Fate's Vinculum

Chapter 3.

As Jeanette reluctantly followed Sera out the door, one question wouldn't leave her alone. Given the circumstances it was a silly, insignificant question, but it was eating her alive.

"Why pot roast?"

"It's your favorite," Sera replied simply.

"How do you know that?"

"I told you, I'm an angel. I also know your second favorite food, besides pot roast, is candied sweet potatoes. And, in fact, I know your mother has a general distaste for anything that has sugar in it, or trans-fat, or generally anything that tastes good."

Jeanette giggled in spite of herself. They walked directly to the house across the street, Sera unlocking the door with a key. Jeanette took a step in, purple eyes peering about. It was a normal enough looking house.

"Just put your bag down. We're not staying here."

Suspiciously Jeanette dropped it in the foyer. When she made no move to leave, Sera gave her an impatient look. The girl thought about calling out for help, but the house appeared to be empty. There wasn't even furniture.

Furthermore, he genuinely didn't seem like he meant her any harm. On the contrary she felt unnervingly calm around him. Throwing a final glance behind herself, she walked back onto the concrete porch.

"Where are we going?" Jeanette asked as the pair began to walk off down the street. Warily she looked back to her house.

"That doesn't matter right now," Sera replied, hurrying along. He then looked at the child and smiled. "Are you up for a walk?"

"I guess," she replied.

"Good. Let's walk and talk. You must have a million questions for me."

"Are you really an angel?" she asked incredulously.

"Not the first question I would have asked," replied Sera slowly, sounding a little dumbfounded. "If I were you, I'd be curious to know why an angel came down from Heaven to have dinner with me."

Jeanette's eyes grew wide. "Am I dead?"

"No," Sera replied quickly. "No sweetie, you're not dead. I didn't mean to scare you."

After a thoughtful moment, Jeanette looked up at Sera. "I wasn't scared."

This genuinely surprised Sera. "Why not?"

"Well, I'd already be dead then, and I didn't remember it hurting. I'd only be afraid of dying if I died some icky way. Besides that, I know God loves me and I'd go to Heaven."

Slowly, a smile spread across Sera's face. Perhaps this would be easier than he first thought. "You believe in God?"

Jeanette reached under her shirt a moment, removing a small golden cross necklace. "Mommy, Daddy and me go to church every Sunday. I know all the hymns and gospels—would you like to hear one?"

Sera chuckled. "Not right now, thank you though. So you're proud of your religion then?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Even if your mom and dad stopped going to church, would you still go?"

"They'd never stop going—we all love God too much, and He all loves us."

Sera took that as a yes and decided to switch gears. "You didn't hear the news today, did you?"

Jeanette looked quizzically up at the man. "I was at school. What news?"

Sera wasn't even sure if news of L.A.'s destruction was being widely broadcast yet. He had spent the better part of the day conversing with Jeanette's mother, weaving his charm, using his angelic powers to implant memories into her mind. He was very adamant to keep her in the dining room, away from the television.