Illumine Her

  “You can go in,” spoke a deep voice to his left.

  Chase braced the heavy double doors and pushed them open revealing a grand hall steeped in light, expansive marble floor, and thick pillars that extended to the high ceiling. Hundreds of angels surrounded the space, and their voices hushed like a retreating wave when he entered. His grey wings fit perfectly as he walked through, his steps thudding against the ground and echoing across the room. He took long, sure strides toward the Council who were seated behind a long rectangular table, its rich velvet cloth spilling on the steps that elevated them above the floor. They waited in silence for him to approach, majestic wings expanded behind their own backs, impassive expressions on their faces. Chase’s jaw hardened, fists poised at his sides as he stopped and bowed his head in respect. When he raised his eyes, he leveled his gaze at the seven members, a mix of men and women. They sat regally from their high perch, a mezzanine made of stone raised behind them. Their wings were tinged from light to dark to represent their ages. His were on their way to becoming black if he lived for a few more centuries.

  The one with red hair spoke first, long waves spilling around her shoulders, grey eyes sharp and piercing, a thousand years enshrined in those orbs. Her dark inky wings stretched elegantly behind her.

  “Chase Malek,” she said in a steady voice. “The Council and I are very pleased with your work.”

  A murmur rippled through the room, and he glanced to the right and noticed Eeva standing to the side, her eyes full of warmth and pride. She had always worn her emotions on her face.

  Never one to waste time, the Council member continued. “You have proven time and time again your worth, and we want to elevate your rank to that of the Council. Your experiences will benefit us, and your wisdom over the centuries will be invaluable.”

  Chase shifted on his feet. He should have felt gratification, but he had made his decision since the cyclone. It descended on him as he stood outside that fale. The room was silent as they waited to hear his response.

  He swallowed and spoke firmly. “I am grateful for the life that was chosen for me, for the gifts that have been bestowed on me. For four hundred years, I have served my life adamantly but I don’t want immortality anymore. With all due respect, I cannot accept your offer.”

  Gasps resonated around him until the woman with red hair raised her hand and it was silent again.

  “You do not accept this position?” she asked calmly. Her eyes, however, flickered with disbelief.

  Chase gave a curt nod. He was aware of the shock he was causing as this rarely occurred—turning down a strategic position. One that would grant him power and prestige for centuries to come.

  “Are we to be afforded an explanation?”

  Chase’s voice never wavered. “I want to serve in another way. As a human.”

  He heard Eeva gasp while shocked silence cascaded down and filled every space in the room.

  The red-headed woman raised her chin. “The repercussions of this choice come with a hefty price, Chase. Are you really willing to pay it?”

  “I am,” Chase answered in his deep voice.

  The woman raised her chin and spoke with resolve. “It is a choice that, should you pursue, will strip you of your healing abilities. You will be starting over from the beginning, and everything that you have accomplished until now will be taken away from you. It would be as if you never existed because nothing will be recorded in His Book.”

  Chase leveled her with a look. “And if I chose to remain? When will I be called back?” he asked in a low voice.

  Another member spoke, his voice even. “That is not something we can determine. You know of Whom holds that power, makes those decisions. We serve Him until it is our time to ascend.”

  Chase’s jaw hardened. “If I have to start from the beginning, then I will do it willingly because I want to do it with her,” he answered, his eyes measuring those of the Council members’.

  “A human woman?”

  “Yes.”

  They stared back. “Is it worth having your abilities taken away from you?” one asked incredulously. “You will no longer be able to heal, to carry out the very purpose, the very essence of your life.”

  Chase answered unwaveringly, “She is worth it, yes.”

  “What makes her so special that you would give up everything? Give up this rank that we offer you?” spoke one member, her brown eyes boring down into his blue ones.

  Chase stared back, unblinking. “I don’t see this as a demotion. If anything, it is another way to live, to serve,” he started. “If you have called me here to bestow a reward in the form of prestige and a place beside you on that table, I cannot accept it. I choose a mortal life. That’s the only reward I want. This woman hasn’t been entrusted with heavenly powers or supernatural abilities. She is not an angel nor is she immortal. She isn’t a perfect being that was created in the heavens like you and me, but born on earth’s dust. She is striving though. She is living her life as close to reaching that goal as possible, and I want to be there with her to help her reach it.”

