by Ali Cross
The sound came again and my head whipped around, seeking the source.
Michael kept his arm firmly around me, probably so I wouldn’t leap up and start stabbing at shadows. “It’s okay, love.”
“Did you hear it?”
He laughed, a warm sleepy sound that filled the space between us like spun sugar. “It’s a cell phone.”
A cell phone. “Oh!” Michael shifted and I jumped to my feet and looked around—finally spotting the small black device on the kitchen counter. It had jiggled its way into the space between the coffee maker and the backsplash. I picked it up and swiped the front—discovering a picture of Miri and James, their faces squished together and their tongues sticking out.
Michael wrapped his arms around me. “So who was calling?”
The screen had gone dark so I swiped it again. Three missed calls, it said. I clicked through to the Recent Calls list and saw three messages, all from the same unknown number.
I pushed play on the last message, left one minute ago.
“I know you’re a princess, savior of the world and all that—but do you think Her Majesty could manage to get off her high horse and come and pick me and Miri up? I’d call Taige, but after all you’ve put me through, I think it’s only right that you come get us. I managed to convince the doc that he should let me go—you’ve gotta spring me before he changes his mind.”
The line went dead and Michael chuckled. He stood behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist. His laughter resonated through my body and I closed my eyes and just lived in the moment.
“Well, you heard the guy. You’ve been summoned.” He leaned down and kissed my neck, then my collarbone. I leaned into him. “Except I think you’d better change.”
Change?
“I don’t think Asgardian attire is the height of fashion here.” He flicked my skirt as he backed up, easily ducking the fist I swung back at him. He lunged after me and I dove away and skittered down the hall, laughing all the while.
When I stepped into my room and closed the door behind me, I had to stop. To take in the scene. I’d been gone a long time. It was August and I’d been imprisoned sometime toward the middle of November, I thought. But even though I’d been gone so long, my room was exactly the same. My bed was made—Lucy’s downy white comforter as inviting as always.
On my dresser were the pictures Lucy had displayed before I took over her room. There was a picture of me and Lucy, and a picture of me, Lucy and James. I picked each one up, remembering. When I set them down, I surveyed the room and saw a new photograph on the nightstand.
Framed with silver angel wings, the image inside it made my stomach flip. It was a picture of Michael and me. Our heads were together, foreheads and noses touching. Our eyes closed. Our arms around each other.
I sat on the bed, the photo in my hand. I had never seen a picture of Michael. Never seen one of the both of us. It reminded me how richly blessed I was. I closed my eyes and gave thanks, to the universe, to Odin, to Freyja—to anyone who might be listening.
Thank you, I thought. Thank you for friends who love me no matter what. For Aaron, Lucy, James and Miri.
Thank you for letting me have this. This time with Michael. This love.
Thank you for giving me this chance.
Thank you for this life.
I kissed the picture and when I did I noticed my reflection in the glass—and I was smiling. I was the girl born of sorrow who now lived in happiness.
Coming out of my room, finding Michael sitting on the big armchair Lucy loved, with a book in his hands, I felt glorious.
I wore my favorite black T-shirt and favorite dark wash jeans. Wore my favorite black Chucks with silver sharpie designs all over them. I was still pale, but I no longer looked like death. I looked like me—like a regular girl with long, wavy black hair. Michael glanced up when he heard me come in and the expression on his face made me stop, suddenly self-conscious.
“What?” I finally asked after a moment of embarrassment.
For two heartbeats Michael just looked. Then he stood, put the book on the table and walked toward me. He put his hands on my neck, and scooped my hair up into his hands. “You’re beautiful.” He stared intensely into my eyes. And then he kissed me. He kissed me so long, so deeply that I stretched onto my tip-toes and leaned into him.
James’ phone buzzed in my back pocket. “He’s summoning us again,” I said, my lips against Michael’s.
“Then I guess we’d better go.”
About three more phone calls later, Michael and I strode into James’ room, hand-in-hand, matching smiles, matching blushes on our faces.
