her.

George rose out of the darkness into the light of a window next to him. He was a few stories up in the building and had a nice view. Then the reality snapped back. He sat bolt upright. “Where is my wife and child? “ his question was both fearful and urgent. To which the nurse rose and placed the child in his arms. “Your wife could not be saved, Mister Hartel, we are sorry. But little Dianna here needs you. She is beautiful.” George looked down into the eyes of Dianna, his tears fell down his cheeks and dripped onto his daughter's face. How was he going to raise her alone, Kat would have been the perfect mother. How was he, a man; with little knowledge of these things going to raise a child. Kat would have told him he was the smartest man in the world and would figure it out. At the moment the loss of her made that seem like an ability that was so far from the truth.

His car was impounded to determine if a crime had been committed, it was laughable, he couldn’t have driven it anyway. Her blood and his stained the passenger side of the car. After talking to the man who owned the impound, he sold the car to the man for 500 and bought a car that had been relinquished due to non payment of the impound. He placed little Dianna in a car seat and strapped her in. It would take 2 days to get home, and he had no intention of bringing attention to himself. He doubted that the officer would see any prison time, and only wanted to get home. Just thinking about the fact that an officer that should have been there to defend him had killed his wife. He felt so numb……”Maybe I’m in an alternate universe?” 

It was well past dark when he arrived at his door, Kat's mother was there waiting with a fresh hot meal and all the baby things he needed. She had even taken the time to set up a nursery for him. “Give her here George, go get some sleep. We will talk about things in the morning.” George wandered almost in a daze to his room and fell into the bed. What was he going to do with a little Angel to raise?