This time was different from the visits we’d made before. This time, I could feel Eli. I could almost smell him. It seemed like he was closing in; that he was in the next room and making sounds to signal he was heading our way, but there was no sound. I could only feel it.

His energy grew stronger, and then he was standing in front of us. The same ensemble as usual, I smiled at his casual sandals. I withstood the urge to hug him. He had saved our hides the last time I’d seen him, but I didn’t know where we stood now.

Eli’s smile was immediate and sincere. “Hello, Nina. You look positively radiant! Doesn’t she look radiant, Jared?”

“She does,” Jared said.

“Time is so inconsistent between planes. It seems like I’ve been waiting ages for you two. I trust the family is doing well?”

“So far,” I said.

Eli held one arm across his middle, and touched the other hand to his mouth as he feigned being lost in thought. “Hmmm...you’re going on a trip, soon? Leaving this weekend?”

Jared nodded.

Eli’s eyes widened. “I heard. You really aren’t going to make this easy for the dark side, are you?”

Jared took a breath. “You don’t seem concerned.”

Eli laughed once. “It’s hard to be concerned when nothing is a surprise. Just once I’d like to say, ‘Ohemgee!’ you know?”

I laughed, and Eli nodded, glad for my reaction.

Jared released my hand, and then rubbed the back of his neck. “This is no road trip. We need protection in the air.”

Eli pulled his mouth to the side. “He’ll remain neutral.”

Jared frowned. “How can I protect her if the plane goes down? This opens us up to any amount of obstacles. Power failure, engine failure...if we end up in the water, we could wind up in a storm with fifty-foot waves. That’s not balanced.”

Eli nodded. “True. I’ll put Samuel on it. Make sure things stay fair. Deal?”

“Good enough,” Jared nodded. “One more thing….”

“Oh, you’re ready, are you?” Eli said, his eyebrows shooting up.

I couldn’t help but smile. “That looks awfully close to surprise to me.”

Eli grinned from one ear to the other. “It feels like it, too. I should probably say, ‘Ohemgee’ to make it official, right? Ohemgee! You’re ready?”

Jared smiled and then looked down, nodding. “We’re ready.”

“For what?” I asked.

Eli’s expression softened. “The last question. The child is special, Jared. The first angel born to earth. As you already know, this child is capable of much, and has powers beyond your comprehension, but your wife is your only responsibility.”

Jared frowned, trying to understand what Eli was trying to tell him.

I gripped Jared’s arm. “But I thought once the baby is born, it’s protected. Isn’t that true?”