The Metatronic Chronicles: A Minor Inconvenience

Alice’s eyes opened. The semi-darkness in her room had faded to full darkness and she panicked for a moment when she saw the strange surroundings. A voice down below caught her attention and she breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that she was safe in the Wilder home and it was Michael who was speaking downstairs. “Michael?” she called out, trying to rise from the bed. Her center of balance was off however and she felt like a flipped turtle as she rolled back onto the pillow.

A second later the door opened and Michael came into the room. “Are you all right?” he asked, helping her to sit up.

“Just a little disoriented. How long did I sleep?” Alice let Michael help her to her feet.

“Four hours! We were a little nervous but I kept checking on you and you were just sleeping. You must have been awfully tired.”

“I guess I was…” Alice glanced up at him and caught a look of affection in his eye that she hadn’t noticed before. “Can you retrieve my robe, over on that chair?”

Michael instantly got the robe and helped her put it on. “We have company downstairs. Someone special to you, I think.”

“My family?” Alice asked. They were the only people nearby other than Michael and his family whom she would think was special.

“No, someone further away than that. You’ve never met him, but he is an old friend of dad’s and he happened to be close this weekend, so he dropped in for lunch.”

“Michael!” Alice smiled up at him. “Stop hinting and tell me who it is!”

He smiled back. “I’ll tell you this much. He’s a movie star.”

“Really! Who, Michael! Tell me or I’ll faint!” Alice looked around for her clothes. “I have to get dressed then!”

“No, you look fine as you are. Just brush your hair and we’ll get your slippers on you, then I’ll help you downstairs.”

Alice grabbed her hairbrush and gave her shoulder length dark locks a quick going over while Michael brought her slippers and helped her get into them. Moments later, they were on their way downstairs. She spotted someone new sitting with his back to her down in the living room as they went. Someone said, “here they come” and the newcomer turned to reveal himself.

“Michael! Omigosh! It’s Dresler Rader!” Alice felt her knees go weak. “You never said you knew him!”

“You never asked,” Michael returned good-naturedly.

Derasthe rose to greet her as the pair slowly made their way into the living room. “Well hello, Alice,” he said, offering his hand. “I’m Dres Rader.”

“You know my name?” Alice said, her own hand trembling as she shook his. “Oh how silly of me, of course you do. It’s nice to m-meet you.” Michael helped her to a comfortable chair, making sure that she didn’t lose control and just flop into it.

“Alice, we were getting worried about you,” Mary said. “You didn’t get up for lunch, so I saved you a plate. Are you hungry?”

“Yes, please.” Alice felt the baby moving but he didn’t kick. “Little Dennis or Denise seems to be feeling better now.” Her eyes darted back and forth among the group. Daniel was lounging on another big chair, half asleep while James and Mary were occupying the sofa. Derasthe was on another big chair and Michael seated himself on the floor by her side. Somehow it really felt right.

“We were just commenting to Michael about how much he must have bored you, putting you to sleep for so long,” Derasthe said, glancing at Michael, who just shrugged back.

“Oh no, it’s not Michael’s fault. He just talked to me a little but I felt so relaxed, I fell asleep. Sorry, Michael.”

“You needed the rest, that’s all.” Michael smiled back, and then quickly stifled the smile.

“So Alice,” Derasthe leaned forward in his chair, giving her a good overall look. “How are you feeling? I understand the baby was giving you a problem.”

She seemed surprised by the question, but answered anyway. “He’s doing much better, thank you. He was very active this morning in church but now he seems like a different baby. Just moving around a little, but no more big kicks or punches.”

“Punches?” Michael echoed. “He was punching you too?”

“I think so. He was doing both at once, so I assume one was a punch, the other a kick.”

Michael was starting to get a little peeved with this baby. “Is it too early to give this kid a spanking?” he wondered aloud.

“Michael!” Alice chided him. “We will not be hitting our child!”

“He may need a good whack once in a while though,” Derasthe said to Michael telepathically. “Just not until he’s at least eighteen though. Otherwise you could damage him somewhat.” He continued aloud. “So when is the baby due, Alice?”

