This sequel to Dancing with the Angels finds Michael Angel continuing to live a life of loneliness since the death of his wife four years ago. He continues to operate several family businesses in a small town where he does not venture out in public with others. He seeks solitude at his home among the memories of his deceased wife. His children have been patient but have decided to take matters into their own hands. They take him on a whimsical trip to a relative's home south of New Orleans where they hope to introduce him to a suitable partner to spend the rest of his life with. He turns the tables on them and slowly weaves them into his personal journey where love, excitement and happy occasions heal this family. Be ready to laugh and shout "yes" at the surprise ending. Be ready!
Angel Above Water
By Michael A. HeckAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Michael A. Heck
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4634-5270-4Contents
The Battle. The Secret..............................1Bombs Away!.........................................18The Walls the Rich Own..............................33Nice to Meet You Up Close...........................51The Clothing Comes First............................77The Fireworks of the Ship...........................89Lady Lagoon!........................................105Kitty and Her Four Kids.............................119Neighborhood of Class?..............................135The Wet Way.........................................162The Tortoise and the Clouds.........................173Run, Mickey, Run....................................188The Big Party Surprise..............................195The Treasure Hunters................................211Three Dance Partners. One Devil.....................224A Fisherman's Lady..................................245Why Use a Key.......................................256Doctors Can't Mix...................................266Strike Number Two...................................275Color My World......................................286Blue Waters-Gold Mine...............................316A Mother's Coins....................................330You're Next, Please.................................354
Chapter One
The Battle. The Secret
"Well, Anna, my baby. What I need you to tell me right now is the real reason why all these white clouds way up here are so—"
Ring! Ring! Ring!
"Shut up, will you? If you don't mind. My wife and I are having a good morning conversation up here," I mumbled, while turning over toward the other direction in the bed.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
(I guess you out there know from past experiences, when you're having one of those dreams where you are smiling, you for darn sure don't want to have it destroyed by someone else on the other side of the phone line.) Anyway, To make a long story short, the phone just kept on doing its thing with that ring, ring, ring mess. (I put that lightly.)
I lightly lifted the darn thing up, just about a half an inch, and pretended to be the answering machine. "Good morning out there. This is Michael Angel on this end. Right now, I am almost one trillion miles away from you. So please call back another time. Like, maybe next year! Thank you very much." After that, I just let my fingers do the walking, from the hanging up of the phone to the covering of my ears with the pillow.
I returned to my imaginary resort and said, "Okay, baby. Where were we before that useless piece of junk right here interrupted us? Oh yeah. I remember. We were just about to jump to the next cloud. Here take my—"
Ring! Ring! Ring!
"I don't believe this mess! They don't give up out there," I said as reached for the phone and got ready to jerk it plum off the connections.
"Daddy, don't you dare try to hang up on me again. You hear! Now listen good! This is your favorite daughter, Linda, on this end. You had better answer me right back, because if you don't, I won't tell you why it'll be best to get your tail up at this very minute."
"Well, Anna, my baby. I guess I had better see what our family wants. Maybe it'll be just a tiny daughter–daddy question. I'll be right back. Don't leave me just yet. You hear? I won't be long, baby. I promise. Please don't fly away. Just stay right where you are."
"Daddy, you had better pick up on the phone or else!" the daughter shouted back once more.
"Good morning, my little Anna #2. Now, what can I help you with? You need to talk up pretty quick, because with this cold I've got, I'll probably fall back asleep if it isn't interesting."
"Oh, don't worry at all about what you can do to help me. You had better worry about being ready to face the four tiny monsters in a few minutes. They're all on the way over there with my sweet, but mean, Sister Christie. Go get ready now. No time to ask any questions."
"What are they coming over here to wake me up for?" I asked as I started to yawn. "I don't have anywhere else to go for three more hours."
"Don't worry about that. We'll tell you all about it when we have time. Now, Daddy, get off your butt before it's too late. I'm warning you. You know what'll happen if they have to get you out of the bed on their own?"
"Wait just a minute, my baby. I want to know what's up?"
"You haven't got time to listen to all that small stuff, Daddy. Just hurry up and get out of that bed. Now, needless to say again. Go put some good clean clothes over that big tail," she ordered. I heard her laugh a little bit before the calm sound of the dial tone started coming through.
Well, Anna baby, it looks like it might be tonight before we can get back together again. I got to be a good father and grandpa you know. Stay sweet, and keep those wings shining. Love you, baby, I thought. Then, I somehow managed to roll my fifty-four-year-old set of legs over the side of the bed. The cold water in the shower did its part to wake me up very quickly. Another ten minutes, I was dressed and sitting upon the couch, going through the mail of yesterday. You know, what sections of it I didn't already owe money to, I was asked very politely to do so.
"Daddy, open this door right now! You had better open it. Or so help us, you'll be crying for mercy when the girls and I get in. Okay, you won't open it, right? Then tell us where that darn key is at. We know you always hid it behind the mailbox 'til now. Darn it. Where is it hiding at?" That tone of voice was one I had heard a few times before. Even if the doors were unlocked, there still would be another battle of the century. Right here in this living room.
"Don't ya'll come in here. I don't love any of you; I want to sleep all day. So just go on to your own houses and bang on those doors," I shouted back with a grin as I started pouring another sip into the coffee cup.
"Daddy. Just one more time! Where is the key to this darn door? We know you have hidden it from us out here somewhere. But that won't help you in the least. These four little wild animals and myself are really getting into the war-battling attitude. Right girls? Say it!"
"YAHOO!"
I took another bite from the doughnut. Took another sip from the coffee cup. Then I gave another loud yawn. "Hey, I'm going back to sleep right here on the sofa. As far as the house keys, you bunch of mean animals, they're hidden somewhere out there. Probably in one of your mother's flowerbeds. I think I hid it out there last week, so I wouldn't be worried while I'm resting. So, either go home, or just keep on looking. I don't love any of you today. Good-bye and be careful."
You can just imagine how much I enjoyed a welcoming sound of expectant noise that roared back from the little devils. You know what I mean. They started banging on the door and repeating the names that my Christie would shout out first. Then, finally, I heard the sounds of a winning group of Powerball contesters. A few "Hoorays!" And a few more of the "Yahoos!" That's it now, I thought. It's time to finish my doughnut and coffee and then get ready for the battle of the century. An attack of the young monsters was just moments away. I think maybe I had better be a little bit more than just ready for this one. I lay back upon the sofa, with the pillow over my head. I pretended to be snoring. Then I heard the door lock snap back. I could also...
