"Sarah, you have amazing taste…this strawberry shortcake is unbelievable!" Vivian gushed.
Chuck frowned. The bakery had been his idea.
Vivian was on her third piece. It had been suggested that supper would be a good idea, but Vivian insisted strawberry shortcake was akin to a well-balanced supper and it would suffice just fine.
Sarah giggled. She liked Vivian when she was like this. She was a lot like Chuck in a way, experiencing some things like it was her first time. She had been completely blown away when Sarah suggested a chai tea upon their arrival at the bakery. Vivian drank it back like she was drinking the nectar of the gods.
"So, you're Tyler's cousin?" Sarah asked.
Vivian nodded, "Our dads were brothers. Well, foster-brothers to be fair."
Chuck glanced out on the street. He really thought Tyler would have joined them by now.
"So, you knew Tyler as a child then…was he always so serious?"
Vivian laughed, a booming, joyful laugh. Sarah backed up a little closer to Chuck, finding his hand underneath the table. They interlaced their fingers. Sarah's foot was wrapped around Chuck's left leg. He was having a hard time sitting still with the contact and he really wished Vivian would go away and let him have his date with Sarah.
"Tyler was a little brat!" Vivian exclaimed, "And I admit at times I was his ring leader! We used to get into all sorts of trouble! There were four of us, if you include Ellie and Gruber. And we all lived together in a large house with a man called Roan."
Chuck furrowed his eyebrow, wondering how much of this story was true.
"What happened to your parents?" Sarah asked.
"I never had a mother. She died when I was very young. Our dads were both killed in a hunting accident," Vivian said, "There was a mudslide from too much rain and they couldn't outrun it. They didn't stand a chance."
"That's so sad," Sarah said softly.
"And what about you, my dear?" Vivian asked, "Tell me about yourself. What was your childhood like?"
Sarah regarded the older woman. She was kind of freaky in a way. Her emotions changed faster than Tyler could take off his clothes. One minute, she was calm, the next she was excited or passionate about something and/or yelling.
Sarah couldn't deny her beauty. The woman was stunning, with her auburn hair flowing down her back and her big brown eyes. She also had a…quality about her that made you tell her more than you were planning to divulge. She had an interesting way of drawing information out of people. She was incredibly intimidating, despite her pretty appearance.
"I grew up in a mansion," Sarah said softly, "My mother left me when I was young too. She died when I was 8."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Vivian said, reaching across the table.
Sarah shook Chuck's fingers off and grabbed Vivian's quickly. Chuck fought the urge to throw a hissy fit about it. He had Sarah's hand first.
"But your father…he was still there for you!"
Sarah looked very uncomfortable now. She squirmed a bit, removing her hand from Vivian's.
"No," she stated, "My father didn't want anything to do with me. I reminded him too much of my mother."
Vivian nodded and Chuck wondered just how far she intended to push Sarah. He didn't like Sarah's expression. He wanted to tell Vivian to stop nudging, but Vivian was on a roll now.
"That's horrible! I'm so sorry to hear that!" Vivian took another drink of her chai tea, "And what about now? Are things better for you now? What are your career ambitions? Got a boyfriend?"
Sarah shot Chuck a look for help. He couldn't think of a single other topic to bring up to divert the conversation…so he stood up, his knees hitting the edge of the table forcefully.
The entire table flipped over, crashing the contents onto the ground. Everyone at the café glanced up. Staff started hurrying over to help clean up the mess.
"Oops," Chuck said loudly, "I'm so sorry – I was just trying to get up to use the bathroom!"
"It's fine," one of the staff said, "These are light tables. Not the first time it's happened."
Vivian was glaring at Chuck as he stooped to pick up the remnants of her cake.
Sarah was wide-eyed, noting the tension between them.
They paid their bill at that time and headed back to the apartment in silence.
Anna watched Tyler from the shadows. She'd seen him in the shadows, darting over the railing of his balcony moments ago. That was unusual. He always walked through the front doors of the building.
He was in Chuck's bedroom, shaking as he curled up on the bed. He was fighting sobs.
She was fighting with herself over whether to appear to him. Her heart was breaking for him right then and she didn't think he'd deny her company, even after the way she had treated him earlier at the library. He needed the comfort. It was obvious something had happened with Lou. It was the only explanation for his complete brokenness. The tension between them could wait. Right now, Tyler needed a friend.
