I (try to) add more to this story each year. What story is that?
This one, featuring a rather unlikely protagonist who, introduced to the afterlife in a chance moment of generosity, has a rough start in his new job as angel-in-training.
He could have just as easily gone the other way. He has to fight down the habits of his mortal life even now.
Now he has lots of time to redeem himself...or to slide back to darker ways.
For in the universe of this story, eternity is a lot of work that never ends.
In this Christmas edition (see the link above for the prior chapters) our peculiar protagonist returns at last to America to help another soul forsaken in her time of greatest need...
Quick Summary of What Has Gone Before
Our fictional Ake Green here is a recently deceased street preacher type who, watching footage from the Christmas Tsunami a few years ago, found himself in a rare moment of genuine compassion... and at that moment perished from a sudden heart attack. Lucky SOB.
The captains of the heavenly host are especially displeased with foxhole conversions and dislike this new addition to their camp in particular. Regardless, orders come down from On High (yes, that On High) and the angel Gabriel is assigned to shepherd the newly-minted... angel-in-training Ake...through his paces.
Gabriel decides nothing beats tossing the new guy, strong homophobic tendencies and all, into the deep end - visiting a HIV hospice in India and compelling Ake to tend to a transgender in her final hours. Either he will repent and commit to a better path, or run fleeing to the darker path. To Gabriel, it is all the same.
Surprisingly, to Ake most of all, this turns into a true redemption moment. He passes the test. Tanvi asks if he is a servant of God. He answers that he has just started today.
He tends to Tanvi until she passes away.
Later, he takes the body of the now-deceased Tanvi home to her father's house. Mr. Kumar, as it turns out, has political ambitions that did not dovetail well into being a compassionate father. He had even come to the hospice to fill out some final paperwork and collect the death benefit rather than risk any contact at his home or party offices.
Ake decides to do the right thing by the family and bring Tanvi home. He is seen by her little sister, Tripti, who asks if he is an angel. He answers, "No, I just work for one." And disappears.
The story picks up some time later. A new case, a new trial, this time in the United States. It is similar in some respects - sickness, abandonment, injustice... and dissimilar in others.
In this case, the Christmas redemption opportunity is for someone else...
Back in America....
"Health care reform," Reverend Ake Green snorted as he watched some Fox News in an airport terminal.
"Why, why yes!" the angel Gabriel piped in cheerfully. "Here's your regular drip, venti, no room," he added, handing Ake a big tall cup of Starbuck's coffee.
"Thanks," Green said, taking the cup and sipping it. It was hot. "Bless, that's good," he said.
"Of course, lately this particular vendor has fallen out of vogue with the political left," Gabriel said as he sampled his white chocolate mocha. "Damn this is the good stuff," the angel said and poured some more down.
Green smiled. "I'll drink to that," and the two were quiet for a moment. Green looked about the airport, a small one in the Southeastern part of the country. "I don't think I've ever been here before.. I mean, when I was alive. So... why are we here again?"
Gabriel smiled. "Why, to deliver some health care reform, of course. Gonna make a bona fide liberal socialist out of you today."
Green sighed. "I knew you'd say that."
__
When in India, it had been easier for Green for adjust to the local political economy. It was, after all, a foreign land.. that and the fact that he was dead and even when alive had not been emotionally invested in the choices that Indians had made in respect to how they got health care and how it got delivered to them. Besides, India was relative to the homeland of his mortal life a relatively poor (if not desperately poor) country. The sort of place that horrible injustice and neglect happened on a regular basis.
America, of course, land of the free and the free market, was long since past all that sort of thing.
And now that he was back home, Green found his mortal life's predispositions returning with a flourish.
Gabriel, being omniscient for all practical purposes, was fully aware of the challenge.
Serving strangers was easy philadelphia. Being full of brotherly love for people you knew - especially knew well. Now that was sometimes the hardest grace of all.
This was going to be a hard trial for his apprentice.
__
Despite having the abilities such as flight, running at incredible speeds and teleportion, Gabriel and Ake decided to rent a car.
Gabriel looked at Green expectantly as they stood uncomfortably at the rental booth. While perfectly visible to the staff and the security cameras, as before no one would notice them until it was the right time to do so.
"What?" Green asked, padding his chest and hips. "I seem to have left my wallet in my rotting corpse in Kansas."
"Well, you're one step ahead of me! I've never had a wallet!"
"This was your idea!"
