breath and lifted her chin. "I'm not scared." The woman clapped her hands together in excitement. "It's you, you're finally here. I've waited so long for you." Naomi looked around for Chuy and Lalo, they had obviously paid this woman to come here and scam her. Though she had no idea how they got the money. "Who are you? How do you know me?" "We've known each other for a long, long time. My name is Rebecca." Naomi frowned. "I don't remember you." "You wouldn't, but someday I hope you will." She looked around as if waiting for someone.

"There's something I need to tell you." "Okay." "But I'm not sure if you'll believe me. You're still young, so maybe you will." "What is it?" She got down on her knees and looked into his eyes. "I'm an angel." Naomi looked at her skeptically. "You are?" She nodded. "I want to show you something, don't be afraid." Rebecca placed her hand on her forehead. "Hizahri." Naomi wondered what the strange word meant, it didn't sound like English or Spanish. There was a numb feeling in her temples, like she was about to get a headache. She saw a vision of a young woman with long dark hair and pale blue eyes. She gasped. It looked like she would be when she grew up. It was as if Rebecca was showing her the future. But it couldn't be. The young woman looked like she had stepped off the set of The Ten Commandments. That was the longest four hours she had ever watched a movie with Welita. The vision shifted to a young man who looked just like Rebecca. The man was extremely handsome and strong. As he approached the young woman, she smiled and called him Lahash. Rebecca removed her hand and the vision disappeared. "Hey, I want to see more." The man named Lahash looked familiar. Maybe she had seen him in one of those Christmas plays Welita liked to drag her to during the holidays. That was the only place she could remember seeing men dressed in robes and carrying large sticks. "I'm sorry. I can't show you more." "Why not?" "Well, let's just say I could get in trouble with my boss for what I showed you." - She stood up and walked toward the blanket. "Wait! When will I see you again?" Naomi brushed her bangs from her sweaty forehead. "Not for a while," Rebecca said, turning to face her. "And I'm afraid that when I do, you won't be able to see me." "Why not?" She rubbed her eyes as Rebecca's body began to fade. "Because when people grow up, they stop believing." "I won't. Please come back and show me more. I won't stop believing." Rebecca gave her a soft smile. "And that's why you're special, Naomi." Then she walked away. Naomi looked at Rebecca. A gentle smile remained on her face when she finished speaking. Everyone around the room-Jeremy, Lash, Uri, Rachel, Raphael, and even Gabrielle-looked at Rebecca with anticipation. When Rebecca began her story about how she met Raphael, Naomi didn't expect it to start with the time she played hide-and-seek with Chuy and Lalo. "I think..." Naomi said, breaking the silence. "I remember that happening, I just didn't think it was real, I thought it was a dream. Like the time I dreamed about the Sesame Street characters having a parade in my neighborhood." "You dreamed about Big Bird?" Lash smirked. "Who is this 'Big Bird'?" Uri whispered. "I'll show you later," Rachel replied quietly. "Oh, that sounds perverted." Naomi rolled her eyes at Uri's response. "You're missing the point," she said to Lash. "When I was a kid, my dreams seemed so real that I thought they were really happening. As I got older, I could tell the difference better. Like there was no way Big Bird and Mr. Sniffle Sniffle could be outside my house in the middle of the night. I always assumed they were dreams." "So you thought meeting Rebecca was a dream," Gabrielle said. "Yeah, thanks. I mean, I was just a kid and then... and then I grew up." She looked back at Rebecca, swallowing hard. "And I broke my promise, I stopped believing. When did that happen? Is that really what happens when you grow up?" Naomi thought. "Oh no." She turned to Lash. "What if I hadn't stopped believing? What if I had held on to it? Maybe I would have remembered you. I mean, there were moments right after I first met you when I felt like I knew you from somewhere. There were bits of memories that would pop into my head. It was so weird, I didn't know where they were coming from. I would get déjà vu every time I was with you and I would just ignore it all." "You didn't know," he said, taking her hand in his. "Hey, neither did I." "Naomi." Rebecca crossed the room. Lash moved to give her space and she sat between them. "I didn't share this moment to make you feel bad. I wanted you to understand that I've always been there, watching and waiting for you." "Why?" "It's part of our family history." "Our story isn't easy to tell," Raphael said. "We all"-he waved his hand around the room-"faced what happened long ago differently. If we all share what we remember, we can better understand what happened. Shall I start?" "Okay," Naomi said as the others nodded. "It all started when Raguel-sorry, I mean Rachel-and I were sent on a mission to the city of Ai." "Oh wow," Rachel said. "That was a long time ago. I haven't thought about that time in ages. It was when I changed my name after meeting Obadiah." "I thought you changed your name because Jeremy started calling you spaghetti sauce, Ragú," Lash said. "I didn't call you that," Jeremy said. "Oh wait. I did." "Classic." Uri grinned, bumping his fist with it. Rachel glanced at Uri, and he stifled a laugh, clearing his throat. "Sorry, my love. Just trying to lighten the mood. I don't like remembering how I was...how I treated you all those years ago." "I know. It's hard for me too, but we survived." She kissed his cheek softly before turning to Naomi. "Now, where was I?" "You were talking about a man named Obadiah," Naomi said. "Ah yes. Obadiah. I remember that day so clearly. It was the first time I'd ever touched a human. 2 1400 BC Are you sure, Raphael?" Raguel asked. "V The Archangel Raphael studied the cluster of tents at the base of the hill. Tears glistened in his eyes as he surveyed the people who had made their homes outside the city gates. They were outcasts, cast out by a disease they had no control over. Young or old, male or female, rich or poor, it didn't matter to the people of Ai. Once the sores appeared on the skin, the person was cast out of the protection of the city. In their eyes, God had turned His back on those afflicted with the disease, and so should they. He turned to his little companion. "Yes, I'm sure. We were sent to bring them comfort. How can they feel comfort without touch?" Her brown eyes widened at his words. "Michael would be angry if he found out." Raphael smiled. "Then let's not tell him, shall we? They've been cast out of their homes, shunned by their family. They've suffered enough." "They're scared. These people show all the signs of leprosy and have been declared unclean." Raphael frowned. "They're still His children, they deserve whatever comfort we can give them." He looked at her. "We may not be allowed to heal their bodies, but we can heal their souls. The simple touch of a loving hand can mend a broken heart." She looked down at her hands. "I've never touched a human before." What does it feel like? "Warm, alive. It's like no other feeling I've ever experienced. The Almighty created a magnificent creature." "I know how you feel." Her eyes wandered away, and by the expression on her face, Raphael knew her thoughts were on Uriel, Heaven's Archangel of Death. If it weren't for Gabrielle telling him about Raguel's growing