18 Truths

by Jamie Ayres

  “Yes, I understand.”

  “Okay then. I guess that confused look on your face is standard.”

  Nate chuckled. “You know, there was seldom enough time to enjoy your humor while I was here.”

  Riel ignored him and blew on the paper.

  “What are you doing?” I asked him.

  “Bearing witness to the contract.” He handed the paper back to Leo and nodded. “Thank you. See you at the leader picnic tomorrow?”

  Leo nodded, and Riel waited until he made his exit before addressing us again. “You three amigos are returning to Earth, where it will be the first day of April, when lightning struck Conner. Nate will return to his hometown and make his way to Grand Haven eventually.”

  “God can orchestrate all that?” Nate whispered.

  Riel popped his wings out, momentarily blinding us with his greatness. “Do you not yet recognize the power of God? He is God! He is in the past, present, and future. He is not limited by time and space. And God acts and intervenes in history to accomplish His ends.”

  Curiosity glinted in Nate’s soulful eyes as he whispered, “But does God often send dead people back to Earth to live their life?”

  “No, your situations are quite unusual,” Riel stated casually. “I can only recall five other times that this has happened in the last six thousand years or so.”

  Nate seemed to let this truth settle into him before opening his mouth again. “So God gives a free pass once every millennia or something?”

  Riel laughed, a sound reminiscent of church bells chiming; rich, complex, loud, and rhythmic. But there was no trace of humor in the gesture. “I do not make the mistake of deciphering God’s actions. He is not a secret code that can be translated. But remember, the fact that you two chose to become spirit guides instead of entering Heaven was an anomaly in our system to begin with.”

  I took a deep breath and pushed aside my guilt over stealing the Alpha File because I still wanted clarification while I could have it. “But Nate and Conner’s accidents will still happen?”

  He held out his palm, and I slid my free hand in his. “Yes. But their outcomes will be different. You will all live, though I can only pray you don’t make the same mistakes twice. All your memories of this past year will be wiped clean upon re-entry to Earth. So Nate, I’m afraid you won’t have that full knowledge of God to help you out, although you will have a side effect.” He leaned forward, releasing my hand to give Nate a pat on his back. “I do hope you’ll put your supernatural talent to good use. I know I would.”

  “What is it?”

  “You’ll see soon enough.”

  Despite my overwhelming happiness about being sent to Earth for a second chance, the thought of Satan’s son roaming around freely sent waves of terror through me. “What about Sam? Won’t he be out to get me?”

  “Yes, though demons have always roamed the Earth, out to get people. If you stay on the straight and narrow path, then you’ll be fine.”

  “But I won’t remember any of my life lessons… I’ll be starting over from day one?”

  Riel nodded. “A part of your spiritual being will be aware of the journey you’ve taken, but only in the subconscious of your mind.”

  I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes watering at the thought of leaving Riel. “Any parting words of wisdom from my angel, then?”

  A smile ghosted across his face. “Remember when I asked you who you were?”

  I nodded. I knew he had been hijacking my dreams!

  “Your name means holy, Olga. Remember, God consecrated you for His purpose. He is giving you a new beginning. Don’t waste a minute of your new life and take nothing for granted. Love yourself, believe in yourself, and fight for yourself; then God will give His faith to you and success will take on a new meaning in all the areas of your life. Nathan”—Nate startled at hearing his full name—“your name means to give. Because you freely gave your love to Olga and Grace, you have been given a second chance at life.” He placed his palm on Nate’s forehead. “Use it wisely. God has given you maturity beyond your years.

  “And Conner, not surprisingly, your name means strong willed. God loves you, but He is tired of butting heads with you. Olga’s compassion for you has motivated our Father to allow you to return to Earth with her and Nate. You did not earn this second chance at life as they have, but your return demonstrates more clearly the message that none can truly earn our place in God’s Kingdom because it is given freely to all who seek it. But He will test you as He has done with countless others, to see if you believe that God can help you, to see if you really want His help. He will use this lightning strike as a wakeup call, and I pray you answer it before it’s too late.”

