by Laurie Lyons
"Oh good, well I'm glad you won't be all alone tonight. I love you," Sandra answered.
"Love you too mom. Good luck with the deal!" She hung up the phone and turned to Nathaniel, "It's just you and me tonight, Mom has to work."
"That's too bad. You wanted to spend time with her."
"It's ok," Lucy said shrugging. "We have a dinner date for tomorrow before we leave on Wednesday and now I get to spend the evening with my favorite person."
Nathaniel eyed her suspiciously, "That's me right?"
Lucy laughed, "Yes, that's you." Her stomach growled, "I'm starving, let's eat something."
"Can I cook?" Nathaniel asked.
Lucy looked at him in shock, "You can cook?"
He rolled his eyes, "I'm an Angel Lucy, not an idiot."
"Then lead the way," Lucy smiled as he walked past her to the kitchen.
Lucy was thrilled to discover that Nathaniel was an excellent cook. He made a Salmon Wellington that Lucy devoured. When they finished eating, Nathaniel stood up to clear the plates and Lucy followed him into the kitchen. He stood at the sink washing and Lucy leaned against the doorway watching him. She marveled at how integral he had become to her. Nathaniel wasn't an option anymore. She honestly couldn't understand how she could have considered herself happy before she met him. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist tucking her cheek into his shoulder blades. "You're wonderful," she murmured into his back.
Nathaniel put his wet hand on hers and replied quietly, "I'm just trying to keep up with you."
After the dishes were done, they retired to the den where they sat on the floor and looked through photo albums.
"This is when I swam for the first time," Lucy said pointing to one picture. Because Lucy's memory was so exact, she could give as much detail as Nathaniel wanted on each picture.
"Is that your dad?" he asked pointing to a bearded man in the pool with a five year old Lucy.
"Yup," Lucy smiled, "that's him. He shaved the beard shortly after this picture because I complained it was too scratchy. He didn't want to though; he thought he looked younger with it."
"He was a nice dad," Nathaniel observed.
"He was," Lucy sighed. "I miss him." Nathaniel didn't reply but reached over and put his hand on hers. The familiar heat pressed into her hand and up her arm. "Is he in Heaven?" Lucy asked.
Nathaniel smiled, "Heaven is a very big place Lucy. I'm sure he's there. A guy who shaves his beard at the whim of his five year old daughter makes it to Heaven." Lucy nodded feeling a lump form in the throat. "But I promise," Nathaniel continued. "That when I get back, I'll find him and your dad and I are going to spend some quality time together."
Lucy's face fell further and tears stung at her eyes, "When you get back," she repeated. Remembering the past loss of her father coupled with the future loss of Nathaniel was not a good combination. She took a deep shaky breath, "So you have to go back?"
"Yes," Nathaniel said quietly, "Roman was right about that. I do eventually have to leave. I don't know how that is going to come about but it will come about. My presence is having an affect that won't be tolerated for long."
"No," Lucy said plainly. She took another deep breath and found some resolve. She looked Nathaniel in the eye, "No," she said again with more confidence. "That's not acceptable."
"But Lucy…" Nathaniel started but she cut him off.
"No," she repeated. "You said I have free will?" she said angrily as fear gripped her insides. "Fine. This is my decision. I choose you, forever, for the rest of my life. I choose you, no other, no one else. You say I can pick my own path in life? This is the path I pick. I choose you. This is cruel what they are doing. They can't choose my path for me."
"Lucy please listen," he pleaded, "I don't know why I was sent here but I know that it wasn't out of cruelty. I have to go back Lucy."
"We'll run away," she pleaded with him. "We will go and live in the middle of no where, just the two of us. I don't care. I don't need anyone but you."
"Lucy," he said sadly. "That isn't true. You need friends and family in your life. I can't live your life with you I, I can only watch you live your life and that isn't fair for you."
"I don't care," she replied. "I don't care that no one can see you but me. I don't care about the Demons or that you are screwing the world up. I don't even care if you want to go back. I need you. This isn't fair!"
"I know it isn't fair but we will be together again one day. After you have lived a long and happy life Lucy, we will be together again and it will be for forever. I will be waiting for you," he swallowed, "I promise."
