Meg drove the car up the gravel drive and parked it in front of the house. It was a modest but nice house. Brick siding, two stories, large windows, and a small porch in the front.
"This is where we're living?" Cas—no, Clarence, asked.
"Yep. Come on," she said, placing her hand on the door handle.
He just sat there.
"What?"
"This is too much, Meg. Finding me is one thing. Moving me across the country? Buying this nice house? You don't even know me!"
"Well, I moved here, too, and I'm not living in squalor. There's a second bedroom. Take it or leave it; I don't care."
He gave her a stony look, and she sighed. His stubbornness had not changed.
"Look, you know how I was meant to find you?"
"You had a dream and a feeling."
She gestured to the house. "Part two."
Chuck had told her to move to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. Apparently it had low demonic activity. Meg could see why. There was hardly anything more than trees and mountains in this particular area.
The house was hers though. She had told Clarence the truth; there would be no squalor for her. As for buying it...she had payed for it. If her tech expert went in later and took the money back...well, there was a reason Meg was a multi-millionaire.
"So you were drawn here?"
"Yep."
He seemed to accept that more than her generosity and finally got out of the car.
"This is a beautiful house. Nicer than the virtual tour," Clarence said once inside. He looked in the large living room, dining room, and kitchen. She hoped he didn't expect her to cook. Yeah, she was playing human too, but she had her limits.
They both went upstairs, and she pointed to the spare room.
"It's very large," he said and looked down at his backpack. She knew it contained a set of spare clothes, toiletries, and a book.
"You'll fill it up. The furniture truck is coming today, remember?"
She had found a local home furnishing store online and picked out everything with him. It had been such a domestic event that while he had slept, she had snuck out and caused mischief for a warlord an ocean away just to feel like her normal self.
The furniture arrived an hour later, and they spent the rest of the day setting everything up. Meg peeked into Clarence's room and saw that he seemed to have no taste. The furniture itself was fine and made of simple wood. His bedspread, however, was bright yellow, the curtains were orange, and the rug was white with red, blue, and black geometric shapes. It reminded her of a child's attempt at decorating.
But then, in a way it was. Angels weren't known for their appreciation of beauty or their ability to make their own choices. This was a first for him.
"What do you think?" Clarence asked, smiling.
"It's different," she said. "Do you like it?"
"I do. It's very cheerful, don't you think?"
"Mm," she replied, non-committal. "So, I'm going to order some take-out. Sound good?"
He followed her down the staircase. "Yes, I—"
The ringing doorbell interrupted him. Meg instinctively pulled her knife out and approached the door slowly. Opening it so that the knife and the left side of her body remained hidden, she found two women on the porch, one holding a baking dish. She did not sense that they were demons or angels, just humans. Still, it did not hurt to be careful.
"Hi! I'm Cynthia, and this is my wife Laurie. We're your new neighbors. We saw the truck today and thought we'd come over and say hello," the taller of the women said.
Meg was about to answer when she felt a firm hand grip her left wrist. She looked at Clarence sharply, but he didn't let go.
"Hello. I'm Clarence and this is Meg. It is very nice to meet you. You're neighbors?" Clarence asked, joining Meg at the door.
"Yep. We live just through the trees over there," Laurie said, pointing to the left.
"Oh. It's nice to know we have neighbors It's very isolated up here."
"That's why most people move here," Cynthia said with a laugh. "Anyway, we also wanted to bring this." She held out the dish.
"When we moved we did not feel like cooking. It's store bought, so you know it's safe to eat and you don't have to return a dish," Laurie added.
Clarence let go of her wrist and took the food. "Thank you."
Cynthia grinned and stepped back. "We'll stop bothering you now."
Clarence looked confused. "You are no bother. Your kindness is much appreciated."
Laurie's eyes widened and she gave a little laugh. "Uh, thanks. It was nice to meet you."
"Have a good evening," Clarence said and closed the door when they had left.
He took the food into the kitchen and set it on the counter. Meg followed, quiet. She crossed her arms defensively when Clarence turned and silently looked at her.
"What?"
"Are you always armed?"
"Yep. Got a problem with that?"
"Would you have really attacked those women?"
"If needed. And no, I wouldn't feel guilty for it."
Clarence nodded. "I see."
"I doubt it."
She walked over and took the aluminum foil off of the dish. It was a chicken casserole with breadcrumb topping. They'd even heated it up so it was ready to eat.
