“Nomatter how far wrong you’ve gone, you can always turnaround.”
—Anonymous
Caj
“Well?”Michael asked impatiently.
Michaelhad neverbeen known for hispatience.
Cajdidn’t want to immediatelystart on the wrong foot with the ancient angel, so he spoke up andrather quickly, “It has been forever since my sentencing, Michael.I wish to make a plea for angel status to garner mywings.”
Michaelclasped his hands behind hisback and walked back and forth as if he were in deep thought.Hethen paused his pacing and turned to stare at him.“Your originalpunishment was because you tried to take away what the Maker hadgiven you.Life.”
“I know I was spared and that the work I do now was my penance.”Caj pausedand gave a deep sigh.“But … I feel I have done more than my share,Michael.I’ve seen more than my share of the burden of others’pain.”
“We all carrypart of the burden, Caj.”The older angel glanced heavenward thenback to Caj.
“Perhapsyou can talk to Him for me.To see if I earned my wings.”Caj triedto keep the bit of desperation out of his voice.
Itseemed however that he wasn’tsuccessful in hiding that desperation as the elder laughed.Thesound reverberated across the hilltop with its power.“He alreadyknows what you want, has always known.If you talk to him rightnow, the result will be the same.His will.You must understand,Caj, that you needed to learn a lesson.It is not your right totake away what He has formed.”
“I know this now,” Caj replied.“I also fully understand why some of the humansmust leave before their time.This world is not for them anymore.That the Maker has something else planned forthem.”
Abig boom sounded as it echoed fromall around them.
Allthree of themknelt immediately.
The Maker hadcome.
Caj hadhis eyes to the ground, as hewas sure Mercy and Michael did.
“Come forward,Caj and Mercy.”
Cajonly dared toglance up when his name was said.He squinted at the bright lightbefore him.
Etherealbeing was all that came to mind when Caj looked at the Maker.He’d never seen himbefore this.He wasn’t even sure how many others had with theexception of Michael and the high angels.
Caj tookMercy’s handas she came upto him and he walked with her.They both kept their eyes downcastand stopped just short of the Maker.
“This all started because of the love you two sharewith oneanother and then thedeath of Mercy.”The Maker’s form looked towardCaj.
Caj found that hecouldn’t look this being straight in the eyes as it just felt toodaunting.
“You blamed me for Mercy’s death.I wanted you to realize that death happensand there is some other plan in the works.Your death wasn’t partof that plan.”The being paused.
Caj tookit as a sign that he wassupposed to speak.“You are right.I was very angry with you.Yet,until this moment, until the death of Mina, I had not fullyrealized that things happen for a reason.I mean I tell the dyingthere is a reason for their passing and perhaps a chance to do itagain.Only, I never really fully believed it.”
“Your love forher never dissipated, through all this time.”The Maker turned hisgaze toward Mercy.“Little one, your love for him has neverwavered, either.You never once complained, and your compassion andlove for everyone are well known.”
“He wasthe love of my life then and he is now,” Mercy statedfirmly.
Cajheard the conviction in hersoft voice, and he smiled.He gave her hand anothersqueeze.
“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” the Maker chided softly.All-knowing and fathomless eyes stared back atthem.
Once again, Caj wason edge, as he didn’t know what would happen.He could only hope hewould be blessed to be with Mercy.
“Do you remember what you said toMina?”
