Henry tips his head back and laughs. “That’s one way to put it, yes. The key is subtlety. Small nudges, gentle guidance. It’s a technique that took me a long time to master.”
I pluck at my lower lip. “I get it, I think. But it’s hard. I see Noah struggling, see the potential he’s ignoring, and I just want to shake him and say, ‘Wake up. Look at what you’re missing.’”
“I know. Believe me, I know,” Henry says, his voice tinged with centuries of experience.
I sigh, plucking a blade of grass and watching as it dissolves into sparks of light between my fingers. I look up at him, seeing the wisdom in his eyes, the patience etched into every line of his face. “So what do I do now? How do I fix this?”
“You don’t fix it, Will. You learn from it,” Henry says gently. “Go back to Earth. Observe Noah. And when the time is right—and trust me, you’ll know when it is—offer him a small kindness. A word of encouragement, a moment of connection. It’s simple, really. Don’t overthink it.”
I nod, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “I’ll try.”
Henry smiles, pride shining in his eyes. “I know you will. You have a good heart, and that’s the most important tool any guardian angel can have.”
As I stand to leave, a thought occurs to me. “Henry? How long did it take you to earn your wings?”
He chuckles, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Oh, longer than I care to admit. Let’s just say patience wasn’t always my strong suit, either.”
I grin, feeling lighter than I have since I returned from Earth. “Well, I’m going to beat your record. Just wait and see.”
“It won’t be that hard.” Henry’s call follows me as I set off down the path, ready to return to Earth.
With a deep breath, I close my eyes and feel myself descending. The warmth of the Celestial Garden fades, replaced by the cool air of a winter’s day in Benton Falls. When I open my eyes, I’m standing once again near the frozen pond, the sounds of laughter and skating filling the air.
I spot Noah in his rental trailer; his brow furrowed in concentration as he inspects two sets of snowshoes. “Okay, Noah,” I whisper, though I know he can’t hear me. “Let’s try this again. This time, I promise I’ll do better.”
Instead of walking up to him, I hang back and wait to see what he’s up to today.
Five
WILL
Icrouch behind a snow-laden pine tree, my eyes fixed on the trailhead where Noah and Paige are talking. I’m so proud of him for asking her out that I could burst. Paige is exactly what he needs in his life. She’s fun and bright, and she talks enough for both of them that she doesn’t notice he’s so quiet. Her blonde hair peeks out from under a knitted hat, her cheeks already rosy from the cold.
The forest is gorgeous, with branches heavy with snow and icicles glittering like diamonds in the early morning sunlight. I’ll give Noah another point for picking a beautiful spot to take a beautiful woman. I thought I was dealing with an amateur here, a guy who was content to stay cooped up in his trailer, but I was wrong. He knows what he’s doing with those snow shoes, too—this isn’t his first time. He looks strong and sturdy, and if he doesn’t notice Paige batting her eyelashes at him, he’s a fool.
My guy isn’t a fool, though. He’s noticing, and he’s enjoying the female attention.
Atta boy!
Why am I even here? He’s taken five steps forward while I was wallowing in the Celestial Gardens.Pft! He doesn’t need me. I’m just going to hang back here and make sure they don’t get into any trouble. One unseen angel coming up.
Henry will be so proud of me.
The snow crunches beneath my feet as I shift my weight, careful not to make too much noise. The scent of pine and crisp, cold air fills my nostrils.
Noah digs through his backpack. “I think I have everything we might need. Are you ready?”
Paige beams at him, seemingly oblivious to his awkwardness. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. It’s such a beautiful day for snowshoeing, isn’t it? I can’t wait to try these out.” She points down at her snowshoes. “I ordered them last week, and they showed up on time.”
Noah nods, looking everywhere but directly at Paige. “Yeah, they’re... nice. Have you ever been snowshoeing before?”
“Not since I was…” Paige scrunches up her nose, “five,” she admits, her enthusiasm undimmed. “But I figure if I can navigate the streets of Tokyo during rush hour, I can handle a pair of oversized tennis rackets strapped to my feet. How hard can it be, right?”
Noah chuckles, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. “Well, I promise to catch you if you fall.”
“My hero,” Paige says with a playful wink, and I swear I can see Noah’s cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red.
I resist the urge to facepalm. Okay, so he’s either out of practice, or he’s so shy he’s going to burrow into the snow. What he needs is a wingman. I huff—because I don’t have my wings! I know it’s an expression, but this would be a lot easier if I could fly over to him and tell him what to say.Compliment her, I want to tell him.Talk about yourself a little. Sheesh, would it kill him to throw me a bone here?
