CHAPTER 1
JASMIN
"Angel? You guess there's an angel in this little box? Well, you'll have to open it to find out," he said. The Man revealed a small box wrapped in delicate gold Christmas foil.
"I hope it's an angel," said five year-old Jasmin in French. Upon examining her reflection in the gold wrapping paper, she inquired, "Can I open it now?"
"Yes, my dear. It is an early Christmas present, which should be opened now," he explained while gingerly tapping the top of her head.
The girl slowly unraveled the ribbon and set it on her hospital bed. Turning the box over, she carefully tore the paper, revealing the contents. The Man smiled.
"She's a beautiful angel!" Jasmin exclaimed, admiring her gift. Although only five inches tall, the angel showcased her creator's skill. The angel's long hair draped down her back and fell between her extended wings. The edges of her robe, sash, and hands held in prayer were lined with gold. At the sight of the angel's beautiful face and blue eyes, Jasmin smiled and pressed the figurine against her little body.
"I'm so happy you like her. She's pretty, just like you," the Man said, as he gently pinched and wiggled the end of Jasmin's nose. Jasmin shivered from the tickle and climbed down from her hospital bed, clutching the angel.
The Man's happiness was multiplied in the girl's enjoyment. Earlier that morning, he had wandered through the many gift shops in Lucerne, searching for the gift. He had almost surrendered until something called him to the window of Träume's, the store where he happened upon the porcelain figurine. With his hands pressed against the glass, like a small boy staring through a candy store window, he was transfixed by the angel's radiance and remembered the little girl's love for and belief in angels. At first, the owner of the store refused to part with the artifact. But, to the man's delight, she eventually acquiesced.
"I love her very much," Jasmin said as she kissed the figurine and hugged it.
"I'm sure she loves you too," said the Man.
"She has long hair, just like me. Do you think Mama loves her?" the child asked.
The Man's heart melted. "Oh, I'm sure your mama loves her."
"Papa says Mama lives with angels. Do you think so, Monsieur?"
"I do believe your mama is in Heaven."
"Do you believe in angels, because I do?" she asked.
"You believe in angels so much that you make me believe in them!" he chuckled.
The child smiled at his response. She stared at the angel's face and said sadly, "I miss Mama."
The Man was speechless. He patted the back of the girl's head and held back a tear. "I am so happy you like your little angel."
"Thank you, Monsieur. Thank you!"
"You're welcome, Jasmin. Now, you can do something for me."
"Oui, Monsieur. What?" she asked.
He dropped to one knee and placed his hands on each of her slender shoulders. The Man's face softened as he solemnly stated, "Just like me, this angel prays every day for you to mend. Once you're healed you can leave this hospital."
"One day we'll go to the park."
"I would like that very much, Jasmin. One day we'll walk through the park." Standing, the Man placed his hands on the girl's head and prayed: "Heal her, O Lord, and she shall be healed; save her, and she shall be saved, for you are her praise." Jasmin lunged forward and, almost knocking the Man over, hugged him. He held her close, but gently, so as not to hurt her. He knew her recovery was unlikely, and when he kissed her forehead, his heart was filled with sorrow.
Jasmin's hospitalization came as a complete shock to her father. Only two days prior, the father and daughter were getting ready to dine at a new French restaurant in the center of Lucerne. Jasmin was dressed in an embroidered taffeta dress with a cream satin sash tied at her waist. Her nanny had fixed her hair in soft wavy curls that fell along her back. As Jasmin held her favorite coat lined with thick white, faux fur, she called to her father, "Papa, I am ready for dinner."
"You are the loveliest girl," he said as he entered the room. "You look like an angel!"
Jasmin enjoyed dressing up and accompanying her father to nice restaurants. In fact, she and her nanny had practiced many times what her nanny called "the rules of etiquette for young ladies." Nanny would set up the toy tea set in Jasmin's room, where they role-played fine dining and dressed-up. Their fun efforts reaped great rewards; onlookers in a variety of social settings were delighted to witness the delicate refinement of the attorney's daughter.
"What a beautiful child!" one exclaimed.
"I have never seen such a well-behaved little girl," another commented.
Others chimed in: "She's a doll!" and, "She is more proper than my grown niece!"
While Jasmin's father enjoyed all of the compliments, he liked "Her mother would be proud!" most of all. Jasmin's mother had died when Jasmin was four. "Jasmin, live happily," were the last words her mother spoke to her. After the death of her mother, Jasmin's only consolation was her visits to the park, where her mother had often taken her. It was in this very park that a beautiful lady had whispered in Jasmin's ear that her mother was in Heaven.
Jasmin pointed at her doll, "Papa, can Amélie come to dinner with us?"
"Well, that depends. Is she hungry?" he asked as he smiled, picked up his daughter, and kissed her soft cheek. "Of course Amélie can come, princess."
