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“I BELIEVE WE HAVE OUR mission, Miss Frost. We convince Jenna to flee and revisit the ex-boyfriend.”
I can see the shock on my student's face. She doesn't like this.
“You really think we should ruin her wedding?” Mikayla's voice is sharp with disbelief. “What if Jenna is just having a moment? Maybe it'll pass? And what about poor Grant? I haven't seen him, but it feels wrong to side against him.”
I state my opinion as succinctly as possible. “We would not be siding against him. Rather, we would be supporting Miss Chatwin's decision to follow her heart. If she has unresolved feelings for her ex, it would be cruel to push her into an unwanted marriage.”
Jenna's mother steps out of the room, so I lean over Jenna's ear and say, “You should visit Seth, if that's your wish. What's stopping you?”
Mikayla whacks my arm for that. “Sander, no! Don't I get a vote? I think we should give her a moment to process her—”
Jenna pops out of her chair in the middle of Mikayla's protest. She runs to the door, sticks her head into the hall, and surveys her surroundings like a spy on a mission. When the coast is clear, she grabs her purse and bolts. As we follow her out, Mikayla makes an exasperated huffing noise. She obviously doesn't approve of this mission, but I find it somewhat amusing.
“I don't think she has a car,” I point out as we follow the runaway bride down a quiet road, away from the church she chose for her wedding.
“You think?” When Mikayla rolls her eyes, I don't know if the gesture is meant for me or for Jenna. “I don't think she's thinking this through.”
“What's there to think about? She wants to see Seth, so we're escorting her to Seth.”
“So... if a human thinks a thought, we're suddenly locked into a mission? What if she changes her mind? Do the mission parameters change?”
“Possibly. Although, as I said before, it's our job to find out how she really feels, and I'm quite convinced she doesn't want to get married today.” Pointing at the fleeing bride, I add, “It's rather obvious, really.”
We follow Jenna to her apartment, three blocks away from the church. By the time she reaches her house, she's limping. It was hardly a long distance sprint, but her high heels were inadequate for even a short walk.
Jenna changes into plain clothes, packs an overnight bag, and sticks a pair of Band-Aids on her blistered heels. I thought I would have to reinforce her desire to visit Seth, but she seems quite determined to make it happen. In fact, she's already searching for an Uber driver to take her to the bus station.
“I still feel bad for the groom,” Mikayla says. “Can you imagine how sad it would be to get dumped on your wedding day?”
I reply, “Perhaps our charge should have reconsidered her feelings several days ago? However, what's done is done, and it's our job to help her move forward from this. We don't want to make her feel guilty.”
“Can I make her feel guilty?” Mikayla asks.
“Absolutely. Humans can pick up on our thoughts and feelings. If you're doubting, you can make her doubt. It's best to remain positive and judge her as little as possible.”
“I'll try.”
Our charge carefully slips her injured feet into a pair of well-worn ballet flats and meets her Uber driver outside. Mikey and I join her in the back seat, where I sneak a peek at Jenna's thoughts.
“Is this crazy? Am I crazy? Grant is going to hate me for this. Mom and Dad are going to be pretty pissed off too. They paid a lot for the wedding. This is probably selfish of me. Am I doing the right thing?”
She's bombarding herself with doubt, so I try to ease her worries. “It's not selfish to choose the life you want, Jenna. Marriage is one of life's biggest choices, and if you weren't ready to make that leap, you're doing the right thing for you and Grant. Don't be so hard on yourself.” I turn to Mikayla and continue in a whisper, “Remember, as a spirit guide, it is our job to support our charges, no matter how we might feel.”
“Okay, but... how do we know we didn't just mess things up by encouraging her to skip out on her wedding?”
I'm sure Mikayla's doubts aren't making Jenna's decision any easier. How can I convince her to relax? I'm an Archangel, not a teacher. Perhaps I don't know the right words to ease a student's mind?
It's pouring rain when Jenna reaches the bus station. She races inside, shielding her head with her purse. She still has the intricate hair that was styled by her mum.
“I'm going to try to be positive about this,” Mikayla says as we follow Jenna to the ticket counter. “I mean, if Jenna really wanted to marry the other guy, it probably wouldn't have been so easy for her to run away like that.”
“Exactly!” I exclaim. “That is an excellent way to look at it.”
Jenna has to wait fifteen minutes before boarding the bus. The vehicle is rather empty, so Mikayla and I are free to claim the seats behind our charge.
“So... we're heading to New York City,” Mikayla says. “That's kind of cool. I've never been there before.”
“Perhaps we could take in a Broadway show?” I suggest. “You and I can take some more time to... hang out, as you put it.”
“You know, for some reason, it's really weird to hear you say hang out,” Mikayla says. “Maybe it's your accent?”
One of Mikayla's thoughts accidentally slips into my mind.
His accent is cute. It's really pleasant to listen to. I would totally listen to an audiobook that was narrated by him.
I know I wasn't meant to hear that compliment, but it makes me smile nonetheless.
About a half-hour into our trip, a familiar face warps into the bus' interior. It's angel Phineas and his girlfriend—whose name I can't quite remember. He would obviously recognize me, so I initiate a telepathic conversation before he approaches us.
“Phineas, what are you doing here?” Phineas is an angel, not an Archangel, but I know he's a skilled telepath. He should be able to hear my thoughts.
In my head, I hear his reply. “Alyx and I are on a mission. I didn't expect to find an Archangel here. What's going on?”
I tell him the truth—after all, what else can I do? “I am currently undercover as a spirit guide instructor. Please, if you would, do not reveal my true identity. My student thinks I'm a man named Sander.”
Phineas replies, “That's a bit weird, but I can keep your secret... if I must.”
Phineas and his girlfriend approach, and introductions are made. Mikayla and Alyx are about the same age, so they immediately start chattering away. Phineas is giving me a strange look, but so far, he's playing along.
“So... why are you here?” Phineas asks. “It's rare to find another spirit guide when you're out and about. I assume you're on some sort of mission?”
“We are,” I confirm. “Our charge is the young woman sitting in front of us.”
A concerned crease is carved between Phineas' eyebrows. “Your charge is the runaway bride?” he asks.
I glance at Mikayla, but I don't know if she's listening. She seems way more interested in Alyx than Phineas. “H-How do you know about the runaway bride?” I ask.
“Because our charge is Grant, the man she left behind,” Phineas reveals, his eyebrows raising. “It seems we have a competition on our hands.... Sander.”