  The Council members sat passively, listening. Their eyes, which were once hardened orbs judging him, had softened slightly.

  The woman with the red hair sat up straighter in her chair. “If this is the new path you have chosen, and we cannot convince you otherwise, then you know what must be done,” she said, her steely gaze never leaving his.

  He looked back unflinching and nodded once. “It is.”

  She sat back coolly and with a flick of her wrist, angels descended from the mezzanine, encircling him and pushing him down on his knees. His back arched, fists knuckled against the marble floor. They wasted no time. Chase closed his eyes as he heard swords unsheathed, the air whipping from the force as they brought them down and tore at his wings, ripping them from his body, the pain more excruciating than anything he had ever experienced before. But no sound escaped his lips. His stance hardened and the muscles in his arms and back tightened with every shred of agony until his head swam and blackness crept in the corners of his eyes. He heard a woman’s ragged scream—Eeva’s—in the distance. The last thing he saw before he hit the ground was a pool of crimson blood and grey feathers floating down and blanketing him on the cold marble floor.

  Chapter 30

  One month later

  Alana gripped the sides of the cake and used her hip to shut the truck’s door. The family’s dog barked at the noise and rushed towards her. She halted while her heart took off running. Calm down, girl; he will smell the fear off you, she coaxed. Glancing at the simple house that was shrouded in a tropical garden, she hoped someone would come out quickly and fend it off her. When she heard a woman’s voice, she sighed in relief.

  “Halu, Rambo! Halu!” she yelled at the dog as she came around the corner, salu in hand.

  When Alana saw her, she smiled in gratitude, the dog cowering away.

  “Hello, my name is Alana,” she introduced, her voice croaky. She coughed to clear it. “I’m a nurse at the National Hospital.”

  “Alana!” the woman exclaimed, recognition flashing across her face. “I remember you. My father has talked about you. Please come in.” She gestured warmly.

  The woman led the way to the house, and Alana noticed the paint outside peeling away, its furnishings plain and the interior spotlessly clean. She saw the old man sitting on the mat, his face lighting up when he saw her. He had warm and welcoming eyes, the same eyes her father had.

  “Alana, my savior!” he laughed.

  Alana crouched down and sat cross legged next to him. “It is good to see you again, Mr. Filipo.” She smiled.

  He tapped her gently on the back. “How have you been, Alana?” he asked, his voice hoarse with age. “It has been a long time. I see you are still wearing a pretty sei.”

  Alana placed the cake down on the mat and looked briefly around the open space. Woven mats covered every inch of the floor, a wooden cross hung on the wall, and curtains made from trop
ical print were tied to the window frames allowing the breeze to come through the open louvers.

  Turning to him, she gave him a genuine smile. “I’ve been well. I’m still working as a nurse, but I’m planning to go back to school in the near future to study midwifery. I’ve decided that’s the area I want to focus on.”

  Mr. Filipo smiled encouragingly. “Excellent,” he said nodding.

  Alana took a deep breath and decided to ask him the question that had been burning inside her. “Mr. Filipo, with all due respect to you, the purpose of this visit was to ask you something.” When he nodded, she continued. “If you allow it, I would love to hear your story when you passed away all those years ago on that hospital bed.” She watched him and when he didn’t say anything, she carried on. “What did you feel? What did you hear? Where did you go?”

  Mr. Filipo looked at her and then down at the mat. Alana eyed him closely as emotions flooded his weathered face, the wrinkles around his eyes softening. The way his eyes took on a glazed look, she imagined he was reliving his experience

  Silence stretched between them until he cleared his throat and looked up at her with tears glistening in his eyes. “I went home, Alana.”