"You do not have to be fearful, Meg. I...I can protect you."
Meg snorted. "I'm a modern woman, Clarence. I can protect myself. Hence, the knife."
"But you do not need to if I'm here," he was looking at her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. A strange tightness formed in her chest. She just got plates and didn't reply.
"I don't cook," Meg said the next day when they entered the grocery store. "If you're expecting—"
"I am not," he said, grabbing a cart. "You are a modern woman after all."
Meg stopped walking and gave a laugh. "Touche."
The cart was slowly filled with sandwich makings and frozen ready-to-eat meal kits. Last, he grabbed a roll of cut-and-bake cookie dough.
"Sweet tooth?" Meg asked.
"No. These are for Cynthia and Laurie. A thank you for the casserole. Is that the correct etiquette?"
Meg sure as hell didn't know. "Of course it is."
He smiled, relieved. "I'm hoping they could become friends. It would be nice to have friends."
"I'm not good enough?" she asked, bumping his shoulder with hers.
"Of course you are. I just feel...like I want to be surrounded by many people."
Angels weren't solitary beings. In Meg's opinion, there were far too many of the cloud hoppers, but she understood where his feeling was coming from.
And how dangerous it was.
"Well, seems we have to be neighborly then," she said.
Clarence baked the cookies, cutting each one carefully away from the roll of dough, and taking them out of the oven just when they got to be golden brown. Placing them in a disposable plastic container, Meg and Clarence set off for the neighbors' house.
Meg didn't want to do it It was one thing to tolerate humans while paying human. It was another to actively seek them out.
"I like this house," Clarence said as they walked up the sidewalk. The house was small, with beige siding and stone accents.
"It's okay," Meg said and rang the doorbell. The door opened and a child's face peeked out. "Hi, are your moms here?"
"Mommy Thia is at work, but Mommy Laurie is here," the little girl said, opening the door wider.
"Uh, can you go get her?" Meg asked.
The little girl ran off, leaving the door wide open. Meg rolled her eyes. A few minutes later Laurie came into view and her eyes widened.
"Emily knows she's not supposed to answer the door when I'm not there," Laurie said with the slightly frantic laugh of an overwhelmed mother. "So, this is a surprise."
Clarence held out the cookies. "I—we—made these as a thank you for the casserole."
Laurie took the cookies and Emily came speeding out of the house. The little girl had put on what looked like butterfly wings and was prancing around the yard. Meg kept part of her attention on the conversation and part of her attention on the kid.
Tiny humans fascinated her. Well, in a horrified fascination. She'd tried children for meat suits when she was new and figuring out what her preference was. She hadn't liked it. They were incomplete and, even demonically enhanced, practically useless in the strength department. She'd quickly decided to leave them for Lilith. Now, as tools for getting adults to cooperate? Perfect.
"—you do?" Laurie asked.
"What?" Meg asked, pulled from her thoughts.
"I asked what you do. Clarence said he's looking for work, but what about you?"
"I'm rich," Meg said with a smile.
"Oh... First branch only!" Laurie called. Emily had decided that butterflies climbed trees, apparently.
"Yeah. Inheritance. Father just died. So sad." Meg said. "This was nice, but I'm going back."
Clarence and Laurie looked startled, but didn't say anything.
Meg had taken a few steps when there was a snap, scream, and thud. A branch had broken and Emily had fallen out of the tree. A second later the child started screaming.
Laurie and Clarence rushed to Emily, and Meg saw the child lift her arm. Laurie looked devastated and helped the now near hysterical child to her feet.
"I think it's broken. I have to get her—" Laurie said to Clarence.
Clarence, however, had a puzzled look on his face. He looked down at his hand and Meg knew what he was about to do. She started towards him, but it was too late. He raised his hand and placed two fingers on Emily's forehead. A moment later, the child stopped screaming and stared at her arm in shock.
"It doesn't hurt anymore, Mommy," Emily said.
"What? I don't understand..." Laurie protested, examining the arm.
Meg rushed over and tugged on Clarence's arm. "We have to go. Now."
"But—" he protested, seemingly in shock.
"Now!"
Meg tugged him down the sidewalk. Laurie called after them, but she didn't look back or stop until they were back in their house.
"That...was monumentally stupid," Meg said, closing the door and turning to look at the stunned angel.