by Carol Robi
"Hi dad," I call cheerfully, slamming the door against the annoying angel. "How did it go?"
"In the shower, princess!" He calls, and I make my way to the bathroom. Dad is in the shower cubicle. I walk up to the washer, taking out the completed whites and stuffing the other heap of laundry into the washer.
"How did it go with the concreting?"
"Flawless!" He says cheerfully. "They also gave us an idea of how we could avoid thermal loss through the connection of the floor to the walls," he goes on to say, as I pull the folded clothes rack from behind the door and unfold it.
"How?" I ask while I sort out the clothes to be hanged from those to be tumble dried.
"What?"
"How is it to be done? To stop the thermal loss?" I ask, hanging up one of dad's favorite shirts.
"By using about 50 mm thick insulation all around the walls to stop the concrete being poured from directly touching the external walls."
"Oh, neat!" I say as I stuff the rest of the wet clothes into the drier. I don't turn it on because I want to wait for the other clothes in the washer first.
"Pass me the towel," Dad say's sticking out his hand. I grab at a towel and hand it to him. I then seat myself on the counter.
"So, did you have a good day?"
"I did actually," I say smiling.
"Well don't act so surprised," he teases. "I see you tidied up the room and even did laundry," he says, as he picks another towel to dry off his hair and upper body.
His hair is getting longer, I note. I should cut it soon. I’ve been cutting my dad's hair since I was fourteen. I’m better at it than mom is.
"Relax dad. It's just a little hygiene," I call out to him laughing. "I am not a pig, you know!" We both take the moment to laugh, enjoying been able to have some alone time together, because almost always one or both of his parents is around. I think at this point we are both looking forward to moving out to our own place and having our own space.
"Anyway, I am glad you took a personal day to recoup, you’ve been pushing yourself too hard." He says, ruffling my hair fondly before he leaves the bathroom.
"It's your turn dad!" Dad calls to his dad as he leaves the bathroom. I too pick myself up and go to the kitchen, grandma probably needs help with setting up the table.
After a hearty dinner of baked salmon, potatoes and green beans, we relax to an animation movie, before I retire to bed.
When I wake up the next morning after a full night’s sleep, I almost don't believe my terrible luck. Perched on my bed, intrusively, is my annoying stalker. Great!
I get up quickly and as fast as I can, shake off my beddings hoping to catch him by surprise and force him of the bed. I astound both myself and him for I manage to do just that, topple him so hard that he lands with a thud on the floor. I guess he is not as fast or as strong as the others.
"How... How did you do that?"
I roll my eyes, as I make my bed neatly. It's called hatred, baby! I chuckle to myself.
Unlike my last few mornings, I have woken up on time today, so I take my time at the breakfast table, enjoying my tea and one of the muffins grandma made yesterday. My lunch is on the table too. Dad, dad! Making up for all the lunches he missed to make for me as a kid. Oh well, I'm not complaining, just enjoying it as it lasts.
"You better drink up the tea faster. At this pace, we’ll miss the bus," my annoying shadow calls at me, as he sips the tea that he took the liberty to pour himself.
I don't bother to check my watch, for I know he is right. I gulp down the rest in my cup, rinse the cup quickly and place it in the dishwasher. I grab at the second cup in front of Penuel, empty its contents into the sink and do the same before I make my way to the bathroom.
"Very rude," he says shaking his head.
So bite me! I silently retort.
It is a little unsettling to bike to the main bus station with a guy running beside me, out in the open. Now people will think we are friends. Just great!
"On time today, wow!" Magnus mocks when I get on the bus with time to spare.
"And hello to you too," I say planting a kiss on his forehead before sitting beside him.
"Is this your boyfriend?" The angel asks in fluent Danish, as he slips into the seat in front of ours and turns around to face us over the seats. I guess he has decided to live among the humans. Just great!
"Ignore him," I say to Magnus, who looks back at me confused.
