Sam
The funeral was beautiful, and to a bystander it might have looked as if most of the town were there to pay their respects. The cancer had taken Tonya too early. To her friends and family that was a blessing as well as a curse. She passed in her sleep at home where she was as comfortable as they could make her. It had been her wish.
Sam had spent as much time with Tonya as she possibly could. It was one of the hardest and most painful things she had ever had to do. For Sam, being able to spend time together during Tonya’s last days was a privilege.
Sam did her best to make Tonya comfortable. They lay in bed together during the day and would talk about shared memories. They laughed and cried. Sam’s love for her best friend grew more than she thought possible. Tonya’s strength and resilience was an amazing thing to see.
The hardest parts were when Sam had to see Tonya in pain and was unable to do anything about it. Times when Tonya was throwing up the little food she was able to eat. Times when she would help her stay cool with a washcloth and whispered to her as she slept. Tears were impossible to hold back, but she did her best.
The restaurant closed the day of the funeral and for two days after. A sign was posted on the front door. Most of the town knew and understood. If it bothered anyone it was only because they were tourists and didn’t know Tonya or her uncle.
Her Uncle Steve was taking Tonya’s death hard. To him, she was like a daughter that he never had. All the employees who worked with her loved her and had high respects for her, not only as a boss, but as a friend. Nothing there would ever be the same. Tibet, the giant bartender, cried like nobody you had ever seen for a man his size. It was a painful sight to have to watch.
Nobody took it as hard as Sam, though. She had lost not only her best friend, but the one person who knew her better than anyone else in her life. Even better than her own mother.
Sam was suffocating with grief as she lay on the couch and cried herself into a dark oblivion. No storm brewed outside on the beach, but within her there was a tsunami. Tissues covered the floor and around the coffee table. Her cell phone remained untouched. She couldn’t talk to anyone nor did she wish to. She was too busy grieving the loss of her best friend and feeling sorry for herself. She felt as if she had no one. Not a soul to talk to or rely on any longer. It didn’t matter at the moment about all the staff at work who adored her or her parents or even Junior. All that mattered was that Tonya was gone forever.
The day dragged by and she faded in and out. She got up from the couch once because she had no choice. When she finished what she had to do she grabbed the half bottle of wine from the refrigerator and collapsed back onto the couch.
It had grown darker outside, but she could tell the sun wasn’t completely set. Remembering how she used to watch it with Chris and Tonya brought a fresh set of tears. After a moment, she collected herself and decided to go watch it, alone. On her way to the porch, she turned the radio on. She wanted to ease her mind some more by listening to some music as she drank and enjoyed the beauty of the sunset.
Immediately, once she was sitting in the wicker chair, her tired and bloodshot eyes were amazed by the beauty in front of her. Even though her soul was in pain, her eyes took it all in, one millisecond at a time. During the time she gazed upon the brilliant colors a miraculous thing happened. She began to feel comforted. It was almost as if God Himself had laid His hand upon her and eased her pain. Her shoulders relaxed and her breathing was calmer. She set the bottle of wine on the table next to her and forgot about it.
She could smell the salt in the ocean breeze and took a deep breath. Her soul was comforted by the fragrance of it. Her eyes scanned the brilliance that God painted for humanity across the vast sky and she loved the colors He created.
Oranges of several shades were mixed in with some touches of yellows. Nearer the base of the horizon she could see some slight tinges of red trying to make their mark. Closer to the stars the colors grew darker as night was taking over, blues and greys and black mingled together. She thought she had never seen anything quite as lovely as the sunset she was witnessing. So many different shades and it amazed her. She smiled for the first time in weeks. Maybe even months.
Time stood still as she was on the porch. She suddenly thought about God and felt more emotion pry itself into her already exhausted mind and body. She didn’t want to close her eyes for fear of missing any of the beauty before her, but her eyes closed on their own. She knew as always, He was there with her. She could feel God’s presence right beside her, comforting her and giving her strength. He knew her pain and her sufferings. He knew how weak she was and that she needed Him as much as ever. As always, He was there.
The bottle of wine had been forgotten about. Sam leaned forward and placed her arms on her knees and her worn face into the palms of her hands. She still hurt. She still mourned. But not quite as miserably as earlier, and she wanted nothing more than to talk to the only one who had never failed her, even during the times she was unsure.
“God, thank you so much for being here for me! Thank You my Lord and Savior for knowing my pain! Please, forgive me for being so weak and not turning to You the way I know I should and need to. I’m so sorry. I feel like You painted the sky for me tonight. It’s so beautiful! Thank You. As You have always been, even when I was angry, You are here with me again. You know when I am in need of Your grace and love and You never fail me. I am so grateful. I love You, Lord Jesus with all that I am. Please, help me get through this. Please, give me the strength and courage and comfort I need to get through Tonya not being here anymore. Please, help her family and loved ones, too, Lord. I know they are hurting as much as I am. I know she is up there with You. She is an angel forever now. One day I will see her again. Tell her I miss her, please. Amen.”
Opening her eyes, she felt an immense amount of comfort flow through her. She lifted her face toward the darkening sky and gazed upward. Her smile widened and her hand covered her heart. For the first time since Tonya’s cancer returned, she felt some peace within. Tears flowed freely from her tired eyes and she didn’t wipe them away. She let them fall because those tears weren’t filled with pain. They were filled with God’s love.
Her process of healing began again. She knew it would take time, but with God and whatever angels He blessed her with, she knew she would be okay. She was always okay with God. He never once failed her, but she had failed Him. She decided to work on that. She decided to talk with Him more and read her Bible daily. When Sunday arrived, she would go and worship Him. Yes, she thought to herself, she would be okay.
“Praise God,” she whispered as she left the bottle of wine sitting, untouched.
***
Marion
If an angel could cry, Marion would.
She sat beside Sam as she watched the sunset. She watched her facial expressions change numerous times. She saw warm tears escape and roll down her cheeks and she watched her talk to the Father. The poor child had to deal with more heartache than she should ever have to. First her health, then losing her husband, and now her best friend passing away. Marion’s heart ached for Sam.
Marion was thankful she was chosen to be the one to be with Sam through her trials. She had seen how strong Sam was even when most of that time she didn’t feel it or even wanted to be. For a long time, Marion wasn’t sure what her job was supposed to be with Sam, but she figured it out. God allowed her to conclude that she was there to provide comfort and strength and that’s what she had been doing.
She had seen many other angels have more difficult cases and unfortunately, some weren’t successful. She believed Sam was a success and would continue to be so. There had been much prayer and there would always have to be, but prayers were the best tool and the most powerful. She wished more people would use prayer more diligently and for better things than who they want to win the World Series or the Super Bowl.
Marion had a lot to be excited about because God informed her of part of the plan for Sam. She had a bright future ahead and it was going to include someone very special to her heart in a way that she had been struggling with. Marion would be by her side through the entire thing. She only hoped Sam would be able to open her mind to the possibilities. She prayed Sam would open her heart to the love that awaited her.