"Tyler?" she asked as she appeared in solid form, "Are you okay?"
He wasn't. She knew that before he glanced up at her, the pain and anguish in his eyes causing her to take a deep breath and step closer.
"I'm fine," he whispered, sitting up on the bed. He watched her carefully as she rounded the bed, sitting beside him.
"Liar," she teased. Her face turned serious, "We're friends, Tyler. No matter what else has happened lately, I'm your friend first. I'll listen to you if you want to talk about it."
He shook his head, "I can't. Not right now. Not with you."
"Then let me hug you, Tyler. You don't have to tell me anything. Just let me hug you so that you know you're not alone."
She didn't wait for permission. She leaned forward, placing her head on his chest. She wrapped her arms around his torso.
He returned the hug loosely, then, despite himself held her closer, the tears returning and cascading down his face.
"I lost it, Anna," he confided, "I lost my temper. I have never wanted to hurt anyone like I wanted to hurt them at that moment."
She realized she had relaxed her hold on him. It was him grasping her, almost to the point of hurting her. She knew that wasn't his intention. Tyler was...distraught.
His desperate sobs filled the room, "I didn't do it, Anna! I didn't actually hurt them. But the fact that I wanted to..."
"Tyler," she whispered, pushing him back a bit so she could see his face, "Please. Tell me what happened."
"I can't," he choked.
She heard the front door open. Chuck, Vivian and possibly Sarah were home.
So far, she'd managed to avoid Vivian, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before she'd have to face her too. Tyler was in no condition to face her, that much she knew.
"I'll keep her off your back," she whispered, standing up and kissing the top of his head, "We'll talk later. I'm sorry, Tyler. I wish I could be of more help."
He nodded as she flitted back into shadow form and disappeared out of the room.
"That was a stupid stunt you pulled," Vivian said, glaring into Chuck's face.
"You were hurting her," Chuck said in a small voice, "She was uncomfortable and anxious. You were pushing too hard."
"How else are we going to determine what's going on with her?" Vivian demanded.
"W-We talk to her. We gain her trust," Chuck stuttered, "It's what we've been doing all along. And we've learned a lot about both Sarah and Anna that way."
Vivian scoffed, picking up a game controller from the middle of the floor and tossing it onto the couch, "You aren't here to be her friend. You are here to find a way to mend her life. And I really don't know what to make of Tyler. It seems he's not contributing anything to this mission at all."
"Berating her the way you just did is not going to accomplish that!" Chuck snapped, "And Tyler is a good partner. He may have his attitude, but he's been working really hard! and we're learning how to work together! You have to trust both Tyler and I! We are getting through to Sarah and Anna! And we will FIND a way to complete our mission!" Chuck's eyes widened in fear as he realized his voice had been steadily increasing to a shout. He cursed himself. He had just yelled at the Contessa. THE CONTESSA.
Vivian smiled, sitting down on the couch, "There you are, Chuck," she said, "That's what I was looking for."
He was confused…completely and utterly confused.
Vivian was still smiling as Chuck waited for his impending death…um, re-death. He had yelled at Vivian! But Vivian's smile was genuine, it seemed. There was nothing behind it. She didn't start yelling…nothing. In fact, she was sitting in the chair across from him with a smirk on her face. A smirk?
Vivian was nudging me.
"I don't understand," Chuck said, sitting in the armchair.
"You care for Sarah," Vivian said simply, "And you're coming to her defense without a second thought. You protected her when she was getting uncomfortable because you care so deeply. Most of all, you and Tyler are starting to understand what it is to work together."
Chuck was still confused.
"I'm not here to take over your mission," Vivian continued, "I'm here to determine if you'll get the job done. You can't imagine the talk throughout Heaven right now…the Jinx Angel taking on a mission that involves deep matters of the heart. With the Ass Hole of season's himself, no less. There's even a betting pool started as to the date where you both would return unsuccessful. We're playing for chocolate. I am satisfied now that you're taking it seriously. More than that, I'm satisfied that you and Tyler have started a deep, meaningful friendship. I'm going to put my bet on a successful mission. I'll be eating chocolate-dipped strawberries for months."
Chuck's mouth dropped open. A deep, meaningful friendship? With Tyler? He knew they were on better terms, but could he hope that Tyler could be a real friend too?
"I will observe for another few days," Vivian said.
