Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4

by Rachel Taylor

  “Can you tell me a little about the agency?” she asked. She was excited to be there, despite her worries. She had great respect for people who considered adoption. She and her sister, Jessica, had been adopted by a kind, older couple after their own parents lost custody.

  “We’re small, but we’ve been in business for over 20 years, and we’ve placed more than 250 children.” CeCe could hear the pride in Sharon’s voice, and it made her smile.

  “Do you run the agency all by yourself?” Sharon hadn’t introduced her to any other employees.

  “Oh, heaven’s no. I have two other employees who manage more of the administrative areas and a handsome young intern who should be here any minute. It was his idea to host this meeting today.”

  Just then, the front door opened, and the sound of hurried footsteps pounded down the hallway and into the conference room. “I’m back!” a young, male voice called.

  “That was quick.”

  “Yeah, it was just a check-up. Lissy’s doing great, and the doc said she was all clear to go on vacation.”

  “That’s great, Cheydan.” Sharon placed her hand on CeCe’s arm. “CeCe, This is my intern, Cheydan.”

  “Hello.” She held out a hand in the direction of Cheydan’s voice and he shook it.

  “Hi, CeCe. It’s great to meet you. I heard a lot about you from my brother, Maddock. He volunteers at the homeless shelter, and he told me about the speech you gave there recently.”

  CeCe nodded, smiling. She had wondered how he knew about her. “I remember Maddock.” The gregarious teen had been passionate about bringing a message of hope to the residents of the shelter.

  Before they had a chance to talk more, the front door opened again, this time ushering in one of the couples interested in adoption. CeCe took a deep breath to settle her nerves again and introduced herself, chatting briefly with them and the others that arrived soon after.

  When the conference table was full and everyone had helped themselves to refreshments, CeCe took the podium and began the speech that she had given hundreds of times over the last several years, to groups of all ages and sizes. She adapted the words slightly to each audience, but the general message was the same: people with disabilities were just as important and valuable as anyone, they were capable of accomplishing great things when given the opportunity, and life with a disability didn’t have to be any less joyful and satisfying than a “normal” life. She spoke with passion, as she had experienced each truth firsthand, and knew the victory of rising above her disability.

  A rousing round of applause followed her closing words, and CeCe’s face warmed with pleasure at their appreciation. She found a seat at the table as Sharon took over the meeting, using their enthusiasm as a springboard to talk about the disabled children currently in need of placement. When she finished, several couples immediately approached Sharon and Cheydan to inquire about certain children, and several others crowded around CeCe, thanking her for her inspiring message.

  The rush was heady, and she glowed under their complimentary words, her chest swelling with pride and accomplishment. It was in these moments that CeCe relished her disability, for without it she would never have been able to motivate people the way she did as a blind woman.

  The couples lingered a bit longer, chatting with CeCe, Sharon, and Cheydan before gradually dispersing.

  “Thanks so much for coming today, CeCe. Your speech was incredible. I think several of those couples are seriously considering adopting a special needs child now, thanks to you.” CeCe didn’t have to see Sharon to know she was smiling widely.

  CeCe returned the expression, grateful. “It was my pleasure.”

  Children held a special place in her heart, especially disabled ones. Once, she had been unwanted, a traumatized child with a sudden disability that she didn’t know how to cope with, until one couple decided to take a chance on her. She wished fervently that she could return the favor. She knew she wasn’t really in the position to take on the care of children, but the hope was still there that someday she would be. Until then, she would continue to give these talks, in hopes that her passion would inspire other people.

  “And Cheydan, you get a raise for suggesting this!” Sharon’s words shook her out of her daydream.

  “Uh, you don’t pay me, Sharon. I’m an intern.” Cheydan’s mouth quirked in a wry grin.

  “Well, maybe I need to!”

