The Angel on Top of the Tree

Memories of the past came into view. Katie was five years old and sitting on the floor of her grandparents house. It was Christmas and the house smelled of apples, cinnamon and turkey. She always got to lick the chocolate brownie off the beaters! A great treat! She would listen to Christmas carols playing on the stereo and saw her grandma smiling at her. "Okay, sweetie, it's time to put the angel on the top of the tree! " Gramps picked her up as gramma carefully handed her the angel. She reached up to the top of the tree and set the angel on the top branch. She always seemed to sit a bit crooked but didn't seem to mind. Katey looked at the angel's face as gramps put her back on the floor. "Gramma, why is angel smiling?"

"I'm glad you asked, sweetie. She is our protector. She's been with us every Christmas since Gramps, and I were married. She is actually a wedding gift to me from Gramps. Do you remember what you told me, dear?"

"Of course, I tell the story to Katie every year. "

"Tell me again, Gramps."

He pulled Katie onto his lap and told her that when he was five years old, he slipped and fell into an icy lake." I remembered hearing mama and daddy yelling, screaming! 'Lance! Lancey! Do you hear us? Please, please! Jesus! Don't let him drown! ' Suddenly, I floated back to the edge of the lake where Daddy dragged me out. I remember waking up next to the stove. It was warm and I was wrapped in a quilt and was being given hot sugar water. I said, 'What happened?" Mamma held me tight and said, 'Nothing darling, you 're fine. It was just an accident. When you feel better, it's time for you to place the angel on top of the tree.' Well, daddy carried me to the tree and lifted me high. I placed the angel on the tree, but she sat a little crooked, and didn't seem to mind all that much."

"Pops, do you think the angel saved you?"

"Well, honey, she'll never tell but I think that's why she's smiling."

Grandma said, "That's why he gave it to me on our wedding. 'Caroline' he said 'the reason I was saved that day is because this angel wanted me to marry you."

Two years later, they died in each other's arms of the Spanish flu. Mama told me that her aunt took her in and gave her a wonderful loving life. Every Christmas, they placed angel on the tree. Angel was always smiling.

Katie came back to the present and remembered when she and her husband Ben had just opened a jewelry shop. They sold estate jewelry and were making a good living. Ben was alone in the store late at night taking inventory when a robber broke in and held him up at gunpoint. Ben turned and said, "I don't want any trouble here."

"Fill up this bag, now" He shot the mirror next to Ben's head. "Ok, ok." Ben started filling the bag with watches. "Faster!" The robber took the pillowcase and swept his arm across the counter. He cleaned out the place and was gone in 10 minutes. Katie came running into the store while Ben called the police "My God, Ben, are you okay?" She hugged him.

"Yes, honey, I'm okay but the robber took everything. We are broke."

Two months later, a police officer called and asked them to stop down at the station. They both looked at each other and drove down to the station, neither saying anything in the car. When they got to the front desk, Officer Miller said. "I'm sorry we weren't able to find any of the missing pieces. I retraced my steps and actually found this rolled under a dumpster, I believe it's one of yours?"

He held out a brooch. Ben took it and said, "Yes! This is ours! Officer! This brooch is extremely rare and absolutely priceless! Thank you!" They laughed all the way to the bank. That year, Ben put the angel on the top of the tree. "How come your angel's always smiling?" Ben asked. "Because she likes keeping us safe." Katie laughed.

Last year, Katie had been in a housefire. Ben had been away at a jewelry expo so she was alone. She couldn't remember anything about the accident except the pain and the constant smell of burned flesh. She couldn't breathe by herself. Her skin was so tight she couldn't move. When she regained consciousness, Ben was at her side, holding her hand. "Hi baby, it's me. You've been in the hospital a long time. You were in a fire, remember?" Katie blinked. Ben said, "Honey, I'm sorry. There is nothing left. I went back to see what we could save, everything's gone. Your mom said we can move in with her as long as we need to. As soon as you can, we are going. Rest now."

Six months later, Katie was well enough to make the long drive to her mother's house. Ben had packed everything they owned into two suitcases. They got into the car and drove away.

"Ahh, mama" Katie sighed "I'm finally home. I can't believe it's been so long. "

Mama said, "I am so glad you two are here. It is a miracle! Come in the living room you two, see what I've done! " They walked into the living room and saw a gigantic Christmas tree. Katie stared at it and said, "I don't want to have Christmas again."

Ben gave her a package wrapped with old burned newspaper. He said, "Open this." Katie looked at him and said "Why? It's all burned."

Mama and Ben looked at each other. "Ok, I'll open it." Mama said. She gently removed the burned newspaper off an old box, scorched from the fire and smelling like smoke. She opened the box and held it out for her daughter.

Katie looked in the box and tears came to her eyes. She reached for the Angel tree topper." I won't leave you behind! You are our guardian angel." The angel was smiling.