Gabriel tapped the side of his nose. "What would you do when alive, if you were in need?"
Green thought. "Curse. Complain...oh. Pray."
Gabriel shrugged and raised his hands. "Worth a shot, don't you think?"
"okay... um, same mechanics as when mortal?"
Gabriel nodded, and brought his hands up in an iconic prayerful pose.
"Just like that?"
"Or give yourself bunny ears and stick your tongue out, no one cares."
Green shook his head and pressed flat hands together. "Let's just do this by the book, shall we?"
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Green? I have your key ready for you." the car rental clerk asked. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt, sir."
Green dropped his hands suddenly. "Oh, you can see me."
"Yes, and Mr. Walken too, I presume," he said looking at Gabriel.
(Mr. Walken?) Green mouthed at Gabriel, who suppressed a giggle.
Green took the keys. "How about I drive?"
__
"Mr. Walken?" Green repeated as he drove the car toward the town of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Being new to the angelic host, he wasn't quite as quick to tap into the heavenly omniscience but it was not long before he was able to draw the connection. "Going for laughs, are we?"
"Christopher Walken. I love his work."
"If you start demanding more cowbell..."
"The only difference is if someone shakes my hand, they have visions."
"I bet that gag is a real hoot at office parties." Green paused. "OK, here's the exit. Where are we going again - " then, just like that he knew. "Oh, never mind. Damn I gotta get used to this..."
_
Green drove the rental Cadillac off the interstate, then down about eight miles of Spruce Street, turning into an older affluent neighborhood called Michaels Plantation. Given South Carolina's restrictive annexation laws, this was for a long time outside the city limits, where doctors and lawyers and higher managers at one or the other of the local textile or automotive factories could enjoy a bit of a break from property taxes while at the same time enjoying full access to city water, fire and police protection. The city in time had expanded; part of the neighborhood remained conspicuously outside the city's tax coverage - but that part of the development was closer to the artificial lake at its center... where significantly wealthier persons lived.
Green was not driving there just yet. His first stop was a vaguely Frank Lloyd Wright custom-designed home off a cul-de-sac. The house was perhaps 30 years old... conventional in layout, with abundant use of stucco facing, a low-handing peaked roof, small high windows at ceiling height in the common areas, with huge wraparound glass at the corner where Green assumed the main bedroom was located. Earth was packed up to cover about half the front wall of the home. The patio was small and inset, under a trellis covered in now-dormant ivy. A mix of pine needles and oak leaves scattered across the faint-green grass of the front lawn. The tops of very tall Loblolly pine, ubiquitous in this part of the country, rose from the back yard.
"Nice. Not your usual suburban hovel," Green remarked, noticing the driveway was empty. "What kind of car does she drive?"
Gabriel poked Green in the arm. "Open your heart up and find out."
Green did.... and the history of one Michelle Raven came pouring into his heart and soul.
_
"Michelle, great job winning the Chlor account. You really saved our year!" A tall man in stylish spectacles praised.
...
"'Mrs. Raven has provided us exemplary service. We will of course renew our relationship with Stonehill & Partners!'" the same man read aloud to a table of proud, smiling colleagues. Applause followed. Michelle, a tall middle-age woman with blonde and slightly-silvered hair, smiled gratefully.
...
"I've never asked for a raise before, Lin. I need to ask for one now." Michelle asked. She was hiding her distress but the reason for asking was well known to everyone in the office. There was no need to speak of it.
Her boss spoke of it, anyway - and poorly. "Well, I am sorry you couldn't keep your man but I don't see how I have to spend more out of pocket. I'm paying you higher commission than anyone in the office, even myself." he paused and turned around to quickly pull a purple file folder out with Michelle's name on it. "And before you think of running off.." he produced a document and held it up for her. At the top the caption in big bold letters read NON COMPETE AGREEMENT.
An awkward pause ensued. It only ended with Michelle turning her back and hiding the snarl that broke across her face as she fled.
Green's omniscience lingered to watch Lin Stonehill's face make a momentary frown, as if doubting his next impulse to laugh, then starting to chuckle openly.
...
"We need to keep a preferred provider option open, Lin," Michelle was protesting.
"Have you seen the rate increases? Michelle, look at these illustrations!" the tall man was poking aggressively at a desktop screen.
"We can't stay competitive at these prices. Offering it as-is is insulting."
Michelle paused then said. "Waive my commission on it."
