“Not anymore.” The devil waved his hand in the air, and a sheet of paper tumbled from it. “My office just received the annulment.”
“She loves me!” Julio’s frustration boiled over.
“I doubt she’ll remember that for long. Now that they’ve got their hands on Helen, my guess is they’ll reprogram her. Teach her to follow the cult rules again.”
Julio shook his head. “You’re talking crazy. Helen knows Heaven is a scam. She doesn’t want to be there.”
“I hate to break it to you, but she will forget everything she experienced out here. Even you.”
No. Julio refused to believe it. He could never forget the angel that showed him he still had a heart.
But as the days turned into weeks with no word from her, he began to despair. Then he got angry, which, along with too many bottles of whiskey, led to his ill-advised plan.
24
Helen stared at the cherub in the crib. Sitting on his own, he stared right back. He had dark hair and a grin that, for some reason, reminded her of…
Julio smiling before he tossed an apple at her. She missed, and he showed her how to make it into a pie.
Pie was forbidden.
The memory slipped away, and she turned from the child, once more wondering why she’d been feeling out of sorts since her release from solitary.
Punished ninety days for leaving her room after curfew. Not that she remembered why she’d decided to go for a walk. She didn’t even remember walking. One minute, she stood in the hall outside her door, full of fear at getting caught, and the next, she was on her knees, praying to her Father—who is a liar—in heaven.
Stray rebellious thoughts like that kept hitting her at random. Just like she kept seeing a face when she dreamed. Not just seeing the handsome face but kissing it. Indulging in fornication and waking achy between her legs. Missing someone she’d never met.
She must have a sickness. Never mind illness was rare. Something obviously ailed her because look at her stomach. Distended and hard to the touch.
Because I’m pregnant.
The shocking concept stole her breath. Angels didn’t carry babies in their bodies. Animals did. Humans, too.
I’m half human.
The voice in her head wouldn’t shut up, but Helen did her best to ignore it as she made her way from the nursery to the rooftop. Michelina already stood sentry, and Helen found it an effort to ignore her dislike of the other angel. What happened to feeling ambivalent?
“Surprised to see you back in the nursery,” was Michelina snooty remark as they waited for a stork delivery.
“I did my penance and now serve our Father.” Who hadn’t been seen in a long time. Neither had his son. So who was running things?
“You should try exercising. You’re getting fat,” Michelina observed. Again, not something that happened usually. Most angels remained about the same size and weight, given their perfectly balanced meals and exercise.
Boring, disgusting gruel not fit for anyone.
“I think something is wrong with me.” Helen cupped her belly.
Michelina tossed her head. “You’d better not be contagious.”
Rather than reply, Helen pointed to the sky. “The stork is coming.” And it appeared to struggle. Dipping and swerving, its wrapped bundle larger than usual and wiggling.
“What is wrong with that cherub?” Michelina exclaimed.
The baby continued to struggle and yell. The stork let out a caw of annoyance and dropped the baby. The oversized cherub landed in Helen’s arms.
He stared at her. Then smiled. “Angel.”
“Yes, I am.” This was a first, an older child who could already talk.
“Helen.” He said her name and patted her cheeks.
She had a flash of a place that wasn’t Heaven. Not even close.
Of a woman—
Samantha
—-and a conversation about where cherubs came from.
As Helen gazed on the boy, she whispered, “Lector.”
And remembered.
Everything.
Something must have warned Michelina, for she began to back away, her eyes wide. “Since you’ve got the cherub, I need to go.”
“You!” Helen pointed, the child snug on her hip. “You tried to have me killed.”
“I did not.”
“I remember. You fornicated with Theodore.” Helen grimaced, not because sex was gross but because she recalled all the ugly details of what happened.
Michelina lifted her chin. “You’re obviously deranged. As if I’d break the rules.”
At the obvious lie, Helen snorted. “Whatever. I know the truth now. And so should you. This is Theodore’s son.”
“You mean the Lord’s child.”
“Nope.” Helen popped the P. “God doesn’t make babies. Sex does.”
“Blasphemy!” Michelina exclaimed.
“It’s true. Male angels are sent to Earth to impregnate human females. The babies born with wings are then stolen and brought to Heaven by the storks.” She gazed at Lector. “It’s my fault you’re here. I accidentally told Theodore about you.”
“That is not his child. Liar. Liar.” Michelina ran for the stairs, calling for the Archnanny, who would likely try and lock Helen up again for more memory washing.
Not happening. Never again.
Hitching Lector higher on her hip, Helen muttered, “What do you say I bring you back to your mommy?”
It felt good to take flight, soaring above the squat building and higher still over the walls enclosing the nursery. With all the secrets Heaven kept, no wonder they kept the nursery apart from other angels. Or was it just Helen who’d been blind to the truth for too long? Given how many times she was sent to solitary, she had to wonder if she’d stumbled across the truth before and had it taken from her.
As she soared, Lector clinging tight with chubby fingers, she noticed a winged shape rising from the spreading city, arrowing toward her.
She refused to be locked away again. Not to mention, she had a stolen child to return. But where could she go? Who would help her stand against Heaven’s army of angels?
Julio would. But he wasn’t here.
A lone tower in the distance had her changing course, aiming for it and barely making it to the empty rooftop with no access inside. Oddly enough, the tower had no windows. No doors. It felt dull and solid. It also provided no succor.
Now what? From the corner of her eye, she caught a glint. A turn of her head showed the famed pearly gates, but before she could take flight, the soldiers of Heaven arrived, led by Theodore and flanked by four more warrior angels. Swords drawn. Expressions unkind. They landed on the tower.
She clutched Lector tight, and he whimpered against her. “Leave us alone.”
“Hand over the child.” Theodore clicked his fingers.
“He belongs with his mother.”
“What are you talking about?” Theodore bluffed. “Our Father, who is fertile in Heaven, made this new brother.”
Helen stamped her foot. “Stop the lies! Isn’t it time everyone in Heaven knew the truth?”
“What truth? That you’re one of the few dumb ones who believed everything she was told?” Theodore sneered.
“I was brainwashed.”