A thought dawned on Lucy and she lifted her head and looked at the Angel with new resolve. "Who says I am going to live a long life?" she asked thoughtfully. "I don't have to live the rest of my life without you."
"Lucy, you are in perfect health, you…" he stopped in shock as he comprehended what she was proposing. "Lucy, listen to me."
"The moment they take you, I could just follow right along…" she trailed off thinking. "It's so simple, why didn't I think of it before?"
"Lucy!" he yelled at her. Nathaniel turned her around so she was facing him and gripped her arms in his muscular hands, "Lucy! Listen to me!" he shook her shoulders. "That is not an option. Do you understand me? Stop thinking about that right now!" he commanded. "You don't understand Lucy! People who throw away their life do not go to the same place that I'm from! We would not be together if you took your own life!" he yelled desperately. "Do you understand me? There is nothing more damaging to a human soul. Nothing! Promise me Lucy." She stood in shock. Nathaniel had never raised his voice to her. "Promise me!" he yelled again.
"I promise," she finally said quietly. He relaxed his grip and exhaled. "But what else can I do?" she begged.
"I'm here now Lucy, can we just be grateful for the time we are given? Can we try to forget that it isn't for forever? I am so happy when we are together and I hate to see you miserable because of me."
"I'm not miserable because of you," Lucy explained. "I am miserable at the thought of losing you. I…" she struggled. "I require you now. You are a part of my existence. You are like oxygen and the thought of giving you up is the equivalent of drowning. I understand it is a very strong reaction but I can't explain it."
"You don't need to Lucy," he stroked her cheek. "Don't you know that I feel the same way? It will be just as painful for me when I go."
"Sure!" she said. "But you get to go to Heaven and I'm stuck here alone. Not to mention, I have a Demon as a neighbor and a Demon as my best friend's boyfriend, oh yeah and his boss is a Guild Prime Demon too. Not fun."
"I wish it were different Lucy," he said quietly. He hugged her and she relaxed in his embrace.
"Will you know when they are coming for you?" Lucy asked tucking her head under his jaw.
"Yes," he said with a slight nod. "I will."
"Good," Lucy replied while wiping her eyes, "a warning would be nice."
Nathaniel nodded in agreement. He stood up and stretched. He looked over the books lining the shelves. "You've read all these I take it?" he asked casually trying to change the subject. He reached down and offered his hand to Lucy and gently helped her up.
Lucy nodded, "These were my fathers; they were the first books I ever read."
"What was the very first?" he asked.
Lucy gestured to the second shelf. "The first book I ever read on my own was 'Alice in Wonderland,' well 'Alice through the looking glass.'"
Nathaniel pulled it from the shelf. "Favorite part?" he asked.
Lucy quoted,
"'When I use a word', Humpty Dumpty said, 'It means exactly what I choose it to mean.' 'The question is,' said Alice, 'if words can mean different things.' 'The questions is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'who is to be master.'"
"Interesting choice," Nathaniel said flipping through the book. "Why is that your favorite?"
"Well," Lucy began but she stopped short as a piece of paper fell out of the book and flo
ated to the ground. They both looked at it. "Is that from you?" Lucy asked smiling at Nathaniel.
"Not at all," he said surprised.
"Hmm," her brow furrowed. "I haven't opened that book for twelve years." She reached down and picked up the paper. It was folded in half.
For My Lucy
It read in plain block letters. "That's my father's writing," she said dragging her thumb slowly across the printing. Nathaniel replaced the book and stood looking expectantly at her. She opened the note but inside was just a date.
June 21, 1992
Nathaniel looked over her shoulder as Lucy flipped the paper over. "That's it," she said with disappointment.
"What does it mean?" Nathaniel asked.
Lucy shook her head, "I have no idea." She thought back, "My birth date is September 9 1990 so I would have been just under two." She shrugged, "I bet there was something he was meaning to show me; an interesting article maybe."
"It looks pretty official for a casual reminder," Nathaniel observed.
