DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own the characters from Touched by an Angel. They belong to CBS. Everyone you don't recognize, I do own. I also DO NOT own the words to Trust His Heart. They belong to Babbie Macen.
A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope everyone likes it. I'm trying to follow the song as best I can, but I'm also going to put some originality into the story as well.
God loves you!
"The Christmas Shoes"
Chapter 3-Trust His Heart
"Miss Gloria, look!" Brooke shouted excitedly. "Look! That's it! That's what we can get Mommy!" With that, Brooke broke free of Gloria's hand and ran over to the shelf where the object was. She picked out a pair of ballet shoes that looked like something a princess would wear. They were gold and pink with white lace on the front of them.
Gloria smiled at the little girl as she approached her and gazed down at the gift Brooke had chosen.
"They are really pretty." Gloria agreed. She then knelt down to Brooke's level and frowned. "But you need to stay close to me, okay? I don't want you getting lost. If there's something you want to see, just tell me. I'll take you over to it."
Brooke nodded and frowned.
"I'm sorry." She said, sure she was going to get in trouble.
"It's all right." Gloria told her. "I'm not mad at you, sweetie. I just want to keep you and your brother safe."
"Okay." Brooke replied, relieved she wasn't in trouble.
It had been two weeks since Gloria had started working for the Kissenger family. She enjoyed taking care of the children and she also enjoyed the small chats she had with their mother, Kirsten as well. Sometimes Andrew would join the chats as well, although Gloria knew what he was really doing there.
On this particular Friday, Gloria had volunteered to take the kids shopping while Kristen went to the doctor for her usual checkup. She was praying and hoping to get a heart transplant before Christmas Eve. So far, the prospect wasn't looking good, but Kristen never stopped praying for one. She mostly prayed that she would be able to spend one last Christmas-this Christmas-with her children. That's all she really wanted before going back to Heaven.
When Gloria had heard Kristen praying for that very thing, she got tears in her eyes. She prayed as well, asking God to let Kristen do that very thing if the young woman didn't have much time left.
Just then, Gloria heard a voice from behind her.
"She used to do the same thing to me too. You have to keep a close eye on those two, especially that one. She'll give you a run for your money. You just need to show her whose boss."
Brooke moved closer to Gloria out of fear and the young angel picked the little girl up, holding her close.
"I think I'm pretty capable of taking care of Brooke and her brother. thank you." Gloria said, her voice full of irritation towards Jerry's interruption. "I enjoy spending time with them. They're good kids."
Jerry scoffed at that as though he didn't believe Gloria's words.
Gloria then regarded her other assignment curiously.
"What are you doing here?" Gloria asked, trying to sound as pleasant as possible. "Last minute Christmas shopping?"
Jerry nodded.
"Something like that. You?"
"The same." Gloria told him. "The kids wanted to buy something for Kristen. I think it's a sweet idea." Gloria commented, bouncing Brooke slightly. "They really have pure hearts."
Jerry nodded, but didn't say anything in response.
"I have to go." He said, before hurrying away.
Once Jerry was gone, Gloria sighed with relief. She wasn't the only one either.
Brooke let out a sigh of her own before showing Gloria the present again.
"Do you think Mommy will like them?" SHE asked, hopefully. "She used to dance with me before she got sick. We took ballet together before…" Brooke's voice trailed off as a few tears fell from her blue eyes.
"Shh, shh, it's okay, sweetheart. I know your Mommy's gonna love them." Gloria told her, getting a small smile out of Brooke.
Brooke grinned back, despite the fact that she was still crying.
"Can we buy them today?" Brooke asked, her voice full of hope.
Gloria shrugged.
"Well, let's see how much they are first, okay? Can I see them, please?" Gloria asked, holding her hand out for the shoes.
Brooke gave Gloria the shoes and waited for her answer.
As Gloria glanced down at the price and frowned.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. It doesn't look like we can buy them today."
Brooke frowned.
"But what if someone else buys them first? Miss Gloria, these are for Mommy!"
Gloria sighed.
"I know, honey. But look, I'll tell you what. We'll ask someone to hold them for you. That way, these will be here for you when we come back on Monday."
"You think they will?" Brooke asked, her voice full of hope.
Gloria nodded.
"I'm sure they will. Come on." With that, Gloria led Brooke and Caleb to the lay away counter.
But as they approached the line, Gloria frowned. It was really long. She was about to suggest that they hide the shoes somewhere safe within the same shelf Brooke found them, when she saw someone she recognized out of the corner of her eye. She thanked God for the miracle and led the children towards Tess.
"Hi Tess!" Gloria greeted, giving Tess a smile. "What are you doing here?"
Tess grinned at her little angel before answering her question.
"Well, they needed my help, so I decided to lend my services. And who are these precious babies?" She winked at both children, making Brooke giggle.
