The Face of an Angel

The clouds sprinkled droplets of water onto his canvas coat as he walked to the car, Bible under one arm and chin tucked a bit into the collar of his coat. It was the third church service he had visited in the small New Jersey town he had just relocated to. The heavens darkened suddenly as thundered rolled above him. Great, now I'm going to get stuck driving in a storm on the way home. He turned on the ignition and headed away from the tall white church he had just exited from. As he drove the rain pelted his windshield. He could barely see the road. Ahead was a small diner on the corner of an intersection. He pulled in. Eh, I have breakfast fixings at home but perhaps I'll just stop, eat and wait for the rain to slow. He reached behind his seat and began fishing for his umbrella. It wasn't in the back seat. Great! I guess I left that at home. This isn't my day for certain. At that point he wished he had slept in, instead of having bothered with the dull church service he had just attended.

The diner was bustling with waitresses busy with taking and delivering orders. Bus boys bustled around waitresses and dodged around patrons as they hurriedly removed empty plates. Laughter and conversation confronted him, along with the aroma of all things breakfast related: sausage, pancakes and brewed coffee.

A stout woman stood to the side of the main counter holding a lone cash register. Her eyes were a kindly blue. She smiled, "How many?" she asked in a thick accent.

His eyes widened as he drew his head back. "Uh, just a seat at the counter will do." he said brusquely.

She smiled and grabbed one menu. Her hair was cut short and was shellacked to her head with what appeared to be about 5 coats of hairspray. She led him to the counter. Several old men were disbursed at the counter. One was chatting happily with a pregnant waitress.

"I apologize if I was rude just now. I'm not exactly comfortable dining alone." he explained as he settled on the red cushioned stool.

"That is quite alright. I understand" she said as she patted in shoulder in departing.

He munched on his egg sandwich and watched CNN for what felt like an hour. He was growing bored with eating and turned his head to look towards the window to see if the rain had stopped. There she was, a golden smiling mirage. From the counter he couldn't make out the color of her eyes. She breezily stepped towards the stout woman manning the cash register. The hostess seemed to know her for she grabbed a menu and led her to a small booth in the center of the diner. The golden girl slid into the booth and put small shopping bag next to her. She seemed ecstatic to be there. Without even thinking he spun around and the stool and starting watching her.

She was a vision. Her skin was porcelain white and flawless. It glimmered like fine bone china when held towards the light. Her hair fell like strands of silk colored by golden rods. Hers was the face of an angel. He almost wondered if she was an angel. He had never seen a woman so unearthly in his life. She didn't look up from her menu and he wished she had. He wondered what the color of her eyes were. After she ordered she pulled out a small leather bound black book and began reading.

Oh! I think that's a Bible!

"Do you want more coffee sir?" the waitress behind the counter asked. He spun around in the stool, embarrassed, and looked at her.

"Uh, no...thank you." he said without hesitation. She started to walk away.

"Excuse me."

"Yes?" she asked kindly.

"Who is the golden haired girl over there?" he said as he pointed to the angel seated alone.

The waitress craned her neck and peered at where he was pointing.

"Ah, I don't know her name but she comes in nearly every Sunday." She looked at him with a broad smile. "Sorry." She said and waited.

"Thanks. I'll take the check when you have if ready."

He quickly paid and started toward the door. As he exited the restaurant he couldn't help but look back at her. At that moment she looked up with a far away expression and met his glance. She smiled at him before returning to her reading.

He walked outside to a drizzle. I should say hello. What do I have to lose? It's not like I ever dine alone or will likely come here again. He turned mid stride on his heel and headed back inside.

"Did you forget something?" the hostess asked in a thick accent.

"I did actually" he said with a smile. She tilted her chin and waited.

"I want to say hello to that girl seated in front of you. She has the face of an angel" he said breathing harder.

The hostess smiled warmly. "Indeed she is. She comes every Sunday, reads her Bible and...tips well" she added with little hesitation. "Say hello to her! She never comes with a man." she emphasized "with a man" and winked.

With the hostesses encouragement he briskly walked to her table. She looked up with deep grey, blue eyes that reflected the color of her soul almost as the ocean reflects the color of the sky. She tilted her face to one side and gazed at him. She didn't smile but the corners of her rosy lips rose at the corners.

His voice caught in throat. What am I doing?

"Hi, I saw you while seated at the counter...was that a Bible you were reading earlier?" he asked as softly as he could. His voice had a tendency to boom. Women had told him his mannerisms where overbearing. He thought of that as he spoke to her.

She smiled awkwardly. "Why yes it was. I'm surprised you could see that from all the way over there" She turned her head and looked at the counter while she responded.

A waiter dodged around him as he stood awkwardly in front of her.

"Did you just come from church?" he asked.

"Oh no, I have service in the afternoon actually. I like to head to breakfast in the morning beforehand to center myself" she said with an easy smile. She sat back in her chair and confidently made eye contact.

"Ooh, where do you go?" he asked with eagerness.

"It's a very small church about a 1/2 hour from here." she said guardedly.

"Oh." he said with disappointment. He could tell she wasn't up for visitors at her church. He wanted to leave. She was friendly but cool and reserved. He didn't like reserved women.

"Did you just come from church?" she asked.

"Well yes...I'm new in town. So far I haven't found anything I like yet but I'm trying." he said this somewhat louder.

She raised her eyes brows and widened her eyes. He wasn't sure if she reacting to the thunder in his voice or what he said.

She gestured to the seat across her. "Would you care to sit down?" she asked easily.

"Thank you." he said and sat across from her. He had absolutely never seen such a celestial looking woman in his life. She embodied purity. He wanted to know more of how a woman could even look like that.