Their twenty-fifth anniversary was in a couple of days and John had made all the plans for a special night with Sandy. Reservations had been made at their favorite restaurant and a room at the downtown Hilton. A limousine was scheduled to pick them up at seven o’clock.
“John, where are we going?” Sandy had repeatedly asked him.
“I’m not telling! And for the umpteenth time quit asking. All you need to know is that I want you to wear your new red gown and pack an overnight bag,” he answered.
“Please!”
“Nope! Now stop it!”
The day arrived and John was waiting for her to get ready. While she was upstairs he had gone to the family room and quickly changed into his tuxedo. He had a corsage and boutonniere stashed in the fridge in the garage. He heard her coming down the stairs.
“Wait a minute, please,” he ordered while retrieving the flowers.
“Close your eyes,” he ordered with the corsage in his hand.
“What did you do?” she giggled while descending the stairs.
He took her hand and helped her with the steps and stopped her on the last one.
“Open your eyes,” he said.
“John!” she smiled as she stared at her husband.
“You’re beautiful! Let me pin on this corsage,” he exclaimed, “that dress really accents your blonde hair. Now I have a surprise for you. I know that silver is a traditional gift for twenty-five years. You deserve more than that. Turn around please.”
Sandy did as she was told and waited.
“Now close your eyes.”
She could feel something being placed around her neck and fastened in the back. John led her to a mirror and stopped her in front of it.
“Ok, honey, you can look.”
Sandy squealed with delight. Around her neck was a diamond and ruby necklace.
“John, I love it! It must have cost a fortune!”
“Nothing is too good for you. I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said before she kissed him.
They were interrupted mid-kiss by the honking of a horn.
“That’s our ride. Are you ready?”
Sandy nodded yes and out the door they went. John carried their overnight bags to the limo and the driver put them in the trunk.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out in due time.”
“Where are you going?” asked the driver.
John handed him a folded piece of paper, he glanced at it and they were off. Little did they know they weren’t alone.
John’s angel, Corinthias and Sandy’s angel, Tocanias were sitting across from them in the limo.
“We must be on the alert tonight,” said Corinthias, “that necklace will attract a lot of attention.”
“I agree,” replied Tocanias.
The limo pulled up in front of the Hilton. The doorman came to the limo and opened the door.
“My name is John Blubaker. I was here yesterday and made all of the arrangements.”
“Oh, yes, hello Mr. Blubaker. Let me call a bellhop. Your luggage will be in your room when you return.”
“Thank you,” replied John while slipping a large bill into his hands.
“Thank you and you are more than welcome.”
“The Hilton! John, just what have you done? This is too much.”
“Nonsense! Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Starved.”
John handed another folded piece of paper to the driver, he glanced at it and they left the hotel. In a few minutes they pulled up in front of Mastrianni’s, the best Italian restaurant in town.
“Mastrianni’s! You know I love this place. They have the best veal parmesan I have ever eaten. This is wonderful.”
The driver opened the door for them and on the way into the restaurant John told the driver, “Be back for us at nine, please.”
“I don’t like this,” said Tocanias,” I sense something is wrong.”
“You too! I don’t trust the limo driver. You go in with them. I’ll stay here and try to find out what is wrong,” answered Corinthias.
Tocanias nodded in agreement and followed them. Corinthias watched as the driver took a cellphone from his pocket and made a call.
“I’ve got one. It’ll be easy. Wife’s wearing a diamond and ruby necklace easily worth twenty grand. Be ready, we won’t get there until a little after nine.”
Corinthias nodded and went into the restaurant.
Meanwhile John and Sandy were met by the restaurant owner.
“Mr .and Mrs. Blubaker, welcome. Your table is ready. As requested, you have the best table in the house. Enjoy the meal and yourselves,” he said while summoning a waiter.
They were ushered to a table that was somewhat secluded. It was near a fireplace and the glow of the embers made a beautiful setting. A waiter came and took their order. While waiting for their meal, they talked.
“This is lovely. I can’t believe you did all of this,” she gushed.
“Honey, a twenty-fifth anniversary is a special one. I wanted to make it special for you,” he answered.