Stonehill, the tall man, cocked an eyebrow and nodded. "If they buy it from you? Done." He paused. "I guess you didn't need a raise so badly, after all."
....
"Mrs. Raven," the insurer is stalling on claims for Dale,' a stern telephone voice said. 'He's my best sales agent. I need my workplace plan to deliver or I have to raise salaries to keep staff. Even in this economy I need to work to retain good people. I need some help, here."
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, John," Michelle said. "I think we can work something out with the provider. They aren't in business to lose business."
"Thank you so much. I knew I can count on you."
....
Green watched through many cases like this - Michelle struggling to answer client needs despite increasing resistance from her employer and the vendors, supporting a daughter in college, adjusting her expenses to her newly-divorced status. The stress built up.. .and up... and up.
.....
Michelle waking up in a hospital. A nurse in the room notices and gets the attending physician.
The doctor is known to Michelle, but not closely. He has worked with clients before. He pulls up a stool and explains her situation. "It's not life threatening, but you are going to be with us a while and out of work a good bit longer..."
....
An thin envelope is delivered to the hospital from Stonehill & Partners. Michelle is terminated. During your prolonged absence it has become necessary to re-evaluate the relationship. It has become apparent to myself and the other partners that what we had expected in business results does not merit the compensation that we have provided you. In addition, I see now that in truth I have done most of the work acquiring and maintaining the business you have claimed to be generating for Stonehill & Partners these many years.
At the bottom in a post-script The non-compete agreement will be strictly enforced.
...
Some weeks later, a lawyer from Charlotte is consulted. "If you take this to court I can probably get him to settle for less than you would lose in income over two years. Probably." The lawyer pauses. "It's a damn good contract. Not too good to overcome but it will cost you plenty."
...
"Sandy," Michelle says to her cousin, a realtor. "I have to sell Daddy's house...
__
Green and Gabriel watch a woman emerge from a blue car parked behind their own. She does not notice the pair at all. She wears a blue blazer and a dress that is just a bit too suitable for spring to be worn in December. She produces a yard sign from the trunk and expertly plants it in the front yard. Heeled sandals, Green notices. Foot set on the brace of the sign, balanced in both hands, and squish! Into the ground the sign goes.
"Sandy, I presume," Gabriel states the obvious.
The front door opens and the motion of a waving pale arm attracts the attention of the two heavenly visitors.
"Michelle," Green says. She was thin before. She is a rail now. Absent what little body fat she had before, she appears to have aged 15 years in the five months since this personal disaster began.
"Hi!!!" Sandy loudly calls out, marching quickly to her cousin at the front door.
"Let's follow them in," Gabriel ushers Green along.
__
"That's what's so frustrating, Sandy! I could go to work at Mills & Company right away. As it stands I have to wait out the non-compete," Michelle laments into her tea. She coughs. "Excuse me," this is still with me.
"The same as before?"
Michelle shakes her head. "No, just a bit of a cold."
"What have you heard from your clients?" Sandy asks.
"My former clients, you mean, are calling me to let me know that Lin is working their accounts 'as best he can'." Michelle chuckles grimly. "They won't stay the moment I can work again."
"That will serve that man right!" Sandy goes on other situations, all hearsay, garnered over the course of thirty years in the real estate business. Michelle listens and nods, then looks around in the tall-ceilinged common room. Green and Gabriel look up as well. There are two skylights; the roof and the ceiling are one and the same here. The effect is quite impressive.
"I really hate the idea of having to sell," Michelle says. "This was Daddy's and Uncle Perry's own design."
"I know!" Sandy affirms. Perry and he had designed an even more ambitiously designed house, not two miles away. Unfortunately it had been extensively remodeled by new owners and no longer had the same look and feel. It was essentially a standard early 21st century home now.
"But I have to. I can't pull Cathy from school. And with Stonehill dumping me I have all these doctor and hospital bills to pay. That lawyer saying I could force a settlement... yeah, right. I'm exhausted, emotionally and financially."
The two women sit quietly for some time after that.
Their invisible visitors choose that moment to leave.
_
"What a Merry Christmas," Green grumbled as they drove away. "She was doing her best to help people, her boss was getting rich off her, to the point of breakdown...and they dump her."
Gabriel just listened as Green continued to rant.
"It's not right. She works hard all her life, helping people, her customers, her employer, her family...and she gets sick and she's not only bankrupted but abandoned! And then forbidden to get back on her feet! It's just not fair!"