"My dad was a pretty official guy," she replied. She shrugged, tucked the note in her pocket and reached around him. "What was it you were saying about us cherishing every moment we have together?"
"Mmm right," he said looking into her eyes. The deep stone color of them cut through her and Lucy felt all her worries leave. "Carpe Diem," he murmured as he leaned down to kiss her.
The next day was their last day in Kansas. Their flight left early the next morning and Lucy would spend a long weekend preparing for the new semester to start on Monday. Sadly, Lucy's mom had to work again but she gave Lucy some money to shop for some new school supplies. They would meet at four for dinner. Lucy and Nathaniel slept in again - she hadn't realized how sleep deprived she was. Over their late breakfast Nathaniel asked what Lucy was up to for the day.
"I have to buy school supplies," she replied. "I'll get my textbooks at school on Friday. I might pop by the library and look up that date my Dad left for me. You?"
Nathaniel smiled, "Stuff." Lucy rolled her eyes. He stood up, cleared the cereal bowls, loaded the dishwasher and started it. He walked back and kissed her on the neck, "Have a good day. Call me if you need me." He kissed her again and walked out the door. Lucy smiled. Even if this was all temporary, Lucy would take and love every minute of it.
School shopping took Lucy a few hours. Lucy got all the boring stuff, pens, notepads and binders. There were also a few reference manuals she wanted to read but they didn't have them in town. Lucy decided to look up the publisher to make sure the materials were available at the Mulbridge bookstore and if not, order them online. She headed to the Stonecreek public library.
The library was alive with activity. There were several groups of children and their mothers milling about. Adults perused the shelves and there were many high school students taking up the tables with final studies. Lucy looked to the busy circulation desk and saw Mrs. Jensen, the head librarian waving to her. Lucy waved back.
"How's school going Lucy?" Mrs. Jensen called over the heads of people in line.
"Good!" Lucy called back. "Just home for a visit. I dropped by to look something up!" Mrs. Jensen nodded and smiled as she moved on to the next person in line. Lucy found an empty computer; looked up the manuals she needed and found that they were available at her school bookstore. She would get them on Friday when she got her textbooks. Lucy looked at her watch and saw that she still had a half an hour before she had to meet her mom. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her father's note. She figured she might as well look it up while she was there.
Lucy stood and headed to the microfiche room. It was empty. As the door closed behind her, the noise from the library died away and she was surrounded by silence. Lucy didn't need help finding the microfiche she was looking for. The article could have been in any newspaper but Lucy thought she should start small. She pulled the box for the Stonecreek Gazette June 1992 and rifled through it for the 21. She pulled it out, walked over to the machine, loaded the film and turned on the lamp. The first few pages were the inserts. Lucy turned the dial flipping through the coupons and car ads. She got to the first page of the paper and froze.
Lucy read the article quickly and then reread it to fully comprehend its contents. Her breath stopped and tears and anger created a red haze over her vision. She reached up and put her hand gently on the screen, closed her eyes and lowered her head. She could hear the patter as her tears ran down her cheeks and hit the desk.
"Nathaniel, I need you. Please come," she barely whispered hoping that was enough because she had no capability for moderation right now and it was either whisper or scream. Ten seconds passed and she felt him behind her. He was out of breath.
"Lucy? Lucy?" he spun her chair and knelt in front of her. He grabbed her face, "what is it?"
"They lied to me," was all she could manage to say as more tears flowed.
"Who lied to you?" he asked angrily. "Are you hurt?" he asked while scanning her body for injuries. Lucy shook her head and pointed at the screen. Nathaniel followed her finger and looked. The front-page picture was of Lucy as a toddler laying in a hospital bed smiling. Her mother and father stood beside the bed grinning at Lucy from ear to ear. The entire bed was full of stuffed animals.
She's a Miracle!