“You have. Beyond my wildest expectations you have.”
Their food came and it was excellent. Sandy’s veal parmesan was perfect. They topped of the meal with their favorite wine.
“Honey, it’s nine o’clock. Our ride will be waiting.”
“Do we have to go?” she pleaded.
“Yes, we do. Let’s go to the hotel. By chance did you pack anything sexy?” he asked with a gleam in his eye.
“I’ll never tell. Two can play that game,” she teased.
The limo was waiting outside and they got in.
“Where to?” asked the driver.
“The Hilton, please.”
Corinthias told Tocanias about the phone call.
“Should we request help?” asked Tocanias, “I’m sure the Master will send help if weneed it.”
“Let’s wait and see what happens,” answered Corinthias,” maybe we can handle it ourselves. Be ready for anything.”
The first inkling John had that something was wrong was when the driver turned onto a street the opposite direction from the hotel.
“Where are you going? This isn’t the way to the Hilton,” he asked.
“Shortcut,” came the answer.
John settled back into his seat. He was uneasy but was willing to give the driver the benefit of doubt. The farther they went the uneasier he became. When the driver pulled into an abandoned warehouse he got scared.
“What is this? Why are we here?”
“Shut up!” came the answer.
“Listen here!” John said.
“I said shut up!” said the driver while holding up a pistol for them to see.
The driver slowed to a stop and two rough-looking men emerged from the darkness.
“Get out!” he ordered while pointing the pistol at them.
“Please! Don’t hurt us!” cried Sandy, “we’ll give you whatever you want!”
“I know you will. For starters, gimme that necklace. We want your purse, wallet, rings, watch, phone, everything. Then we’ll see where it goes. You look pretty good in that dress. I bet you look even better without it,” he said. “take it off.”
“You won’t get away with this,” said a frightened John.
“Oh, I think we will. You’re not the first and won’t be our last. They will never find your bodies. Now take off that dress!”
Sandy looked at John, started crying, and reached behind her to unzip the gown.
“Are you ready?” asked Corinthias.
“Yes, I’ll take care of the gun. Do we let them see us?”
“Yes, let’s put a fear in them they’ll never forget!” he answered.
Springing into action, Tocanias grabbed the gun from the driver. He threw it away and picked him up by the throat. Holding him face to face, he slapped him and then threw him headfirst into an empty dumpster.
Corinthias had cornered the other two men. Terrified, they tried to get away. He grabbed them both by the napes of their necks, bashed their heads together and deposited them into the same dumpster.
Tocanias closed the lid and found something heavy to hold it shut. Then they both disappeared.
“Did you see that?” asked a very badly shaken Sandy.
“I’m not sure what I saw,” answered John.
“Call 911!” she ordered.
John retrieved his phone and made the call. In a few minutes the police arrived.
“What happened?” asked the officer.
They told him all the details.
“Where are the assailants?”
They pointed to the dumpster.
“How did they get in there?”
“You won’t believe us.”
“Try me.”
They told him about their rescuers and what they did.
“You’re right. I don’t believe you,” he said.
“How else could they be in the dumpster? They are big men. I couldn’t lift them over the rim,” answered John.
The officer just stared at them.
“There have been some baffling disappearances lately. People going out and not returning home. I wonder if these men are involved,” he said.
“They said they were going to kill us. Said our bodies would never be found. If I were you I’d search here for the missing people,” said John.
“We’ll look in to it. Where can we take you?”
“The Hilton. It’s our anniversary.”
Corinthias and Tocanias watched from the shadows. Satisfied that all was well, they reported to the Master.
“Well done. Both of you saved their lives tonight,” said Jesus.
“Thank you, Master, we are glad we could handle the situation.”
“I had help ready if you needed it. There were three angels on standby. You frightened them, in fact, they were terrified. While in prison I will direct someone to share my love with them. Hopefully, they will accept me. If they let me I will change their hearts. Take them out of Satan’s control,” Jesus announced.
“Yes, Master.”
“You had better get back to John and Sandy. I doubt they’ll sleep tonight. Watch over them, please.”
“Always.”
June 25, 2023