Gabriel sat on Renee’s bed reading the poems from the drawer he was directed to.

“His name is Gabriel,
My guardian angel.
He cares for me.
He’s all I see.
He scares away the dark.
I am the tree and him the bark.
I love him more than anything
So I’ll take on everything
In my way
Just so I can still say
His name is Gabriel
My guardian angel.”

He read it again, this time in past tense. He did that for all of them in present tense. He knew it was coming. The doctor told him, “She won’t make it past tomorrow. She’ll be lucky if she makes it through the night.”

“Why did I make a promise I couldn’t keep?” The phone rang then. “Hello?”

“Gabe.” She gasped using her last breath for him. “Gabriel. I love you!”

“Renee, I-”

“I’m sorry Gabriel. She’s gone now. We couldn’t stop her from grabbing the phone.” The doctor explained.

“No, it’s fine. Just tell her. I don’t care if she’s already dead. Just say, “Gabriel loves you.” Then he heard the doctor say it. He also heard Renee say, “I know.”