“You’re an ass,” I said, giggling at him as he gave me a cheeky wink.
“You dirty bad man!” Tracey abruptly said, clipping John around the head playfully.
John started laughing hard, making all of us giggle including my kids.
“Well I have to assume that the communication devices are working,” Christik said, with a big smile on her face. “Now that we can all communicate; my angels will take any of you who aren’t staying here back to the main craft. James and Mel, if you could stay behind with Holly, I would like to talk with you,” she added.
The angels and our friends all rose from their seats, nodding their heads and saying goodbye as they left the room.
“I’m going to take Abigail and Harrison for a swim at the pool,” Anthony said as he walked passed Holly, gently giving her shoulder a squeeze.
Harrison and Abigail both gave her a supportive hug, obviously picking up on her nervousness.
Within a few minutes, it was just the four of us left, and I had a feeling I knew what Christik wanted to discuss.
Chapter 17
As we sat with Christik at the large meeting room table, I was feeling half intrigued and half worried. Holly looked like a small rabbit staring at a car’s oncoming headlights.
“Thank you for staying behind,” she said, giving Holly a warm smile. “We have a very unusual situation. We have been to and saved thousands of planets since I have been in charge, and I have never had an angel attracted to another race, until now,” she explained. “As you saw Nalik glowed when he was looking at Holly. What Nalik was feeling in his heart caused that to happen. I believe you are his other half, and he is in love with you Holly. How do you feel about that?” she asked our daughter.
Poor Holly couldn’t have blushed any harder if she’d tried. I just wanted to hug her at that point as I could see how uncomfortable she was, my darling girl.
“I do feel drawn to Nalik,” Holly answered quietly and honestly.
She didn’t lift her head but looked at Christik through her lashes.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Holly. Just because he is an angel does not mean that he is more important than you, or more sacred,” Christik told her warmly.
Christik placed her hand on Holly’s, and instantly there was a glow between their touching hands. Holly visibly relaxed with all her tension and anxiety melting away. She looked up into Christik’s eyes more confidently this time with her head up and her shoulders back.
“I do have feelings for Nalik,” she told Christik in a much stronger voice. “But I don’t know if it's love, and I don’t know if I am his other half,” she added again, honestly.
“I see,” Christik responded gently, “Would you like to get to know Nalik better and find out Holly?” she asked our daughter.
“Yes, I think I would,” Holly replied, this time a little more nervously, her eyes darting from mine to James’.
Christik removed her hand from Holly’s and looked at James and me. I wasn’t sure about James, but I was feeling very apprehensive about the whole situation.
“Would this be okay with you both?” Christik asked.
James looked at me questioningly, and I was stuck for words for a few moments, quickly trying to gather my thoughts.
“Well I suppose on the bright side, he’s not a hormone driven teenager with only one thing on his mind,” I said, thinking out loud.
“I guess I won’t be needing the t-shirt I’ve been saving,” James added, giggling.
Holly looked at her dad with total confusion, and Christik had the same comical look.
“It says on the front, I have a shovel and a gun, and I’m not afraid to use them,” James explained, laughing at Holly’s look of sheer horror.
“Dad!” Holly exclaimed, looking totally exasperated.
I couldn’t help cracking up, and my laughter was infectious. Within seconds, we were all giggling around the table.
One of the angels from earlier walked in the room with juice and coffee on a tray, looking very bemused.
“Thank you Jennik,” Christik told her as she placed the tray down on the table.
“So, I believe the best way for Holly and Nalik to get to know each other, without Holly feeling uncomfortable, is for Nalik to help her coordinate with the team members,” Christik stated. This way it is more formal, and Holly receives the help she will need.”
“Yes, I think that’s a great idea,” I told her. “What do you think Holly? Would you like that?” I asked her gently.
Holly’s face was again flushed with pink, but she still looked a lot more relaxed than before.
“Yes, I’d like that Mom,” she replied. “You and Dad started as friends, so I think that would be best,” she added.
“That is settled then,” Christik said rising from her chair. “Your children are still swimming at the pool. I will see you all soon,” she added, nodding at the three of us and gracefully leaving the large meeting room.
James, Holly and I all rose from our seats. Holly still seemed somewhat overwhelmed with the whole situation. Walking over to her, I wrapped her in my arms, giving her a motherly hug. As she rested her head on my shoulder, James came up to us and wrapped his arms around us both.
“Everything happens for a reason Holly. Who knows what our future holds, what’s going to happen and who with,” James told her.
“Thanks, Dad, Mom, I think I needed that,” Holly replied as she lifted her head, giving us a beautiful smile.
“Come on; I want to go swimming with my family and the fish!” I declared, not wanting to wait any longer.
We left the meeting room, and I felt so much more lighthearted, especially now we had more of an idea as to how many people could help us defend Earth.
James took my hand, and we headed towards the natural pool where our other kids were. As we turned a corner, Nalik was stood there waiting and leaning against a vine-covered pillar. The moment he clapped eyes on Holly, he straightened himself, and his eyes and body literally lit up.