Gabriel nods. "It's how things work in this country, Green. Free market principles and all that."
Green scoffs. "Free market? She's in demand! And she can't work because of a contract? What's free about that?"
Gabriel looks out the window and the increasingly nice mansions along Michaels Plantation Road. "My these are lovely homes...oh, and look! The Stonehill residence!"
Green blinks. "They're neighbors?"
"They go to the same church, too. Their kids went to the same schools, albeit different ages. I do believe Mrs. Stonehill and Mrs. Raven were sorority sisters, as well."
"And he dumps her so brusquely?"
"Looks like," the angel Gabriel replied.
"We should go in there and..."
Gabriel puts up two calming hands. "No, not this time. Keep driving. We will catch up with Mr. Stonehill later."
"Where?"
"Why, in church of course."
__
Every Christmas eve, Canterbury Presbyterian Church put on a particularly splendid service. The tall sanctuary boasted one of the finest modern stained glass designs in the Southeast, an immense radiant cross pattern. The high-hanging lanterns overhead, the abundant use of wood, coupled with brick gave the church a warm aspect. The abundant blue tones in the carpentry and the glass itself provided a serenity thought appropriate by this congregation. Other churches went for brighter, louder motifs. This was, all told a less passionate crowd than the Baptists down the way.
As with most churches, it was rare for everyone to be in attendance on any given night except this one.
Michelle had been hesitant to return to worship even after her health mostly recovered. The Stonehills had not missed a service in over a decade.
Green and Gabriel stood nearby the ushers, to all eyes that chanced to notice them at all to be quiet men in dark suits behind the main line of greeters. They were not supernaturally unnoticeable this time; just in the shadows of the dark foyer and out of the way.
Green, on impulse, grabbed a stack of church bulletins and stepped up to the greeter line. "I'll take this one," he said before Gabriel could stop him. "Hello, Mr. Stonehill, Merry Christmas!"
Lin Stonehill blinked and then laughed loudly. "Merry Christmas to you... um, are you new to the church?"
"Oh, no, sir! I've been very close to God for some time now!" He smiled at Mrs. Stonehill, a very dignified woman whose most noticeable feature was how perfectly dark and grey-less her hair was despite her (Green divined) age of 53 years.
"Merry Christmas!" She said, breaking the pause in conversation.
"Merry Christmas to you Mrs. Stonehill!" and led them to the sanctuary.
A voice began to speak inside Green's head. What are you doing? Gabriel was asking. Then a pause. Oh, here comes Michelle.
Sit with her, Green replied.
Where are planning to .. oh, no you don't! Gabriel protested.
Sorry? What's that? I've got a really bad cell here, Gabe... Green cut off the angelic equivalent of a telephone call.
Green brought the Stonehills to their accustomed seating in the front and looked back. Full house tonight, he mused. Then noted one spare seat in the pew next to the Stonehills.
"Ah.. the service is about to start I just noticed..." Green nudged his chin at the one remaining seat.
Lin and his wife looked over, then up at the same time, and mouthed "oh's" of recognition.
"By all means... "
"Green. Reverend Green. I'm just visiting but I've always enjoyed this service."
"You're a reverend?" Mrs. Stonehill asked.
"Retired," Green answered, studying one of the church bulletins he carried with conspicuous interest.
"So you've been to Canterbury before?" Mr. Stonehill asked.
Green looked up, smiling and showing his teeth in a way that made Lin Stonehill flinch. "I just know tonight's going to be a very special Christmas Eve service."
Then the music began.
__
Elsewhere, Gabriel found his omniscience to be out of order for once. This was not a comforting feeling for a supernatural being to have. He looked up plaintively at the cross in front of the sanctuary...and got the heavenly equivalent of "All lines are busy, please hold until the next aspect of the Almighty can respond to your call."
"You got to be kidding me," Gabriel muttered aloud.
"Excuse me?" A tall blond and silver-haired woman said from a few feet away. It was Michelle Raven.
"Ah, sorry," Gabriel patted his pocket where a non-existent mobile phone was. "People call at the rudest of times. Phone's off now..."
Michelle nodded. "You seem lost. Come sit with me?"
Gabriel flushed. "Oh, um.. sure." He paused then added. "Was it that obvious?"
"Like you didn't know which end of a church was the front and back."
"To be honest I'm usually not inside them..." Gabriel whispered as he walked with Michelle to sit in the Christmas Eve service.
