Sarah and the Angelic Magical Makeover Read online

  “Valerie, this is Daniels Morgan. He’s become one of my best friends. He may be an angel.”

  Daniels chuckled as if he’d heard a droll anecdote, but he gave a slight bow to Sarah. “You’re fun to be around and make me laugh.”

  “Daniels, this is my new roommate, Valerie Townsend.” Sarah glanced from one earthling to the other.

  Daniels focused on Valerie and gave a smile to rival the nearest star. “Nice to meet you.”

  Sarah raised her brows. Wow! This guy seemed attracted to Valerie. Was that a good thing?

  Valerie responded. “Likewise. Y’all come on in. I’ll show you where to put Oceana’s things.” Valerie led the way and Daniels followed. He deposited the luggage next to the closet, and Sarah dropped her hobo bag on the bed.

  “May I offer you guys some iced tea?” Valerie glanced at Daniels and then to Sarah.

  “I’d love some,” Sarah responded and turned to her male friend. “How about you?”

  “Thanks. Iced tea is a good choice on steamy days, and today is one of the worst of them.”

  The group made their way to the living area.

  “I’m going to enjoy it here. Everything is so cozy.” Sarah made herself comfortable in a plaid club chair mixed with blues, greens and yellows. Daniels chose an identical one. An occasional table separated the two.

  Valerie’s face seemed to glow with happiness as she filled glasses from the open concept kitchen. “I hoped you’d be pleased with it.” She brought Sarah and Daniels their drinks “You and I seem to hit it off easily and right away. I feel you’re already a close friend and we hardly know each other.” She chose the grass-green sofa and sat across from them.

  Daniels nodded. “She has a way of doing that, doesn’t she?”

  Sarah grinned at the two humans. “Thanks.” She sipped the drink. “Icy and sugary. Just the way I prefer it.” She wrapped a napkin around the glass. “I feel a connection with both of you too—almost as if we’ve known each other since kindergarten. Funny how that sometimes works. Makes me think our meetings were preordained.”

  Valerie’s smile could turn a worthless penny into a twenty dollar bill. “Wow. I love that thought. Maybe God had something to do with it.”

  Sarah lifted her brows. “No doubt He did and does. He looks after us and gives us what we need, even when we aren’t expecting it. Look at us. I desired a place to live and you required a roomie.” She gestured toward Daniels. “I don’t drive, but Daniels chauffeured me around the city and gave me ideas for a job.”

  “I think you’ve already found one.” Daniels offered his comment and grinned.

  Sarah gave Daniels a thumb’s up and then focused on Valerie to explain. “Daniels found out I’m a musician of sorts. He took me by his church and I auditioned for the position of organist.”

  “You’ll think she’s an angel when you hear her play.” Daniels glanced at Sarah, and the admiration lit his face like a sunbeam.

  “And now you and I are friends.” Valerie gestured toward Sarah. “God amazes me.” Valerie placed one of the sofa’s large, throw pillows over her extended tummy in an obvious effort to hide her size.

  Sarah smiled as if she knew a secret. “Yep. Me too. I’ve been around Him a long time, and the Almighty constantly astonishes me.”

  “Count me in. The ways of the Lord are legendary. He’s given me a surprise or two.” Daniels raised his glass as if to give a toast. The two women raised their glasses to match his. Daniels downed his tea and stood.

  “I’d love to visit longer but I must get back to the hotel. I’m taking a guest to the airport and we’ll need to leave soon to get there in time. Valerie, your home is lovely, and thanks for the thirst-quencher. It was just right in this heat.” He turned to Sarah. “I’ll pick you up for church on Sunday.” He frowned and then glanced at Valerie. “Pardon my manners, would you like to go with us? Oceana will be playing for the service.”

  “Thanks. I’ll think about it.” Valerie smiled and led the way to the door.

  Daniels and Sarah followed.

  “See you Sunday, and remember, call me if you want to go someplace.” Daniels touched Sarah’s arm and then gazed at Valerie. “Nice to meet you.” With that comment, he waved and headed toward the parking lot.

  “He’s a fine man.” Valerie commented as she retraced her steps to the sofa. Once more, she placed the pillow in her lap.

