Esmeralda tipped her head to one side. "You don't seem very excited... or very curious, for that matter."
"I'm not. Don't get me wrong - I'm glad to be home and thrilled about being restored to my place in the grand scheme of things, I guess. But I've done without both, so it's not something I HAVE to have anymore. I have you again, and as long as I never have to ever be without you again, it's all good."
Esmeralda reached up and brushed a kiss over Saphira's cheek. "I love you," she said simply.
Saphira lifted her up and Esmeralda automatically wrapped her legs around Saphira's waist. "Good thing," Saphira stated, smiling when Esmeralda tangled her hands in long, dark tresses. "I love you too," urging Esmeralda closer....
... only to freeze when an embarrassed cough sounded from the doorway. " If the two of you can pull yourselves away from one another long enough to join us, the Father is ready and the rest of heaven is waiting."
Saphira and Esmeralda exchanged a long glance as Esmeralda slid back to the floor. Saphira extended her hand and squeezed tightly when Esmeralda clasped hers. "Fine, Rudy," Saphira said with a smirk and a hint of exasperation in her tone... though her eyes were twinkling in merriment. "If everyone is waiting on us, I suppose we should go," shooing him ahead of them. "Lead on," she commanded when he hesitated. "We don't want to keep everyone waiting."
With a nod, the cherub scampered out in front of them, and then they were heading to the Father's throne.
It was a soundless walk - apparently Rudy hadn't been kidding when he said the rest of heaven was waiting for them. No one was out - the streets of gold were empty; the choir loft was silent; no cherubs were at practice... even the saints had apparently retired to their mansions. Saphira and Esmeralda looked at one another, but they didn't have any answers and Rudy was intent on getting them into the Father's presence as quickly as possible.
In another moment, they were standing in front of the second set of Pearly Gates - these guarded the throne room instead of the entrance to heaven. Rudy came to a stop and turned to face them. "Wait here - and no funny business. I need to announce you."
"But He knows...."
"Of course HE knows, but the rest don't. Now wait here." Then he disappeared inside the gates.
Esmeralda frowned and looked at Saphira who was scowling hard enough to peel the opalescent finish from the gates. "He's awfully bossy for a cherub."
Saphira couldn't stop the snort that escaped her and they both snickered. "This is probably the most important task he's ever been assigned. I suppose I can't blame him for taking it so seriously."
"Maybe... but a please would have gone a long way."
Saphira snickered, biting her lip to keep it from becoming full-fledged laughter. "Maybe you should ask about instituting manners training for those that don't interact with mankind like you do. I don't think they appreciate the niceties like you do."
"A little courtesy doesn't hurt."
Saphira held up her hands in surrender. "No argument from me, Love. The world would be a much nicer place if everyone felt the same."
Before Esmeralda could make any kind of retort, the gates pushed open and Rudy was beckoning them inside with a broad smile. "Welcome home, you two," he said quietly. Then they crossed the threshold and entered a cacophony of sound that was nearly deafening. Their hands tightened around one another and moved forward together. It was time to return to the Family.
************
Their laughter wound down and Charisma looked around. "I'm glad we did this again. I just wish we could get Es to join us. I think it would do her a world of good."
Kay sighed. "You know she's not going to get better, Charisma - right?"
"You can't know that," Charisma ground out, trying desperately not to lash out at Kay in anger. If Brianna was going to remain in her life - and Charisma was determined to make that a permanent fact sooner rather than later - then she needed to stop resenting Kay and try to be friends with her. But it was really hard... especially now when Kay was the voice of reason telling Charisma something she definitely didn't want to hear. And despite what she'd told Adam only a couple weeks before, Charisma didn't want to believe that Esmeralda was dying.
"I can... and I do," Kay said with resignation. Some days she hated her job, and today was the epitome of that emotion. "I don't want to be right, but this is what I do for a living, Charisma. And Es is so honest she's an easy read. Her will to live died when Saphira did - it's simply a matter of her body catching up with her soul."
"That's not...."
"Fair? Right?" Kay asked sympathetically. "Maybe not from our point of view. But we're selfish and want to keep Es with us for as long as possible. But from her point of view it's not right or fair that she's had to be apart from her mate for so long. The best we can do is spend as much time with her as we can manage so her last memories are of being with family who loves and cares for her."
"That's hard when most of us are in another state," Okasa commented. Kay nodded her concurrence. "We'll do the best we can... keep doing these bi-weekly get-togethers for whatever time we have left with her." She looked at Kay. "Do you have any idea...?"
Kay shook her head. "There's no way to tell. Unlike a physical ailment, there aren't any monitors we can hook her to or any reading we can take. It all depends on how strong her will is, and I don't think Es' will is very strong as far as this goes. She's been worn down by so many other things for too long."
"I wish I knew how to contact her family - Amber and Ruby. They just disappeared after the funeral, and although Es was understanding about it, I know it hurt her," Brianna said.
"Maybe we should ask for her contact information when we see her again - you know... just in case. If something happens, we need to be able to get in touch with them," Charisma remarked and the rest dipped their heads in accord.
"Do we want to go over again tomorrow?" Okasa asked. "We don't want her to feel like we're smothering her."
"Mama?" The voice from the doorway caused all four women to snap their heads around and Brianna patted Charisma's hands and rose before Charisma could move. She walked to the doorway and knelt next to him. Adam threw his arms around her neck and she lifted him into her arms and stood.
"Hey Little Man - aren't you supposed to be in bed?" He yawned and rubbed his eyes furiously. "Did you have a bad dream?" He shook his head as much as he could with it tucked under her chin and Brianna frowned. "Then what's wrong, Son?" not noticing the smiles her choice of address brought to the three faces watching in concern.
"Angel said...." He yawned again and smacked his lips. "Angel said Es with Phira now. Es happy again," he reported, snuggling deeper into Brianna's embrace. She tightened her hold, even as she turned her alarmed gaze to the others in the room. They stood almost as a single unit and approached her from all sides. She leaned her head down and whispered into Adam's ears.
"Adam? Son, can you hear me?"
"Love Br'anna," he mumbled, but didn't open his eyes. Brianna sighed, but a nod from Charisma made her whisper again.
"Adam, when did you talk to the Angel?" But the only answer they got from him was the soft, even breaths of sleep. She looked at Charisma and shook her head. Charisma looked at Kay and Okasa before returning her attention back to Brianna.
"I think we should go check... just in case. How about if Kay and I go?" Brianna started to object, then realized Charisma might want to talk to Kay privately. And as nervous as that made Brianna, she knew they needed to form their own friendship outside of her if they were ever to become truly comfortable together - something she and Kent were going to have to work on as well.