“Mom…” she tries to say, but Ronnie interrupts.
“He didn’t bring her home to us, Ruby. He brought her to say good-bye. Didn’t you?” Ronnie asks.
The pain radiating from the older man beats at Malach, and he realizes he is in over his head. He looks at Elina and sees the tears radiating in her beautiful eyes.
“Yes. I won’t lie to you.” Malach says as he takes Elina’s hand and pulls her to his side where she belongs.
“How long will we have?” Ronnie asks as Ruby starts to weep. He pulls his wife to his side and she buries her face in his neck. He wraps his arms around her and holds her close.
Elina watches and their pain hits her in waves. “I didn’t mean to hurt you by coming. I thought selfishly of my need to see you both. Forgive me. I will go. Malach?” she turns to him and wraps her arms around his waist.
“Humans are so hard to understand!” Malach snaps out. “Your daughter is not lost to you, Keepers. You know that! She is here, now! Celebrate this gift you are given and the time you had together. You will be together again soon enough.”
Ronnie looks at the large angel and feels ashamed. “He’s right, Ruby. Forgive us old humans. We let our feelings rule us. Sometimes they are stronger than we are.”
Elina laughs and looks at her dad. Wiping her eyes, “We know how that is don’t we, husband?” she says looking at Malach with love.
“Husband?” Ruby asks loudly. “You got married without us!”
“Uh-oh.” Ronnie says, stepping back with a chuckle.
There is nothing funnier in the world, than watching two Archangels step back away from a small human female.
“You married my only daughter without her family?” Ruby advances on them and pokes Malach in the chest.
“Well, it was a spur of the moment…” he stutters and Elina steps forward to protect Malach only to have Ruby snap at her.
“Oh, how could you?” Ruby cries at her daughter and turns storming from the barn.
“Mom!” Elina turns to her father and finds him staring at her wings.
“You are truly married?” he asks.
“Yes, Dad. I won’t say I’m sorry, but I…” Elina starts to say but her father interrupts her.
He reaches out a hand to shake Malach’s hand. “Sorry? I don’t want you to be sorry. You know I love you daughter, I want your happiness. I didn’t think it was allowed for humans and angels?” he asks with a question in his eyes.
“Malach, will explain Dad. I need to talk to Mom.” She turns and quickly moves towards the house.
Elina walks the well-worn path leading from the barn to the house. She knows where to go, Ruby always cleans when she is upset. The sounds of water running and dishes slamming echoes outside and she sighs.
Ruby stands scrubbing a pot in hot water and muttering under her breath. Elina smiles softly and notices the drop of her shoulders as though the weight of the world rests on them.
“Mom?” Elina calls out softly. Ruby turns off the water and turns to look at her.
“I waited a lifetime for a daughter, Elina. Trusting in our father and just when I had accepted my fate, he came,” she says gesturing to Malach outside. “He told us of a little girl who had lost everything and everyone she loved, and in the deepest part of my soul, I was thankful!”
Elina smiles and waits.
“Am I being punished because of it, Elina?” Ruby wonders.
“No, Mom. You are not being punished. You loved me as though I was yours, your patience taught me patience, and your faith strengthened my own. I am proud to call you, Mother. I will always need you, Mom.”
“I know I am selfish, I wanted to grow old, and play with grandchildren and die first! Not outlive my only child!”
“Well, you taught me to bloom where I am planted and I know of some children who will need your guidance. Some of the children we saved have no family left to claim them. They will need what you gave me. If you are willing and when you are ready, you will have that gift.”
Ruby sighs stepping close to her daughter. Looking into Elina’s eyes she whispers, “I am so proud of you, Elina. They will not replace you daughter, but they will ease the pain. I will have to talk to your father about it.”
Elina feels her mother’s pain beating at her as Malach and Ronnie step into the kitchen. Ronnie pulls Ruby close and Elina feels Malach step behind her.
“I can ease her pain, Elina. Shall we show her what a heavenly wedding looks like?”
Joy erupts and Elina smiles, “Mom, Dad, give me your hands.” She takes their hands in hers and Malach rests his hands on Elina’s shoulders. The images flow from Malach to Elina, and into Ruby and Ronnie.
A chorus of heavenly angels sing and Elina rises from the dust to shake her new wings out. They watch Malach and Elina holding hands and speaking the heavenly vows and all of heaven rejoices.
When Elina opens her eyes, her parents are staring at her with wonder. They felt the emotion, the joy, and the rapture as Elina becomes the Archangel she was destined to be.
“Thank you.” Ruby whispers.
Ronnie laughs out loud, “There’s something you don’t see every day!”
Epilogue
Polly moves slowly through the silent house with an emptiness in her soul that can’t be filled. He is gone and she feels the solitude pulling at her like a hollow abyss.
Nameed was always near, protecting and watching over her, and now all she feels is… nothing. Her feet move slower, her body feels older, and her spirit is seeps with sorrow.
Alex knocks on the door and pushes it open, “Polly?” he calls out and hurries into the living room.
“Alex?” she calls out as she moves into the living room. Her smile lights her face, the weight lifts and the load lightens.
“What brings you here? Not
