An Angel's Voice

By: James Ziegler

            Rufus Brown had a relationship with his grandmother that no one could describe. She had always been there for him, after both of his parents had died in a car accident. Rufus was only five years old at the time. His grandmother, Anita, took in him and his sister Gloria. Anita most definitely did not have the money to take care of them. She put the kids as her first priority. When times got tough, Rufus remembers her always saying, “We’ll make do with what we got”.

            Every night, after dinner, Rufus, his sister, and grandmother would sit on their front porch. With a Coca-Cola in hand they would talk into the evening. “Have I got a story for the two of you!” she would say. Rufus and Gloria loved her stories. Their favorites were the ones about their mother. “Tell us another one about mama!”. She had endless stories about her. Anita named her daughter Ella, after her favorite singer Ella Fitzgerald. “Your mama was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen” she said. “She was one crazy child I’ll tell you that!”

            “Rufus honey!”, Rufus walked into his grandmother’s room. Anita was sitting in her rocking chair while Ella Fitzgerald’s “Summertime” played on the radio. “Yes grandmama?” “Come sit with me darling”. Rufus went and sat on her lap. As they rocked together Anita said, “Doesn’t she have just the most beautiful voice!” “Sure thing” Rufus replied.

            Sitting and listening to music with her was the most soothing thing in the world. It was something Rufus would never forget as long as he lived.

            When Rufus was eighteen, he came home from his job at the lumber yard. “Evenin’ grandmama” he said as he walked in the door. “Nice to see you too!” shouted Gloria. Rufus went over and kissed his sister on the forehead. “Rufus honey can you go get the mail for me darlin’?”, Anita was making the kids favorite dinner, chicken pot-pie. He did not want to leave the house because it smelled so good. “Sure” “Hurry honey dinner is just about done”. As Rufus got to the mail he heard something fall, then his sister scream.

            Rufus ran to the house as fast as he could, he flung the door open and ran in. He saw his grandmother lying on the floor with Gloria beside her. She was unconscious. “She’s still breathing!” Gloria yelled. Rufus picked up his grandmother. His first instinct was to run to the hospital. He and Gloria started running with Anita in his arms.

            Down the road they saw someone getting into their car. “Please help my grandmama fell!”, Rufus exclaimed to the man. The man hesitated at first, “I’ll drive you to the hospital” he said as he hurried into his car. Rufus and Gloria climbed into the back.

            “Please hurry she’s not breathing!” yelled Rufus, he started to cry. A tear fell on his grandmother’s face. He wiped it away and kissed her cheek. “We’re gonna help you I promise” he whispered in her ear.

            As they were waiting in the hospital, the doctor came out. “Hey doc how’s she doin?” Rufus asked. “I’m sorry son, but your grandmother has passed, she had a heart attack” said the doctor. Rufus stared blankly at the doctor. Tears started to roll down his cheeks. Gloria grabbed Rufus’ arm and started sobbing.

            A couple of days later, Rufus used all of his money to have a funeral for his beloved grandmother. To his surprise, more people came than he thought would. Before Anita was buried he went over to say his last good bye. He leaned over her body, “You look beautiful grandmama”. He put his head down to her ear, “I love you” he whispered. He kissed her cheek and walked away.

            As the casket lowered into the ground, he heard singing. It was Gloria. She was singing “Round Midnight” by Ella Fitzgerald. He put his hand to his face in shock. He had never heard her sing. Her voice was angelic. Just like Ella’s.

            He looked up to the sky with tears in his eyes, and smiled.