Camael's Battle
Angelic Hosts Series, Book 2, Episode 10
A heartbreaking goodbye…
Nanette Fairchild clutched her rosary as she knelt before the altar of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre located on the Rue du Chevalier-de-Barre in Paris, France. She prayed as she had done every day since learning from Doctor Ranier that she would never be able to bear children of her own. She’d been devastated. It took her a long time to meet the right man. She was already thirty-two when Charles came into her life. The French-British gentleman with the easy laugh and twinkling brown eyes had been a Godsend.
They met through her best friend Charmaine’s husband who’d attended university with Charles in England. Both graduated Oxford with degrees in history, but Charles specialized in religious studies as a secondary while Jean-Luc’s secondary degree focused on politics. The two of them managed to remain great friends despite their spirited discussions about the catalysts that propelled society forward. Charles lived in London where he taught part time at a local lower-level college. Jean-Luc invited Charles for the holidays, and it was during their annual Christmas dinner that Nanette first met the man she would marry. It was love at first sight.
He wrote her love letters, called, and texted upon returning to England, but it wasn’t enough. At the end of the spring semester, he applied with Université Paris Diderot. As soon as he was accepted, he flew back to Paris, surprising Nanette with a marriage proposal. They had not spent a day apart from each other since.
The couple tried getting pregnant with no success. Finally, they both got tested to find out what the problem was, and although Charles checked out healthy, it was discovered that Nanette suffered a hostile uterine environment that was not conducive to sustaining a pregnancy even if they managed to conceive. Nanette had cried, and Charles had held her, offering love and comfort each time the tears fell. He suffered in his own silence wanting a child with the woman he loved, but wanting Nanette, and being grateful for her more than anything else. In those hard moments, he would whisper, “If it is God’s will, we will have a child. Just trust in His plan for us, my love.”
So, Nanette prayed. Like today, she came every day in the early morning hours just after sunrise where she bent her knees and tried her best to be thankful for all she had, to not be whiny or demanding, but to entreat God to fulfill her heart’s desire to be a mother. She ended each prayer with wishes for the health and happiness of her friends and family and thanking the Almighty for bringing Charles into her life. She made the sign of the cross, kissed her fingertips, and rose.
As she exited the church, she tied her bright red scarf around her golden-blonde hair. It was cold this wintry morning, and the clouds hung low and thick promising the first snow of December. She tucked her hands inside the pockets of her coat and took the steps down to the cobblestoned sidewalk. She loved this time of day. People all around were rising from their slumber and heading off to work. The bakeries on the corners were busy as men, women, and even school-age children traipsed in and out grabbing a hot croissant or pastry. The scents were delicious on the crisp air; fresh-baked bread and cinnamon and coffee.
The streets were decorated with Christmas lights and real pine wreaths, the freshness of which intermingled with the smells of home-baked goods. Everyone was in a good mood, and as she passed by, strangers said, “Good morning to you.” She smiled and wished them a happy day and a very Merry Christmas.
Nanette walked without hurry toward the tenth district where she and Charles had a two-bedroom flat that overlooked the River Seine, if one looked carefully to the far right from their balcony. Still, she loved their home. The building was in a four-story walkup and their flat was on the third floor. The neighbors were nice, and the market and park were around the corner. The nearby schools were very good, and the neighborhood itself would be a perfect place to raise a family, if only they had one.
The bell tolled reminding her it was nearly eight. Charles should be awake by now and getting ready to leave for his first morning class at ten. She reached her street and crossed over. As she gained the sidewalk, she noticed a basket sitting on the steps of the landing. Two cats were leaning into the basket, trying to lay inside of it. One of them was Pierre, her next-door neighbor’s cat. He was black and white, and fluffy. But what was strange were the three white doves perched atop the hood of the basket. The cats didn’t pounce on them at all. Instead, one of the doves hopped onto Pierre’s head and nestled down. Nanette reached the bottom step and paused, awed by what she saw. If she’d had a camera, she would have taken a picture. Who would believe two fat cats and three doves sharing a basket on this cold winter morning?
