After the Fall ba-2

by L. G. Castillo

  She gritted her teeth, hating to even think such negative thoughts about the girl she was supposed to be protecting. She couldn’t help it. All she could remember was the way her body had rubbed up against Lash’s.

  Megan moved toward the bar with a tray full of empty beer bottles. Eyes were glued on her as she passed each table. Some whistled at her; others gave her a friendly hello. She smiled and talked to each one.

  “What’s with the scowl?” Jeremy nudged her.

  “I’m not scowling.”

  He slid his finger down the front of her forehead. “You’re telling me this line here is permanent?”

  “Not funny, Jeremy.” He chuckled as she batted his hand away. “We’ve been here for hours. I don’t think anything is going to happen. She’ll continue to be eye candy for all the guys here.”

  “It’s probably best to wait until she’s safe in her home,” Jeremy said.

  Megan was headed in their direction with a tray of burgers. She stopped at a table with a couple of guys, both wearing their Stetsons, typical Texas cowboys. One of them looked like he was stuck in the 70s, with a huge mustache and polyester shirt exposing a hairy chest. She set the tray down and flashed one of her teen-model smiles. When she turned, mustache-man slapped her butt.

  Megan’s nostrils flared, and her eyes tensed with anger, catching Naomi by surprise.

  Quickly smoothing her face, she turned to mustache-man and giggled.

  “Now, now.” She wiggled her finger at him. “Don’t handle the merchandise.” She then went to the bar, laid her tray on the counter, and headed straight for the Ladies’ room.

  She’s acting, Naomi thought. She didn’t like the way she was being treated, but she put up with it anyway. Why would she do that?

  A few minutes later, Megan came out of the ladies’ room, brushing her fingers under red-rimmed eyes. She took a deep breath and picked up another tray of drinks from the bar.

  Naomi finally understood and was actually starting to respect Megan and all she was putting up with in the bar. If it were her, she’d have chewed out mustache-man and slapped him. Megan had to put up with it. It was a job.

  “I’m an idiot,” she mumbled under a breath. All Megan was doing was trying to earn a living, and here she was judging her. Some angel she was.

  “Aw, Naomi, you’re not an idiot,” Jeremy said. “You’re just a little...misled by the green-eyed monster.”

  Her eyes shot up at him. “You can read minds, too?”

  He smiled. “No. But I’m really good at reading pretty faces... like yours. You have absolutely nothing to be jealous about.”

  She felt herself grow warm as Jeremy continued to stare at her. This was not good. Not good at all. She needed to get some space between them.

  “Well, if we can’t leave, can we at least wait outside?” She was headed toward the door when her eyes suddenly grew wide, and she froze.

  Jeremy was immediately by her side. “What’s wrong?”

  She swallowed thickly as she stared at the familiar face that stood at the bar’s entrance.

  “Chuy,” she breathed.

  10

  Lash watched the white and pink petals dancing in the air as he sat beneath one of the cherry trees. Any other day, he would’ve found the scene enchanting—not today. All he could think about was Naomi. It had been only minutes since she left with Jeremy, but each second that passed felt like an eternity. He was being melodramatic, and he knew it. But he couldn’t help himself. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was the hurt on her face. And then, when she left, she couldn’t even look at him long enough to say good-bye.

  “Lash,” a soft voice woke him from his thoughts.

  He blinked until his eyes focused on Rachel, who stood in front of him with sad eyes. “Oh, hey, Rachel.”

  “Mind if I join you?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not really in the mood for talking.”

  “Sometimes talking helps,” she said, sitting beside him, tucking her legs beneath her. “Raphael told me what happened...about you telling Naomi.”

  “Who else knows?” The last thing he needed was other angels talking about him. He didn’t like the thought of his life being a soap opera for them.

  “No, just me...and Michael”—she looked down, fiddling with a blade of grass—“and Gabrielle.”

  “That’s just great. Now everyone knows!”

  “Not everyone.”

  Brown eyes glanced up at him, and he narrowed his eyes. He knew her too well. “And...”

