Another Angel of Love Read online

  The same week Henry started school, his mom started working for Mr. Engelmann. She liked working at the store and soon became friendly with most of the customers. When they learned she was Henry’s mother they went on and on about what a good boy he was and how well she had raised him. Henry wasn’t surprised to find her favourite part of working there was cleaning, dusting and washing down the shelves—the place had never been so clean. With Mr. Engelmann’s permission, she also tidied up his living quarters and did some of the laundry and ironing. Henry immediately noticed a change for the better. All at once, Mr. Engelmann no longer resembled an unmade bed.

  About a month after Mr. Engelmann had passed along Bill’s application to work for Coca-Cola, Henry’s father received a call for an interview, scheduled for the following Saturday morning. In the days leading up to it, Henry was glad to see his mother helping his dad prepare by asking him questions and being a sounding board for ways Bill might answer. They didn’t know their son was sitting on the floor just inside his door, listening to them. He liked hearing his parents work together.

  At the store on Saturday, Henry and his mother could barely concentrate on what they were doing. It was already noon and they hadn’t heard from Bill yet—Henry figured he and his mom were more anxious about the interview than his dad had been. Shortly after one o’clock. Bill walked in. Mary was just finishing with a customer but could hardly focus, her eyes on her husband. Henry also stared at him, and like his mom, tried to read from his dad’s face whether or not he’d gotten the job. When Mr. Engelmann came in from the storage room, he stopped and stared at Bill, too. The customer Mary was serving looked from one to the other in total confusion. It was as if they’d all been frozen.

  Finally Mary burst out, “Well? Did you get it? Don’t keep us in suspense!”

  His father struggled to put a sad look on his face as if he thought to tease them with bad news, waited for one of them to respond, then couldn’t help but let a huge grin split his face.

  “I got the job!” When their cheers subsided, he added, “They’re sending me to Toronto for three weeks of training.”

  “When do you start?” Henry asked.

  “I’ll give my two weeks’ notice at the plant on Monday and when I’m finished, they’ll send me to Ontario—by plane, even—and they’ll pay for all the expenses while I’m there.”

  Henry had never seen his dad so excited.

  “I’ll have another week of training when I get back, too; I’ll be driving a company van that I can bring home at night.”

  “Oh, Bill, that’s wonderful,” Mary said. “I’m so happy for you!”

  Mr. Engelmann shook Bill’s hand. “I knew they had enough sense to pick the right man.”

  Hesitating for only a moment, Henry went over to his dad and gave him a big hug. “That’s great news, Dad.”

  “And that’s not all. Can you believe it? My starting pay is five hundred dollars more than I make right now, and after my six-month probationary period is over, I even get ten shares in the company!”

  “Wow!” Henry said.

  “Oh my, that’s wonderful,” his mother said again.

  Mr. Engelmann just smiled.

  “Thanks, David, for helping me get the job,” Bill shook Mr. Engelmann’s hand again.

  “Pfft. I had nothing to do with it. They just knew you were the best man for the job.”

  “Maybe so, but without your help I might never have even gotten the interview.”

  “How is that?” Mr. Engelmann wanted to know.

  “After the interview, Doug told me you were a mighty persuasive man. I didn’t quite understand what he meant, but I know he thinks very highly of you.”

  Mr. Engelmann smiled. “You got the job, that’s the main thing. Tomorrow when I come for supper—oh my, here I am inviting myself even before I have been asked. How rude of—”

  “Of course you’re coming for supper!” Henry’s mom said, rushing to Mr. Engelmann and putting her arms around him. “You’re one of the family, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, yes, of course I am, thank you.” After catching his breath Mr. Engelmann added, “Anna and I received a bottle of wine a long time ago and were saving it for a special occasion. Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to open it and I know Anna would want me to celebrate with you. Tomorrow when I come, I will bring it, and we will toast Bill’s new position at the Coca-Cola Company!”

