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I GET A TEXT FROM AZRAEL, informing me there will be no mission today. Now that I've got some free time, I think I'll try to make some new friends.
I return to Asylum Seventeen and search for Sam. When I find him, he's rocking one of the babies in his arms. My heart melts as soon as I see him. I don't think there's anything more adorable than a guy taking care of a baby.
When he spots me, he cries, “Lucy! You're back! I'm glad. I was afraid I wouldn't see you again.”
“We'll have to sync up our LightTabs so we can text,” I suggest. “Are you busy? If you are, I can come back later.”
“No, please. Stay. I more or less make my own schedule around here.” Sam kisses the baby's head before lowering her to her crib. The gesture is so sweet, I could cry. “Hey, why don't I round up the kids for snack time? The last time you were here, Azrael took you away.”
“I'd really like that.” When he leaves the nursery, I stick to him like a shadow. “So... what's today's snack?”
“Your choice,” Sam says.
I almost choose Reese's Pieces, but I realize not everyone is obsessed with peanut butter in a crispy shell. I should probably choose something that everyone can enjoy—maybe something that's more like a meal? “How about tacos?” I suggest.
“That's a really good idea!” Sam exclaims. “I'll manifest a bowl of cheese, tomatoes, lettuce... the kids can make them however they'd like. That'd probably be fun for them.”
A dreamy sigh accidentally slips out of me as I listen to him. I don't know if it's his South African accent, his blonde hair, or the fact that he works with children, but something about him gives me a fluttery feeling in my heart.
I help Sam with our “taco table,” where all the essential ingredients are assembled. While Sam leaves to fetch the kids, I grab one of the shells and stuff it with all the delicious goodness it can hold. The cheese is overflowing and taco sauce is dripping down the side. If you ask me, that's the only way to make a taco.
Sam escorts about ten kids into the room and lets them make their tacos first. As I munch on my food, I feel a bit guilty. Should I have let the kids go first? Was I wrong to help myself? When taco sauce slides down my chin, I manifest a napkin and wipe it away before Sam can see what a slob I am.
Sam finally gets his tacos and joins me on a couch. By that time, my own taco is long gone.
Between bites, he suggests, “We should do something outside of the Asylum sometime. Don't get me wrong, I love the kids, but they require a lot of attention. It'd be nice to get to know you in another environment.”
Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it almost sounds like he's asking me on a date.
“I'd like that. I haven't really made any friends since I've been here.” My answer makes me wince. I hope he doesn't think I've put him in the friend zone.
“Maybe we could go somewhere for lunch?” he suggests. “Does Azrael ever give you a day off?”
“Yeah. I'm off today.”
“Good. Maybe we can get together on your next off day?”
I wanted to do something today, but I don't think he took the hint. I give him a nod and keep my disappointment to myself.
Sam says, “Tacos was a good idea. The kids seem to like them.”
“Of course they like them. I have literally never met anyone who didn't like tacos.”
“They have a math lesson after this. Would you like to stay for that?”
Sam winked when he said that, so I think he's being sarcastic. He knows I hate math. “Oh, yeah. That sounds delightful. Sign me up for that.”
It suddenly dawns on me that I keep pestering him at his workplace. The next time I see him, we definitely need to get together away from the Asylum. I don't want to make a nuisance of myself, so as soon as taco time is over, I say goodbye.
I still have a lot of time to kill, so I decide to practice warping. I try to warp to my dad's house. I can't. I try to warp to Machu Picchu. I don't go anywhere. I try to warp to Azrael's location, and suddenly I'm standing in front of Archangel Tower. I appear in front of a guard, who gives me a scathing look when I arrive.
“Can I help you with something, Miss?” he asks.
“Um... is Azrael in there?”
“Who's asking?”
The guard doesn't sound particularly polite, and the spear in his hand is crackling with electricity. If his goal is to intimidate everyone who comes here, he's definitely succeeding.
“I, uh... I'm Lucy Alvarez,” I introduce myself. “I'm one of Azrael's Helpers.”
“Is he expecting you?”
“Um... n-no, not really.” I take a step backward, away from the surly guard. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here. I'll just... go.”
I'm about ready to flee when I get a message on my LightTab. It's from Azrael.
Show this to the guard. Tell him to let you in.
Grimacing, I present the LightTab's screen to the guard. I have no idea how Azrael knows I'm here, or why he's helping me, but it's better than walking away with my tail between my legs.
“Alright. Go in.” The guard steps aside, but he doesn't look happy about it. This guy looks so unpleasant, I wonder if he's ever happy about anything.
I hurry into Archangel Tower before the guard changes his mind. Now that I'm inside, I have no idea where to go, so I end up wandering the hallways, clueless and awed. I stop to look at a mural of Archangel Michael in some kind of puffy thong. That's more of him than I ever thought I'd see.
When the man in the mural suddenly appears beside me, I almost scream. Does Michael know I was just gawking at his nearly-naked body?
