Angels at the Table (Angels Everywhere #7)(50)



“She has,” Goodness said, coming to Mercy’s defense.

“Mercy has done her best to keep us in line.”

Gabriel frowned. “Apparently with little success.”

Mercy’s wings sank all the way to the floor. “Should … do you want me to …”

“Mercy, no,” Goodness cried and came to stand at her friend’s side.

“If anyone should go, it’ll be me,” Shirley insisted, coming to stand on the other side of Mercy.

“Or me,” Will chimed in. “I can probably get a transfer.”

Gabriel held up his hand, putting an end to their chatter. “In light of the season I think we might be able to overlook certain transgressions.”

“We could?” Mercy asked with a heart filled with hope. Apparently Gabriel was in a generous mood.

“It isn’t like you did anything outrageous, like kidnap a camel and lead it outside a theater? That would be incomprehensible.”

Goodness sucked in her breath and held it so long she was in danger of turning blue. Mercy slapped her friend’s back and Goodness exhaled so loudly the pipe organ let out a B flat all on its own. Several people in the congregation turned toward the choir loft.

“It could have been worse. Right?” Gabriel asked, tapping his toe impatiently.

The four all stared down at their feet as if searching for a lost button, looking in every direction except at Gabriel.

“Right?” Gabriel asked again.

“Right,” Mercy answered weakly.

“One of you might have done something really crazy, like interrupt a Broadway play and suspend the actors in the air without any visible means of support.”

Mercy swallowed uncomfortably.

“We’d never do anything like that,” Goodness muttered.

“Or play a tuba.”

“I didn’t play the tuba,” Will insisted. “I just looked at it.” Then realizing what he’d said, he slapped his hand over his mouth.

“Well, my friends,” Gabriel said, smiling now. “Despite everything, you managed to answer Wendy’s prayer. Lucie and Aren are together and they were able to meet at the Empire State Building.”

“Does their relationship last?” Will asked.

Gabriel nodded. “Yes. They will be married in October next year.”

“Oh good.”

“Children?”

“Two. A boy and a girl.”

“What about the restaurant?”

“What about Aren? Will he continue to write for the newspaper?”

“One question at a time, my friends,” Gabriel said, leaning over the choir railing to look down upon Aren and Lucie. He smiled and then turned to look at the four Prayer Ambassadors. “The restaurant will do exceptionally well and Wendy’s investment will pay rich dividends. The two will sell Heavenly Delights for twice what they put into it in five years’ time, after Lucie delivers her daughter.”

“That’s wonderful, but what will Lucie do without the restaurant? She loves to cook.”

“She won’t abandon her career entirely. She’s going to become a recipe developer for some of the better-known celebrity chefs across America. It’s the perfect job for her as she’ll be able to stay home with the children.”

“What about Aren?”

“Now, that’s a bit of a surprise.”

“How so?” Goodness asked.

“Aren will leave the newspaper shortly after he sells his first novel.”

“Aren writes fiction?”

“It’s a secret passion he has. He’s been working on this book in his spare time for several years and when it sells, it will be an instant success beyond anything he or Lucie could imagine.”

“Does he get a movie deal?” Goodness asked. “Oh, Gabriel, can we be in it? Can we, oh, can we?”

The look Gabriel cast her was all the answer they needed.

“This is just wonderful.” Mercy rubbed her palms together with delight. It was even better than she’d imagined.

“They will have a good life together, and so will Josie and Jack.” Gabriel spread his massive wings over the four. “Are you ready to head back to heaven?” he asked.

“We are,” Mercy said, answering for them all.

And so they returned to the realms of glory. As they drew near, Mercy could hear the strains of music unlike anything ever heard on Earth. The celebration of the infant born in a stable over two thousand years earlier was just getting started.

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