Back in the bedroom, Moxxie and Millie were still reading.
From their portal, Keelie and Cleetus were watching the two imps read the book. They seemed to be genuinely interested in the book and in reforming, but the cherubs couldn't accept it.
"So, Mox, there are lots of skills in here for you to learn," said Millie. "What do you want to learn first?"
"I think we should take it slow," said Moxxie cautiously. "Maybe I can learn about being nice and controlling my emotions, so I don't cause dimensional rifts?"
"Whatever you want to do, baby, I'll support ya," Millie said, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. "We can work our way to the cool stuff. I thought I saw a reference to calming prayers and meditations in the table of contents."
"Really?" asked Moxxie.
"Yep!" Millie said, opening the book to the table of contents and showing it to Moxxie.
They found the page number they needed and quickly flipped to it.
"Calming meditations and prayers," Moxxie read on the chapter cover. "Here, we go."
Cleetus and Keenie kept staring at Moxxie more intently than before.
"Okay, so it looks like we get into a kneeling position or any position that's relaxing…" Millie said, reading through the book.
"Look at those two," Keenie muttered. "What hypocrites!"
"I know," Cleetus said. "There's no way they should get into heaven. Do you have the weapon?"
"Sure do," said Keenie, brandishing the crossbow.
"Okay, let's aim and fire at those shitheads!" Cleetus cried.
Suddenly, an angel named Thalia appeared.
Thalia appeared as a young woman in the prime of her youth, roughly mid-twenties if one needed an exact date range. Her skin was tanned like cinnamon and her hair as ebony as a raven's wing. Behind her head was a thin halo and a brilliant golden disk that illuminated her features. Upon her back were wings made of pure light.
Thalia looked at the cherubs with gentle blue eyes that held an air of concern. She cleared her throat to get their attention.
Both cherubs turned and paled at the sight of the virtue angel who oversaw the reintroduction of cherubs into Heaven.
"Keenie. Cletus. What are doing aiming your arrow at Moxxie and his wife?" Thalia asked in a calm tone, looking at both cherubs with the same expression as a mother catching her children sneaking cookies from the cookie jar.
"Uh, well," the two stumbled over their words.
"You should know what your actions would result in," Thalia chided. "You would become fallen, no longer able to enter Heaven again. You already have been given a second chance, dear cherubs."
"But just look at them!" Keenie gestured towards the imps. "They don't deserve to be here!"
"She's right," Cleetus said. "Don't you think it's a little ridiculous that they're getting a second chance?"
"Well, I know many cherubs had said it was ridiculous that you two should get a second chance…especially with how you treated Collin in the past," Thalia said, leaning down and bringing the two into her arms. "Tell me…Do you believe that those who are trying everything in their power to better themselves deserve a second chance? Ones like yourselves?"
"We didn't deserve to be kicked out in the first place," Keenie retorted.
"You were assigned to that man because Deerie wanted you both to fail," explained Thalia. "And while she has been given a strong lecture for her actions, it seems you both haven't."
Their expressions softened.
"What?" Keenie asked.
"Keenie wanted us to fail?" Cleetus said in disbelief.
"Unfortunately, there has been quite the abuse of power that we've uncovered and managed to fix," explained Thalia. "It's why Collin has been doing much better as of late with his new cherub friends."
The cherubs didn't let it show, but the two felt humiliated and put down by cherubs who believed they were "better" than the rest.
"But all cherubs are a family," said Thalia. "We're always there, watching and protecting the loved ones of heaven's citizens. I want to see you both do that again, without feeling the need to undermine others."
The two cherubs squirmed, feeling guilty about how they made their twins feel.
"I can't believe Deerie and the others saw us as inferior," Keenie said. "I thought we were friends."
Thalia softened her gaze and gently hugged the two cherubs,"I know it hurts to find out that someone you once trusted didn't think of you as a friend, but you still have the time to make up for all that you missed. I'm sure your twins and Collin would be happy to see you again."
"I guess so," Cleetus conceded.
"What about the imps?" Keenie asked.
"They're on their way to gaining their chance to enter heaven. Together as a family," Thalia smiled as she gazed at Millie who was rubbing her belly gently.
Thalia could see the babes inside were developing healthily and both had small nubs where little cherub wings would grow.
Inside the bedroom, Moxxie hummed at a passage in the book, "While Cherubs are often associated with little Cupids by humans tied with the small heart arrows, the smaller angels have a vast range of artillery. From summoning items of healing to weapons for defense, Cherubs can summon almost any sort of weapon."
"Ooooh!" Millie squealed. "That sounds exciting!"
"Are you sure they're safe to have with us?" Cleetus asked.
"Well, you did the same," Thalia chuckled.
"I suppose so," Cleetus relented.
"But what about what they did to us?" Keenie argued.
"Well, this was certainly before they started their reformations. And as Princess Charlotte said, it starts with sorry," Thalia replied. "Perhaps you all will get a chance to apologize to one another."
Keenie sighed, "We'd better."
Thalia smiled softly, "I'm proud of you both. You have your hearts open for forgiveness."
"That doesn't mean that I'm completely okay with this situation," Keenie interjected. "I still want to see more change from these newcomers."
"Then we can all watch their progress from Heaven in the safety of the viewing room," suggested Thalia.
The cherubs both nodded in agreement.
Thalia spread her wings again, and in a flash of light, disappeared into the air.
The cherubs look at each other and then at the imps.
Moxxie and Millie were leaning against one another and talking about all the traits that they couldn't believe they shared with cherubs.
The cherubs watched the imps for about another minute until they too turned and left.