“My doctor said March 30 at first, but the last time I saw him he said that it is possible that it could come earlier. I feel like I’m nine months along already even though I’m really only at six months. I kind of wish it would just come and let me get it over with.” She smiled as she looked at the handsome movie actor. He was even better looking in real life, but then she realized the Wilder men, who were all just as handsome, surrounded her. Feeling a bit guilty, she wondered if maybe this was a reward for something good she had done or was it punishment to not be able to touch any of them. The thought made her giggle out loud, which she quickly stifled.

“You naughty girl!” Derasthe suddenly said, receiving her thought quite clearly. “That is, for wanting to push this baby out so early, right?”

“Maybe, but what will be will be.” Alice felt her face get flushed as she got the message from Derasthe loud and clear. She must have been wearing her thoughts on her sleeve.

“Well, I’m glad to see you up and about,” Derasthe continued as he rose from his chair and headed for the back door. “But I really must be going. It was a pleasure to see everyone.”

“Come by anytime, old man,” James said as he rose to join Derasthe at the back door. “We may need your help soon with this childbirth,” he whispered.

“Dr. Gannon should be informed that I was here and what I did,” Derasthe returned telepathically. “Please keep in touch. I can drop whatever I am doing and be here at a moment’s notice if she goes into labor, which I fear could be quite soon—within a week or two! It’s a good thing she moved in here with you.” He turned back to Alice. “Good-bye, Alice,” he said, waving at her. “I do hope you can come visit me in California after the baby is born. I would love to have both of you and Michael too.”

Alice wasn’t sure she had heard right—an invitation to come to California? And it sounded genuine, not just a Hollywood blow-off. “Thank you,” she nodded. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Rader.”

“Dresler, please.” Derasthe gave her a quick salute and waved to the rest of the family, two of whom were attached like lichens to their seats. “Don’t get up, boys.”

“Never mind them,” Mary said in a low voice as she joined Derasthe at the door along with James. “They’ll be along later tonight.”

“Michael!” Alice nudged him with her toe. “Get up please? And help me get up to say good bye?”

Slowly, Michael rose from his space and gently helped her to her feet. “You’ll see him again, don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried, I have you, silly. At least, I hope you’ll be there for me.” She gave him a quick look of concern as she tottered toward the back door.

Derasthe came back to meet her and made sure that she was seated at the kitchen table before he knelt down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek and a warm handshake. “Take care of yourself and that baby, all right?” he whispered in her ear. “I’m always available to help and I can be of more service than you might think. Just ask James or Michael to summon me and I can be here in an instant.”

“T-thank you,” Alice returned, wondering what he meant.

“It will become clearer to you in time,” Derasthe said as he headed toward the door again. “Michael, it’s time for you to have a talk with her. James, Mary, it’s been a pleasure once again.” With that he slipped through the door and though there was no sound of a car starting, Alice knew he was gone already.

“Wow…” she finally said as she saw the door close. “He’s fast.”

“You have no idea, dear.” Mary pulled out a plate of food from the oven. “Ready for some chow?”

Half an hour later James had gone down to his business to do some paper work, Michael was upstairs doing who knows what and Alice had finished her meal. She looked up just in time to see Daniel go out the door. “Where is he going?” she asked curiously as she tried to rise from the table to take her plate to the sink.

“Who knows?” Mary said, helping Alice get up. “Probably to a friend’s house. He gets antsy sitting here at home. I’m surprised he stayed this long today especially with classes starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, school,” Alice sighed as she went back to the living room to settle into a chair, Mary right behind to catch her and ease her ample figure into it. “Mr. Wilder says I should just go and everything will be all right.”

“Then he probably talked to your principal and worked it out,” Mary said confidently as she settled into another chair next to Alice. “But at this late stage and judging by your lack of balance, maybe it would be safer for you to stay home here.”

“Home…” Alice echoed the word. “That sounds like a nice place to be—here, at home.”

“Honey, this will be your home for the foreseeable future,” Mary confirmed, smiling. “And we love having you here. Remember, you’re as close to a daughter as I will ever have.”

