“Claire,” Val called as she ran through the front doors.
“On second thought,” Reggie said. “I just lost my appetite.”
Claire was cleaning out a nearby garbage can. She looked up as they approached.
“Well, well. Look who’s finally returned. I don’t think you could have left my place in more of a mess. That was a real treat to wake up to. Steal my man and trash my home. Way to go.”
“Yeah, good to see you too, Claire.”
She put a hand on her uniformed hip. “How did it go, anyhow? Did you end up summoning a good demon?”
“It went okay. I guess,” Val said, knowing that was a big fat lie. “A good demon? That’s debatable.”
“Was he small, hairy, and destructive?”
“No.” She sighed. “Tall, dark, and a major hottie. But I don’t have time to go into the details.
I just needed to return something to you.”
“Oh?”
She pulled Reggie off her shoulder and handed him to Claire.
“Hey!” he protested.
“What’s this?” Claire asked.
“Your boyfriend. Now forgive him, change him back into a human, and start dating again.
Somebody needs to have a happy ending today.”
Reggie’s whiskers twitched. “Val, what are you doing to me? She’s going to kill me!”
Val shook her head. “She won’t. She’s crazy about you. If she wasn’t she wouldn’t get all jealous. Look Claire, bottom line is that me and Reggie didn’t do anything. Believe it because it’s the truth. He can be a dumb guy and he’s made some questionable choices, but underneath it all he loves you. He told me so a bunch of times. He’s been so wonderful and brave since we left, you would be so proud of him. I know I am. So just turn him back and live happily ever after, okay?”
Claire frowned at her, and then she looked at the rat who stared back at her in rigid anticipation of her answer.
She shrugged. “Okay.”
Val was surprised. “Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.”
“But Val—” Reggie began.
“Yeah?”
His whiskers twitched. “Does this mean I’m never going to see you again? You and Lisa are going back to the motel to use the key?”
She nodded.
He sniffed. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too.”
“But I know it’s what you want—to go back home.”
Val swallowed hard and thought about the word for a moment. “Right. Home. I do want that.”
“Maybe I’ll start praying more often. It’ll be cool to talk to you even if I won’t be able to hear you answer me.”
She opened her mouth to tell him it didn’t work that way. Not on her level anyhow, to the best of her faulty-memory knowledge, but she decided not to. “Sure, anytime. Thanks for everything, Reggie. You’ve been a great friend.” She nodded and then turned to leave.
“Wait . . . Val?”
“Yeah?”
“I just want you to know . . . Nathaniel’s a damn fool if he doesn’t realize how great you are.”
She kissed her fingertips and tapped him on the top of his furry head. “Take care of each other, guys. I’ll miss you.”
With a last look, she left McDonald’s, slipped back into the limo and met Lisa’s concerned gaze.
“It’s just us now,” Val said.
Lisa nodded grimly.
“Fry?” Becky offered.
“No thanks.”
Seraphina blinked at her from the facing seat. “I know you. You’re the angel.”
“You’re the what?” Becky asked incredulously.
“She’s an angel.”
Becky smiled patiently. “No she’s not. She’s my friend Valerie.”
“Actually, she’s right.” Val rubbed her temples gingerly. “I’m a fallen angel. Just got back from the Underworld where I had to retrieve the Key to Heaven. I had a brief fling with a handsome demon, rescued a fellow fallen angel, and now we have to get back to the motel so
I can take my boss back to Heaven before Hell catches up to us. So let’s get this limo moving, shall we?”
Becky stared at her for a moment, then burst into laughter. “You are such a hoot. We should go out more, maybe clubbing or something. Oh, and by the by, my brother is still talking about how much he wants to go out with you. Come on . . . the two of you would make a beautiful couple. Well, you’d be the beautiful one. He could be the Superman expert. Still, a good match. Did I mention that he drives a black Trans Am?”
Val thought about Becky’s comic book lovin’ brother. He would give her a lot less grief than
Nathaniel had. She had no doubt about that.