Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,34

muttering under his breath, but even so, Kathleen must have heard him, as she stuck her head out of the little bedroom.

“Sandra says you’re a callous bastard,” Kathleen said, “and don’t deserve a wife.”

“Probably,” David said and then bit his tongue to stop anything else coming out.

“And you stink of smoke. I can smell you from here.”

“Your sense of smell has improved then?” David got up and went over to her. He held her face gently between his hands and tried to remember why he had fallen for her. He kissed her on the nose and she smiled. She was pretty when she smiled. He hadn’t noticed earlier.

“She was smirking earlier. Not the same thing. Sorry, out of order. Carry on, bring her to bed and make love to her. I’m off.”

“You’re lovely. You smell good, unlike me and your hair is magnificent and you’re sexy and cute and your breasts have grown…”

“And they’re sore. You’re not touching them,” Kathleen paused. Her guide Haliken whispered to her. “But I do have other places that aren’t. Come on to bed. I suppose you’re sexy too.”

Chapter 13

January 1973

Kathleen reluctantly turned away from the soft light.

“Why?” she said, to the listener. “Why must I go back? I’m meant to die from this infection, you told me I could try a sudden death. The babies are expecting me to go, aren’t they? Please let me stay with you, please!”

Haliken shook his head. “I can’t. We will have to wait.”

“Why can’t you? You have power, don’t you? You can change things?”

“I don’t have much power, almost none really. I didn’t arrange this illness, so I can’t make it worse. I’m only a guide, not an angel. But even angels couldn’t fix this one. It can’t be changed because time and science have moved on. Because very few can come Home now for such a reason. The humans have been too clever for us, they can cure this illness now. When I saw your life plan I thought it would be fatal. I was wrong. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” said Kathleen. “What good is sorry? You tell me I have to go back, you don’t tell me what I’ll have to do when I get there, you put me in a situation where I’m not meant to be, without obvious help and you say ‘sorry’.”

“The help might not be obvious, but it will always be there. Just keep your senses open. I’ll try to find a way out, or a purpose, so you’ll get some value out of this life. You go on back now and I’ll start working on it.”

Kathleen opened her eyes. David was looking down at her, concern on his face.

“Kathleen, how are you feeling? Are you okay? I’ve been so worried.”

“I feel lonely,” said Kathleen.

“I’m here. You’re not alone. And the twins are fine, the nurses have looked after them just as well as they looked after you,” said David, as he stroked Kathleen’s hand.

“I still feel lonely. I don’t know why. It’s like a dream that’s just gone. I want to go back. Oh God, I don’t remember!” Kathleen burst into tears. David stood up and leant over to kiss her head, but Kathleen turned her face away and the tears rolled silently down her face.

“I’ll go and look at the babies,” said David. “I’ll bring one of them back to say hello, if it’s allowed.”

“Don’t bother,” said Kathleen, “just leave me alone. You got me into this. Just go away.”

“What d’you mean, I got you into it? You pretended to be pregnant so I’d marry you, and then never said in time that you weren’t, so we really got pregnant. We should have taken precautions. But no, you wanted a baby. You were thrilled when you got your test. ‘My baby’ you said and sent away for the Mothercare brochure.”

“Baby” said Kathleen “I only wanted a baby. And super-stud gives me two. Two the same, too. I’d have to go through all that again to get a boy.”

“You were thrilled it was twins. And it’s not my fault. Twins aren’t in my family. But they’re beautiful and healthy. We don’t need a boy. You don’t have to have another if you don’t want. And this infection, it wouldn’t happen again, Dr. Dempster says it’s very rare these days to get one this bad.”

“Dead right it won’t happen again. Because I’m not doing this again. You can tie a knot in it.” Kathleen turned on her side, away from David and pulled the