Page 2 (1/2)

"But we ether" Mercy crossed her arreat job we did last year? You can’t let a golden opportunity like this slip through your fingers"

"Yes, I can" Gabriel didn’t feel he could mince words Weeks after their last venture to earth, he had been left to answer for their tomfoolery

Goodness and Mercy bounced a shocked look off each other, then glared at him "You can?"

"Karen Woods?" The softly spoken question ca over the Book of Prayer, her finger poised at Gabriel’s irl," Gabriel supplied, his heart heavy over the twelve-year-old’s situation It would take a prayer ambassador with far more experience than Shirley to work on this request

"Her parents are divorced, right?"

Gabriel nodded

"Karen loves them both very irl feels like she’s caught in a vicious tug-of-war between the two From what I understand, she hasn’t seen her father in over a year"

"That’s true" Gabriel was beginning to understand Shirley intuitively knew this inforher than his own had dee overruled

"Her father feels it’s easier on everyone if he doesn’t see Karen as often He loves her, too, but he hates his ex-wife, and every tiht with him Or a reason to report him to her attorney Maureen Woods has worked overtime to make his life hell"

"Yes"

"I want to help," Shirley insisted "Please let me"

"This isn’t an easy request," Gabriel felt obliged to remind the prayer ambassador

"I’m aware of that"

"We’ll all help," Goodness and Mercy chimed in

Gabriel orried about the three of the exactly that and feared it wasn’t help they’d be lending "No, you won’t," he said more heatedly than he intended

The two leaped back a step at his sharp tone

Gabriel could feel hi He ell aware that the oldest of the three angles was by far the most emotionally mature Yet she had the least experience But Goodness and Mercy? Again?

"I do wish you’d reconsider," Shirley pleaded softly

"Oh, please do" Two pairs of blue eyes fluttered beguilingly at him Goodness and Mercy folded their hands with a look as unsullied as grace itself

Gabriel didn’t knohat it was about this trio that they wove such tight tentacles around his heart He was an archangel and generally not given to flagrant displays of favoritism

"Before either of us makes a decision, why don’t we meet Karen’sto his side

"I should have thought of that myself" Faster than a heartbeat, Mercy was there as well

"I was referring to Shirley and h in reality their enthusiasreatly

"Of course we h

"That was understood," Mercy added

Gabriel freed hihing in an effort to disguise a sed with disappointment

"Oh" Mercy slowly lowered herself onto a vacant chair

"Go on without us," Goodness said as though Shirley were about to step into the last available place in a lifeboat leaving a sinking ship "We’ll wait here"

"Stay out of trouble," Gabriel advised

"What could we possibly do to cause trouble?" Mercy questioned

Gabriel didn’t want to know the answer to that

Maureen Woods lugged the heavy suitcase from the trunk of her car to the sidewalk She stopped on her way into the s a few bills and fliers under her arm, she pulled the newspaper free from its box and made her way to the front steps

The door opened before she could fit the key into the lock, and Maureen brightened when she saw her daughter "Hi, pumpkin face"

"Hi Hoas the trip?" Karen held open the screen door for her ht" Maureen stepped inside She slipped out of her business suit jacket and laid it over the back of the couch before re her shoes It felt heavenly to be out of her puh to pinch her toes

"I’ll get your suitcase for you," Karen said eagerly

Maureen appreciated the thought but kneas too hter "Thanks, honey, but it’s too heavy"

"No, it isn’t," Karen insisted "See?" With both hands and all her ed to lift it a scant inch off the worn carpet

"Karen, put it down, or you’ll hurt yourself," Maureen insisted as she absently sorted through the ed, then tossed theany of it "Hoas your night with Grandma and Grandpa?"

"Fine"

"What did you have for dinner?"

Karen brightened a bit "Swedishto spoil you," Maureen warned, grateful to her parents for keeping Karen for her when she traveled

Karen laughed "With apple strudel for dessert, and I ate three whole pieces"

Maureen gasped "You’ll get fat"