Chapter 3

Complications along the way

Jordan was left alone as Oliver was talking on the phone with Shane. A car pulled, thinking it was Gabriella fir he would call for Oliver when he saw a drunk and irritated looking, man. And Jordan recognized Diego when they remembered Gabriella need more than just help from a simple angel like him,

One year earlier

Angel Jordan had many assignments that the Lord bestowed on him. About a year after transitioning, Miss.Clara to heaven. He asked to place a human angel in New York to find Gabriella and help her. The Lord accepted his placement, and he was assigned to be a cop at NYPD's domestic violence unit. Jordan and his partner, Denny; 56; a husband of who he was trying to help find the way in God's importance and showing his commitment and love to his family than his job. Jordan's heavenly wisdom shows Denny to find peace and love through the Lord be happy just loving his family, showing how glad he can be and retire.

On their last call, Jordan and Denny responded to a domestic dispute at Queens village house number 264. A ring that neither Jordan nor Denny would forget what they pull into house number 264. Denny was the one who knocks on the door, as where someone shouts

" Did you call the police on me? Open the damn door, get them out, for we both know you can have my jail."

Denny sighed as Jordan knew Denny hated men who thought women needed them and that if they needed them, they would always get what they want. Before anyone answered the door, Denny ask Jordan,

" You're an angel, right?"

Jordan nods he is hand yes,

Then Denny asks Jordan a more serious question,

" Then why don't you or the lord steps in to stop whatever is going on behind this door."

Jordan looks up at the sky for the Lord to give him the answer. After about a second looking up, he looks at Denny and tells him,

" Why do you think I am here now with you, Denny doing just that."

That is when the door opens with a fearful Gabriella trying her best to cover the black and blue eye on her face. Telling Jordan and Denny,

" Sorry for the noise officers, it won't happen again."

Jordan trying to say noticing eye as he whispers for the man does not hear him,

" Miss, we are from the domestic violence unit. We are here to help you. If you wish us to go, we will put please, here take my card."

Jordan hands his calling card. She rushes to hid it in her pants pocket.

Denny tells her,

" You don't deserve none of this to be treated this way. Because this is not love, please just come away with us, and we will make sure no harm will come to you again."

Gabriella on the verge of taking that offer when Diego comes behind Gabriella holding her around her telling Jordan and Denny.

"Who the hell are you? What are you doing at my house?"

Then the question was repeated as Jordan popped back to the present time as he was facing Diego, telling him again

"Who the hell are you? What are you doing at my house?"

Jordan stood tall, straighten walking with confidence and strength the Lord has provided him with as he answered Diego,

"You don't remember me do you, Diego Martinez? I am officer Jordan Marley. We spoke a year ago. I am here to follow up on domestic disturbance."

"Nothing to follow up on here, my girlfriend, and worked it out. You may leave now."

"I'll leave when I hear that from Gabriella, where she is, by the way."

" Look, officer, today my girlfriend went to visit her mom's grave. She got emotional. I left to be to walk it off."

" and that does what I man as you do leave behind the woman you love when she needs you most, you don't deserve her."

" and who does deserve her, then officer?"

" God has someone in mind for her, and it's not you,"

Diego was about to give this officer a punch of the face when he saw Gabriella in the corner of his hugging another guy. And his jealous rage snapped not towards Jordan but this other guy and Gabrielle getting warm and cozy with another he didn't get one a bit, and he was showing everyone how he didn't as blew passed Jordan snapping at him,

" Oh really, well, I show God what has planned for the guy."

Jordan turned to see Oliver and Gabriella in an embrace, hoping that the Lord give him time to stop Diego and save Gabriella and Oliver from Diego's jealous fury coming towards them,

Meanwhile, Oliver trying to think of what to say to the woman who now in front of him. Gabriella was not sure what a sophisticated man like him was doing in the neighborhood like this, so she asked him, thinking if she or Diego did something wrong,

" I am trouble or something here; who and why are you here?"

Oliver clearing his throat, held out his hand and said,

" I am sorry, Miss. My name is Oliver O'Toole, from the Dead letter Office From Denver, Colorado, and I am here as a state representative to deliver this letter back to Gabriella Maria Torez."

" I am Gabriella Maria Torez. May I have the letter please, and go for a man such as sophisticated as yourself shouldn't be in a neighborhood like this."

Oliver gives her the letter informs her that he has to open it because the front was obscured and fade over time. Gabriella was shocked by the letter she had written to Santa to ask God to help, and her family came back to her after 11 years, and she repeats out loud,

" 11 years."

" I know I am sorry it came too late, but we have an answer for you, Gabriella."

