Aberrant: 2011 - Stranger Through The Glass

[Gabriel Stone]

Quote:

Please enjoy the following fiction. As you read try to understand that while we certainly cannot be Gabriel Law there is no reason we cannot aspire to live up to the examples he tries to set. Remember: “When the heart dares to speak, it needs no preparation.”

Elegance was in the air. The dimly lit dining hall left shadows in the corners and flickering candlelight danced on the faces of the patrons. A violin played softly in the distance, just loud enough to be heard but low enough not to disturb the whispered conversations.

At a table set for two sat an attractive blonde woman wreathed in diamonds and slightly too much make-up. Her dress was easily in the range of costing five figures and her ‘date’ was certain it was designed and made specifically for her. She hadn’t stopped speaking for the better part of an hour and each phrase seemed to revolve around her.

Gabriel wasn’t sure why he agreed to do this. There was quite the charity event happening in New York and most celebrities were scheduled to appear, nova and otherwise. He had agreed to meet with her simply because it seemed against his very nature to say ‘no’ to a sincere request for something as harmless as dinner. However over the past hour and a half her constant yammering and self-centered narcissism had driven his generally polite and charming demeanor close to the edge of shattering.

The longer she spoke the further his mind drifted and his eyes wandered around the room in an attempt to find anything to keep his mind off her. They still hadn’t ordered yet and he held up his menu to hide the rolling of his eyes. He peered over it and looked over her shoulder glancing at the people as they walked around the busy streets of New York.

“So then I was like, who cares, you know?” she said, her voice laced with a heavy tone of superiority. “Charity or not, those program directors were totally mistaken if they thought I was going to like show up for free. My time is money, you know? No way am I about to help people and not get paid for it. I mean, seriously.”

“Shallow bitch.” Crept its way softly from Gabriel’s mouth. His attention still focused on the bustle of New York. A woman and a small child stood across the way on the opposite end of the street. Both were dressed in old clothing and certainly looked to rather impoverish. The woman, the child’s mother, Gabriel assumed, was pointing into the restaurant and speaking with the child. It was not uncommon for people to watch the social elite through the glass barriers from time to time, hoping and praying that one day it could be them in that room eating fine meals, or to spot a local celebrity or nova.

“Excuse me,” his date asked, obviously offended and several neighboring patrons easily heard the rage in her voice. “What did you just call me?”

He wasn’t thinking. He had no idea he had just let that slip. Faster than a human mind could have fathomed Gabriel Law quickly replied by pulling his next line directly from his posterior. “Pardon?” He asked with a look of confusion on his face in an attempt to place the ball back in her court. “Call you? I was merely deciding what to order. I said ‘shall I switch’. The last three times I’ve eaten here I’ve ordered the grilled Caesar salad, but rumor has it the fettuccini alfredo is absolutely divine.” He smiled and let his quantum charms wash over the area. “Why? What did you hear?”

“N-nothing,” his shallow and rather empty headed date felt two inches tall compared to the playboy Adonis that across from her. “I don’t feel like ordering right now. So, when do I get tickets to your next show? Hmm?”

Oh, so because you don’t want to order I have to wait. Ugh, woman you are killing me. His smile was so bright that it would have been impossible to see the truth in his eyes past the shine: he hated this woman. “Well, let’s see. We’ll be playing in Rockford in a few weeks…” Gabe’s sentence trailed off and his gaze fell once again on the woman and child outside. She had moved from the street to the alleyway and was sifting through a dumpster. Her child held tightly to her mother’s coat, an often-taught tactic for mothers who might have to take their eyes off their child for even a moment on the metropolis’s hectic streets. Suddenly a Caesar salad or fettuccini alfredo weren’t all that appealing to him. It wasn’t because the sight of a person rummaging through a dumpster sickened him, it was because his heart had sank to his stomach.

