Hayley’s nose filled with the smell of heather. She sat up. The plant bloomed lavender in every direction she could see. A light breeze blew, bringing with it fresh motes of the sweet scent. Hayley stood. Picking no particular direction she began to meander through it at a leisurely pace, content with the silence and the clear view of the azure sky above. A few minutes into her walk she suddenly stopped and her smile vanished. How did I get here? She remembered Alex and woke…or at least she thought she did. The only thing she could see was an endless white abyss and she could not move, despite feeling nothing restraining her. Alex? She asked to anyone and everything, silence and nothing. A presence stirred at the back of her mind.
Amber.
She sensed his relief. Where are you? In fact, where am I? I can’t see anything.
Don’t panic, you’re safe, he said calmly. Hayley could feel his exhaustion.
That doesn’t make me feel any better.
His mental laughter reverberated through her mind. We are not supposed to be awake now. Go back to sleep, he said, allowing his drowsiness to slip into her.
Hayley wrenched away, keeping his thoughts as distant from her own as she could without severing their connection. Why? she demanded, warily. What’s the matter with you?
Nothing, my love, but there is little you can do and nowhere you can go just now. We are being rebuilt but it takes time. You did blow us up, remember?
The memory hit her like a sledge hammer. Her struggle with Gabriel, the crushing weight of the black waters, then the fire...her flesh burned…and so did his…until there was nothing left, not even their ethereal energy. Another, more frightening thought grabbed her. Gabriel? She asked. She felt Alex’s sadness.
We destroyed him. He hesitated. But the Creator has made him anew so he can face trial.
Panic gripped her. What? Why? What if he escapes again?
He won’t. The trial takes place now.
Whatever punishment he is handed he will only escape and come after us again! In her anger she suddenly felt her nerve endings fire and her finger tips twitch, although she could not see them.
Calm down, kindred, you are not finished yet, Alex said calmly, despite the weight of the situation. You have been human for too long, their sentiments, fears and irrationality still linger in you.
Hayley tried to pull herself free of whatever held her but she moved not the space of a hair. I’m not paranoid! And being human taught me a lot of things you could never understand! Let me out of here! She suddenly stopped struggling, hit by a thought. My name is Amber. Her mind went silent and the white abyss went dark.
******
Sleet lashed at the kitchen window. John sat at the breakfast bar staring at the grey clouds beyond, lost in thought. “Morning,” said a familiar voice and he snapped back to reality. John turned his head to look at Christopher who stood in the door. John noticed he was wingless but made no comment on the matter. A quick rub at his itchy, dry eyes and he glanced at his cornflakes. They had gone soggy from sitting in their milky, white moat for too long.
“Would you like a fresh bowl?” Chris offered, making to go to the fridge.
“No,” John said sharply. Christopher hesitated for a moment and then leant back against the wall. “I’m not hungry,” John said quietly, pushing back his stool. Lifting his bowl and empty mug he went to the sink to wash them.
It wasn’t until the sink was half full with bubbling hot water that Christopher said, “You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. Your mother is right. There is no way we could have saved everyone, not on our own.”
John dropped the bowl into the sink with a loud clank. He turned to his guardian angel, eyes narrowed. “I don’t want to talk about it. Why do you keep bringing it up?” he demanded.
“I meant no harm, John, I’m sorry,” Chris said gently. “But you keeping going over it again and again in your mind, I cannot help but worry about you.”
“You can hear my thoughts and you think I blame myself?” John asked, shaking his head. “I wanted to save them. You were the one who let Hayley and Alex die! You let all those people drown! Not me!” he shouted at the top of his voice, his face turning red.
Christopher had the grace to look away. “Alexander and Hayley are coming back, you know,” he said quietly.
John had to grab the counter behind him to stop from falling. He blinked, baffled. “What did you just say?” he asked, his voice a high-pitched squeak catching in his throat.
