Molly’s baby boy had grown; he now toddled along side of Jannie and Azrael.  The love bond he had with his mother was glowing and intact.  Another love bond dragged behind him, tattered and torn, it belonged to his father, who remained in the earth plane.  The little boy longed to heal the damage, to release forgiveness and move forward, but the weight of the damage bond dragged behind him, anchoring him down when he yearned to fly. The burden grew tiresome and the little one straggled, Azrael sensing his need, stopped and placed the boy on his shoulders between his great wing span.  The child gratefully wrapped his hands around the massive head of the angel and kicked his chubby legs in delight relieved temporarily of his encumbrance. Jannie smiled up at the child, who giggling with delight now barely noticing the ever present tug of the damaged bond.

            The child never questioned his charges; his trust was total and innocent.  He knew these beings loved and cared for him from the moment of his arrival.  He sensed his mother’s need for healing and had willingly gone with Azrael to the Great Meadow. He had spent much of his time with Jannie and the other children there and in the Land of Animals and sometimes with the Teaching Angels.

Now it was time to move forward, his senses heightened, something new and exciting was happening. He bounced up and down on the great shoulders and clapped his hands in delight.

            Azrael cocked his head to one side and looked up at the child, “You are enjoying this? Not everyone gets the pleasure of riding on an angel,” he laughed good naturedly.

            Jannie swung Azrael’s arm back and forth as they made their way, singing one of the songs the Angel of Music had taught her.  The child hummed along instinctively. 

As they approached the limestone building she could feel the sudden change in vibration. She slowed their pace and became silent. A low hum permeated the air and stillness prevailed.  The child sensed it too and quieted. They stood at the entrance of the portico and waited.  The echo of soft footsteps could be heard, and a distant glow became brighter as it drew closer. 

            The Cloaked One materialized out of the glow in her sepia gown, unhooded her purple eyes glimmered in her translucent face.  She was the embodiment of healing, radiating kindness and peace. Beside her stood Molly, still absorbing the Cloaked One’s restorative vibration, covered in a pink aura. 

            The child upon seeing his mother squealed with delight; shattering the silence.  He kicked wildly up top the angel’s shoulders,  who quickly lowered him to the ground. The child toddled towards his mother’s open arms. “Come, my little Jacob! Come to Mommy,” Molly encouraged. She nestled the child in her arms, the bond of mother and child reunited.

            “Come, we will take you to the one who heals mothers and sons,” Jannie said after a time. The Cloaked One had retreated, only a warm mist of pink remained where she had stood. Molly cuddled Jacob close to her and the little group resumed their travels to the Village of Healing.

            No longer was Azrael barred from certain realms of the afterlife. His transformation into love had opened new levels for him. He was welcome everywhere, but he remained unsure of himself. 

A long as it takes for star to be born they found themselves in front of the gates of the Village of Healing. Azrael stopped short, seemingly remembering himself.

            “Azrael, come, I want you to meet Mary, mother of the Master and all of God’s children. Come, you are welcome now,” Jannie coaxed and she led the way along the ancient dusty streets. 

            The children looked up from their play and ran to welcome the newcomers, some remembering Jannie from her earlier stay.

            “Oh, you’re back! And you have brought us a baby to play with!” A small girl gushed as she ran into Jannie’s arms. The rest of the children encircled the little group inspecting Molly, Jacob and Azrael.

            “What kind of angel are you? You don’t look like any kind that I remember,” another girl stated stroking the feathers of Azrael’s wings. Azrael was unaccustomed to such attention.

            “I am,” he stammered remembering himself, “I am an Angel of Love.  Surely you remember the angels who sent you to the earth plane?”

            The little girl laughed, “Yes, I remember them, but you are different. You were something else before. I can tell. I can see it in your eyes.”

            “What matters is who were are now, not who were use to be. Remember what I taught you?” Jannie said to the girl coming to Azrael’s defense.  She didn’t want to cause an uproar if the children recognized him from his previous incarnation, they were still very fragile.

            The air electrified as Mary emerged in her flowing sapphire robe.  She smiled serenely at each one in turn and extended her hand to Molly. “We are so pleased you have brought your son with you.  You will stay with us?” It was more of a statement than a question, but no soul was ever forced into doing something they were not ready to do.  Molly shook her head in compliance, awe struck by the beauty of this being.

            “Good, then, the Master will be here presently to initiate you into our village.  Do not worry, my dear, it is a pleasant experience.”  She gestured to two others in a lighter shade of blue and they escorted Molly and Jacob to the well.

            Mary turned her attention to Jannie and Azrael. “Ah, Jannie it is wonderful to see you again.  You have done beautiful work.  Those little ones were able to release and move forward without a lay over here,” she waved her arm over the village.  “You are a special healer.  I hope you continue your work.”

            Jannie bowed her head, “Thank you.  It was my honor to care for those tender souls.  I will do whatever is asked of me.”

            Mary embraced her and her energy rushed through Jannie lifting her vibration.  She then turned her sites on Azrael, “And you,” she began with a laugh, “You have found love. It is about time Azrael! One can only embrace death for so long.  I am happy to see you as you are now.”

