Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4

by Rachel Taylor

  Rafe was an even blend of his two parents in both looks and personality, and he was grateful for it.

  “Where’ve you been hiding, sweetie? I haven’t seen you in ages,” his mother asked, tugging him down into a seat next to her.

  “You saw me every day at the clinic, Mom.” Rafe chuckled, and Tammy rolled her eyes.

  “I know, but sometimes you come to the house on Saturdays. The last couple of weeks you’ve been busy doing who knows what?”

  Rafe sighed and propped his elbows on his knees. He might as well tell his parents about CeCe. Things were getting pretty serious between them, at least in his mind. His mother was bound to pester him to death about meeting her, though, and Rafe knew CeCe wasn’t ready for that.

  “I had a couple dates with this girl,” Rafe admitted, and steeled himself for his mother’s attack.

  “I knew it!” she squealed, grabbing him by his biceps and pulling him in to kiss his cheeks. “Cynthia said you mentioned you met someone, but you haven’t said a word about it to anyone in the family! I want to know all about her, Rafael. Is she pretty? Is she nice?”

  Rafe dropped his head and shook it, grinning. “She’s very pretty, Mom, and very nice. I’m sure you’ll love her.”

  ‘Well, when can I meet her? I want to decide for myself.”

  “It’s not that serious yet, Mom. Give it a little more time.”

  “What’s her name? Do you have a picture? What does she do? Have you met her family?” Questions shot from her mouth like machine gun bullets.

  “Her name is CeCe, and she’s a motivational speaker.” Rafe tapped the home button on his phone to bring up her picture on the lock screen.

  “Oh, she’s beautiful! She’d make such gorgeous grand babies!” Tammy grabbed the phone from him and showed it to her husband. He nodded, lifting his eyebrows in appreciation. Elethea peeked over his shoulder but didn’t comment.

  “Mom!”

  “What? It’s true.” She handed back the phone, looking indignant. “You’ve kept her such a secret I don’t know anything else about her. You say she’s a motivational speaker? That’s an interesting career. How did she get into that?”

  Rafe stroked his finger down the front of his phone, wishing he could feel her soft skin through the display. His face and voice softened as he thought about how special she was. “She’s blind, and she talks about how to overcome adversity.”

  “Oh, Rafe, no wonder you’re smitten. She’s perfect for you, isn’t she?” Tammy stroked her son’s arm.

  “I don’t know, Mom. It’s… complicated,” Rafe admitted with a cringe.

  “Relationships always are, honey. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

  Rafe admired her confidence, but she didn’t know Rafe had been lying to CeCe all this time. How could Cece ever forgive him once she found out? And how could she ever accept him and his family, when they represented the one thing she feared?

  “Do you have any other pictures of her since you’re not ready to introduce us?”

  Rafe smiled, happy his mother wasn’t pushing that issue too much. He thumbed through his phone, looking for pictures of CeCe. They weren’t hard to find. Since she couldn’t see what he was doing, he found himself snapping candids all the time, wanting to capture every memory. He stopped on one of his favorites, a close up of CeCe from the day at the park. She was smiling and looking directly at the camera, and every time he looked at it he imagined she was looking directly at him.

  He handed the phone over to his mother who cooed and spread her fingers, trying to zoom in, but ended up swiping to the next photo instead. This one had CeCe catching Emily at the bottom of the slide, looking everything like a perfect mother. Tammy gasped as she zoomed in on the picture, looking back and forth from it to Rafe.

  “She has a daughter?”

  Rafe shook his head no and opened his mouth to explain, but the music started, instantly drowning out his voice. “I’ll tell you about it later,” he said as loud as he dared, and his mother nodded, curiosity and concern flashing across her face.

  The ceremony began as always with several songs of worship, and Rafe lost himself in communion with his heavenly father. He gave up his worries and let the music soothe his anxious thoughts. For a few minutes, nothing else seemed to matter.