  “Yes, he is. Handsome too, don’t you think?”

  “Totally. I think the two of you make an attractive couple.”

  Sarah felt the blood drain from her face. “No. No. I can’t have a man in my life. He felt sorry for me and offered me friendship. That’s all.”

  “Well, I think you should reconsider that thought. It’s obvious to me the two of you hit it off.” She laughed. “You said he might be an angel, and he mentioned you play a musical instrument like one. Those comments sound as though two people are falling in love, if you ask me.”

  Sarah widened her eyes. “I know what I am, but I don’t know for sure what he is. He may be a proper angel or he could be an unholy imp. On the other hand, maybe he’s merely a kind man who makes good things happen. Humans can have a Godly nature too.”

  Valerie snickered. “He’s not an angel or an imp. Spirits don’t come to earth as handsome men.”

  Sarah relaxed against the chair cushion and shrugged. “You never know.”

  Valerie bit back a giggle as if Sarah’s comment had come from one of her misguided, young students. “He’s not an angel, and he’s perfect for you. Now me? I’ve never had a relationship and don’t plan to have one, but I understand a good way to start a love affair is with friendship and you two have that already.”

  “Well, we’re friends, and you’re right. Friendship can turn into love.” Sarah grinned and set down the tea glass on a coaster. “Just not in my case.” Needing a new subject, she glanced around. “I love the colors you’ve chosen for your home. You’re a good decorator.”

  “Thanks. I picked a happy, rainbow palette.” She followed Sarah’s gaze around the room. “I expect to stay single for the rest of my life, so I selected things that please me.”

  “Seriously? You don’t want to be married?”

  Valerie waved a hand. “I’d like a boyfriend—maybe a husband one day, but no one will have me. Most men want trim, beautiful women.” She laughed, but the response sounded forced. Valerie removed the pillow she’d hidden behind. “Look at me. Do I fit that description?”

  “I think you do. You just don’t know it. Besides that, you thought Daniels showed interest in me, and I’m no svelte female—far from it, so that proves your theory wrong. We’re almost the same size, weight wise anyway. I’m just shorter. We allow our minds to dictate what we believe and our input is not always accurate. We accept stuff as true, but no matter how firm our conviction, it doesn’t mean that the junk we tell ourselves is real. A skilled airplane pilot doesn’t trust his eyes; he relies on instruments. Without them, he could be convinced he’s going up instead of down in foggy conditions, but he truly believes he’s headed the correct direction. His eyes deceived him. I say that to say this. We should trust God for true insight and not what our faulty minds come up with.”

  “You sound as though you taught one of my education or psychology classes in college, or maybe a preacher. The professors taught the mind could destroy self-image. They said our thoughts even convince us that right is wrong and wrong is right.”

  Sarah nodded. “I’ve seen people believe anger is justified in all circumstances and become convinced of it. Horrible actions and attitudes come with erroneous opinions.”

  “Exactly. I’m a good example of letting thoughts take precedence over fact. I’ve never been able to overcome my feelings of inadequacy. I’m never good enough, no matter what I do.” Valerie slipped both hands to her cheeks. “I allow my size to keep me from trying new things. I sometimes wonder how I managed to get through college and find a job. If I’d been born rich,
I’d have become a hermit, but the need to support myself propelled me. I guess I’m living like a coward.”

  Sarah clapped her hands in applause at the statement. “I’m in total agreement and have the same problem. I shake in fear at the thought of new responsibilities. My self-confidence is lost in the basement. In other words, I don’t have any.”

  Valerie laughed in a genuine response. “Maybe we can work on our mental attitude together and overcome these mindsets.”

  “Hey! That’s a great idea. Why didn’t I think of it first?”

  Seven

  Sarah turned down the bed and climbed in. My goodness, the day excited her! Would she fall asleep in this strange bed and new surroundings? Well, if not, she had a lot to think about.

  Whew! She’d achieved getting into Valerie’s life, so the initial leg of the journey was complete. Now, if she could continue the assignment without a hitch, all would be well. She and Valerie had chatted past midnight like old friends, and Sarah had mentioned wanting to start a fitness and nutrition routine. Valerie hadn’t shown much interest in the subject. Poopty doopty! What if she couldn’t draw Valerie into a healthy program? Valerie’s health depended on it, and so did the makeover. Somehow, she’d make it happen.

