Sitting back in his chair he let out a long sigh.  He was not looking forward to the holiday that loomed so close now.  The holidays always seemed easier when Beth was with him.  But she was gone and he was still facing that fact  a year and a half later.  His friends have all tried to get him to move on with his life but its just been so hard.  He didn’t feel he was ready yet.  Tho they hadn’t been married, he felt in his heart that they were.  They had done everything a married couple would have done together.  Everything from live together to almost having a child.  It was that fact that Beth had lost her life.  He felt so responsible for that, what he felt the most guilty about.  Had she not gotten pregnant she would still be with him today, more than likely married.  And he was left with the loss of a soulmate and a child to deal with. 

The phone ringing jarred him out of his deep thoughts.  He reached for the phone and pushed the talk button.

“Hello” he said without even looking at the caller ID.

“Hey Nicky” chirped Howie from the other end of the line.  “Whatcha up to?” he asked.

“Not much at the moment D, what are you up to?” Nick asked.

“Oh just making the final plans to  our Christmas get together with mom and Leigh.  I was calling to see if I could change your mind about coming this year.  There’s still time for you to come.  ” answered Howie. 

“Naw D, but I appreciate the invite.  I’m just gonna hang out here and chill” Nick replied. 

“You sure?  I know how much you love Mom’s cooking” Howie said trying to persuade Nick into coming.  He hated that Nick was going to spend the holidays alone, yet again.

“No really, I’m cool.  There’s some things I want to get done before we meet up again in January” Nick said.

“Well alright, if you’re sure.  If you change your mind it’s an open invitation.  Just show up.  You know that right?” Howie said defeated. 

“Yeah, I know and thank you again.  I’ll catch you in January.  I’ll probably talk to you before then but if I don’t have a great Christmas and tell Momma D I said hi and give her a big hug from me” he said. 

“Alrighty Nicky I will.  Take care of yourself.  I’ll talk to ya later” and Howie hung up the phone. 
Nick turned the phone off and stood up and put phone back on its charger.  He decided to go take a nice hot shower and head to bed early.  He’d get up early tomorrow morning, do his morning workout and then get to work on the tracks he’d been working on.  He wanted to get some down before he and the fellas  met up again in January to start recording the new album.  He was grateful to be recording again.  He was anxious to get started on the new stuff.  He’d hoped it’d help him take his mind off everything. 

He went upstairs and went into the bathroom.  Reaching into the glass walled shower he started it making the water as hot as he could stand it.  In the foggy steam of the room he reached into the linen closet and grabbed a towel.  He disrobed and stepped into the spray relishing the feel of it on his skin.  He stood under the spray for a long time before sudsing up and washing.  Then he washed his hair and rinsed.  Turning the water off he stepped out and toweled dry.  As he did so he looked at the shower and it brought back memories of the times he and Beth had spent in that very shower.  A small smile crossed his face followed by a deep frown.  He had came close to selling this house after she died but had back out of it at the last minute.  He felt it was a way to hang on to the memories of her. Pulling on a pair of fresh boxers and throwing the towel into the hamper he padded his way down to his bedroom.  He pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. 
 
He fell to sleep with a little bit of tossing and turning and his eyelids started to flutter as he began dreaming.  He usually dreamed a lot, especially of Beth.  He figured because she was on his mind all the time.  But not tonight .  He dreamt of someone else.  She was beautiful.  Long dark hair, striking ice blue eyes, and she was wearing a long, white, flowing gown.  He was standing right in front of her and all of a sudden she spread her beautiful snow white wings.  An angel.  Nick gasped and she just smiled at him. 

