by Zoey Derrick
Vivienne recalls that Mikah’s mother passed away some years ago, but it is obvious that this isn’t the first time he’s seen her since then. She wonders why he’s so cold toward her.
“My son,” she says. “Vivienne, I am Elizabeth,” she says and moves a step forward, though she appears to be floating more than walking. “It is an honor to finally meet you.” She reaches out her hand and Vivienne steps around the couch to take it. Mikah follows her.
“The same to you,” Vivienne says, unsure how to greet her, but Mikah’s mother doesn’t seem to take any offense.
Elizabeth looks over to Mikah. “It is time for you to learn and to understand all that is going on around you. What I need to tell you is no doubt going to make you angry, but I need you to be calm and listen.”
“I cannot make any promises. I’m already upset and confused. How in the world does Red know about all of this?”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows shoot up, and she looks at Vivienne with a question in her eyes. Vivienne shakes her head.
“Vivienne?” Mikah says with a hint of menace in his voice.
Vivienne turns toward him. “Maybe you should sit down.”
Mikah’s eyebrows draw together and his lips purse.
“Don’t be mad at me. I’ve only just learned all of this within the last twenty-four hours or so. Hardly enough time for me to tell you about it.”
His features thaw and he takes a seat.
Vivienne lets out a breath, and her shoulders relax.
“Yesterday morning when I woke up, the dream I’d been having filtered into reality, much like it did earlier tonight.” She blushes as the memory of Mikah on his knees, his wings spread wide, and the—
She stops the thought but not before she sees his eyes light up with excitement as he too remembers what happened. She blinks, desperate to concentrate.
“When I woke up, I went into the bathroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I almost screamed. Once I began to realize what had happened, Zirah, my teacher—” His eyes snap up to hers; he, too, has a teacher. “—came to me and explained what had happened and how to fix it. She also told me that those closest to us are our greatest allies and protectors. Red—” She gestures behind Mikah to the man standing behind him. “—Andrew, Connor and Celeste are all guardians of Elysium.” She pauses to give him a moment soak up the information she’s giving him.
While he processes it, Vivienne, too, is struck by how strange this all sounds. Now that she hears herself say it aloud, the thought that none of this is real flits through her mind.
“How... Why?” he says.
Vivienne turns toward Elizabeth.
“When you chose the business path you did, you put yourself in the public eye. I had no choice but to help protect you, not only from evil, but from yourself.” Elizabeth starts to pace. “When I died, Shannon knew nothing of angels, knew nothing of what you were or were to become, so the stories stopped with me. We feared that, should your inner angel make himself known, we would be exposed to the world. But it would also expose you to the demons who wish to harm you.” Elizabeth continues to pace. “Demons seek out angels on Earth to either destroy them or convert them.”
Mikah has a flash of intuition that this information is important, but before he can ask about it, Elizabeth goes on. “When you started looking for bodyguards, we sent Red in. Then the rest of your staff. Andrew and Connor are just as he is, and Celeste too.”
Elizabeth continues to pace around the room. Viv looks to Mikah, who is sitting still as can be, his head in his hands. The tension in his shoulders could shatter a boulder to a million pieces. This is not what he was expecting to hear tonight.
“Mikah?” Vivienne says quietly as she comes to stand next to him. Looking down at him, she sees his shoulders relax and the tension wash out of him. He lazily raises his head, and when their eyes meet, everything seems to stop. Nothing matters but him. She senses that need he feels for her, and her heart swells.
Their connection is broken by a clicking sound, like a door closing behind Vivienne, and she turns quickly in that direction. A momentary fear causes her heart to start racing. Striding toward them are two women more beautiful than anything Vivienne has ever seen before. The woman in front is blond with hair that flows out behind her. The second one is red-haired and fair-skinned, much like Vivienne. They wear matching white dresses befitting Grecian goddesses.
The red-haired one smiles at Vivienne, who takes an involuntary step back. “Do not be frightened,” she says, bells for a voice, and Vivienne immediately recognizes her.
