Chapter 14
Adela sat in the living room unsure of what to do with herself. She ran her hands over the jeans and fingered the blue-collared shirt, feeling as though it was too tight, which was ridiculous as she had been clad in a black vest for centuries as an Angel of Death. She was hungry, but the appliances in the kitchen frightened her, as she knew that they could start fires if used improperly. She remembered one woman who had died after drinking a half-bottle of bourbon and forgetting about a soufflé in the oven.
And she hated having to rely on Liam, feeling like a child in her uncertainty and fear of this world.
She turned when she heard his bedroom door open. He came down the hall wearing loose jeans with a red T-shirt hugging his chest. Wet tendrils of hair stuck to the nape of his neck, his green eyes looked clear and bright. He gave her a small smile and little crinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. In his angel form there was a “take charge” presence about him, but as a human, it was even more pronounced. Adela was both intimidated and attracted to the power he emanated.
“Hey,” he said, heading for the kitchen. The white countertops were tidy, and the white appliances sparkled as though they were brand new.
“Good morning.” Adela got up and followed him.
“I’m going to start some coffee,” he said, as he opened a few cabinets, and finally found what he wanted. Reaching up, he grabbled a pouch of Starbucks Vanilla Bean.
“I’d like to learn how to work the coffee maker, if you wouldn’t mind teaching me,” she replied.
He turned to her. “Of course.”
“Your lip’s bleeding.”
A slow blush ran up his neck as he stared at her. “I know.”
He seemed rattled as he opened the pouch of coffee.
Clearing his throat, he said, “Okay, so you’re going to take out the basket from the coffeemaker. I like my coffee strong, so I add four scoops. Then you take the pot, fill it to the top, and pour it in this area here. Hit the brew button and wait.”
He turned his back to the coffeemaker and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest.
“That seems simple enough. Much easier than what I had to do to brew a cup.”
“I imagine so,” Liam agreed. “Probably had to tend to the fire, wait for the water to boil, etcetera.”
Adela smiled and nodded. “Exactly. In some ways, life is much simpler now.”
“Yes.”
They sat in silence as she listened to the hiss of the machine and watched the coffee drip from the spout into the glass container. The aroma was strong, and she licked her lips.
“Did you sleep okay?” Liam asked.
She nodded. Overall, yes, it had been a restful sleep. However, the hum of the odd car passing every now and then woke her, as did the creaks and groans of the building. It would take some getting used to. “Yes, thank you.”
Liam poured two cups of coffee, and she sat down at the kitchen table.
“So, I thought we’d go to breakfast to the little place down the street,” Liam said, taking a few bills from the stack of money on the counter, and then joining her at the table. “We should put this away somewhere.”
“That’s fine with me. Where?”
Liam quickly counted the bills. “We’ve got seven hundred dollars here. Let’s just put it in the freezer.”
“The freezer?”
He nodded. “Right behind the ice cube maker.”
“Why on Earth would you do that?” Adela asked, confused. Who put money in the freezer?
Liam smiled and shrugged. “Why not?”
Adela nodded and sipped her coffee. The heat burned her lips, and the strength of the bitterness made her eyes water.
“You want some milk in that? Not many people can take my coffee,” Liam said.
“Yes, please,”
Liam took her cup and went to the sink, dumping out a bit of the coffee. He then went to the refrigerator and poured some milk into the black coffee as well as a little bit of water, turning it a tan color. Bringing the cup to her lips, she was pleasantly surprised at the new flavor. “This is nice.”
Liam nodded, put the milk away, and sat back down. “So I guess we just do what we want to do and wait for someone to show themselves who looks like a miserable bastard and needs our help.”
Adela shrugged. She couldn’t think of a better plan. “I suppose so. Evangeline did say that whoever was in need would come to us.”
Liam took a long drink of his coffee and winced, licking his lip again.
“How did you cut your lip?” Adela asked.
Liam’s eyes narrowed on her, and he stood up and put the money in the freezer. “I say we get some food and stop and get some beer. We carefully watch everyone we come in contact with.”
“And after that?”
“After that, I’m going to come back here, turn on the tube, and sink some brews. I’m tired of flying around trying to get to my next death. I’m going to enjoy myself and slack off for a while and you’re more than welcome to join me.”
Adela studied him. “Don’t you think we should try to be more proactive? Be out and about and giving ourselves the chance to run into this person?”
“You go and do that, Adela,” he sighed, making his way to the door. “I’m sticking to my own game plan.”
A half hour later, they were seated at the corner café waiting for breakfast. Small baskets of gardenias hung from plants stands surrounding the outdoor patio, and Liam had told her that the fragrant odor permeating the air was the orange blossoms in bloom from the many trees around them.
They had decided that their waiter wasn’t the person they were supposed to help, and neither were any of the patrons sitting around them. None looked sad—in fact, most were very pleasant and seemed happy.
Adela had scanned the people around them, searching their faces. Finally, she had given up. The day was warm, but there was a slight breeze cooling the air. Adela had her face turned up to the sun, reminding her again of that wonderful afternoon with her parents in the field of wildflowers.
“You better watch yourself, Adela,” Liam commented.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. “Excuse me?” Watch herself do what?
“You’re very fair-skinned. You shouldn’t be out in the sun for very long. You’ll burn.” He leaned in close and said, “And trust me, as someone who was barbequed well-done and then died, burns aren’t fun.”
Adela considered his words. She had heard through the angel grapevine that he had died a painful, horrible death in a fire, and she made a note to question him about it at another time. “I suppose you’re right. I’ll move over to the shade.” As she scooted her chair, she realized she would be sitting closer to him. She expected some type of arrogant comment about it, but none came.
“This must be strange to you,” Liam murmured, looking out at the passing cars on the street.
“What?”
He shrugged. “Being immersed in this world. I was thinking about it this morning. As an angel, you get to see everything and the progress that has been made in three hundred years, but it’s like we’re wrapped in bubble wrap or something. And now you’ve been dropped smack into the middle of it. You’re living it now.”
Adela smiled. Maybe he wasn’t a total arrogant ass.
“Yes, you’re right. It is a little difficult for me.” She inhaled deeply. Usually, she tried to say as little as possible to Liam, but maybe life in the real world had changed him. It definitely seemed to be changing her, and frankly, she didn’t like the uncertainty she felt. “Everything from the toilet to the coffeemaker is new. The sun against my skin brings back distant memories, and even the smells of food are foreign to me.”
Liam nodded. “That would be bizarre.”
The waiter set down their food, and Adela dug in, her body raging with hunger.
“You better slow down there, Sheila, or you’re going to choke.”
Adela s
at back in her chair and sipped her coffee. After a moment she asked, “Do you think we can die again?”
Liam’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
Adela leaned in close the Liam. “If I were to choke, Liam, would I die again? Would I feel the sensations of death as I did in the gallows and as you did in the fire? Or would Evangeline come rescue us?”
Liam furrowed his brow. “I don’t know. That’s a good question. We should probably get that clarified.”
Adela nodded and sat back in her chair. “We’re living as humans, so my guess is yes. Yes, we would die as humans do.” She picked up a knife, its steel glinting in the sun. “If I were to stab you with this, I do believe you would bleed.”
Liam stared at her for a beat, then threw his head back and laughed. He leaned in close. “You really were a witch, weren’t you?”
Adela bent forward so that their faces were inches apart. “No, I wasn’t, Liam. And for the love of God, don’t call me Sheila anymore, or I very well may stab you.”