Eileen George of Milbury, Massachusetts, walked her six- and seven-year-olds to the school bus stop.  It was cold, and soon the Christmas holidays would be here.  As always, Eileen silently asked the children’s guardian angels to be with them and protect them all day.  “’Bye, Mommy!”  The children waved, hopped on the bus and were off. 

That afternoon Eileen walked back to the bus stop, and waited for the familiar yellow vehicle.  Soon it came, stopping n the other side of the street.  This was always tricky, making sure the children crossed safely and o mishap occurred.  But everything seemed ordinary---the driver had put out her STOP sign, and the caution lights were flashing.  Eileen’s two youngsters walked in front of the bus, looked both ways and started to cross.

 Then, seemingly out of nowhere a car sped past the bus toward the children, directly in its path.  Horrified, Eileen screamed.

             The car whizzed on.  But no small crumpled bodies lay in the street.  Her children stood safely in front of the bus, bewildered yet unharmed.  Eileen ran to them, gathering them into her arms.  How had they escaped?         

 “Mrs. George, did you see, did you see it?” the bus driver, as shaken as she, climbed down the steps.

“See what?” Eileen asked.

Astounded, the driver explained.  From her higher vantage point, she had watched the George children walk in front of the bus and out into the street.  Then, as the speeding car approached, she saw both children suddenly jerked backwards to safety, the necks of their coats pulled up by unseen hands.

 That night, Eileen gave special thanks to her children’s guardian angels.  Christmas hadn’t arrived yet, but she had already received her gift.

 © 1993 Joan Wester Anderson  Originally published in Woman’s Day Magazine