Page 50 of Greed

“Isn’t it always,” Minny said, and they stared at one another before another round of giggles took over.

“Good point, but in all seriousness, I fell in love with a half-demon while I was here on Earth for a job, and let’s just say I made some decisions that Father didn’t approve of. I was tossed out and ended up in Hell for a time when I finally decided that Earth was a better fit for me.” Penny shrugged like what she’d just said was the most normal thing.

Minetta gave the other remaining burger to Toby and leaned forward to rest her arms on her knees. “Let me get this straight. You were an angel, and by Father, you mean…God?”

“Yes.”

“You fell in love while you were here on Earth. What were you doing here, and how old are you?” Minetta asked.

Penny blushed, her cheeks going as red as her hair. “I was here as a guardian angel, and I’m rounding on four centuries, which is pretty young. I was always a freer spirit than the other angels. I guess it’s fitting I end up not fitting in anywhere.” Minetta sat back stunned, her hands falling into her lap.

“I’m sorry you felt that way, that you were forced to feel like you don’t fit in,” she said and meant it. She knew what it felt like not to fit in, to be different than the rest of the crowd, and always on the perimeter. It was lonely. “Will you ever age?”

“Yes, but very slowly. Like so slowly that I will still look this way when your great, great grandkids are born.” A little mustard ran down Penny’s face as she took a huge bite of her burger. Minetta couldn’t help focusing on Penny’s slightly forked tongue as it licked up the condiment. She’d always assumed the slight indentation had been a birth defect or some sort of accident.

“It’s like you found the fountain of youth.” Minetta stared at the abstract painting on the wall.

“I know this all sounds impossible, and if you can’t handle anymore, I will just tell you what I absolutely have to and no more,” Penny said, but Minetta shook her head no.

“Before you get into all the other stuff, tell me, what happened with the guy you fell in love with?”

Penny’s face fell, her eyes instantly teared up, and she looked away. “He was more human than demon. He died a long time ago.”

“Oh, Penny, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up something painful.”

Penny smiled and shook her head. “No, don’t apologize. It is life. Anyway, I haven’t found anyone else, well I have, but he doesn’t know I even exist.”

“You mean he doesn’t know as in he doesn’t know about demons?” Penny laughed and then munched on a few more fries as her cheeks pinked. “Are you blushing? Who is this guy? Come on, girl, you said you’d tell me whatever I want to know.”

Penny rolled her eyes. “Fine. He’s Skye’s brother, actually. His name is Neven, and he’s…I just really like him, but he doesn’t see me. In fact, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t even know my name even though we’ve met dozens of times over the years.” Penny slumped into her chair.

“You don’t know that.”

“Trust me. He is like punching way above my weight class. I’m a nobody to him.”

“Penny, don’t you dare.” I held up my finger. “You are beautiful and funny and intelligent and so many other things. If he can’t see that, then it’s his loss, not the other way around.”

A small smile curled the corner of her mouth. “Thanks, girl. So…should I continue with what you need to know?”

“Yes, keep going. I want to hear it all.” Toby slinked up on the couch one paw at a time until his massive body was curled up beside her, his head lying in her lap. She gently ran her fingers through his fur on his head as she waited for Penny to continue.

“I went looking for you after I dispatched the ice demon back to Hell. I ended up finding you and Toby at the school. Just in time, too. You were drawing some attention from a few not-so-savory individuals. I took both of you home, and then I enlisted a little help from someone who owed me a favor and is really good at magically repairing stuff. We put everything back the way it was. I don’t have much healing ability, but for the minor cuts the two of you had, I could wipe them away as well. I’m sorry I should’ve thought about your mom and how you’d take the strange night. I just kinda hoped you would think it was all a bad dream.”

“It terrified me, almost more than the demon itself. To lose my mind so soon…I was just so scared.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?” Penny pleaded and held out her hand for her to take.

Minetta took a moment to analyze her friend, but in her heart, she’d already forgiven Penny. She nodded and gave her friend’s hand a squeeze. She flipped Penny’s arm over and stared at the small tattooed symbol on her wrist. She’d seen this symbol in her searches of the different types of demons. It had intricate lines that looked like a cross between a pentagram and a sun.

“What does this symbol mean? Really mean not the, ‘I thought it was pretty,’ excuse you already gave me?”

“I was branded with it when I fell. It’s to make sure that I can’t cross back into Heaven. The only way I can get into Heaven now is if one of the archangels removes it and grants me permission.” Penny lifted a shoulder, a shadow crossing her normally perky features. “It’s kind of like a human ankle monitor, but I can’t take this one off unless I cut off my hand. Trust me, I thought about it, but what is the point? Even if I could sneak back into Heaven, how long would I last before being noticed and kicked back out with a brand on another part of my body?”

“I’m sorry,” Minetta said as she released her friend’s hand.

“What do you have to be sorry for,” Penny asked, taking a bite out of her burger that made her cheeks look like a chipmunk.

Smiling at the stupid look on Penny’s face, she answered. “I feel like I somehow should’ve known. I mean, Heaven was your home, and to think what it must have been like to be kicked out. To be forced to live somewhere you didn’t want to be and all because you fell in love. I had made some pretty silly choices when it came to James, and I can’t imagine being kicked out of my home away from the family I loved because of it. How alone you must have felt. It hurts to think about Penny.”