  She swallowed. “Well, I may have told Uri.”

  He groaned. “So all the archangels know I was dumped.”

  “You were not dumped. Naomi just needs time to think this through.”

  He let out a loud breath in frustration. He wished he could be patient. It was so hard, especially with her gone―and with Jeremy!

  He groaned as he tilted his head back, leaning it against the tree. White blossoms fluttered on a breeze going through the gardens. Some tore off from the branches and sailed to the ground, so delicate, so beautiful, just like Naomi.

  “She couldn’t even look at me, Rachel. She went on assignment with Jeremy for who knows how long, and she didn’t say a word. It’s like she gave up on me.”

  “Don’t think like that! She loves you so much. Anyone can see that.”

  Lash watched a cloud between the branches as it drifted across the sky, covering the sun for a moment and leaving them in a shadow. That’s how he felt at that moment—a shadow of himself, empty without Naomi’s love.

  “I don’t know. Maybe there was a reason why we were prevented from being together the first time around. Maybe she’s meant to be with someone else.” Naomi placing her hand in Jeremy’s right before she left was seared in his mind.

  “Lash, stop it!” She shook his shoulders, hard. “Snap out of it, and stop talking nonsense.”

  She moved directly in front of him and reached over, curling her hand behind his neck. “Look at me.”

  He slowly tilted his head down and looked into determined brown eyes. “I know you don’t remember the first time you were with Naomi, and someday I hope you will. But I was there. I know. The love between the two of you was so pure, so beautiful, it broke my heart to see you two being torn apart.”

  “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

  “Argh! I am not. How can I make you believe me?”

  “It’s okay, Rachel. You’ve always been a good friend.” He took her hand, kissed it, and stood. “If anyone is looking for me, I’ll be in the Room of Judgment.” It was nice and dark there. At least there, he’d be left alone.

  She let out a growl of frustration and jumped to her feet. Before he knew what was happening, her petite hands jerked his head down and she placed a palm on his temple.

  “Hizaher,” she whispered the Hebrew command to remember in his ear.

  A memory flashed through Lash’s mind. He found himself on a familiar hill next to Naomi. She turned to him, her eyes filled with tears as she reached out to cup his face. “I care not if my father has promised me in marriage to Jeremiel. My love for you will never die.”

  “My sweet Naomi. Your love gives me strength.” Lash placed his hands over hers, turned his head, and kissed her palms. “I will plead with my father to allow me to have your hand in marriage. I care not what he does with me so long as I can be with you.”

  “And if he says no?”

  “Then we shall leave this place. Will you go with me? Can you leave your sisters, your family, and join me?”

  “Yes. I cannot bear to be without you.”

  “Then I shall fight for you. I’ll never stop fighting for you.”

  “Nor I you.”

  Lash gasped as Rachel pulled her hands away. He blinked down at her. “Was that a memory?”

  She glanced around the garden with a worried look. “Please don’t tell anyone I did that.”

  Of all the memories he’d been shown of
his past, this one was the most vivid. He could feel it to the core of his soul as he if were actually there. He could feel the strength of Naomi’s love. She was willing to sacrifice everything to be with him. Not Jeremy. Him!

  He scooped Rachel into his arms, lifting her off her feet, and swung her around. “Thank you, Rachel! That was the best gift anyone has ever given me.” He set her on the ground and held her tightly against his chest in a bear hug.

  “Yohwocom.”

  “What?” He laughed at the muffled sound she was making and let go of her.

  She brushed back her hair and let out a breath. “I said ‘you’re welcome.’ Sometimes, you don’t know your own strength. You’re pretty strong for a seraph, you know.”

  “Sorry.” He grinned.

  “Feeling better now?”

  “A little. I mean, it helps to know how much she loved me.”

  “Loves. Present tense, Lash.”

  “Okay, loves. But she’s still mad at me. I hate leaving things like this.”

  “She’ll be back. In the meantime, you just need to keep yourself distracted while she’s gone.”

