by S S Bazinet
“Yes, I know.”
“Why didn’t you say something to me?”
“I try not to interfere, you know that.”
“I’d think you’d make an exception when it comes to life and death.”
“Are you planning on talking to him?”
Arel held his cheek again. “I have to be careful. William doesn’t know that Annabel’s been spying on him. But I promised to help. And you have to advise me on what to do.”
“I’ll do whatever I can,” Michael said.
“Annabel says William talked about needing a challenge.”
“Do you think that’s going to solve anything?”
“No, but it might buy some time. William is going through a phase, just like I did with the good and evil business. Once he gets past this part of the process, he’ll bounce back.”
“Bounce back? To where?”
“I don’t know! That’s why I’m talking to you.”
Michael hesitated. “My advice never seems to satisfy you.”
“Because it’s usually airy-fairy, and I’m dealing with hard facts. William is sitting in London trying to bow out.”
“Arel, I agreed to give you my blood. I don’t think there was anything airy-fairy about that.”
“You’re wrong. Your blood is the most airy-fairy element of all. It’s about connecting to the invisible, to the intangible. I’ve been able to make adjustments and learn how to use it, but William can’t do that.”
“What do you mean?”
“After I talked to Annabel, I tapped into William’s thoughts. It only took a moment to see the problem. William never wanted your blood, and he still can’t live with its effects.”
“But he’s proven otherwise. He’s very capable. He’s demonstrated that over and over when he’s helped you.”
“Yes, but that’s not enough. After all those experiences with angelic armies on my crazy, alternate world, he’s turning towards your kind, Michael. Your blood is ruining his chances of finding happiness on the earth.”
“Or perhaps something else is bothering him. Remember that my blood is about helping a person reclaim who they are, all parts of who they are.”
“The only thing I know is that William seemed fine before I gave him your blood. Now, he seems lost.”
“Arel, before you gave him angelic blood, he lived a very controlled, solitary life. Now, he has a wife, and he’s facing the possibility of having a family. To fully embrace those things, he needs to recover the parts of himself that he left behind.”
“How can I help him to do that?”
“You might need to let William understand himself a little better before you take action.”
Arel let out a laugh that was tinged with bitterness. “I’m sure you’re right. If I did anything to help, he’d probably be resentful and think I was butting in on his business again. On the other hand, I promised Annabel that I’d do something.”
“Yes, you did, but—”
“Annabel doesn’t want to hear any buts, Michael.”
“I understand.”
Arel glared back. “I understand, too.”
“What’s that?”
“From now on, I’m going to be more like you. You don’t go around making promises. You keep your angelic nose clean and your mouth shut.”
Twenty
ELISE CLOSED THE front door and hung up Freddie’s leash in the closet. She’d just come back from their second walk of the day, and Freddie was tired. Elise smiled as she watched him getting ready for a nap. When he jumped into his dog bed, he dug furiously at the cushion. He circled round and round a number of times. Finally, he settled in and closed his eyes. The puppy was enthusiastic and deliberate, no matter what he did.
When Elise glanced around the living room, she realized how different the house felt since she’d adopted the puppy. Freddie’s presence was everywhere she looked. Toys were scattered about, along with some remnants of things he liked to chew. Michael was right about dogs. They were good at helping their owners forget their problems.
Still, Elise felt that something was missing in her life. A partner. Someone who loved her. Someone she loved. She instantly thought about Arel. It had been a few days since he stood in her foyer and talked about having fevers. She believed him. His hand was hot to the touch. In fact, the heat that radiated off his person seemed to set off a fire inside of her. It ignited her heart and made it pound. Her blood felt too hot as it traveled through her body. It was a frightening, yet wonderful feeling that lingered long after he left the house.
As she remembered Arel’s last visit, she had a moment of irritation. She was disappointed with herself. In spite of being more content with who she was and finding peace in her own doings, Arel still intruded on her thoughts more than she wanted. “Of course he does, Elise,” she mumbled aloud. “You’re a romance writer. You have love on the brain.”
