Gabriel (32 page)

She was at her grandparents’
home, check. She took a shower, check. Ate some pizza, check. Was that all she
had done today? She was missing something, but what? She stood up and walked
over to the wall where her family pictures hung. When she saw her grandparents
and parents, there wasn’t any sadness. That was the first time she saw their
faces without feeling lost and alone. She saw Robert’s face, and her heart
ached. She never had that feeling before when she saw him. That was reserved
for those she lost, and Robert was alive.

Calla walked over to the
table and picked up her phone. She held it out.
Who was I going to call?
She held the phone and went back to the
pictures.
Robert. I need to call Robert.
It was difficult to hold his name in her mind. She was fighting an unseen
force.

As she started to dial the
phone, she heard a voice that sounded familiar. “Stop! Whatever you’re trying
to do to me it won’t work. I’m calling … I’m calling … shit. Okay maybe it
didn’t work this time, but I will figure it out, and when I do, you can kiss my
ass.”

She clenched the phone
tighter and looked around the room. No one else was there.
I need to find a pen and paper. So I can write this shit down.
She
went to the kitchen table and found a pad of paper and an ink pen.
How convenient.
She wrote: “Things I
need to remember” on the top.

Calla went back into the
living room where the wall of pictures called to her. She glanced down at the
pad, pen, and phone. She turned the pad over. It was blank.
Why am I carrying these?

Anger started to consume her,
but she didn’t know why; and that
really
frustrated her. She started to pace in front of the pictures.
Robert! I need to call Robert. Something is
wrong.
She dropped the pad and pen and plucked the picture and frame from
the wall. She grasped it in one hand while she held the phone in the other.

She dialed his number, but
there wasn’t a dial tone, just silence.
I’ll
go over to his house.
The location was fuzzy, but with effort she forced
the image to the front of her mind with picturesque clarity. She reached down
and grabbed her purse that hadn’t been there a moment ago. She held it for a
moment.
Something is wrong.

Calla heard the voice again.
It was a lullaby that sang to the rage and frustration that overwhelmed her,
but she wouldn’t give in. She would hold onto the anger because it was the only
thing that made sense to her. She dropped the picture and her phone as she
clasped her hands over her ears.

“
Leave me alone!” Calla screamed.

“
This isn’t working,” she heard someone say.

“
No, it’s not. I will not let you do whatever it is you’re trying
to do to me.”

A feeling of warmth flowed
through her, but she resisted the urge to feel the peace it offered. She ran
out the door, still covering her ears. She stepped into a garden.

She glanced around. She’d
never seen anything so beautiful and perfect in her life. She removed her hands
because she couldn’t resist the urge to touch the petals. Every flower, in
every color she could imagine, filled the beds. She brushed her fingers along
each of them. They felt like silk. She knelt to smell them, and the fragrance
was a mixture of fresh cut grass and perfume, which should have made her sick,
but it was wonderful.

There was a bench at the far
end of the garden where a woman sat. Calla couldn’t make out her features, but
she seemed maternal. A soft glow embraced her. The woman motioned for Calla to
join her. Calla glanced over her shoulder, but no one else was here.
She must mean me.

She approached the woman with
caution. As she got closer, the apprehension was replaced with love and light.
She sat down next to her. Calla tried to look at her face, but wasn’t able to.
She lowered her eyes.

“
Hello, my daughter,” the voice sang.

“
Mother?”

“
Not the one who gave birth to you, but the one who has loved you
before you existed on Earth.”

“
I don’t understand. Where am I, and why can’t I remember
anything?”

“
That was to help with the transition to your new home. You have
been fighting the transition.”

“
Some things feel familiar, but this is not my home. Can you send
me back?”

“
May I ask you a question?”

“
I feel like I’ve played this game before. I ask you questions.
Then you evade and answer me with a question.”

The woman laughed, and it sounded
like musical notes. “I will answer, but I need to know something first. Think
before you answer because this answer will determine how I answer your
questions. What is the last thing you remember?”

“
Are you going to keep screwing with my mind while I sort through
my memories?”

The woman nodded.

“
If this will get me some answers I’ll do it, but make a note it’s
under protest.” Calla closed her eyes. She felt familiar, strong hands on her
face, soft gentle lips, and a smile that melted her heart. “Gabriel.”

“
I was hoping you would say that. I will give you the memories of
your last moments on Earth.”

Calla’s head snapped back as
the visions ran through her mind as if it were a movie screen. Her eyes
fluttered, and she gasped and then collapsed to the ground racked with sobs.

“
Is he still alive? Are my friends and family okay? Rama is dead?”
Calla asked as she began to hyperventilate.

The woman rose and sat next
to Calla. A hand without substance brushed the hair from her brow. Calla was
filled with warmth.

“
No, please stop. Don’t take my memories away again,” she sobbed.

“
Hush, my daughter. Let me calm you so we may talk about your
future.”

Calla raised her head and
then sat upright. “I love him.”

“
I know. He loves you, too.”

“
Can I go back?”