“Zirah?” Vivienne asks. The redhead nods enthusiastically at her, and a warm smile spreads across Vivienne’s face. Vivienne feels Mikah move behind her, and her eyes go to the blond woman, whose face lights up.
“Hello, Mikah,” the blond woman says. “I am Seraphina.”
Though he doesn’t smile back at her, Mikah’s eyes register recognition. “Hello, Seraphina.”
Once again there is a click behind them, this time from the door they’d entered through a few minutes ago. Mikah and Vivienne watch as Zirah and Seraphina quickly look past Mikah and Vivienne toward the noise.
Standing in front of the door are Andrew, who is smiling of course; Connor, who looks pissed off as usual; and Celeste, who gives her usual impression of Mexican jumping beans bouncing around inside their shell.
“Now that we’re all here it is time to discuss the real reasons I’ve called on you. Vivienne, I have some rather sad news to share with you. Your mother—”
Vivienne’s ears begin to ring, and she does not need to hear more to know that Elizabeth is trying to tell her that her mother has passed away. Her body goes limp, but Mikah catches her quickly and carries her to the sofa.
“Vivienne.” Elizabeth tries again to gather her attention. “Vivienne, your mother, Rebecca, did not die of natural causes.”
“What?” Mikah and Vivienne say in unison, his more of a growl.
“How?” is all Vivienne can manage to say, but then she realizes she already knows the answer to that question. He’s back.
“Riley.”
FOUR
“I always knew that little shit wasn’t done,” Mikah snaps.
Vivienne’s body begins to shake with silent sobs, and Mikah does the only thing he thinks he can do to console her: He gently strokes her hair. She leans deeper into him. Her gesture is silent assurance that she needs him as much as he needs her.
Vivienne always knew that this day would come, but she never expected it to come at the hands of Riley Bennett. Vivienne had been sure that Riley knew nothing of her mother. In fact, he never so much as showed an inkling of interest in her. So how had he found her?
“We’re not entirely sure it was Riley,” Elizabeth says, and Vivienne and Mikah both look up at her.
“How are you not sure?” Mikah asks the question that Vivienne can’t.
“Well, we simply haven’t had the time to investigate what happened, and Rebecca has been no help.”
“What do you mean?” Vivienne asks. Her voice is full of emotion and the words are hard to understand.
“We mean yes, we suspect as much, but we are unable to confirm it just yet. We have a small team on their way to investigate and report back,” Elizabeth is quick to answer.
“But you said something about Rebecca being of no help,” Vivienne says, a little clearer now.
“We’ve brought Rebecca to Elysium.”
“She’s here?” Vivienne and Mikah both say at the same time in nearly identical flat tones. They both look to each other.
Mikah can see the fear in her eyes, and he squeezes her hand slightly, just to let her know that he’s here for her no matter what.
“Yes, she’s here and we’re trying to talk to her. However, it takes some time for the departed to adjust to what’s happened, and I’m afraid she hasn’t been much help.” Elizabeth begins to pace back and forth again in front of the bank of windows near the couches
. “We also have to take into account the fact that your mother was not of sound mind prior to her death. We’re not sure if we will get any information from her at all. But we’re going to try.”
There is a moment of silence while this news sinks in, and then Elizabeth stops pacing and speaks again. “Vivienne,” she says, “I’m wondering if you could help us?”
Vivienne looks to Elizabeth, a quizzical look on her face. “I’m not sure what help I can be,” she says finally.
Mikah leans in a little, curious as to what his mother is asking.
“I’m wondering if you would try talking to your mother, see if she will tell you what she knows about her death.”
“Elizabeth, I—” Vivienne looks to Mikah, confusion on her face, and then back to Elizabeth. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Mikah looks to Vivienne, trying to read her reaction, but he can’t. Too many emotions are playing out on her features.
“I think it might be the best chance we have to get her to talk.”
“I’m pretty sure that won’t work.” Vivienne’s heart is pounding, making it impossible to think straight. Nothing good can come from seeing Rebecca, at least not anything that won’t result in more heartache.
