Tristan's Redemption (2 page)

Angels certainly didn
’t fit stereotype. No glowing, no halos and David was fairly sure the ones on the stained glass windows in his grandma’s church didn’t wear combat boots. The black wings were the only giveaway. This one also wore jeans and a t-shirt and his dark red hair looked like he’d ridden in a convertible with the top down. His name was Ehron. David learned that when he first discovered he was dead because Ehron was the one who brought him here.

But where was here? David had peeked out the window only to find a brilliantly green mountainside and lush trees, but no other clues of location. The room itself had one beige couch, a wall lined with bookshelves and an amply stocked bar. The walls were, maybe, two shades paler than the couch and the floor was a light hardwood.

The angel sighed and stretched his long arms before speaking. “Are you done questioning me or do I need to continue sitting?”

Sarcasm. Another trait that didn
’t quite fit the church image.

David waved a hand toward the liquor.
“This is quite the collection you have.”

“
Thank you. I do enjoy my spirits.” Ehron chuckled.

Sarcastic bastard
.

“
Are you in the Bible anywhere?”

Ehron shook his head.
“No. You haven’t read the Bible?”

David shrugged.
“I don’t know many people who
have
read it from front to back.”

“
But you are familiar with God’s word.”

“
Yes. Shouldn’t you know this already? Isn’t there a file on every person?”

The angel raised one mahogany eyebrow.
“No. If we had a file for every human, we would need a room the size of Rhode Island for storage. However, we’re all briefed on a spirit’s situation before we’re sent to deal with them. And you, David Alexander Daniels... Well, you screwed up, didn’t you?”

David nodded.
“Royally. I hurt the person who meant more to me than all other things in my life combined.”

“
And why did you do that?”

“
Abby started her period two days before. We’d tried for so very long to have a baby and nothing worked. Nothing. We were down to IVF and I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Submitting the sperm sample was bad enough.”

“
Explain that.”

David rubbed his hands over his face.
“I had to rub one off in a cup so some jackass in a lab could tell me if my swimmers were any good.”

“
Were they?”

“
In the pool with Phelps and Lochte,
they
would have medaled.”

The angel actually laughed.
“Point made. I can understand your reticence. Your own needs took a back seat to the clinical aspect of getting pregnant.”

“
Frankly, yes. It should be basic nature. Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, they get married and boom, baby comes along. But that’s not always the case.” David shrugged. “Medical science being what it is nowadays, a couple who would’ve been childless before can have children, thankfully, but it’s often more laboratory than—”

“
Boom?”

David exhaled.
“Yeah, boom.”

“
Believe it or not, I can understand this. How did Abby’s tests come out?”

“
Fine. There was nothing physically preventing us from getting pregnant. But we still had to go through all the clinical motions. We were down to testing temperature. Abby once called me to come home early because her temperature was where it should be, the time of month was just right and she wanted to have sex.”

Ehron crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back.
“Intimacy between you and your wife seemed more scientific and scheduled than passionate.”

“
Exactly. And every month, Abby would have a period. We’ve been at it for, what a year and a half? The period two days before I died was the last straw. For one insane moment, I thought about leaving Abby so she could find someone who could make her pregnant.”

The angel seemed shocked.
“What, exactly, did you think that would that accomplish?”

“
She would have the baby she wanted so badly. She’s a teacher, for Christ’s sake.”

“
You think she became a teacher because she wanted a baby?”

“
No. Abby became a teacher because she loves children. She wanted a baby, wanted to be a mother but...nothing worked.”

“
But it did. And that’s what she came to your office to tell you the day you died.”

David scrunched his eyes, thinking about the look on Abby
’s face as she opened the door. “Yes. Abby was finally pregnant.”

Ehron clapped his hands together and straightened.
“Okay, sport, here’s the deal. Let’s clear up a few misconceptions first. The period you thought she had was spotting. Just some light bleeding that’s perfectly normal in early pregnancy.”

“
Thank God.” David’s shoulders sagged in relief.

“
Second, Abby became a teacher because she’s gifted with that talent. The love she has for children is merely a bonus. Lastly, you wanted to leave Abby, and you did.”

“
I didn’t mean this way!”

Ehron spoke calmly, as opposed to David
’s raised voice. “I know you didn’t. Doesn’t matter. Ever hear the saying
be careful what you wish for
?”

“
Yes.”

“
There’s a reason for it. You thought it, it happened and here we are. Regardless, you’ve come to the attention of some powerful beings. It seems that even though you were caught with your pants down, literally, your love was a significant force. Enough to make some among my kind think you deserve a second chance with the woman you love.”

Oh my God. He would give anything for the chance to make things up to Abby.
“
What?
”

“
You heard me.”

‘
That’s great!” He stared down at his feet, trying to make sense of how things would happen. How he could come back into Abby’s life after she thought he was dead. “But...I died. I mean, I know it’s only been a couple of days, but I’m pretty sure there’s been a funeral—”

“
You’ve been dead for five months.”