“Gabey? Hello?” his date seemed utterly confused that his eyes could be locked on anything but there while hanging on her every word. “Sweety, you okay?”

The nova rock star blinked, suddenly aware of the world again. “Yeah,” he said, his voice was distant as if his heart was still wandering to places his consciousness was forced to return to. “I’ll uh… be back.” And with a sly grin he did something that was completely immoral. From deep within he called on his inner strength and asked of her a rather simple request. ”I’ll be right back. Don’t you go anywhere now, you hear?” Gabriel winked seductively and got up from the table. He didn’t even bother to listen for a reply. Okay, that was wrong and when this is all over I’m going to call and apologize to her. I should not have done that. He thought as he walked out the door of the five star restaurant. But damn did she deserve it. He amended hoping to justify his actions just a bit more in case karma was listening.

His strides were long and he rushed himself for some reason. He knew it was purpose that drove him on so hastily but sometimes he was unsure why he felt he had to do things like he was doing now. Guilt perhaps, that was a common avenue down which he walked. He blamed himself for the death of his parents and he blamed himself it seemed for every wrong in the world. People deserved better, and certainly as the passerby’s on the street could see as plain as the nose on their faces there was a person, a fellow human being, who needed a hand outstretched to them.

He rounded the corner of the alleyway, still in a half-jog from crossing the busy street. The child seemed shocked at first, but before she could tug on her mother’s coat Gabriel’s angelic beauty and rendered her nearly still.

“Mu… mu… Mama…” she stammered out, tugging lightly.

The child’s mother slid from the dumpster from which she was half immersed. “Briana, what?” She sounded slightly irritated that her child had interrupted her, and failed to notice the nova’s presence.

“God’s here.” Briana replied, pointing in Gabriel’s direction. She tugged her mother down until she could speak into her ear. “Tell him I want a kitty. Please Momma?”

Gabriel took a few steps forward; he heard the girl and could not help but smile at her innocence. Her mother could do nothing but crouch there, eye locked on the nova completely drowning in the sea of his beauty. He wasn’t sure if she even heard what her daughter had said. “Um, hi,” he managed, extending his hand, when the women did nothing but stare he nervously tucked it away the pocket of his slacks. “My name is Gabriel.”

“Like the angel?” Briana asked with no hint of fear in her voice.

He chuckled, how could he not? This girl was the cutest darned thing. “Yes. Like the Angel.”

“What do you want?” Briana’s mother regained her senses and grabbed her daughter and held her close. She didn’t know this man, and nova or not, no amount of physical beauty can deter a mother from protecting her child from predators, especially in New York. Gabriel’s charms, as plentiful as they may be, would have had little effect on her, she was afraid for herself and her child. “We have nothing, leave us.”

“Look, I was just…” He began.

“GO!” She shouted, drawing as much attention to the alley way as she could. It made little difference, those who walked by and looked assumed that whatever scene was unfolding was the fault of a poor woman who probably stole a wallet or some other such petty crime.

“On my way to get a bite.” Gabe continued, he could understand her fear and mistrust but he wasn’t about to just walk away. He couldn’t, it just wasn’t in his nature.

“Good for you. This how you get your kicks?” She snapped back. “Rubbing the fact that you’re about to eat in the faces of those who are going hungry tonight? Huh?” She picked up a bottle from out of the dumpster and hurled it at him. “Bastard!”

The hollowed sound of the bottom of a bottle echoed through out the alley. Gabriel held his forehead tightly as he heard the thick ‘clink’ to the concrete floor and spun around chaotically. He hunched over rocking up and down sucking his teeth loudly as the pain swelled up just above his left eye. “Ow! Jesus lady what the hell did you…?” Before he could finish he found himself dodging even more refuse from the ally’s lone dumpster.

[Gabriel Stone]

*****

“Thank you.” Gabriel’s ‘date’ replied as a member of the staff walked by their table and lit her cigarette for her. The embers flared as she tapped her slender fingers as she continued to wait patiently.

