Lucian Divine(7)

“No one is here,” I called out.

Evey walked up holding a glass of water. “Sit down. My roommate should be home soon.”

I took the glass and sat on the couch. “Thank you.”

When I glanced out of the window, I saw Zack on the stoop across from Evey’s building. He was glaring at me, making a neck-slicing motion with his hand.

“Fuck,” I said, watching him.

“What are you looking at?” Evey asked as she sat on the couch as far away from me as she could.

I turned my entire body toward her. “Evelyn, I want to tell you something.”

“Okay.”

“I’m an angel.” I didn’t know what came over me, but being there, in plain view, made me feel like purging two thousand years of pent-up frustration.

She didn’t hesitate. “You seem sweet. I know you’ve had a lot to drink, but I’m not worried.”

“Well, you should be, dammit. Honestly, Evelyn, inviting a drunk stranger up to your apartment at two a.m.? I’m appalled.”

“What? You don’t seem drunk anymore.”

To my relief, she was finally showing some signs of fear and self-preservation by stiffening her body and moving farther away from me. At that point, she was hugging the arm of the chair like she was about to jump up and bolt.

“I’m an actual angel. I’m not saying I’m sweet, although I’d argue…” I waved my hand around, vaguely. “Never mind.”

Her mouth was turning up into a smile. She stood cautiously and started to back away from the couch. In a really sweet voice, wearing a kind smile, she said, “Have you been to see a doctor, or maybe spent time in treatment?”

“What are you talking about, like rehab?” I mean, I knew I had been drinking a lot but…

“Um, um, psychiatric,” she said, softly.

“You’re kidding. I finally tell someone, and they don’t even believe me.” I stood from the couch, a bit wobbly, and took a deep breath. Being free finally did feel amazing, but I wanted her to believe me. I wanted to tell her everything. I held my arms out and said, “I feel liberated. It feels so good. Really, Evey, I’ve been carrying that shit around for eons. I’m glad I told you.”

She laughed with the frightened kind of hysteria, so I smiled warmly at her. She took three deep breaths, and then her laugh turned into something more amused, like she was talking herself out of being scared.

“Well, won’t you get in trouble for outing yourself? I mean, won’t God be upset with you for telling me?” Now she was playing along.

“I don’t know. I’ve never met him. He’s kind of a private guy, and I’ve heard he has a temper.” I smirked. The truth was that I had no idea what was going to happen to me. I could still see Zack, but now he was outside of Evey’s window and miming different versions of a violent death. I pointed toward the window. “Can you see that, Evey?”

She looked outside, and then back at me. “See what?”

“Nothing,” I said.

Zack wouldn’t have done anything that stupid. After all, he was the one constantly blabbering about the rules.

“So, Lucian, ha! Great name, except that it sounds a bit like Lucifer.”

“He’s my cousin and he’s an ass, okay? The rumors are true. He’s not someone I associate with. Seriously, it’s a family name; it means nothing.”

Evey buckled over laughing.

“Hypothetically, Evey, say I wasn’t a celestial being created for the sole purpose of protecting ungrateful people like yourself, would you think it wise to taunt and tease me? A lunatic you picked up off the street and decided to invite into your apartment?”

“Hypothetically? Oh my gosh, you’re killing me. This is actually kind of fun. I’ll play along.” She sat in a chair near the fireplace and tapped her index finger on her chin. “So how do you know what your orders are if you don’t talk to God?”

“I have a liaison named Mona.” I looked at the ceiling. “How do I explain it? She’s basically like an overpaid consultant.”

“Overpaid consultant?” Evey was smiling and nodding, eyebrows arched.

“Uh, more like an overpaid supervisor.” What I really wanted to say was that Mona was the bane of my existence, a controlling, condescending bitch.

“Interesting,” Evey said, her voice laced with sarcasm. “What is she paid in… gold halos?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, she’s paid in money, silly. Have you not learned anything about the way the world works? I thought I taught you better than this.”

“Okay, so your consultant gives you advice on how to be an angel?”

“Something like that. She’s supposed to convey and interpret information. She’s a messenger, like a bike messenger, but high maintenance and obnoxious and not as athletic.”

“I see, so she’s the messenger kind of angel. What does that make you? Are you an archangel or something?”

“Do you really think I’d be drinking myself to death in shitty bars and sitting in your apartment having a redundant conversation if I were an archangel?”

She laughed. “I’m sorry I’m boring you. Why haven’t you told anyone until now?”