Free Arms of an Angel by Linda Boulanger

and smiled as his hand felt the
pendant.
    “ Pretty,” he told her. “Like
you.” They both laughed. He kissed her again as she hugged him
tightly. “We’d better get in to lunch before they send out a search
party in the form of a 2 ½ year old.”
    They walked from the room arm in arm causing
both Garrett’s parents to beam in approval as they entered the
kitchen.
    “ Sit here, Claire,” Chloe
pointed to the chair next to her. “Okay Daddy?”
    “ Of course.” He pulled out
the chair for Claire, then went to sit on the other side of the
table, across from his two girls.
     
    Chloe seemed concerned as Garrett and Claire
began to prepare to leave.
    “ You come back?” she asked
as she clung to Claire.
    “ Oh yes, Chloe. I’ll be
back, and soon, I hope.” She wanted to tell Chloe she hoped it
wouldn’t be long before Garrett took her and Chloe to live with him
as a family, but she still wasn’t certain of his exact intentions,
even after all he’d tried to convey before the fireplace in his
parents’ living room.
    “ You sure?” Chloe
questioned.
    “ Cross my heart.” It was an
assurance she’d received often from her own mother. Her finger
caught on the pendant chain as she made the criss-cross on her
chest. She sat down on the chair nearby with Chloe on her lap and
removed the necklace. As she placed it around Chloe’s neck she
asked her, “Will you watch this for me until I come
back?”
    Chloe nodded as she fingered the bauble.
“Gram! Look!” She held it up for Margarette to see.
    “ Come show me, baby.”
Margarette held out her hands and Chloe scurried off Claire’s lap
giving Claire the opportunity to finish getting ready to
leave.
    “ Bye, Daddy.” Chloe kissed
her dad as he hugged his mother and his child. “Call
me.”
    “ Every day. Just like
always.”
    “ Claire, thank you for
coming. Our door is always open,” James told her as he helped her
into the little sweater.
    “ Thank you. It was my
pleasure. I’ll look forward to returning.” Claire looked from James
to Margarette with gratitude. She blew a kiss to Chloe as Garrett
ushered her out the door.
     
    The couple rode in silence for about fifteen
minutes before Garrett ventured a comment. “This isn’t going to be
like it was on the way up, is it? That was a really long trip.”
    Claire had been staring out her widow. She
turned to look at him. “How can you bear to leave her?”
    Garrett thought for a
moment, trying to find the words to explain what he felt in his
heart. “I love her enough to know she needs more than I alone can
give her. What kind of life would that be for her with me in the
city? Spending the better part of her days with a sitter of some
sort so I could satisfy my desire for a few short hours with her
every evening? I want her with me, Claire… but not without the
right woman to share our lives. Did you hear what I said? Not
just any woman -
the right woman.”
    “ You’re sure? You’re really
sure, Garrett?” She was suddenly fearful. Her inability was still
there. It hadn’t gone away. Neither had the pain embedded by the
years of rejection by her father.
    He reached for her hand. “I’m satisfied with
what I have, Claire. I don’t need a son to make me whole. I want a
good life for Chloe. I’d like to see you as a contented part of our
lives. Besides,” he gently squeezed her hand a couple of times, “I
could attempt to fill a house full of children and there’d be no
guarantee I’d ever have a son anyway. I’m happy with what I’ve been
given. I’d rather spend my time helping others and knowing that
gift is what makes me live on. Not my name or my blood line. People
that can’t see beyond their own selfish desires are not happy
people, Claire. I don’t want to live my life lamenting with what I
can’t do or don’t have. I want to enjoy what I do and spread that
joy to others who need it.”
    Claire was silent again for a few moments.
“You really are an earthly