Restitution (Haunted Series Book 17)

by Alexie Aaron

  Too soon, the service was over. Mia handed Brian over to Ted’s mother who would take him to the Martin home for the traditional Martin Baptismal Brunch. Mia and Ted would follow after they dealt with the problem at hand.

  Mia slid off her cardigan, freeing her shoulders just in case she would have to activate her wings. Ted held her hand firmly as they walked over to the two strangers.

  “Hello, I’m Theodore Martin, and this is my wife Mia. Welcome to our church,” he said, reaching his hand out in welcome.

  The elder of the two stepped forward. “Horatio Scrums. This is my associate Tait Olhouser.” He shook Ted’s hand and waited until Tait did too. “We’ve come as representatives of Quentin Reynolds. He has entrusted us with a sealed letter for Mia Martin and to express his joy on this auspicious occasion.”

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Scrums, but I’m not familiar with your client,” Mia said. “It would be foolhardy for me to receive this missive without knowing the sender. I hope you understand.”

  Horatio smiled. “You have not been treated well by our kind, I believe.”

  “Nor have I treated your kind well either,” Mia admitted.

  Horatio nodded. He turned to his associate, and Olhouser gave his assent. “Mia, your grandmother gave birth to three children. Quentin was the eldest of the three.”

  “So this is from my missing half-uncle,” Mia said. “Thank you. Are you going to wait for a reply?”

  Olhouser nodded.

  Mia held out her hand and received the letter. She walked into the church and selected a pew. Ted slid in next to her and watched as she, with trembling hands, opened the envelope. Inside was a handwritten letter with a strange charm secured to the bottom.

  Dear Mia,

  Forgive me for not coming to you in person. My present circumstances make it troublesome to travel. I grew up thinking that I was the only child of a widower. Recently, my father has passed. As I was going through his papers, I found my real birth certificate and followed the trail to find out that my mother, your grandmother, had too passed from this world. I did find out that I have two half-siblings and two beautiful nieces, each with young children. I have family!

  I would like to meet with you in person in the near future. I imagine you’re thinking, “What does this man want from me?” I want nothing but to get to know my family. I have reached out to your father, your aunt, and cousin Sabine. They have declined my invitation. Below is a charm, it will help you to find me when and if you wish to visit me. Simply place it in your hand and think of me.

  If I had received such a letter, delivered by an Other, I would be wary too.

  Quentin Reynolds

  “Maybe he’s a con and needs a kidney,” Ted joked.

  “What do I do?”

  “What do you want to do?” Ted asked.

  “I’m curious, but I don’t want to be foolhardy. I used to be so alone, but now I have family coming at me from all directions,” Mia said.

  “Now you know how it is to be me,” Ted said.

  “I was worried that they came for Brian.”

  “Not with Sariel here they wouldn’t.”

  “How did you know?” Mia asked.

  “I used to stare at those windows every Sunday. I calculated their mass, the amount of lead in them, and today the wings of the center angel are different. Like yours, pointy.”

  “I love being married to a smart, observant man.”

  “You forgot sexy, smart, observant man.”

  “Ted, we’re in church,” Mia hissed. “Do you have a pen?”

  Ted reached into his pocket and came up with a pen and a small notebook. Mia sat down and wrote:

  Dear Quentin,

  Family is important to me too. Let’s get to know each other through letters first. This way you’re not stuck at your table with a woman who doesn’t know a fish fork from a salad fork.

  Kind Regards

  Mrs. Mia Martin

  “What do you think?” Mia asked, handing Ted the note to read.

  “I think it sounds friendly but cautious. Your use of humor is nice.” Ted pulled out a small plastic bag, and Mia put the charm inside.

  She put the note in the envelope, pocketing the letter and the charm. She got up and walked back over to the Others.

  “I’ve written Mr. Reynolds back. Can I entrust you to deliver it to him?”

  Horace took the letter and smiled as he didn’t feel the weight of the charm. He didn’t have to fear the wrath of a disappointed client. “May your child be smiled upon,” Horace said and left.

