“You may have tried your best to hide from me your affair with my twin sister but truth eventually leaks out.” Celia began to accuse Michael. “I was married to you by then and my sister was officially married to Raphael. That was when my first daughter was still born and I went to pay a visit to my parents. There I heard my parents sorrow in the night, after they thought I was asleep. Their main cause of sorrow was my sister’s pitiful state. I never asked her about it later for fear of her pride shattering but truth is that she was nothing more than a servant in the house of Raphael. The mating failed because of lack of power.
“I had convinced one of our household’s faithful servants to tell me the truth as to what had truly happened to Ariella. I found out how you had abandoned her and returned her powers when she was ripe with your child.”
“That is a lie,” Michael protested. “She never informed me of any child or else I wouldn’t have left her. She said she wanted freedom and Raphael.” so saying Michael’s head bowed in defeat and he looked away.
“But truth is that she had a child of you, a child born without wings and without any mark. All assumed that his lack of power was a sign of God’s punishment for Ariella’s transgressions for then she was betrothed to Raphael and you to me and she broke the sanctity of the promise that betrothal is.”
“I thought she was you but when I realized my mistake I wished to do right by her.” Michael begged.
“Then why did you leave her?”
“She asked of me, in return of her truthfulness to me, to release her from the mating. It was upon my honour to do so.” Michael defended.
“Ariella was told that her child was still born and Raphael made arrangements for the child to be dispatched to a realm where his lack of power and wings would not discriminate him among others. He was sent to earth. He lived at an orphanage till the age of three. That is where I found him.”
“I would have brought him here. I saw his lack of wings as further proof that he was your son for you can call back your wings at will and often tend to do without them. I saw his powers too. He had powers that Raphael and my foolish parents never saw. He made rainbows out of sunlight, played with reflections and sometimes lit up his room with his life light. He wasn’t normal and he didn’t fit in on Earth. But he was not my son. If I took him away from where his guardians placed him it would be stealing. I found a home with the means to provide his needs and I became his Godmother. On his eighteenth birthday I asked whether he wished to be a messenger of God or a servant of God. He chose to be a servant of God. I asked him whether he wished for power or responsibility. He chose responsibility. I asked him whether he chose to be supernatural or human. He chose to be Human Michael. And He is your son.”
Michael looked at Ray with tears in his eyes. “I am sorry son.” He whispered looking down. Ray realized that he wasn’t a freak at all and he realized how he could manifest Cassie’s gift. The difference between Cassie and him had just been removed. Cassie couldn’t refuse the son of Michael. But then again, he had chosen to be human. Could Cassie live with that? Just then his son giggled and Ray looked down to remember what he was there for.
“Celia, this is my son.” He smiled bringing the child closer to his God Grandmother. Celia was both surprised and delighted to see her grandson. She picked him up in her arms and coddled him. By the time she remembered Ray again they were inside the court. Michael came up beside Ray and placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Well done son.” He said and embraced him. Father and son both broke down into sobs. That was when the little girl on the swing spoke out, “Why is everyone crying?”
Michaela was the only living daughter of Michael. Ray was introduced to his sister who complained a lot about not having met her elder brother sooner.
When they sat down for supper Celia finally asked. “What and who brought you to heaven Ray? You have the power to travel home at will but still you need a reason to come. I understand that finding your father was not the only reason you are here for. And also what made you bring your infant son along?”
“I came here to take my son. Cassie, the girl I told you about, is an Angel of Sixth heaven.” He said in a way as if to finally break the bubble. Celia was surprised but pleased. “I knew about Cassie. So you married beneath you just as my sister. I helped her recover after Samael refused her and almost killed her. Ariella promised me she would arrange for her refuge but I shouldn’t have trusted her.” She remarked.
“Ariella sent me here. She visited me to tell me about my son.” Ray explained. He described her visit and her remorse.
“I still do not understand why her mating was unsuccessful. Her purity was redeemed.” Celia exclaimed after her sister’s plight.
“It was because she was with child when I returned her powers.” Michael explained. “You cannot return a woman’s virginity when she is with child. God is the only one who may make way for virgin birth and no one else. The power I returned got transmitted to the child instead, to you son”
“Can there be nothing done for Ariella? She has suffered enough for her mistakes. She still thinks that God denied her the gift of mother hood for her sins.” Ray asked Michael.
Michael looked at Celia. It was her that spoke out. “This was destined Michael. Ariella was chosen for Raphael for her gift of redemption and healing. Perhaps that gift was never meant for him. Ray was destined to be born of the union of the house of Michael and the house of Raphael and more powerful than both. Talk to Raphael and see whether he releases her from his bond. I would love to have my sister back and it would be nice to see you smile more often since now you know of your heir.”
“You could have told me earlier. I hid the incident from you to protect you and the guilt had been eating into me.” Michael said.
“I was jealous. I was jealous of the woman who bore you a son while I couldn’t.” Celia confessed.
“It never mattered to me Celia. Only you mattered to me.” Michael said earnestly.
Celia took off her ring and gave it to Ray. “Give this to Ariella when you return. She bore the house of Michael its heir. It belongs to her.”
Ray accepted the ring and then Michael gave him another ring of the same sort. “This is for your wife son.”
“I have lost her father. I shall never see her again, especially not where I am going.” Ray said dejectedly.
“She has to come to you to claim back her powers. Give it to her then. It is her right. There is no shame in losing the battle of love son. I admit there is pain but in all pain remember that the love of the Father is always with you and He will see you through all hurt. He laughs with you, He cries with you and when you pray to Him He talks to you. Keep your heart open for His words and His light will always keep you content.”
“Amen” replied Ray. “Ariella is waiting for me.” He told his family. Celia nodded and readied to send him back home. Once he was gone Michael hugged his wife who had cared for his love-child for all these years.