Rudy's Angel

Following is the original story as written by Wilma H. Hlawiczka in memory of her husband Rudy.  It is reprinted here with permission.

This story is protected by copyright and was first published in:

"Chicken Soup for the Single's Soul: 101 Stories of Love and Inspiration for the Single, Divorced and Widowed"

ISBN:1558747060 Health Communications, Inc. September 1999

(This original story may be forwarded without compensation so long as the Title, Author's name, Publisher's name, Copyright notice, this statement and the full story are forwarded in their entirety.)

I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of thirty-seven years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

Rudy often came with me, and most every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with three yellow roses in his hand. Rudy knew I loved yellow roses.

With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since Rudy had passed on. Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.

Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how Rudy had loved his steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blond, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large pack of T-bones, dropped them in her shopping cart, hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks. She saw me watching her, and smiled.

“My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know."

I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."

She shook her head, and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away.  

I turned and pushed my cart across the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A quart I finally decided, and moved on to the ice cream section near the front of the store. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone.

I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming toward me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blond hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.

As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes.

"These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long-stemmed yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they'll know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek.

I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched her walk away as tears clouded my vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know?

Suddenly, the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone. "Oh, Rudy, you haven't forgotten me, have you?" I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.