David leaned against the wall as the impossibility of the situation sank in.
“How can I go back after being dead for so long?”

“
In another body.”

David looked up in disbelief. If another body went back, it wouldn
’t be him. “But...how?”

Ehron called out over his shoulder.
“You can come in.”

The door opened and a tall man, who had the dark coloring of someone with a Spanish ancestry, strode through. His suit was obviously tailored and his presence screamed confidence
and power. Ehron pointed at the man.

“
Tristan Ramirez, meet David Daniels.” The men politely nodded. “Very good. Tristan has agreed to let you use his body.”

“
What?” David turned to look at the other man, who shrugged calmly.

Ehron put his hand on Tristan
’s shoulder before speaking. “Tristan here was quite the bloodthirsty businessman. He lived a life for success alone and walked away from everything important. Then, two months ago, he was diagnosed with stage four liver cancer.”

“
I’m so sorry.” David said automatically, only stopping to considering the strangeness of consoling someone over their own death after the fact.

He gave David that fluid shrug again.
“It’s okay. Really. It took my death sentence to make me see how very empty my life had become. Now, I have forgiveness and a chance at eternal peace.”

This whole situation, coming back from the dead in someone else
’s body, was science fiction. But, Ehron certainly
looked
like he had everything under control. David would definitely play body snatchers just to get another shot with Abby. He wanted details.

“
Okay...but how are you going to explain Tristan coming back from the dead?”

“
It’s completely doable. No one near to Tristan, except his medical team. was aware of his diagnosis and absolutely nobody knows he died.”

David nodded then thought of another problem.
“So I have to take possession of his body, somehow, and walk it out of the morgue?”

“
It isn’t at the morgue. Tristan went on a sabbatical from work. He was alone when I got him.”

“
Okay.” Still his mind churned out objections and obstacles. “Won’t his family notice that he’s completely different, personality-wise? Won’t it seem odd that he’s no longer working as a,” David frowned, “whatever he did for a living?”

Ehron put a hand on his shoulder.
“You’ve got to give up law and become a financier.” David stared in disbelief. “With help, of course. Tristan’s financial knowledge will become yours.”

“
But, his family—” David felt more regret at the thought of his own grieving mother. He knew that his father was hurting, but his mother still called him baby when they talked. She’d be devastated over his death and David wondered what Tristan’s mother was like.

Tristan shook his head.
“None of the family I have left is speaking to me. They all wrote me off a long time ago.”

David turned to Ehron.
“Do I need to address that if I use his body?”

“
We’ll discuss all the requirements as soon as I have an answer.” The angel squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. “Do you want to go back to your wife, using Tristan’s body?”

There was going to be a huge catch. There had to be. Still, David jumped at the opportunity.

“Yes!”

Tristan smiled in relief and stuck his hand out to shake David
’s. “Best of luck to you. Don’t waste this opportunity.”

“
I won’t. Thank you.”

Tristan nodded and disappeared.

David stared at the empty space. “But...but, he just took the body and went away.”

“
No, Tristan’s spirit went on. His body is in Santorini, Greece. That is where I will take you.”

David looked toward the window. At least in Greece, he would know where he was at.
“Oh.”

Ehron straightened.
“Okay, David, now I’ll tell you about your requirements. This is going to be difficult, as you can’t reveal to Abby that you’re David in Tristan Ramirez’s body. You’ve got to earn Abby’s trust, in Tristan’s body, and get her to fall in love with you.”

“
I can’t tell her that I’m me?”

“
Not until she falls in love. After then, it’s your choice.”

“
Wow. This is pretty screwed up, Ehron. In the last hour I was alive, I hurt my wife in the worst way that I could have. And now, I’ve been given the opportunity to go back. My first priority is to make things up to her.” He looked up and exhaled a ragged breath. “But I can’t make things up to her the way I want to. She’s been pregnant and grieving for five months, so instead of hugging her like I want, I’ve got to go, in another man’s body, and make my wife fall in love with the new man.”

The angel nodded firmly.
“Pretty much.”

David ran his hands over his face.
“Is this even possible?”

“
Everything is possible if you’re willing to try.”

“
I am. Believe me, I am.”
How?
The question plagued his mind. “What should I do about Tristan’s family?”

“
You have to reintroduce yourself to them, after you’ve won Abby over.”

“
That’s all? Just reintroduce myself?”

“
Yes. But unfortunately, that is going to be harder than you think.”

“
Why?”

“
Because Tristan Ramirez condemned his family for their faith and their poverty. He mocked them for what he termed as a lack of initiative and begrudged them for faith in a deity who did not grant them financial favor. Tristan felt that his parents should have focused more on their work instead of their faith, even though his parents worked diligently to support their children.”

David sucked in a breath.
“Are they strong in their faith?”

“
Devout Catholics. God is first in their family. They couldn’t bear to watch their son give credit to money for his success, and his attitude hurt them, so they stopped calling. The few times they did talk, he continued to condemn them for their life. His mother sent a Christmas card every year, but that was it. They need to have some peace regarding their son, but they will be hard to convince.”