Once her father set her down, Jasmin reached for and hugged Amélie. The next moment, the girl suddenly collapsed. "Jasmin!" her nanny cried, as Jasmin's little body lay crumpled on the cold tile floor and her doll rolled out of her arms.
As the afternoon sun gave way to the moon's gentle glow, Jasmin kissed her angel and placed her on the table among the medical monitors that mechanically tracked her condition. Although seemingly overpowered by the bright lights and large machines surrounding her, the small angel stood like a heavenly sentinel, watching vigilantly over her little mistress. When the nurse came to tuck Jasmin in for the night, a ray of light from the hallway cascaded upon the angel. Jasmin smiled warmly at the sight. Her father, who sat at Jasmin's bedside, held her hands while they recited their evening prayers. Then, he himself retired to his own small bed at the opposite corner of the room. While the rhythmic beeping of the machines lulled Jasmin and her father into a peaceful sleep, a sudden pain like a sharp knife piercing her heart penetrated Jasmin's chest. At that moment, her head immediately jerked back, her eyes stared straight up at the dark ceiling, and her arms went rigid at her sides. Overcome, she gasped for air. One of the monitors behind the porcelain angel came to life blinking its lights and shouting a loud and piercing sound. Despite Jasmin's efforts to fight against the pain, the pain gripped her even tighter. Terrified, Jasmin gasped to catch her breath, prayed desperately for relief, and clenched her hands with greater force. "Oh, Mama, it hurts! Make it go away," she begged. The pain was unbearable, and a small tear rolled down her cheek.
CHAPTER 2
THE MAN
Late November brought with it a chill, which did little to distract the stores from decorating for the Christmas season. Storekeepers hung lights with garland and brightly colored ribbons on the awnings, doorways, and windows, while inside Christmas trees glowed, warming the hearts of the customers. It was the Man's favorite time of year, when he enjoyed the decorations, festive attitude and the seasonal food.
The Man was generally happy throughout the year; he had a sanguine disposition and always favored the positive in challenging situations and ignored uncertainty. Although he knew that this particular trait was unique to him, he still wondered why his optimism was difficult for others to understand. His friends scoff ed at him, calling him a hopeless optimist and a man of faith; he was guilty on both accounts. Despite his friends' attitudes, the Man genuinely loved people and readily helped everyone in need who approached him. But what enlightened the Man most of all was to visit sick children at the Lucerne Children's Hospital and create for them a pleasant distraction.
Simple things pleased the Man, and he disliked ostentation. He approached people in a similar manner, and they returned his affection with genuine gratitude and kindness. He smiled constantly and never spoke a disparaging word against others. Consequently, people found his ear an easy vessel to deposit their innermost secrets and from whom they could seek advice on every sort of matter. On his part, the Man spent both his time and money resolving others' dilemmas. When a local baker called upon him regarding a legal dispute, the Man sought the help of a lawyer friend in Zürich. In gratitude for the help, the appreciative baker supplied the Man with free croissants for months.
Women were not immune to the Man's physical appeal. His full, dark hair, deep dimples, and warm smile made him particularly attractive. His athletic build was a natural result of his walking throughout town and the manual chores he performed for others.
As a child, the Man recalled his upbringing in Lucerne, a beautiful city that rests at the base of the Swiss Alps. The town is closed in on either side by Mounts Pilatus and Rigi, and just beyond its limits, the green lush meadows served as the Man's playground in the summer and, turning white with snow, his wonderland in the winter. The town was a mixture of the old and new. Many of the older buildings were hundreds of years old. Yet, they still stood as regal as the days they were erected long ago. The Reuss River ran through the town's center, and the Kapellbrücke, a covered wooden footbridge, linked the old town on the right bank to the new town on the left bank. Fine restaurants and outdoor cafés lined the river's edge, making it a pleasant place to enjoy a meal and conversation. Throughout Lucerne, the narrow streets housed a sophisticated network of bus and trolley cars that serviced the town's people. This network converged in the middle of Lucerne, near the Seebrücke Bridge, at the central transportation center, or the "Bahnhof," as the locals called it.
The Man's apartment was small, located near the center of town, and situated in a building that was hundreds of years old. Despite the building's exterior charm, it betrayed its age, and the Man's room was damp due to the cold winter air that entered uninvited. The Man's living room contained the basics: a sofa, chair, and dining set — enough accommodations to host a few friends for a quiet supper, but certainly not enough for a large party. At the opposite end of his living room stood a door that led to a small balcony facing the inner courtyard of the surrounding buildings.
The elderly inhabitants of the building found the Man charming and very helpful. Oftentimes, they called him to their apartments to perform simple repairs or some heavy lifting, after which they thanked the Man with a cup of thick homemade Swiss hot chocolate, prepared by first melting a bar of fine Swiss chocolate.