Nick woke with a start.  ‘Wow’ he thought.  ‘Never had THAT dream before.  Wonder where the hell that came from’ he thought to himself.  Glancing at the clock he noticed it was 7:30am.  “Well” he said aloud to himself “earlier than I wanted but hell, why not.”  He got up and dug through his dresser coming up with a pair of basketball shorts and a black wifebeater.  He grabbed his gym bag and put a new towel in it along with a change of street clothes.  Throwing on his clothes he headed down to the kitchen.  He wasn’t hungry so he just grabbed a couple bottles of water and headed out to his car in the garage.  Climbing into the black Benz he threw the water into the passenger seat and hit the garage door opener.  Clicking on his seatbelt he started up the engine.  He backed out of the garage he hit the garage door opener again and drove to the gym he went to. 

He walked into the gym he was immediately met Jimmy, his trainer. 

“Well Well, lookie what we have here.  Why do early dude?” Jimmy asked with a laugh.

“I know, you think my ass doesn’t roll outta bed till at least 10.  Well normally your right but I woke up early and decided to get an early start” Nick replied. 

“Ok, well you ready to get started?” Jimmy asked.

“Ready when you are” Nick replied. 

Nick took his gym back over and put it in his locker.  Then he went over to where Jimmy was waiting for him.  They worked out for a good hour.  Nick wiped the sweat from his brow for the upteenth time.

“Ok dude, I’m done.  I’m sweating like a pig here.” Nick finally said. 

“I think you’ve done enough today anyway.  Good workout dude” Jimmy said.

Nick slapped him a high five and headed over to the lockers to get his bag then headed to the showers.  After a quick shower he jumped into his car feeling invigorated.  He headed the car towards home. 

Once home he threw his gym back in the corner of his room and collapsed on his bed.  He felt good but tired. 

“Maybe I’ll take a quick nap then get some lunch before I go downstairs and get started” he said to himself. 

He stripped off his clothes down to his boxers and slipped back into bed.  He was asleep almost instantly.  Again, like the night before, he dreamt of the angel.  And like before she just stood there in front of him smiling that radiant smile. 

Suddenly a loud shrill followed by a loud splash woke Nick from his sleep.  He scrambled out of bed and ran to his window.  What he saw scared the shit out of him.  Someone was floating his pool   He quickly threw on the basketball shorts he’d discarded earlier and tore down his steps and out the back door to his pool.  He dove in instantly and swam to the person in his pool. 

Nick quickly hauled the person out of his pool and laid them down on the concrete.  He then noticed the face of the person he’d just rescued and immediately sucked in his breath.  It was the angel in his dreams.  And something that he had not noticed before because of his panic and his need to get her out of the pool...she had wings. 

Shaking his head he said “this is not happening.  I’m still asleep.  This is a dream”. 

Suddenly the angel opened her eyes and looked at him.  She smiled. 

Nick looked at her.  He held up his arm and pinched himself trying to wake himself up. 

“Owww!” he screamed.  “Well, I guess I’m not asleep cuz that hurt like a bitch!”

The angel then sat up.  Nick just looked at her in disbelief. 

“Ar.. ar..are you real?” he stammered.  Slowly he reached out to touch her.

She reached up and took his hand.  As soon as he felt her cool touch Nick jerked back his hand.

“Man, what the HELL is happening to me?! Have I finally snapped?” he screamed. 

“Yes, I am real” she said.  “Look” she said as she reached up and ran a hand down the side of his face. 

Nick sucked in another deep breath as she stroked his face.  The sat there for a while then he noticed she, all of a sudden, was completely dry.

“You’re already dry.  But hey, you ARE an angel so...yeah” he said.  He knew he must sound like a complete idiot but hey, this was his first encounter with an angel.  What do you expect?!?

“What is your name? I mean, do angels have names?” he asked.

“Of course I have a name.  My name is Seraphiel” she replied. 

“Ser..a..phi..el” Nick stuttered out. 

“You may call me Sera if its easier for you” she said.

“Sera” Nick tried.  “That’s pretty.”

Nick stood up and reluctantly offered her a hand.  She took in and stood up as well.  She moved with such grace he was in complete awe of her.

“Would you like to come in?  Are you sure you’re not hurt?” he asked.

“No, I’m ok.  You’re pool broke my fall” she said, smiling at him.