Christopher looked at him nervously, unsure how to react. “That is what I came to tell you. I’m sorry if I made you angry again when I came in, I did not mean to bring up the past…”
“No! No! No! Not that!” John shouted, running over. He grabbed the angel by the arms and gripped him tightly, so Christopher had to look him straight the eye. “Alex and Hayley? You said they were alive?” he asked, doubting the words coming from his mouth.
Christopher smiled. “Yes.”
John stepped back, his hands coming to his mouth in shock. He stood there frozen to the spot.
“John? Are you ok?” Christopher asked.
Cheering burst from John’s mouth and he ran from the kitchen, shouting for his mother. Christopher watched on, bemused. Even having spent so much time around humans recently, he still found they confused him at the best of times.
******
The pipes droned their haunting lament. Fresh snow had fallen this morning, turning the landscape bleak and white. A cold, cloudless azure sky domed the world, making the land feel just that much emptier.
Alex stood beneath the bare limbs of the oak tree, hands dug deep into the pockets of his thick black coat. He had chosen to watch from afar, too afraid to handle his own grief, let alone that of others. The angel hated graveyards. He despised them with a passion. He had known too many good men die, seen too many buried in his long years. It was the way of things he knew, but he had still not grown used to it. The idea of Hayley being buried was almost too much for him to stand.
He saw the casket being lowered and he heard the sobs, even from the distance of the small rise that the oak tree stood vigil over. Hayley’s father cast a glance his direction as he held an arm around her grieving mother. Alex made no attempt to wave at him, he merely watched on, in silence, like the angels did best.
Sometime later Jake Foster sought him out. Alexander did not disappear nor did he walk away. The two men had not spoken since their row in the hospital. Alex did not know if Jake would shout at him for not being there since his daughter’s death or whether he would be kind, but either way, it did not matter. Hayley’s father deserved some sort of closure to this chapter in his life as far as Alex was concerned.
Jake shuffled up the short rise through the ankle deep snow. He stopped a few feet from Alex, casting a long glance back at where his daughter had just been laid to rest. He stood like that for a long time, watching the last of his relatives and friends depart. “Bleak day,” he said, as a bitter gust of wind blew over them, tugging at his hair and jacket. He looked back at Alex, who said nothing. “Joyce has been trying to phone you, every day since the day Hayley died.”
“I am sorry I did not answer,” Alex said, looking out over the sea of headstones. He sighed. “I was…” he hesitated, “predisposed.” He looked back to Jake. “But that is not an excuse for my absence.”
Jake nodded slightly and looked back towards the gaping hole in the earth where the casket had been laid. From here it looked black, a blot on the crisp, white landscape. “It is most peculiar, Alexander. As always you were nowhere to be found.” His gaze returned to Alex. The wind howled around them, and then the graveyard was silent once more. “Hayley was right about you, wasn’t she?” Jake asked, walking towards Alex, snow crunching beneath his feet. He stopped in front of him. “All these years and you haven’t aged a day.”
“I don’t…”
“Don’t. Don’t lie to me,” Jake said, holding up a blacked gloved hand. “I know what you are.??
?
Alex blinked. “I…”
Jake smiled. “You followed my daughter around her entire life. Do you really think that I’ve never seen you?”
“You were never supposed to,” Alex replied, making no attempt to hide his surprise.
Jake nodded. “It was not often but there were a few times, in mirrors, your shadow flitting past a door behind hers.” His eyes lit up. “Then there was that time in the garden when she was six.”
Alex laughed, remembering. “You came running out in a right flap shouting and screaming. I had always hoped you had mistaken me for some neighbour or burglar who you had caught a glimpse of in the garden before scaring them off.”
“I would have done if I’d not seen your wings. Also Hayley was screaming that it was you, her imaginary friend,” he said laughing, a tear in his eye. “But I suppose you were anything but in the end.”
“You never said anything these past two years. Why?”
