by S S Bazinet
Arel couldn’t believe what he was hearing and frowned at Michael. “Is William okay? Did Col do something to him again?”
William came over and stuck out his hand to Arel. “I’m sorry I’ve been so stubborn. Do you forgive me?”
Arel stood up. He wasn’t sure about what to do, but he finally took William’s hand. “Of course I forgive you, Will, and I want you to have a wonderful life.”
William started laughing. “You act like you’ll never see me again, but they’ve invented those big things with wings called airplanes. You can get a ticket anytime and visit me in London.”
“Do you mean that? Do you really want to continue being friends?”
“No, I don’t want to be friends.”
Arel tried to pull his hand away, but William held on to him. “I’m confused. Do you want us to be acquaintances? The Christmas card type?”
“Arel, we’re brothers. I’d like to keep it that way if you’re okay with that.”
Arel looked at his hand and how William wouldn’t let it go. But when Arel was a child, he was the one who wouldn’t let go. When his older brother, Aldwin, had died, he’d tried to hold on to his dead brother’s hand. He’d clung to Aldwin’s cold, stiff fingers, hoping against hope that his brother wouldn’t abandon him. In the end, Arel’s father had broken the connection with his cane.
William tightened his grip knowingly. “You have another brother now, Arel. And I’ll try to live up to that honor.”
Arel wanted to believe what he was hearing, but it seemed too good to be true. “Are you sure, Will, even if I’m an idiot on occasion?”
William nodded and pulled Arel into an embrace. “Yes, I’m sure,” he whispered.
* * * * *
After squaring things away with Arel, William excused himself. He had another task to attend to. He took the stairs to the lower level of the house to finish packing. He’d return to the condo until he flew back to London. It was the arrangement that Annabel wanted.
He was in the downstairs bedroom, getting his clothes together when Annabel walked in. He paused to greet her. “I’ll be out of your way as soon as I finish up here.”
Annabel smiled. “Can we talk?”
For a moment, William stalled. Annabel was so beautiful. When she wasn’t wearing a frown or her worry face, it was almost like he was looking at the angel Annabel had been when they first met.
He put down the shirt he’d been folding and walked over to where she stood. “Annabel, before I leave, I have to tell you something. No matter what we do, whether we separate or find a way to stay together, know that I’ll always remember how you changed my life.”
Annabel dropped her gaze. “You’ll remember how I upset you with my constant complaining?”
“No, I can do without that. I’m talking about how much you believed in me when I felt like I’d lost everything.”
Annabel went over to the bed and sat down. “I was an angel. It was easy to do that.”
William sat down next to her. “I know you’ve been afraid, but what I can’t understand is how you’ve forgotten who you are, with or without wings. After what I just experienced, I know that all of us, angel and human, were created with the same Source energy. It’s what remains when everything else is stripped away.”
“I think Rolphe was trying to tell me the same thing.” Annabel gave him a quick glance. “What about you, William? When we talked last, you mentioned a monster that’s still inside of you.”
William huffed out a sigh. “After my last visit with Col, I know where that monster wants to take me, and it’s not a place I want to go.”
“I keep thinking about how Col almost killed you.”
“Maybe Col did me a favor when he stabbed me. I needed to be reminded of where I was headed.”
“You almost died, William.”
“Col couldn’t have hurt me if I wasn’t still giving my own monster free rein.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Instead of working with Arel, I went off on my own and tried to battle it out. But the monster in Col was a lot tougher than mine.”
“Why didn’t you wait for Arel to help you?”
“Since childhood, I’ve had this belief that I had to handle problems on my own. Trusting others didn’t feel like an option. When Col defeated me, my failure reinforced all the bitterness and resentment I’ve carried throughout my life.” He paused and looked at Annabel. “I resented you, remember?”
Annabel laughed. “Of course, I remember. But being an angel, I knew how you got so cold and bitter. I could also see who you really are.”
“I’m just starting to reacquaint myself with the real me.”
“I’ve never stopped knowing how perfect you are, William. I guess that’s one reason I’ve been so afraid. Like you said, you stormed off to challenge Col, but the real you wasn’t the one in charge. It was that raging monster, and I thought I’d lose you.”
“But Annabel, when you looked at me with so much panic, it didn’t help.”
“I know. I’ve been fighting my own monster. Once I made the decision to give up my wings, fear took over. Even my love for you became another reason to be scared all the time.”
“I wish I could have been there—”
“My dear William, we both know you tried. But you couldn’t make me have faith in myself. When you told me you wanted a divorce, I finally had to face that fact.”
“Another reason to say I’m sorry.”
“It was hard, but it made me look at my life. I needed to see the wrong turn I’d taken. Instead of clinging to you, I had to stop and concentrate on myself.”
“Perhaps as an angel, your job was all about helping me. When you took off your wings, your focus was still centered around what I was doing. But a human being isn’t like an angel. They’re supposed to make something of their own life.”
“I didn’t know how to do that, and when you tried to help—”
William laughed. “It was the blind leading the blind.”
