by Alexie Aaron
“I will.”
“You may go.”
Mia turned and then stopped. She turned back. “Michael.”
“Yes?”
“Altair?”
“Are the two of you bound at the hip?” he asked. “Do I have to fear another Nephilim arrival?”
“Ouch. He’s immune to me. What I’m asking is, what happens to him?”
“I think that’s up to him. He made it very clear that I was to keep my nose out of his business. He appears to be immune to me too.”
“I’ll see what I can do. I don’t think he wants to fall, nor does he want to be the rope between your and Lucifer’s tug of war. He’s just trying to find balance.”
“Mia, may I share something very private with you, without it leaving this room?” Michael asked.
“Please.”
“It was your tears of compassion for your accusers at the demon court that changed Altair forever.”
Mia’s nose burned, and she didn’t like how easily Michael could bring tears to her eyes. “I hope it was a good change. Something good out of one of the most horrible times in my life.”
“There are other times worse?” Michael questioned.
“The time my husband left me and the time you ripped off my wings were worse. Two beings, I so trusted and loved, left me hanging.”
Michael stared at her a moment before he spoke, “And yet you still trust and love us.”
“I do.”
“Why?”
“In your case, I think it’s the stellar compliments,” Mia said wryly and walked out the door.
Michael heard her talking to herself as she took flight. “Mass of chaos, glob of stubbornness, indeed.”
~
Babcia walked the forest. “Tsk tsk, so much gone, yet so much lives,” she said to the Frenchman who followed her. The creature is gone, but her babies live on.”
The ghost spun around in fear.
“No monsters, just the flora and fauna she nurtured.”
“Oui,” the Frenchman said and pointed out some asparagus spears near the creek bed to the old woman.
“Thank you, André,” she said and snapped them off with the help of her sharp knife.
The sound of young men playing a game of war drifted over in the breeze.
“These children will never grow up, but I think they’re happy,” she said. “If not, we’ll have to nudge them to the other side, André.”
“Oui.”
~
Tom paced the floor outside the courtroom. Ethan and Rory were inside awaiting the verdict of the jury. Blair’s lawyers’ request to settle a leaner sentence for a guilty admission fell upon the deaf ears of the prosecuting attorney. The judge was a wild card though. If the jury declared Blair guilty, the judge could just give him the lesser sentence because of all the pressure that was being thrown his way by his political party.
Mia walked in carrying a cup of coffee for Tom. “Sit, you’ll make yourself sick,” she said.
“I can’t. If he gets off, then I’ve failed Ethan and Rory again.”
“We had the evidence. The witnesses and even the Smithes turned on Blair. Ethan’s witness statement pushed it over the top. There is no way that Blair is not going to be punished for kidnapping Deb Booker and trying to kill Rory.”
“What happens if he gets off?” Tom asked.
“I suppose we could take it to another court.”
“What court?”
“A demon court. Blair, after all, was instrumental in killing a demon without provocation.”
“But you killed the demon.”
“Technically, it was a former demon who was defending me at the time. I was losing. She was thrashing me. Altair and Murphy took care of her.”
“I didn’t know that. I just assumed,” Tom said. “So, you’re willing to take him to demon court?”
“As soon as I brush up on my verbal Demon. I can read it, but speaking it is a lot harder.”
The doors opened, and Tom looked at the exiting crowd, trying to ascertain what had happened inside.
Ethan ran over. “He’s guilty! The foreman of the jury gave the verdict. I snickered and Blair turned, took a swing at me, and then he threatened to kill Rory, which isn’t going to sway the judge, in any good way, at his sentencing.”
Rory walked out of the room, came over, and shook Tom’s hand. He accepted a hug from Mia. “Thank you. I just didn’t believe this would happen. Right up until the end, I thought the jury would have been bought or the judge was a crony of Blair’s father, but it happened. He’s going to jail!”
“It may be a private posh jail,” Ethan reminded Rory.
“Still, he’s going to pay for his crimes. I can live with that.”
Deb Booker and Rory’s parents joined them. There were pats on the back and hugs all around.
Rory’s mother mentioned they were going out to dinner to celebrate. They started to leave, and Rory’s father turned and asked, “Ethan, aren’t you coming?”
Ethan was surprised. “I’m…”
“Come on, my dad is going to open his wallet. The insides haven’t been seen in years, and my mom is going to freak at the cost. You can’t miss this,” Rory pleaded.
“Okay, I’ll meet you at the car,” Ethan said, rattled.
Mia put a calming hand on his arm. “Don’t expect too much. It’s an olive branch. Eat, drink, and be merry.”
“I’ll see you later at home,” Tom said, shaking his hand once more.
They watched Ethan run to catch up with the family.
“Well, Pa, the boy’s growing up,” Mia said.
“It’s about time, Ma, it’s about time,” Tom countered. “Mia, do you have any place to be?”
“Your mother is watching the boys for a few more hours. Ted and Cid are delivering a project to the DOD. I’m in the clear.”
“Let’s go to dinner. Not some hamburger joint. A real place with tablecloths on the table.”
“Are you sure your reputation can take being seen eating with Crazy Cooper?”