  So anxious had they been to hear from Henry’s father that they’d all but forgotten Mrs. Peters, who’d been waiting at the counter all this time. Mary turned towards Mrs. Peters, ready to apologize, but Mrs. Peters had gotten so caught up in it all, she took Henry’s father’s hand and congratulated him as well.

  Henry knew his mom was excited for his dad because she had trouble concentrating on her work after that. He wished she had given his dad a big hug, though, but then thought perhaps he was being too sensitive.

  That night at suppertime, his father gave them all the details of the interview and the questions they had asked.

  “There was only one I wasn’t sure how to answer,” he said.

  “What was that?” Henry and his mother asked almost in unison.

  He looked at them very seriously. “The one where they asked if I wanted a paid holiday in Hawaii or Paris.” He laughed.

  Henry’s mom gave his dad’s shoulder a smack and rolled her eyes. “Oh, Bill!”

  It was good to see his parents kid around with each other.

  The following Monday, Bill gave his notice at the plant. Management offered him a raise equal to what he’d been offered by Coca-Cola, but he declined. He’d needed a change for a long time now and was looking forward to the new challenge.

  The first three weeks of school passed quickly. As student council activities ramped up, Henry had meetings with the council, the teacher advisor assigned to the group, the principal and the vice-principal. He spoke at a student assembly and talked with students who expressed concerns or ideas about the school. It all started to interfere with his job and Henry began to feel the pressure of trying to do too many things.

  As Saturday neared and his dad prepared to fly to Toronto, it occurred to Henry that Jenny wasn’t too far from there. He considered asking his dad to call Mr. Sarsky to see if he could get Jenny’s address or phone number, but thought better of it. His dad had lots to worry about without adding Henry’s agenda. Besides, Henry had a feeling he needed to be there in person.

  On Sunday night just as Henry, his mother and Mr. Engelmann were finishing dinner, the phone rang. Henry’s mother jumped up.

  “That’ll be Bill. He said he’d try to call. Hello? … Everything’s fine, Bill. How are you doing? … Yes. Was it as good as my cooking?” Mary looked over to Mr. Engelmann and Henry and winked. Their back-and-forth carried on for another few moments. From what Henry could make out, his dad was talking about busy streets, the weather and the restaurants he’d been to. Then his mother told him what was going on at the store, that Mr. Engelmann had hired a new delivery person because Henry was getting too busy in the evenings.

  “Well, I’d better go,” his mother said, “this is probably costing a fortune—oh, the company’s paying for this call, too!” She laughed into the phone. Then she said something Henry liked a lot. “I miss you, too, Bill. Yes, I love you, too. Yes, he’s right here. Here, Henry.”

  Henry jumped up and grabbed the phone.

  “Hey, Dad, how’s it going? What’s it like in the big city? … Oh yeah? … Oh yeah? … And how was the airplane ride? Wow! So, when do you start training? That’s good. Oh, he’s fine.” Henry turned to Mr. Engelmann and smiled.

  “Yeah, okay, I will. Sure, I’ll look after things. Don’t worry. Take care, Dad. Talk to you next Sunday. Okay, ’bye.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Oh, Jenny, I wish I were like you!” Tammy said as the two gir
ls walked down the school hall after the last bell. “You’re on student council again, you’re popular, you’re pretty…no, you’re beautiful—the guys fall all over you.”

  Jenny looked at her friend and smiled. “Really, Tammy, I think you’re exaggerating just a bit! I do love being secretary on the student council, but you can run to be on it too—I sure don’t do it alone. And I see how the boys look at you too!”

  “But look how attractive you are—slim, tall, a chest that most of us girls would die for—you’ve got it all, Jen. Bubbly, great personality, I could go on and on.”

  “Please, Tammy…” A bit overwhelmed and rather embarrassed by her friend’s praise, Jenny faltered.

  “Girls should hate you and be so jealous, yet everyone likes and wants to be your friend. You just take everyone as they are…I’ve never heard you say anything mean or put anyone down.”

  “But, Tammy, I do speak my mind when there’s something or someone I disagree with.”