“Vivienne, we should at least try,” Elizabeth says.
Mikah moves to stand behind Vivienne and places his hand on the small of her back. He leans down and whispers in her ear, “You can do this.”
It’s strange how his words have calmed her almost instantly.
Vivienne smiles slightly, takes a deep breath and says, “Bring her here.”
FIVE
Two heartbeats later, the door behind Zirah and Seraphina clicks again. Zirah and Seraphina part, allowing Vivienne a full view of the woman who has just entered the room.
Vivienne feels trepidation fly through her veins. She stands and takes a few steps toward the woman. Mikah is close behind her; she can hear the shifting and footsteps.
The woman is modestly dressed in a white nightgown-style, sleeveless dress and has long reddish-brown hair framing her heart-shaped face. Her green eyes stare wary at the scene laid out in front of her, but she is doing her best to pretend she’s not looking. Though the woman looks lost and confused, it doesn’t take but a few moments for Vivienne to recognize her.
“Rebecca?” Vivienne says, and the woman, who is the focus of the entire room, jerks her head in Vivienne’s direction. Vivienne knows it’s her mother, but the woman before her appears much younger, as if she is about Vivienne’s age.
The woman looks at Vivienne, her eyes squinting for a moment before widening as she realizes who she’s looking at. “Vivienne?” She takes a few steps toward Vivienne.
Vivienne takes a step back. She realizes now she wasn’t ready for this. Needing support and reassurance, she tears her gaze away from the her mother and turns to see Mikah right next to her. She feels oddly comforted by his look of confusion. Behind him, the same look is on the faces of her guardians and she can sense their tension.
Mikah isn’t entirely sure what to say or how to interpret what he is looking at. He’d expected an older woman.
“Is that...?” Mikah says aloud.
“Rebecca, Vivienne’s mother,” Elizabeth answers.
Mikah hears a sharp intake of breath behind him and looks over his shoulder to see Red, who is white as a ghost. Mikah follows Red’s gaze back to the woman standing in front of them. She appears dazed, obviously in shock.
“Vivienne?” the woman says again, and Viv takes another step back toward the line of people standing behind her.
Mikah cocks his head, trying to understand how this woman, who is no older than Vivienne, could be her mother.
Elizabeth answers his unasked question. “When those who die on earth are brought to Elysium, they take on the appearance of their younger selves, when they were happiest and when they were their healthiest.”
Behind Mikah, Red has started mumbling to himself. Mikah turns his head to look, and his forehead creases in confusion. Red is staring intently at Vivienne’s mother as if he knows her. Mikah strains to hear what he is saying, but it’s incomprehensible.
“What is going on here?” Mikah says.
Vivienne looks at him, confused, but then her gaze follows his to Red, and Red’s back to Rebecca, who is still staring at Vivienne.
“Red?” Mikah says, watching Rebecca closely.
She doesn’t disappoint him. She raises her eyes to Mikah, and then her gaze shifts from Mikah to the man standing to his right.
Vivienne takes a few more steps backwards, putting distance between herself and everyone else. She can’t stop staring at Red.
“I always thought there was something strangely familiar about you,” Vivienne says, “but I could never place it. The picture. The one I carry in my purse.” Vivienne looks from Red to her mother and back again. “It’s you in that picture, isn’t it?”
“Vivienne, what are you talking about?” Mikah says.
He takes a step toward her, and she steps away from him. He reaches out for her, but she doesn’t see it. She’s still staring at Red.
“You—” She squints and cocks her head to the side. Red squints back at her and there is no doubt in her mind. “You’re my father.”
SIX
Red can only stare at Vivienne, looking confused. Something is passing between them when someone breaks the silence within the room.
“Impossible,” Seraphina says. Her voice isn’t angry, but rather sweet and breathless.
“Vivienne, I—” Red stops. Something in his voice and the way he is looking at Vivienne suggest that he had no idea.