“It can’t, but I’d like to have someone to talk to that shares the same past as me. I need to be able to sort some things out while enjoying the company of a beautiful woman who isn’t lining me up at the altar.”
Mia blushed.
“I made you blush. I’m sorry,” Tom said. “No, I’m not. God, what a girl.”
Mia almost slugged him in the arm. She stopped inches from him.
“Why did you pull your punch?” he asked as they walked out the door.
“Not a good idea assaulting a police officer in a courthouse. I’m not looking for any jail time.”
Chapter Thirty-six
Dieter stood up and walked over to the podium on the stage of the high school auditorium. He glanced down at his nervous parents and tried not to smile.
“I’d like to present my original work entitled The Return:”
Shadows of trees fell across the dell
I looked for her in every rose
in every smell.
Her leaving took me by surprise
I thought I would choke
I thought I would die.
But time cured the yearning, the pain
I had to move on, even if life
would never be the same.
Love lost, is never like love regained
There is no hope
Only fear and pain.
Had my tale ended here without a fight
There would be no happiness
No air no light.
But here I am breathing
I’m on my feet
standing and reading.
Love is not for any of us to discern
We just need to leave ourselves
open for the return.
Dieter looked up and stepped back. There was a polite smattering of applause. Mia nodded her head, realizing that Dieter had done more than the minimums of his project. He had listened to the raven and then listened to his own ex
periences and produced a very good poem.
Hiram Goldsworth walked across the stage and stopped before introducing the next nervous poet. “Very nice. May I ask you, Mr. Martin, what you learned from this assignment?”
Dieter cleared his voice and said, “I learned that you can’t write about things you don’t know, not successfully anyway. In relation to love, I drew upon the loss of my parents and the new love I have found with my adoptive parents.”
This brought on another round of applause.
Hiram patted Dieter on the back and then introduced the next poet.
Mike, who had been sitting in the rear of the auditorium with Cid, said, “That poem is so about Murphy waiting for Mia.”
“Yes, that’s what I got. Let’s hope for Mia’s sake that Ted continues to be hopeless with understanding poetry,” Cid said.
Dieter was very happy. He received a B on his poem but an A on the extra credit work. This would bring his grade up high enough to keep him in the athletics program with Mark. The two of them successfully had survived their freshmen year at school.
Later in Dieter’s room, Mia wanted to frame his poem, but Dieter declined. “If I ever write a poem I consider worth framing, I’ll let you know,” he said, wanting to put the whole poetry fiasco behind him.
“K,” Mia said, puzzled.
“Mom, I have a poem ready to frame,” boasted Brian as they left Dieter’s room.
“Oh, you do?” she asked, looking down at her son.
“Yes. Do you want to hear it?”
“I do. How about we go on the porch? I’ll get us some popsicles. Your poetry debut deserves more than a conversation in a hallway.”
Brian clapped his hands. He navigated the stairs and met his mother at the front door. Together, they went out on the front porch. Mia held on to the popsicles until Brian had gotten up into the glider. She sat down beside him and handed him the frozen treat.
“Whenever you’re ready to recite, I’m here to listen.”
Brian cleared his voice and began:
My family is large full of many people
Some small like Varden some tall as a steeple.
Some have wings and others don’t
It’s up in the air whether I will or won’t.
“That’s pretty clever, the ‘up in the air’ in regard to wings,” Mia said.
“May I continue?”
“There’s more?”
“Yes.”
“Please continue.”
My mother’s a warrior, my father is proud
Sometimes he talks a lot, and is very loud.
She looks at him and gives him goofy smiles
They go in their room and stay quite a while.
“I’m worried where this is going,” Mia said.
Brian ignored her and continued:
All in all, we are the happiest bunch
We’re happy at breakfast and at lunch.
Murphy is my mom’s best friend
I think he’s going to stick it out until the end.
Mia clapped her hands and stared into the woods. She saw Murphy standing there listening. He took off his hat and nodded to her.
“Mom, what do you think of my poem?”
“I think it’s very good. I like rhyming poems,” Mia said, distracted.
“Varden loves my poems. He says my poems are the best. Do you think my poems are the best?” Brian prodded.
“I think you and Dieter are very good poets. When you get older and experience all the wonderful things this world has to offer, you both will be fabulous poets. If that is what you choose to be.”
“But who’s the best?”
“I can’t choose. It would give me a headache,” Mia said.
“Tell me a poem,” Brian said.
“Yikes, Brian. Well, I think I can remember some Green Eggs and Ham.”
“No, make up a poem right now.”
Mia groaned. She looked around and saw Murphy standing at the end of the porch just out of Brian’s sight.
“I shall never see, anyone more persistent than yee.”
“Yee, what’s that?”
“Fancy word for you.”
“Oh. Go on.”
“I’m not sure I can,” Mia said, her eyes locked with the steely gray ones.
“Why?”
“Oh, I’m thinking of things I should do. It gets in the way of making up poems,” Mia answered.
“Let me have a try,” Murphy said, stepping on the porch.
“Uncle Murphy!” Brian said, hopping off the glider and running over to the ghost.