  Afterward, Zeph took the stage and welcomed all the visitors then dove into the ceremony. “Today I have the great honor of recognizing the first miracles of two of my dearest friends, Cheydan and Maddock Engel.” He held out his arm towards them, drawing them forward. The handsome, dimple-faced twins strutted proudly together onto the stage.

  “Always in competition with each other, it came as no surprise to me to learn that these two had performed their first miracles within minutes of each other, and that they had managed to find mates just as equally matched. There won’t be any arguing over who got the prettier girl, since they managed to fall in love with identical twins.”

  The audience tittered with amusement, and Rafe noticed that Amanda and Lissy were beet red. Zeph let each of the boys speak for a few minutes before dismissing them to their seats.

  “Sadly, there are no births to celebrate at our ceremony today, but I do have a happy announcement to make.” Zeph motioned for his wife to join him, and he wrapped his arm around her waist and laid his other hand on her stomach, drawing attention to the small bulge hidden beneath her loose-fitting dress. Eve smiled but tucked her head, letting her copper hair hide her blush.

  “It is my great pleasure to announce that my own family will celebrate a birth this year. My wife, Eve, is due with our first child later this fall.” Raucous applause filled the auditorium, followed by eager chattering.

  Zeph had been rare, with both his parents being Celestia, and his gift had been equally momentous. Because his wife was a Celestia, their child would be the first of its kind. The community could only speculate at the gift it would display.

  When the commotion died down, Zeph grew serious, and his attention turned to eulogizing Dominion Connan. He shared his own memories of the beloved leader then invited several other Celestia to tell their stories as well. Each one incited tears and laughter, as Dominion Connan was well-known for his charming wit. When there wasn’t a dry eye left in the house, Zeph took the podium again. Power radiated from his young body, and the room grew silent in reverence.

  “Dominion Connan’s death marks the end of a great era for the Celestia community, and I know many of you have struggled to come to terms with this loss. I myself was stunned and frightened to learn that he would be leaving us soon and that he expected me to take his place. I felt completely unprepared for this responsibility, despite finally recognizing the gift I had received.

  “I visited Dominion’s bedside the night of his death, roused from sleep by a call in my spirit, and I wept over his dying body as he took his last breath. I want you to know that Dominion’s power and wisdom was not lost in that moment, but passed on to me like Elijah’s mantle, the weight of it an incomprehensible force. I promise you this, fellow Celestia, I have sworn an oath before God to lead this community, and He will guide me as just as surely as He guided Dominion Connan these last 100 years.”

  Rousing applause thundered through the auditorium, and the people stood to their feet as they honored their new leader and the memory of their last.

  Tears collected in Rafe’s eyes at the significance of the moment, and he was reminded that the Father had a plan for him, too. He wanted to believe that it included CeCe, and he knew he had to be honest with her and trust that God would work things out if they were meant to be together. He clapped his hands and let the tears roll down his cheeks.

  Chapter 12

  Rafe’s mother insisted on a family dinner after the service was over, and Rafe grudgingly agreed. What he really wanted to do was see what CeCe was up to, but he knew it was important to spend time with his family as well. They were already feeling his absence.

  Along with several other Celestia fami
lies, they had been invited to celebrate Zeph’s ascension to the position of Dominion with a dinner at Luciana’s, and Tammy DiAngelo was not one to turn down a party invitation. Rafe wished he could’ve invited CeCe to come with him, but he knew it was too soon for that. Plus, the restaurant would reverberate with Celestia talk that humans weren’t privy to unless they were mated to a Celestia.

  The tables had been pushed together to seat at least 30, and a lush banquet had been laid out in the middle. Steam rose in wispy curls from bowls heaped with pasta, and roasted meat sizzled on large trays. Crisp, green salads and buttery, sautéed vegetables added a burst of fresh color to the spread, and garlicky breadsticks and dinner rolls perfumed the air. Rafe took a seat near a corner with his family on one side and the Engels on the other, salivating over the delectable spread.

