Angels Among Us

by C. E. Barrett

  Karina gaped at Seren. She realized there were depths to her mother she had never imagined. “I'm sorry, Mum.” She could think of nothing else to say.

  “So am I, kid,” Seren replied. She gathered herself together. “Come on. Whatever is going to happen with Daffyd is beyond my control. All I can do is keep loving him with all my heart and hope for the best. Let's go watch TV.”

  Tea in one hand, her other arm around her daughter, Seren rejoined her family.

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  * * *

  CHAPTER 39

  For the next week, they prepared for Devany's arrival. The spare room was the target of their efforts. They painted, papered, cleaned and refurnished, transforming the room into something Seren hoped would appeal to Devany's imagination and stimulate it.

  It had been ready for three days when the long-awaited call came. Seren picked up the receiver and heard Rapsim's familiar voice.

  “Are you ready for your new daughter?” he asked.

  “Rap! Of course we are!” Seren exclaimed. “When does she get in?”

  “Her flight arrives tomorrow afternoon at 4:09. You'll be there?”

  “Yes! Yes! Oh, that's wonderful!” She put her hand over the mouthpiece and called to her children. “Devany's coming tomorrow!” She returned to Rapsim. “Rap ... any word on Daffyd?”

  He hesitated a heartbeat or two. “He's progressing, Seren. It's very slow going, but he is coming along.”

  “Thanks, Rap. Tell Devany I'll meet her at the airport.”

  “I will. See you then, Seren,” said Rapsim, and broke the connection.

  The following afternoon, Seren and the entire group of children anxiously paced the concourse at Halifax International Airport. The flight had landed, but Seren had not yet seen a familiar face. Suddenly, Meggie giggled and started to point. Seren restrained the arm.

  “But, Mum! Look at that funny little man.” Seren's head turned, and she recognized Rapsim's stocky figure and square face. She waved.

  “Rap! Over here!”

  He waved his free hand. The other was holding Devany's. When the little girl caught sight of Seren, her face brightened. She pulled free from Rapsim's grasp and ran toward her new mother. Seren scooped her up and hugged her, kissing her delicate face.

  “Hi, honey!” Seren said.

  “Seren! Seren! Seren!” Devany grinned, displaying a gap where a baby tooth had fallen out.

  “Look at you!” Seren laughed. “You're growing up on me, already!” She glanced at Rapsim. “Matt, go help Rap with the bags, would you?” she said.

  “Me, too!” Meggie piped up, at the moment more interested in the ‘funny little man’ than she was in her new sister. Seren took the opportunity to introduce Devany to Karina and Theo. When the others had joined the group, she made complete introductions. She realized that in all her stories about her time with Daffyd, Devany, Reznik and Rapsim, she had never mentioned Rap's height, or lack thereof. It was interesting watching her children react to him. He, as usual, was oblivious.

  “Now, Rap,” she said. “Are you coming home with us?”

  “If it's not a problem for you. I'd like to stay for a few days, and see how Devany settles in,” he replied.

  “You are never a problem, Rap.” Seren bent and hugged him. “Let's go.”

  The two and a half hour drive from Halifax to Weymouth was accomplished with much chatter from Meggie in the back seat of the van, where she was sitting with Devany. Rapsim sat in front with Seren, listening to the conversations going on around him, keeping a watchful ear out for signs of distress from his young charge. However, she seemed to be more than a match for Meggie, plying her with questions about her new home and family. He winked at Seren.

  “I think you might be in for a very interesting time, Seren,” he said. Seren glanced in the rear-view mirror at the two little girls and smiled.

  “Isn't that a curse? ‘May you live in interesting times?'” She grinned at Rapsim. “At least my life won't be boring. But I wish.... “Her voice trailed off. “Anyway, I'm sure she'll keep my mind occupied.”

  When they pulled into the driveway of the Baker home, it was after seven o'clock. Meggie and Matt carried Devany's suitcases up to her new room. Matt disappeared into his own room to play SuperNintendo. Karina, Theo and Meggie helped Devany unpack and settle in. Downstairs, Seren called the pizza place and ordered an extra-large with everything on it. Fortunately, the delivery boy was available and she didn't have to go out to pick it up.

