This chapter is PG.
The next day, Davy, Micky and Elizabeth were at the pad watching television. Peter and Darlene were playing checkers nearby, with Mr. Schneider officiating. Mike quietly came down the hurricane steps from the upstairs bedroom and into the kitchen.
"Well, look who's up." Micky smiled, "Good morning Mike, or should I say afternoon?"
Everyone else wished Mike a good morning too.
"Morning." Mike said, getting himself some coffee. He then joined the others on the couch. Mike was looking like himself again, though his recent trauma through could still be seen a little around his eyes.
"What's on the tube?" He asked.
"A lot of bad movies." Davy said, "Like this one here. It's supposed to be one of those kung-fu movies. The hero is tied up and hanging upside-down and he still manages to untie himself and defeat the bad guys."
"Who writes this stuff?" Micky said, shaking his head.
"Sadly, there's not one Christmas movie scheduled." Elizabeth added.
Mike looked at the clock. "Let's put the news on."
"Where's the remote?" Micky asked, looking around.
"Here, Micky." Elizabeth said, making the remote appear in her hand.
"Thanks, hun." Micky said, taking the remote from her, "We never have to worry about losing things when you're around."
"Thanks." The angel said dryly.
Micky changed the channel to the news. The meteorologist was just done with the weather when he announcer came back on.
"In a bizarre story, workers at the Malibu Library a few days ago, while investigating an odd smell, discovered a secret basement room holding the decomposing body of a young woman." She said, "The body has tentatively been identified as Jynger Ritz, former owner of Ritzy Records, who died from a fall from her office window several months ago. It was thought Ms. Ritz had been buried in her family crypt." The TV scene changed to the outside of the library where medical examiner workers were wheeling out a body bag and loading it into a van. The announcer went on.
"Jynger Ritz's sisters Synthea Longaberger and Alice Robertson are not available for comment. It has been reported that Ms. Longaberger has been committed to the Broken Branch Insane Asylum in Tijuana Mexico while her sister Alice is in General Hospital for an undisclosed illness. Police are not saying whether these incidents are related."
The Monkees and Darlene looked at each other and then at Elizabeth. The angel simply continued to look at the TV, seeming neither pleased nor displeased at the news. Mike's jaw tightened a little and then relaxed after a few seconds. Another announcer began the next story.
"In other news, fugitive Keith Locksley was apprehended recently handcuffed to a police car at the LAPD 12th precinct. Mister Locksley had been wanted on several drug charges stemming from illegal operations at his Potion Club."
"So that's it for him then, right?" Davy asked Elizabeth hopefully.
"For now." The angel replied, "I'm sure his lawyers will have him out on bail soon."
"I forgot to ask, hun." Micky said, "What did you do with Keith's magic staff?"
"It's at the bottom of the Marianas Trench, about three miles below the ocean's surface." She replied, "There the intense pressures of the deep will crush and destroy that evil thing."
The first announcer began to read another story.
"In entertainment news, best-selling author Julia Fittsimmons has postponed the release of the latest in her `dirty little secrets' series. Her spokesman says she has retreated to her Louisiana mansion due to an undisclosed illness."
Without a word, Mike got up and went out the back door toward the beach.
"What's the matter, Mike?" Peter called out, but Mike was gone.
Mike quickly walked down the steps toward the beach only to find Elizabeth waiting for him at the bottom.
"I thought you were watching TV with the others." Mike said, coming to a stop.
"I am." The angel smiled.
Mike looked back up at the pad, then at Elizabeth. Deciding it wasn't worth figuring out, Mike continued down the steps and past the angel. She followed a few steps behind.
"You want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked.
"What's to talk about?" Mike replied, "You know already."
"Yes, and I can feel the pain inside you, your hurt about your child." The angel said.
Mike stopped and looked at Elizabeth. "Do the others know about me and Julia? About what happened?"
"They suspect." Elizabeth replied, nodding her head. "Julia calling you Papa Nez doesn't leave much room for interpretation."
Mike hung his head and Elizabeth put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't say a word, Mike. The time will come though, when they will have to know and you'll have to tell them."
"What will they think of me?" Mike asked after a long silence.
"Since they suspect already, they may be a little disappointed, but they...and I...will be there for you." She replied, "Remember what our Lord once said, `He who is without sin may cast the first stone'".
"I will tell you this, Elizabeth." Mike said, "I want to look for Julia. I can't, I will not let my child be raised up to do evil."
"You realize the danger you'll be putting yourself into?" The angel asked calmly. "She will try to lead you away from the Lord."
"I know." Mike said, looking out at the ocean, then back at Elizabeth, "Will you help me?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, Mike. I will do all I can for you...but what about you feelings for Margaret?"
Mike let out a long sigh. "I really...care for her too." He said, "And she told me she liked me. Does the fact that we both have holy ancestors mean we're supposed to be together?"
"Not necessarily." The angel replied, "Though your children would be stout defenders of the faith. Many saints had parents who were of holy ancestry, like Saint Francis and Saint Anthony." She put her hands on Mike's shoulders again. "Margaret is going to be at St. Michael's for awhile. She has to grow in the Lord and find her own path. Perhaps the Lord will lead her in a totally different direction, but right now she just needs our prayers."