Alice took a long look at Mary. Michael’s mother was still youthful, still full of life and exuberance. She looked as if she was well able to have children but Alice knew that was no longer a possibility. “Do you regret not having more kids, Mrs. Wilder?” she asked. “I find myself wondering how many I’ll have and who they’ll be when they grow up. It’s fascinating to think of how a child of mine could affect the future, maybe even of the world.”

“I have no doubt that your baby will certainly have an effect on the world!” Mary knew that for a fact but her tone became wistful. “Yes, I think I do regret not having more kids, but I have no complaints. I have two beautiful strong sons—there’s nothing to complain about.”

“I hope I have more kids.” Alice gave her tummy an affectionate rub and the baby responded with a slight movement into her hand. “This one may kick, squawk and keep me up nights, but he is the best thing that’s ever happened to me—next to Michael of course.”

“Of course,” Mary nodded in agreement.

Alice slowly moved her gaze from her tummy to Mary’s face. “What did Dresler Rader mean when he told Michael to have a talk with me? What would a movie star care about the baby or me? He asked me a lot of questions. I didn’t mind answering them but it just seemed odd to me.”

“He is very nosy, that’s all,” Mary answered, the questions making her uncomfortable. “Well…not really. He’s just concerned. He loves us, the boys---and by extension, you. He is really a sweet person—a bit of a ham actor, but very sweet.”

“A ham actor? You don’t like his acting?”

Mary shrugged. “It’s all right. But he sometimes does these little things that drive me mad—a look, the way he moves or delivers a line. Do you like his movies?”

“Oh yes!” Alice nodded enthusiastically. “I really do love to watch him act. I like sci-fi and fantasy movies but his are really exceptional. He does all his own stunts and plays villains so well!”

“Villains are his forte, all right.” Mary glanced at the clock. “Believe it or not, it’s nearly five o’clock. Since you just ate, I think I’m going to hold off supper for a while. The boys won’t mind, James isn’t home and I’m not hungry. Can you wait a few hours? If the baby kicks up I can give you some of that cake I made for you.”

“I’m fine,” Alice said quickly. “Stuffed right now. In fact, I wouldn’t mind lying down again for an hour. This baby just takes it right out of me.”

“Michael!” Mary called upstairs. “Come get Alice and help her up to her room, sweetheart.”

Michael appeared at the top of the stairs and then came down quickly to help her get out of the chair and up the stairs. He glanced at his mother as he did so and Mary realized that he wanted some time alone with her. Nodding in agreement, she headed back into the kitchen to clean up after the day’s activities.

“Thank you, Michael.” Alice’s skin grew warm under his touch as he helped her climb into the big bed. His hands were so gentle and strong, she wanted to reach out to draw one in and kiss it, but she resisted. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

He didn’t answer as he tucked her in, closed the door and turned out the light. Alice noticed that he didn’t leave the room after doing all this. Instead, he came back to the bed and gently slid in next to her to lie above the sheets and nuzzle her cheek. She closed her eyes disbelievingly, not wanting the surprise moment to end. “Are you going to sleep with me?” she whispered to him as he kissed her ear.

In answer, he turned her face toward his own and gave her a sweet, longing kiss. After they parted, he gave her tummy a kiss and then smiled down at her. “Go to sleep,” he whispered, brushing hair from her face.

“Stay with me?” Her eyes implored him. “I just want you to be close to me.”

“I’ll stay.” His gentle touch brought an incredible sleepiness to Alice and she yawned. “Just sleep and while you do, I’m going to tell you a story. An incredible story…”

“All right,” she smiled, feeling warm and secure with his body next to her own. “Tell me a story…” Her eyes closed as she descended into slumber.

Michael gave her one last kiss, and then touched her forehead gently. “I’m going to tell you about the boy who became an angel…”

An hour later, Alice awoke again, this time enveloped in the warm muscular arms of her baby’s father. Michael wasn’t asleep however and her movement brought his attention away from a pleasant daydream. “Michael?” she whispered to him. “Are you awake?”

“Yes,” he answered, lifting his head up to peer into her eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she said. “You know I had the strangest dream.”

“You did? Tell me about it.”