  I reached out to Conner then and put my hand in his.

  He half-closed his eyes. “I hope I answer it, too.”

  Riel took a deep breath. “Olga, I feel I owe you an apology before you leave.”

  “Me?” I croaked, my throat thick with emotion.

  “Yes. I am to blame for the whole mix-up between you and Nate. I should not have told Nate to take on Grace as a solo assignment. I should have had faith in your abilities, but I let my feelings for you cloud my judgment. I was so concentrated in my efforts to keep you from Hell by pushing you away from Nate and Grace that I neglected to realize I almost led you straight there by taking away your sense of purpose. The thought of you going after Conner never occurred to me. Your love for Nate kept you grounded, and I robbed you of that. There is no excuse for what I left you to face on your own. Please know I am deeply sorry for everything. An archangel should, and does, know better.”

  I looked down at my hand intertwined with Conner’s. “Riel, we have a saying on Earth. Hindsight is 20/20. Even if you would’ve done things differently, please know I always had my sights on going after Conner. Sometimes you can’t stop people from making bad decisions, no matter what you do.”

  Shaking my head, I let go of Conner, in more ways than one. “My mistakes are mine to bear, and mine alone. You must understand that during the year in Limbo, my whole existence was a carefully made list, a fabrication suggested by Dr. Judy as a way of making me put one foot in front of the other toward a path of healing. But once I learned I was dead and realized Conner must be in the Underworld somewhere within my reach, the whole experience seemed pointless. Because I could have Conner again. But I couldn’t, not really, but I had to discover those things on my own. Going to find him by myself was the only real thing I’ve done in the past year, and thankfully, God kept me from harm and is delivering me safely home now, where I belong.” I took a long, deep breath. “Please know there’s nothing to apologize for. Your very nature demands that you protect vulnerable souls. You were only trying to do what you thought was best for everyone.”

  He stared into my eyes with such an intense gaze, I was certain he could see into the window of my soul. “Olga Gay Worontzoff, I think you’re laboring under the misinterpretation that I would go to such lengths to safeguard everyone I have charge over. Everything I did is because I love you. No matter how inappropriate my feelings were for you, they were there. So don’t try to sugarcoat the scenario my actions created, and please just answer my one question before you leave. Can you accept my apology now that you know the truth?”

  Leaning back on my heels, I stared at him darkly in the silence that followed. Finally, I stepped into the space between us and wrapped him in an awkward hug, since his wings were still popped out. Thankfully, he’d dimmed their brightness, but I still closed my eyes as I stroked the curves of his muscular feathers. “Of course. If you were only trying to protect someone you love”—my heart pounded as I repeated back his absurd admission—“then how could I hold that against you, when I broke about every spirit guide law in the book to do the same thing?” I pulled back. “And I hope you’ll still watch over me, even if you’re not my boss anymore.”

  “Always,” Riel answered, looking at the three of us. “Now that we’ve said our goodbye
s, it’s time to get going. I have an appointment at the Throne after this.”

  Conner turned to Nate, a struggle to remain civil clear on his face. “I’d say it was nice to meet you, but—”

  “Oh, save it.” Riel scowled at him. “Your paths will cross again soon.”

  Nate nodded. “And FYI, I’m not giving up. May the best man win.”

  And right then, I knew I had problems. My best friend was in love with me and counted my boyfriend as his enemy. Sam would still be on the loose somewhere on Earth, and I had a feeling he’d move close to Grand Haven so he could torture me for getting him kicked out of the Underworld. Plus, Nate would have some sort of side effect that made even Riel chuckle with delight.

  Problems for sure. If being a spirit guide didn’t almost kill me, the drama that lay ahead for my senior year of high school just might. But the thought that I even had a senior year of high school to look forward to made any possible drama seem so beyond worth it.