“It looks like you’re forgiven for the spanking,” Mia commented.
“I hope so,” he said, never breaking eye contact with her.
“Okay, I’m ready now,” he said, sitting at Murphy’s feet. “Give me some poetry!” Brian said enthusiastically, snapping his fingers like he saw done on an old movie.
Murphy leaned his axe against the house. He took off his hat and placed it over his heart.
Deep in the forest there is a tree
Beautiful and fragrant it attracts many bees.
Still young it has to live through many snows
Many springs and summers will come and go.
I will be there forever to protect this tree
This is the promise I give to thee.
“What’s thee?” Brian asked.
“Fancy word for you,” Murphy answered.
“So, you and my mother use fancy words to keep the poem rhyming?”
“Guess so.”
“Brian, a poem doesn’t have to rhyme,” Mia said, trying to change the mood.
“I like it when it does,” Brian said.
“You may change your mind when you’re older,” Murphy said. “But the poem will always be good if it comes from your heart.”
“I think those are very valuable words,” Mia said, getting up. “Look, I let my popsicle melt all over me.”
“It’s okay, Mom. Uncle Murphy is used to seeing you a mess.”
Mia blushed. “I fear he is. Come on, time to get cleaned up.”
Murphy watched Mia help Brian into the house. The screen door shut behind her, but he sensed she didn’t leave. Mia stood just the other side of the screen looking at him as if she had something to say.
He waited.
She just stared at him for a moment before saying quietly, “Thank you.” She turned and left.
***
Glossary
PEEPS: Paranormal Entity Exposure Partners.
Dupree, Mike: Founding partner of PEEPs and on-camera personality.
Garrett, Cid: Contractor, investigator, cameraman, and technician.
Hicks, Burt: Founding partner of PEEPs, lead investigator, and cameraman.
Jake: Ghost, research and computers.
Martin, Mia Cooper: Sensitive, lead investigator, and security. Ted’s wife and Brian Martin’s mother.
Martin, Ted: Lead technician, computers, and communications. Mia’s husband and Brian Martin’s father.
Stavros, Audrey: Researcher and investigator, married to Orion.
Murphy, Stephen: Ghost, translator, and security.
Recurring Characters:
Aldridge, Ethan: Teenage paintball gang member who was sentenced to a juvenile detention facility for his part in coercing Rory Kline and the deaths of Jason Jones and Keith Summerfield.
Altair: Fallen archangel. Also known as Wyatt Wayne.
Aosoth: Evil female force in the pantheon of the Order of the Nine Angels. Enjoys participation in passion and death.
Bouvier, Beth: Former PEEPs researcher, fired for trying to sabotage Mia. Actively working to ruin Ted and Mia’s marriage.
Braverman, Don: Tom’s father and Susan’s husband.
Braverman, Susan: Mega Chicago Bears fan, housewife, Tom Braverman’s mother and Brian Martin’s babysitter.
Braverman, Tom: Deputy Sheriff, school friend of Mia. Murphy brought him back to life, inadvertently giving him
the sight.
Cooper, Amanda: Mia’s mother. Sociologist.
Cooper, Charles: Mia’s father. Archeologist.
Curly: Machine constructed by Ted Martin. Resembles a rolling track until settled, then rolls into a ball and films in several spectrums.
Dieter: Teenage attrpeur-âme (a catcher of souls) from Nigeria, foster son of Mia and Ted Martin.
Dupree, Glenda: Mike Dupree’s mother, supporter of PEEPs, recent millionaire.
Elizabeth: Head Gray Lady. Healer of the birdmen and Mia.
Ed, aka He-who-walks-through-time: Superhuman, Judy’s partner.
Hult, Dave: Sensitive. Former stoner from Sand Trap and Puzzle.
Idra: Gray Lady, protégé of Elizabeth. Healer of the birdmen.
Jefferies, Alan: Attorney for the Martins and PEEPs.
Jones, Jason: Teenage paintball gang member killed by the Sentinel Woods creature.
Judy, aka Refugia: Birdwoman, former Gray Lady, independent healer, and Ed’s partner.
Kline, Rory: Teen coerced into being the object of a paintball hunt in Sentinel Woods, in order to rile the Sentinel Woods creature. AKA the Helpful Hardware Man.
Komal: Master of bilocation. Lives in spirit form on a hidden island in Lake Michigan.
Leighton, Mark: Teenager who can see angels. Son of a veteran with Locked-in Syndrome.
Maggie Mae: Mixed-breed dog of PEEPs who can see ghosts.
Martin, Brian: Son of Mia and Ted Martin.
Martin, Whitney: Former Deputy Sheriff, Mia’s high school crush and ex-boyfriend.
Mendelssohn, Ralph: Musical stage designer, Mia’s godfather, married to Bernard Wesley.
Michael, aka Saint Michael: Prince of Angels, leader of angel winged army, Mia’s boss.
Michaels, Angelo: Birdman and associate of Father Santos. Lead warrior and librarian for the Brotherhood of the Wing.
Monroe, Ed: Farmer who farms the land east of Sentinel Woods.
Murphy, Chastity: Deceased wife of Stephen Murphy.