Suddenly Vivienne understands. “Mother, is there something you’d like to tell us all?” she says sternly.
“Yes, please do.” This time it’s Mikah.
Vivienne finally pulls her eyes away from Red to look at Mikah. The concern is clear on his features, but his eyes are alight with curiosity, too, as this twenty-two year old mystery unfolds.
“I...I don’t know,” Rebecca says, but Vivienne isn’t fooled. Her mother is notorious for avoiding the truth.
Vivienne turns toward her mother, who is still staring at Red. “For the love of Christ, Mother, now is not the time for games or jokes.” The wings on Vivienne’s back flare in frustration. “This is it, isn’t it? Despite the fact that you’re here, you’re still going to continue to play games. Stop it. I’ve had enough. Is he or is he not my father?”
Rebecca starts to sob, and she crumples, as if in pain, to the floor.
Andrew and Connor rush to help her, but Vivienne puts her hand up. “Stop, leave her be. She’s still up to her same old tricks. Resorting to tears to get her way or avoid dealing with something she knows she needs to explain. She doesn’t want to discuss this, so she is going to play the blubbering fool on the floor.” Vivienne notices Mikah out of the corner of her eye. He is gaping at her, slack-jawed, and she realizes he’s never seen her like this.
Vivienne is also surprised by her tone. Growing up, she could never be cross with her mother. But now, after all this time, the anger and frustration have reached a boiling point, and she resolves to be done with her mother’s games.
“Red?” Mikah says.
“I honestly don’t know. I met Rebecca some years ago, and—” He stops again.
Vivienne looks toward him. He seems to be doing some math in his head.
“It would’ve been about twenty-three years ago. I was pulled away, brought back to Elysium by—” He looks toward Elizabeth. “—Alexandria. About the time Mikah’s wings were discovered.”
“Wait, what do my wings have to do with— I’ve only known you for a few years.” Mikah looks to his mother for an explanation.
But it’s Red who answers. “No, I’ve known you since you were a lad, since shortly after your family came to Boston. Though neither you nor your mother ever saw me, I was sent to keep watch over you. To protect you.” As Red talks he is trying desperately
to understand and put all the pieces of this together. “As I said, I was pulled away from Rebecca by Alexandria, who was dethroned to make way for you, Elizabeth. She told me that I was to stay away from Rebecca, that I could never return. I questioned her, but she wouldn’t explain it to me. Then I met Kelly. Though I never truly forgot Rebecca, I was — and am — so taken with Kelly that I never regretted the way things turned out.”
Vivienne’s eyes scan the room, unseeing, as she tries to understand everything that Red is saying. There is a connection here, something between Elizabeth, Red, Alexandria, and herself that she doesn’t understand.
“I was pulled away in late February. That would have been twenty-two years ago.” Red looks to Rebecca. “Were you pregnant when I left? Were you pregnant with Vivienne?” he asks, his voice low.
“Yes.” Rebecca sobs, still kneeling on the tile with her head in her hands.
An eerie silence follows, finally broken by Mikah addressing Elizabeth. “Mother, did you know about all of this?”
“Yes and no. I knew that Vivienne’s father was of angelic descent, I just didn’t have the details. Our archives are incomplete or missing,” Elizabeth says, and she doesn’t elaborate further.
SEVEN
“Rebecca,” Vivienne says, her voice strong and determined. She’s finally recalled the reason Elizabeth brought Rebecca here, and she’s going to get answers.
Her mother looks up at her, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
“We need to ask you a few questions.” Despite the fact that every muscle in her body is tight and her hands are shaking, Vivienne’s voice sounds confident. She feels Mikah’s hand on her back and she relaxes just a little bit more.
“I need to ask you about what happened tonight.”
Everyone in the room takes an added interest in Rebecca and what she has to say, but Rebecca’s face only shows confusion.
“Uh...” Rebecca’s features goes through a series of different emotions: confusion, concern, thoughtfulness. Finally she says, “The last thing I remember is hearing a girl scream.”