“About bloody time!” James said from a wheelchair beside the bed.
“Ugh, thank you!” Miri jumped off the bed and grabbed their things. “He’s driving me nuts.” She pushed a button on a remote next to the bed. A moment later a male nurse stepped into the room.
“Finally ready to get sprung, huh?”
“I’ve been ready—it’s little Miss Highness who took her own sweet time getting here.”
The nurse smiled at me and rolled his eyes. “Well, you’re on your way now. That’s something, right? Got your paperwork?”
James waved it in his face and the nurse laughed. Then he pushed James out of the room, and when he passed me, James glowered.
A flicker of doubt swept across my mind. A whisper of the fear that had been the hallmark of my time on Earth.
Miri fell in step beside me and squeezed her arm around my waist. “He’s just giving you a hard time,” she said.
But it wasn’t until we’d pulled the car up to the curb and the nurse had helped James into the backseat that I caught a glimpse of James’ face again and saw the joy that shone there. He winked when he caught me staring. Sunlight burst in my chest and burned away all the old yucky feelings. Things had changed. Really changed. And they had changed for good.
It might take a while to get used to, but I was willing to keep trying, for forever if I had to, if it meant being with these people, meant having these friends. This love.
We ordered pizza and lounged around the apartment while James and Miri regaled us with everything that had happened over the past eight and a half months.
About how after the Attack of the Genies as they called it, Miri’s mom got to have a funeral that was attended by a million people and that Miri hardly remembered at all. Her dad was still governor and she only saw him at social functions where he paraded her out like a prized pony.
She didn’t have any bitterness in her voice when she said it, but I knew how she felt. Knew what it felt like to be on display, to be used. But Miri was a better person than me. She always had been.
“It’s how it is with Dad,” she said. “I’ve just decided to be happy with what I’ve got, with him even remembering I’m alive. It’s what he can give me right now, so I’m okay with it. Besides,” she elbowed James gently and leaned into him, “I’ve got James to pay attention to me as much as I want.”
“I’ll always pay attention to you, bright eyes.” James kissed her and I thought I’d never seen him happier. And man, he deserved it. They both did.
“Oh! Remember that Shakespeare assignment Mrs. Park gave us?” Miri jumped up and smiled down on me.
“Uh, I guess. Kinda.” Truth was it only barely tickled my memory, but I didn’t want to admit I hardly remembered it at all.
“So you know how I said we should do an Ophelia scene from Hamlet? Well, I remembered what you told me about her—about the real Ophelia.” James flinched at the mention of her name and Miri paused, a question lighting her eyes. I nodded, not sure where she was going.
“Well, I did this totally dark, perverted version of Ophelia’s singing scene. Mrs. Park said she was surprised I had it in me and that it was the most disturbing interpretation of Ophelia she’d ever seen.” She twirled around then dropped back onto the couch. “I got an A+.”
I laughed, marveling at how she could be so normal, so human a
fter everything she knew. Everything she’d seen. How she’d made friends with Taige, who after the Attack of the Genies, was so upset over all she’d witnessed that she’d gone to Cornelius for Confession.
“He asked us later what we thought of her joining The Hallowed, so he invited her. It’s been good, I think,” James said. “Miri kinda took her under her wing and, well. You saw her, right? She’s come a long way.” I closed my eyes and leaned against Michael, who sat behind me on the floor, his back against the TV cabinet. I knew exactly the power Miri’s care had. That’s another thank you, I thought. That Miri could help Taige. And that Taige would let her.
A heavy silence fell between us then and I knew we were all thinking the same thoughts. What would happen now? How could we go on without Cornelius? Without Longinus?
Michael cleared his throat. “So what are you guys going to do now?”
James and Miri gazed at each other for a moment before facing us. James focused on me. “I’m so happy you’re home, Des. I can’t tell you what it means to see you like this—you know, normal.” His eyes flicked above me, to Michael. “Happy.”
“We’re all happy,” Miri said quietly. I knew that look in her eyes. I knew she was going to say goodbye. That they both were.