"Hi, I am Penuel," he says to Magnus, giving him his hand to shake.
"Magnus," he answers puzzled as he shake the angel's hand, sending me a quizzical look, to which I shake my head at, letting him know that I do not want to talk about it. Luckily Penuel doesn't insist on talking to us, as he had done with me all morning, and instead turns to face the front.
"So, you missed school yesterday?"
"Yes I did. I just did not feel myself a hundred percent," I answer him with a smile.
"Are you ok now?"
"Perfect!" I exclaim with exaggerated cheer. "Did I miss anything important?"
"No, not really, we just kept planning Mikkel's party. Are you coming by the way? You haven't RSVP'd on Facebook."
"Oh, I don't know. When is it again,” I ask absently.
"Two Saturdays after the next, and you better come. We are all friends, you know." He says smiling, and I bump my shoulder lightly into his in response.
I am surprised when we get to school and Penuel follows us into the building. Is he going to be attending school too? Good luck in trying to convince the principal that he is a student here, I think.
Part of me is very curious to follow him and find out how he’ll do it, but the other part of me that has decided to swear off angels wins, and I walk briskly into class with my fellow sons of man.
My irritation with Penuel only gets worse throughout the day. He joins me in all my classes, his schedule mirrors mine perfectly. The teachers introduce him as a new student having moved into the area. He even joins my friends and I at the cafeteria, and they all are all over him as he talks about places he’s travelled to around the world. I can see the girls quickly falling for him, both Charlotte and Rikke, the small brunette, are crushing badly!
He, like all the other angels I have met, is a picture of perfection and exquisite beauty. His face is clear, warmly toned and magnificently chiseled, with his facial features balancing in an unequaled perfect symmetry. He has a smooth jaw and rich dark hair. I catch the sight of his eyes, dark as night, filled with compelling mystique. I also note how his mouth quirks charmingly at the corner as he speaks or smiles.
Can you blame the girls? Or the boys? For I can see Christian’s blue eyes twinkling as he stares at the angel speak. Christian is gay, a muscular, sporty, drop-dead gorgeous gay. I have had moments in class, especially in history, where I stare at his profile and play scenarios of how I seduce him, and turn him straight again. I know it doesn't work like that, but a girl can dream!
After school, Penuel is still hot at my heels, walking me to the other bus stop opposite the road.
"Hey Penuel, aren't you going home now?" Magnus calls as we begin crossing the deserted road.
"No, I thought to help Caroline and her family with the house," He calls back, waving at Magnus.
I itch to yell at him, and tell him that he may not come, but I’d planned not to talk to angels ever again. I therefore remain quiet and wait for the bus, with the infuriating angel standing beside me. Luckily, he doesn't say anything, as the two of us and a handful of other chirpy students wait.
"Hi dad," I call as I walk up to the house. "Hi grandpa and grandma"
"Hi, hi!" They all call back at me.
"I see you brought another friend again," dad says, stretching his hand to the angel. "Torben."
"Penuel, I am Caroline's classmate. I thought to come help," Dad smiles happily, grateful for any free help he can get.
"It is good of you to," dad says as he leads us into the house.
"Today we’ll wor
k on the walls," he starts to explain. "We’ll first tape the damp-proofing membrane against all walls, even the interior ones because they have moisture seeping up through them from the old foundation construction. We’ll then place this rock-wool insulation cut out in strips of 200mm against the interior of all the external walls, and this thinner strips of 50 mm along the faces of all the interiors walls, and thereafter we shall fix the first layer of fiber board to hold them in place."
"Dad, that sounds like a lot," I complain, cringing my forehead.
"That is why I am happy you brought a strong looking friend with you," he says pinching my cheek lightly as he heads off for his set of tools.
The five of us fall into silence, the radio playing some pop hits, as we embark on the works. It really isn't as bad as he’d made it sound. It just requires lots of coordination, and we all soon get the hang of it.