  Riel gathered us in his arms and prayed in a tongue I didn’t recognize.

  I decided I should end my journey the same way I started, with a prayer. Except this time, I wasn’t ready to die, I was ready to live.

  God, thank you for being my companion through everything. So many emotions pulled me in all directions this past year, but even though I strayed off course, You never left me. Help me find my safe harbor in Your grace. Help me to awaken to a bright new day in the comfort of Your love, no matter what lies ahead with the two guys standing next to me. There are so many thoughts running through my head about what I want to do with my life now that I have a second chance, but help me to know everything will turn out okay if You have other plans. After all, You are the protector of my heart and my soul, the One I can always count on for a perfect ending.

  Thin tears seeped from the corners of my eyes when I whispered ‘Amen.’ Raising my arms out to the sides, I’d never felt so much peace as I enjoyed the sensation of pure weightlessness and infinite space for a brief moment.

  Suddenly, coldness washed over me as rain pelted my skin. What had I just been worrying about? A flash caught my eye, and I watched something fly off the sailboat.

  “Conner!”

  I took a deep breath, and then dove in, feeling more alive than I ever had before.

  I’d like to give thanks to:

  First and foremost, Jesus, for my salvation, for transforming my despair into hope, and for giving me the desires of my heart.

  My family: My husband, Dan, for inadvertently supplying me with lots of funny one-liners to use in my writing, along with too many pop culture references.To Kaylee, for your invaluable insights into the life of a teenage girl and for simultaneously being my toughest critic and biggest fan.To Ashley, for supplying me with daily fun facts, around the clock laughs, and supersized hugs.Thank you for sacrificing so much (the crazy hours, sharing me with imaginary people, piles of unfinished projects around the house) so my dreams could become reality. Without the three of you by my side, all of this would mean nothing.

  The two BEE’s this side of the galaxy, Jessa and Krystal. Jessa, you’re like my own Han Solo, a rogue who doesn’t play by the rules but has my back with any problem, adding humor to any crisis with your quirky and witty ways and often holding me together with duct tape and bubble gum. And Krystal, you’re like my own mixture of Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi whispering sound advice in my ear. Somewhere in the middle, I always find my perfect solution. And to everyone else at Curiosity Quills, I could not have come this far without your dazzling collective know-how.

  My own personal Jedi Order, my family and friends, your encouragement and support continually spurs me on. A special shout out to Deana Barnhart, Jenny Keller Ford, and Kelly Seaton, whose insights on the first reading of this book were invaluable.Marisa Cleveland, thanks for being my first writer friend who believed in this series! Also to all the bloggers out there who helped with blog tours, blogfests, giveaways, and reviews. I would be very remiss not to mention the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Writers Helping Writers specifically. To all of my pastors over the years for preaching messages that helped inspire the heart of this book: God has a plan for our lives. Going through hell is worth it to arrive at the place He has for us.

  The teachers, librarians, booksellers, and loyal fans who gave my little series wings to fly. An extra heartfelt thanks goes out to the students and staff at Gulf Middle School for continuing on this journey with me. And to all my students, present and past, you’ve taught me so much more than I’ll ever teach you.

  My readers, because you are A*W*E*S*O*M*E! Even though this is a work of fiction, I hope you walked away with at least one truth to carry with you on your own journey.

  I wish I could personally thank every person, book, movie, television show, and song that inspired my muse, but to do so would be an act of tree homicide, and that would not be cool. But please know that the voices whispering in the dark corners of my mind are eternally grateful.

  The events of 18 Truths take place in the Underworld. What do you imagine the afterlife to be like? Do you think it could resemble the different regions described in this book?

  Olga says: “To me, a soul mate went way beyond romance. Soul mates were the people I could share my life with on a deeper level; all the things, truths, thoughts, hopes, fears, disappointments, and dreams that my life encompassed. They were with me, and I was with them, for the long run.” Talk about the idea of a soul mate and compare your definition with Olga’s. Make a friendship tree for yourself, separating people by who you consider Acquaintances, Companions, and Soul Mates.

