Beyond Life by Deb McEwan

don’t want you to think I make a habit of this.’ Gary wasn’t sure how to handle his feelings, but knew it was important for her to believe him. He was relieved when she reached up and kissed him.
    ‘I believe you. Now shall we go and check in?’
    Ten minutes later they were in the chalet, both nervous and for the first time, feeling awkward around each other.
    ‘We’re supposed to be adults,’ said Val. ‘This is bloody ridiculous.’
    ‘Are you hungry?’
    Val agreed that dinner was a great idea and hoped that they’d relax enough to be able to make full use of the lovely room later.
    They were back to their usual selves at dinner and enjoyed each other’s company. The steak was delicious and the wine flowed and they stopped on the way back to the chalet to look at the beautiful night sky. Val never ceased to be amazed by the lack of light pollution and the regular appearance of shooting stars. The one tonight reminded her of her late husband and she wished she hadn’t thought of him while she was hoping to start a physical relationship with Gary. He sensed the change in her mood and assumed it was due to a small gust of wind.
    ‘Shall we go inside?’ not waiting for an answer, Gary unlocked the door and pushed it open, holding it so she could enter first. Val smiled at her perfect gentleman and didn’t comment as he brushed up against her as they went inside. They fell onto the bed silently and started to undress. The night sky, the surroundings and their want of each other had all fuelled their passion and the kissing and touching became more urgent. Val knelt backwards and raised her arms for Gary to pull off her top. He lifted it and nuzzled his head in her breasts, enjoying the feel of a fully rounded woman.
     
    ‘Gabriella,’ pleaded Ron. ‘Do something!’
     
    The lightning lit up the whole room like a stark operating theatre and Val almost jumped off the bed when it was closely followed by the loudest clap of thunder she’d ever heard.
    ‘Jesus!’ she shouted and the mood was instantly broken. Val couldn’t recapture her earlier feelings and she couldn’t stop thinking about Ron. They tried to rekindle the passion but she felt awful and explained to Gary that she was sorry, but the time just wasn’t right. She was relieved when he stroked her face and said that he understood, but he was a red-blooded male and she knew that if she couldn’t give him what he needed, he would find it elsewhere.
     
    ‘Thank you.’ Ron was relieved and grateful for the lovely angel’s intervention. He knew they could sometimes change weather patterns but generally only did so to save a large number of lives, or so he’d been informed.
    Gabriella smiled angelically before giving the order for her host of angels to standby. She fully expected another onslaught from the evils, but this time she was ready for them. It didn’t transpire. The teenager who Claire had thought of as Big Ed’s son had carried out a silent appreciation of the situation. His previous punishments had made him wary and he wasn’t prepared to start another battle that he couldn’t win.
    Gabriella harrumphed at the cowardice of the evils and gave the order to return to Cherussola. This was a battle she was sure she would fight another day.
    *****
    Marion heard the Land Rover pull up outside the orphanage the following morning and had a sneaky look out of her window. She saw Val lean in and give him a quick peck on the cheek. Marion would have expected something more lingering after their supposedly big night of passion and she wondered what had happened. Maybe that was just wishful thinking on her part, she sighed and turned away from the window to make her way downstairs. Marion hoped that when they left the following week, the distance between Val and Gary would cool their relationship but knowing Val as she did, she very much doubted it. Whatever happened between those two, she knew that if she wanted to work with Val in Romania