__
A sampling of the usual canon of songs was performed, sometimes by the choir, sometimes by solo, sometimes by the entire congregation. Green's mortal tastes had run to more strident carols such as "Onward, Christian Soldiers" or "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing". Now that, in a sense, he was a herald angel, he found "Silent Night" and "What Child is This" more his speed in his post-living years.
He also took some pride in noticing that death had done wonders for his singing voice. It was only with some difficulty that he reined in the volume, though he did show off a bit alternating between soprano and bass parts on one song. The Stonehills kept looking over at him. He blanched and settled down to sticking to the main melody like everyone else in the congregation after that.
Then the sermon began. As fitting the occasion, it was short and close to the topic at hand - the commemoration of the birth of Jesus (though, pesky omniscience said the calendar date was all wrong though this was something as a reverend that Green had known all his mortal life as well). Omniscience also tossed in the full encyclopedia about co-opting pagan Germanic, Roman and other traditions ad nauseam. It was enough to make a post-living recovering fundamentalist's head hurt.
The sermon was perfectly orthodox and safe and there wasn't a lot of spiritual leverage to work with there. The Stonehills were perfectly content with the normality of their evening.
A sudden awareness of who else was in the sanctuary filled Green's mind.
He looked at the next item on the bulletin - calls for prayer.
He read the fine print in parentheses: Calls from congregation welcome.
"Oh, boy, this is gonna be good," Green said quietly.
The Stonehills, the charm of "Reverend Green" wearing thin to them, made a point to ignore the strange man to their right.
__
Elsewhere in the sanctuary, sitting beside Michelle Raven, Gabriel was alerted in the same way.
In a tone of amazement he had not used in all the years since he and Michael had witnessed Peter take a phone call from God Himself in his office, Gabriel went "Ohhhhhhh!"
Michelle looked over at him querulously. He grinned sheepishly. She looked away and smiled.
___
In the past, it had not been the custom of this particular church to take calls for prayer from the congregation, but these were hipper times and to reach the youth and the active Christian of the day, this conservative Presbyterian congregation had accommodated contemporary practices in this respect. While a bit out of place to Green's thinking, two microphones were set up at the front of the congregation, about a third of the way from the center aisle before the front pews. Two lines formed up on both sides.
A murmur ran through the seated congregation, not entirely approving. The Christmas Eve service already began late and ran late. This was going to keep the kids up a bit longer than they needed to be up, some were saying, rather too loudly. Regardless, the lines grew.
The Spirit must be moving people to speak tonight, Green smiled.
First came calls on behalf of family members who were needful of jobs, of protection in the various war zones, of comfort following the loss of loved ones, for intercession for many reasons. Some were, for this congregation, astonishingly heartfelt and frank. Green had never attended such a service where alcoholism, drug abuse, calls for relief from domestic violence, marital fidelity... even counsel on how to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.
Perhaps people weren't too interested to listen closely to prayer calls when the lines were being formed, but by golly they were hanging on every single word now.
Green glanced over at the Stonehills. Then peered around at the congregation behind him. Everyone was paying attention. What's more - more people were lining up to speak.
__
"All these people.. I've never seen anything like this!" Michelle wondered.
Gabriel took a deep breath. "I have..but it's been a very long time."
He knew what was coming next; all of these open hearts were but stage-setting for the night's real purpose.
__
An older man, distinguished, very handsome, but with a pronounced limp, moved to the microphone on the right side of the sanctuary, the one nearest where the Stonehills were sitting.
"That's Dale Merritt!" Lin Stonehill said, surprised.
"Who?" his wife asked?
"He works for John Schill, one of our clients! What's he doing here?"
Green smiled and spoke up. "Yes... what brings this person to our church?"
Stonehill stared at him. Green smiled back.
__
Dale's prayer: "A year ago, I prayed for helped getting a health insurance claim expedited. That prayer was answered in the form of help from a woman who has since left the industry. Since then, my insurance has been canceled. I'm praying once again for help."
"Lord hear our prayer," went the congregation.
"Companies do that all the time," Stonehill muttered. "We tried to help him find another policy but they all rejected him for pre-existing conditions."
"'We' tried?" Green asked.
"I wasn't talking to you!" Stonehill snapped... then his jaw dropped as the next person stepped up.
"That's John Schill! His boss!" he said loudly enough for John Schill to hear him. Schill did not acknowledge the outburst at all.
Green shrugged. "Mr. Stonehill, I think someone's talking to you."
