Archanghel: Tale of the Universe

Chapter 20

“Her body was recovering fast. She was doing better and better every day. She can be discharged in a day or two depending on her condition. By the way, Mr. Rivera, congratulations on your discharge.”

I fluttered my eyes open as I heard voices talking in the distance. My vision was still blurry, just like the first time I opened those eyes. It's been like that ever since; I think it was just normal. Janus was at my side talking animatedly to the doctor as he handed Janus a paper. I watched their exchange more intently.

A thought just occurred to me. I'm really on earth now, Janus was standing beside me and we were surrounded by humans, angels, and maybe some demons. But that was different from when I was in hell. It's very different. I was just now staring into space when I heard the door click. Janus appeared again with a worried expression as he looked at me.

“Xan- Rachele, why? Is anything wrong? Anything hurt?” He examined me to find some discomfort and I just shook my head slowly.

I lifted my head and Janus was quick to catch me and help me sit up. He placed a pillow on my back and arranged the blanket on my lap. All the while, he was being gentle and would throw a quick glance at me here and there to check if I was really okay. I smiled at him.

“I just thought that all of this was a dream and I would wake up in hell again,” I confessed. “Anyway, why did you call me Rachele and not Xandriel? I'm still not used to that name.”

Janus sat down on the chair beside me. He caressed my hand lightly. I've been noticing him doing that whenever he sits down on that table. And it’s always sending something to my body.

“You need to get used to it. We will be using those names for, I think, the rest of our lives. It would only cause confusion for people if I called you Xandriel, but your name is Rachele, right?” I was shocked when Janus moved his eyebrows up and down, making me smile.

“Fair point. How long are we going to stay here again? I want to walk outside now.” I begged.

“The doctor said that you’re doing great. You just need to be observed for a day or two and then we can leave. I also think that two months was long enough for us. Besides, Lola Isma was paying the bills. We can’t be a burden to her forever.”

Two months, two months had passed. Yet it still felt like it’s just yesterday when Miniel rescued me from hell.

“Lola Isma was really doing a great job helping us. She will also take us in. Can we really not help in any way for now?” Just thinking of burdening Lola Isma didn’t sit well with me.

“I saw a few moneys left by the couple; we can help Lola Isma with this. I think it was enough for us to have a new start,” Janus said, and I nodded.

Mamang and Kate popped out of my head. I wonder how they are now? What are they doing at this very moment? I don’t think I will be able to know it. I sighed.

+++

“Lola Isma, you have guests. Are they your family?”

That is what greeted us as soon as we arrived in the town Lola Isma was living. Every person we passed greeted Lola Isma and pointed to us. They were offering us a polite and kind smile, some of them even offered fruit. Basing on their reactions, I came to the conclusion that Lola Isma was living by herself. She might be since she said that Lucas was long dead because of a disease.

The three of us were walking in a straight line, Janus was carrying the clothes Rachele and Cleo had when they got into the accident, while Lola Isma was holding the ingredients we'd bought when we passed the market. I'm the only one who was holding nothing and was just walking alongside them. It felt awkward, really, but Janus was adamant to let me rest and not carry anything heavy.

“You’ve got a handsome boy here, Lola Isma. Is he still single?” A woman in her fifties called out to us when we stopped in front of a house that was fenced with a bush. It was a bungalow type of house but it was relatively huge on the outside. There was a small tree of pink roses on the walkway and a sunflower behind it.

When I looked at the woman who was talking, they were standing beside the road as if they had waited for Lola Isma. Beside her was a young, beautiful woman, it might be her daughter, who was staring at Janus with a gooey eye. What's her business? I jerked my head towards Janus, who was also looking at the latter. My eyebrows furrowed on their own. I repeat, on their own.

“He already had a wife, Lileth. This is Cleo and his wife, Rachele.”

When Lola Isma introduced the two of us, I was actually enjoying the expression on the young girls’ faces. Her jaw almost dropped and her face turned sour. She did not see it coming, really? Tsk! I once again stared at Janus with a death glare. Janus didn’t change, that girl was his type and even though Gabriel was using his body, he must’ve known his type and was acting based on Janus’ personality.

I was taken aback when Janus looked at me, so I avoided his gaze. In my peripheral vision, I could see that he was looking at me curiously. But I'm not going to look at him again and let him see my expression. I will admit jealousy, not to him!

“Are you okay, Rachele? Are you hurting somewhere?” He finally asked, but I just shook my head and continued to avoid his eyes.

“That’s my house there. We should head in. Maybe Rachele was just tired. She still needs a lot of rest.” Lola Isma said, but the tone of her voice didn’t get past me.

She was clearly enjoying this and was probably going to tease me about it. I was aware that I was now pouting. It shocked me when Janus placed his hand on my shoulder, half hugging me. I suddenly stood straight and looked at him. He was also wearing a playful smile. What?

“You might trip so I’ll lend you a hand. Or an arm, whatever my wife wishes.”

I was speechless and he took that as an initiative to stir me away from the audience and into the house. I heard a faint chuckle from Lola Isma as we headed on and left the house owner standing there.

No, Xandriel. Don’t get carried away. He was just acting like your husband. It was just an act. Calm yourself, girl.

We had already taken a few steps away from the road when I calmed down. I managed to look back to see Lola Isma still standing beside her neighbor and they were talking. My gaze also landed on the young girl who was giving me a bitter look. I can’t believe Janus just did that in front of her. Does he really don’t care about her at all? Or is he just being like that because they were all strangers and when he finally gets to know them, he would choose her over me. After this mission, what will happen to us? Thoughts like that came into my mind at that very moment.

We were already right at the door when Lola Isma caught up to us. I watched as the other woman entered the backyard next door. I quickly erased bad thoughts from my head, just enough to see Lola Isma open her door.

I was right, it was just a bungalow-one-story house. But the insides looked way bigger than the outside. Maybe because of the minimal furniture. There were two doors on the left upon entering the house, a wall that was filled with frames and paintings. The living room consisted of just a small couch and a table. There was only a radio and no television. The kitchen was also large, the dining table looked like it could fit a dozen people. There was a backdoor that led to the backyard and what looked to be like the bathroom. Over all, it was a simple house. I looked at Lola Isma and she smiled.

“Welcome to my house.”

Lola Isma spread her arms wide. She had a proud look on her face. I, too, would have had one, especially if I had this cozy house.

“It’s beautiful, Lola Isma,” She smiled. “Are you sure it’s okay for us to stay here? Wouldn’t we be a nuisance to you?”

Lola Isma furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms in front of me. Yes, I’ve been going on and on about this topic and I know Lola Isma is getting tired of reasoning out with me, but so am I.

I know she was only being kind to us and because she was supposed to help us. She already did. The help she gave us during our stay in the hospital was enough. We don’t want to get into her life any more.

“Rachele, if you are this stubborn about this topic, and so shall I. I wanted to help you and I’m offering my house without asking anything. It’s not like you two had anyone to run to. Besides, I want to do this. If it helps you to know that I have benefited from all of this, then, so be it. It could be for myself too,” She firmly said.

“So, let’s just drop this, darling. Okay?”

I looked at Lola Isma and she did not look like she was backing out at any moment. So all I could do was surrender. Still, there’s still plenty of opportunity to raise this topic again. I just hope that by that time, Lola Isma will be much clearer headed and we will see each other’s common ground.