  Tait followed him for a few steps and stopped. He turned and strode purposely back and looked down at Mia. “We are entering dangerous days. I feel it would be good for you and Quentin to become friends.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Olhouser, I value your opinion,” Mia said.

  The Other was taken aback at the receptive woman. He nodded before he turned and walked rapidly to catch up with Horace.

  Father Santos walked over. He handed Ted the baptismal certificate. “I think that’s the happiest baptism I’ve performed in quite a few years,” he said.

  “Will you come over and have brunch with us, Father?” Mia asked.

  “Yes, I’ll be there. I wanted to talk to the two of you, privately, if I may?”

  “Yes, Father,” Ted said.

  “Hold on,” Mia said. She stood still, opened her mind and called silently to Sariel. “All is well, the Others were here representing Quentin Reynolds who tells me he’s my half-uncle.”

  “I was glad to be here to see your son be brought into the fold, Mia,” Sariel said from behind her.

  He had taken a human form. The archangel, with the weathered skin of a warrior, had his long hair tied back. He wore a suit very similar to Ted’s. His sky blue eyes held hers for a moment before he asked, “May I be so bold as to have you introduce me to Father Santos?”

  “You’re going to make his day,” Mia said.

  Ted watched Mia conversing with the stranger. She seemed very comfortable with him, so maybe he wasn’t a stranger to her. She walked over. “Father Santos, Ted, this is Sariel.”

  Father Santos reached out his hand. Sariel clasped it with both of his and held on while the two engaged in a silent conversation.

  Mia drew Ted away. “Mind readers can be so rude.”

  “Tell me about it,” Ted said mischievously. “I’ve noticed you haven’t ventured into my head again.”

  “Not until I learn calculus,” Mia said. “You have so many numbers in there, it’s amazing your head doesn’t rattle when you walk.”

  Ted laughed. “Have you seen Murphy?”

  “He’s probably cooling his heels in the parking lot. Too many churchmen and angels for his comfort,” Mia explained.

  Sariel left the father and stepped over to the Martins.

  “Ted, may I introduce you to…”

  “Sariel, leader of the 5th wave,” Ted said.

  “You are very well informed. We lost that campaign unfortunately.”

  “You should have beefed up your corners. Coming at demons head-on is as foolhardy as wearing red wool uniforms to fight the Zulus.”

  “How do you know all of this?” Mia asked Ted.

  “Your husband has studied battles,” Sariel said, impressed.

  “It comes in handy with videogames,” Ted said. “Cid found a book called Angelic Wars on Earth. We read it when we were still in school,” he explained.

  “Um, isn’t that a comic book series?” Mia asked skeptically.

  “Mia, where do you think a lot of inspiration comes from?” Sariel asked her.

  Mia started to reply.

  Sariel put his hand up to silence her. Mia opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

  Sariel spoke, “Ted, I know that you’re not sure of my association with your wife. I would like to assure you that I would never take advantage of her, and I will treat her with honor.”

  “I know you were there when she needed you, and I appre
ciate that. I’ll not stand in her way of working with you. I only ask that you respect her. Silencing her with magic is not cool. Mia is a natural warrior. You would do well to listen to her.”

  Mia moved under Ted’s protective arm.

  Sariel released her. Mia wouldn’t say a word to him. She hugged her husband before she walked out of the church.

  “Mia won’t cuss in a church. You’re lucky there weren’t a few stones around,” Ted said. “You’re welcome in our home, just as Angelo is. I do, however, demand that the two of you leave your conflicts at the door,” he said firmly.

  Father Santos looked on, proud of Ted. He had stood up to one of the mightiest warriors that had ever been created. Seeing the human side of these beings was an eye-opener. Perhaps the new pope wasn’t too radical for this age. If archangels listened respectfully to nerds, then times were absolutely a-changing.

  Mia quickly updated Orion on the Others.

  “Angelo was headed back into the church to help when the two beings walked out without you. He wears his heart on his wing, Mia,” Orion said sadly.

  “What can I do to fix this? I’ve been mean, bitchy, and disobedient. Nothing puts him off.”