  Sharon encouraged CeCe to take home some of the leftover goodies, bagging them up and shoving them in her hand before she could protest. CeCe only asked for a small remuneration when she spoke, barely enough to cover her time and travel, so the food was a nice bonus. Plus, her sister had a big sweet tooth. She took the bag without arguing and said her goodbyes, promising to come again in the future. It was a little challenging to juggle her phone and the bag in one hand while the other held onto Dexter, but CeCe managed to make the trip home without incident.

  Her sister had chosen their apartment carefully based on its convenient location within safe walking distance of CeCe’s church, a shopping center, and a bus stop. CeCe knew every inch of her little neighborhood by heart, and the bus and her navigation app made getting other places fairly easy as well. She hated being dependent on her sister for anything more than necessary, so CeCe was grateful for the fact that everything she needed was accessible to her, and their little community had embraced her.

  Their apartment was on the first floor, near the front of the complex, and a wide, clear path led straight to their front door. CeCe heard the TV and knew that Jessica was home. She worked the late shift as a waitress at a bar, and she made enough money in tips that she only had to work a few hours a day. Between that and CeCe’s disability check, the two lived modestly but comfortably.

  “Hey sis, I’m home.” CeCe set the bag of food on the counter, unharnessed Dexter, and the two padded over to the living room where Jessica was lounging on the sofa. The air was fragrant with the scent of spicy beef, cheese, and tomatoes, and CeCe could hear a pot of her sister’s favorite taco soup bubbling on the stovetop.

  Dexter put his head in Jessica’s lap and whined for a handout. She scratched between his ears and lowered her mostly-empty bowl to the ground for him to lick clean.

  “You’re taking him out tonight if he gets the runs from that.” CeCe shook her head at her sister’s gullibility when it came to Dexter’s begging.

  “Dexter won’t get sick, he’s got guts of steel, right Dex?” She grabbed his face in her hands and jiggled it, burying her nose in his soft fur. When she released him, Dexter licked a wide path across her face with his tongue, and Jessica quickly wiped it with her sleeve. “Yech. And the breath of a dragon.”

  CeCe chuckled and tucked her feet up on the couch, patting the spot next to her. Dexter jumped up and curled into a ball between the two sisters.

  “You want some soup?”

  “Not right now, I just had a giant blueberry muffin. There’s more in the bag in the kitchen.”

  “Payment for your speech today?” Jessica asked, heading towards the bag of goodies CeCe knew she wouldn’t be able to resist. “How’d that go, anyway?”

  “It went great. It was at an adoption agency. I’ve never done one of those before.”

  “It didn’t make you… uncomfortable?” Jessica said around a mouthful of muffin. After being taken from their parents, the two traumatized sisters had bounced from one foster home to another before finally being adopted.

  “No, it was really amazing to see how open these people were to adopting special needs children after I spoke to them. It was like a switch had been flipped, and all of a sudden they could see a new possibility.”

  “That’s cool, sis. I’m really proud of you.” Jessica reached around her sister’s shoulders and squeezed, dropping bits of muffin. Dexter popped up and snarfed them down with one giant swipe of his tongue.

  “Come on, Dexter, I’ll feed you,” CeCe announced, and the dog scampered after her into the kitchen. She pour
ed some kibble in his bowl, and he plopped down and buried his head in it.

  Her phone began to buzz, the default ringtone that indicated an unknown number, and CeCe dashed back into the living room and grabbed for it, grateful that there were no invisible obstacles. Jessica was naturally messy, but she tried hard to keep their common areas clean and clutter-free, to make things easier on CeCe.

  “Hello?” she answered breathlessly. Her hopeful expression morphed into a scowl of disappointment as she quickly ended the call and slapped the phone down onto the couch cushion. “Telemarketer,” she snarled.

  “Were you expecting a call from some other unknown number?” Jessica stared at her sister with curiosity.

  “Kind of.” CeCe’s face lit with a smile. “I met this guy at the coffee shop today, and I gave him my number.”

  “What?” Jessica sputtered. She could count the number of guys her sister had dated on one hand, and most of those had been dates she had set up for her. She didn’t think CeCe had ever given a stranger her number. “This is a story I need to hear.”

