| |
EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, I get an unexpected text from Azrael.
Paul is dying today. I want you to take him Home, and I want you to do it by yourself. Please note, I will be able to hear every word you say. Consider this a test.
I'm a little stunned that he's not going to finish this mission with me. Azrael and I had been visiting Paul together all along, so why would he bail on me now? Even though I knew I would eventually be going on missions by myself, it's a little jarring. What if our last mission together has already come and gone?
I warp to Paul's location. He's been moved to hospice, and by the looks of it, he's not going to be there too long. He's completely unconscious, pale, and bloated. Every now and then, he shudders, which makes me wonder if he's in pain. If he is, couldn't Azrael take his pain away? Ugh, I wish he was here!
All of Paul's daughters are with him again, holding his hands and whispering their final words to him. With tears dripping down her nose, Carmen says, “Mom will be here soon. I just know it.”
Oh, that's right! If Paul's dying today, isn't it my job to summon his wife? I turn on my LightTab and search for Cathy Cisternino. There are a few matches, but I easily find the one who's related to Paul and send her a message.
Your husband is dying soon. Please come when you can.
Cathy receives my message and warps to Paul's bedside less than a minute later.
“Hello, dear,” she greets me. “Thanks for the message. You... You're not my husband's usual guide.”
“No, I'm not. I'm Lucy, one of Azrael's Helpers.” I offer her a hand, which she shakes with a smile. I think it's a little weird to see her smiling while her husband's dying, but maybe she's happy they'll be together again?
“Well, it's good to meet you,” Cathy says. “I'm afraid you're not seeing me at my best. I was with my daughters a few hours ago, and they kept making me cry. My eyes are still red and puffy.”
“Oh, so... you didn't need me to send you a message? You already knew he was dying today?”
“I did know, but I still appreciate the message.” Cathy stands behind her youngest daughter, strokes her hair and says, “Poor Carmen. She's going to be such a mess without her father. They lived together after I died. In the later years, he drove her crazy with his dementia, but they were close. They were always close.”
“It sucks to lose a parent.” That sentence needed more emphasis, so I add, “Really sucks.”
“Indeed it does,” Cathy agrees. “So, what's it like to be one of Azrael's Helpers? I've always envied you guys for getting to work so closely with an Archangel. He's handsome, isn't he?”
Azrael said he would be listening to every word of this. Knowing that, how am I supposed to answer? It would be embarrassing to agree and cruel to disagree. “Umm... yeah. I guess so.”
“You guess so? Pfft!” Cathy sputters at my watered down answer. “You know he's handsome. Everyone thinks so. A lot of the Archangels are handsome, aren't they? So was my Paul, back in the day. He's still handsome to me, but...” Her fingers trace the faint lines along his forehead.
“He doesn't have too many wrinkles for his age, though. That was one of the first things I thought when I saw him.”
“True... true,” Cathy agrees. “He wore his age a lot better than I did, that's for sure.”
Paul makes a hissing sound that reminds me of a creature in a zombie movie. It's not a pleasant sound, so I ask Cathy, “Do you think he's in pain?”
“I don't know. Maybe? They gave him morphine earlier, but maybe it wasn't enough?”
I go into the hall and shout at one of the nurses to give him more morphine. A self-satisfied smile tugs at my lips when she responds to my command. It's weird to have that effect on people. You have a huge amount of influence on mortals, and they never know you're there.
Soon after Paul gets his morphine, the daughters decide to leave. Tears rain all over him as all three girls lean down to hug him.
It will be the last time they hug him, I'm sure.
“Death's so heartbreaking,” I lament.
Cathy says, “Yeah. I wouldn't want your job.”
“At one point, I didn't even want my job!” I tell her. “Once, Azrael almost dismissed me, and it made me realize how much I wanted it.”
I hope Azrael hears that. I want him to know I'm committed to this.
How long is Paul going to fight for his life? Azrael said he was stubborn, so it could be hours. I lean over his ear and whisper a speech that may or may not help him. Azrael seems to think it helps, so I give it a shot. “Hey... I know you might be scared, but there's nothing to be afraid of. Your wife's here, and she's excited to see you again. I know how weird it is to leave your body behind. It's natural to try to resist, but... you just need to let go. Your daughters will be okay. I'll make sure to check on them every now and then, okay?”
About three minutes later, Paul wheezes one last time—then he's standing over his body with shock in his eyes.
“Hello!” I greet him. “I'm Luciana, one of your spirit guides. And I don't think the lovely lady beside me needs an introduction.”
A sob explodes from the depths of Paul's belly as he runs to his wife, and when she starts crying, I cry too.
“My baby... my angel,” Paul whispers, caressing her cheeks. “I never thought I'd get to see you again.”
“I know,” Cathy says. “It was your biggest fear.”
“And now you're here.” Paul wraps his arms around her and starts rocking her back and forth. “My girl. My only girl.”
Paul and Cathy almost look like they're dancing, so I turn on my LightTab and start playing In the Still of the Night—which, according to Azrael, was a special song to them. For some reason, I'm totally touched by their reunion. I wipe my eyes, blow my nose, and breathe a sigh of relief. The relieved sigh is for Azrael, because I'm glad he isn't here. I wouldn't want him to see me looking like a hot mess.
I wish I could be loved the way Paul loves Cathy. I want a love that stands the test of time, that even death couldn't conquer. I want to be totally, completely, utterly loved. I envy these two.
When the song's over, I say, “So... I'm here to take you Home, to the world where spirits reside. I'm sure you'll be staying with Cathy, so you won't have to worry about living arrangements. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them for you.”
“Will I ever get to see my daughters again?” Paul asks.
“That's a really good question. We usually don't allow those kinds of visits until you've completed at least one mission.”
Paul's eyebrows jump to his forehead. “Mission?”
“Spirit guide missions,” I explain. “That might be your biggest surprise of the day. You'll be attending spirit school soon. It's sort of required, but don't worry... it's fulfilling work.”
Paul seems to be out of questions, so I warp him back Home and drop them off at Cathy's house. When I'm alone, I type a message to Azrael.
Well... it's over. Did I pass?
I aggressively nibble on my lip until I get a reply.
With flying colors. I'm proud of you, Lucy. I think you'll be able to start taking missions on your own soon.
Azrael's answer is bittersweet. I want to be good at my job, but I want to keep working with him. I have so many mixed feelings, it's making my head hurt.
Dios mio, Lucy, why did you have to fall for an Archangel?