Behind her, through the large glass window, holding his left eye with his right hand and swatting away garbage that was being tossed at him and consequently being flung out into oncoming traffic with his right, was her ‘date’: the suave, charming, and apparently able to perform a completely unchoreographed rendition of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Dance of the Rubbish Fairy’, Gabriel Law.

*****

[Gabriel Stone]

“Mommy, stop!” Briana shouted at he mother. “Stop it!”

He managed to pirouette around a menacing can of… something, and gained enough footing to point at the young girl. “Yes! Yes, good idea! Listen to her, she knows what she’s talking about!”

At he daughter’s request the woman stopped throwing things, but kept another wine bottle at the ready, just in case. “Look, get the hell out of here and go do what you were going to do. Go get your bite and leave us alone!”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you Tossy Tosserton!” He was yelling at this point, as if he needed to shout over the ringing in his head. “I was going to ask you if you would care to join me!”

“What?” Her face crinkled in disbelief. She raised her hand to as if to lob the bottle at him. “We don’t need you pity. Get out of here or so help me!”

A bit afraid for his other eye Gabriel staggered away, still a bit dizzy from the first bottle to the face and all the dodging he stepped on the wine bottle that lay on the alley floor and tumbled heels over head and slammed hard onto the damp ground. The woman covered her mouth in shock at the fall; the sound of Gabe’s head hitting the concrete sent the fear through her that perhaps she just killed him.

The bottle in her hand fell to the ground, this one broke, but she didn’t notice as she took a few step closer to where the billionaire nova fell. When the possibility of criminal charges enters a casual meeting of strangers in an alley, diplomacy takes an odd turn. “Sir?” She asked, creeping forward like the hapless heroine in a horror movie who just had to see who was under the mask. “Are you dead?”

“I think he’s dead.” The child’s innocent tone, like murder was no big deal, sent a shiver down her mother’s spine. “Mommy, you killed an angel.”

“Yes. Yes, I’m dead.” Gabriel said, venom laced every word as his patience had reached an end. He flailed his feet like a spoiled chilled. “Now would you please, for one minute, quit acting like a complete psycho!”

“Act?” Briana said. “Mister, you don’t know my mom very well.”

“Briana!” Her mother scolded, looking down on her daughter in shock. “Excuse me young lady, I’m not a…. a… psycho!”

Gabriel’s laughter echoed through the alleyway. Either his sanity had gone with the hard slam to the pavement or young Briana was quickly becoming his best friend.

*****

[Gabriel Stone]

Briana stuffed far more french fries in her mouth than was healthy but neither adult present seemed to notice. Gabriel cracked a packet of salt and sprinkled it across his onion rings. The swelling has hardly even noticeable at this point, and the blow to the head, although it still throbbed, was certainly nothing that wouldn’t pass after a few days. The only real damage was to his pride.

“So, what’s your name?” He asked.

“What’s it to you?” She spat back unwrapping a Whopper. The negotiations hadn’t gone as well as Gabe thought. She agreed to eat with him as long as he didn’t call the police, not that he would have, but apparently kindness wasn’t part of the bargain.

“Why are you so bitter?” An onion ring found it’s way into his mouth and he gleefully crunched away. “I’m just trying to be friendly.”

The mystery woman sighed angrily and rolled her eyes. “Sara, okay? Happy now?” She tore into the Whopper taking nearly two bites in the span of one. “And you’re Gabriel, I got that part. Whoop-dee-doo.” She spun her finger in a circle even with her head and when finished she brushed a dirty tangled lock of hair from her eyes.

“Yes. Gabriel Law. At your service.” He said with a comedic smile just to antagonize her a bit. He knew she didn’t want to know who he was but since she was being less than pleasant he figured he’d try to kill her with kindness. “And this little beauty here is Briana, right?”