Jake shook his head. “It was only ever a suspicion, nothing more. If I told anyone they would have thought I was mad.” He almost laughed. “I thought I was going that way myself.” He drew in a deep breath, losing his smile. “But like I said, I only ever saw your face properly that one time in the garden and that was just for a second.” Jake sighed, his eyes filling with fresh tears. “But it’s not like any of it matters now.” He sniffled. “Just tell me one thing though,” he said, wiping his face, “is my daughter happy, wherever she is?”
Alexander smiled. “She couldn’t be happier.”
Chapter Twenty Five
John was sitting watching Saturday morning cartoons in his pyjamas. His mum came through from the kitchen, carrying a cup of coffee with her good arm. The other was still in a sling. “Can you turn it over please?” she asked, taking a seat on the couch beside him.
John sat up and lifted the remote from the table. “What do you want to watch?” he asked.
“A bit of news would be nice, thank you,” she said, sipping her coffee.
John obliged before throwing the remote back on the table and putting his feet up. “Is there anything you need me to do today?”
“The house could maybe use a vacuum later if you don’t mind?”
“No, it’s fine,” John said, smiling at his mum.
She smiled back. Sipping her coffee they watched the news.
Christopher raced in a minute later, wings flapping. “John! Mrs Hughes! You have to get dressed! They’ll be here soon!” he shouted excitedly, running in front of the TV.
“Who will be?” Stacy asked.
John ignored the angel and shifted positions so he could see the TV. Christopher’s response was spreading his wings. “Chris!”
The guardian ignored him. “Alex and Amber, today’s their wedding!”
“What?” Chris smiled the biggest grin John had ever seen.
“I know, isn’t it exciting?” Chris’s smile turned into a frown. “Your race still does weddings, right?”
John looked at his mum, lost for words.
“Yes, Christopher, we still celebrate weddings,” Stacy said, politely. “I wish you had told us sooner however, I could have bought something to wear.”
“It is ok, they’re not fussy. They just said to wear something nice.”
“Still,” Stacy said, standing, but she said no more. When she realised her son was not making a move, she flicked his foot.
“What?” he shouted.
“Go get dressed.”
“Huh, fine,” he moaned, traipsing out the room.
******
Alex and Hayley were waiting in the living room when John returned, dressed in his finest black trousers and shirt.
“Guys!” He ran straight for them, bear hugging Alex and then giving Hayley a gentler squeeze. When they parted, John stared at her, drinking in how beautiful she was. She wore a narrow white dress that splayed into layers of white skirts from her waist. It was a simple affair but it complimented the shade of her feathers perfectly. Then there was her face. Tight golden brown curls cascaded passed her shoulders, framing her sapphire eyes and delicate features. John realised he was staring and looked at his shoes.
“Are you ok there, John?” Alex asked, patting down his black trousers and straightening the collar on his white shirt. He then fiddled with the cuffs on his black jacket.
“Yeah, fine…you look beautiful today, Hayley,” he said without looking at her.
“Thank you, John, you’re very kind to say,” Hayley replied before turning to Alex and fiddling with his black tie.
The angel sighed. “Amber, for the last time, it’s fine.”
Hayley tightened the knot and he froze, captivated by her stunning gaze. “It is now,” she whispered.
“So where is the wedding being held? Should we phone a taxi?” Stacy asked.
“Not at all, our transport has been sorted,” Alex said, turning to the mirror and messing with his hair.
Christopher rose from his seat and unfastened his jacket, revealing his own suit. He gestured for them to move to the door, which they did.
John offered his mum his arm, while Alex offered Hayley his. She put her arm through his, as she smiled up to him. Alex could not help but lean in and kiss her then, lingering for a moment.
Christopher closed the door to the living room.
“Er…what are you doing?” John asked. “Shouldn’t we get going?”
“No, John, we’re just going to stand here and admire the paintwork,” Alex replied, nodding to Christopher, who opened the door and the rest of the world.
