the entirety of the situation quickly. Do you know why your parents never told you the truth?”
Interesting. Elsa, it seemed, had not told Gabriel about my mother. “I’m afraid you can’t blame my family,” I said. “The blame, if it must be assigned, is all mine. My mother and grandmother did try to educate me, but I refused.”
“Refused? I don’t understand.”
I snorted. “That seems to be a running theme these days. I didn’t want to use my skills. I’ve watched my mother nearly drink herself to death trying to avoid her feelings. She’s a brilliant landscape painter. Her artistic skill, combined with her gifts, has made her quite in demand, but it has never made her happy. She has been overwhelmed with her emotions, and everyone else’s for a long time.”
“And your father?”
“I don’t have one, at least that I know about,” I said, feeling a rush of anxiety. “My mother told me my father was a man she loved deeply, but could never marry. Beyond that, she has never said a word. I stopped asking after a while, knowing she would say nothing further.”
“She never married?”
“No,” I said. “She’s had a few boyfriends over the years, but she has never had a serious relationship with a man. She often said she’d been in love once and it was enough.”
“And your grand-père?”
“He’s dead. So is my grandmother. I have an uncle, but my mother and I are the last two of our immediate family. I have no siblings.”
That brought an odd look to Gabriel’s face. “I see,” he said, quickly recovering as he poured wine into our glasses. “And now that you have learned more about your skills?”
It was my turn to feel nervous. “I’m not sure. It’s remarkable to see people in well, in a different light, but I’m not certain how all of this will affect my life in the future.”
“Your honesty is refreshing,” Gabriel said. “Most humans would be eager to find a way to use their skills to their advantage. To make money, or gain power.”
“Are you human?” I asked, knowing I was being too forward with the Frenchman.
“It’s a good question, Olivia. One I will answer in time.”
“Why does everything always take time?” I was losing my patience.
“Because when you step out of the human plane, you can see that time is infinite,” Gabriel said. “The world is an old place and history is repeated every minute, every second, that humans spend on the planet…in the tiny gestures and major decisions they make every day.”
“Those who fail to understand are doomed to repeat…?”
Gabriel nodded. “Exactly. When you are in the stream of time, it is difficult to see all sides to an issue. One advantage the Others have is the gift of perspective. When you have lived a century, you can step back and examine issues differently. War, religious intolerance and famine, they all take on a different significance decades later. But as a human, you are bound by the moment.”
I looked over at Elsa, who had remained silent during the discussion. “Do you see humans as such frail creatures?”
She nodded. “Not frail, but blind. They don’t make decisions for the long-term, only for what feels good in the moment.”
“This is fascinating, but what does it have to do with me? I’m not sure how I fit into this discussion. I am human, living in this time, mortal and destined for dust one day. Not long ago, I had a successful business and a nice house with a garden. But now…”
We paused as our meals were brought in. Once we had taken a few bites, Gabriel spoke again.
“You want to know what comes next. It’s a good question. You wonder if you can continue doing things the same way, knowing what you know now? The answer is yes and no.”
Gabriel turned to Elsa. “Does she know about the work of the Council?”
Elsa shook her head. “No. I was waiting for you to tell her.”
“Are you familiar with the United Nations, Olivia?”
“Yes, why?”
“You know that their mission is to promote peace and stability among nations.”
“Well, their success is debatable, but yes, I’m familiar with their mission.”
Gabriel responded with a grim smile. “As you said, their success is mixed. Why? The governments of the world, in my opinion, are no match for religious intolerance, xenophobia and renegade dictators. Millions of dollars are spent globally, and where are we? Half the world’s female population remains uneducated; old wives’ tales and superstition still reign. Do you know a person