Something in Oliver's answer made Gabriella snap from her tears to anger, and she put straight to Oliver's path,

" An answered where was the answer when needed most when I was 11 waiting for waiting, waiting for God, Santa or anyone, to save family and me. But no came nobody answered my prayer, and now here I stand at my house the only I have what my family shared, which I can't leave behind and that I have to stay with a man who doesn't love me, but I have to love because he helps me provide for this house. What's worst, I can't move forward with anyone who loves me because I don't deserve it."

Oliver stunned by Gabriella's outrage but giving her distance as well words of wisdom and comfort, telling her,

"You don't deserve it; why do you think you don't deserve to be happy to love to stand on your own two feet and let God help provide for you and what you need."

Gabriella crying, clutching the letter she wrote when she 11 as she admitted,

"I left my mother behind, I was taken away by social services I was taking to be my grandparents In Colorado think my mother would come with, but she stays with him, my father the man I thought loved my mother but didn't because he killed taking his own life, and I feel responsible for that."

Oliver felt that his need more than words comfort slowly coming towards her telling her,

"You are not responsible, and you were a child. You should carry such a burden; Gabriella gives it to someone who loves you who gave his life for you."

"Who?"

"Jesus Christ,"

Gabriella felt into Oliver's arms trying in longing and despair. She it all go for the Lord to handle and have Oliver sent to help her see tell as held her,

"Jesus, gave your mother life who brought into this to know even you might get the answers you want from your prayers he does give the answers you need. I am sorry that didn't your prayer then I believe he is showing you now, you deserve to be happy. You are loved. You are strong and capable of doing anything to set your mind because he created you. He has a purpose for you. That is your answer, Gabriella. All you to have to do now is accept it."

Gabriella didn't get the chance to answer Oliver, for she felt Diego's brute force pulled Oliver away from him. Oliver didn't see what was coming behind a man with anger in face as his fist clenched. Gabriella screaming no for he didn't stop the man in slow motion to move his fist towards Oliver. But was relieved when Jordan step capturing Diego fist with his hand, as Diego now the one kneeling on his knees.

Back in Colorado, Norman was pacing back forth waiting Rita to come out their bathroom. When Rita came out wipe her face and taking breathes. Norman told her,

" Rita, this is third time today and many time this you have gotten sick? I am sure Shane will understand and cancel because we should go to hospital."

Rita kisses Norman on the cheek and tells him,

" I am fine, no need to worry, now let's get to cheer up our dear Shane."

Norman sighed as said,

" Fine, but first, Rita please if is bad that you need to go give my some code work so worried the twins and Shane"

Rita adoring her husband, even more as he is consider of her well being. So to assure Norman she told him,

" Okay, code word, what shall it be um, how about" I need fresh air." Can you remember that."

" Remember what?" Norman joking around as Rita easily impress by the to make giggle.

Norman tries to kiss his wife once before returning to their day. But the kiss was halted for they heard the doorbell ring followed by the cheers and sequels coming from Ruth and Samuel as they ran to Norman and Rita chanting

"Auntie Shane is here! "

They ran they open the door to find Shane on the other side of the door and chanting to her,

"Time to play, poker Auntie Shane!"

"What a greeting, you are sure know how to make auntie feel special."

Shane pulls the twins into a group hug . Shane said to hello Norman and Rita

Norman suggested, "How a game of go fish first."

"I got a better idea." Suggested Samuel winking at his sister

"yeah, it is great idea Samuel, we should show them." Added Ruth,

"Show us.. uh what." Norman even scared to ask what Ruth and Samuel were up to.

In unison Ruth and Samuel said,

"A game of …"

Then they decided to screamed, "52 card pick up!" As Ruth and Samuel threw two decks of cards up into the air as they cheered. Everyone except Norman found this funny. For Norman didn't get the harmless trick his humorous adoptive twins tried to play on him.

Oliver was relived to have a angel like Jordan to protect him from such attack coming for him. Diego kneeling, and moaning in pain and agony from Jordan crushing fist. Gabriella pushing Oliver out the way to go to Diego begging Jordan,

"What are you doing to him? Let him go."

Oliver seeing Gabriella looking him silent pleas to get Jordan to stop. And help her rather Diego from releasing more of his rage on anyone. So Oliver tries and ask,

"Let the man go, Jordan, please?"

At Oliver and Gabriella request he lets Diego fist clutching moan and pain as Gabriella tries to help but Diego pushes her away yelling at Jordan, Oliver and her,

"I am not sure what game this but not going to stand for this get out all of you,"

"Diego please, you can't kick me out, this my mother's house."

