Zing was puzzled. She looked at Gloria and Frida, helplessly. “I thought she’d be happy for me.”
***
Zing could see the sliver of light coming out from under Bertha’s office door. She tapped softly. And waited. She tapped louder. She wanted it to sound aggressive, but not too aggressive. Maybe a medium aggressive. Bertha was known for getting her hackles up and digging in her heels, so Zing didn’t want to put her on the defensive.
She waited patiently for several long seconds. Then it occurred to her that every second she stood outside Bertha’s office was another second she wasn’t spending with Nell. So, she knocked hard, really hard, and on the third really hard knock, Bertha opened the door and Zing fell into the room. Bertha had graciously stood to one side so Zing could fall flat on her face.
“Somehow I knew it would be you,” Bertha said, closing the door.
Zing got up off the floor. “How’d you know? Because I discovered the secret?” Zing asked harshly.
“Sit down, Zing. Let’s talk about this reasonably. Would you care for a cup of tea?” Bertha didn’t wait for an answer. She poured a cup and handed it to Zing, who had managed to sit down.
“I find chamomile tea soothes the nerves,” Bertha said. She sipped her tea and studied Zing. “Now, tell me what you want to tell me.”
Zing put down her cup and stood. She wagged her finger at Bertha. “I’ll tell you what I want to tell you! Free will! Does that mean anything to you? And why didn’t you tell me I could decide? Why is it such a big secret? Is it because you don’t want all your precious angels becoming human and creating a labor shortage?” Zing was screaming now. All the pent up frustration of the last month came boiling out.
“Sit down, this minute,” Bertha boomed.
She scared Zing so badly she obeyed.
“And drink your tea,” Bertha added.
Zing stared at her.
“All right, you don’t have to drink the tea, but you do have to remain calm—for once in your life. Agreed?”
Zing nodded. She pressed her lips together until they formed a thin line. She couldn’t trust herself to speak. Who knew what would come out?
“To address your accusation that allowing everyone to know about free will would create a labor shortage is rubbish. Complete rubbish! Do you understand me?”
Zing nodded again.
“Not all guardian angels want to be human. In fact, most find the idea detestable. If they wanted to they’d find a way just like you did. Of course, if they did have the desire, they figured out the way using the guardian handbook. Not like you, sneaking around. You should get a severe reprimand for your behavior, but due to the urgency of your case, I’ve decided to let it go.”
Zing got a horrible feeling in her stomach when Bertha said “urgency.” Zing hadn’t checked the monitor recently because she’d been looking for the loophole. “Did I die?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“Not yet. Having your body hanging on is gaining interest in the medical community, which means we need to do damage control and soon.” Bertha sipped her tea.
“Damage control?”
“Something needs to happen. You either need to die or resume,” Bertha said.
Did she say resume? Zing thought. Then suspicion set in. It seemed too easy and Bertha never made anything easy. It was against her nature. She wouldn’t just let Zing have what she wanted and be happy. Zing narrowed her eyes. “Why don’t guardian angels want to be human?”
“Because being human is a big step. It’s harder than you think, and once the decision is made there is no turning back—ever. You will suffer all the pain, heartache, sickness, mortality, etcetera that is part of being human.”
“I know all that,” Zing said.
“I’ve drawn up the Contract of Banishment,” Bertha said, picking up a file from the desk. It was a thick file.
“Is that my file?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Why’s it so thick?”
“Your antics as a guardian have been well documented.”
“I’m a bad guardian angel,” Zing said. She felt remorse.
“Pretty much. Maybe you weren’t meant to be a guardian.” Bertha studied her. “You really love Nell Parker?”
“I do. I can’t live without her. I would be a troublesome, miserable, perhaps even a psychotic guardian angel, if I was forced to live without her.” Zing mustered up the saddest face she could.
“All right then. But I want you to sleep on this,” Bertha said.
Zing set down her tea cup and shook her head decisively. “I’ll sign it now. I won’t change my mind.”