Briana would have said hello, but she had her mouth full. When she reached her hand over the table Gabriel politely took it and gave it a slight shake. She mumbled ‘sowy’ through a mouth of fries as Gabe reached for a napkin to wipe off the excess ketchup.

“Gabriel Law?” Sara asked a bit half distant as she searched her own mind for where she had heard that name before. “I’ve heard that name before.”

“I’m no one special.” Gabriel lied. “I’m just a guy.”

Sara looked at him with a deadpan expression. “You’re also a terrible liar. You’re Gabriel Law, the rock star guy, aren’t you?”

“Well…”

“Oh my god! You are!” She said, rather louder then Gabe would have liked before he had a chance to tell her not to make a big deal about it. “Wow, sweetie, we, knocked out a celebrity.”

Muted by gluttony Briana smiled and gave a joyful thumbs up. She hadn’t really been paying attention but what ever her mother had said it sure sounded like it merited high praise.

“You don’t seem to sorry about that last part.” He pointed out, rather embarrassed.

“Hey,” she shrugged as she took a bite from a fry. “You can sue me if you like, it’s not like I have anything for you to take.”

“Why is that?” He retorted. It was his turn to be deadpan. His expression became more serious and he looked Sara in the eyes like she and he were sitting in a boardroom negotiating some large business deal. “The streets are no place for a child to grow up.”

“Oh, well, gee. Thank you Mr. Obvious. You think I don’t know that? You think this is where I want to be?” She began to unleash hot fury on her benefactor for the evening when he cut her off.

“So,” His eyes never left hers, and the more he stared the more her resolve faltered. “What happened? They say everyone has a story. What’s yours?”

A Whopper (with cheese), dropped onto the table. Sara was getting more and more irritated at the nova across from her. She knew what he was, a nova. How could anyone not know Gabriel Law, the man’s face was in every N! publication in every supermarket, every week.

The kindness was killing her slowly. She could not keep up her tough exterior forever and the more pleasant the gorgeous man was the more difficult it became to play at not appreciating what he was doing for her.

“It’s not my place to pry into your life. My apologies.” He said after a long moment as Sara quietly thought to herself.

“N-no. It’s okay.” Her tone changed as her defenses lowered. Her accent was only partially New Yorker, and when she lost the tough girl routine her voice was less bitter and more melodic. Somewhere under all those hard times was a sweet woman it seemed. “I have a degree in accounting, if you can believe that. Eight years of college and look at me now,” she began her tale with a bit self-deprecation. He expected that and had to admit the he would have done the same were their roles reversed. “I had Briana when I was twenty. Her father was a frat guy who ran for the door the moment he realized there might be responsibility in his future.” Lovingly she brushed a few stray hairs from her daughter’s face who was gleefully nursing a cheeseburger. “Working full time and taking care of her I still managed to graduate from U of M and ended up landing a great job as a bean counter for Viasoft. Or so I thought.”

“What happened?” Gabriel hung on her every word as his hypnotic eyes just continued to absorb ever morsel of information she would toss his way.

“Well, about a year and a half ago one of my bosses had a thing for me. He wasn’t a bad guy, but I just wasn’t interested, you know?” Her tale continued after a sip from her coke. “He kept on and kept on until I confronted him about it. Which was no big deal, we talked like civil people and he apologized for causing me any discomforts. Things were okay and he did in fact back off so, needless to say, I had no problems with him. A month or so later, out of nowhere he starts it again, but is more physical about it. Rubbing the small of my back, touching my shoulders or…” she glanced at her daughter, who wasn’t paying attention but still as a child had ears that picked up everything. “lower… way lower.”

“Sounds like a real jerk.” Gabe added.

“Oh, he started to be. So, I filed a harassment suit against him.” She sat back in the booth and sighed. “And he filed one right back at me with some made up B.S. story. Long story short, I lost my job, I lost everything trying to get him to drop his case which he refused to do unless I admitted guilt which would ensure I’d never work anywhere but a,” she looks at her tray of food and grinned as best she could. Moisture had started to build in her eyes at the returning thoughts of her own misfortune. “Burger King. That was about seven months ago.”