“It was about you and Daniel. You had both become angels. Isn’t that incredible? It was so real.”

“Really? You can’t believe Daniel and I could be angels?” he smiled down at her.

Alice took a long look at his face through the darkness. “You are my angel already, so I suppose the dream makes sense.”

Michael gave her a moment to reflect, then cautiously pressed on. “But what if we were, for real? What would you think?”

She smiled back at him. “I would think how lucky the baby and I were to have two such strong guardians. And how lucky I am that you cared enough to stand by us and be there for us.”

“Would you be shocked if I told you a secret?” Michael asked casually.

She gave him a loving look. “Never.”

He leaned close into her ear and whispered, “I am an angel.”

Alice giggled softly. “Come on.”

“I’m serious. I am an angel and no, I am not crazy.”

“I don’t think you’re crazy.” She reached over and caressed his cheek. “I think you’re wonderful.”

“Thanks.” He took her hand and kissed it gently. “But I don’t want to shock you so I can’t just show you my wings. Rest assured that I am telling you the truth. I am an angel.”

“And Daniel is too?” she giggled again.

“Absolutely. And my father, though he has given up his wings for now. And Dresler Rader. That’s the real reason he was here today.”

“Michael, come on, be serious. Now you are starting to sound just a little crazy,” she said, her eyes becoming worried.

“There is nothing to be afraid of. But you have to know the truth.”

She suddenly tried to sit up and he had to assist her to a sitting position. “Michael, this is not funny now. Are you trying to drive me away by telling me such nonsense?”

“No, I’m trying to keep you here,” he said earnestly. “Because if you just found out for yourself, it might be too much of a shock for you. I tried to tell you before and you fainted. Do you believe me now?”

“I don’t like your idea of a joke, then.” Alice suddenly felt as if she was alone again and drew the covers up around her as if to keep out the cold. She remembered the fainting spell but nothing about what led up to it.

“It’s not a joke. I told you the story as you slept. You know it is true. I couldn’t keep it from you anymore because the baby is going to be born soon. Derasthe—I mean Dresler says so and he knows.” He took a deep breath. “So does Doc Gannon. Please…look into my eyes and you can see the truth there. I’m an angel, with wings and everything, and I am going to be with you for a long time while we raise our son—who is an angel too.”

Alice wanted to cry. It felt like her perfect little safe cocoon of the last twenty-four hours had suddenly been ripped away and she was left exposed to what could possibly be someone who was very unbalanced. But she forced herself to look into his eyes and gasped at what she saw. Michael’s eyes were still their normal near black but in them she could see a beautiful array of bright stars in yellow, red and blue. Michael’s eyes seemed to be a window into the deep cosmos itself. “Oh my god…” she whispered as she stared into the depths. “ Michael…your eyes…they’re incredible!”

“ Daniel’s eyes have little suns and comets in them. Weird, huh?” Michael laughed gently. “Me, I got deep space, I guess. Derasthe has green forests and my dad’s eyes look like a sparkling ocean.”

Alice regarded him for a moment, thinking about how they had met, what they had done and how normal Michael had seemed at the time. But lately he had been very evasive, conflicted and prone to disappearing completely for hours on end. Maybe this was just part of the puzzle. “Michael…” she finally spoke. “If you are an angel, you can show me. I promise, I won’t be shocked. I’ll stay calm and I won’t faint.”

“I don’t know…” Michael didn’t really know if she could handle it just yet. The idea of it was so foreign to her that she really was thinking he was at least a little bit insane. “How about this? I’ll do a little angelic magic for you. I’m not too good at it yet, but I have a trick or two up my sleeve.”

“Oh. All right.” Alice sank back into her pillows, hoping with all her heart that the man she loved was not completely bonkers. “Go ahead. But it has to be something good, not just some sleight of hand trick.”

“It will be good, I promise.” Michael held out his hand and from it began to swirl a small cloud of golden energy. It pulsated and glowed as it grew until it finally floated free of his hand, floated over to Alice and in front of her wide eyes, popped like a bubble.

She rubbed her eyes for a moment, but then gave him a skeptical look. “Nice but hardly impressive. That could have been anything, Michael!”

