L. Castillo: After the Fall

She threw her arms around him. “Lash, you’ve made me the happiest woman in the world. I love you.”

He pulled back, searching her eyes. “No matter what?”

She blinked with surprise. “Of course. Why would you ask a silly question like—”

She jumped at the sudden pounding on the door. “Who could that be? The only people who come over are Uri and Rachel.” Naomi cinched her robe tighter as she padded toward the door.

He grabbed her hand. “Don’t.”

She laughed. “What’s wrong with you today? You’re so jumpy.”

“I’ll get it,” he said.

She shook her head as he frantically threw on a pair of jeans. “You act like we live in the middle of the most dangerous neighborhood in Houston.”

He ran to the front door and swung it open. His jaw tensed and his hands curled into fists.

“Bro!” Jeremy cried as he stepped inside, slapping him on the back as he passed him. “Am I too late for bingo?”

A tumult of emotions ran through Lash as he watched Jeremy step into the room. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that this was his brother, his longtime best friend. He tried his best to shake the vision, no, the memory he had of Jeremy and Naomi.

It was a memory that kept replaying in his head, even after Jeremy left on his so-called break and Lash moved Naomi up to their mountain home. It was of Jeremy handing a wedding band to Naomi’s father, a symbol of the old days, when the first-born of the household made his intentions for marriage directly to the woman’s father. Raphael hadn’t denied it was a memory.

And Jeremy? He didn’t have to say anything—the look on his face said it all. Lash remembered the expression on his face when he first laid his eyes on Naomi. Lash couldn’t shake that look from his mind. Now there he was, acting as if nothing had changed.

Even though Naomi was adamant that all her memories were of him, he couldn’t help but wonder if in the past, a past she couldn’t remember, she had loved Jeremy. Would that change now that Jeremy was back and she got to know him better? It seemed like everyone loved him, even Gabrielle.

No. He had to believe Naomi would stay true to him, no matter what.

Just as he was about to speak, Raphael floated through the door, his smile disappearing when he took in the expression on Lash’s face.

“Have we come at a bad time?”

You could say that, Lash thought. His eyes followed Jeremy as the golden-haired angel walked toward the one person he wanted to keep all to himself. When Naomi smiled up at him, he fought the instinct to grab her and take her as far away from his brother as possible.

“Of course not,” Naomi said to him and then turned to Jeremy. “So, spill it.”

Jeremy paled, and an odd expression flashed across his face. “Uh, spill what?”

“The boots. Rachel said you got a pair,” she said, looking down expectantly at his feet.

Jeremy let out a rush of air, and the ever-present grin returned. “You bet!” He stuck out his foot. “Tell me these boots don’t rock it.”

She laughed. “You definitely made some changes while you were gone. I miss your suits, though I love the leather jacket. Is that why you disappeared for so long? Shopping?”

“Why? Miss me?” Jeremy winked.

Lash took a step forward. He didn’t like where this was going—not at all.

Raphael immediately stepped in front of Lash, blocking his way. “We all missed you, Jeremiel,” he said.

“You left so quickly the day after you and Lash...” Naomi bit her lip and glanced nervously at Lash. “Well, I was hoping you two would talk it out.”

“That is why we are here,” Raphael said. “I was given permission to divulge some information to you about our past. Shall we have a seat?”

As they gathered in the living room, Lash firmly placed Naomi’s hand in his. He eyed Jeremy, who sat across from them with Raphael. There was something off about Jeremy. Although he was smiling, he didn’t seem happy. The special spark that drew everyone to him was gone. In all the years he’d known him, Jeremy had never looked like he did now. It had always been the other way around, where he was the brooding one and Jeremy was by his side, distracting him from whatever troubled him. He struggled between his desire to console his old friend and wanting to stay angry with him.

He watched Jeremy’s eyes zoom in on Naomi’s hand as it held on to his, and then quickly look away when Lash caught him staring.

It’s easier to stay mad , he thought.

“Before Jeremiel left on his”—Raphael glanced at Jeremy and cleared his throat—“extended assignment, I shared with him the information that I had shared with you, Lahash.”

“Hermano!” Jeremy held out a fist toward him, grinning. “Don’t leave me hanging, Bro.”

Lash felt Naomi jabbing him in the ribs. How did she get such a pointy elbow?

He sighed and reached out to fist-bump him.

Naomi beamed. “That would explain why you two were such great friends all those years.”

“Were,” Lash mumbled under his breath.

Jeremy frowned slightly as he sat back in his seat. “You know I would’ve told you about my assignment if I were allowed.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

“Lash,” Naomi reprimanded.

He let go of her hand, scowling. “I thought you didn’t trust him, and now you’re all ‘let’s be one happy family.’ I don’t know. Maybe I’m better off not remembering the past.”

“How can not having a memory of your own family be better? It’s a part of who you are,” she said.

“Those are wise words, Naomi,” Raphael said, his voice low and with authority. He turned to Lash and looked him straight in the eye. “The person you are today is made from who you were yesterday. Your past influences the present, and it is family that shapes your growth.”

“See, that’s exactly what I mean. We all know I’m a screw-up.” Lash stood up and paced the floor. “I only had a few memories shown to me, but they were enough for me to know, to realize that even back then, I was second best—to you.” He directed at Jeremy.

“Lahash,” Raphael stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Lucifer showed you only what serves to benefit him.”

Lash pulled away. “No, Raphael. It was more than that. Even before the memories, I felt it. I know you were disappointed with me staying a seraph and getting disciplined after almost every assignment. Jeremy and I both started as seraphs, and within the year he was assigned the position of archangel. And me, well...”

“Be fair, Lash,” Jeremy said. “You antagonized Gabrielle even from the beginning.”

Lash spun around. “You, shut up!”

Naomi gasped. “Lash!”

“No, Naomi. You weren’t there, and you don’t know.” He breathed hard. He was tired of everyone taking Jeremy’s side. “At the time, I didn’t see it. But now I do. I was questioned every step of the way. And Jeremy? Never. We did the same things, but Jeremy was always let off, and me? I’m the one who got in trouble. It was as if he could do no wrong.”

“That’s not true!” Jeremy jumped to his feet.

“You may be right,” Raphael said softly.

Jeremy froze, and Lash’s jaw dropped.

The room was a tense silence for a moment before Raphael continued. “Please sit down and let me explain.”

Naomi tugged Lash’s arm. He took one look at the tears glistening in her eyes, and he melted. He hadn’t meant to get mad at her. “I’m sorry. Forgive me?”

She nodded.

Sitting by her side, he placed an arm around her and turned his attention back to Raphael.

“As you know, Jeremiel is your older brother. As was the custom at the time, the first-born was given rights above all others in the family. He was the heir to what our family owned. With his right as first born, he was to marry before Lahash, and that is where your family came into play,” he said looking to Naomi.