            Azrael knelt in her presence, “I am grateful,” he spoke softly. To be in her presence was awe inspiring.  He felt as he had eons ago when he first was in the presence of the Master. That was time out of mind, but the memory was still a powerful one. Mary raised her hands above their heads and blessed them both and without another word turned and left.

            Azrael wrapped his arms around Jannie and his great wings drew them upward into the muted sky.  Azrael traced the beauty of her soul and thanked God for her very existence. Azrael knew God was everywhere, in the very fiber of creation,  that Azrael’s very existence was truly in the mind of God.  It was here he had found himself stretching and growing and becoming more, fulfilling his destiny. His destiny, he knew now was not to be interwoven with death but with Jannie. She was his destiny. They were but one thought in the mind of God. They were His ultimate expression of love.

Jannie brought Becca’s child to the transition room.  It was circular with pink quartz walls. In the center was a cool crystal slab.  Many Angels of Love worked tirelessly sending souls back into the earth realm, into the forming baby’s in womb.

            Azrael was new to this work, is was completely opposite what he had been doing from the beginning of time.  He observed the other Angels in their meticulous work.  The soul was asked to lie still, then the Angel would bring the special water that would shrink their soul into a small glowing orb, small enough to fit snugly inside the growing embryo of a child in womb. Once the water was taken, the veil of forgetfulness would fall and the soul would lie in limbo until the body of the baby was ready to be born. 

            The Angels explained this to each and every soul that came to them.  Becca’s daughter lay quite still watching Azrael as he pour the sacred water into a fluted chalice.  “This will allow you to enter the body of the baby and connect.  Once you drink this all thoughts of your heavenly home in God’s country will disappear. You will become enmeshed in the physical world of humans.  Do you understand this?”

            The dark haired little girl shook her head yes, “I want to go to my Mommy.  She has been calling to me,” the little girl explained.

            “Your Mommy is very special; she will be very good to you.  Your father too. You have chosen well,” Azrael stated knowing the souls were allowed to pick their prospective parents. He felt privileged to be sending this child to Becca.  They had an interesting relationship at best, and now he was sending her the gift of a soul, as was his mission now.  He had taken many away and now he was giving back, he had come full circle in his work. His heart felt lighter, freer than it had when he was the Angel of Death.  He also was able to spend long periods with Jannie as there were many Angels of Love.  It was an awesome responsibility, but not his alone. 

            Love had changed him, not just by his coloring of vast hues of purples, but it had changed the anatomy of his heart.  It had suffered and grown and had come out of the other side of the afterlife.

            He handed the little girl the chalice, she smiled, “Good bye sweet Angel, until we meet again!” She drank the sweet drops of forgetfulness and a sacred sleep descending upon her.  He watched as her etheric body went from the dark hair little girl into a golden orb of pulsating light.

            Azrael tenderly picked up the orb and placed it inside a transparent container.  He held it close to his heart and descended to the land of humans.

            Becca was asleep with her arms embracing Ian.  In her dream she heard a hauntingly familiar song; its melody wrapped itself around her in shades of blues and greens.  She followed the sound along the edges of a lily pond.  The cattails rustled as she passed releasing the notes of the melody in spurts of purples and pinks.  The colors followed her as she came to a giant weeping willow.  Its branches draped down onto the surface of the water. She heard laughter as she looked up and saw the dark haired little girl in the lavender dress on the swing. Her head was thrown back as she wildly kicked her feet up into the muted sky. Suddenly their eyes met, mother and daughter ignite their bond as the lullaby encircled them. The whirlwind of color and vibration swirled around them embracing them.

Azrael stood next to the bed looking at the couple with affection. Their love manifested a pink aura around them, their hearts had become one. He would now expand their love to three.

            Silently Azrael held the golden orb soul of their baby and tenderly placed inside Becca.  She roused from the sensation, and sleepily repositioned herself. She opened her eyes and caught sight of Azrael.

            “Azrael, you’ve changed!” she whispered, not wanting to disturb Ian. She admired his lavender and violet plumes.  “Why are you here?” she asked.

            He nodded to her womb, she looked down and saw a soft glow of light inside her, “You’re not taking the baby from me, are you?” suddenly she was wide awake.

            “No, no. I have brought her here to you.  She is now yours, and his,” he said gesturing to the still sleeping Ian. “I no longer take souls over to God’s country, now I bring them here.”

            “Wow, really? Oh I think I like you a lot better now!”Becca smiled and rubbed her belly with affection.

            Azrael smiled back, he placed his hand on her forehead and said a blessing.  “Becca, my friend, life is hard, always. But you have something that will give you the strength to get through all of it,” he said.

            “And what is that, Azrael?” Becca was intrigued.

            “You have love.” Azrael disappeared in a cloud of pink haze as Becca curled up next to Ian. 

He roused a little, “Are you okay?” his voice thick with sleep.

            “I love you, Ian. You are my world,” Becca whispered into his ear.

            Ian smiled and pulled her closer as he replied, “As you are mine.”