Down the hall from the Man's apartment lived a young, single mother with an eight year-old son, who he had befriended. The young mother was looking for a permanent job as a seamstress, but had settled on any freelance work she could find. One day, as he returned from the market, he noticed the boy playing alone in the hallway. When questioned, the boy said that his mother was working and would return later that night. The Man telephoned his friend and asked if he could spend the afternoon with her son. Later, when his friend returned, the Man asked her if she would allow him to pay for the boy to attend an after-school program. The mother cried tears of gratitude at the prospect and called the Man an angel for his generosity. She accepted the Man's offer and assured him that she would repay him once she saved enough money. The Man thanked her, knowing all the while that he would never see his money again.
The Man was quite content to live simply, but comfortably, and to share what little he had. Yet, despite his contentedness, something was unequivocally missing in the Man's life — something he thought that he had found in his friends, but would soon learn he had not: someone to love. In his concerted efforts to help others, the Man had neglected his own heart. Although women were attracted to him, he naïvely mistook their attraction as kindness. Many women, therefore, became impatient with his lack of commitment and wondered why he did not reciprocate their subtle signals of courtship.
All of Heaven knew of the Man's kindness to others and watched on as he compassionately alleviated human suffering. God also loved the Man and decided to grant him the one thing that was absent from his life — a companion to love. Therefore, a particular Angel was specifically selected and dispatched to guide the Man to Heaven's gift of love. A kindred spirit for the Man, this Angel also dedicated herself to helping others, and she took seriously her duty to fulfill the missions entrusted to her. Generations had passed since last she was summoned for an earthly mission as her duties rarely called her away. The Angel's previous assignments delivered the message of comfort and hope to those in need. Her emotions were pure and not tainted with egoism, pride, or physical needs. She cherished the time on earth and hoped to better understand people, while conveying God's message.
Oblivious to the events that were about to unfold, both the Man and the Angel were equally unaware of their imminent rendezvous — an encounter that would change their lives forever.
CHAPTER 3
THE ANGEL
The morning was cool and humid as the clouds overhead threatened to let loose the rain. To ward off the damp chill, the inhabitants of Lucerne bundled in their jackets and clutched to the lapels of their overcoats as they shuffled through the city streets. The Man was no exception. While he stood and waited at the stop for his bus to arrive, he held his overcoat closed with his left hand and grasped a newspaper in his right. Every inch of the Man's body was covered except for his face, and he felt the cold as his cheeks and the ends of his ears grow numb.
"Thank You for a beautiful morning, Lord," he prayed. "The sky announces a new day, and all around me creation is singing its song of praise. Please help me to see the hidden ways in which You will speak Your word to me today."
As he waited for the bus, the Man surveyed the inhabitants hoping to meet someone he knew. His friends, however, were not to be found at the bus stop that morning. He gestured with a nod to say "Guten Morgen!" to two elderly Swiss-German women who were standing arm-in-arm to keep warm under an adjacent jewelry store awning. The lights on the Christmas trees in the window cascaded their cozy glow into the street. To his right the Man saw a small outdoor stand selling roasted chestnuts and fresh pretzels. His consideration whether he had enough time to purchase a pretzel was cut short when his bus arrived. In true gentlemanly fashion, the man escorted the elderly ladies onto the bus, helping one with her umbrella. When it came time for him to take his seat, the only place for the man to sit was behind the same ladies, who were talking about him. His ears perked up:
"What a caring young man," said the lady with the umbrella. "Why can't young people be more helpful and considerate like him?"
"He will make a fine son-in-law one day," said her friend.
The ladies chatted on, and before the Man knew it, the bus stopped with a jerk in front of his office building in Horw. He disembarked.
As the Man approached his desk, the warmth of the building's interior penetrated and thawed his hands and face, bringing him cheer. It brought him joy to be among his friends once again. As he took off his coat, the Man announced a jovial "Good morning!" to his colleagues. In response, everyone grumbled, "Why are you always so happy in the morning?"
He responded, "Well, I'm generally always happy, and I suppose that includes the mornings, even Monday mornings. God has given us another day to discover His love and ..." His words tapered off into the stillness of the room as he watched his colleague turned the corner and out of sight.
When the Man entered the lunchroom for a cup of coffee, he saw at the far corner of the room a young woman standing at the top of a step stool. She was doing her best to reach up high enough to place an angel on top of a Christmas tree. Her long, blond hair and shapely figure immediately caught the Man's attention. He found it both odd and delightful that she wore a formal vintage chiffon dress in blush to work. One of the shoulders was a thin band running from the straight line neckline to the back, but the other was ruffled with a flutter cap sleeve. The bodice was asymmetrical pleats and band ruching, cinching at the smallest part of her waist. The tripled layered circular skirt was lined underneath with romantic tulle and seemed to burst from her waist to her knees. Each time the woman moved, the chiffon fluttered softly along with her. As the Man's eyes moved downward, he noticed her shapely calves, thin ankles, and shiny black open-toe high heels secured at the back with two straps. She looked lovely.
