More Things In Heaven And Earth

Chapter Four

She smiled. "Don't be sorry. He's an intuitive boy with strong emotions. That's hard to deal with at his age, but it's the makings of a wonderful man, given time."

"He seems so grumpy all the time," I fretted.

"Weren't you, at his age?"

"Yeah, I suppose I was," I admitted, leaving out the fact that that was what concerned me.

Michael asked Ike if he wanted to watch a movie before bed, and he rocketed off toward the living room. "We still don't really understand much about all this," he said to Freyja.

She finished chewing, and took another long drink before answering. "I suspect tonight will answer a lot of questions."

"Tonight--when an angel takes my wife to a place humans don't normally go?"

"Your wife has been called to be an integral part of the history of the world. Such callings are never comfortable--not for the ones who receive them, or those who love them. But you must keep faith. She wouldn't have been asked to do this if she wasn't up to the task, and she has far more support than you know."

"I'm still scared. A little. Completely." I confessed with a self-conscious laugh.

"Faith is lethal to fear. When fear senses impending doom, it redoubles its efforts at domination. But faith will win if you cling to it."

Neither Michael nor I knew what to say to that.

It was late when the angel arrived. Freyja had said her goodbyes. The boys had been tucked in. Michael and I had spoken less than usual, but his touch was constant. He was holding my hand, brushing my hair from my shoulder, or finding other reasons to reach out to me again and again.

I relished it. His touch kept me centered in our home and our lives as that which was other buzzed and hummed all around me.

One hissing voice was relentless.

You can't do this, mortal. You presume too much. You are an ignorant fool. You think you can wage war on the scale of the beings of the realms? Walk away, human. It's your only hope.

It was a relief when the visitor finally knocked on the door, just like any human would.

It was Michael who let him in. The angel gave him a small, respectful bow and Michael inclined his head in polite response. "You've pretty well tossed our lives upside down," Michael told him. It didn't seem like a rude accusation coming from him, more like a request for a reason.

"I am sorry if it seems so. The entire world is on the verge of extraordinary change. It just came sooner to this family than to everyone else," the visitor replied.

Michael scratched at his beard. "I hear you're planning to take my wife somewhere humans don't aren't welcome. Her friend says her kind don't go there, either. I'd be lying if I said I was comfortable with this. It seems to me that you aren't always entirely aware of her mortality, but I'd like to keep her around, whole and healthy, for quite a while longer."

The angel studied my eyes for a moment and then answered my husband. "I will keep her safe tonight."

Michael seemed on the verge of saying more to him, and then spoke to me, instead. "You don't have to do this," he said.

I hugged him, and stood for a moment with my head pressed against his strong shoulder. "I think I do. I need to keep moving forward with whatever this is. Now that it's in motion, stopping would make me crazy. I have to choose faith."

He squeezed me a little too tight, and kissed me. "Come home quickly, then."

Together, the angel and I walked out of the house.