“I’m sorry.” Were the only words in his wide vocabulary that Gabriel Law could find.

“He ruined my life and he doesn’t even care. That… bastard ruined my life and he’s at home tonight with his mistress I’m sure living it up like nothing ever happened.” Tears flowed like a rainstorm. Silent, yet angry they streamed from her eyes the same way rain might tear its way across a lonely plain.

“What about family Sara? Isn’t there anyone you can turn to?” Gabriel tried to talk as calmly to her as possible. This could not have been an easy story to tell a total stranger, nova or not.

She shook her head as she stroked her hand across Briana’s dirty hair. “Not really. I wish there was, but there isn’t. There just isn’t anyone.”

“Momma, don’t cry.” She hugged her mother lovingly when she noticed her in tears. “You said we’d be okay, right? I can’t cry so neither can you, we’ll be okay.”

“I know.” She sniffled and smiled both at once. “I know baby.”

“It’s just a set back Mommy, remember? That’s what you said. That we’ll be okay soon and everything will be back to the way it was, and I can have a kitten then, remember?” She clamped to her mother tightly as if the tighter she squeezed the less tears that would flow.

Sara came to the realization that Gabriel was still sitting across from them. “Oh god, I feel like,” she wiped the tears away and sat up as straight she could “I feel like an idiot. This is embarrassing.”

“Look Sara. I’m staying close by, why don’t the two of you come on back with me?” When he saw her expression change the knot above his left eye began to throb. “Before you assault be with a Whopper wrapper and violate my dignity with an onion ring please hear me out.”

She laughed, he couldn’t believe it but she laughed loud and buried her face into the table, her shoulders convulsed as she recovered from his statement. The other patrons, who had been clicking op-phone pictures and gawking the entire time at this rather odd trio, a nova man who may as well be a god on earth sting and talking with a filthy woman and her urchin of a child, were dumbfounded by what could have possibly have been said. Others still seethed with jealousy that she was graced by his attention and not them.

“I’ll be here all week, there’s some event going on. It’s nothing exciting, but seriously, why don’t you two crash with me. No strings attached. Warm bath, warm bed, and free food.” He smiled sincerely. “She looks like she could use it.” He said looking at Briana.

“Nothing is free Mr. Law.”

“This is.” He replied dryly.

“Bull.” She shot back at him.

“Very well.” He grinned politely. It had appeared they had entered negotiations again and she was back to playing hardball. As much as he wanted to help her he was not about to argue or brawl with her here in a Burger King. If she didn’t want it, so be it. “Well, I hope you enjoyed the meal, I certainly enjoyed your company. And I mean that, sincerely.” The man stood up and placed the napkin that was in his lap onto the tray in front of him. “Sara, it’s been a pleasure meeting you. And you as well Briana, be good for your mother okay?” With those final words he began his walk to the door.

“Wait.” Sara said, stopping him just a few steps away. Gabriel’s ruse had worked. She knew that she and her daughter could use, at least one night, of comfortable stress free rest. “No strings?”

“Not a one.”

“Fine.”

As the trio left the Burger King Gabriel was a bit relieved. He was desperately hoping that she would agree to come with him, if only for the sake of her child.

*****

[Gabriel Stone]

Gabriel sat in the living room of his New York penthouse flipping channels as his two houseguests washed up. The hour was late but he could still hear the water splashing and the ladies talking from time to time. The channels flipped by slowly until he finally settled on the local news.

“Paris Hilton appears to in trouble with the law again after the heiress allegedly started a brawl in a down town restaurant earlier this evening after refusing to leave when the establishment was due to close it’s doors.” The anchorman went on as footage of the fiasco at the restaurant Gabriel recognized from earlier this evening played on. “Police had to be called onto the scene where she was wrestled to the ground and tasered before police were finally able to safely remove her. She was quoted saying: ‘I have to wait here. He said he’d be back. I can’t leave, I have to wait.”