“It came out of my hand!” he protested gently, and then nodded. “Okay, I’ll do another one. See if you can figure out how I did it.” He held out his hand again and once more a small cloud of golden energy rose from it. But this time it didn’t float free and pop in front of Alice’s face. Instead, it began to change shape, warping and contracting until it became recognizable as a butterfly. Once complete, it rested on his hand for a moment, then fluttered away into the room and disappeared in a similar pop as before.

Alice was silent for a moment, and then slowly drew in her breath. “Okay…that was more interesting. How did you do it?”

“I told you, angel magic.”

Alice considered this for a moment, and then slowly looked up at him. “Michael, I think we are going to have to take the risk. If you want to prove to me that you are an angel, you will just have to take the plunge and show me your wings. After that, if I don’t faint, I will believe you.”

Michael was genuinely conflicted about the idea. “I want to, Alice but what if something happens? You could go into labor!”

“Well, you said that Mr. Rader says the baby is coming soon so if it is ready, it can come. I’m ready for it. I guess I must have lived another life in Missouri because I have always been that way. You have to show me.”

Michael gulped and slowly rose from the bed. “I’ll try not to make it too shocking.”

Alice watched as Michael stepped back away from the bed and took a position in the middle of the room, where there was less chance of damaging anything. His clothes disappeared and in their place came a white kilt held up by a golden chain link belt and his feet became bare. “You could have showed me that trick and I might have believed you more, Michael,” she said, impressed.

“I have to be careful of my clothes,” Michael answered. “I’m a bit bigger as an angel and I’ve ripped an awful lot of them. This kilt kind of grows with me now.”

“Okay do it,” Alice nodded and waited for what she was fairly sure would be a less than impressive display. When he suddenly grew at least a foot taller and sprouted giant black wings, she reflexively ducked under the covers. “Oh shit!!”

“It’s still me.” The giant angel who had just made himself known came quickly forward. He had Michael’s voice, though a bit deeper and his eyes were still filled with stars and planets when he came close. “Are you all right?” he asked as he gently coaxed her out from under the covers.

Her eyes were wide but she nodded. “I-I think so…oh my god. You’re an angel.”

“You kept calling me your angel—I think you knew on some level.” His hand rested on her tummy for a moment, checking the status of the baby. “He’s okay. I guess he wasn’t shocked like his mommy was.” He stood up straight and let her take a long look at him. “So…what do you think? Do I make a good angel?”

Alice was still absorbing what she had just seen, but she slowly nodded. He looked like a beautiful fantasy creature with his well-muscled bare chest and arms, his wings slightly spread and a cascade of thick black waves down his back. She noticed scars here and there, but they seemed less than important. “Very…overwhelming.”

Michael noticed her scrutiny of his scars. “Some of these are pretty old,” he said, pointing out a few. “That one is new. I got it a couple months back in Mexico. These others are from training skirmishes with Derasthe—that’s Dresler Rader’s angelic name. And some of them are from my human form.” He pointed out what looked like teeth marks on his arm. “Daniel bit me when I was nine and he was eight. We were having a fight and he just lost it and bit me so hard I had to go to Doc Gannon for treatment.”

“Doc Gannon,” Alice suddenly echoed. “You said he knew. Were you serious?”

“He’s always known about us. His son Rick is also an angel. For minor things on our human forms, we still use him. Our angelic forms are much tougher but when there are problems here and there to take care of, Derasthe—Mr. Rader—is sort of our angelic medic. He is more likely to yell at us than anything else though. We heal pretty quickly.”

“And Doc Gannon knows that the baby might be…” Alice’s voice faded as it finally sank in that her powerful kicking, yelling baby was going to be like Michael. “Oh my…”

Michael became human again, nearly sending her back under the covers. “Don’t be afraid! Please—I’m just the same guy, just with a little added extra something. I live here with my family, I go to school, I’m going to college—I hope—and will be living just as normally as possible under the circumstances.” He took her hand and kissed it again. “I was resisting you for a long time.”