Annabel laughed too. “Recently, Elise, Peggy and Carol have pointed me in the right direction. I’m not my own person yet, but I feel a lot better about myself.”
William caressed her cheek. “Angel or human, you couldn’t be more beautiful.”
Annabel got up and took one of William’s shirts out of his suitcase. She fluffed it out and held it close.
William watched with curiosity. “What are you doing?”
“Do you still want us to stay together?”
“Yes, I do, but I thought you wanted to be on your own.”
“You’re right. I don’t want to be dependent, but—”
“But what?”
Annabel stared back with bright emerald eyes. “William, is it okay if I change my mind? I can’t make any promises about being brave all the time, but I want to be with you no matter what.”
William smiled as he came over, grabbed the shirt and threw it aside. Taking Annabel’s hands in his, he pulled her close. “Maybe we can both start over. As for your fears, remember that it took a lot of courage to become a human. With more practice, I know you’ll be fine. And when you do get scared, I want to be there for you.”
“I was an angel for a long time. But no other man ever tempted me to take off my wings,” Annabel whispered. She put her hands on William’s shoulders and pulled herself up to kiss him.
As soon as their lips touched, William gathered Annabel up in his arms and kissed her more passionately. When their kiss ended, he continued to hold her and let a sudden joy fill the spaces where his fear had lived. When he thought about remaining a loner, the appeal wasn’t there anymore. “Maybe, when we both know ourselves a little better we can talk about a family. What do you think?”
Annabel tried to pull back. “A family? I’d love that, but—”
“What’s wrong?”
“What if I end up being a terrible mom who worried all the time?”
“Look, Arel, the king of worriers, doe
s fine around children. If worse comes to worse, we’ll have him come to London for an extended stay. He’s supposedly a baby whisperer.”
Annabel smiled broadly. “You two would drive each other crazy.”
“I’ve been having second thoughts about Arel. I think my resentment was just part of my fear. I feel different about him now.”
“Can I remind you of that when you two start yelling at each other?”
William shrugged. “Yes, as long as I can remind you to keep believing you’re still part angel and also the woman I love.”
Annabel pulled away and picked up William’s shirt. After folding it, she put it back in the suitcase. When she looked at William, her eyes were soft and sweet. “I’m ready to go back home. How about you?”
“I think that’s an excellent idea.”
“Elise will probably be happy to see us go. Before all this business with Col started, she was really excited about getting ready for the Christmas holidays.”
William smiled. “Good, she’ll keep Arel busy while we spend some quiet time back in London.”
Sixty-Eight
CHRISTMAS WAS FAST approaching. For Arel, it was a busy time. With the Col threat behind him, and the holiday season beckoning, he had one task left. He hoped to surprise Elise with something special.
He stood in the living room, staring upwards. The top of the bushy, Scotch Pine Christmas tree he’d bought was only inches from touching the ceiling. He said a silent prayer that the tree was finally secure in its tree stand. His assistant, Michael, had saved the tree twice when it almost toppled over.
He backed up and checked to make sure it was standing straight. Once satisfied, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, that wasn’t easy, but I think we did it, Michael.”
Michael nodded. “It’s a beautiful tree.”
“It better be. I checked every lot in the area. I wanted a tree that was perfect for Elise. Christmas is her favorite holiday.”
“Elise will be very happy, Arel,” Carey said. He was sitting on the sofa, observing and eating Christmas cookies. Elise had made several dozen the day before.
“Thank you,” Arel said as he gave Carey a backwards glance. “Carey, please, use a plate. You’re getting crumbs all over the couch.”
Carey quickly sat up and stuffed the remainder of an oatmeal raisin cookie in his mouth. “Sorry about that,” he sputtered. Once he swallowed, he gave Arel a repentant smile. “I still forget sometimes.”
Arel brought his attention back to the tree and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Michael, I don’t get it. How can someone be an angel and lack in manners?”
Before Michael could answer, Carey came over and tapped Arel on the shoulder.
Arel startled badly, grabbed for his chest and swung around to glare at the angel. “Are you crazy scaring me like that, Carey? My nerves are already in shreds. It’s taking forever to get this tree up, and I wanted it finished before Elise comes back from shopping.”
Carey rubbed his hands together. “I’m fully fueled and ready to help. So tell me what to do.”
Arel glanced over at some of the boxes he’d purchased. “That’s very nice of you to offer, but—”
“What is it, Arel?” Michael asked.
“I’ve never decorated a tree before. Growing up, my mother forbade me to come near when she was giving instructions to the servants. She was very exacting in how a tree should look.”
“But there’s no right way to decorate a tree,” Carey said. “Every person’s style is unique.”
“Maybe, but I’m open to suggestions.”
Carey stood back. “I think the lights go on next. Michael and I can work on that while you get the garland and ornaments unboxed.”
Arel pointed to a stack of decorations. “There’s a dozen boxes in that pile over there.”
“A dozen boxes?” Carey asked. “How many are in a box?”