  “His name’s Rafael and he’s a professor. We… chatted.”

  “And you gave him your number?”

  CeCe shrugged. “He asked for it. Plus, I really liked him. He was kind and charming and—“

  “And probably trying to take advantage of you.”

  “No he wasn’t, Jessica! He was a nice guy who seemed genuinely interested in me. Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I’m naive, or an idiot. I can tell when someone’s being sincere with me.”

  “That’s not what I’m saying, CeCe. I just think you’re too trusting. You’re such a good person, you expect everyone else to be, too. But most people aren’t, believe me.” She sighed and put her head in her hands then yanked her fingers through her long, brown hair. “Let me meet this guy before you go out with him, okay? Or maybe we could do a double date.”

  CeCe wrinkled her nose. Her sister’s boyfriend was not the kind of person she’d want to introduce Rafe to, and her sister wasn’t exactly the best judge of character. She dated one loser after another.

  “We’ll see,” CeCe said, unwilling to commit to anything.

  They sat in silence for a few minutes, and Jessica picked up the remote and began clicking through the channels. She eventually landed on a sitcom they both liked, and a few minutes later the tiff was forgotten as they lost themselves in the frivolous comedy.

  Chapter 4

  Four hours and ten appointments later, Rafe’s stomach was churning as much as his mind was. Cynthia was busy checking out a patient, so Rafe made his escape, more interested in filling his stomach and maybe giving CeCe a call than he was in telling his receptionist about her. He kicked himself for mentioning it in the first place; now Cynthia wouldn’t give him a moment’s rest until he told her every detail.

  Not that there was much to tell. He’d only had a few minutes with CeCe, but the way his mind had drifted to her all morning, you’d think he was already in love with her. He kept picturing her pale hair and how it curled alluringly over her shoulders. He remembered her smooth skin, and he wished he could touch it, just to see if it was as soft as he imagined. He could hear her tinkling laugh like an auditory hallucination every time he heard others laughing.

  He chuckled as he recalled her sassy response to him when he asked if he could help her. She was clearly self-reliant and proud of it. He hadn’t meant to patronize her, he just wanted an excuse to talk to her. He was glad she’d given him a chance to, and he couldn’t wait to get another.

  He had just decided to grab a bowl of soup from the cafeteria and find a private spot in the courtyard to call her when he heard a familiar voice pleading.

  “Come on, Dominion! Open your eyes, wake up! I brought peanut butter M & M’s, your favorite.”

  Rafe peeked in the room and saw Charisse Arella, another Celestia Divisa, leaning over their leader, Dominion Connan, with a look of desperation. Her boyfriend, Jake, hovered nearby, unsure how to comfort her.

  “Risse? Is everything okay?” Rafe couldn’t, in good conscience, ignore the situation. Dominion Connan had entered the hospital a few months ago and was nearing the end of his days on Earth, but the gregarious leader had managed to stay upbeat and energetic despite his deteriorating condition. Perhaps his lively spirit was no longer able to resist the drain of his ailing body. Resistant to most disease, Celestia lived long and healthy lives, but they weren’t immortal.

  “Doc Rafe!” A hint of relief softened the sharpness of her distress, and she reached out to him. “He’s still breathing, but he won’t wake up; he won’t answer me.”

  Rafe wrapped his arms around the teen and let her bury her face in his shoulder. “It’s okay, Risse. He’s slipped into a coma. It’s just his body’s way of coping with the stress of his condition. It’s probably better this way — less pain.”

  “But I’m not ready; I didn’t get to say goodbye to him! Please Rafe, you have to heal him!” She lifted her head, and her blue eyes floated in pools of sadness, bright with desperation.

  The weak center of Rafe’s heart frayed a little more at the request. He’d agonized over it himself many times. He’d even wondered if that was the miracle he was intended to work, to bring Dominion back to life. But Dominion had never asked him for it, never even indicated a desire to prolong his life, and he’d been preparing his replacement for the last three years.