  ***

  Alana got back in the truck and drove to her house. Going over the conversation she had with Mr. Filipo again and again in her mind, she smiled to herself. Pulling off the main road, she felt serene and uplifted in a way that only two people who shared the same experience could feel. Parking the truck in the driveway, she got out and crossed the yard. While remnants of the debris left from the cyclone had been mostly cleared away and power had returned to the village, her room and the back of the house were still in disarray. Since the roof had been crushed to the floor, she couldn’t go in. Access was blocked, and she wasn’t able to salvage any of her belongings. David was slowly repairing it, and because of the extensive damage caused, she knew it would take a long time before it returned to its original state.

  Alana walked up to the porch and could hear him pounding away with the hammer.

  She crossed over the threshold and called out to her mother. “I’m home!” She noticed a new pile of dirty laundry in the hamper next to the door. Since the washing machine was destroyed by the cyclone, she was responsible for hand washing their clothes down by the river.

  Perlita appeared from behind her carrying lemons from the garden. “Can you believe they’re already growing after the storm?” she asked incredulously, dumping them in the sink. “Come help make lemon juice.” She gestured to Alana.

  Alana dropped her bag and followed her in the kitchen. Washing her hands, she sliced, squeezed, and mixed in the water and sugar while her mother chatted away about the new design she had planned for her new garden.

  “I want it to be organized by color—pinks on one side, reds and yellows on the other. Maybe I’ll make a rocky perch too, have some orchids growing along there,” she rattled on as Alana listened and smiled.

  A noise from outside suddenly drew her attention away, and she stopped pouring lemon juice into cups. Two hammers were pounding.

  “Who’s outside with David?” she asked. Perlita concentrated on throwing away the leftover skins in the bin. “David’s friend stopped by to help. At the rate these repairs are going, Lord knows we need it.”

  “Manu’s here?” she asked perplexed.

  While Manu could slice a cut and suture a wound, she couldn’t imagine him using those same steady hands to claw away rotten wood and rusty nails. But then again, with Manu being Manu, she could totally picture it.

  Her mother waved her hand in the air and shooed her out. “Hurry up and take those drinks out to them.”

  Alana picked up the glasses in her hands and carried them to the porch. Rounding the corner, she saw her brother throwing roofing iron into a pile, the noise clattering loudly. Another man had his back to her, crouched low and prying nails from a piece of ply wood with a hammer. His movements were quick and assured, the muscles in his back visible through his shirt, familiar brown hair blowing from the valley’s breeze. Alana sucked in a ragged breath, and the drinks slipped from her fingers, glass and liquid crashing to the ground near her feet.

  Chase turned his head at the noise and looked at her. Alana raised her shaking hands and covered her mouth, her eyes never leaving his. He stood slowly and walked to her, the corners of his mouth lifting in the hint of a smile.

  “Alana,” he said when he reached her. “I was wondering when I was going to see you.”

  “Alana!” she heard from behind her. “Look at this mess!” Alana blinked and lowered her hands. “Go inside and get your guest another drink,” her mother ordered as sweetly as she could in front of Chase.

  Chase stepped towards her. “Mrs. Vilo, that’s not necessary. If you permit, I would like to spend time with you daughter, take her for a walk.”

  Perlita gave him a warm, knowing smile. “Of course, Chase. Come back in time for dinner.” Facing Alana, she squeezed her hand, kissed her on the cheek, and walked in the house.

  Turning to David, Chase added, “We’ll finish this up when I get back.”

  David nodded and wiped his brow on his sleeve. “I’ll hold you to it, sole.”

  Alana’s heart never stopped racing. She followed him down the porch steps and to the beaten pathway on the side of the house. Banana trees had fallen from the cyclone, and there was a clear view from the house to the river. When they reached it, its flow was calm and steady, the opposite of how she was feeling inside. Chase finally stopped and faced her. For a few minutes, they were silent, the only noise coming from the churning water. She took in his appearance. Wearing a grey T-shirt and shorts that stopped at his knees, he was more handsome than she remembered. His eyes were soft and full of warmth, and her heart blossomed at the way he was looking at her.