Little Lucy Bower could not be luckier. Her parents and hospital staff are touting her a miracle after she came back to life. Yesterday afternoon was a peaceful time at the Stonecreek public pool. Richard Bower, Lucy's father, was taking Lucy swimming for the first time. The horror began when Bower turned his back for a second and heard a splash. His twenty one month old toddler had fallen in the deep end of the pool. Bower and lifeguards reacted quickly but little Lucy sunk to the bottom rapidly. Bower himself pulled his daughter's lifeless body from the pool and lifeguards began CPR. Paramedics arrived in three minutes and continued life saving procedures during the seven-minute drive to Stonecreek hospital. Doctors worked tirelessly for another twenty minutes on the little girl, frantic to bring her back. It had been thirty minutes since Lucy had fallen in the pool and the medical staff had done everything they could with Lucy not responding in any way. Her death was called at 1:27pm June 20 1992. Lucy's parents were distraught and Sandra Bower, Lucy's mother, threw herself at the child's body screaming, "Lucy come back!"
Miraculously, and despite the fact that all life saving measures had been stopped for a full five minutes, the little girl opened her eyes and took a deep breath. The doctors helped revive her. They were stunned, "In my thirty years as a physician," Chief of Staff Dr. Marcotte was quoted as saying, "I have never seen anything like it. I have no scientific explanation for these events. All I can tell you is that little girl wanted to live."
And indeed she does. Lucy is almost fully recovered and continuously asks to get up to play. She is bright and happy and has no recollection of the event. "She doesn't even remember going to the pool," Richard Bower said. "We are just so thankful for the dedication and hard work of all the medical staff and life guards who saved our daughter's life." The family thanks the community for their outpouring of support and the many gifts sent to Lucy's bedside. Lucy's medical bills have been covered from the family's insurance and they ask that all donations go directly to Stonecreek Hospital so they can continue to save lives.
Nathaniel looked at Lucy, stunned. "This must be a great shock for you. I am so sorry," he said hugging her tightly. Lucy had stopped crying. She wasn't sad anymore, she was angry. She sat silently; stiff and pale faced. She reached over to the microfiche machine and hit print. As if she were in a trance, Lucy stood, walked over to the printer, removed the page and walked to the door. "Where are you going?" Nathaniel asked concerned.
Lucy paused, turned slightly and in a monotone voice said, "I am late to meet my mother for dinner." She walked out the door.
Nathaniel leapt after her. "Lucy, listen to me. You can't go in there and freak out ok? Your mother owes you an explanation but you won't get anything from h
er if you scream and yell at her to get those answers." He continued the monologue down the street on the short walk to the restaurant. "I don't know why they didn't tell you. But they love you and if they kept this from you it was because they thought it was the right thing. Lucy!"
She stopped outside the door of the restaurant. Lucy turned to him and said, "I have no intentions of screaming at her but if I don't get a remarkably good answer for this deception, I will never speak to my mother again."
Sandra Bower was sitting at a table in the middle of the restaurant. She beamed when she saw Lucy and waved with excitement. Lucy walked up to the table and stood staring at her mother, rage piercing through her.
"Lucy? Honey what's wrong?" Mrs. Bower was worried. Lucy did not reply but sat down and put the article in the middle of the table. Sandra looked and immediately recognized it and her face filled with horror. "Where did you get this?" she asked stunned. Again, Lucy did not answer but pulled her father's note from her pocket and tossed it on top of the article. Sandra sighed, "Your father," she said as if this was expected. "Lucy," she began pleadingly. Lucy held up one finger and her mother fell silent.
"First," Lucy was surprised at how calm she was. Nathaniel was starting to rub off on her. "You will apologize for lying to me my entire life. Then you will answer my questions. You owe me that." Sandra nodded dumbly and began to cry.
"Oh Lucy, I am so very sorry for not telling you. If there was anything in my life that I would change, it would be that."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucy asked baffled.
"Oh honey!" Sandra said exasperated. "I don't even know anymore! At first you were too young, you didn't remember it and we didn't see the point. But then as you got older, I didn't see the point," she said emphasizing the 'I'. "Your father wanted to tell you," her mother said. "When you were five, he came home from a business trip and said that he had thought about it and you should know. That was the first night we fought over it."
"The first?" Lucy asked.
Sandra looked at her squarely, "Yes Lucy, your father and I fought every night over it until he left. For a decade we fought about it." She sighed sadly. "But I dug in my heels, I was so stubborn, I couldn't see why you needed to know."