Chuck nodded, his respect for the fearsome woman in front of him skyrocketing. From the shadows, Anna felt her respect for both of them soar too.
"You were testing me," he said in awe, "Last night…the threats…the interrogation…pushing Sarah…it was all a set up."
Vivian nodded.
"Not everyone believes that you're incapable of everything, Chuck," Vivian said, "I think the bigger problem is that no one really ever gave you a proper chance to learn. They pulled you out of missions as fast as you went in, not really giving you a chance to adapt or fix your mistakes."
She paused, tilting her head, "Of course…there were some mistakes that really could not be fixed…actually, a lot…but the POINT is, you weren't given a chance. The other thing is, I think you do better with matters of the heart. It takes a pure heart to see the matters that lie beneath. In just a short time, you've broken the barriers Sarah and Anna put up and became real friends with them. You've done well, Jinx Angel."
Chuck was completely dumbfounded and speechless.
"Now," Vivian said, patting the sofa cushion beside her, "How about you tell me the entire truth about what's going on? Keeping in mind, I have my ways of knowing when you're lying to me."
Chuck froze.
Jolly mewed to get up on the sofa too. Vivian bent and picked him up, rubbing his adorable little ears. Chuck was swallowing a large lump in his throat.
"W-what do you want to know?" he stuttered.
"It's okay, Chuck," Vivian looked straight into his eyes, "That was a joke. Even though I know you're not telling me the whole truth, you can be assured, I've already figured it out. You will tell me everything eventually. Rest assured, I'm not done calling you and Tyler out on your lies yet. Nonetheless, I have…a different mission."
Chuck shivered.
"So," Chuck said, gulping back the lump in his throat, "If you're not here to help us with our mission, what's your mission?"
She smiled, "I'm not here to help you with your mission because you are my mission."
Chuck was confused again.
"Firstly, I was sent here to determine if you and Tyler were capable of completing your mission," she said slowly so Chuck could keep up, "But the second part of my mission is to help you and Tyler personally. You're gaining social experience and your mistakes are decreasing. Still there, but definitely on the decrease. There are some 'things' we will need to talk about. But Tyler…he hurts so badly. And he will need to be my top priority for the moment. It's not easy to be conflicted between two beautiful women. One he can never have, the other unforbidden but still out of reach."
Anna glanced toward the bedroom from the shadows. Vivian knew.
"You can come out now, Anna," Vivian called.
Anna froze. Tyler had said the night before that he hadn't divulged Anna's secret. Neither had Chuck.
"Unshadow."
Anna appeared, offering her hand to Vivian as a welcome.
"How did you know?" Chuck asked, eyes wide, "Tyler and I didn't tell you!"
"I think you'll find I know pretty much all of what you do," Vivian said, "Anna, all I'm going to say to you at this point is that you've done well protecting Sarah all this time. You have no reason to feel bad about being unable to do it alone."
Anna had been beating herself up for years, feeling so inadequate as Sarah's Guardian. Her words were relieving. There were times Anna thought Heaven had completely abandon her. Tyler and Chuck had been Godsends...literally.
This Vivian wasn't intimidating at all, yet she still reflected the strength the rumors always implied.
"He's in his room, right?" Vivian said to Anna.
Anna nodded slowly. If Vivian was that perceptive, she might be the only person Tyler could talk to, even though Anna had said she'd deter Vivian from him.
Vivian got up from the couch, disappearing down the hall.
"How does she do that?" Chuck asked in absolute wonder, "She's been here for a day and she already has us pegged!"
Anna was still staring down the hall after her, "I wish I knew, Chuck. But it seems she's gotten a reputation as the Contessa for a reason."
"TYLER! GET UP! YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!" They heard Vivian thunder.
Chuck and Anna exchanged glances. Point and case.
A second later, she was dragging Tyler down the hall and out the door, slamming it firmly behind them.
Chuck and Anna exchanged glances again, feeling nothing but pity for poor Tyler.
"Go. Be with Sarah," Anna suggested, "They won't be gone long. And I have a feeling Vivian is going to call an Angel's meeting."
Oh yeah! Vivian was out of the apartment and now Chuck had a golden opportunity. He realized Sarah must have said something to Anna. And for some reason, she wasn't going to lecture him about how wrong it was since Sarah was a human and Chuck was an Angel. Thanking her, Chuck left the apartment.