  “You do it in such a nice way, though! You might disagree but you never make anyone feel bad when you do. We all just flock around you and look up to you. I’m so glad you’re my friend.”

  “Oh, Tammy, I appreciate what you’re saying but, really, we are who we are and I don’t think I’m any better than anyone else. Maybe it’s because I’m 18, a year older than most of the rest of our grade, maybe that’s what appeals to some of the boys. But really, I’m not comfortable with all the attention; I’m only interested in James.”

  “What about that other guy, that artist boy you always talked about at the pajama parties? Wasn’t he the one you sent that angel ornament to?”

  “Boy, you sure have a good memory, Tammy—that was ages ago. You’re right, I did write him—lots, in fact—but he never wrote back, not even once. I’m sure he dumped me for someone else, someone he could see every day.”

  “Aw, Jen, I doubt it. There must be some other reason.”

  “Well, that’s what I keep telling myself. But I don’t know. Besides, I’m getting to like James more all the time so I guess I’m moving on now too. I know my parents will be a lot happier if I do. For awhile there my dad was really upset and worried that I kept writing Henry even though he never wrote back.”

  “Henry! That’s his name. He must have been pretty special for you to fall so head over heels for him. You could have any guy here, Jen, and yet you wanted to be true to him.”

  “Well, there was this, this special connection between us. Almost…magical.” Just the thought of the moment she’d first looked into Henry’s eyes filled her heart with indescribable warmth.

  As they left the school, Tammy suddenly stopped and turned to her best friend. “There’s something I want to tell you, Jenny—” but before Tammy could share what was on her mind several other girls burst through the door behind them.

  “Hey, Tammy, Jenny,” said their friend Janice. “We’re going to Pete’s Soda Shop for a coke. They’ve got Elvis’ “Big Hunk O’ Love” in the jukebox and I’ve gotta hear it. I just can’t sit still when I hear his music.”

  Tammy looked at Jenny, “Sure, let’s go. I’ll talk to you about it some other time. That Elvis is pretty dreamy; I still can’t believe they drafted him.”

  Jenny grabbed hold of her friend’s hand and swiftly stepped down the stairs to the sidewalk, her buoyant persona almost floating ahead like an angel.

  Jenny parked the car in the garage and went into the house through the kitchen. No one was in the there. Then she heard her parents arguing in the living room.

  “You’re drinking too much, Ted. At least three before dinner and now you’re at it again!”

  “Oh, relax. It’s not that much and there’s barely any alcohol in here, most of it’s mix.”

  “Hardly. More like it’s the other way around.”

  The living room fell silent. Jenny suspected her father was drinking too much as well. Sometimes when she greeted him at the door after work, he staggered taking his coat off and the smell of liquor was very evident.

  “It’s those damn letters. I’m sure I see them flying around the office.”

  “What on earth are you talking about. Those letters were destroyed over two years ago, Ted. Surely, you’re still not on that guilt trip?”

  Jenny wondered what they were talking about. Must be something to do with correspondence at her dad’s office. She didn’t want her parents to know she’d heard them arguing and so she quietly stepped back to the kitchen door, opened it, then slammed it shut.

  “Hi Mom, I’m home!” she hollered loud enough to be heard in the living room. Jenny hurried into the living room, hoping they’d stop fighting now that they knew she was home. Her mother was sitting in an armchair near the fireplace, her father was standing, his elbow resting on the fireplace mantel, swirling the ice around in the drink her mother had been complaining about.

  “I wish you’d phone when you’re going to be late for dinner.”

  “Sorry, Mom, Tammy and I went to the Soda Shop after school and we were listening to some of the latest hits. I had fries and a coke so I’m not very hungry. Think I’ll take a shower. I’ll maybe make myself a sandwich in a bit, so don’t worry about me.”

  “Your father and I had salad and chicken casserole. I left it in the oven. It should still be warm if you’d like that.”

  “Sure, sounds great, Mom.” Jenny turned to her father and made her way to his side. “Hi Dad.” She kissed him on the cheek. “You’re home early.”

