[ WP ] When people turn 20 , they get to meet their guardian angel . It 's your 20th birthday , you finally get to meet the angel that 's been protecting you , and you 're horrified by what you see .


 You'd always thought your guardian angel was dead, or maybe you'd just had the misfortune to be born under one who was enough of a dysfunctional person that you were better off not being under their care. 
 
 `` I'm sorry,'' you say. `` For all the times I complained about you being missing. For cursing you for not being there whenever Mom or Dad hit me. For being jealous of all the other kids who had it better than me when their guardian angels took them away.'' 
 
 You walk up to where he is, stand over him, reach out, touch his face. 
 
 `` I thought I was alone, but I was wrong. And you were never allowed to tell me, were you? Not before today.'' 
 
 Trace the old scar on the left side of his face. 
 
 `` You were always with me, were n't you?'' 
 
 Your brother closes his eyes, and says nothing.