He leaned in from his comfortable spot on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees as the scene unfolded on the large screen television. He did all he could to stifle the smile. Sure it was evil of him, but up until the news cast he had forgotten all about his date with her. I should feel guilty, but… I don’t.

“She’s in bed.” Came a lovely voice from behind him. “Briana, I mean.”

Gabriel spun around and stood up to greet Sara, unsure of how long she had been standing there. With out all the dirt that marked her hard life on the city streets Sara was transformed into a woman of exquisite of beauty. Her long brown hair was still damp, clinging to the back of her short satin robe. Her body was to die for and her eyes were angelic.

“Sara-“ he was at a loss for words. He thought she was cute even before, while they sat in having hamburgers just a few hours ago, but didn’t expect this. “You’re… wow.”

She blushed and did her best to hide it by looking away from him. She smiled big, and honestly couldn’t help but appreciate the attention; it felt good to be beautiful again she thought to herself especially when the most beautiful man in the world was noticing. “Thank you again.” She stepped lightly on the soft carpet and down the few steps that led into the large living room. “I’m a bit shocked.”

“How so?”

“You quite the collection of women’s apparel in the spare bedroom. Something I should know about?” Her smile lit up the room. It was nice to see her in a bit of a lighter mood now that she was refreshed after being pampered in a king sized tub big enough for ten, plus Gabe.

His laughter filled the room. She apparently (when not trying to kill him) had quite the witty tongue. “Well, you never know when you might meet new and interesting people. I try to stay prepared.”

“A regular boy scout.” She replied as a wry grin motioned across her lips while she looked through his collection of CDs.

“I try.”

“Look, um, Mr. Law.” Sara faced him and began padding her way in his direction.

“Please, call me Gabe. I hate formalities.” The line was slowly becoming his trademark phrase, but it was honest enough.

“Right, Gabe, sorry.” Her smile was a bashful one and she found it difficult to look directly at him. “Um, I really do appreciate what you’ve done for us tonight.”

As modestly as he could the playboy nova smiled. “It’s no trouble at all Sara. Honest.” He glanced around the room, trying to avoid looking directly at her as best her could. She was all sorts of beautiful and he didn’t want to embarrass himself by staring. “It’s getting late. I uh, had a room prepared for you.”

Boldly Sara stepped forward and before Gabriel could do or say much she stood in front of him. She moved her left hand slowly down his chest, barely touching his skin that his half opened shirt revealed. “I’m sure you’re a good man, but I find it hard to believe you did all this with no expectation of payment.” Her lips brushed the center of his chest then came a second and a third, each as gentle as the one prior. She was trapped in his spell, completely and hopelessly desiring the man whom she had just met hours ago. She knew she wanted him, badly, but as her mind raced to select all the reasons why it was a good idea, her logic told her it was just his beauty toying with her mind. It did little to deter her. Gabriel seemed like the perfect man: beautiful, compassionate, rich, successful, and beautiful. She had to have him her baseline instincts told her. “You’ve done so much for us tonight-”

A gentle finger found it’s way across her lips ‘shushing’ her in mid sentence. “Sara, you’re very beautiful, but I can not take advantage of you, or your daughter’s trust.” He knew it was the right choice, but it was hard for him to tear himself away from her advances. It was times like this he cursed himself for his quantum blessings. He hadn’t quite felt right around women since he erupted. There was a pang of guilt within him that told him they were only interested in him because his gifts had wooed them and stripped away their right to choose whether they really liked him, or just enamored by quantum manipulation. He took her hand and squeezed it affectionately. “Good night Sara.”