"I am the one who is paying the bills on this house, because you want to sing and write songs rather get a real job."

"I work I help church choir."

"And how does that pay nothing much does to pay what needs to get paid."

Oliver hisses,

"Working in a church choir is most honorable the lord can give for a woman like Gabriella."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I show him." Jordan snapped back at Diego

" Showed him what?"

Jordan didn't answer but when Gabriella asked Jordan

" what did you show him?"

Jordan answered Gabriella,

" of you singing your original song in choir competition in Colorado."

" What song and what choir competition?" Diego asked

Gabriella on the verge of tears as she said

" Divine delivery, The one before I met you before my I found out mom died."

Oliver then adding to the conversation,

" You composed a beautiful song, called God you are amazing, Gabriella before we got interrupted. I was going to offer well affordable means of being choir director in Colorado at my Church."

" I thought you said you were here because you had answer from letter when I was 11."

Oliver was about to reply till Jordan step in said,

" We are both your answer but we can't give to you with Diego here. Please Gabriella come with me?"

Jordan taking Gabriella to side, away from Diego's presence but Diego yelling,

" Where do you think you are taking my girlfriend?"

Diego tires to stop Gabriella from going off with Jordan but Oliver step in the way and tells Diego,

" Lets us do our job, we have message for Gabriella she needs to hear it. Once Gabriella hears the message and decides that message we will leave. But for now, let look at your hand and we talk about a man like yourself should treat a woman."

" Who are you, man?"

" Just a man delivering an answered prayer, now let's talk and take look at your hand."

" Fine, talk you I am going to promise to accept any advice you give."

" As you Diego listen, because man like deserves to know the truth."

As Jordan was successful in getting Gabriella away from Diego's presence. Jordan process telling Gabriella,

"Gabriella, this what you want for yourself from him, are you telling me you love you his man, who hurts uses you for his selfish benefit that is not what has for you Gabriella, is this not what your mother would want?"

" How would know what my mother would want from you, I don't even know my mother knows you." Gabriella told Jordan

" I know your mother," Jordan sighed hated to tell the next part of his sentence,

" I was there, Gabriella" Jordan tells her,

" You were where," Gabriella asks

Jordan sighing,

" I was there when your mother died, Gabriella."

Oliver took a moment in praying silent for Gabriella, Jordan even Diego, which is a moment of truth for everyone. Diego then asks

" What is the message for Gabriella?"

"It is not a message for me to give to you, Diego but I have message for you."

"What is my message, man" scoffed Diego. "It will save my soul it will redeem from life of sin. I heard before man, and I pray and tried to change but I can't change what is already inside of me."

Oliver shaking his head disagreement as he told him,

"I am not judging what's inside of you, Diego but I am telling if you want no longer be angry in what you cannot change about yourself. You need to realize that God didn't make to live in anger and disappointment but to love and understanding but God is giving to that choice you live in. Realize that you choice you reflect on others too."

"So you are saying that if I am making myself miserable. Then I am making Gabriella miserable?"

Oliver shakes head yes as Diego asks Oliver,

"Do you think Gabriella loves me."

Oliver tells Diego, "Love never questions for its something that is decided once you know you found the one."

Diego looking at Gabriella talking to Jordan realized that after years of relationship was not healthy or right for both them. As he said,

"What we had was never love was it? We can't I keep fooling myself what we have is real or love. I have lead her and I to think this what we deserve but we don't. I have problems we both do, but you are right, man I can't question what I love i for know she only decides to love because I hold the one thing she most is her mom's house. I can't dangle over her or my head or heart any longer. I need to set right. Thanks man for making see that. I am sorry for almost attacking the jealous apart just…"

"You are forgiven Diego, God bless you in setting things right,"

Diego left his hand still pain as he glanced at Gabriella from behind praying that Gabriella would forgive him for the pain and the hurt he caused her. Then he walked away letting her go once and for all.

Gabriella asks, "What do you mean and when you were there she my mom died?"

That is when Jordan decide to Gabriella "Gabriella, I am angel, I took your mother home to heaven. She told me how much she loved you, but leaving was her answered prayer. And that is why I am to tell you deserve to be happy and loved for that is God's gift to all you have to is accept it."

Jordan handed her a letter she looked and saw her mother's writing started to cry for all she could was run away run to the only to talk her mother.

Jordan left standing with Oliver thinking they have Gail in what they have set out to do. But Oliver patted Jordan on the back telling him,

"Give her time Jordan, give her time with lord and her mother that is what she needs right now."

Jordan nodded agreement as they left on their way to their hotel as the next few week the help New Yorkers find their joy this Christmas from their Dear Santa's and God letters.