“Tell me about it,” Alice sighed, her heart still pounding in her chest as she slowly emerged from behind the covers.

“But now that you know, I’ll be better, I promise. I just want to tell you…” His voice faded as he lost his nerve.

“Tell me what, Michael?”

He took a deep breath. “That I am so happy that you and the baby are here.” He tried to give her a happy smile but failed utterly. The angel in him wanted to say more but the teenager was still resisting.

She looked directly into his eyes. “Michael, I love you. You mentioned marriage at one time. Was that you speaking or this noble angel you become? I need to know.”

“The noble angel and I are the same person,” Michael answered carefully. “But we are not yet fully blended together. We’re more like two personalities in the same body who are aware of each other and support each other. But the angel Michael is the one wanting to do the right thing and marry you.” He looked away from her smoldering eyes. “Michael the eighteen year old screw up is still on the fence.”

To his surprise, she smiled at him. “That’s what I needed to know. You haven’t been very honest with me. This is the first time I believe you about your feelings. I knew that something wasn’t right when you said that thing about marriage, although I wanted to believe it so badly. But what have I always said to you?”

“That you don’t want to tie me down,” he nodded, remembering.

“And it’s true. I think that somewhere deep inside you, the Michael I know, there is someone who does love me. Everything you do and say, even when you are being a sullen brat, says that there is love there.”

She paused for a moment, looking for reaction from him, but saw none. He just looked down, ashamed of himself. “I don’t need the angel to force you into anything, Michael,” she went on “But I’m so convinced that you have feelings for me, that I am willing to wait for you to decide, however long it takes. If you decide that you don’t love me, then we’ll just take care of the baby together and live our separate lives. But if you do decide the other way, I’ll be here for you. I promise. There is no one else for me but you, wings or not, angel or not.”

He suddenly looked up at her. “Do you mean that? Angel or not?”

“I don’t love the angel, Michael, but I do love you. And if you are the angel too, that’s nice but not necessary. In fact…it’s a little scary. Are you sure that guy is safe?”

“He’s very safe!” Michael smiled. “And he’s pulling for us to get together. But for now, I just have to get my head screwed on straight. Before I can ever tell you anything more about my feelings for you, there’s a lot more you have to understand. It’s complicated—it will take some time.”

“We appear to have plenty of time,” Alice nodded. “I will be here with the baby for the foreseeable future. But right now, I would kind of like to get a good feel for this family of secrets. You said your dad is an angel too?”

“But in suppression,” Michael nodded. “He’s pretty much human except for a few basic angelic strengths and abilities. But he doesn’t have wings and can’t switch back and forth like Daniel and I do.”

“And your mom is normal?”

“Just your ordinary every day mom who just happens to be able to kick our butts when she needs to.”

“And Daniel?”

“Daniel is something to see!” Michael laughed. “He will almost blind you in the sunlight and at night, he nearly glows! We use him like a flashlight sometimes, but ordinarily angels see very well in the dark. We don’t need much light at all.”

Alice gave him a quizzical look. “I can see there’s a lot to explain here now.”

“Everyone downstairs is on pins and needles waiting to hear about your response to me telling you,” Michael said. “Shall we go relieve the suspense?”

“If you help me up…and I mean you, not the noble angel.” Alice reached out toward him. “It will take me awhile to get used to that guy.”

“You are a tough nut to crack, aren’t you?” Michael said as he helped her out of the bed and into her robe and slippers. “You should fit into this family great!”

Alice heard that statement and realized what it meant, but wisely kept her feelings to herself. It was going to be hard to wait for Michael to finally admit his love for her, but their future together depended on her patience.

Michael was the first to appear at the railing on the second floor landing. “She knows,” he said matter-of-factly to his parents seated in the dining room below. “She’s coming down.”

“Is she all right?” Mary immediately asked. “She didn’t go into shock or anything, did she?”

“Not only did she not go into shock, she didn’t believe me. I had to prove it to her and well…here she is…” Alice appeared next to him and Michael assisted her down the stairs.

“Alice, sweetheart! Are you okay?” Mary rose to take a position at the bottom of the stairs just in case Alice slipped out of Michael’s grip. “James, we have to do something about these stairs!”