“Are you looking for Azrael?” Michael speaks so loudly, his voice echoes down the hall.
I manage to squeak out an answer. “Yes.”
“Head up the stairs over there.” He points behind me. “Turn to the right, and Azrael's office will be the first door you see.”
“Uh... thanks.” I steal one last glimpse of the thong mural before I speed away from him.
I follow Michael's directions to Azrael's office. As soon as I tap on the door, I hear, “Come in, Miss Alvarez.”
When I enter, Azrael's at his desk, and Archangel Jophiel is studying me with crossed arms. I don't think I'd recognize all of the Archangels, but Jophiel got pretty famous after his trial awhile back.
Jophiel speaks first. “I'm a one-woman man now, but... wow, she's beautiful. I can see why you wanted her to be one of your Helpers.”
Beautiful? Wow. I'm pretty sure I'm blushing now. I'm getting way more compliments in the afterlife than I ever got when I was alive.
“I didn't,” Azrael replies. “Amber chose her.”
“Well, you should send Amber a thank you note. She chose well for you.” Jophiel crosses the room and stands right in front of me. “It's lovely to meet you, Miss Alvarez. Don't be fooled by Azrael's giant sword and sour faces. He's actually one of the friendliest Archangels among us.”
I don't know how to respond to that, so I just say, “It's nice to meet you too.”
Jophiel shuffles past me, and as he exits the room, I hear him murmur, “He was a bit of an ass for arresting me, but... I forgive him.”
He closes the door behind him, leaving me alone with Azrael. He and I are alone on missions all the time, but for some reason, I feel nervous.
“Why are you here, Miss Alvarez?” Azrael asks.
“Because you let me in?”
When his eyes narrow, I'm already doubting Jophiel's “friendly Archangel” claim.
“I was teaching myself how to warp,” I explain. “I tried to warp to your location, and I found myself in front of Archangel Tower. I was going to leave, but I got a message from you on my LightTab, so... I thought you wanted to see me?”
“I thought you were coming here for a purpose,” Azrael says. “Nevertheless, congratulations on a successful warp.”
“Thanks.” I collapse into a plush chair, even though he hasn't invited me to sit. “So... are you busy?”
“I am always busy.”
“Do you have time to watch a movie?” That's probably a stupid question. There's no way he would want to watch a movie with—
“Sure,” Azrael's reply interrupts my thoughts. “Why not?”
His answer stuns me, but not for long. I excitedly manifest a television and a copy of Spielberg's ET. Then I manifest a box of Reese's Pieces because you can't watch this movie without Reese's Pieces.
When the movie starts, Azrael notes, “You look happy.”
“Of course I am!” I exclaim. “I never expected you to say yes to watching a movie, since you think they're a waste of time, and you're so busy and all.”
“Perhaps I said yes to spending time with you, Miss Alvarez.”
My mind can barely process his reply. Does he actually like spending time with me? I never would have guessed.
I wish he would sit closer to me, but he's still at his desk, looking prim and proper. When we get our first glimpse of the movie's titular alien, I ask, “Are aliens real? If anyone would know the answer to that, it's probably you.”
Azrael replies, “I do know, and I'm not at liberty to answer that.”
“Oooo!” I rub my hands together. “That sounds like there are aliens! One day, I'm going to squeeze the answer out of you.”
“Good luck with that.”
When I'm out of Reese's Pieces, I manifest a plate of mozzarella sticks. I'm really gorging myself today, but that's the best thing about the afterlife. I can stuff my face without worrying about calories.
I'm dead quiet during most of the movie, but when we're about halfway, I ask, “Are you enjoying it?”
His answer is disappointing, as usual. “It's tolerable.”
“If you don't like movies... what do you do for fun?” I ask. “Does Archangel Azrael ever have fun time?”
“Not really.”
I have no idea why I ask my next question. It just flies out of my mouth. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
He pauses a moment, shakes his head, and answers with a sigh, “No. Not for several decades.”
“Oh.” I almost tell him I've never had a boyfriend, but I doubt he'd be interested. It's not that hard to figure out, though. A week after my fifteenth birthday, I found out I had cancer. After that, finding a boyfriend wasn't too high on my list of priorities.
As soon as the credits start rolling, Azrael says, “Thank you for the diversion, Miss Alvarez. I should really get back to my work now.”
“Was it diverting?” I ask. “Were you entertained?”
“The ending was... touching.”
His answer almost makes me squeal. “I know, right? It's a sob fest. It always makes me cry.”
“You are a very exuberant young lady, Miss Alvarez,” he says. “Now, will you let me return to my work?”
“Alright, fine!” I stick out my tongue at him, but his eyes are on his paperwork, so he doesn't see it. “See you tomorrow?”
“Yes.” Azrael echoes me, “See you tomorrow.”
Even though he dismissed me a bit rudely, I still smile on my way out. In my head, I'm already plotting.
What movie should we watch next?