Brilliant sunlight streamed through the doorway, blinding them for a moment. Alex and Hayley stepped through first, followed by the more cautious humans. Christopher came last, shutting the door behind them.
John shielded his eyes against the glare of the sun with his hand for a moment until they refocused. They were in a large, grassy meadow, overgrown with summer flowers and circled by trees, bright with full green plumage. He looked behind him. The door was gone.
“This way,” Christopher whispered with a warm smile. It was Stacy who led John on.
John looked behind himself again. Where the entrance to the living room had been was a tree. The warm summer air came as a surprise to John and the sweet smell of flowers filled his nostrils. John had to squint against the sun when he looked back in front of him. In the centre of the clearing sat four benches of carved wood. He could see they were mostly filled. Standing at the back he could see two familiar faces talking. Michael and Andrew looked their way.
“Ah! Finally!” Michael laughed, hurrying over. Andrew followed. Both angels were wearing suits like their brethren. The archangel folded his arms when they met half way. “We were beginning to think you were not going to come,” he said, looking to his companion.
The corner of Andrew’s lip curled. “There was never any doubt, Michael.”
“It was kind of last minute anyway,” John said, grinning.
“What is so funny?” Michael asked, seeing his beaming was directed at him.
“Nothing.”
“You’re smiling like a fool, Master Hughes, so out with it.”
John burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, none of you look right in suits. You just look silly with the wings.”
“John!” His mother thumped him on the arm and shook her head. “I’m sorry about my son, he is very immature sometimes.”
“It’s quite all right,” Michael smiled. “He will look just as silly as we do one day,” he said, turning away with a smile.
“I’m never wearing a suit when that happens!” John shouted after the archangel’s retreating back.
“Oh, I’m sure you will,” Alex quipped. He turned to his father before the teenager could offer another retort. “Are you well, Father?”
“Yes, as much as one can be,” he replied with a faint smile. But there was sadness in his eyes. “It will be a long road before Gabriel is well again but as a father, I am grateful the Creator showed mercy a
nd chose to take him into his personal care to help him heal.” He sighed. “It was either that or Hell.”
The corner of Alex’s mouth twitched. “How is he?”
“Fragile, but he is in good hands.”
Alex nodded. “Maybe in time we can be friends again.” He never ventured as far to say brothers. The damage was too great in his mind.
His father smiled. “Maybe, Alexander, maybe.” Andrew turned his gaze to his son’s bride-to-be. “Amber, you look absolutely radiant,” he said, taking her hands into his own and squeezing them gently.
She smiled. “Thank you, Andrew. I know Alex spoke to you but I wanted to ask you if you could do me the honour of giving me away?”
His smile reached his eyes. “Of course, my dear.” Andrew looked to his sons. Both jumped into action - or more a frenzied panic. Alexander was not sure which way to go while Christopher started patting down his suit like he had lost something. When he saw the look of horror on Alex’s face though he forced a smile and directed him toward the centre of the clearing.
“Good luck,” Stacy whispered, patting Amber on the arm as she and John made their way to their seats.
******
Following the ceremony, Amber led Alex into the woods. The angel trailed at a leisurely distance, beaming all the way. The sun was shining and he was surrounded by friends and family. More importantly he had finally wed the woman he had waited his whole life for. It felt as if everything was right in the world.
Amber stopped and turned back to him, clutching handfuls of her skirts. “Could you walk any slower?” she asked, smiling.
Alex sauntered over to her at the same pace. “Why? Are we in a rush to be somewhere?” he asked when they finally met.
“No, but you don’t know where we’ll be tomorrow. We have to be back for our new orders.”
Alex shrugged. “But that’s tomorrow.” He pulled Amber closer to him. “Today is for us.” She stared up at him, eyes aglitter. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she smiled, blushing. “I just never thought I would ever see this day. I had a dream about it once when I was still human.”