"So I should wait and see what she wants to do?" Mike asked.
"Yes, and while you wait, try to resolve things with Julia." Elizabeth replied, "Just remember, you may not be able to convert her."
"But like you said, I have that extra ability to fight evil, Elizabeth." Mike smiled.
"That I did, Mike." Elizabeth replied, "Let's go back to the pad."
Mike nodded and the two of them returned home.
++++
The next night was Christmas Eve. The Monkees, Elizabeth and Margaret met at the pad to exchange Christmas gifts before attending Midnight mass.
Instead of the angel giving them individual presents, the Monkees had asked Elizabeth to change the wooden Indian statue at the pad into one of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Elizabeth gladly agreed. Once she had entered the pad, she touched the Indian statue and it changed into a beautiful painted wood statue of Jesus with his Sacred Heart on his chest.
"Thank you, Elizabeth." Davy said, "It's magnificent."
While everyone was admiring the statue and the now-decorated Christmas tree, Micky took Elizabeth aside. He presented her with a velvet ring-box.
"I wish this was an engagement ring, but I hope you like it." Micky told the angel.
Elizabeth opened the box to see a silver ring inside engraved with Hebrew script around the band. The angel smiled and took it out of its box.
"It's beautiful, Micky." She said.
"What does it say?" Micky told her.
"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." Elizabeth read, "It's from the Song of Solomon."
"Good." Micky said, breathing a sigh of relief, "That's what the jeweler said it said, but I can't read Hebrew." He took the ring and placed it on Elizabeth's right ring finger, then gave her a kiss.
"Oh that's right." Elizabeth said, "I gave you four the ability to speak and understand Hebrew but not read or write it. You didn't need to know that then. I can fix that." She closed her eyes for a moment. "There." Elizabeth said to everyone in Hebrew as she opened her eyes. "Now all of you, including you Darlene, can fully understand written and spoken Hebrew."
"Toda Rabah! (thank you)" Darlene replied in the same language.
Then everyone exchanged the rest of their gifts. Peter gave Darlene a new bible, one that Elizabeth had gotten for him from the Vatican. Darlene gave Peter and Mike new guitar straps with crosses sewn down the front. She gave Micky and Davy cufflinks in the shape of a cross.
Among the gifts given, Peter gave Micky new beakers for his chemistry set. Mike saw that and told how Synthea thought Earth, wind, fire and water were elements. Everyone had a good laugh at that as they sat on the couches and just relaxed in each other's company.
"Hey everyone," Peter said, "I figure this is a good time to show my re-write of `Salesman'."
Peter got his guitar, sat down and began to play and sing:
Preacher man, where gonna go, to heal all the sick today?
Preacher man, gonna walk the streets, see friends along the way.
Yeah, Preacher man, with your followers that go where you walk.
Hey, Preacher man, even dogs wag their tails when you talk.
Always wear a smile, even though you gotta walk ten miles.
Short life span, Good news Preacher Man.
Yep Yep, Preacher man, always on the street, whether it's hot or cold,
Preacher man, you work real hard until you convert every soul.
Preacher Man, As the years go by, people changing everyday,
Preacher Man, till the end of time your word will not change in any way,
Always wear a smile, You love everyone and your manner is mild.
Short Life span, but your life was grand.
Tax collectors and to all those who sin,
There goes Preacher man, spreading his word again.
His father is up so high, up so high, high, high!
Ohhh preacher man, where you gonna go to heal all the sick today?
Yep, Preacher man, gonna walk the streets, see friends along the way.
Hey Preacher man, with your followers that go where you walk.
Yeah, Preacher man, pushing everlasting life when you talk.
Always wear a smile, even though you gotta walk a hundred ten miles.
Short life span, but your life was grand.
Preacher man, Preacher man!
Everyone clapped when Peter had finished the song.
"That was wonderful, Peter!" Mike said, "A thousand-percent improvement over what I had written!"
"Thank you, I was worried if anyone would like it." Peter replied.
"We love it." Elizabeth approved, It's a great retelling of our Lord's mission."
The clock on the wall chimed for 11:00 p.m. They had to leave early for church if they wanted to find seats.
"Elizabeth, we want to all tell you something before we go to church." Peter said.
"What is it, Peter?" The angel asked.
Peter looked at his band mates and Darlene before he continued.
"We have, including Darlene, made a decision about the spiritual path we would like to take. We've all decided to give our lives over to the Lord." Peter said seriously, "We are going to talk to Fr. Jerry and tell him we'd like to join the Roman Catholic Church."
Elizabeth couldn't speak for a few seconds, she was so overwhelmed with joy and a tear started to fall down her cheek.
"That is wonderful!" She exclaimed, wiping her tear away, "That is the best present I could ever receive!"
Everyone gathered for a group hug, tears of joy flowing freely among them, then they left the pad to go to midnight mass.
THE END
Chapter 27
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