“We still have a lease on our flat in Paris,” James said. “I’ll have to do a helluva lot of butt-kissing, but hopefully I haven’t lost my spot at Cordon Blue and Miri’s been accepted at École des Beaux-Arts and—” Miri turned to James and he paused, reading something in her eyes. This time they both presented us with the same expression. Determination. Hope. Regret.
“You need to go,” I said. Hoping to spare them the trouble of saying the words.
Miri nodded and tears gathered in her eyes. James looked down at their hands clasped together in his lap. “We’ll stay, princess. If you need us to—we’ll stay.” But I’d already seen the future in their faces. Already recognized the hope in his voice.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Go. It’s good for you to go.”
“What about you?” Tears made Miri’s voice rough and croaky.
I felt Michael squeeze me, felt his strength behind me. Michael was with me. Wherever I went. Whatever we did. We’d do it together.
Forever.
“I don’t know. But,” I added, a smile spreading across my face, “we’ll be okay.”
“The Hallowed has an empty watchtower,” Michael said. “The new recruits will need training—and this time I think they ought to be taught to fight as well.”
“What’s a watchtower?” Miri asked, a little too eagerly. Anxious to find a happy ending for me, I figured.
“It’s what we call each pocket of our brotherhood, of The Hallowed. Taige is here—and there are others. And I am here.”
His arms tightened around me again.
“So am I,” I said. I am here. Exactly where I wanted to be.
On Sunday, Miri snuck into my room early. She didn’t knock, just crept inside and climbed onto the bed. I was already awake, watching the sunlight peeking through the blinds, painting lovely patterns across the carpet. I’d been considering getting up and going onto the balcony, of trying yoga again like I used to do. Before. But Michael slept on the couch and I didn’t want to wake him.
“Hey,” she said. “The boys are still sleeping.” I laughed, and rolled onto my back, stretching and enjoying the feeling of life. I’d never known I could be so comfortable.
“Come on,” she said, rolling off the bed and pulling the covers off of me.
“Where?”
“Just come on.” She pulled on my wrist until I slid out of bed and followed her into the bathroom. She stood me in front of the mirror and examined me critically from over my shoulder. “Okay,” she announced. “Have a shower.”
“Okay,” I said as she backed out of the room. She gave me a pointed look that took any argument right out of me.
“And shave!”
Shave. Got it.
Twenty minutes later, I sat on the toilet seat, a towel wrapped around me while Miri ordered me around, “Look this way. Now up.” She proceeded to fuss over me; she made up my face—which was good because I didn’t think I remembered the few things Lucy had taught me—and tsked over my hair as she dried it. I didn’t bother to tell her that with my new abilities I could probably take care of all of this with nothing more than a thought. I didn’t want her to leave. To stop showering me with her love.
“Done.” She stepped back and considered me, like I was a work of art or something.
“It’s about time,” I said, standing and turning toward the mirror.
“No!” She practically shoved me out of the way so I couldn’t see my reflection. She forced me to side step out of the bathroom. “Here, put this on.” She held up a white sundress she’d laid out on the bed. “Come on, the boys are up.”
“What’s the hurry?” I searched my dresser for under things, trying to hide the blush I felt creeping up my cheeks. Miri leaned in and snatched up a pair of panties with tiny blue flowers on them and a matching bra.
“Wear these.”
“You’re gonna dictate what kind of underwear I put on?”
“Trust me.”
She put a mock-serious expression on her face until I said, “Fine,” and slipped on the blue-flowered undies.
Miri threw herself onto my bed and covered her eyes with her arm, but she couldn’t hide the smirk on her lips or the blush that made her cheeks as pink as a sunrise.
“So?” I prompted, slipping the dress over my head.
“So I want it to be perfect. Is that a crime?” I’d have thought she was mad if it hadn’t been for the light laughter that followed. “Finish getting dressed. Put everything here on, okay?” She got off the bed and walked to the door. “Everything.”