  “So, what do you think, Rap?” she asked, sitting at the kitchen table with him, waiting for the pizza to arrive.

  “I think that Devany is a remarkable little girl. She's been asking after Daffyd daily, but we haven't allowed her to see him. She knows he's badly injured, and that he might not make it.” It was the first time he had admitted to Seren the possibility of Daffyd's demise. He waited for a reaction, but she had already considered the outcome and had come to terms with it. He continued, “I think that being here with you and your family will be very good for her. And for you.”

  The arrival of supper and the ravenous appetites of five young people ended their conversation. Laughter abounded in the kitchen, especially when Devany sampled her first bite of pizza. Seren watched her children welcome the newcomer to their midst, and breathed an inward sigh of relief. This might just work out!

  Devany adapted quickly to her new surroundings and her new family. They, in turn, accepted her as one of them in no time, signified when she and Meggie had a loud argument over which doll was having tea and which was having coffee. Seren was horrified at the level of shrieking, but Rapsim laughed it off.

  “Normal sibling behaviour, Seren,” he grinned. “My work here is done.”

  Two days later he returned to Recruit Headquarters.

  Summer went on. Seren enrolled Devany at the local school for the fall session and went on a big ‘back-to-school’ shopping binge in Yarmouth. Devany found the experience of going to the mall daunting at first, but was soon caught up in Meggie's excitement. School proved no worse than what she was used to, and she was soon moved into the ‘advanced’ group. Slowly, her early life faded into faint memory.

  With the younger children in school, and Karina working full time and dating a new boyfriend, Seren found herself with too much time on her hands. She had started a new novel based on her experience, but was having a hard time with some of the characters. She set it aside for a few weeks and turned her hand to the nonfiction work she had been meaning to complete. Time still weighed heavily.

  To keep her mind and body occupied, she decided to renovate the basement. If—no—when, Daffyd turned up, he would have an apartment to live in. Then, assuming things worked out between them, he would move upstairs into her room, and Karina could have her own place. However, when the work was complete, and the rooms furnished, Seren took it over as her space. She moved her computer into the little living room and made a comfortable work area for herself. Somewhere in the back of her mind, this was ‘Daffyd's Place', and it brought her a measure of comfort to write there, and to sleep in the big bed she had chosen with him in mind. She felt closer to him here.

  From time to time, Rapsim would contact her with an update on Daffyd's painfully slow progress. She asked to be notified when he was conscious, and swore Rapsim to secrecy regarding her anomalous reading. She felt it was her responsibility to tell Daffyd, as soon as he was well enough to hear what she had to say.

  The months rolled on.

  * * * *

  The physical wounds had healed; the body was whole. In fact, he was in better shape now than he had been before the attack. He had been removed from the tank and was now lying in a bed in the infirmary. The readouts of his brain activity showed cycles of dreaming interspersed with states that increasingly approached consciousness. Finally, his eyes opened. He looked at the unfamiliar surroundings, and wondered where he was.

  He heard voices nearby. He turned his head toward th
em. Three people walked through an archway into the big room where he alone occupied one of the beds. Two of the strangers wore simple uniforms that were identical to each other. The third was a very short man whose shirt symbol was different from the others'. This one smiled at him.

  “How are you feeling?” asked the little man.

  “I'm not certain,” he replied. “Nothing hurts ... but I seem to be in a hospital. Why is that?”

  “You were very seriously injured,” said his visitor. “We've been waiting for you to regain consciousness. The good doctors here called me when they realized you were waking up. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

  The man in the bed shook his head. “No, I don't mind.”

  “First off, do you know who you are?” Green eyes looked levelly into the blue ones.

  “Daffyd Merlys ap Owen,” came the reply.

  “Do you know me?” asked the other.

  Daffyd frowned. “I do ... but I don't know from where, and I don't remember your name.”

  Rapsim waved it off. “That's fine. It'll probably come back. I'd like to show you some pictures we've got. We'll see who else you know.”