She didn’t bother to turn around as he walked past her. She felt the barbs of rejection wrapping tightly around her heart. She stood silently with her head low as a single tear ran down her face. It could have been for happiness, for all the wonderful things she and Briana were given this evening. It could have been a tear of joy that Gabriel respected her enough to not take advantage of her affections. Perhaps it was simply a tear because tomorrow all this would be gone and she would have to go back to the way things were.

*****

[Gabriel Stone]

“Can I have more?” Briana asked, her fork clanging down against her plate.

“Of course. As much as you like.” Smiled their host as he shoveled a forkful of pancakes into his mouth.

Her mother was quick to scold her, it was Briana’s third helping and she was afraid her poor daughter would end up sick. As the mother and daughter fussed over breakfast helpings they failed to notice the older gentleman, Elsworth, who was Gabriel’s butler and some would argue, best friend.

“Master Law, sir?” He asked in a dry British accent. “All the preparations are in order.”

His young master held up his index and he nodded his head as he tried to swallow the large mouthful of pancakes. “Mmm…” Me managed to stammer out, amazingly with out spewing syrup on the table, as he choked it all down swallowing hard. “Good, excellent… wonderful!” The young billionaire dabbed his mouth with his napkin and stood up.

Sara and Briana broke off their heated breakfast battle, which was going in favor of more pancakes. As Gabriel stood up they both watched him with a measure of concern, assuming their time in his company was quickly coming to an end. He was a busy man and certainly had more important things to do.

Sara collected the napkins from their laps, using one to wipe the syrup smeared face of her daughter. “We certainly do appreciate all you’ve done, Mr. Law.” Sara used his formal name while Elsworth was present. Although she wasn’t specifically instructed to do so there was something about the old man’s presence that struck her as fatherly and urged her to be less casual.

“Think nothing of it,” his grin went form ear to ear. “Would you two like to go for a ride with me? There’s something I’d like you to see.”

His guests accepted with a perplexed nod and after only a few moments they were in the limo on their way.

*****

[Gabriel Stone]

The key slid slowly into the lock. With a few tumbler clicks and a twist of the wrist the dead bolt lock shifted and permitted entry. The large, heavy door opened and on the other side a spacious studio apartment.

The smell of fresh wax on the hardwood floor mingled with the scents of various cleaning agents. The sun shown through the large windows that covered almost the entirety of the wall granting a beautiful view of down town Manhattan. Kitchen space was reserved to the left of the entrance. All the appliances looked new and were polished metal. The living area was furnished with an overstuffed white leather couch with matching love seat and recliner. An art deco glass coffee table sat nearly invisible in front of a huge wide screen Hi-Def television.

Sara walked through the threshold, Briana in tow tightly clutching her hand completely in awe of how large the world seemed in this place. “Gabriel, where are we?” She looked around, startling herself when she caught her reflection in the polished refrigerator. “This place is beautiful.”

The nova crossed his arms over his chest, nodding his head in approval of his surroundings. “I’m glad you like it Sara,” he looked her in the eyes. His expression was warm and honest but carried with it the tone of complete seriousness. “Because it’s yours. If you like.”

“I-I beg your pardon?”

“And on the kitchen table you will find a proposal.” He let the sentence hang there for a moment, to make sure everything was sinking in. “A fair salary, paid vacation time, holidays off, and a signing bonus that will more then adequately help you and Briana get back on your feet. You’d answer directly to me, as one of only ten people whom I supervise personally.”

“Bu… Ga… I…” Words were there but refused to be heard from her shocked lips. With a bit of effort she managed to gather enough of herself. “D-doing what?”

“Accounting.” He said with a gigawatt smile.

Astonishment mixed with a touch of envy spread across her face as she raised one eyebrow. “You have ten accountants?”

“Yeah… well…” Perfectly chiseled cheeks flushed with crimson embarrassment. He hated that he had so much money sometimes, simply because it was almost impossible to party hard enough to spend it all. “So, uh, anyway. What do you think?”