I hate having to acknowledge Penuel's presence, but I am glad for his help. He is very strong, much stronger than he lets off, and combined with his critical thinking and quick reflexes, the work goes quite smoothly.
I can tell that dad admires him a lot and his wide knowledge on all things construction, travels, society or politics. The two of them immediately pick up discussing passionately about their views and takes on all matters political, social and economical in the world.
In the beginning, it had been hard to pinpoint what it was that made Penuel stick out a lot from the other angels like Ariel and Uriel. They are warriors, with Camael, Ambriel and Cassiel. Penuel is... Penuel is an intellect. Raphael is a leader, a warrior and a healer. Azrael is of course the angel of death, but also a warrior. They must all have their roles to play.
We do not necessarily work fast, but I can see just how effective our team is. My grandparents are busy with measurements, and grandpa is also often by the panel saw in the middle of the room, where he cuts the boards into the necessary sizes. I help dad with the taping of the damp proof membrane, ensuring adequate overlapping every instance the membrane runs out. We also fix the insulation in place, and I hold on to the strips as dad and Penuel nail the boards into place with nail guns. We keep at this for the next six hours, only interrupted by the half hour dinner break.
The drive home is quiet, and once again it is very cramped in the car.
Dad drops us off at the train station because he assumes Penuel too arrived there by bike like I did. As I bike the rest of the way home, I feel him flying right beside me. I am so glad that he says nothing all the way home.
After a quick shower, I grab a snack before going to bed.
I find my new angel escort perched on the foot of my bed, flipping through a book. I ignore him, change into pyjamas, turn off the lights and slip into bed.
I fall asleep almost immediately.
Chapter 24
“Archangel?”
“Mmh...”
“Shh... Go back to sleep, Caroline,” a calm voice says, before a gentle kiss lands on my lips, pulling me back into slumber.
“Archangel?” The voice calls again in a whisper, and I feel a part of me stir awake.
“Archangel? I miss you.”
“Soon, my angel,” my lips move to say, as though puppeted by another.
I then surprise myself by leaning in closer and pressing my lips to his passionately, only to pull away again before another dizzying spell hits me.
“Whatever did make us anchor my multiple consciousness to your kisses,” I whisper with a chuckle.
“It’s secure, plus you love to torture me, my love,” the handsome angel responds, looking back at me adoringly, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.
“Oh yeah, that’s most definitely it,” I say, and seem satisfied about the prospect, for I feel myself smile smugly.
My dream disturbs me, the events occurring in it puzzling me. Why would I be happily kissing an angel, terming him my love? I dislike angels. They are heartless, cruel and unsympathetic.
“She’s fighting me?” I say cryptically. The angel smiles, and I reach out and caress his silky soft skin tenderly.
“You forget that she is you,” he tells me, his voice clearer now, and he sounds like the handsome dark-eyed angel with the olive toned skin. Penuel, is his name. The first angel I ever met, the one I drew as I sketched my grandfather’s profile on his fishing boat.
“Yeah well, we shouldn’t have given her my grace of resilience, she’s fighting me hard right now. I don’t know how long I can stay tonight.”
This is one odd dream, I’m thinking to myself as I try shake out of it.
“She is you. You are fighting you,” Penuel says with a chuckle. “You can’t complain about yourself, love.”
I join his laughter quietly, the worn bed shaking under us.
“Fine, but while I still have control over this body...” My eyes widen with surprise when I brazenly stroke him as he leans in and kisses my neck, sending shudders through my body.
What am I doing? I’ve never even really kissed a boy, apart from the chaste kiss I received from Ariel that Friday night long past...
A gasp escapes me to interrupt my thoughts as the stronger angel flips me over and pins me to my bed, his dark eyes gleaming with a hunger that stuns me beyond all thoughts.
“Stop it! She’s yet chaste, and human, and...” The angel seems to have difficulty speaking because of my wandering hands that find their way inside his shirt to stroke his rock hard body.
