Annie’s family left the building and got back into their car. They drove to the church, noticing every angel, on both sides of the street, which lay wing to wing along the way to the church. The church grounds were also covered, because Annie’s angel hadn’t left any spot out! The paths to the rectory, around the church, and the paths to the cemetery were all “angel-ed!”
“Mom, I don’t mean to be negative, but this is kind of spooky…” Tom’s voice trailed off into silence.Annie’s mother looked at Tom, who was sitting in the backseat of the car, “I know, honey, we can’t explain what is happening here, but we know that something special is happening. We lost out Annie, but did we, really? Is this her way or her angel’s way or God’s way to convince us that there is something more? Is this the way things really are, and we just never noticed? Is this one child’s death the only way to convince us that there is something more? Why did she have to die to prove a point?” Annie’s mother started to cry softly, and her husband reached over and gently squeezed her shoulder.
“It will never be all right, honey,” he said quietly, “but it does help me to know that somehow I do believe our darling Annie is OK. I do believe now that she has no pain and that she is happy. I know that thousands of snow angels are telling me that I shouldn’t cry and that I need to remember the joy on her face as she made that snow angel that last morning. Each one of those snow angels is a symbol of her joy, and I will remember that. I will never forget that…never! How can we be seeing so much joy around us, in this time of sorrow, if it weren’t for a reason? I believe honey, I believe….Annie is OK.”
Annie’s mother dried her tears in her Kleenex. “I don’t know if I can do this, honey,” she said, “I don’t think I can get through tomorrow. I just want to run away, or hide in my room and never come out. I just want Annie BACK!” Her voice had risen until she was shouting her last sentence.
Tom stared blankly out the window as the snow angels flew by his face. It would never be all right again. He didn’t think he would ever laugh again.
