George had a friend who passed away this week. Jesse lasted much longer than anyone expected he would—two years ago, doctors were giving him six months. Healers know better, of course, and Brid’s friend Firyal has done excellent work sustaining and protecting him all this time. But even miracles can only be stretched so far, and so today George went to Jesse’s funeral, and I went with him at his request.
It was a hot day, with thunder growling in the sky, but the rain was kind enough to wait until the ceremony was over. Most of the mourners darted through the warm shower to get to a pavilion at the edge of the cemetery, but George stayed with the family at the side of the grave, holding Jesse’s sister’s hand while she tried to get control of her tears.
“Let them fall,” I suggested to her. “You deserve to feel your grief. It is symbol of how good and lovely was what you lost.”
She turned her face into George’s chest and wailed then, and George, who had heard my words, wept with her. By the time they calmed, the rain had eased, and they were the only ones left standing by the grave.
“Ugh, I’m sorry,” Renee said finally, mopping up her face and George’s shirt. “But thank you.”
“Of course. Whatever you need.”
She shook her head and shoved a wet packet of tissues into her purse. “You know,” she said, somewhat hoarse now, “Mom keeps saying we should be grateful, we should be glad we got all the time we did.” A tight anger was in her voice as she looked across the cemetery at her mother, bidding farewell to some lingering guests. “I had to listen to that from all the doctors for this whole past year, and I don’t need to hear it anymore.”
George shook his head and wiped his own eyes. “It’s not enough time, is it?” he asked. “No matter how much time we get, it’s never enough.”
“No,” she answered, “it’s never enough.”
George pulled her into his arms, and I in turn put my wings around them both, offering what comfort I could.
He asked me last night where his friend was now. I found the Gather who collected Jesse’s soul, and he did not expressly tell me what was his destination, but his smile spoke of peace and wholeness, and that was enough to comfort me and George.
“We’ll see him again,” George whispered to Renee, and in the shelter of his arms and my wings, she believed it.
While I stood there with them, a faint chill crept along my spine, and I looked up, on the alert. There was a young woman standing by her car, phone in hand; her gaze was turned towards George and Renee. Behind her was the smallest flicker of shadow, which fled the moment my eye fell upon it.
I flashed to the woman’s side, so quickly that she jumped, convincing herself a moment later that she had stumbled. I reached out into the lingering cold at her shoulder and recognized the trace. Asoharith had been standing there just a moment before.
I wanted nothing more than to follow the trace, but it was so very nebulous, and I couldn’t leave George in this moment. “Anathalie,” I called as the woman climbed into her car and started it.
“Hmm,” Anathalie said, making me jump in my turn. “There is not much here. You’re certain it was her?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then let us see what we can find,” she murmured and flickered out of sight. Before she was gone, though, she whispered, “Best wonder what she was doing here.”
Uneasy, I returned to George’s side. He had been alarmed by my sudden flight and was now encouraging Renee to get her family away to the reception. As she went to join them, he looked at me with an arched brow.
“Asoharith was here,” I told him. Then when his eyes went wide, I added, “She is gone now. Anathalie is following her trail.”
George glowered. “Is nothing—” He stopped himself and laughed, rubbing his eyes. “Of course nothing is sacred to them, they’re demons. Still, how dare she?”
“We will make her regret it,” I promised him. “But tell me—that woman who was in the gray car, do you know her?”
George followed the gesture of my wing. “Jan? Not well. She went to school with us. Actually, I think Kara knows her better—I brought Kara to her wedding and they got along famously. Why?”
“Just that Asoharith was standing very close to her.”
“She didn’t hurt her, did she?”
“She did not even touch her as far as I can tell. Which makes me wonder what she was doing.”
George rubbed his face again. “I’ll ask Kara to check in with her.” His gaze went to the cars where Jesse’s family were preparing to leave. He was so tired.
“Why did Kara not come with you?” I asked him gently. I wondered if he was unhappy that his wife had not joined him.
“She hates funerals,” he answered with a laugh. “People are always asking her to write eulogies. But she offered.” He looked up at me with a rueful smile. “I thought I’d do better with you. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Far from it, I’m honored to help you. I just hope that I am a help.”
George started for his own car. “You sent a Healer to help Jesse, didn’t you?”
I wondered if he would guess. “Brid asked her friends if someone would go and help. I didn’t tell you because Firyal knew as soon as he began his work that he couldn’t save Jesse.”
“But you gave him more time, and he used it well. He was so glad to have it.”
“I didn’t, it was all Firyal—”
“Would you please just let me thank you, Ace?” he asked, far more gently than his wife would have done. “And you’re going to send someone to help Renee, aren’t you?”
I nodded meekly. I have already received two messages from Comforters willing to take on the case.
“Nice to know I can hook my friends up with heavenly help,” George teased, getting into his car.
My reply was serious. “You are a very blessed man, George. And the nature of blessing is to spill over onto others in your life—people you love, people you want to protect, even people who just catch your eye. Angelic assistance is only part of that.”
“You sure? Because I don’t feel like I have many blessings to share right now, myself.” He rested his head on the steering wheel.
“They will come back to you. In the meantime, I am happy to make up the difference.”
He looked up at me with a watery smile. “You know,” he said, “I knew it was something when Freya came into my life. But I didn’t have any idea, really, how much it would change my world and make everything brighter and more incredible.”
“No one can ever guess the expanse of heaven,” I quoted to him. “But all who open themselves to it can feel it in its fullness.”
He took a breath and started the car. “Good,” he said, and he turned for home.