“Gabriel, I… this is…” She honestly didn’t know what to say. This was too much, life doesn’t do this, it can’t just one eighty in a single night, can it? Her brain was in Pandemonium. She didn’t know what to say even thought she knew the obvious answer was ‘yes’. She watched as Briana wandered around the apartment, half oblivious to the conversation taking place between her and Gabriel.

Sara lost sight of the young CEO. She knew what was best for her daughter, and life on the streets certainly wasn’t it. All she had to do was say…

The jingling of the apartment key falling on the table broke her from her distant thinking. It was halted by the nova’s palm and it rested next to a manila envelope that most likely contained the proposal he spoke of a moment ago.

Tucking his hands in his pockets, he casually strolled for the door. “Tell you what. Take your time to think it over. This place is paid up for six months. Either way, it should be enough to help get you two back into the swing of things.” His hand twisted the knob and the door opened half way before she stopped him with a question he expected to eventually here.

“Why,” her voice was soft and held back the gentle sound of emotion. She was about to burst into tears, and he knew it. “Why would you do all this, we’re just strangers through the glass of a restaurant. Why would you help us?”

He didn’t turn around. He stood there holding the door’s edge with his left hand. “My heart said it’s the right thing to do. Everyday I hear it ask me to help everyone, but I can’t.” He inhaled, letting his exhale form his next phrase. “Nova or not, nobody can, not alone. One day, maybe tomorrow, maybe ten years from now, you’ll be that stranger. You’ll be that stranger through the glass Sara. I know when that day comes, and your heart cries out to you.” He walked through the half open portal, leaving his final words to linger. “You’ll listen.”

The door lightly clicked closed and the pair was alone. Briana wandered gleefully her innocent mind really not concerned with all the grown up talk going on. Time immeasurable seemed pass and all Sara could do was just stare at the door. Had she not touched him she would never guess he was real. Were she not standing in the apartment she would never have assumed that this was anything less than a dream.

A loud knocking at the door snapped her once again from a bewildered reverie.

“I’ll get it!” Briana stormed to the door as quick as possible, still heedless that Gabriel had even left. Her small hands struggled with the knob as her mother could only stand there still completely in shock of everything her mind was struggling to wrap itself around.

“Mommy! Mommy! Look!” Her daughter knelt in the doorway, picked up something and ran back to her mother as quick as possible. “Look! Her voice was about as excited as a child’s voice could be. Sara remembered that tone it was happiness. Her daughter, as strong willed as she may have been, hadn’t sounded happy.

Looking down she saw Briana holding up a beautiful white kitten. It’s icy blue eyes looked up at Sara she almost immediately fell in love with it. Nervously she reached to the little tag hanging freely by a red bow attached to the collar around its neck.

To: Briana

Love: God

Her emotional levy burst. She reached for her baby girl and hugged her as tightly as she could. She wept until she could no longer feel the tears run down her cheeks. He had remembered the kitten, the simple kitten that was mentioned in the middle of so many other things going on, and the request that was barely audible over all the commotion going on around them on the city streets.

Everything was going to be okay she thought to herself as she wiped her tears away and began to play with her daughter and their new kitten.

Three floors below Gabriel Law felt the mid summer breeze through his hair. He stopped in front of his limo and Elsworth opened the door for him in a completely rehearsed manner.

“Your parents sir, they would be proud.” Elsworth said, with an approving smile on his face. Gabriel stood silently, staring off into the world of New York like he had slipped into some sort of trance. “Master Law, sir?”

His young ward raised his hand slowly and motioned for Elsworth to be silent.

“Sir,” he asked, ignoring the motion for silence, but still using a soft whisper. “What are you doing?”

Gabriel looked at Elsworth and couldn’t help but wear a face of pure elation and joy. “Nothing Elsworth. Just listening, and there’s nothing more I’m supposed to do here. Let’s go home.”

~Fin