The Bessie Series - Books 1-3

14. Heaven

In a small, dark courtroom, Ash sits between Angel Mel and Angel Jigjag. Bessie’s grandparents perch on uncomfortable wooden benches in the spectators’ section. Millie’s 4-leaf clover brooch is pinned to the collar of her prim blouse. Grandpa Will, squirming in a dark suit, holds a suspicious looking brown paper bag in his lap.

At the front, Bessie hunches alone behind the defendant’s podium. She glances around and is rewarded by a series of encouraging grins and thumbs up, except for her grandpa, who is drinking something from the brown bag. Millie gives him a swat and he hastily hides it in his vest pocket.

A glorious black angel faces them in a smart gray uniform. He stands beside the empty judge’s bench. “All rise,” he booms. “This Angel Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Rachel presiding.”

As everyone respectfully stands up, the petite Angel Rachel dramatically emerges from a door behind the bench in her black robes trimmed with a feminine lace collar. She takes her place in the oversized chair behind the elevated desk. The audience sits down, all except for Bessie.

The bailiff angel continues, “The defendant has been sworn in, Your Honor.”

“Thank you, Angel Boyd.” Angel Rachel gives him a quick side smile. She directs her attention to the defendant, her brown eyes flashing. Not a hair is out of place in her fluffy coif. A smile that-is-not-a-smile plays across her thin lips. Her makeup is meticulous on her ageless, oval face. Impressive diamonds sparkle in her tiny ears.

She enunciates every word. “Now, Bessie, what flimsy excuse do you have for me this time for your outrageous behavior?”

Bessie tries to speak but can’t find her voice.

“Cat got your tongue?” Angel Rachel purrs. She actually looks like a smiling tabby herself, one who has just cornered a yummy mouse.

“Well, I just wanted to … you see, I can’t remember—” Bessie sputters.

“Speak up!” the cat bellows. “We can’t hear you!”

“Wanted to … thought if I could see my family, I might be able to put the pieces together, and—” Bessie tries to explain.

“And what? Solve the mystery of the universe, all by yourself?” Judge Rachel’s voice drips with acid.

Low chuckles fill the courtroom despite the gravity of the situation.

Angel Rachel leans over her desk to peer down at Bessie, the chains on her glasses shaking before she speaks. “On my worst day, and on your best day, you will never, never, I repeat, never, be as smart as me.” She leans even further. “You got it?”

worstbest, neverBessie stares back in that unreadable way teenagers have perfected over the centuries. She mumbles something unintelligible.

Grandpa Will takes a swig out of his paper bag, ignoring his mate’s elbow to the ribs.

Angel Rachel sits back to shuffle papers and adjust her glasses. She mutters under her breath to the bailiff, “They never learn, do they, Boyd? You’d think by now they would know, for every action, there is an opposite and equal …” She stops for effect. “Reaction!”

Angel Boyd nods agreeably, arms cradled across his chest. “Oh, I concur, Your Honor. I concur.”

Now Angel Rachel stands up, leaning so far across her desk, it seems the honorable judge might topple right over. She enunciates, “Now listen to me, Bessie Millicent MacIntyre, and listen carefully. The airport is a sacred place. Sacred. In fact, it’s the most sacred place in all of Heaven outside of the Hall of Akashic Records. The airport is how all those poor souls whose incarnations are over come home. That is how …” She leans even further. “You got here.” She sits back down in her seat. “Get it?”

YouThe only sound in the courtroom is the buzz of tension.

“Have you anything else to say in your defense? Anything of any remote significance?” Angel Rachel demands. “So, I don’t have to write you off as a complete …” Again, she pauses for effect. “Nincompoop?”

Bessie strokes her forehead scar nervously. Finally, she speaks in soft tones. “I was just trying to find out how I died, Your Majesty … I mean, Your Honor.”

A ripple of titters pervades the atmosphere.

Angel Rachel mocks her. “Boyd, she was just trying to find out how she died.” She gets scary-serious again. “Your manner of death will reveal itself to you when it is time. As, no doubt, Angel Mel has explained to you. Countless times.”

Angel Rachel glances over at the angel in question for acknowledgement. Sheepishly, Angel Mel puts down his notebook he was busy scribbling in and nods yes.

The Honorable judge picks up the thread of her rant, pointing out, “As would Angel Mel’s colleague, Angel Jigjag. That is, if he ever got to see the defendant in his Reincarnation classes other than on those occasions when she needs to make up for breaking the rules the night before.” Angel Rachel points to her own eyes with her index finger, grinning with feline delight. “You see these? They don’t miss a trick. You should know that by now if you weren’t such a nitwit.”

nitwitBessie takes a quick glance backwards for support. Weak smiles and thumbs up appear.

Now Angel Rachel is taking off her glasses, polishing the lens with a white silk cloth she removes from her breast pocket. “Entering Heaven Interportal Airport without permission is a very serious offence which we do not take lightly. Compounded with the even more serious and hare-brained offence of …” She pokes a scarlet fingernail at her head. “Boarding a sacred reincarnation flight …” She puts her glasses back in place, leering at Bessie. “Without a valid envelope!”

Bessie tries to protest. “But I just thought maybe—”

The judge’s voice is calmer now. “You didn’t think. That’s the problem. You didn’t think. You were ir-res-pon-si-ble.” Angel Rachel glances sideways at the bailiff. “They just don’t think, do they, Boyd?”

Angel Boyd shuffles from one foot to the other, nodding his handsome head. Bessie swallows hard, waiting for the next blow. And here it comes.

“You were a stowaway,” the judge declares. “On a sacred reincarnation flight. A stowaway!”

This time, when Bessie glances around, her supporters are looking down at their shoes.

Angel Rachel shuffles papers again before directing her comments to two elderly spectators. “As for you, Millicent and Will Dodd, you are the primary custodial grandparents, God help us all.”

Startled, Grandpa Will quickly hides the brown bag he was just sipping from. Angel Rachel barrels on, “You’re supposed to be the, and I use the term loosely, adults. Setting her a shining example of responsible grownup behavior.” She waits again. “Get my drift?” She watches them nodding in her direction like bobble heads. “Good.”

.Angel Rachel relaxes back into her seat, speaking in a civil tone now. “Therefore, let’s see, summer barbeque season is in full swing on Earth.” She looks over to the bailiff for confirmation. “What do you suggest is a proper punishment for this crime of supreme stupidity, Boyd?”