“
I am afraid the time for you to return to your body has already
passed.”

“
I’m stuck here?”

The woman laughed. “Most
would not consider this a bad place to be as you say ‘stuck’.”

“
Are my parents and grandparents here?”

“
Yes, would you like to see them?”

“
If I say yes, does that mean I have to stay?”

The woman rose and extended
her hand to Calla. She grasped it, as though she held warm energy. It was both
solid and airy.

The woman and Calla sat on
the bench again. “You are very wise. I can see why my son fell in love with
you.”

“
There will be a choice or a sacrifice, right?”

“
You have already made the ultimate sacrifice, Calla. You gave up
your life to spare the one you loved. Yes, there is a choice.”

“
What are the choices?”

“
You may join your family here and await Gabriel’s return. Make no
mistake, Calla, he will return one day. Or you can return to Earth.”

“
But not in my body?”

“
Correct.”

“
Will I be a ghost?”

“
I cannot tell you the details. You must choose where you would
like to be.”

“
If I chose Earth, would I be able to return when Gabriel does?”

The woman was silent a moment
and then nodded.

A door opened, and on the
other side stood her parents and her grandparents. They were together and
looked happy.

“
May I go to them?”

“
I am afraid not. They know the choice that you are presented with,
and they offer you their love and acceptance with whatever decisions you make.”

“
No matter what I choose, I will never be human again.”

“
No, you will not.”

Calla sat there a moment. She
missed her family so much. There was a void that remained inside her that could
only be filled by her grandparents and parents. And she loved Gabriel, but she
had been with him a short time. The woman said he would return, and then they
could be together. She glanced up and saw her mom and dad, her grandma, Ella,
and her grandpa, Charles, who raised her from the time she was a small child.
She didn’t want to be a ghost or whatever they were going to turn her into.

“
I have made my decision.”

“
Very well.” The woman disappeared.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Tre, Alisha, Ajeet, and Narsi
moved into Calla’s place. Gabriel and Robert packed up her belongings and put
them in storage, since neither could bear to part with them. Chander, Devdan,
and their father, Rohak, were living in Robert’s place in Saginaw. Robert filed
for retirement from the hospital, and Maree and he continued to live at the
lake house.

****

One
week later

Gabriel knelt at Calla’s
grave. The headstone would arrive in a few weeks. The only marking was a block
with the location and flowers that covered the fresh dirt. Her grave was in
between her parents’ and grandparents’ graves.

In a few short weeks this
spot would be covered with snow, and in the spring grass would cover this plot.
Gabriel shed the last of his tears, because he could cry no more. His heart
wrenched at the thought of spending one day without Calla by his side. Yes, so
far he had had to endure
many
. He was
a warrior, and there was an age-old enemy that preyed on the weak. He would
spend his time on this plane destroying them.

Tre approached Gabriel and
placed a hand on his shoulder.

Gabriel glanced back and
stood. “It is good to see you, my friend.”

“
You, too.”

They remained in silence.
Gabriel wanted to say something, he wanted to ask about Alisha, but he couldn’t
find the words.

 
“
Thanks for
everything. I will be seeing you again soon. This war is not over and we’re not
done fighting.” Tre walked to a car that was waiting on the road.

Gabriel watched him leave,
and then flew to the sky. He was heading up to see Robert and Maree. They had
made more of the drug that was sure to turn this war around, leaving angels and
humans victorious.

Michael was set to meet him
up with him. They would separate from there, seek out their brethren and teach
them what they learned about fighting the Kematians in this new time. Gabriel
wondered if his heart would ever stop feeling heavy. He ignored the pain and
pushed on.

Michael was waiting for him
when he arrived. He hugged his brother and exchanged greetings with Robert and
Maree. They went inside where the table was set. There were four place
settings. Maree placed a wooden bowl filled with a salad in the middle.
Everyone was quiet as they sat down.

“
Let us say grace,” Robert said as he bowed his head while the
others followed suit.

“
Heavenly Father, we thank you for this food and our friends. May
you keep them safe on this long journey that lies before them. Amen.”

“
Amen,” they said and raised their heads.

They passed the salad and
basket of bread in silence. The tension filling the room was palpable. No one
spoke as they ate their meal. When they finished, Maree cleaned off the table.
The men went into the living room.

“
Where are you headed to next?” Robert asked while taking a seat.

“
I am going to find Raphael,” Michael said while sitting on one end
of the couch.

“
I am going to stay in this area for a few more weeks. I want to
make sure we have disposed of all the demons,” Gabriel said as he leaned
against the wall while and looked out the window.

“
You’re welcome to stay here with us, you know,” Robert said, but
Gabriel still did not meet his gaze. He continued staring into the darkness.

Gabriel nodded.

“
Have you heard from any of your other brothers?” Robert asked
Michael.

“
No.”

“
Well, as fun as this conversation has been, I’m going to see if Maree
needs a hand,” Robert said, as he struggled to get off the loveseat. Michael
rose and offered him a hand.

“
You would think someone who went through a war would be able to
stand on his own damn feet,” Robert said.