CHAPTER 14

Angel:
A typically benevolent celestial being that acts as an intermediary between heaven and earth, especially in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism.
A representation of such a being, especially in Christianity, conventionally in the image of a human figure with a halo and wings.
The last of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology. From the highest to the lowest in rank, the orders are: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations or dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels.
A guardian spirit or guiding influence.
A kind and lovable person.
One who manifests goodness, purity, and selflessness.

One week later – Carmen Morales’ house

Carmen checks one last time her precious chicken San Juan and then switch off the fire under the pot.
She sighs, disappointed, taking a glance at the clock.
It’s ten past eight and Shane is still nowhere to be seen.
Distractedly, Carmen brushes the scar on her tummy and takes a seat, flipping through the pages of an old magazine.
A second later, the doorbell rings.
Carmen jolts, in surprise and expectation, and runs towards the door.
She rests her hand on the doorknob and exhales slowly, regaining her composure and putting on her most convincing mad face.
She opens the door with her eyebrows furrowed and trying hard not to smile.
Shane is hidden behind a huge bouquet. The whole ensemble is a bit tragic, because the posy is sopping and the rain has made the leaves all limp, but it’s still beautiful.
Her face peeps in – her hair is soaking wet, but the expression into her eyes is frankly priceless.
Carmen reminds herself to act nonchalant and pissed.
So, she puts her hands on her hips and ducks her head.
“So?”.
Shane steps in shyly, handling her the bouquet.
“Wow…”, Carmen says unimpressed, raising an eyebrow.
“As you can see I am not very good at this…”, Shane says sheepishly.
Carmen thinks.
You’re charming. You’re an angel sometimes.
“This is the ugliest bouquet I have ever seen”, she says though, but keeping her made face is becoming more and more harder.
“Yeah I know, the flowers are a little much, but I’m late. But only because I had second thoughts about the flowers and threw them away halfway down the block. Then had third thoughts and went back and got them”, Shane says.

”You have bound my heart with subtle chains
So much pleasure that it feels like pain
So entwined now that we can’t shake free
I am you and you are I
No escaping from the mess we’re in
So much pleasure that it must be sin
I must live with this reality
I am yours eternally…”