“Pierre! What are you doing, you silly puss?”
Pierre meowed at her but didn’t move. The doves stayed put, and the gray-striped tabby leaning halfway into the basket with Pierre purred loudly. The doves cooed. It was all very cute until she heard another type of ‘coo’.
Alarmed, Nanette ran up the remaining three steps and looked down.
Beneath the sheer fluff of Pierre inside the basket was a tiny baby. It was wrapped in swaddling and tucked in tight. The cats and birds weren’t simply randomly sharing a wicker bed they’d found, as she first thought. Strangely enough, it looked like they were trying to keep the baby warm!
“Oh, my goodness!”
She reached down and shooed the cats away. The doves flew up onto the eave overhead. She picked up the basket and looked around. She checked the immediate area but saw no one. There was no mother, or parent around, no one even outside yet on her block.
Nanette looked back down at the sleeping infant. So delicate, she surely must be a little girl. She made a quick decision to take her inside and show Charles. He would know what to do. It was the fastest she’d ever taken the stairs, but as she burst through the front door, she nearly ran her husband over.
“Whoa!” Charles grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. “What have you got there?”
“Charles! It’s a baby. Someone left a baby outside on the steps. What do we do?”
Her husband’s eyes widened with shock. “Was there no one out there with it?”
“No one. And I think she’s a girl.” Nanette set the basket down, and reaching in, lifted the baby out.
A piece of paper fluttered to the floor.
Charles picked it up and the shock on his face grew to comical proportions. Nanette nudged him with her elbow as she cradled the child.
“Well? What does it say?”
“I can’t believe it!” His mouth hung open as he shook his head in disbelief.
“What? Come on now.”
He began to read. “Dear Monsieur. and Mademoiselle Fairchild. God has answered your prayers. This is your daughter. Her name is Sophie, and she is one day old. Please cherish her always for she has a destiny to fulfill.”
Nanette was stunned. She had to sit down, and immediately dropped onto the settee. She looked down at the petite face resting against her chest. It was framed by dark curls. She picked up the tiny fist and the babe jerked, her hand opening, and then wrapped five itty bitty fingers around Nanette’s one. Then she sighed and snuggled closer. Tears stung Nanette’s eyes. They were tears of joy as a wave of love instantly filled her heart.
“Sophie,” she whispered. “Our Sophie.”
Charles sat beside her and stared at the baby. “I don’t understand.” He was completely dumbfounded.
His wife looked him in the eye, smiling. “Don’t you?”
He reached out a tentative hand and gently touched the little one’s hair.
“Would you like to hold her?” Nanette began to pass her carefully into Charles’ arms. He held her awkwardly at first, fearing dropping her or mishandling the wee thing in some way. “Just like that. There. Now bring her in close.”
He did, and when the small babe cooed, his face lit up. “Did you hear that, Nan? She likes me!”
Nanette laughed, tears in her eyes. “But, of course, she does. You’re her papa.”
Charles’s eyes widened in surprise, and then looked pleased. “I’m a papa,” he said as if to himself. “Nanette, I’m a father. And you’re a mother!” He pulled his wife close kissing her hair and holding her tight. “We’re parents. We have our baby. We have our Sophie.”
They laughed through joyful tears and gazed upon the blessing bestowed upon them. Outside on the terrace, doves, sparrows, and pigeons vied to see inside the French Doors to view the tiny baby. At their front door, Pierre and the gray tabby lay, content that they were guarding the newborn that they already loved. And perched on the rooftop, a tearful Camael bid a final, heartbreaking farewell to his daughter before taking flight, Michael and Gabriel at his side.
Dear Readers, get ready for next week when we begin Book 3 in the Angelic Hosts series, Sophie’s Wish.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE now for FREE so each episode lands in your inbox every Monday!
Last Week’s episode: Click here.
All Episodes: Click here.
Reminder, the first 4 books in the Angelic Hosts series will be presented here FREE! We are currently in book II, Camael’s Battle. This is an epic fantasy/paranormal, action-adventure romance. And there will be more books beyond book 4… All you need to do is subscribe. New episodes every Monday.