  “Talk to him. Not here, he senses Sariel is nearby. But do it soon.”

  “Why is it always up to me?” she asked stubbornly. “I did nothing to encourage him.”

  “I can still turn you over my knee, young lady,” Orion warned.

  Mia was surprised. “Tell Ted I’ll meet him at the house,” she said.

  She walked over to handsome, dark-featured Angelo. His muscular frame was fighting the expensive dark suit he wore for the occasion. She tapped him. “You’re it! Come on, birdman, see if you can keep up,” Mia said, running through the graveyard, unleashing her luminous, off-white wings. She soared upwards and cleared the layer of fair-weather clouds in seconds. She kept going until she could see the curve of the earth.

  Angelo burst through the cloud layer, searching frantically for her. She did a back loop, coming up behind him. She tapped him on the shoulder. She looped under him and stopped ten feet away. “You and I have to talk plainly,” she said.

  “Go ahead,” Angelo said, shooting forward and grabbing ahold of her. He twisted her around, putting her wing-side down.

  Mia looked up into his face. “Foolish dominant male. You want to scratch my belly or something?” She bent backwards and kicked her legs into his chest. She sped west.

  Angelo caught up and got in front of her. Mia didn’t stop in time and barreled into his chest. He caught her in his massive arms and held on to her. He started laughing. His large crow wings kept both of them from falling without effort.

  Mia laughed along with him. “Angelo, can’t you feel it’s not right? We aren’t meant to mate. I respect you, but I can’t feel you here,” she said, touching her heart. “Be my friend, my comrade, but leave behind any thoughts of us romantically. I give you my sword when you need it. I’ll fight beside you and watch your back. But you have to respect that I have chosen Ted.”

  “Sariel?”

  “I’ll be his eyes, but I’ll be your friend,” Mia promised.

  “Mia, how did you break the Cooper curse?” he asked.

  “I showed Murphy my soul.”

  “He’s a lucky being.”

  “If he only knew. Would that hold you, Angelo? I will open myself up and show you my soul. You have earned the right.”

  Angelo was touched. “I can’t ask that of you if I’m not willing to show you my soul.”

  “For the record, I wasn’t asking.”

  “Come, let me teach you how to stop,” he said.

  Mia worked with him until she could stop with little effort. She smiled. Angelo looked over at her fondly and vowed he would try to think of her in a more sisterly way. If it meant they would have moments like this, he would give up trying to bed her.

  They arrived at the Martin house winded but happy. Mia danced into the house and over to Ted, who was holding Brian. Ted took a whiff of her hair. “You’ve been flying.”

  “Yes, and mending a gigantic rift at the same time. I wanted to make sure Angelo has our son’s best interests at heart before I let Orion and him take Brian to the aerie.”

  “Smart woman. I love you, Mia,” he said, bending down and kissing her.

  Brian caught hold of Mia’s hair and Ted’s ear and insisted they stay together a while longer. “Aham DaDe Amore.”

  “The kid’s speaking Italian,” Ted said, giving Mia another kiss while unleashing his ear from Brian’s grasp.

  Mia took Brian and danced with him. There wasn’t any music, but it didn’t bother Mia.

  “She is so different from the first time we met her,” Reg, Ted’s father, observed. “She’s happy and confident.”

  “Maybe our son has rubbed off on her,” Millie replied.

  “I’m sure he has,” Reg said and received a slap on his arm for his trouble.

  Tom moved amongst the people, searching for Burt. He found him and Mike playing pool in the basement. He marveled at the wall-to-wall Lego sculptures and murals that lined the basement walls.

  “Ted’s?” Tom asked.

  “We think so. There are rumors he Lego-bricked up his sisters’ doorway and sealed them in their room.”

  Tom laughed. “I wouldn’t put it past him bricking Mia up.”

  “Actually he did,” Orion said, walking down the stairs. “She had blown a hole in her consciousness, and he fixed it with these.” Orion ran his hand along one of the murals Ted had made. He frowned. “Icarus, I hope that’s not an omen.”

