She nodded.
Sitting by her side, he placed an arm around her and turned his attention back to Raphael.
“As you know, Jeremiel is your older brother. As was the custom at the time, the first-born was given rights above all others in the family. He was the heir to what our family owned. With his right as first born, he was to marry before Lahash, and that is where your family came into play,” he said looking to Naomi.
She pressed a hand to her chest. “My family?”
“Naomi,” Raphael reached over and placed her hand in his. “Your first family is from the City of Ai. Your father owned an inn and was a very successful businessman. He was considered to be an esteemed leader of the city.” He released her hand and looked to Jeremy and Lash. “You two were born of a human mother and an angelic father.”
“Rebecca,” Lash said.
Raphael nodded, and his face grew sad at the sound of the name.
“So, we’re Nephilim,” Jeremy said, sitting back down.
“What?” Naomi gasped. “Aren’t the Nephilim evil giants?”
“Some of the stories that have been told over the years are not entirely accurate,” Raphael said. “Just as there are evil people, there were Nephilim who took advantage of their heritage. As for my sons, I taught them humility and respect for all those around them. And, at the time, they did not know they were born half- angels.”
“I thought all the Nephilim were wiped out?” Naomi asked.
Raphael smiled. “You know your scripture very well.”
“Catechism classes every Wednesday. I skipped once, but Chuy ratted me out to Welita. I couldn’t sit down for a week.” Naomi sighed with a smile on her face, as if remembering.
Raphael took a deep breath as if what he was going to say next was difficult. “Among the humans, the Nephilim stood out for their beauty and strength. Many people in the city worshipped them as if they were gods. Jeremiel”—he threw a wary glance at Lash—“was favored above all, both human and Nephilim, for his skill and strength. There were many families who desired to betroth their daughters to him, including your family, Naomi.”
“That figures,” Lash mumbled.
Naomi patted his leg. “It’s all in the past. I’m here with you now.”
Looking up at her, Lash brushed his finger across her cheek. “Yes, you are.” He turned back to Raphael and saw a strange expression on Jeremy’s face again. He ignored it, not wanting to upset Naomi again.
“It was not that you were unskilled or lacked strength, my son. I fear I may have encouraged the people’s attention directed at Jeremiel and away from you. From the day you two met, it was clear Naomi wanted only you. And I”—he swallowed thickly—“I did everything I could to turn Naomi away from you.”
He looked at Lash with tormented eyes. “That is a memory I wish I could forget. Believe me when I tell you, Lahash, there is not a day that goes by when I have not regretted my actions.”
“Why would you do such a thing?” Naomi said, her voice sounded raw with ache. “Why would you have wanted to hurt your own son like that?”
Raphael threw a glance at Jeremy and then turned to her. “Because I...I favored Jeremiel.” He paused, his eyes fixated on the floor, the words coming slowly, carefully. “And he favored...you.”
Lash jumped up and screamed at Jeremy. “Get out!”
“Come on, Lash,” Jeremy said in a soft voice, looking up at him. “That was a long time ago.”
Lash took a menacing step toward him and looked down at the golden angel who threated to take everyone he loved away from him. He’d done it in the past. What was to stop him from doing it again? “You’ve been acting strange ever since you set foot in this house. Why is that?”
Jeremy swallowed. “We didn’t exactly leave off on good terms the last time we saw each other. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
His eyes stared intently at Lash as if he were struggling to convince him.
Lash searched his face, trying to read him. Jeremy was wearing his poker face.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Please, Lash. This doesn’t matter anymore.” Naomi’s soft hands touched his tense arm and turned him around to face her. “For the entire time you’ve known Jeremy, that you can remember, has he ever tried to take anything away from you?”
“Yes. He let you die. He could’ve saved you.”
“That was different. His job was to bring me here. When I first met him, you told me he was your friend. And if you remember, I wanted to take a tire iron to him.”
Lash grinned. “Those were good times.”
Naomi looked at him expectantly.
He sighed. “Oh, all right. No, Jeremy never took anything from me.”
“And?”
“And, he was always up front with me.”
“So, why would you expect anything to be different now?”
She was making too much sense, and he didn’t like it. Memories or not, he just couldn’t shake off the feeling that Jeremy still wanted her. He gazed into Naomi’s pale blue eyes framed by thick black lashes. She was so beautiful. How could he blame any man or angel for wanting her?
“You’re right. I guess I’m just being paranoid.”
She pecked his cheek with a kiss and then turned to Raphael. “I don’t remember any of this, and what little flashes of memory that have resurfaced have always been of Lash, and now I understand why. I love him and nothing,
Raphael’s face lit up. “This is wonderful news!”
“You’re happy about it?” Lash asked.
“Of course. I am not the same person Lucifer showed you in your memories. It may have taken losing you and Jeremiel to realize how wrong I was back then. Can you forgive me for my past, for my inability to be a good father to you?”
Lash looked at Raphael’s pleading eyes. In all the time he’d known him, at least the times he could remember, Raphael had always been by his side, guiding him, helping him. Even when he did his best to push Raphael away, he never left. And now he knew why. Raphael was trying his best to make it up to him, to be a better father. “Yes...Father.”
Raphael’s face lit up. “You make me proud—both of you.”
He stood and pulled Lash into his arms. Surprised, Lash looked over to Naomi. Tears glistened in her eyes as she watched them.
“Hug him back,” she mouthed.
He nodded and placed a hand on Raphael’s back, giving him a gentle squeeze. He felt warmth spread through him, a peace he hadn’t felt for a long time.
“I shall go with you to visit Michael,” Raphael said when he pulled back. “At long last, I have my family back with me. This is a joyous occasion. Is it not, Jeremiel?”
Jeremy stood and approached Lash, extending his hand to him. “Congratulations. I wish you both everlasting happiness.”
Lash looked down at his hand and then back at his face. The only thing he saw was the sincerity in his eyes. He really was happy for him.
He took Jeremy’s hand, and for a moment, he felt that maybe, just maybe, he had his old friend back.
And then he watched as Jeremy turned to Naomi. He was barely able to look at her as he mumbled his congratulations and called her sister.
5