“I’m dealing with it tomorrow,” James answered, rising from the table. “We’re having a good railing put in and a chair elevator so she can just push a button to get herself up and down.”

“You’re making too much of a fuss,” Alice said as she took Mary’s hand at the last step. “I’m fine and the baby will be here soon. Michael said so. After the baby comes, it will be easier.”

“No it won’t.” Mary was the voice of experience. “You’ll be very sore for quite a while and welcome any chance to sit down, even if only for a few moments going up and down the stairs. Our nursery was on the first floor, so we never really dealt with the stairs issue but now we will.” She helped Alice to the dining room table, got her seated and pulled out a chair next to her for Michael. Seeing his mother’s brief glare at him, Michael immediately sat in it.

“Alice seems to be taking it pretty well,” Michael said, keeping an eye on her. “But we still have a lot to go over. It will take some time.”

“And I said we have plenty of time,” Alice nodded. “But it was still a bit of a shock, just nothing I can’t come to grips with. It will be all right. Michael is still Michael and nothing will change my feelings for him.”

“Good girl,” Mary nodded enthusiastically. “You have to be tough to deal with a crew like this and I think you have what it takes.”

“Thanks.” Alice smiled back at her, and realized just what a good friend her possible future mother-in-law might be. “I guess you can give me some good hints on raising little angel babies. I’m sure going to need it.”

“First hint is that you treat them like any other kid,” Mary said, her eyes on Michael. “Even if they are acting like brats. But spanking them does no good—they just laugh in your face?”

“You spanked us?” Michael didn’t remember any episode like that.

“Yes, when you were five years old, you and Daniel somehow got into the back door of Harmon’s grocery store and helped yourself to some candy apples they had just made to sell for Halloween. Old Man Harmon caught you and brought you both home to us. You were covered in caramel from head to toe—I had to cut your hair to get it out! And then I gave you both your first and last spanking.” She turned to Alice. “They laughed at me. They didn’t even feel it, which is probably why Michael doesn’t remember it.”

“I remember the caramel and Old Man Harmon, but nothing about spanking at all!” Michael did remember the old store that used to be on the corner down the road from their house but it had burned down years ago. Nicholas “Old Man” Harmon and his wife had retired from the insurance payoff and moved to Florida. James had once mentioned that he thought the man had burned his own business down but left it at that.

“I remember that store too,” Alice confirmed. “He used to yell at me when I went in there with my friends. What an awful person he was.”

“Well that’s neither here nor there,” Mary said. “Just don’t even bother to spank him. Us mothers of angels have to use psychological warfare to make our wishes be heard and obeyed.”

Alice started to laugh at the image of Mary using secret psychic powers on her sons and Michael just scoffed. “Psychological warfare?” he asked. “When did you ever do that?”

“Like when you and Daniel decided to run away from home when you were both six years old.” Mary added an aside to Alice. “There‘s a month---July, I think, when they are both the same age, did you know that?”

“I think so, yeah,” Alice nodded, laughing.

“Well they were mad at me for some imagined wrong I did—maybe I made them brush their teeth or something equally as evil. And they decided to run away. They came and told me that I was a bad mommy and that they were going to move to Milwaukee and go to work in the Blatz Beer Brewery.”

“The Blatz Brewery!” Michael echoed then started smiling himself as the memory came back to him. “I saw their commercials with the singing beer bottle, can and barrel. I thought they were real and I could go live with them. I was so sure that they wouldn’t be as mean to me like you were. Daniel was just going along with me so I wouldn’t have to do it alone.”

“Who packed your bags for you?” Mary asked.

Michael thought for a moment, and then seemed to have a revelation. “You did.”

“I did. I packed you a nice lunch too and even saw you to the door. By the time I closed the door on your little fannies, you were both crying and wanted back in. You ran back upstairs, unpacked your bags and brought your lunches down to eat at the dining room table. Score one for mommy, little angels zero.”

“That was just plain nasty of you, mom!” Michael protested good-naturedly. “And I never even got to meet those cartoon guys.”

“If nasty works, I use nasty.”