The Grumpy Angel Strikes Again: The Tilly and George Adventures, #2

By Ellen M James

The Grumpy Angel is worried.  He has been given exactly what he wanted - an older person to look after - but really he feels he should be with Molly, the little girl he met on his previous job.  The Angel Inspectors arrive and give him the good news.  His new job is to somehow introduce Molly and Mrs. Moffat to each other.

This is most confusing for the Angel.  How can he possibly do this?  How can he be in two places at once helping both of them and what is the point of such a task anyway?

However, he grits his teeth and gets on with his mission, and during the escapades that follow he manages to fuse all the electrics in a shop, get caught in caves during a storm and flood Mrs. Moffat's house.  He also discovers Mud, the stumpy invisible creature from the garden, who has been with Mrs. Moffat as her helper for many years, and renews his ambiguous relationship with Woodsey Babe, Molly's feisty puppy.  

The adventures continue and the Angel somehow manages to deal with each new situation as if arises.

Finally, the Angel Inspectors arrive to collect him.  Has he done a good job?  Is he a success? 

Read on and see what you think!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ellen M James
• Release date: Apr 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201988555

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Mrs. Moffat peeped out from behind the net curtains.  Those boys were at it again.  Every time they went by they would take it in turns to swipe at her hedging with their long sticks.  The hedge was practically ruined and Mrs. Moffat didn’t know what to do.  She was too afraid to go out and confront the boys.  If she did they might throw a brick through her window and she certainly didn’t want that.  She didn’t recognise the boys anyway and she felt sure that they weren’t from the area.  Perhaps they were terrorising other old ladies, who could tell?  Perhaps nobody said anything because they were all too frightened? 

It hadn’t always been this way! 

When Mrs. Moffat had first moved into the street there had been so many friendly, happy children playing outside and they would  always wave to her if they saw her looking out of the window or call out a greeting if they met her whilst she was shopping.  Their faces had become familiar very quickly and she generally had a sweet or two in her pocket for them when they passed.  But, inevitably, they had all grown up and moved away.  If she was ever brave enough to offer any of these children a sweet they would probably laugh at her and give her a mouthful of abuse.  They might even mug her.  Eugh!  That was a terrifying thought!

Mrs. Moffat sighed and watched discreetly until the boys had gone.  Then she went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea.  She felt very lonely and rather sad.  It was getting to the point where she just didn’t want to leave the house any more.  Her hip hurt too.  She had undergone a hip replacement operation the year before and it was taking such a long time to heal.  She only felt comfortable sitting down and then she always made sure that her stick was next to her.  She didn’t know what she would do if she misplaced it.

She took her tea and biscuits with her into the living room and then eased herself into the squashy, green chair by the fire.  A couple of stray tears rolled down her cheeks.  She wiped them away with the back of her hand.  Never mind, she thought, the postman hasn’t been yet; perhaps there will be something interesting in the mail.     

Mrs. Moffat didn’t know it but a rather confused and grumpy-looking Angel with folded arms was standing right behind her chair.

What on earth am I doing with her? he asked the two Angel Inspectors who were about to leave.  I thought you were bringing me here to help Molly.  I’ve still got such a lot of work to do with her.

You will be helping her, smiled one of the Inspectors.

I don’t see how, retorted the Angel crossly.  If I was helping her I’d be with her, wouldn’t I?  I wouldn’t be with this pitiful, old lady who has lost the desire to do anything and spends most of her time peeping out at the world through net curtains.  Am I supposed to be assisting her on her way to the next world or what?

His disappointment had made him speak quite rudely to the Inspectors.  One of them raised a finger to his lips and the Angel sighed.

Yes, yes, I suppose you know best, he said.  Well, do I just wait with her until she decides to go or do I give her a shove in the right direction while she’s sleeping?

It’s not her time, said the tallest Inspector.  Molly needs her and she needs Molly.

Well now, that really makes sense, huffed the Angel.  She doesn’t even know Molly, does she?  I mean, let’s get real here, they live miles apart.  This is ridiculous.  This is not what I said I wanted to do and if it’s not her time then I just don’t know of what use I can be to her.  Tearful old ladies are not my scene.  I have very little patience when it comes to dealing with misery and pain!

It will be a challenge then, won’t it? responded the smaller of the Inspectors.  You must excuse us now but it’s time for us to go.  We’ll see you when you’ve finished the job.