  Zeph’s father, Chief Arella, welcomed everyone and thanked Luciana Engel for the meal before launching into a speech honoring his son. Zeph beamed with pride at the recognition he had always craved from his father, and the chief seemed thrilled to finally have a reason to celebrate him. They toasted his position, his gracious wife, his new baby, and everything else they could think of till Rafe was afraid he would get drunk on all the wine. He tempered his alcohol intake with generous portions of every entree on the table, enjoying the day’s happiness and trying to swallow his own worries.

  His mother let him revel in the festivities for about 30 minutes before she got that look in her eye, and Rafe knew it was time for the inquisition. “Rafe, sweetheart, all I could do during that ceremony was think about you and that girl, CeCe. I know you’re a grown man and you deserve your privacy, honey, but I’m your mother, and well, I just need to know about these things!”

  Rafe wiped his face with a napkin, hiding a smirk. His mother had a way of making you give her exactly what she wanted and leaving you feeling guilty for making her ask.

  Rafe’s father poked his head around his wife. “I want to hear about this, too, Son. You say the girl is blind?”

  Rafe put down his fork and nodded, swallowing the last bite he knew he would get to take for a while. He would be too busy explaining to eat any more. Hopefully the conversation would be over in time for dessert.

  Rafe explained how he had met CeCe and about her condition, generating looks of incredulity from those within earshot.

  “I’ve heard about hysterical blindness, but I’ve never actually seen a case of it,” Rafe’s father said. “Doesn’t that usually clear up with time and therapy?”

  Rafe nodded. “Hers is an extreme case. She’s been through years of therapy and was forced to see dozen of doctors, so much so that she’s developed a phobia towards them.”

  “Oh, Rafe, that’s terrible. How can she handle dating one, then?” his mother asked.

  A pained look contorted his face. “That’s where it gets kind of complicated…” Rafe glanced around the table. Every person within earshot was staring at him. He was glad the people on the other end couldn’t hear him. Rafe dropped his head as he muttered, “She doesn’t know I’m a doctor.”

  Rafe’s family gasped, and his mother gave him a look of disappointment. Elethea rolled her eyes at him. Rafe tried in vain to explain himself.

  “When we first met, I mentioned that I taught at the university. Before I got around to mentioning that I was also a doctor, she told me about her fear of them. I keep waiting for the right moment to tell her, but it just hasn’t happened.”

  Tammy pursed her lips and scowled at him. “Rafael DiAngelo, you can’t lie to a woman you care about!”

  “I didn’t mean to lie to her, Mom!” Rafe’s plate rattled against his shaking fingers, and he pushed it away from him.

  “You’re deceiving her, Rafe. That’s the same as lying,” Rafal said with fatherly authority.

  “I’m going to tell her, I just wanted her to get to know me a little bit better first, learn to trust me.”

  “You’ll destroy that trust when she finds out, Rafe,” Elethea said, shaking her head with disgust. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  Rafe cringed at the looks of disappointment on the faces of his family. He knew all along he was treading on fragile ice and any minute his relationship with CeCe could shatter beneath him, but he didn’t realize how hurtful his actions might seem. His goal had always been to protect her, not hurt her.

  “You best find a way to fix this, Rafael. I want grandchildren before I’m too old to enjoy them!” Rafe couldn’t help but chuckle at the serious look on his mother’s face.

  Tammy waved her hand to swat away the bothersome conversation. “Now, tell me about the girl in the picture, darling.”

  Rafe sighed, happy they were moving on. “Her name is Emily, and she was just diagnosed with hysterical blindness as well.”

  Rafal’s ears perked up. “Two people? That’s unbelievable.”

  “Her social worker brought her to meet CeCe when she spoke at the hospital. The two connected and have been spending time together.”

  “And you’ve joined them?”

  Rafe nodded. “She’s the sweetest kid, Mom. You’d love her. Her parents are both dead, and she’s staying in a group home with a bunch of troubled kids. They can’t find a foster family to take her. But CeCe’s helping her learn to live with her condition.”