All three of us stopped in our tracks, absolutely surprised to see Nalik there. He dipped his head at James and I; then he moved forward, so he was right in front of our daughter.
“I hope you do not mind. I would like to swim with you and your family,” he told her gently. “Would that be okay with you, Holly?” he asked, his voice quiet but masculine.
Holly turned to James and me, and she raised her eyebrows questioningly. I nodded my head, giving her the go ahead. Smiling sweetly, she looked back at Nalik who hadn’t taken his eyes off her.
“Sure, that’s okay with me,” she told him, sharing her sweet smile with him.
Just for a second, his already glowing shimmer got brighter as he smiled back at her. Relief showed on his face.
“Shall we?” he asked, indicating the way.
We continued towards the pool. James and I were completely intrigued listening to Nalik and Holly make small talk. He was genuinely interested in what Holly did and didn’t like. What she liked to do in her spare time, and what she wanted to do after we battle the Marilians. Holly seemed confident, telling him about herself and appeared just as keen to find out more about him.
“What is your role among the angels Nalik?” Holly asked him.
Nalik gave her another of his affectionate smiles. ‘Good grief, he’s totally smitten with her!’ I thought to myself ‘Shit, Fuck and Balls, this isn’t going to end well.’ I couldn’t help but worry about Holly after everything we’d already been through. The last thing I wanted was her heart being broken if it didn’t work out.
“I am a Sky angel,” Nalik told her proudly. “I help to heal your ozone layer and remove the poisons from the air you breathe,” he added.
Holly certainly looked impressed by the look on her face.
“I like being here on your Earth Holly; it is the only planet I’ve visited where there are beautiful sunsets and sunrises,” he told her. “I wake early to watch them, and when I have the opportu
nity, I sit by the ocean and watch the sunsets too.”
My daughter's eyes were looking more and more dreamily at Nalik.
Luckily, we were arriving at the pool, and I could see Abigail and our boys in the water having fun. I could feel my heart soar with love as I watched the boys splashing each other, while Abigail was trying to swim like a mermaid.
“Are you ready to go in?” James asked, snapping me out of my reverie.
“Yes, I’m ready. Where do we get the swimwear?” I asked as I looked around the pool area, trying to spot a pile of swimsuits and towels.
“I’ve said it before baby, but I’ll say it again,” he said, giving me his cheeky grin. “These angels are like a well-oiled machine.”
Taking me by the hand, he led me to some steps, leading down into the glistening water. I was so confused. What the heck was I supposed to wear after swimming when my dress got soaked?
Going with the flow, I started going down the steps, and just as the hem of my dress touched the water, it began to shrink. My gown was actually shrinking and reshaping to my body.
The bottom of it shrank up to my butt, and the middle of the hem slid between my thighs joining together as the top began to cling to my breasts. Within moments, I went from wearing a gown to wearing a swimsuit. I was amazed.
“See, well-oiled machine, baby!” James said, laughing at my expression as he led me further into the water.
The water felt amazing on my legs, and it was just cool enough to be refreshing. As our kids started to swim towards us, I was expecting the fish and birds to swim away, but instead, they followed the kids. There was no fear from them, and I watched in fascination as some colorful fish swam behind Abigail, as if they were racing.
“Fantastic isn’t it, Mom,” Harrison said as he reached James and me.
His trousers and tunic had shrunk just like my gown, clinging to all his muscles. ‘Bloody hell, my son is a muscle man.’ I was blown away by how manly both my boys had become.
Both of them were now over six foot and good looking like their dad. No wonder there were so many eyes on them from the teenage girls in and around the pool. I was instantly aware of just how many young ladies there were, and my boys both appeared completely oblivious to them.
“It’s truly amazing,” I told Harrison.
I could feel my heart swelling with love for my kids as I admired their happy faces. I suddenly wished that I hadn’t got all my memories back.
The awful memories of all the animals dying and rotting, people and kids dying on the streets and the horror on our children's faces. Those mental images were ingrained in my mind. However, if I hadn’t have gotten my memories back, I wouldn’t have had the stronger appreciation of my family and our planet.
The glistening water felt cool on my skin as I continued down the steps. I could see tiny, red fish swimming around my feet. Nalik passed me and gracefully dove into the water without even a splash, with Holly following behind.
Once I was fully submerged up to my neck, I swam toward James, Abigail and the boys, enjoying the sheer happiness emanating from them. Every now and then, I could smell the scents from the tropical flowers that surrounded the pool.
All of a sudden, I realized that James and Abigail had become animal magnets. It seemed that all the birds and fish in the pool were making a beeline for my husband and daughter, as they were both swimming towards me. However, I was wrong.
When the birds and fish reached James and Abigail, they kept going, swimming past them and heading for me. I stopped swimming and began to tread water, as did Anthony, Harrison, Holly and Nalik. They all watched, entranced at what they were witnessing.
“Dad, Abigail stop a minute!” Anthony called out.