She frowned. Was her occupation the reason that her judgment was clouded, or would she think about Arel if she was an accountant? Would she tap out numbers and still imagine kissing him again?
She sighed. Her kiss didn’t do Arel’s cheek any good. Her lips left marks, tiny blisters on his skin. When she talked to Michael about it, he told her that Arel was convinced that he was allergic to her lipstick. Elise didn’t bother to tell Michael the truth, but she hadn’t been wearing lipstick when she kissed Arel.
She walked over to Freddie and crouched down to pet him. “Bad news, Freddie. Maybe our handsome neighbor is allergic to me. If that’s the case, it’s good that we never got too involved.”
Freddie’s eyes opened a little. He licked the air a couple of times, as if to console her. But his caring response didn’t help. Elise knew the marks on Arel’s cheek were there to keep her from prolonging any attachment. The universe or fate or some force of nature was telling her to move on.
She went over to the corner and grabbed a packing box. But any enthusiasm for leaving her home and getting a fresh start was lacking. Even if she put Arel out of her mind, she was going to miss Carey and Michael. In her darkest moments, they were like beacons in the storm, always dependable and helpful. She’d never met anyone who came close to being so understanding and insightful. Who would she turn to if she needed help again? Happily, they both gave her their phone numbers.
Just as she was letting a familiar feeling of depression take over, the phone rang. When she took the call and heard Peggy’s voice, it lightened her mood. “A pizza party tonight?” she asked.
“I know it’s short notice, Elise,” Peggy replied, “but Carol and Kevin are coming over, and we thought you might want to join us. Arel is busy, but Carey and Michael will be here too.”
Elise looked over at Freddie. He was sleeping so soundly that he was snoring. “Can I bring Freddie?”
As soon as Elise got off the phone, she rallied. A spark of hope was pushing out her feeling of loneliness. Perhaps, when she saw Michael that evening, she’d ask him about how to handle the move she’d be making in the near future.
* * * * *
Peggy walked into the kitchen carrying a stack of empty plates. Carol and Elise trailed behind her with other serving dishes. The three of them had abandoned the four men in the living room. With the guys talking sports and motorcycles, Peggy wanted to take a time out for a conversation with her friends. After she put the plates on the counter, she let out an uncomfortable sigh. “I shouldn’t have eaten that last piece of pepperoni pizza.”
Carol put down a serving tray and laughed. “I have to say that I’m very proud of myself. I stopped after two pieces.”
Elise edged a couple of glasses onto the crowded counter. “It’s strange, I’m usually ravenous when it comes to pizza, but I wasn’t hungry.”
Peggy turned and studied Elise’s face. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine, but my mind’s on things other than food. I’m busy with moving details, trying to find a house to rent when I’m not sure where I want to live.”
Elise blushed. “No, that doesn’t feel right.”
Peggy pulled Elise into the corner of the room. “Is it Arel?” she asked in a whisper. “You still have feelings for him, don’t you?”
Elise looked down and studied the floor. “It would have never worked, even if I hadn’t acted, you know, so horrible.”
Carol gave her a puzzled look. “But why? He seemed to like you.”
“First of all, I don’t know that Arel really liked me,” Elise said quietly. “I think he’s just a nice guy who didn’t know how to break it off. Secondly, he’s allergic to me.”
Peggy pulled back. “Allergic to you? I didn’t know that was possible.”
Elise blinked back. “I haven’t investigated the subject, but the proof was on Arel’s cheek. I gave him the smallest, little kiss goodbye, and his cheek blistered. And it wasn’t my lipstick because I wasn’t wearing any.”
“Wow, you did that?” Carol asked. “I thought he’d hurt himself again.”
Elise shook her head. “No, it was me. In the past, I know I’ve had a sharp tongue, but I didn’t know my lips were caustic.”