He was almost mesmerized by her smile.  Finally giving his head a good shake and walked towards the back door.  Holing it open, he held out his hand offering for her to enter first.  He still wasn’t completely convinced he wasn’t dreaming. 

He lead her to the living room and offered her a seat on the sofa.  She took it and he sat in the adjacent chair.  He was clueless as to what to do next.  I mean, what the hell do you talk to an angel about anyway?!?!  The whole thing was just so surreal to him.

Finally he asked, “So Sera, what happened?  How did you end up in my pool?” he asked.

“I really don’t know”she replied.  “I just found myself falling and then splashed into your pool.”

Nick has so many questions swirling in his head he didn’t know where to begin.  Then, his stomach began to gurgle.  He blushed.  He remembered he hadn’t eaten yet. 

“I’m sorry.  I haven’t eaten yet.  Are you hungry?  Thirsty?  Do angels eat?” he said awkwardly.

“I don’t know.  What does that feeling feel like?” she asked.

“You just wait here.  I’ll be right back” Nick said and rushed into the kitchen.  ‘Ok, what the hell fo you make for an angel?’ he thought to himself.  He rummaged through his freezer and only came up with a frozen pizza. 

“Well” he said to himself, “this will have to do.”

Nick went to work putting the pizza into the oven.  He was a bit hesitant going back into the living room.  He had no clue what to do or how to entertain an angel.  He was still trying to wrap his head around the whole situation.  He went to the refrigerator and pulled out the jug of sweet tea he had and poured them both a glass.  He carried them into the living room and handed her the glass.  She took it from him and looked at it with a puzzled look on her face.  Nick chuckled.

“Like this” he said and then proceeded to show her how to drink from a glass.  Tentatively she put the glass to her lips and tilted it up.  Some of the fluid dribbled down the sides of her mouth.  Again, Nick smiled but continued to watch.  She pulled the glass back down and smiled widely.

“Oh!” she gasped.  “That’s really good!”  What is it?” she asked.

“It’s iced tea.  It’s a kind of drink.” he said.

“Well, I think I like this drinking” she said enthusiastically, almost spilling the drink. 

“Careful now, you’ll spill it” he said.

“Oh, sorry” she said apologetically.  She then set the glass down on the coffee table. 

They both sat in silence for a good amount of them before the timer went off for the pizza. 

“Excuse me” he said as he darted off into the kitchen again.  He grabbed a pot holder from the drawer and pulled the pizza out.  He faned it a bit to cool it off then cut it up into sliced.  He then dished it up onto plates and headed back to the living room.  He noticed her standing at the window as he set the plates down on the coffee table. 

“What are all those lights all over those houses?” she asked.

“Those are Christmas lights” he explained.  “We put those up to make it festive fore the holidays.  People put up trees and decorate them too.”

“Why don’t you have these things?” she questioned. 

“Oh I’m just very festive I guess” he answered.  Truth was he hasn’t put up a tree since Beth.  Again, too many memories. 

Sera noticed Nick’s face get very sad.  She reached up and put her hands on either side of his face and lifted it to meet her eyes.  They starred at each other for a long moment.  Suddenly Nick pulled away.

“Um, I made us a pizza.  Try it.  I don’t know a single person who doesn’t like pizza.” he told her.

Sera walked back to the couch and sat down in front of her plate.  She just looked at the pizza like it was some kind of foreign object.  Again, Nick showed her what to do.  She bite down into her slice.

“Ohhhhhh!” she exclaimed.  “You are right.  Pizza is wonderful!”

Nick just smiled.  He began to wonder what he was going to do now.

Christmas was two days away now.  Nick found himself with a permanent houseguest.   But he also found that he was really enjoying her company.  He was teaching her the everyday livings of a “human”.  She was an eager student and quick learner.   They had grown extremely close during these days.  It scared Nick.  He hadn’t feel this way towards a woman in a long time.  Not since Beth.  Later in that afternoon he found her in the living room. 