  What do their relationships with Grace and Riel mean to Nate and Olga? Was it surprising how quickly Grace and Nate bonded knowing the truth of his relationship with Olga? What did you think of Riel when he was first introduced? Did your opinion of Riel change throughout the book? If so, how?

  Not being truthful is one of the larger themes in 18 Truths. What does being “untruthful” mean for Olga, Nate, Riel, and Conner? What do you think it says about Olga’s character that she’s willing to fight for everyone around her except herself? How do you stay true to yourself?

  What other themes are present in 18 Truths? Consider how the themes of trust and faith occur throughout the story and play out in several relationships. Discuss the meanings of “trust” and “faith.” Compare and contrast the two.

  What would 18 Truths be like if Conner or Nate narrated the book? If you had to pick a character other than Olga to narrate, who would it be and why?

  Why do you think Olga felt the need to try to ‘save’ Conner again in 18 Truths, despite being healed of her guilt over not saving him in the first book, 18 Things,?

  Out of all the tools and electronics Olga and Nate are issued by Spirit Guide Headquarters, which one would you most like to have and why?

  What do you think is the significance surroundingthe book’s title? What do the “18 Truths” refer to?

  18 Truths is the second installment of a trilogy. What do you think is in store for Olga, Nate, and Conner in the last book of the series, 18 Thoughts?

  At its core, the 18 Things trilogy is a coming of age love story. Who would you choose for Olga’s one and only? Why?

  The first book, 18 Things, ended in an unexpected way for many readers. What were some of the plot twists woven into the storyline of 18 Truths? Do you like a book riddled with twists and turns? Why or why not?

  Olga says: “Like a trail of breadcrumbs, the truths I learned in Dr. Judy’s office that fateful day caused the demons to take notice of me, setting me on a path of deceit, and ultimately culminated in me breaking every rule in the book and attempting a dangerous journey on my own.” Describe the untruths, actions, and feelings that led Olga to the decision to finally go after Conner.

  18 Things was a very serious book set on Earth. 18 Truths is set in the Underworld, an environment that causes Olga and Nate to focus more on their faith. Do you feel the second book was just as serious as th
e first one, or did you sense a lighter tone? Cite evidence for your argument.

  Angels are considered heavenly beings entrusted by God to help guide His children. With this definition, what do you think guided Riel in his decisions concerning Olga? Do you think his actions were honorable?

  Do you think Olga was right in her assertion at the end of 18 Truthsthat there were more pressing matters than the state of her love life, or do you side more with Nate when he said love was all that mattered in the end? Support your argument.

  18 Truths is a strong example of internal conflict. Cite passages from the novel that speak the strongest to Olga’s struggle with herself.

  Think of the indelible truths that guide your way of life. Write them down. Can you come up with eighteen?

  Now that you have completed this book, we hope you will leave a review so that other readers may benefit from your perspective. Authors like Jamie Ayres live and die by your reviews, after all!

  Please visit http://curiosityquills.com/reader-survey/ to share your reading experience with the author of this book!

  Jamie Ayres writes young adult paranormal love stories by night and teaches young adults as a public school teacher by day.

  When not at home on her laptop or at school, she can often be found at a local book store grabbing random children and reading to them. So far, she has not been arrested for this.

  She lives in southwest Florida with her prince charming, two children (sometimes three based on how Mr. Ayres is acting), and a basset hound. She spent her youthful summers in Grand Haven, Michigan and this setting provided the inspiration for her debut novel, 18 Things.

  She really does have grandmothers named Olga and Gay but unlike her heroine, she’s thankfully not named after either one of them. She loves lazy pajama days, the first page of a good book, stupid funny movies, and sharing stories with fantastic people like you.