  Daniels had assisted her a great deal, and she breathed a prayer of gratitude. He’d gone to a lot of extra trouble for her, even asked a friend to help with fashion choices. My stars in the universe, could he be a nicer guy? While driving her around town, he’d discovered she was a musician. He then found a job for her. As they visited on their trips, the thought had occurred to her that he might be a candidate for Valerie, but would he?

  Why did she have a gnawing nudge about Daniels? God sent His angels to look after his creation, and that included her as an angel. Sometimes she recognized them and other times, she didn’t. It was the same way with the unholy spirits. Talen, the evil minion, had fought her once on a previous mission, and he had assumed numerous disguises. At times, she’d failed to spot his masquerades. What if Daniels was an evil spirit disguised as a good guy? If so, was he here to thwart her mission? Surely not. The guy had done nothing but bring blessings to her, but the Commander had warned her about a male human. He’d said Valerie would fall for a guy but he would not be the one for her. She shuddered as she stared at the ceiling and recalled the exact words. “He isn’t who she thinks he is.”

  Merciful heavens! What if she brought an evil spirit disguised as a nice guy into Valerie’s life? Horrors!

  On the other hand, actual human beings could act like the devil when they weren’t actually one.

  Daniel went to church, so that was a good sign.

  Sarah sighed. No it truly wasn’t. She’d watched from The Heavenlies as Satan and his minions entered churches and disrupted them. Sometimes the malicious spirits were disguised as mortals and on other occasions, the vile ones influenced the humans. Either way, that powerful entity who opposed the Almighty had split the flocks and brought harm to humanity.

  Sarah’s thoughts turned to Valerie. After the long chat, Valerie seemed comfortable to have her as a roommate. Maybe her friends in The Heavenlies were right. She related to humans with the empathy and sympathy gifts the Holy One had bestowed upon her. At least she had a few good qualities to go along with the havoc she unwittingly caused.

  Breathing a prayer for success on this mission, Sarah recalled the evening’s conversation. Valerie would return to a classroom in August. Sarah suppressed a groan. How much weight could a human lose in one month? This make-over business would prove a challenge.

  With that thought, Sarah turned over on her side, closed her eyes, said another prayer, and allowed sleep to sweep over her.

  ~ * ~

  The aroma of coffee awakened Sarah. Hopping out of bed, she donned a new blue and white cotton wrap. Daniels’ helpful friend, Uzelle, had suggested it, and Sarah enjoyed the fabric’s softness. Muslin was her customary attire, but it was a little rougher to the skin. She padded barefoot into the kitchen.

  Valerie moved about the kitchen in her kimono. “Morning. Ready for coffee?”

  “Thanks. I’d love some.” Sarah chose a barstool at the counter and rubbed sleep from her eyes.

  “Cream, sugar?” Valerie handed both to Sarah.

  “Always.” Sarah dumped four teaspoons of sugar into the coffee and then topped off the mug with milk.

  Valerie plated fried eggs, sausage, along with browned potatoes and handed the banquet to Sarah. She then added an additional plate of biscuits covered in gravy and placed it to the right of Sarah’s plate.

  Sarah’s eyes widened. “This is a huge breakfast. Thanks for going to this trouble, but are we going to have this menu every day? I don’t know how to cook any of this stuff.” Sarah stared at the mound of grape jelly sitting in a bowl next to the salt and pepper. What was she supposed to eat the jam on? The biscuits were covered in creamy gravy. Maybe humans ate it like a gelatin dessert. She chose a spoon and took a large bite.

  Yum. Rather tasty. Sarah picked up the bowl and polished off the sweet treat.

  Valerie grinned. “I see you like jelly. I’m cooking breakfast for both of us today, but I always fix this for me on the weekends. On school mornings, I usually eat three or four oatmeal cookies with my coffee. I like the kind with cream filling. The cookies are fast food, and I can take a few to school with me. Healthy too, right?”

  “I hear oatmeal is a healthy choice, and Chef Andrew suggests it, but I’ve never tried it down here.”

