Avalyn's POV

I quickly rush to the golden doors, but they swing open, stopping me in my tracks. 

Michael smirks when he sees me. 

"I didn't expect you to be the praying type," Michael muses. 

"I mean, we are angels, don't you pray," I counter, making his eyes narrow at the mention of him praying.

"They don't listen, and I have better things to do than waste my time praying to Gods that act as if they have no ears." Michael sneers.

"Oh yee of little faith," I tease, causing Michael to look at me with such distaste. "Just because you don't get a response doesn't mean they aren't listening." 

With those words, I quickly walk around Michael and out of the room. 

"My love," I turn my head quickly and see a stressed Raphael, though as his eyes meet mine, the stress seems to melt away. A smile takes over his face, and his eyes light up. "I have been looking for you."

"She was with me," My eyes widen at Michael's voice, and I see Raphael's smile vanish, and the stressed look returns. He glares harshly at Michael. 

"I was in the Goddess's worship room; I ran into Michael as I was leaving," I say, needing Raphael to believe me. My heart hurt at the thought of Raphael thinking something was going on between Michael and me. 

Michael chuckles, "Yes, we ran into each other," He starts to walk away as he looks back at me. "I hope to run into you again soon, Avalyn."

I look at Raphael as he stares daggers into Michael's retreating back. "Raphael, I promise I ran into him while leaving."

At my words, Raphael's head snaps towards me. I see a shred of doubt, but it quickly vanishes as he smiles at me, "I know."

I breathe a sigh of relief at his words, smiling at him. "Thank you," Raphael nods. 

"I didn't think you liked the Gods," Raphael teases as he slips his hand into mine as we walk down the hallway.

I look at him curiously, "What made you think that?"

"Well, my darling Poppy always said the Gods could kiss her ass, if I remember correctly," I chuckle at his words as my former life comes up. 

"Well, you aren't the same either," I point out, and it is now his turn to give me a confused look. "You are more loving," My comment makes his smile widen, "and your ass is bigger," I add as I glance at his ass.

A hearty laugh escapes him before he winks at me. "So you have been checking me out?" 

I pretend to be embarrassed as I hide my cheeks as if I were blushing, "Oh, I would never lust, my dear archangel; it's a sin."

Raphael laughs as he stops in the middle of the hall in front of the exit; he pulls me close and leans down to my ear. "I would sin for you in a heartbeat, my dear."

I bite my lip as I look up into his eyes. For a moment, I see Decker. "Ah, there is the tense Decker I remember," I whisper. He smiles down at me.

"Our little pieces of Earth make us the angels we are." 

"I think my favorite part of living another life is falling for you all over again."

My words cause a grin to take over Raphael's face. "My favorite is witnessing the same quirks you take with you to each life. I love how witty but sweet you are, even when you try to hide it."

"Look at us falling in love all over again," I joke, and Raphael looks at me in awe.

He chuckles. "That is the closest I'll get to you saying you love me for now, isn't it?" 

I don't say anything, but a shy smile takes hold of my face.  I take a step back to the exit, "I got to go. I have souls to deliver," I say with a breathless giggle. 

Raphael gives me a small smirk. "I will see you soon, my love."

I turn and quickly walk out the door; I breathe the fresh air letting it take away the sexual tension that had accumulated. 

I'm not quite ready to give myself fully to Raphael. I was still waiting on Decker while also trying to wrap my head around the fact that he is Decker. I could tell he was sincere, and I saw the mannerisms that Decker had in him as well.

I move through the other angels heading towards their designated jobs. 

"Avalyn! Avalyn!" I turn my head at the voice and see an angel running towards me with a huge smile on her face: long curly black hair, piercing green eyes, and pale skin. If I were still on earth, I'd sworn she was a vampire. 

"Hi, It's so nice to meet you finally! I am a delivery angel like you are! It is so exciting to meet another delivery angel finally; I'm telling you the others are so professional," The girl, whose name I still don't know, scrunched her face as she says the word professional. "Don't get me wrong, I take my job seriously but not like that; I mean, come on, we should enjoy essentially delivering life. Don't you think?"

As the girl finally takes a breath, my eyebrows are steadily finding their way back down. "Uh, So what is your name again?" I say, and the girl blushes.

"Oh, did I forget to say? My bad, you know I think you are the first person to ask me my name, oh there I go getting off track again. My name is Jessie," She smiles, showing me big pearly whites. 

"Nice to met you, Jessie," I say, trying to be nice. 

"The other Delivery Angels are Betsy, Meril, Magna, and Percie. Of course, If you are anything like me, you will not remember any of their names; all of them are really nice gals, though. Of course, other than the overly professional thing. "

So Jessie is a talker, I suspect. 

"I am also on my way to delivery souls we could tots deliver them together! I think some of mine are at the same hospital you are going to!" Jessie states excitedly, "Oh, and I could introduce you to the other girls too if we run into them!" Jessie looks at me like a kid on Christmas. 

I really didn't want to go with her, but I guess I needed to try and make friends in my supposed job description. Even though I am not much of a social butterfly. 

"Uh, yeah, sure," Is my pathetic reply. 

"Great! I am so excited," Jessie wraps her arm around mine and skips towards the gates. "Oh, look, there is Percie! Percie, Percie, come meet the new Delivery angel!"

Oh my, this girl is draining me.

I see a blonde lookup, and immediate disgust fills her face. She pushes a piece of her short blonde hair behind her eyes. Blue eyes sneer at Jessie before she looks at me. She gives me a fake smile as we approach her. "Hi, I am Percie, head delivery angel."

"I'm-"

"Avalyn, yeah, I already know, and don't think just because a certain archangel likes you mean you will get special treatment," Betsy speaks to me as if I am a child and it instantly burns me up. 

"Don't think just because I'm an angel I won't throat punch you," I hear Jessie gasp, and Betsy's eyes widen. 

"How dare you-"

"Anywho, I have souls to deliver," I say curtly and quickly walk past her; Jessie follows closely behind me. 

"That-that was awesome!" Jessie exclaims as she skips alongside me. 

So there goes me liking my supposed boss, I guess. 

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I know it's been forever, but life has not been very kind. 

We lost a family member to covid in December.

I also lost my mamaw in February as well.  she had cancer; she had a stroke last year, and then another one in February, which left her in a coma-like state; her organs were shutting down. 

I also suffered from postpartum depression; I was diagnosed in February. 

I am so sorry, I know I have failed you, I never expected to be gone for so long, but postpartum depression really hit me hard. I was never suicidal, but I understood why new moms could get there. There were definitely times where i just wanted to run away. I felt crazy and lost. 

But I am getting better, I've been on medicine, and I'm starting to feel better, and I am working on regularly updating again. 

Thank you to everyone who has been patient. I hope to write for you all again soon!

love

Destiny