Angel of Love
Snow's comin' down somethin' fierce outside and the wind's howling like there's no tomorrow. This old cabin's shakin' ta th' rafters but I ain't worried none. It's held through worse storms than this 'un. I'm sittin' here now by a roarin' fire and starin' at a small tree in the corner. It's got a bunch o' berries an' yarn all 'round it, and even some of that popcorn stuff. I'm still tryin' ta fathom what it all means but it's that angel on top that gets me th' most. It's only made o' paper but it's got a sweet smile that won't let me go. It's the same smile I been seeing on ma granddaughter, Gabrielle, ever since she wandered into my life a few days ago.
I keep tryin' ta figure' what she sees in an old crusty man who turned his back on the world long ago. That world betrayed me, took me from my son and my wife. Locked me up in a God-forsaken prison for doin' nothin', NOTHIN'! Then, when my son was grow'd an' with his own family, that world turned me loose, sayin' sorry, we made a mistake. Well, that was the last time I was goin' ta be part of that world. Ain't had no call to trust no one ever again so I made my own life on this here mountain.
An' I was doin' just fine till that little girl over yonder sittin' by the tree came lookin' for me. 'Bout near killed me when she said my son and his wife was dead and how my son told her about all his good memories with me and he even tried to see me in that prison. I never know'd that. I just figured no one cared 'bout me no more. But I was wrong. This little girl, my own flesh 'n blood, cared. Oh yeah, she cared a lot. She even said she loved me and wanted to help me, to take care of me. I just didn't know what to do when she said that so I left. I had to get outside and breathe. I left her all alone in that cabin, hopin' she'd just go away an' leave me alone. I had no time nor desire ta have someone love me like that.
Then when those Cartwrights came an' took her away, I heard all she said. She fought them big men to let her stay. She said she had to take care of me 'cause I'm her grandfather. It near broke my heart. I didn't know what was happenin' ta me but all I knew was I had ta go see her, an' I did too.
At the big fancy house, I seen them Cartwrights was havin' a party, a Christmas party. I had no idea it was that time o' year. When I said that all I wanted was to see my granddaughter, she showed up all full o' smiles. Once I let her know where I was standin', she even hugged me. Well, that was just about the time my heart broke in two. I had to put my hand around her too. Then next thing I knew she was beggin' me to stay and see the colorful tree and the angel on top, sayin' it was the prettiest thing she'd ever seen. Now how could she see anything being blind as she is, but she said she could see things inside her somehow. I had to ask if she could see me an' I'll never forget her words, "Yes, grandpa. I can see you. And I love you Grandpa very much."
Well, those words and the feel of her in my arms done did me in. I knew right then that I'd never let her get away from me again.
I know she's livin' with some other family, I met 'em that night at the party, but I'm right thankful that they let her come spend Christmas day with me. That's what we're doin' right now. My Gabrielle made us go get a little tree for the cabin an' she made things to put on it. She made the angel too. Then my sweet granddaughter told me the Christmas story. I ain't heard that story since my boy was about Gabrielle's age. All's I can say now, as I watch her sleep, her head leanin' ag'in the wall near a branch, is that some kind of love changed my life. An' I don't ever want to go back to the way it was before. My heart's too full for that to happen and somehow I don't think my granddaughter will let it happen neither. Nosiree, I know for a fact that my Gabrielle won't ever let me go back to that life, ever again.