  “And how do you feel about her?” Tammy cut to the meat of the issue. She was pretty sure by the look on his face what her son was feeling.

  Rafe took a sip of his wine and poked at the food on his plate, trying to figure out how to explain it. “I feel so sorry for her. Life has handed her a pail of garbage, and she just doesn’t deserve it, you know? She needs a home and a real family, someone to love her and take care of her so she can get better.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of taking her in, Rafe. You want to be the single father of a blind girl?” His father gave him a stern look.

  “Don’t you get it? He’s fantasizing about healing both the girl and CeCe and having a little family,” Elethea explained.

  “Well, I think it’s a wonderful idea, honey.” His mother’s face lit with joy. “Let me see her picture again, Rafe. How old is she?”

  Rafe pulled out his cell phone and passed it over. “She’s eight.”

  Tammy oohed and aahed over the pictures of Emily, holding up the phone with each swipe so the others could see.

  “Amanda and I might like to adopt a foster child someday,” Maddock interjected, and Amanda nodded in agreement. They had been trying to stay out of the conversation while Rafe was under the microscope, but they couldn’t help but overhear since they were sitting right next to him and his family. “There’s so many kids out there who need good families.”

  Tammy smiled and reached out a hand to squeeze Maddock’s arm. “That’s a lovely notion, Maddock. You have such a big heart for people.”

  The conversation shifted towards the Engel brothers and their plans for the future, and Rafe was relieved to be out of the spotlight. He let his mind wander as the conversation swirled around him, and it invariably led him back to CeCe. He played out scenarios in his head of how he could tell her, but each one ended in disaster.

  When dinner was over, Rafe was more confused than ever. At the ceremony, he had convinced himself that God would work things out if Rafe was meant to be with CeCe, but now he wondered if his deception had ruined things. Could he possibly still salvage the relationship he had poisoned? The question echoed in his mind the whole way home, like Poe’s raven calling, “nevermore.”

  As soon as Rafe got home, he plopped in his favorite chair and pulled out his phone to call CeCe. He couldn’t handle the suspense any longer, he had to tell her and see what would happen.

  “Rafe! I’m so glad you called!” she answered before the end of the first ring. Her silky voice was like lotion, and he was dry and desiccated without her. Rafe let it smooth over every inch of his body.

  “Someone at church gave me tickets to a concert this week, and I was hoping yo
u would go with me. Are you free Thursday evening?” Her excitement was palpable, and Rafe wished he could see the look on her face.

  Rafe smiled, grateful he didn’t have a class to teach that evening. “Sure, I’d love to go. Who’s singing?” It didn’t really matter, as long as he was with CeCe. He’d go see Justin Bieber if that’s what she wanted.

  “It’s an orchestra, not a singer. Is that okay?”

  “That sounds nice, CeCe. I can’t wait.” The intense urge to tell her his secret disappeared, swallowed up by his desire to spend more time with her. He’d tell her after the concert, he promised himself. What difference would a few more days make?

  Chapter 13

  “Do you think I could be a good mother?” CeCe mumbled into Jessica’s armpit as Jessica was pinning up CeCe’s hair in an elegant swoop. She was straddling the toilet, a willing victim to Jessica’s fashion ministrations. Jessica dropped her hands and stepped back so she could look her sister in the face. CeCe’s serious expression told her this wasn’t just a random question. “I mean, we didn’t have the best example.”

  Jessie pulled bobby pins from between her lips and pondered the reasons behind the question but not her answer. “Of course you’d make a good mother. Why? Is there something you’re not telling me? You’re not pregnant, are you?”

  CeCe sighed and tugged on a piece of hair that hadn’t yet made it into the swoop. “No, of course not. I just wondered if it was… unrealistic for me to consider having a child someday.”

  “You can do anything you set your mind to, Sis. How many times have you proved that?” Jessica resumed pinning, returning the bobby pins to her mouth.

  “Do you think I could handle a blind child?”