Free Diary of an Angel by Michael M. Farnsworth

in the house all day and needed to get out.
    Angela stepped out into the cool September air. The waning sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows on the world. A light breeze carried the faint sound of drums from the high school band, playing off in the distance.
    Pensively, she walked down the sidewalk with her eyes stuck to the pavement. After a few blocks, she turned a corner, crossed the street, and left the sidewalk for a wooded pathway, which led through a small, dense population of trees. This small wooded patch eventually opened to a park, through which she continued her walk. Up a short hill her path led, passing a bench and lamp at the top, where Angela paused and sat down.
    The bench faced west. For the first time since she left, she noticed the sun. It hung low in the darkening sky, slowly sinking. She watched as vivid hues of raspberry and violet danced along the horizon. The sun, a burst of gold, cast its glistening light upon the scene, igniting the clouds in a fiery red. The entire world, the trees and hills, the birds and little creatures, even the drumming of the band seemed to have paused to watch God’s painting unfold.
    Angela gazed at the sunset in quiet reverie. She used to come to this hill often to watch the sun sink into the horizon. That was before Lily’s death. Now the glowing sky’s visage sparked sweet memories, which had lain dormant for too long.
    A few tears she’d bottled up all day trickled slowly down Angela’s cheek.
    “Look who’s coming,” Clairus said, unexpectedly breaking the silence. I looked down the path we had walked up with Angela. Jack was making his way irresolutely up the hill. Glaven followed closely at his heals, tenaciously prodding him forward. When they reached us I gave Glaven a how-did-you-do that look, to which he only responded with a smile and a wink.
    Angela hadn’t notice Jack approach. He was almost seated next to her before she looked up to see who it was. Her eyes grew wide with surprise at finding Jack next to her. Jack paused in a half-sitting position.
    “Hi,” he said, a bit awkwardly. “Mind if I sit here?”
    “No,” she responded softly, then returned her attention to the setting sun.
    The space between them on the bench was just slightly too close for strangers. Definitely too far away for two who were supposed to be one . For some time, neither of them spoke. Angela continued to watch the setting sun, which was now nearly out of sight, though the clouds above it still glowed like burning embers. Jack picked up a leaf from the ground and began picking it apart.
    Angela’s thoughts grew in intensity. She contemplated whether she should talk to Jack about Lily. She wanted to. She dearly wanted someone to talk to. But they had never been able to talk about Lily together. They had tried before, but it had always ended in harsh words and hurt feelings.
    I took Angela in my arms and encouraged and comforted. Her heartbeat increased as she thought about how to start, what to say. She stuck her hands beneath her thighs and rocked forward.
    “Do you ever wonder if Lily is OK?” she said, her voice faintly quivering. Jack started, completely taken off his guard by the question. He shifted in the bench uncomfortably.
    “What do you mean?” he asked slowly, after a considerable pause.
    “Do you think she’s in heaven? That we’ll ever see her again?”
    Jack’s answer came even more cautiously. “I guess so...at least, I used to think we would all be in heaven one day, before...” His voice trailed off.
    Another protracted silence followed.
    “I’m not sure what to think about God and heaven,” Angela said in a near whisper. “I haven’t known for a long time. But I think Lily’s alright.” She recounted to him her experience from the morning. How she had felt warm, inexplicable reassurance that Lily was happy and well. She shared every detail, opening herself up to Jack more than she had done for many years.
    When she’d