Peggy smiled. “How do you know it was all you? Arel is a very different kind of guy. He’s always surprising us with something new, especially when it comes to his body.”
Elise’s eyes brightened. “Really?”
Carol nodded. “Yes, he’s a bit of a mystery.”
Elise walked over to the counter and started scraping the plates. “All I know is that he and I don’t seem to do well together. I thought we could at least be friends, but now I feel like we can’t even have that kind of relationship, not if he breaks out in blisters if I touch him.”
Peggy went over to Elise and tapped her shoulder. “Thank you for helping, but your feelings are more important than cleaning up. Do you want to talk about what’s going on?”
Just as Elise turned around to answer, Freddie came running into the kitchen. He was followed by baby Sara and Carol’s little boy, Ariel. Both toddlers were laughing as they tried to reach out to the puppy. Freddie didn’t give them a chance to catch him. He skidded on the tile, swiveled and headed back out of the room.
Elise crossed her arms and laughed. “Did you see the expression on his little, puppy face? He’s having a ball with your kids. Back home, with me writing all the time, I think he gets bored.”
The sound of someone knocking on the back door interrupted Peggy’s response. She was about to tell Elise that she was an exemplary dog owner. Instead, she went to the door to see who could possibly be visiting. After pulling the curtain aside, she promptly opened the door. “Arel, what are you doing here? I thought you were busy.”
Arel started to answer, but he paused as soon as he saw Elise.
Elise practically jumped when their eyes met. “Excuse me, Peggy,” she said as she started out of the kitchen. “I have to leave. I think I left something on the stove!”
Peggy understood Elise’s nervous response. Elise was trying very hard to forget Arel, but it was easy to see that she still had a crush on him. She also seemed to be upset about injuring Arel’s cheek.
Peggy felt sorry for the poor woman and excused herself. “I better go and see if I can help,” she explained as she hurried to the living room. Once there, she paused. The room was a hub of activity. Elise was frantically trying to retrieve Freddie. The puppy had other ideas. He raced around the room even faster, delighted that someone else had joined in his “you can’t catch me” game.
When the puppy ran towards the kitchen again, Elise stopped abruptly. She stared at Peggy with imploring eyes. “Please, Peggy, will you get Freddie for me? I can’t go near Arel.”
Elise’s statement got the attention of the men who were seated around the coffee table. Kevin, Tim, Michael and Carey all looked at Elise with confusion.
“Is there a problem?” Tim asked.
Kevin joined in. “Yeah, what’s going on? Can I help?”
Peggy held up her hand and signaled for quiet. When she looked at Elise, she smiled in a reassuring way. “Don’t worry, I’ll get Freddie. In the meantime, please, try to relax.”
“Relax? With Arel around, I feel like some kind of Typhoid Mary,” Elise protested.
“Everything’s fine. I’ve got the puppy,” Arel announced as he walked into the living room. He was carrying Freddie. “The little bugger was trying to eat my shoe.”
Carol trailed in after Arel. “Yes, Freddie stopped running and became engrossed in Arel’s footwear.”
Elise began to back away. “Thank you for catching him, Arel, but keep your distance.”
Kevin stood up and stared at Elise. “What’s this about you being a Typhoid Mary?”
Peggy walked over to Arel and patted Freddie’s soft, furry head. “Elise is convinced that Arel is very allergic to her.”
Arel cleared his throat. “Actually, it’s just her lipstick.”
Peggy leaned in and thoughtlessly let Elise’s secret slip out. “Arel, Elise told me that she wasn’t wearing lipstick.”
Arel immediately eyed Elise and frowned. “No lipstick?”
“I’m sorry,” Elise whispered, flushing a deep pink and backing away. “But don’t worry, I’m leaving,” she said as she turned and made a dash for the door. As she was about to step outside, she paused long enough to issue orders to Carey. “Carey, please get Freddie and bring him over to my house.”