  “Yes you did, Risse. You’ve been here almost every day. He knows how much you care about him. Dominion Connan is probably the most well-loved person in this hospital. We’ll all miss him, but he’s ready to go. It’s his time.” He stroked her back through her long, blonde braid and kissed her forehead as she whimpered.

  “How much longer does he have, Doc?” Jake asked quietly, coming to stand close to his girlfriend. The heart monitor measured out Dominion’s final hours in mechanical beeps — the only remaining sign of life.

  “He could go anytime, now. There’s no way of knowing for sure.” Rafe struggled to control his own anguish. Dominion Connan had led their group with supernatural wisdom and grace for more than 100 years, and the whole community would suffer from the loss of him.

  The three wept quietly, only an occasional sniffle breaking the silence. Eventually, Risse let go of Rafe and sat down on the bed next to Dominion. Jake pulled up a chair beside her and held her hand while she stroked Dominion’s cheek and whispered a prayer for him. When he thought she was settled, Rafe made his way slowly out of the room, pulling the door behind him to give them their privacy.

  He didn’t have enough time to call CeCe, and he wasn’t in the condition to do so, but he still took his lunch out to the courtyard and instead spent a few minutes praying for Risse and Dominion and the entire Celestia Divisa community. The loss of Dominion would rock them.

  The afternoon went quickly, his patients’ concerns enough to push thoughts of CeCe and Dominion from his mind, and soon it was time for him to head to the university. He grabbed a quick sandwich to eat in the car, wishing he had a few extra minutes.

  As soon as he stopped thinking about work, thoughts of CeCe crept in, unbidden. They made his heart race and his cheeks flush, and he wondered if his students would notice like Cynthia had. He forced himself to take some deep breaths to calm himself before making his way to his classroom.

  There weren’t a whole lot of students interested in religious studies, especially a summer session, so he was assigned a small classroom in an older building, but Rafe liked the cozier environment. The scent of chalk lingered in the air, and a dozen and a half old-fashioned desks sat in a large circle, most of them already filled when he got there. Tonight’s class was in Christian theology, and Rafe focused more on discussion than lecturing. He wanted his students to rationalize the concepts, not just memorize them.

  He prepared his lessons whenever he had a block of spare time, sometimes quite a bit in advance, so he often had to refresh his memory the day of the lesson. He’d been so consumed w
ith other things today, he hadn’t taken a moment to review his lesson plan. A quick glance at his notes startled him, and he marveled at the timeliness of the topic.

  “Why do bad things happen to good people?” he asked his students, closing his lesson plan book. With this group of critical thinkers who thrived on lively discussions he knew the lesson would practically teach itself.

  “I see pain and suffering every day as a doctor, and I can tell you it is no discerner of persons. Everyone deals with it at some point, whether they’re an angel or a heathen. But if God is good, and kind, and loving, why does he allow it?”

  The students gave the traditional answer at first — God gave free will, free will begets evil, evil causes pain and suffering — but after a few minutes, they delved deeper into the theory.

  Rafe found himself grasping for his own answers, in light of the tragedies he’d witnessed just that day in CeCe and little Emily.

  CeCe’s blindness looked like a burden to those on the outside, but if she’d never gone through those struggles, would she have become the person she was — someone he was eager to get to know better?

  It had been a long day, and Rafe found his brain too tired to wrap itself around the mystery. Schrödinger’s cat would have to stay in its box for the night. At 9 o’clock, he ended the discussion, leaving his students with a paper to write and himself with an irresistible urge to call CeCe and find out her opinion on the subject.

  He dialed her number as he climbed in the car, mindless of the late hour. She answered on the first ring, and her eager hello sent a ripple of pleasure coursing through him.

  “Hi, CeCe? It’s Rafe… the guy from the coffee shop this morning?” Suddenly he questioned whether she’d given him even a fraction of the thought that he’d devoted to her today.

  Her pleasant laugh assured him. “I remember you, Rafe — the handsome professor who likes studying names, drinking blonde coffee, and teaching about angels.” Her voice was as smooth and mellow as the coffee had been.