The Ox and the Angel
A Love Story
By R.M. Willis

Ox stood alone in his pen, wondering what life was about. He wasn't a particularly smart animal, but he did like to think. It was his favorite pastime, standing and chewing, thinking and swatting flies with his tail. It was a good life for an ox, but he wasn't happy. Even though he had lots of friends, he was still lonely.
He wanted someone to connect with, someone that wouldn't judge him based on his rotund and simple appearance. He wanted to be in love. But who could love an ox? He moved into the shade and leaned against a tree to scratch a rather persistent itch when he saw her. She walked as though she were gliding, moving across the sunflower field, her delicate features glowing in the daylight.
He couldn't help but stare, his itch forgotten, his mouth hung agape, as flies moved in to feast at the cud dropping from his tongue. He had never seen an angel before, and she was beautiful; hair the color of rich earth, skin a smooth caramel, eyes deeper then space itself. She wore a silken white dress, and her wings were folded back like a gossamer cape.
She looked up, their eyes met. He snorted in surprise and suddenly realized that he was drooling. She giggled, and he kicked up a cloud of dust as he fled. Hiding at the back of his stall, he was horribly embarrassed for such a vision to see him ogling her like the dumb animal he was.
"Hello?" a musical voice sang above him.
Ox looked up at the angel perched on the roof of his shelter. Her smile radiated through her face, adding to the glow of her halo. She stretched her white wings and floated down to him. Her bare feet delicately touched the dusty ground, yet left no dimples. "What's your name?" she asked.
"Ox." As soon as he answered, he regretted it. He sounded so dull compared to her melodious voice.
She smiled kindly. She must be taking pity on him. He suddenly felt trapped in his little stall, and wished he were still in his outer pen. He tried backing up, but his rump was already stuck in the corner. She giggled, clearly patronizing his predicament. "My name is Angel," she said.
"Hi." Stupid, can't I come up with anything better than that? Ox shook his head in frustration and caught his horn in one of the poles supporting his stall. Try as he might to pull it loose he was stuck. The angel laughed with abandon at the sight of him. This made Ox furious, and embarrassed. He squeezed his eyes closed, kicked out wildly with his hooves, thrashed his tail, and strained until the muscles in his neck bulged, but he still couldn't pull himself loose.
He felt a light touch on his nose. He stopped and opened his eyes. The angel stood petting him gently. "There, there," she said. "Getting upset won't solve anything. Let me help you." He flushed with warmth where her hands made caressed him. She reached to his horn, and he breathed in her sweet honeysuckle scent. His heart melted. She tugged, and tugged. Her face reddened with effort. "You're going to have to help me," she said with a wink.
They pulled together and he was free. "I love you." He blurted out unable to control himself any longer. She giggled, and his head drooped. He hated that giggle, she would never love him.
"You're cute, but you don't even know me."
His head snapped up. She said he was cute! She giggled again, he loved that giggle.
"How could you love me?" she asked.
He had an idea. "Waite here," he said running to where his pen came close to the field. He stretched and strained and brought her back three sunflowers. "Would you let me get to know you?" he asked, his heart pounding in his chest.
She took the flowers and smiled, "They are my favorite you know." She smelled them, and their eyes made contact once more. "Yes," she said. "You can get to know me."
Ox wasn't lonely anymore.


The End

As always thank you for taking the time to read what I've written.