“Jeez, okay. Get out already.” I opened the door and shooed her out. On the bed she’d left me a white lacy shawl, a pair of delicate, dangly earrings with stacked pearls and a necklace I’d seen Lucy wear. I knew it was her grandma’s—a delicate piece of antique silver filigree and pearls. I held it in my hand for a minute, remembering how beautiful Lucy had been in it. How her hands had caressed the pearls as she told me how her mama had shared so many sweet stories of her gram’s strength. How her mama thought Lucy was as strong as her gram.
I put it around my neck and worked the clasp, trailing my fingers over the pearls as they draped over my collar bone. I knew Lucy was strong—and now I knew I was strong, too.
Finally I slipped on the flat, strappy sandals I knew had never belonged to Lucy—they weren’t nearly sexy enough for her. But they were perfect for me. You know, if I were ever to dress up, which I never had until now. Everything on, all ready, I stepped to the door.
On the other side of the bedroom, beside the dresser, stood a mirror draped with boas and gaudy necklaces that had been fabulous on Lucy and I’d been too sentimental to get rid of. I had to peel some of them back in order to see my whole self in the mirror, but when I did, tears sprang to my eyes.
I didn’t recognize the girl there.
She was beautiful.
Lovely.
Happy.
“Aren’t you ready yet?” Miri asked, poking her head into the room. “Oh,” she said. She came in and closed the door behind her. “Oh.”
I fell into her arms and cried onto her shoulder.
“Hey now, you’ll ruin your makeup.” She patted my back but made no move to push me away. “You’re beautiful,” she finally said.
I stepped back and tried to pat at the tears under my eyes without smearing my mascara too much. “So are you.” She wore a strapless sundress the color of buttercups.
“Well,” she said, spinning around so her skirt twirled around her, “we’ve got a hot date with a couple of very handsome men.”
“Oh, we do?”
“We do.” She looped her arm through mine and together we walked out into the living room.
James and Michael stood
at the sliding glass door to the balcony, talking in low tones.
“Ahem,” Miri said, and the boys were quick to spin around.
Oh, my love, Michael said.
I smiled. You, too.
“Well don’t just stand there not saying anything,” Miri said, pushing me forward. “Go give the guy a hug.”
I stumbled forward, not bothering to correct her. Not bothering to tell her that what Michael and I shared was so much better than words. Words could never mean as much as the thoughts and feelings he filled me with. Thoughts of love. Of joy.
Thoughts of forever.
When he took me in his arms, he whispered, loud enough for Miri to hear, “I love you.”
I squeezed him tighter, and said, “I will love you forever.”
Miri sighed, which made me laugh.
“Happy now?” I asked.
“Yes.” She and James, holding hands, headed for the door. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
Michael took my hand and walked me to the door. “Somewhere special,” he said.
“Ohhkay.” I purposely dragged behind him, but inside, my heart was dancing a wild mamba of joy.
We drove to St. Mary’s, which was not at all what I had in mind since we were all dressed up. I had pictured brunch at a fancy restaurant somewhere. Michael got out of the car and came around to open the door for me, while James did the same for Miri.
“What are we doing here?” Confusion dropped into my stomach, cutting off the happy flips it had been doing.
“You’ll see, princess,” James and Michael shared a secret smile.
But when Michael took my hand, his palm was damp and I thought I could feel him trembling. I stole little glances at him as we walked into the cemetery, trying to figure him out, but he kept his emotions closed to me. My mind flicked to the crypt, fear making a sudden appearance in my heart.
Do not worry, Love. Think of something else—this is a day for happiness.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus on his words, on his hand in mine. You look very handsome, I told him, sending a little smile along with the thought, trying to tease him out of his silence. And he really was handsome in heather gray slacks and a white linen shirt open at the collar. I noticed he wore silver cufflinks which sparkled in the sunlight and the whale-tale charm I’d given him—Thor’s hammer, I now knew it was called. Everything came full circle, it seemed. He glanced at me then and smiled, making my knees quiver. My stomach resumed its flips and for a second I thought I might be sick—but in a totally good way.