With that they faded from sight and the Angel was left alone in the house with Mrs. Moffat and her cup of tea and tears.

The Angel let out a heavy sigh and patted the medal on his chest for comfort.  He had been awarded the medal for helping a young girl called Molly get safely through a series of remarkable adventures or misadventures as some might call them and the Inspectors had said he could work with her again; but it was obviously not going to be something that would happen in the near future.  Or was it?  The Inspectors had said that Molly and the old lady needed each other.  The Angel shook his head in despair.  He couldn’t believe that he had been dumped with such an old biddy, and a miserable one at that!

I suppose I could try and cheer her up, he said at last, drumming his fingers on the back of Mrs. Moffat’s chair.

Now, what can I do?  Ah yes, the postman will be arriving soon.  There’s an idea!  He chuckled to himself and snipped his fingers at exactly the same moment as the postman popped the mail through the letterbox. 

Something extra landed on the mat.

Mrs. Moffat took a gulp of tea and raised herself from the chair with the aid of her stick.  She made her way slowly to the front door.

Bills, bills, bills, that’s all there’ll be.  That’s all there ever is, she mumbled to herself.  She felt very stiff today and almost as if she couldn’t cope.  She bent down with difficulty to pick up the three letters that were lying on the mat.

Another load of rubbish, she muttered.  This one is about insurance; this one is asking for donations and what’s this?  In her hand was a plain, white envelope that she didn’t recognise.  She turned it over and then back and forth squinting at it.  She opened it with trembling hands and, having quickly read the contents, gasped in astonishment:

This can’t be true; it must be some sort of trick!  I don’t believe it!

Mrs. Moffat found that she was looking at a Cheque for £1000, a Cheque that was made out in her name.  She reached into her pocket and took out her glasses. 

Now I’ll be able to see who it’s from, and whether it’s real or not.

But there was nothing about the Cheque to suggest that it wasn’t real.  Apparently, she had won the money in a prize draw.  Mrs. Moffat had never won anything in her life and she had always tried to feel pleased when other people won things.  Sometimes it had been difficult.  Today, miraculously, it was her turn!  She didn’t actually remember entering a prize draw so that was a bit strange but perhaps if she sat down to finish her tea and took a good look at the Cheque it might come back to her.  The whole thing was most extraordinary.  What on earth would she spend it on, that was the next question?  There were so many things that needed sorting out around the house that she wouldn’t have a clue where to start. 

The Angel grinned.  This would stop her feeling sorry for herself for a while at least.  He really didn’t like dealing with human misery and unhappiness.  There was more than enough money floating around in the world and the Company whose name was on the Cheque had made such a great profit over the last year that it would never even notice the loss of such a piffling amount.  He wasn’t too sure that what he had done was entirely honest or angelic but the Inspectors had gone now and it was pretty much their fault anyway as they had promised that he could go back to Molly, and if he had to stay with Mrs. Moffat then he would at least like her to be cheerful. These were just some of the excuses that he made to himself so that he didn’t feel quite so guilty about his misdeed.

The next thing would be to get her out of the house.  He felt that he could do with a bit of fresh air.  The house smelled pretty stale and the carpets had definitely seen better days.  Carpets, he sniffed, he just didn’t like them, so unhygienic, much better to have a floor that one could clean easily, like marble or wood.  Ah well, it really wasn’t his business, but then again perhaps she could spend the money on bringing the house a little more up to date and maybe fumigating it.  Good Heavens!  And I dare to call myself an Angel, he thought.  I do have a tendency to think of the most horrible things!  He crossed himself quickly for luck as he didn’t want to get into trouble for blaspheming.  One could never be too sure who was listening or to whom they were likely to report.

Mrs. Moffat read the Cheque over and over.  She didn’t recognise the name of the Company that had sent it and she definitely couldn’t remember entering any prize draw whatsoever.

My, my, this is a surprise! she smiled to herself.  I’d better get it into my bank account quickly before someone finds out there’s been a mistake and wants it back.

Too right, said the Angel, knowing that Mrs. Moffat couldn’t hear him. We’ll go to the bank right away.

Mrs. Moffat liked to keep herself organised and her outdoor shoes were placed neatly behind the door below her coat.  She needed to know exactly where everything was as sometimes she was quite forgetful.  She always hid her purse down the side of the chair where she was sitting just in case her house was broken into and she would leave a small amount of cash on