By the time the sun rose, I was already outside, working in the garden. Having my back to the street made me nervous, but Aileen promised to keep an eye on me.

"Aileen, got any chrysanthemums in those magic fingers of yours? They were my moms favorites."

I glanced to her spot on the front porch when she didn't reply. To my surprise, she was nowhere in sight. "Ail-"

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise." I heard, turning to see Emily stepping out of her car.

I stood as quickly as I could, pulling my gloves off. "O-oh, hey, I didn't hear you pull up."

Aileen appeared behind her, blowing a kiss my way.

I smiled a little as Emily approached me. "The garden's really coming along. And I'm really happy to see you outside the house."

A blush formed on my cheeks. "Thanks... Would you like to come in?"

Emily nodded. "That would be great."

I left my gloves on the front porch, leading Emily into the house.

She looked around. "Nice place."

"Thanks, uh, it was my mothers."

   Emily took a seat at the kitchen table, gesturing to the seat in front of her. "You don't talk about your mother much, tell me about her."

   I gingerly sat down, absentmindedly digging my nail into the wooden tabletop. "There isn't much to tell, she had a thing for Jimi Hendrix and Columbo. She was kind of a hippie in her younger days. And she loved flowers."

   Emily scribbled something in her notebook before looking up at me. "That's really all there was to her?"

   My eyes fell to the table, my nail digging deeper into the wooden surface. "She wasn't around much after I was born... Michelle remembers her better than I do..."

   Emily gave me an appraising look. "Why do I get the feeling you're withholding something?"

   I dug my nail deeper, resting my chin in my free hand, staring blankly at the table top. A few tears welled in my eyes as my memories drifted back to my mothers final moments.

   "She... She had cancer for years... And no one told me until she was on her deathbed... Michelle knew... Hell, even the neighbors knew... But, no one told me..." A single tears rolled down my cheek.

   "Why do you think that is..?" Emily asked softly.

   I shrugged, feeling the splintered wood under my fingernail. "I was locked away in my apartment by then..."

   "Did you make any effort to see her?"

   I shook my head. "She could've called... She could've came with Michelle..."

   "You could've went to her..." Emily said.

   A couple more tears slipped out, the wooden splinters digging into my skin. "I... I was afraid... By the time I found out... It was to late anyway..."

   "How'd you find out?"

   I picked my hand up, wiping the tears from my eyes. "Michelle called from the hospital... She had to pull the plug... I didn't even get to hear her last words..."

   Emily sat back then. "I'm sorry, Carla..."

   I looked down at the little line of blood dripping down my fingertip. "Me to..."

   After our session, I saw Emily out before pouring myself a glass of whiskey, taking a seat on the couch.

   "How're you holding up, kid?" Aileen asked, suddenly appearing next to me.

   I let out a long breath. "I'm ok..."

   Aileen nodded, looking down at the floor. "Your mom was only trying to protect you... She knew the state your mind was in and she didn't want to add any more negativity..."

   I took a long sip of my whiskey. "How would you know..?"

   She placed her hand on mine, giving it a little squeeze. "I'm an angel, remember?"

   I felt some more tears well up. "I didn't ask her to do that... I could've taken it..."

   "Do you really believe that?" Aileen asked.

   I closed my eyes, shaking my head. "I guess we'll never know..."

   Aileen let out a sigh. "Can I ask you something?"

   I just nodded, eyes still closed.

   "If you're mad at your mom, why take care of her garden?"

   "I'm... I'm not mad at her..." I replied in barely a whisper.

   "Then, who are you mad at..?"

   I knew exactly who I was mad at, I was just to afraid to admit it out loud. But, something about Aileen made it easier. I felt comfortable around her. My mind always at ease when she was around. "Myself..."

   "Why?"

   I stood, my legs struggling to keep me upright. "Because... It's all my fault... I got in the car that night... I locked myself away... I avoided my mother..."

   I turned my back to Aileen. "I had some change on me that day... Maybe if I would've just given it to her... Maybe none of this would've happened..."

   Aileen stood, placing a hand on my shoulder. I relaxed into her touch. "It's not your fault, kid... The human mind is a powerful thing... And, sometimes, it can make decisions for us... Whether they're the right ones or not isn't up to us..."

   I finally turned to her, looking up into her eyes. The most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. "Thank you, Aileen..."

   She gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Anytime, kid..."

I stood in front of her, my eyes locked with hers, a blush forming on my cheeks.

It's like I've just noticed her after all this time. "You really are beautiful, you know that..."

   A look of shock crossed her features, an actual blush forming on her cheeks. All the confidence she seemed to exude disappearing in a wink. "Uh, wow... No one's ever... Thank you..."

   A little smile pulled at my lips. "I didn't know angels could blush..."

   She averted my gaze. "It's not a blush..."

   I leaned closer to her, causing her breathing to pick up. "It looks like one to me..."

   Aileen moved her head back slightly, looking down at me. "Your face is really close to my face..."

   I felt my heartbeat pick up, adrenaline coursing through every inch of me. "Is there a problem with that..?"

   She shook her head. "No... It's just... New, that's all..."

   I cupped her cheeks, bringing my lips even closer to hers. So close I could feel her breath on mine. I didn't know what I was doing, all I knew is that, for some reason, it felt right.

"I'm gonna kiss you now... Unless you don't want me to..."

   Aileen swallowed hard, her body trembling. "I... Want you to..."

   A smile pulled at my lips again before I closed the distance, capturing her lips with mine.

   Her eyes fluttered closed, her body relaxing against me, her hands finding my hips.

   I felt her cheeks heat up under my hands, a bright light shinning through my eye lids.

   She suddenly pulled back, causing me to open my eyes. Every inch of her skin was glowing, her eyes shinning a bright white.

   "What's happening?" I asked, hesitantly reaching my hand towards her.

   She looked down at her own hands as the glowing dimmed. "I-I don't know... That's never happened to me before..."

   I took a step towards her, resting my hands on her hips, looking up into her glowing eyes. "I kinda liked it..."

   She looked at me, dropping her hands to her sides. "Me to..."

   We stared silently at each other for what felt like a lifetime before she leaned in, locking her lips with mine...