  “Alana.” He breathed and stepped closer. “I’ve missed you,” he said, his words fractured by emotion. Her heart skipped as she gazed at his face. “I have never stopped thinking about you,” he continued.

  “I’ve missed you too, Chase,” she admitted. Looking down at the ground she suddenly felt shy.

  “Alana, look at me,” he barely whispered.

  Raising her head she caught the emotion that was swimming in his eyes. It was the same one she discovered when she last saw him.

  “All these years, I’ve kept an eye on you. I couldn’t help it. I knew that you were preparing to go to Uganda and that you were finally able to travel there. I’m proud of you.”

  “How did you know?” she asked.

  “Kane kept me informed. I asked him to watch out for you,” he answered. “When I found out that you suffered from malaria, it took every ounce of strength I had to prevent me from going over there to take it away. When I pulled you back from the water, it made me realize I almost lost you.” Stepping closer to her he continued, “I don’t want to be apart from you anymore, Alana.”

  Alana’s breath hitched. “What are you saying?” she asked quietly.

  Chase touched her hand, letting his fingers linger between hers. “If you passed on, I wouldn’t have been able to follow you. As a healing angel, I would have been prevented to ascend with you because I couldn’t go further than the glimpse you experienced. No one knows when they will move on to the next life, and it’s the same for healers. I lived for over four hundred years, and I didn’t know when I was going to be called home.”

  Alana’s heart rate picked up. She swallowed and squeezed his hand. “Chase, what have you done?” she asked, worry marking her face.

  He moved a hand and caressed her cheek. “I have fallen for you, Alana. In all the ways that you think.”

  Alana raised her hands and covered her mouth as tears started to glisten in her eyes. Chase shifted closer and removed them, holding them with his own.

  She swallowed. “This is huge, Chase. What about fulfilling your purpose? Your ability to heal?”

  Chase’s eyes warmed and a line creased his brow. �
�I’ve chosen a new path, but the purpose is the same.” His voice lowered. “What difference does it make if we’re heading to the same place? Towards the same goal? I choose this life, with you, if you’ll have me. I want to serve with you, help you reach your dreams, fight the villains and come out better for it, Alana.” He took a deep breath. “I want to create a home with you, to be there with you for every sunrise and sunset. Together we can build a clinic in a rural setting, whatever we decide. The possibilities are endless. I want to be the father of your children. To be the one to hold your hand and kiss your tears when you bring our child to this world. I want eternity with you because I don’t believe in separation at death.” He paused and cupped both cheeks gently, the pads of his thumbs brushing lightly over her cheekbones. And then his deep voice softened. “Marry me, Alana, so we can be bonded forever. You are home to me in this life and in the next. And when that time comes when you or I pass on, I can rest assured because I know we will be reunited there.”

  Alana broke. Every single word and every single intake of breath in between stole hers away. Shimmering tears pooled in her eyes, and she could just see through the blur that he was smiling down at her.

  Chase brought his forehead closer to hers. “What do you say?” he asked in a low voice.

  Alana raised her hands and clasped them at the back of his neck. Closing her eyes she allowed the tears to slip through. “Yes, Chase. For eternity with you, yes.”

  Smiling through her tears, she peered up at him. “Wait—are you sure?”

  Chase chuckled and pulled her closer. “You were very hard to get over, Alana.”

  Chapter 31

  From the living room window, Alana touched her lips and gazed reflectively out at the pre-dawn sky. Stars winked back, teasing her. She hadn’t been able to get any sleep hours before, the butterflies in her stomach taking flight and keeping her company all day. Restless, she bit her lip and smiled to herself. From her mother’s bedroom, she heard the sharp beep of the alarm go off. Sera groaned and stirred under the mosquito net on the floor. A few minutes later, the hallway light flicked on and Perlita stumbled down the hallway, eyes blinking. She went straight to the kitchen and rummaged around the cupboards for the tea pot. Alana stood from the couch and walked silently towards her. Encircling her arms around her mother’s stomach, she hugged her from behind. Perlita jumped and grabbed her chest.