  She furrowed her brow in thought and then her face lit up. “I know! I’m going to send Uri to you.” She slapped a hand on his shoulder. “Get ready for a poker night—Uri style.”

  * * *

  A pair of clear blue eyes gazed intently at Lash. “I don’t think you have it,” Uri said with a thick Russian accent.

  “Maybe I do, and maybe I don’t.” Lash reached for the bottle of vodka, a smuggled gift from Uri, and poured himself a drink. Keeping his eyes on him, he downed it and placed the glass down on the table. “Care to make this interesting?”

  Uri’s clean-shaven face lit up. “Now you’re talking, my friend. What’s your price?”

  “Cuban cigars.” Lash poured himself another drink and brought the glass up to his lips.

  “Don’t you already have a stash?”

  “Raphael found them when he was helping us move,” he grumbled.

  Uri chuckled.

  Lash threw him a glare.

  “Say no more.” Uri stared down at his cards, his lip twitching.

  He shook his head, taking another sip. “What’s your price?”

  Uri looked up and thought for a moment. “Umm. Okay, Mr. Mister.”

  Lash choked on his drink and coughed, laughing. “Why are you calling me mister?”

  “I’m not calling you mister. I said I want Mr. Mister.”

  “Uh, okay, so you want a mister?” He furrowed his brow. “What about Rachel?”

  Uri looked at him wide-eyed. “It’s for Rachel.”

  “For Rachel?” Maybe he didn’t know Rachel as well as he thought he did.

  “Mr. Mister is an 80s pop rock band. Don’t you remember?”

  Lash shook his head. There was a lot about the 80s he didn’t want to remember.

  “She loves their Broken Wings song,” he continued. “It’s our song. When she was on assignment with me in ’86, she played it over and over on an old record player.”

  “Oh! A record.” He was relieved. For a moment there, he thought he was going to be responsible for getting Rachel kicked out. “Well, that might be a little tough to get now-a-days, but I think I can manage.”

  Uri tilted his head. “What did you think I was talking about?”

  “Nothing.” His eyes darted to his cards. “Okay, what do you have?”

  “Royal flush.”

  “Shit!”

  Uri howled as he leaned over the table and poured himself a drink. “Don’t tell Rachel. I want to surprise her.”

  “No problem there. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get it for you though. It doesn’t look like I’m going down anytime soon.” Lash pushed himself away from the table, and taking the bottle with him, he went to the large window that overlooked the valley below.

  “Care for another game?”

  Lash pressed his forehead against the glass. It was no use. Even the wisecracking Uri couldn’t keep his heart from aching over Naomi. He’d been so happy when Rachel showed him that memory of Naomi giving up everything just for him, proof of her love for him. He wished he could just hold on to it. Instead, every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was the hurt on her face. Eyes that once looked at him with tender love were glazed over in pain and betrayal, eyes that wouldn’t even look at him when she left. Had he gone too far? Had he lost her love?

  “It’s no good, Uri. Thanks for trying. It’s just...I can’t get her out of my mind.”

  He heard the sound of cards shuffling as he looked at the bridge, wondering if he would be able to find her if he looked. Maybe he could sneak over there in the morning.

  “You don’t remember this, but long ago, I was a royal ass-hole.”

  Lash spun around, taken off guard. “Did you say ass-hole?”

  Uri stared out into space as he shuffled the cards deftly in his fingers. “I didn’t deserve the love Rachel gave to me. I knew she cared, and I took advantage. I didn’t know what a gift she was until she came after me, and then it was too late. When I returned centuries later as a human, she was there again. Of course, I didn’t know her at first. I kept having these strange feelings whenever she was around. What do you call it?”

  He paused for a moment then snapped his fingers. “Déjà vu. It was like I knew her before in another life. Then, I fell in love with her. I couldn’t help myself. By then, the tables were turned, and she kept her heart away from me. Oh, she watched over me; that was her job, but never would she let me in. I know now it was because of how I treated her in the past.”

  Lash stayed silent. This was the first time he’d ever seen Uri so serious. Rachel never talked about their past. In his mind, they were the perfect couple, forever loyal to each other and deeply in love.