“Archangel..!” Penuel exclaims with frustration, before he pins my hands down and presses his lips to my neck. He then pulls away, and I pout playfully in protest, to which he chuckles.
“I need to talk to you about something important...”
“Boring...”
“Archangel, listen,” he starts, which lets me know that he has something grave to discuss. “The brotherhood- something is wrong.”
“That’s a good start,” I say with a playful smile, but his frown only deepens instead.
“Not in this case,” he responds.
“Why do you say that?”
“I can’t feel them. Can you,” I take a moment to concentrate, then nod to confirm his fears.
“That’s good,” I repeat.
“No, it’s not,” he refutes. “Not with angels like Samael and Azazel out there...”
“Don’t be too judgmental...”
“They weren’t part of the plan,” he argues harshly, “Archangel,” he quickly adds apologetically.
I choose to let it slide.
“No, they aren’t part of this, but if they come with the package, then we compromise...”
“No!” He says firmly, his audacity now shocking me, as well infuriating me. “I haven’t worked on this plan for tens of thousands of years to compromise...”
“You overstep yourself, angel,” I caution gravely.
“Only to keep you in check, Archangel,” is his response. “It was only meant to be Abaddon- and even that was a compromise on its own, as you needed another Archangel,” he states firmly.
Smoldering black eyes then meet harsh copper beams in a battle of will.
“Watch yourself, angel...”
“You watch yourself, Archangel. Remember, I hold the keys to your existence,” he threatens, though I clearly see how it pains him to do this.
“We do it right, or we don’t do it at all,” Penuel proceeds when he notices my softened expression, misinterpreting it. “A ruling pair, that’s all we need. You and Abaddon to challenge Michael and Gabriel’s rule. All other fallen angels deserve to be in Tartaros...”
“You forget that my brothers declared me fallen too,” I now say calmly but indomitably. “If something has happened to the brotherhood, if they were silly enough to get captured by the fallen, that is their own problem...”
“Blasphemy!” Penuel cries out, distraught at my stance. “They are divine...”
“Divine, fallen- mere terms used by my delusional brothers to divide us...”
“They killed humans!” Penuel
argues.
“You take your guardianship job a little too seriously, my love,” I reach out endearingly, attempting to kiss him again, but he slaps my human hand away.
“Don’t be like that...” I start.
“I’ll stop you,” he surprises me by saying undauntedly. “I love you, but I’ll stop you, if you dare go home now with those convicts...”
I lift my weak human hand and slap him. The slap is not as hard as I’d have wished it to be, but it has the same effect, and he stops talking, looking back at me stunned.
“We are in this together,” I remind him in a firm whisper.
“Not like this,” he says, shaking his head, and it is only then that I first believe that he would indeed go against me despite the thousands of years we’ve spent working towards this.
“We are so close,” I urge him, trying to fight him as he moves to kiss me, knowing that he intends to push my consciousness away this time, and bring back Carolines.
“Not like this,” he whispers sadly, his much stronger body overpowering my human one, so that he pins my hands to my side.
“Penuel, wait...”
“I love you, but I will not go against my principles for you. You have to go now, and I don’t think I’m bringing you back again...”
“Penuel,” I call out panicked, shaking my head to avoid his lips, but my body strength is insignificant to his.
I catch the despondent look in his eyes as he sees the shock at his betrayal in mine, right before darkness envelops me.
Chapter 25
The next couple of days are very quiet- boring!
The entertainment committee doesn't hold a class party this week, so I spend Friday afternoon at our house in Rø. It drizzles a lot, and I know we are all grateful to be working inside.
Penuel comes to help every day, even in the weekend, and as a result the works go on quite fast. We finish all the walls on Sunday afternoon, even the second layer of fire boards, apart from the bathroom walls. Those dad plans on buying tiles for early next week, and has already commissioned Penuel's help in fixing them. We also plan on replacing the front door next week, tiling the bathroom floor and gluing in the parquet flooring on all the other floors.