The Bridge Across Forever: A True Love Story

"What an ad! Yes! I answer!"

"I'm not done yet,"

she said. "Must be emotionally stable, honest and trustworthy and a positive constructive person. Highly spiritual, but no organized religion. Must love cats."

"Why, that's me to the letter! I even love your cat, though I suspect the feeling isn't mutual."

"Give him time," she said. "He's going to be a little jealous for a while."

"Ah. You gave it away."

"Gave what?" she said, letting the sheet fall, leaning forward, adjusting the pillows.

The effect of that simple act, the effect of her leaning forward, was for me a push into ice and fire. As long as she was still, she was as sensual as I could stand. When she moved, the softs and curves and lights of her changing, every word in my mind jarred into happy wreckage.

"Hm. . . ?" I said, watching.

"You animal. I said, 'What did I just give away?' "

"If you stay very still, please, we can have a nice talk. But I must tell you that unless you are dressed, a small amount of that pillow-moving tends to run me off my rails."

I was sorry at once. She pulled the sheet to cover her breasts, held it there with her arms, and looked at me primly over her cracker.

"Oh. Well, yes," I said. "What you gave away by saying that your cat would be jealous for a while was that you think I meet the requirements of your advertisement."

"I meant to give it away," she said. "I'm glad to see you took it"

"Aren't you afraid that if I know that, I will take advantage of you?"

She let the sheet loose an inch, arched an eyebrow. "Would you like to take advantage of me?"

With enormous mental effort, I reached to her and moved the white linen upward.

"I noticed it was falling, there, ma'am, and in the interest of having a minute to talk with you I thought perhaps I'd best be sure that it doesn't come down too much farther."

"How good of you."

"Do^you believe," I asked her, "in guardian angels?"

756

"To protect and watch over us and help guide us? Sometimes, yes."

"Then tell me: why should a guardian angel care about our love-life? Why should they guide our romances?"

"Easy," she said. "To a guardian angel, loving is more important than anything else. To them, our love-life is more important than any other kind of life we have! What else should angels care about?"

Of course, I thought, she's right!

"Do you think it might be possible," I said, "for guardian angels to take human form for each other, to be lovers every few lifetimes?"

She took a bite from her cracker, thinking about it. "Yes." And in a moment, "Would a guardian angel answer my ad?"

"Yes. For certain. Every male guardian angel in the country would answer that ad, if they knew it was you, advertising."

"I just want one," she said, and after a moment, "Do you have an ad?"

I nodded, and surprised myself. "Been writing it for years: Wanted: a one hundred percent female guardian angel in human body, please. Independent, adventurous, extreme wisdom required. Prefer ability to initiate and respond creatively in many forms of communication. Must speak Horse-Latin. "