  “Let’s look at it as a cautionary tale,” Angelo said from behind him. “Orion, it’s time we got started back. The Gray Ladies are waiting for Brian.”

  “Angelo, Orion, please, a moment?” Burt requested.

  They descended the stairs.

  Mike ran up the steps and shut the basement door for privacy.

  Burt strode over and looked up at Angelo and spoke, “Mia and Ted are trusting you with the life of their son. Mia not only believes in you, but she trusts you. Please guard this child with your life. He is not only important to the Martins, but I believe mankind.”

  “I understand your worry, Burt. It will take a while. The healers have to work gently and slowly with the young. I will personally bring Brian back to Mia and Ted whole and safe. I have learned so much about you humans from Mia. She has taught me that you need to have memories and learn to live through your traumas.”

  “Mia also loves each one of you. I have seen it in her head. Tom, you are the brother she dreamed of having. Burt, you were her savior, lover, now her friend, and her trust will return. Mike, you have the envied position of being her Father Confessor. I know this is the hardest type of friendship to have. You are all men of caliber, and it is an honor to work alongside you.”

  “If I may,” Orion ventured. He looked around at the concerned faces. “Ted did not ask me to do this without a lot of thought. Brian carries a mark that has to be hidden. I’m sure you have heard of children being taken from their families when it is determined that they may be the reincarnated soul of a religious leader. Brian bears the rebirth-mark of an ancient sage. The Council has decreed that he will live out a normal life with his parents. To keep this child in a monastery or even the aerie would skew the perspective of the child. The new sages need to live amongst us. They have to experience bullies, lovers, college, and beer. How else are they going to guide and take us through the most turbulent century yet?”

  “Why isn’t Mia going along?” Tom asked.

  “We’ve asked her not to.” Orion told them. “Much like a surgeon doesn’t want an indulgent parent in the operating room, Mia could quite possibly get in the way. There is no better advocate for children than Angelo. And Brian is my great-grandson. I will not let anything happen to him.”

  “We need to keep her busy,” Mike said. “She’s going to go nuts with worry.”

  “About that, I may ha
ve just the case,” Tom said.

  Angelo and Orion left the basement. Mia and Ted had Brian waiting for them in Reg and Millie’s bedroom.

  Mia sat with Brian and spoke to him plainly, “G Pop and Angelo are going to take you far away from Daddy and me. You have to have this,” Mia exposed Brian’s shoulder, “covered up. We are not ashamed of it, but we need to hide it until the proper time. It is for your, Mommy’s and Daddy’s protection. Can you be brave and go on this mission without us?” she asked her son.

  Brian seemed to understand. “Aham, Da Dee, Ooh ooh.”

  “We will take care of Murphy for you, Brian,” Mia said, surprised.

  The child nodded and reached for Angelo. Angelo unwrapped the blanket and held the naked child to his chest. Angelo extended his mighty wings, wrapped them around Brian and disappeared.

  Orion took a moment to put his hand under Mia’s chin. “You will stay away. I know you could get there before us, but, Mia, this has to be done.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Ted, take care of her. We will be back in a week. Let Shem or Father Santos know where you are if you will not be at the farm.”

  “We will.”

  Orion kissed Mia tenderly on the forehead, extended his wings, wrapped around himself, and disappeared.

  Mia started crying. Ted held her to him. “Mia, we know this is the right thing,” he said softly. “Let’s be brave. Plus, we don’t have to be parents for a week. We can…”

  “Be irresponsible,” Mia said, sniffing.

  “And…”

  “Have noisy sex.” She smiled.

  “What am I going to do with you? You’re going to break me,” Ted scolded.

  Mia laughed. “Did you notice those red marks on Angelo’s chest?”

  “Yes, he looked pretty bruised.”

  “I did that,” she said proudly.

  “How?”

  “I pretended I couldn’t stop, and I barreled into him, at somewhere around a hundred miles per hour, up there.”

  “You’re a bad girl,” Ted said, laughing. “What gets into you sometimes?”