  Uri placed the cards on the table and looked at him with determination in his eyes. “I had to fight to win back Rachel’s trust. That is what you must do, my friend. Fight for your woman.”

  “You think I don’t want to do that? I’m stuck here waiting for her.”

  Uri pushed himself away from the table and went to him, slapping a hand down on his shoulder. “Then you will go to her. I’m giving you permission to go down and find her.”

  “What about Gabrielle and Michael?”

  “I’ll handle that. If you’re brief, we may not have to deal with them.”

  “When can I go?”

  “When the moment is right, I’ll find you. Be ready.”

  11

  “Is it over?” Naomi mumbled from behind hands that she kept over her face. She didn’t dare take a peek at what Chuy was doing and risk another wave of nausea like the first time when she saw him flirting with Megan. Who knew angels could get nauseous?

  Jeremy chuckled. “Don’t you think you’re being overdramatic?”

  Okay, maybe she was overreacting just a tad bit. When Chuy, closely followed by Lalo, had walked into the bar, she’d been overjoyed. In that moment, she’d completely forgotten she was an angel and not visible to anyone. She’d been so happy, she’d even wanted to hug Lalo. Jeremy had to stop her from running to them, reminding her that she was not human anymore.

  Although she was sad that she couldn’t talk with Chuy and Lalo, she stood back with Jeremy, happy with the thought that if they were here, then Welita was sure to be nearby. She listened in while they talked about their work at Prescott Oil, hoping to get a clue of where Welita was located.

  Then Megan showed up and asked for their order.

  “I can’t bear to watch this,” she said with her hands still over her eyes. She knew she was acting like a dippy teenager, but she couldn’t help herself. “It’s just so, ugh, so gross. I mean, Chuy making his moves on Megan. It’s bad enough I have to hear it.”

  Jeremy tugged on her hands and pulled them from her face. “He’s not that bad.”

  She dropped her hands and glanced up at him, noting the amused expression on his face. “Seriously?�
��

  “The man’s holding his own. He’s got some smooth moves.” He winked.

  She looked over to Chuy, and groaned. He was flexing his bicep for Megan and showing her a tattoo that he had on his right shoulder.

  Chuy got a tattoo! When did this happen? He must be nuts doing something like that. If Welita found out, she’d flip out. Probably find a way to remove it herself.

  “Ooh, I love it!” Megan said as her fingers brushed over his tanned muscles. “I wish I could get one. Where did you get yours?”

  “I got it down in Houston before we moved up here,” Chuy said.

  “You guys are from Houston? I’ve never been there.”

  Chuy leaned in close to her, his voice husky. “Maybe we can take you for a visit sometime. I was planning on going back to get another one next week.”

  Lalo spit out his beer. “You’re going to get another one after Welita tore you apart for getting the first one?”

  Naomi burst out laughing at the look on Chuy’s face.

  “Not now, Lalo,” Chuy hissed.

  Megan raised an eyebrow. “Welita? Who’s that?”

  “Chuy’s grandmother.” Lalo picked up a nacho chip and put a jalapeño on top of it. “She moved up here with us.” He popped the chip into his mouth.

  “You live with your grandmother?”

  Lalo held his hand up as he chewed quickly before answering her. “Chuy lived with her in Houston, but after her heart attack, we had to move up here to work.”

  Sweat beaded on Lalo’s forehead, and he took a swig of beer. “She’s in an assisted-living complex near our apartment.”

  Naomi took a step forward, hoping that he would say the name of the place Welita was staying.

  “Oh, that’s so sad. Is she all right?” Megan asked.

  “Yep, she’s good.” Lalo picked up a chip and pointed it at Chuy. “Good enough to whip your ass if you get another tattoo.” He grinned.

  Chuy groaned.

  Love ya, Lalo! Naomi thought.

  “Aw, that’s so sweet,” Megan purred as she batted her thick lashes. “I like that...taking care of your grandmother like that. Where do you work?”