Happy Holidays by Donna Jo Napoli

Author:Donna Jo Napoli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

Angel Talk

Light as a feather,’” said the archangel. “That’s what Raquel’s grandfather said. Could it be that you had a part in that?”

“I walked behind him, with my hands under his arms to steady him,” said the little angel. “He was easier to control than Raquel’s father. He didn’t seem to mind my pushing him, or even give it a second thought.”

“Describe Raquel’s grandfather to me,” said the archangel.

“You know what he’s like as well as I do,” said the Little Angel of Happiness. “He’s patient and easygoing and—”

“Describe him physically.”

“Well, he’s old and just a little bit overweight and not real strong and pretty tall, even though he kind of stoops, so it’s hard to see how tall.”

“That’s right.” The Archangel of Happiness put a finger in the center of the little angel’s chest. “Do you think it’s safe for him to climb stairs, even if you’re behind him, giving a little support?”

“I guess not.” The little angel got a quick shiver of panic at the image of Raquel’s grandfather missing a step and tumbling down the stairs. “Oh, no. What a risk I took. And now he has to go back down. I’d better go help him fast before he tries those stairs on his own. Oh no oh no oh no.”

“Shhh, now.” The archangel pulled the little angel to him and hugged him. “This is the kind of problem you can fix, so why be unhappy?”

The little angel looked up at the archangel. “He really is big, and I really am not.”

“We’ll do it together, one of us on either side of him.” The Archangel of Happiness’s voice held all the strength that the little angel needed.

“Thank you.” The little angel grabbed the archangel by the hand. “Come on.”

“And, by the way, congratulations,” the archangel said, loping along.

“For what?”

“You got Raquel not to back out on that trade. Grandpa’s presence was exactly what she needed to carry through.”

The little angel would have laughed if he weren’t so worried about Grandpa. “That’s not why I brought Grandpa upstairs. I didn’t know Raquel was going to try to back out. All I wanted was to make sure that Raquel was fair about the trade, that she had a generous spirit, like we talked about.”

“Let me get this straight,” said the archangel. “Raquel knew that Sarah wasn’t perfectly happy, and she certainly didn’t want that baby doll. So she traded entirely out of good feelings—entirely because she wanted Sarah to be happy.” The archangel squeezed the little angel’s hand. “Yesterday I don’t think Raquel cared all that much about other people’s happiness. But today she does. She’s definitely making progress. And you are behind it, whether by design or not. Keep it up.”

The little angel squeezed back on the archangel’s hand, but he didn’t feel settled at all. How could he keep it up when it seemed nothing was within his control?

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