  Daffyd struggled weakly into a half-sitting position. Rapsim touched a panel on the side of the bed, and it rose to support its occupant. Daffyd smiled. “Thank you. I feel ... drained.”

  “You've not had a chance to use your muscles for some time,” said Rapsim. “It'll take a bit of effort to get your strength back. Are you ready for the pictures?”

  Daffyd held out a hand. Rapsim passed him the first photograph. Daffyd looked at it. “That's my birth father, Llewellyn Huw ap Owen.” He looked at the next one. “Evelyn David Jones, my other father. He passed away a few years ago.”

  Whoops! thought Rapsim. They had forgotten to account for the time difference between now and Daffyd's ‘now', when they had visited his reality to take the pictures. He gave Daffyd another photograph.

  “That's my sister, Rhiannon Gwyneth and her daughter, Morgyn Katharyn ap Owen. All you haven't shown me of my family is my grandniece, Ria.” He handed the pictures back to Rapsim.

  “Just a couple more,” said the Counselor. “Do you recognize either of these women?” The pictures were of Reznik and Seren.

  Daffyd studied them. “Yes...” he said slowly. “But I can't remember where we met, or when.... “He touched Seren's face. “This one ... I should know her name ... she's very dear to me.” He turned troubled eyes to Rapsim, thinking he might have revealed too much, but he saw understanding and compassion in the square face. “You know that already, don't you?”

  Rapsim nodded. “Yes. I don't know if it helps any, but you're just as dear to her. Can I let her know you're awake?”

  Daffyd's face turned thoughtful. “No, not yet. Not until I remember more. I don't want her to think I've forgotten.... “Disjointed images flitted through his mind: her dimples as she smiled at him, her naked body lying on a wooden raft and his hands on her back, his thumb wiping a tear from her face, her hand in his. He saw her slide down the back of Rhiannon's couch at the cottage, saw her rise and introduce herself to Beatrice. “Seren,” he whispered. With her name came the memories, flooding his mind, overwhelming him. He trembled with the weight of them, the unbelievable tale they told. The pictures fell from suddenly nerveless fingers.

  The doctors moved forward, but Rapsim held up a hand. “Daffyd,” he said quietly. “What are you remembering?”

  “All of it,” he gasped. “Everything. Everything. Seren, Devany, you, Gerri ... Beatrice.” He grimaced, as if in pain. “The fire.” He looked down at his hands, turning them, studying them. He lifted the blankets and stared at his naked body. Then he lifted questioning eyes to Rapsim and the doctors. “How?”

  “It was a rather long process, Daffyd,” said Rapsim. He gestured to the Medicos. One of them came closer and smiled at Daffyd.

  “You were encased in a regenerative gel for quite some time,” she told him. “Essentially, it helped your body to grow new tissue to replace what had been damaged and destroyed. You're actually better than new. Younger, in fact.”

  Daffyd gave her a sceptical look. “Younger? That's rather an intriguing concept, considering some time has passed. How much time, by the way?”

  “Let me address the younger issue first ... Rapsim told us that you are from a future time, that you were approaching your fifty-eighth birthday when you were injured. During the regen process, we had to choose whether to accelerate the growth to your actual age, or to stop at the age you would be at the current time. We chose the latter, since you'll be living in this time frame from now on. You were born in 1950, and the current Earth date is now December 2, 1999.”

  “I'm 49 again?” he asked.

  “More or less,” said Rapsim. “Your memory's intact because they didn't interfere with your brain at all, merely your body. Congratulations, Daffyd. You've gained eight years or so.”

  “And it's December? Didn't Seren say it was June when she was transported?” His brow furrowed as he sought the memories.

  “I believe so. It was mid-July when we returned here. You were in the tank for almost five months.”

  Daffyd looked at him in wonder. “Five months? Five months?” He sighed. “Where's Seren?”

  “She's been home with her children and Devany,” Rapsim told him.

  “Devany's with her?” Daffyd smiled. “That's wonderful. How is she fitting in?”

  “As if she were born to them,” said Rapsim. “She's doing wonderfully well. I can let Seren know you're all right, then?”