Arel shrugged. “A hundred lights per box. Did I buy enough?”
Carey looked up at Michael and back at Arel. “That’s over a thousand lights. Yes, I’m sure you bought enough.”
* * * * *
Elise pulled her car into the garage, turned off the engine, and sat back in her seat. As she’d driven home, she’d seen so many pretty Christmas lights in the neighborhood. It made her smile just thinking about how festive the season could be.
Happily, all the stress and strain she’d had recently experienced was melting away. She’d made peace with Arel’s confession about not being the man she thought he was. She’d decided he was even more amazing than before. How many women could say their husbands astral traveled throughout the Universe, fought scary ghosts and read minds as easily as the newspaper?
Sitting quietly, taking stock of her life, she knew she was fortunate to be with someone she adored. But there was one little area that was disappointing. Arel didn’t seem to share her interest in Christmas. In fact, whenever she brought up the subject, he didn’t have anything to say about a holiday that Elise wanted so much to celebrate.
She got out of her car with a resolute attitude. Arel wasn’t a Christmas enthusiast like her, and that was okay. It was also okay that they’d decided to wait a little while before they started a family. Getting to know each other without holding back, to share their feelings more openly was a priority. And when the time came to have a family, they’d be ready.
She was even smiling as she carried a number of bags to the door. It didn’t matter if Arel wasn’t into Christmas, she was giving him gifts. There were also gifts for Freddie. As for Carol and Peggy’s children, she’d already finished her shopping for them. In fact, Arel had been quite enthusiastic when it came to Christmas gifts for his god children. He made sure to accompany her on those shopping trips.
“At least he’s not a Scrooge type,” she told herself as she opened the garage door. Stepping inside, she hesitated. The house was dark, and she didn’t know why. Still clutching the shopping bags, she called out. “Arel? Honey? Are you home?”
“Yes, I am!” Arel called back. His response was seconded by a couple of barks from Freddie.
Elise’s eyes began to adjust to the lack of light, and she realized there was a nightlight on in the foyer. It gave off just enough illumination to allow her to go forward, towards Arel’s voice. “Arel, would you please turn on some lights?”
Arel responded immediately. “Your wish is my command, my lovely Elise!”
A flash of brilliance followed Arel’s announcement. The dazzling display was so unexpected that Elise dropped her shopping bags. Arel came striding towards her with Freddie under one arm. “Surprise!” he called out. Taking her hand, he led her into the living room.
Elise couldn’t stop staring at the most marvelous Christmas tree she’d ever seen. Countless lights, glittery-gold garland and hundreds of shiny ornaments sparkled in front of her.
“What do you think?” Arel asked.
Elise leaned against his shoulder as tears streamed down her cheeks. She had the same feeling of wonder and excitement she remembered from childhood, a time when she still believed in magic. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. But I was afraid you didn’t feel like I did about Christmas.”
Arel took out his handkerchief and gently patted down her face. “I wanted to surprise you.”
Before she could comment, Michael and Carey joined them. Their smiling faces added an extra element of happiness to the room. Arel immediately thanked them both for all their help with the tree. Carey nudged Arel playfully and asked if he thought it had enough lights. Arel’s reaction surprised Elise. Instead of being his serious self, Arel just laughed and nudged Carey back.
Elise had never seen her husband look so at ease. She’d been told that Michael and Carey were angels, but in that moment, with Arel’s golden eyes glowing so bright, she had the strange feeling that he was one of them. Or perhaps, he was simply a human being who’d found out that he could be just as amazing as an angel. Whatever the truth, she was sure
of one thing. This was going to be the best Christmas ever.
Sixty-Nine
AFTER ROLPHE RETURNED home to Paris, he wanted to finish his Garden of Eden painting. However, his first priority was Myra and salvaging their relationship. He made sure to spend his time letting her know how important she was to him. Myra responded with an open heart. She often stayed at his apartment instead of her own. Celebrating the Christmas holidays together made it an extra special time.
However, once Christmas was over, Myra urged Rolphe to finish his painting. When Rolphe resisted and said he didn’t want to return to the way things had been in the past, Myra came up with a solution. She’d curl up in a cozy chair in his studio. While Rolphe painted, Myra would read or work on some needlework projects. It was a time when they could simply be together without talking, each content to simply have the other close.
It didn’t take very long for Rolphe to finish what he’d started months before. On the last day of the year, he put his brush in a container of paint thinner and stood back. “Finished.”
Myra looked up from her book. “What did you say?”
Rolphe walked over to where she was sitting and gave her a contented smile. “My dear Myra, come look at the painting and tell me what you think.”
Myra stood up and slipped her arm in his. “Oh my, this is exciting.”
Rolphe led her over to the large canvas and waited.
For long moments, Myra remained silent. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft, a reverent whisper. “It’s magnificent. It makes me feel like I’m seeing possibilities for the future.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m reminded of a quote. I don’t know the words exactly, just that if a person can dream of something, it can become a reality. When I look at your painting, I dream about the possibilities for our beautiful Earth.”