  “Down here?”

  Sarah nodded. “I meant in this part of Texas.”

  “Oh. I guess every part of the country has their favorite breakfast items.” Valerie chose a barstool. “You say grace so beautifully, would you do it again?”

  ~ * ~

  Sarah leaned back and rubbed her tummy after the meal. “I’ll rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. I think I know pretty much how to do it. I stayed with friends once and they taught me how.”

  Valerie’s eyes widened. “You never had to do anything in the kitchen as a kid?”

  “My Father has a lot of help and we are assigned different jobs. I spent time learning to play the harp and other musical instruments.”

  “That must’ve been nice.”

  “It was, but when it comes to being a normal human being, I’m kind of stuck.”

  Valerie giggled. “I love the way you talk.”

  ~ * ~

  Once the dishwasher was loaded, Sarah dressed for the day in walking shorts and tank top. She joined Valerie in the living room. “What’re your plans for the day?”

  “I’m reading.” Valerie held up a book. “How about you?”

  “I’ve been considering joining a sports center. Remember? I mentioned it last night. Are there any close by? Exercise is supposed to be good for the soul, mind, and body. I thought I might start today and give it a whirl.”

  Valerie sighed. “I’ve read that it’s good for you but never experienced it. There’s a fitness facility in our neighborhood—down the street about two miles.”

  “Yeah, I’ve never done much of that workout stuff either.” Sarah paused and frowned. “Well, there was that one time I tried it on a cruise ship. The experience about killed me, and I haven’t been in a gym since. Those people did some bizarre things with mysterious equipment. How about coming with me? Let’s go see what they do at the one up the street.”

  “No thanks. I’d rather read than work up a sweat.”

  “Aww, come on. I hate to go alone. A supportive friend is always better. We’ll walk over there and merely look the place over and then we’ll come back here and read.”

  Valerie studied Sarah a few minutes and then closed her paperback. “For pity’s sake, it’s July in Houston. Only the unwise walk or jog in the middle of the day. Exercise isn’t your normal routine, plus the fact, you aren’t accustomed to Houston heat. I’d feel horrible if you passed out.” She laid her volume aside. “Two miles is too far to walk when
you aren’t used to it, and if I’m going, I’m definitely not walking. I’ll drive you to the gym.”

  At the fitness center, both ladies welcomed the air-conditioned, cool air. Walking from the car to the interior had them both perspiring.

  Sarah breathed deeply. “Hmmm, that feels good.” She clasped hands behind her back and glanced about. “This place is hopping with people.”

  Valerie drew brows together as she too inspected the area. “Seems a lot of folks like this junk.”

  A macho-looking, handsome man approached the ladies. “Hi, I’m Travis, the onsite trainer. Welcome. May I assist you with something?”

  Valerie glanced up at Travis. “We want to know what happens here.”

  Travis smiled, gave Valerie the once-over and gestured toward the area in front of him. “We provide opportunities for body remolding, and we specialize in nutrition programs. As a trainer, I offer guidance on heath, diet, and body fitness.”

  Sarah tilted her head back and grinned at the blond instructor. She then inspected his ring finger. It was bare. “I’m Oceana and this is my friend, Valerie. I met a trainer on a cruise ship once. The woman had me doing petrifying things on apparatuses I’d never seen. Do you do that too?”

  Travis laughed with a deep, rich sound. “The equipment isn’t scary once you learn how to use it. If you don’t care for machines, we have a multitude of classes.”

  Sarah shook her head. “I don’t like Algebra, but I’ve been told I could use a computer course.”

  Widening his eyes, Travis stared at Sarah. “I meant exercise curricula. We provide water sports, yoga, line dance, Zumba, Pilates, cycling, to name a few. And then we have Body Attack. It’s our most popular activity.”

  Sarah took a step back. “You attack bodies in this place? I’ll need a few guardian angels to come down and help me if you plan to assault us.”

  Valerie placed a hand over her mouth to hide a smile.

  Travis scratched his brow as if a headache were headed his way. “No, we don’t literally assault people. That’s the name of the exercise. The workout is designed to give maximum cardio fitness. Let me give you a tour and then you’ll understand more about what we do here.”