Carey stood up and was about to comply when Freddie started struggling in Arel’s arms. His efforts were so spirited that Arel wasn’t able to hold on to him. The puppy slipped out of his grasp and onto the floor. Without hesitation, the little dog ran after Elise. He took advantage of the partially open door and disappeared outside.
Arel only hesitated for a moment before he too became part of the chase. He grumbled loudly as he rushed for the door too. “What is that woman’s problem? She’s so excitable!”
Peggy stood in the middle of the living room, not knowing what to say as Carey hurried past her and followed in Elise and Arel’s tracks.
Kevin walked over, looking confused. “Is Arel kidding? He’s complaining about Elise when he’s the most excitable person I know.”
Peggy agreed. “Those two are both very high strung.”
Kevin crossed his arms. “It’s a good thing they didn’t fall for each other. Can you imagine what they’d be like if they lived together? It would be constant mayhem.”
Peggy sighed. “We don’t have to worry about that. Arel will be married soon, and I’m hoping his fiancé is the easy-going type.”
* * * * *
Arel’s sharp eyes followed the flash of white fur known as Freddie as it moved swiftly through the grass. There was enough moonlight to make his tracking task an easy one. The dog was headed for home. Arel also noticed Elise. As she sprinted towards her residence, she reminded him of the time when he’d thought she was some kind of other worldly sprite. In the moonlight, she looked almost like that fairy again. There was a glow to her energy that was quite interesting.
Unable to help himself, he tuned into her thoughts. He wanted to know what it was about her that could upset his equilibrium. He didn’t get any quick answers. Even though her aura was quite pretty overall, Elise’s mind was a jumble of erratic thoughts. She was definitely embarrassed. She was also mad at herself for being unable to control her feelings. She wanted to let go of the infatuation that she’d had for Arel, but there were obstacles she didn’t know how to overcome. The thought of him being with another woman added a fiery element to her body’s response. Elise was fighting it, but she was having a very difficult time managing something that was new for her.
Arel paused, sorry that he’d violated his neighbor’s privacy. He severed his connection to her thoughts, but now he knew more than he wanted. He frowned as he watched Elise pick up her puppy and go inside her house. A moment later the porch light was turned off.
Carey
joined him and smiled. “I see that Elise has her little dog.”
“Yes, Freddie is safe.”
“What’s wrong, Arel? You sound upset.”
“I did something I shouldn’t have. I tapped into Elise’s thoughts.”
“I thought you swore off that kind of thing.”
“Yes, but Elise is such an unpredictable kind of person that I needed to know more about her, what makes her tick.”
“But you have Claire now. Why are you concerned about Elise?”
Arel wanted to offer an answer, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the passionate fire in Elise’s core. It almost matched his own. Happily, he’d learned some control. “I think Elise needs more help, Carey. Otherwise, she could suffer the way I suffered. And I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
“Michael and I are working on it.”
“Work harder,” Arel barked back. “With that kind of energy next door all the time, I’m distracted. And I don’t have time for such distractions. I have a wedding to plan, and more importantly, I have to figure out how to help William.”
Carey stepped back with a look of surprise. “What do you mean? With your powerful shields, how can Elise be a problem?”
Arel averted his eyes. Carey had an excellent point. There was no reason why he couldn’t shut Elise and her energy out. He offered the angel a sly smile. “You’re right. Maybe Elise isn’t the problem. I might be a bit overwhelmed by my current situation with Claire.”
“You still want to get married, don’t you?”
“Of course, I just mean that falling in love happened so quickly, so unexpectedly. We were so close when we spent time together in Paris, but now, when we talk, Claire is different.”
“How is she different?”
“She’s very excited about her work, but we don’t talk very much about our relationship.”
“Are you concerned about the bond that you share?”
Arel shook his head, reminding himself of how wonderful it was to hold Claire in his arms. “No, Claire just loves what she’s doing. I’m sure we’ll be very close again once she’s back here with me.”