Finding an Angel by P. J. Belden Read Free Book Online Page A

around he almost shuts it until he sees my packages laying there. He dips down, collects them, and goes back in, closing the door behind him. I don’t know if they’d read and open them now or if it’d be a while. So I go back home.

    Two weeks pass and I can’t handle sitting inside anymore. After telling Mom that I’m heading to my area, I walk there. My feet heavier than they’ve ever been. Miss Lily tries to reassure me that everything’s going to be fine, they just need time. But the bad voices were starting to get in more than Miss Lily’s.
    Pulling my legs up to my chest, I hug them tightly as I rest my chin on my knees the tears falling. “I miss him so much, Miss Lily. I wanted to help him, but maybe I just made things worse.”
    “No you didn’t.”
    My head snaps up at his deep, pitchy voice. With wide eyes and butterflies in my stomach, I stumble to my feet, grabbing Miss Lily and holding her in a half hug as normal.
    “I’m sorry if I overstepped…”
    Hunter shakes his head. “You didn’t. You gave us a piece back that we thought we lost forever. You never cease to amaze me Jessa. Even after I treated you so poorly, you still went out of your way to do that for us. Why?”
    Without thinking of my response, I just spoke what is in my heart.
    “Because I love you. You broke my heart that day, but something told me something was really wrong. When Mom and Dad told me, I started working right away and didn’t stop until I was done.”
    His eyes widen and he stares at me. It is then that my words come back to hit me upside the head with such force that tears form in my eyes. Looking up at him, I take a shaky breath as I continue to talk.
    “I didn’t know him long, but I have you. You hurting hurts me and I just…” Unable to find the right words, I decide action is what I need to do at this moment. So, I run at him and throw my arms around his neck and hug him. My first hug from someone that isn’t my parents. Miss Lily hangs against his back in my hand smiling at me for making this move.
    After a few second delay, Hunter wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me tightly against him as he buries his face in my neck. Not long after, his body begins to shake with his silent tears. With everything that I am, I wish this hug – our first hug- could be for a different, happier reason, but it isn’t and that’s okay. He needs me and I tighten my hold on him to let him know, I’m always here no matter what.
    “Jessa? Hunter? You two out here?” I hear Mrs. Sandean call out.
    Hunter pulls away from me, smiling sadly as he wipes his tears. Taking my hand, he leads me toward the Sandeans. My heart hammers in my chest. With my free arm, I hug Miss Lily to me. Did I overstep with them?
    “Oh,” Mrs. Sandean starts to cry. “You beautiful, talented girl. Thank you so much for your gifts. I didn’t know that you and Hawkeye were even talking.”
    “He’d asked in a letter to me if he could meet the girl that stole my heart and I gave him her address and they’ve been talking since, I guess. I didn’t even know,” Hunter answers.
    “I’m not good with emotions. It’s something I’m working on. Sometimes I get them confused and people get angry. I don’t mean to, but I do. So I don’t show any. But when Mom and Dad told me what happened, I felt determination fill me. I know that’s wrong in a case of losing a loved one and I’m sorry. As I was painting them, I was remembering his words and that’s what is written on the paintings as well. What he said about that moment. I was laughing. And I know that’s bad too. I’m sorry again. But he was funny in his letters to me, so thinking of him made me laugh. My mom says that sadness and tears are what people feel at times like this and I’m sorry that I’ve felt everything, but that for him. But for you guys,” I look at Hunter longer than Mr. and Mrs. Sandean, “I did feel sad. Sad that you lost a reason to smile. Sad that you were