Aurora's Angel

It was  a bitter cold stormy day, Aurora Beckwith shivered as she pulled her threadbare sweater more tightly around her. She sat on the curb  by the highway selling pretty bouquets that she had put together out of the weeds in her backyard to the passersby.  Business was slow, given the weather, but she had no choice but to sit there and try to sell anything she could to help support her family.

Once Aurora had been a happy carefree young girl with a mother and father and a younger sister and brother. They lived in a nice house and had plenty to eat. Aurora didn't have to work, and she went to school like other kids her age.

Then, when Aurora's little sister was only a baby, her father disappeared. He just left for work one day, and never came back. Aurora's mother who had never worked before worked as many jobs as she needed to support the family. Aurora still went to school then, but she helped out a lot and took care of her brother and sister when she wasn't in school.

When Aurora's mother got sick, and couldn't work anymore, that was when Aurora had to stop going to school. It was also the reason, she was sitting out here in the cold trying to sell her flowers.

"Would you like to buy some flowers?" she cheerfully asked each passerby.

Some were nice and gave her a polite. "No, thank you." before they walked  quickly away anxious to get out of the cold and rain.

Most just walked ignored her in their haste. Some gave her pitiful looks at they walked by. Sorry that she had to be out there in the cold but not enough to take pity on her and buy some flowers. Others gave her scornful looks as if it were crime for her to be out there doing what she needed to for her family.

Aurora sniffled and coughed a little. She hoped she wasn't getting sick too. Where would they family be than if she couldn't work anymore either?

Aurora's eyelids grew heavy, and she found herself getting really sleepy. She knew she shouldn't sleep out there in the cold, but she couldn't stop herself. As she drifted off, she could see carlights in the distance, and she imagined they were a roaring fire and she was sitting beside the fire warming herself. For a moment, she felt warm and happy. She started drifting into a deeper and deeper sleep.

Just than, a pair of headlights shined right in Aurora's eyes. She jerked awake and opened them but quickly put a hand over her eyes to shade them from the bright light. A beautiful golden haired woman got out of the car. Aurora just starred at her. To Aurora, she looked like an angel.

"What are you doing out here in the cold little girl?" the woman asked in an accusatory tone. Aurora started to stutter out an answer but before she could get a word out. The lady cried out. "It couldn't be!" She grabbed Aurora and looked her all over and then began to cry.

Aurora was scared. She began to back away.

"Please don't go." The woman begged. Aurora froze. "I'm Amelia Beckwith." the woman continued "and I think that I am your grandmother." She took out a picture and held it out to Aurora. Aurora took it cautiously, she still wasn't sure this woman wasn't completely crazy and mistaking her for some dead grandchild or something. She looked at the picture in her hand and sure enough it was her father along with the golden haired woman who was a lot younger than and a man.  Aurora figured the woman was probably telling the truth.

As Aurora handed the photo back, she was suddenly filled with anger. "If you're my grandmother, why haven't  I ever met you before?" she demanded to know.

Her grandmother 's face was filled with sorrow. "I'm ashamed to say that we disowned our son when he married your mother. We didn't think she was good enough for our son." she admitted.

"He wasn't good enough for her." Aurora cried out defensively. "He left us when my little sister was a baby. My mom's been taking care of us all by herself ever since until she got sick, now I have to help!"

"You have ta sister?" said her grandmother.

Aurora stared at her. 'That's what she took out of all that I said' Aurora thought, 'That wasn't really the point.' Out loud, she just said. "Yes and a brother too."

Aurora's grandmother sighed. She felt sad for all the time she'd lost with the grandchildren she'd never met. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, but then she spoke again. "You're right." she told Aurora. "You're father was too good for your mother. He was too good for all of you, but I would like to make it up to you. " It was one thing for a man to leave his parents that was natural. It was another for him to leave his children. That was unforgiveable.

Aurora shivered. Her grandmother looked over her thin and worn out clothes. "My poor child. You must be freezing." she said. "Come and get in my car and get out of the rain, and let me take you home." she insisted.

"But I haven't finished selling my flowers." Aurora protested holding up the rest of  her remainig bouquets. They were all waterlogged and wilted, and she had to admit that no one was going to buy them so she finally she let her grandmother persuade her to get in the car.

The minute she stepped into the car, she was instantly filled with warmth. She sighed and sank into the backseat and for the first time she actually felt a sense of relieve and that maybe life was actually going to get better, and that her grandmother would help them. Her grandmother really was an angel. She was Aurora's angel.