RUDY'S ANGEL 

I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying  groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 37 years  was still too raw.

And this grocery store held so many sweet memories. 

Rudy often came with me and almost 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 the three yellow roses in his hands. 

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 large pack of T-bones, dropped them in her basket, 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 she 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 length of 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 towards 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 will  know these are paid for."

She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my   cheek, then smiled again.  I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still  unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my  vision.

I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the 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. Everyday be thankful for  what  you have and who you are.

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