  “Not yet,” said Daffyd. “I need to think about what I want to tell her. I think I need to be strong again before I ask her if she still has feelings for me, so I'd like to wait until I'm up on my feet.”

  Rapsim smiled. “She asks about you all the time,” he said. “But I'll respect your wishes. What shall I tell her the next time I talk with her.”

  “Tell her that I'm out of danger, but not that I'm awake yet.” He smiled crookedly. “Why do I feel so nervous about letting her know?”

  Rapsim shrugged. “P'haps you just need to sort through your feelings for a bit. I'll go now, and let you rest. It's good to see you, Daffyd.” He patted Daffyd's hand and left, the doctors trailing behind him. Daffyd settled back on the bed and let his mind drift. Eventually he slept.

  When he woke again, the Medicos started him on a variety of therapies to help him regain his strength. He swam, learning to co-ordinate his arms and legs without the strain of supporting his body weight. He walked endless treadmills, trembling with the effort, his stubborn will overriding his muscles. He pushed himself harder than he ever had, and astounded the doctors with his rapid recovery. In less than two weeks he was moved from the infirmary to residential quarters.

  He was having coffee one morning when his door chime sounded. “Come in,” he said. The door whooshed open and Gerri Reznik walked in. He rose to his feet.

  “Gerri!” he exclaimed, a broad smile lighting his face.

  “Hiya!” she hugged him enthusiastically, and kissed his cheek. She stood with her arms around him and looked up at him. “How are ya, Big Guy?”

  “I'm fine, thank you,” he said, blue eyes twinkling at her. “How was your Mission?”

  “Piece of cake!” She grinned. “Well, sort of. I'll tell you about it sometime. Listen, Sweetpea, the reason I came by is ‘cause I'm going to Earth in the next couple of days to see Seren. I know you've been avoiding her sort of, and I was wondering if I can bring her a message from you, or something. You can't just let her go on thinking you're still half-dead.”

  “I know,” he said. He released Reznik and sat down again. His face was troubled. “I'm afraid to, Gerri. It's been a long time. She's had to move on with her life, while I've been in limbo. It feels like days to me, but it's been months and months for her.” He breathed deeply and let it out. Worried eyes met Reznik's gaze. He smiled, a lopsided, embarrassed grin. “I'm so scared. What if she doesn't need
me anymore, or want me? You know, I've written letters to her, but I haven't sent any of them out. Maybe I should get you to take them to her. I don't know.”

  “Why don't you put them together in a parcel, and I'll tell her you miss her and you want to know how she feels?” Reznik suggested. She sat beside him on the couch and rubbed his shoulder.

  “Maybe I will,” he said. “When are you going?”

  She grinned at him and kissed his cheek. “Day after tomorrow. I'll come and get them before I go.” They stood up and she hugged him again. “I'm glad you're okay, Daffyd. You're such a doll.” She kissed him and patted his cheek. When she left, he stared at the door for a long moment. Then he went to gather his letters to Seren.

  * * * *

  Seren felt the approach of Christmas like a runaway train. Devany had embraced the unfamiliar holidays with great gusto. Hallowe'en, in particular, had delighted her, with its costumes and candy and fun.

  Now she was wholeheartedly getting into the Christmas spirit. The Bakers had never had so many wreaths, candles, lights, and other decorations in their lives. Nor had the tree ever been up so early or so heavily laden with ornaments and goodies. It was exhausting, and Seren was easily worn out these days. She wondered if she would survive the next five days to The Day itself. She had delegated the job of taking Devany shopping to Karina and Theron, the new boyfriend. It had involved bribing her Number One Daughter with unlimited use of Seren's van, but the peace of mind was worth it.

  Seren sat at her computer in the basement room and tried to put Christmas thoughts aside. She focused on reading over the last chapter of her latest book, making notes of where she wanted to flesh out scenes, and what she wanted to delete. She lost herself in her work.

  The doorbell interrupted Seren's train of thought. She waited to see if one of her children would answer it. A moment later the basement door opened and Karina called down to her.

  “Mum! There's somebody here to see you!” Her voice sounded strange to Seren, somehow, but she dismissed the thought as being part of her mood swings of late. She trudged upstairs to the kitchen.