James and Abigail stopped and started to tread water too, with confusion on their faces as they watched the birds and fish swim towards me. I felt something brush past my waist and when I looked down, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Fish of all colors and sizes were swimming around me, circling my body and moving gracefully around my legs, torso, arms and even around my neck.
“Woah, what the heck,” I said, breathlessly.
Every so often, I could feel one of the fish brush against my stomach, not an aggressive bump but almost affectionately. I felt something brush against my hair and ear, so I looked up quickly and turned my head to see what it was.
There, right next to my head, was a bird similar to a stork. It was big and quite impressive; its body was black and white while its beak was black and a vivid red.
While I looked at it in complete surprise, it gave a small squawk and then rubbed its beak against my head again affectionately. I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped me. Abigail and the others all began to laugh with me.
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” I declared, amused but very confused.
“They seem to have all taken quite a shine to you, baby,” James said as he swam up next to me.
We were both in awe as all the various birds and fish surrounded me, circling around and brushing against me in a very loving manner.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” James exclaimed.
“Neither have I,” I told him, still giggling.
“They are drawn to you, because of your baby,” Nalik said as he reached us with Holly.
“Why are they drawn to the baby Nalik?” Holly asked.
Nalik raised an arm with his palm facing towards me, using his other arm to keep himself afloat. His raised palm began to glow white. He closed his blue peacock eyes for a moment with concentration on his face.
“I believe there is a connection, between the baby and the creatures. I can feel it coming from your baby; the creatures can feel it too,” Nalik explained. “I think the animals want to protect you Mel, and the baby,” he added.
“Well, that’s unexpected!” I stated, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
“Do you think that’s going to be one of her gifts, Nalik?” Harrison asked, extremely impressed with the whole situation.
“I believe so, yes,” Nalik replied, “she may be able to communicate with animals when she has been born. We will have to wait to find out,” he answered.
It was absolutely wonderful, swimming with my family, the birds and fish. Wherever I swam, the creatures would follow, protectively swimming around me and brushing against me.
Trying to make the most of our special time together, I tried to ignore the growing crowd that was forming around the pool area. Adults and children were sitting on the rocks or coming into the pool. All eyes staring at the strange woman and her creature followers. James and the kids thought it was hilarious!
Abigail swam over to me after playing diving challenges with Harrison.
“I know you’re enjoying your swim, and I am too, but can I show you our cabin now Mom?” Abigail asked.
“Yes, of course, darling,” I told her, “Let’s go and see it.”
While we made our way to James and the kids’ cabin, I mulled over just how strange the pool experience was. I hadn’t felt any pull towards the birds and fish, but our baby obviously did. The explanation that Nalik had given us made a weird kind of sense.
When I’d tried to leave the pool, the birds and fish had followed me right up to the start of the steps. The fish had all gathered at the bottom while the birds attempted to follow me up the steps.
The whole situation must have looked so comical. Nalik had to use his power to gently move them away while I stood in amazement as my swimsuit changed back into a dry gown once again.
Something I did notice while trying to leave the pool were all the young ladies admiring our sons as they got out of the water; they seemed to have many admirers.
Within minutes, we were walking down a long walkway with cabin doors on one side of us and a banister rail on the other. The spaces between the doors varied depending on the size of the cabin. I could smell the tropical scents from the flowering vines that wound around the railing, and when I lo
oked over the side of the railing, I was in awe of the holding structure’s beauty.
Just like the main craft, everything was so natural, and the trees and plants blended seamlessly with the cruiser. I could even see colorful hummingbirds feeding from the tall, flowering trees.
“Here we are,” James said as he opened one of the larger cabin doors.
“After you my ladies,” he said, gesturing for Abigail, Holly and I to enter.
“Why thank you, kind sir,” I replied as I followed the girls into the cabin, with the boys and Nalik following behind.
A “Wow” escaped me as I scanned the large living area. The main family area was spacious and bright, the walls and furniture were a light sandy color.
James and the kids had made it homely with colorful material draping the chairs and hanging from the large glass doors that faced outside. There were colorful works of art on the walls: paintings and pencil drawings of animals, flowers and angels that were stunning.
“Did you do all these?” I asked Abigail, with pride starting to fill my heart.
“Yes, I did,” She replied gleefully.
James walked up to her, putting an arm around her shoulders with his face full of pride also.
“Totally amazing isn’t she!” he declared, looking down at her and giving her a huge grin.
“Yes, you certainly are Abigail, these are amazing. No wonder people here are taking your work for their cabins,” I told her sincerely.
Abigail was brimming with pride as she showed me around their current home. The cabin was stunning, and I was in awe of the natural beauty which complemented the accessories James and the kids had made.
When we entered the main family area again, I walked to the large glass doors and opened them, so I could look outside. Standing on the balcony, I surveyed the scenery before me, and as far as I could see, there were beautiful trees and wild fields.
Any buildings in the distance were surrounded by trees and shrubs and various climbing plants growing up the sides. Nature was reclaiming the land; now the Earth was healing, and it was all because of the angels.
Earth's Angels: The Earth's Angels Trilogy Page 20