"I'm Brooke!" Brooke told her, holding out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
"Aw, it's nice to meet you too, baby. My name is Tess. I'm a friend of Gloria's."
"Miss Gloria's taking us shopping for our Mommy." Brooke told Tess. She frowned just then. "But we don't have enough money to buy her gift now. But Miss Gloria said someone would hold them for us. Can you help us?"
Tess frowned.
"I would love to, but I have to help those people first." Tess told Brooke, pointing to a family just in front of them. "But I'll tell you what. If you give them to my friend, Celeste, I'm sure she'll be able to help you."
Brooke nodded, but Gloria frowned.
"Celeste? Tess, can't isn't there anyone else who can help us?" She emphasized the last two words to get her point across.
Tess gave Gloria a look.
"No, there isn't, little angel. Celeste is a good friend of mine." Tess said, turning towards Brooke and Caleb. "I'm sure she'll take really good care of you." With that, she left, saying good bye to the children before doing so.
"Thanks, Miss Tess!" Brooke called, smiling after her.
Gloria shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe that Tess expected her to trust Celeste with a job like this. Gloria would have much preferred to give the precious gift over to Monica or Rafael. She would have even given the shoes to Clara. Clara was a good friend of Gloria's and a very trustworthy angel. Anyone but Celeste.
Sighing, Gloria resigned to doing what Tess had said. She led the children over to where Celeste was standing.
"Could you please hold this for them?" Gloria asked, trying to be as pleasant as she could. "They want to give them to their mother for Christmas. It's really important that they DO NOT get lost." Gloria said, emphasizing the last two words so Celeste would hopefully grasp the concept.
Celeste nodded. She understood the significance of the situation although she wasn't all there sometimes. She smiled down at the little girl Gloria was carrying and gave her a smile.
"I'll do my best." Celeste replied, giving the little girl an earnest look.
"Thank you." Brooke said, a little hesitant to give them up. She knew from the way Miss Gloria was acting that she really didn't' trust this person.
"It's okay." Gloria encouraged, hoping Brooke would listen to her. "Go on, Brooke. God will keep them safe." She assured the child.
Brooke nodded. She believed Gloria's last statement and handed the shoes over to the over excited angel.
"You won't regret this!" Celeste promised the children, making Brooke jump a little.
"Thanks, Celeste." Gloria said, praying they didn't regret what they had just done.
After Gloria and the children left the mall, Gloria took them out to lunch before they returned home.
During lunch, Brooke couldn't stop talking about the present they had found for their mother.
Caleb was excited about it too. But as he gazed down at the last bits of his milkshake, he frowned.
"Do you think that woman will keep the shoes safe?" He asked, his voice full of disbelief.
Gloria sighed.
"I hope so, Caleb. I hope so. But like I told your sister, God will keep them safe. God knows how important this is to you and Brooke."
"He does?" Brooke asked, surprised.
"Yes. Oh yes. Of course He does." Gloria told her, making the girl smile from ear to ear.
Upon arriving back at the Kissenger home, Gloria put Brooke to bed and then helped Caleb with a report for school. The night seemed to go by rather peacefully. Little did Gloria know what the next few days held…
Jerry Thompson frowned in disbelief as he stared at Monica. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He had only left for a few hours and in that time, Serenity had become deathly sick. She was running a high fever and she couldn't keep anything down. She was also having trouble breathing.
Jerry tried blaming Monica, but Monica insisted honestly that it wasn't her fault. Her statement was so convicting, Jerry couldn't deny her words were true.
As Jerry sat by his daughter's bedside, he did something he hadn't done since he was ten years old. HE prayed. He prayed with all his heart that God would heal his little girl. He didn't care about many people, but he did love his daughter very much. He might not show it as much, but he did love her.
"Please, God, please, don't take her away from me on Christmas. Please. I know I've done some pretty awful things and I haven't treated the people around me too nicely, but please. I beg you, please just let her stay with me until Christmas is over. I'll do anything in return, anything." With that, Jerry let the tears fall.
Monica sighed as she realized what she had to do. She came over to where Jerry was sitting and regarded him with a gentle, but sad smile on her face.
"Jerry, God doesn't want you to do anything' in return for a few more hours with your wee girl. What He does want you to know is that He loves you. He loves you and He loves Serenity so much."
"How do you know?" Jerry asked, his voice distressed and a tinge of bitterness in it.
Monica smiled as she started glowing with the light of God's love.
"I know because I am an angel."
"What!" Jerry spluttered. He glanced up and his jaw about hit the ground when he saw the sight in front of him.
