Page 5 of Forever Flustered

It was said so softly, so emotionless, and combined with the steely gray strange eyes, Maureen did a double-take and froze under that glare that held her still. It would be just her luck to have the end of the world upon her – and bump into a herald. I mean, that was literally her kind of luck, but then again maybe she had heard him wrong? Maybe she missed a word in that sentence because that was crazy talk claiming to be an archangel – wasn’t it?

Surely not…

“If you’re an angel, then you’re in the wrong place,” she murmured, her voice stuttering over the words, knowing just how strange a conversation this was.

“I’m in the right place, but I think Hell has frozen over…”

“Or the end of the world is upon us all.”

“Could be,” he said simply; those words had little emotion again and felt deeply unsettling in that moment as he looked away and then back at her. “Is that why you’re h-here?”

There was such tension in those words, in the tone of his voice as he spoke. He was asking her purpose. There was such power and vulnerability at the same time when his voice broke, that it caught her by surprise… and struck a nerve. This whole thing was making her feel very insignificant in that moment… and raw. If this was a test, an actual angel, what was a person supposed to say or do?

“I’m here because I need help… and a little hope,” Maureen admitted and instantly winced, not sure why she said as much to a perfect stranger who was either legit (and that was terrifying), or he was off his proverbial rocker, telling people he was an archangel…

That was also disturbing.

“Don’t we all,” the archangel murmured, just before they were interrupted.

“It’s time,” a man said – his eyes just as cold and emotionless.

“Who are you?” Maureen asked with zero hesitation.

“Reaper,” he replied in a chilling voice, taking the archangel’s arm and walking off like she was some insignificant bug in that moment. Maureen wasn’t proud or too shy to admit that this whole thing was unsettling – and crossed herself openly, not caring who was looking as everyone started moving forward, taking their seats like this was just some weird, everyday occurrence.

“What in the heck is going on in this place?”

Taking a seat quickly, Maureen felt someone touch her shoulder, patting it, to get her attention. As she turned to see who it was, someone else was taking the seat directly beside her and touched her arm. It was a one-two sensation, and Maureen was quickly being surrounded… by smiling strangers.

Archangel…

Reaper…

Now, the Stepford wives?

The woman who tapped her shoulder smiled and held up a finger to her lips, indicating for her to be quiet. The other was none other than Harley Sloan – the woman she’d been looking for this entire time.

Finally!

“Scooch over,” Harley whispered, and Maureen did so immediately, completely flabbergasted that this was happening. “My husband needs a seat, and I need elbow room if my daughter wakes up.” Maureen had been so blindsided that she didn’t even see the toddler that was sleeping on Harley’s shoulder. “Samantha has always been a napper,” she offered as if that explained everything.

Yeah… it didn’t.

“So?” Harley asked in a hushed voice, smiling at her.

“So ‘what’?”

“Never mind…”

“Hang on,” Maureen hissed, trying not to interrupt whatever was happening around her – and frankly it looked a little chaotic at the moment. For a wedding, there sure were a lot of people frowning and looking around. “Don’t ‘never mind’ me because I’m confused. Why did you want me here, when could have just made an appointment? Heck, you could have come to my office, and we could have talked or…”

“I don’t get out much,” Harley whispered, pointing at the little girl and holding a finger over her lips just like the other woman. “I have to handle Flyboys, my husband, my daughter…”

“Both are needy,” the woman behind her volunteered openly. “I’m Abbykins – by the way.”

“Hi,” Maureen tossed quickly, and then saw Harley’s smile.

“They are needy, but it works for us – and then we have girls’ night…”