Freya has a new project.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” she said. “Actually since I started to chat with Mary, while you were gone.”
As she said this, her heart twisted—she cannot speak of my injury without remembering the fear and worry of that time. I extended my wing to comfort her. To my surprise, she walked right through it, her nervous energy refusing to let her rest.
We have both continued conversation with Mary, now that I mention her. She was very glad to hear from me once I was well again, and while Freya has maintained much of the conversation, I do check in with her often. I think that her heart is lighter than it has been, to have someone outside of her troubled world to speak to her of hope.
It has certainly done Freya good. “I feel like we’ve really helped her, you know? And you know I’m glad to be a part of your fight, but…” She shook her head. “It’s just such a relief to know that I am actually making a difference in a more conventional sense. And I want to help more people than just Mary. I’m actually going to start volunteering as one of the chat moderators.”
I was delighted to hear it. “That’s wonderful, Freya.”
She smiled, but absently. “But there’s something else that I wanted to talk to you about.”
“How can I help?”
“Well, that’s just it,” Freya said, glancing at me with a strange hesitation. “I can’t help but think…we’re in possession of an amazing story here. The real truth about the universe. And I want to share it, Ace.
“Not the whole thing,” she added as I sat up straight, my smile fading. “I know that it wouldn’t have the effect that I hope for. But people wouldn’t believe it anyway. They’d think it was just a story. And stories help people. It could reach people who have been hurt by different kinds of faith, or who haven’t found a faith that they could believe in. It could inspire people to create new stories and works of art. And maybe, if we’re very lucky, it could make more people open to the voices of angels.”
I could see how important this was to her. I could see how she had knit together ideas and inspirations from Mary, George, Kara, and even Shannon. All of those threads and many others from her own heart were twined together in this one idea, and it burned in her soul without being consumed. It cast almost a holy light.
“How will you do it?” I asked her.
She sighed and pushed her hair from her face. “I don’t really know that yet. I’m not sure if I want it to be a book, or if I need to explore other media. I’m not even sure if I can do it. I haven’t written anything myself in years and years. But Kara’s offered to help me, and I think I just need to get started.”
“Then why haven’t you?” But I thought I knew why.
She settled down onto the bed beside me. “Because more than anything, it’s your story, Ace,” she said. “And I didn’t know what it would mean to you to have it out there.”
A ripple of amusement jumped from my aura to hers, a strange phenomenon that has been happening more and more often as we grow closer. “You have known for some time now that I have been writing your story for heaven.”
She sniffed. It was certainly an interesting conversation when she learned of my blog, but now I think she is just upset that she cannot read it for herself. But she quickly grew serious again. “It’s different though, isn’t it? Because you’re not just putting words into the Repository. You’re preserving the words spoken, the feelings and intentions behind the actions—it’s so much closer to the truth than words can ever get. If I write this, and I get it wrong, then people will get an impression of you that won’t be true. And you’ll know it, won’t you?”
“I would,” I said with a smile, “but it does not concern me, Freya. Because I do not think that you would get it wrong. I think that you could write my story better than anyone on this earth, and I cannot wait to read it.”
She studied my face. “You’re sure?”
“If I wasn’t, you would know it, wouldn’t you?”
“I guess I would,” she said with a smile. Abruptly energetic again, she jumped to her feet and began to pace. “All right! So I guess I’ll talk to Kara, make some plans, and then…start writing.” She stopped and looked back at me. “And you’ll help me too, right?”
I rose and went to enclose her in my wings, resting my hands lightly on either side of her face. “Freya,” I said, “the time is long gone that you should have to ask for my help.”
She looked up at me solemnly. “I know,” she said, “but I don’t want to ever take you for granted, Ace. You’re my foundation and my inspiration and my strength and my heart. I’m so lucky and so grateful to have you.”
I bent my head over her, and she lifted her face with a smile as my tears fell over her skin.