"Please, don't be afraid, Jerry. God sent me to help you. I was sent here to tell you that God loves you. He loves you and your daughter so much. He wants you to know that even though your daughter only has a little over two hours left to live, once she is in His hands, the Father will take care of her. He also wants you to know that He knows what you're truly capable of. God knows your heart, Jerry. He knows you were hurt when your wife, Elaine, left you and your daughter when Serenity was only two years old. He knows that. But God wants to take that pain away. He wants to take the pain away, but He can't unless you let Him. You have to hand it over to Him. Give Him all of your pain. Let Him have it so that He can transform it into something beautiful. Just like He is going to transform your daughter's life into something beautiful once she reaches Heaven."
Jerry choked back a sob as he looked directly into Monica's brown eyes. She was still glowing with the light of God's love, her face the depiction of kindness and love.
"Ca-can't you just heal her?" Jerry asked, hoping beyond hope that it was possible.
Monica shook her head as a frown crossed her face. She tried to fight back tears as she explained why.
"No. I'm sorry, but I can't. Only God can. And He promises you that once Serenity is in His hands, she will be healed."
Jerry shook his head and let the tears fall. He couldn't lose his little girl now. He just couldn't.
"Why!" He shouted, his voice full of despair and a hint of anger. "Why God! What did I do to deserve this? She's just a little girl!" His voice shook with emotion as he spoke the next few words. "She's my little girl."
"God knows that." Monica told him, her own tears falling freely now. "He knows how much you love her, even though you couldn't show it that often. Serenity knows as well. She told me several times when we were spending time together that she knew you loved her. She said you showed your love towards her by finding someone to take care of her when you couldn't do it."
"She said that to you?" Jerry asked, surprised by his daughter's words and insightfulness at such a young age.
Monica nodded.
"Aye, she did. Your daughter knew you loved her. And God knows too. God knows how hard you worked to support the both of you after your wife left. And God is very proud of you for that. He commends your work."
"But why Serenity? Why not me? Why doesn't God take me instead! I don't have anything to live for! She's just a little girl! She has her life ahead of her!" Jerry cried.
Monica sighed.
"God doesn't exchange His child's life for another. And He says you still have work to do for Him. He has a plan for you, Jerry Thompson. God has a plan for you and you must fulfill it. I know it's hard to do, but I promise that if you trust in Him and have faith, He will show you what He wants you to do."
"And when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart." A familiar voice said as another angel appeared next to Monica. "Trust His heart." With that, the brunette angel with glasses started to sing. Her voice filling the room with the voice of an angel.
All things work for our good
Sometimes we don't see how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth
Our Father knows what's best for us
His ways or not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don't' see Him
Remember your never alone
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
He sees the master plan
And He holds our future in His hand
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him
He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
At the conclusion of the song, Gloria stepped forward and laid a hand on Serenity's shoulder.
The little girl's eyes opened and she gazed up at Gloria.
"You're an angel." Serenity said, her voice soft and weak.
"Yes, sweetheart. I am. My name is Gloria. And Monica's an angel too. We're here to help you."
"Am I going to Heaven soon?" Serenity asked, looking directly into Gloria's eyes.
Gloria nodded, a few tears in her eyes.
"Yes you are, honey. But don't worry, Heaven is very beautiful. My friend, Andrew is going to come and take you there soon."
Serenity nodded.
"Is Andrew nice?" She asked, her voice full of hope.
Gloria nodded, but it was Monica who spoke up just then.
"Aye, he is very nice."
Serenity nodded, a small smile spreading across her pale face.
"I'm glad." With that, she went silent.
While Gloria stayed and talked to Serenity until Andrew came, Monica turned her attention to Jerry.
"Jerry, you don't have much time left with Serenity. She needs you now. And once…once Serenity goes to Heaven, God will help you to endure the pain of losing her. But you have to ask Him for it. You need to be sincere and ask Him for the strength to get through the next few months. You need to humble yourself in front of Him and truly ask for His help. He will help you, but you need to ask Him for it. But not yet. Now, just concentrate on Serenity."
Jerry nodded and did so. He spent the next hour talking to his daughter, telling her he loved her and how much he was going to miss her.
Both Gloria and Monica stayed by Jerry and Serenity's side, trying to hold it together themselves. This was hard for them to witness, but they knew it was harder for Jerry to experience as well as Serenity.
When Andrew showed up, Jerry tried his best to prevent the inevitable from happening. He begged and pleaded with both Andrew and God to not take his little girl.
But finally, after twenty minutes, Jerry finally surrendered to what was going to happen and allowed Andrew to take Serenity to Heaven.
It was only after Gloria left and Monica was left alone with Jerry, did she encourage him to give his pain over to God. Now was the time to do so.
It took Jerry a while, but he was finally able to do it. And as Monica watched him pray as the tears of pain and anger streamed down his face, she felt an ache in her heart.
But the Irish angel was comforted knowing that in God's time, Jerry would heal. But Monica also knew that what God had in store for Jerry the next day would help him heal even more. But the question was, would Jerry let God help him when the time came?