“Sera, I need to go out for a bit.  You ok to be here alone for a while?” he asked her. 

“Yes, I will be fine.  I will just listen to that box on the shelf....the...st e re o..” she slowly pronounced. 

“Good!  That was good! That’s right, that’s a stereo”  he told her.   He loved that she loves music so much.  It’s one of many things they had in common. Little did Nick know her name, Seraphiel, means teaches song. 

“Ok, I’ll be back in just a little bit” he told her. 

He grabbed his keys and headed out the door.  He wanted to go out and buy a tree and buy her a few presents for her “first” Christmas.  He drove to the mall and parked his car and went shopping.

Three hours later he was pulling back into his driveway.  He unpacked all his gifts and put them in the garage for now.  He had them all wrapped at the mall so that’s one thing he didn’t have to do.  He sucked at it anyways.  He hauled the tree he had purchased into the house.  Setting it down in the living room he call out for Sera. 

“Sera!” he yelled.  “Where are you?”

Nick searched the whole house without a trace of her.  He was beginning to get worried until he saw a note on the fridge. 

Nick,
   I left you this note so that you wouldn’t worry about me.  I have been called back and I had to go.  I just wanted to thank you for being so kind to me.  I don’t know if I will ever see you again but just know this, I will never forget you. 

Sera

Nick just starred at the note after reading it.  He couldn’t believe it.  It was like some cruel joke.  God was definatly punishing him for something.  In a fit of rage he threw the tree out in the front yard and flew up the stairs to his bedroom.  Finally, not knowing what to do next he stripped down and just went to bed. 

The next day he was too depressed to even get out of bed.  He hadn’t slept much the night before.  He just kept trying to think of what he has possibly done for this to be happening to him.  He had finally realized he had fallen in love with Sera.  He spend the whole day in bed only getting up to use the bathroom.  The phone rang a few times but he just let the answering machine get it.  He didn’t feel like talking to anyone.  Finally, it was night again.  Tomorrow was Christmas day.  He thought to himself ‘I’ll just spend tomorrow like I did today’. 

Nick woke up Christmas day with the bright sun shining in the window.  Grunting, he sat up and shielded his eyes from the brightness to shut the curtains.  Once up he had to use the bathroom.  On his way back to his bedroom he heard a noise from downstairs.    Grabbing the baseball bat out of his closet he headed down the steps slowly. 

As he rounded the corner to the living room the sun had filled the room with a radiant brightness.  The tree he had thrown out in the front yard was all set up and decorated.  And now that he noticed it, the whole house was decorated very festively.  He looked around again and he found Sera standing by the tree smiling at him.  

“Sera?” Nick said. 

“Yes Nick, it’s me” she responded.

Nick took off towards her and grabbed her up in a huge hug.  She clung to him, laughing,  as he spun her around in circles. 

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!” he shouted.

Setting her down and took her face in his hands.

“How tho? How is it possible?  I thought they took you back?” he asked.

“Well” she started, “HE saw how miserable we both were.  Honestly, I think he sent me down here to you.  He showed me how your life has been this last year and I was so saddened by it.  But I had all these feeling for you and I couldn’t explain it.  HE told me that it was love.  Pure love.  I had never felt love like that before.”

“I laid in bed all night last night and it hit me, the reason your sudden disappearance hit me so bad was in that short time we spent together, I fell in love with you.  I haven’t felt like this since Beth, and frankly, never thought I’d feel like this again” Nick explained. 

“So what happens now?  I noticed you are missing your wings.  You haven’t “fallen from Grace” so to speak, because of me have you” Nick asked tentatively. 

“No silly.  You can consider me a Christmas gift from HIM. I’m all yours, for as long as you’ll have me.” she told him.

Nick just hung onto her like he was never going to let go. 

“Well, I hope you’re prepared for a lifetime hunny” Nick said.

“I can handle that” Sera said.

And together they celebrated their first Christmas of many, together. 

T

The End