__
"Dale...John..." Michelle's eyes went down the right line, widening as they went. "Oh my God...I know these people."
She started to shudder and weep.
"I know them all!"
Gabriel fought back a tear himself. "I think you have it backward.
They know you."
_
Prayer and prayer they came. One after another. Michelle's former clients, Lin Stonehill's current ones. They all had some story. None accused Mr. Stonehill. None called for Michelle Raven's reinstatement.
None looked at Michelle. None, not even when Lin Stonehill could not help but exclaim surprise, noticed him at all.
___
Other than Green, only one other person noticed Mr. Stonehill's increasing distress.
Mrs. Stonehill.
"They're all Michelle's clients!" she whispered loudly. "What kind of game is this?" She wheeled around. "Oh my God! There she is! She hasn't been in church in months and now this stunt?"
"It's no stunt, Mrs. Stonehill," Green said.
"Oh! You are behind this aren't you!"
Green shook his head. "I am but a servant O the Lord," he said quietly.
"I have to say she seems to have done your business proud, Mr. Stonehill."
Stonehill was breathing heavily. Sweat was beading on his brow. "Careful now, sir. That sort of stress about work can....I dunno.. put you in a hospital for weeks."
"OK! Who the hell are you? What the hell is going on?" He cried out, grabbing Green's collar.
"Shhhh..." Green said, and a calm feel over Stonehill and he released Green's suit. "I'm trying to listen to the service..."
__
More of Michelle's former customers came .. and then there were no more.
"Oh, thank God that is over!" Mrs. Stonehill said. "I want to go now, Lin."
Green leaned over to look directly at her. He held up a finger. "Not just yet. Just one more." Then looked at the calm but shaken Mr. Stonehill. "Maybe."
_
"My name is Darla Raines. I am 10 years old. My father worked for 17 years for the Chlor Company. He was a site engineer. Last year he developed cancer of the pan.. pan-cree-us," she said it by syllables. "When he had a broken leg from a site accident years ago the health insurance paid for it no problem. But once he got the cancer he was dropped because of his broken leg from before.
I know I cannot pray to see my daddy again until I go to heaven. I am praying for help for my mommy. We are not asking for anything but help getting out from under this bills. What is doubly bad is my daddy had life insurance with the same people but they are being slow paying this because they say his coverage was not in force when he died because he had resigned the week before to spend his final days with us and that the.. some kind of snake name..."
"COBRA", Lin Stonehill said out loud. This time he was heard.
"Yes. The COBRA did not apply." the girl looked right at Mr. Stonehill. "Sir, I know you did your best to help us."
Lin's voice shook. "Yes.. yes I did, Darla. I tried best as I could."
"But I'm here to pray you get some better help because I know all these people in front of me will be better off once you do."
Mr. and Mrs. Stonehill were both crying now. Openly.
They both turned around to face diagonally across the sanctuary to Michelle Raven, whose eyes were pouring as well.
Michelle stood up. All eyes turned to her.
"Please let me help them, Lin." she pleaded.
Lin Stonehill stood up, and slowly walked to stand beside Darla Raines. He looked down at her. Then leaned down to look at her eye to eye.
"Would it be okay if I jumped in and said a little prayer too?" he asked.
Darla Raines mulled in over for a moment, then nodded her head.
__
Green and Gabriel sat in the Cadillac and watched the realtor, Michelle's cousin Sandy, remove the FOR SALE sign from the front yard of the house that Michelle's father had designed and built with the aid of his brother.
Sandy set the sign in the trunk of her car, and stood, looking down the street.
"What's she doing?"
"Waiting."
A few minutes later several cars arrived. Relatives. Michelle's relatives. All of them. And friends. Many friends. Soon the street filled with company.
Gabriel smiled. "This is nice."
"Oh, it gets better."
One last car arrived, parked far down the street. The occupants got out, a now familiar couple. The Stonehills, one carrying a ham, the other a turkey.
As they walked past, Green and Gabriel both noticed that Mr. Underhill had a manila envelope tucked under his right arm.
They watched the couple approach the door. Michelle answered. There was some initial awkwardness, then the ham and turkey were spirited away by helpful others. Cheryl Stonehill followed them in.
A few moments later Lin gave Michelle the envelope. She did not even open to see its contents. She smiled, paused for a moment, then gave Lin a quick hug, ushered him inside and closed the door.
"Merry Christmas..." Green smiled.