  “I had a meeting on the south side earlier this afternoon. Rather than go back to the office I thought I’d come home early so we could all have dinner together for a change—”

  “And here I wasn’t home…sorry, Dad.”

  “ ’S’okay, honey, I was just teasing.” Ted winked at his daughter and took a sip of his drink. “How’s school going?”

  “Great. Although I may have to drop out of drama club, things are so busy with student council.”

  “Now, that would be a real shame, honey. You did such a wonderful job last year as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. I was so proud of you.”

  “That was two years ago, Ted, not last year,” Jenny’s mom’s correction was sharp. “But Dad’s right, Jenny. You’re a natural actress—maybe it would be better to bow out of cheerleading or the library club until after Christmas.”

  “That might be an idea. I’ll think it over and see how things go in the next week or so.”

  As Jenny turned to leave, Edith said, “Oh, by the way, James phoned. Sound like he wants to take you for dinner on Saturday evening.”

  “This isn’t getting serious, is it? You’re seeing quite a bit of that young man,” Ted winked at his daughter.

  “Hardly,” Jenny muttered under her breath. Aloud she said, “I’ll be down later for some of that casserole. Thanks, Mom.”

  Ted watched his daughter leave the room and head for the stairs leading up to the second level. The light coming in the windows of their grand foyer lit Jenny’s wheat-coloured hair, making it spark with flashes of gold. She was growing more beautiful all the time. Ted just hoped she felt as beautiful inside.

  Jenny did a good job camouflaging her feelings, he thought. She seemed buoyant and bubbly to most, but Ted could tell even in the conversation they’d just had, that the sparkle that came from deep within, that gave life to everything Jenny did, just wasn’t there. It’d been gone since they’d moved here. Then the baby…and those letters. Destroying those damn letters was the biggest mistake of their lives.

  Ted lifted the glass to his mouth, savouring the last swallow before making his way to the liquor cabinet in the dining room. He quietly poured himself another, hoping Edith wouldn’t hear him and took it into the kitchen to drink. He stood at the patio doors and looked out on the beautiful grounds. A small brown box of gardening tools on the patio table reminded him of the box of Henry’s le
tters. God, would they never stop haunting him! Awake or asleep, it seemed there was no escape from his deeds; his conscience plagued him incessantly.

  Ted shook his head. What were we thinking? How could we have done such a foolish, terrible thing. The alcohol was starting to get to him. He took another gulp. He couldn’t obliterate his conscience fast enough. He swallowed the rest of his drink.

  And that boy, James, I don’t know about him. Edith likes him, but I wouldn’t want him in my company. Oh, he’s a very ambitious young man—maybe too ambitious. Not that ambition is all bad. I just know I’d have to watch my back with him. But at least Jenny’s going out with someone; at least she’s going out, not locking herself in her room.

  Ted snorted as he thought about how Edith had been so worried about Henry, wanting to protect Jenny from him. She’d better be more concerned about James.

  He drained the last of the drink. The maple tree near the patio had already begun to lose its leaves. As he looked closer, he saw white and pink objects dangling from each of the tree’s branches. Ted looked again, then blinked. The leaves had been replaced by letters! And zooming down from the top of the tree were two pewter-coloured angels heading right for him.

  As Jenny sat under her mom’s big blow dryer, curlers in her hair, a trial run for when James took her out to dinner. If he didn’t cancel again. She wondered what it was Tammy had been about to tell her. Oh, well, they’d talk tomorrow.

  Her thoughts drifted to the argument her parents had had. Destroying letters didn’t sound good; something about the finality of it was troublesome. Jenny hoped her father hadn’t done something wrong at work. She wondered if these letters had something to do with the fact that he was drinking so much.

  Under the hum of the dryer, Jenny closed her eyes. “Dear guardian angel,” she whispered. “Please help Daddy with his drinking and make sure he doesn’t destroy those letters he was talking about. I don’t want him to get into trouble.”