Dimensions of Genesis Chapter 1 (warning, very long.)

Lily Donovan felt apprehensive as the heavy door slammed behind her. Her bright green eyes scanned the austere environment. Knowing Sunday mass didn’t begin for another forty-five minutes, she felt intimidated by the virtually empty church.
Lily removed her white knit sweater, damp from the light rain, and hung it in the coat closet provided for the congregation. Thinking ahead, she chose to hang the sweater as close to the end of the closet as she could.
That way, I can escape quickly after the service She thought to herself, feeling clever.
Placing the sweater on the rung, she cringed when the hangers clattered together. Even the most subtle noises were like a freight train in an empty church.
Pensively, she compared the ambiance of the church to a library, wondering why it was necessary to remain hushed within walls of religion.
Selecting a seat with a view of the confessional booth, she noted with dismay that the booth was in use. She'd arrived at the church early to talk to Gabe. Her parents usually arrived at 9:30am sharp. She decided if she wanted to visit with him without her parents hovering, she’d have to come a little early.
Looking around the church, Lily noticed two tiny gray-haired nuns donned in all black, sitting two pews ahead of her. Their heads bowed piously, they fumbled their beaded rosaries in earnest. Lily suppressed a giggle as she thought of a dirty joke she’d heard about two nuns going into a bar. It involved sheep, it was a bad one.
Straightening the lapel on her beige suit jacket, she smoothed any wrinkles on her favorite white skirt with the tiny cream flowers embroidered on it. A smear of syrup on the cuff of her white blouse was all that remained of her mother’s delicious Sunday morning breakfast. Lily looked around to make sure no one noticed as she gave her cuff a quick lick cleaning.
Gazing upwards, her eyes were drawn to the ornate statues dwelling on the walls. Cherubic marble angels held tiny harps, their large feathered wings poised as though prepared for an immediate departure.
In the corner, a large tiered table hosted many lit candles. Each candle's burning flame represented a prayer for a loved one. Lily flinched as she involuntarily imagined herself tripping and plunging headfirst into the illuminated vigil. If anyone was going to end up being a human torch from perpetual clumsiness, it was her. Trouble and mishap stalked Lily like a blood-thirsty mosquito.
Lily's gaze paused on the altar, her eyes drawn to the enormous wooden cross mounted behind it. A plastic version of Jesus was impaled on the cross, nails in his hands and feet. Red paint simulated blood weeping from the wounds. A thorny crown adorned the model’s head with copious amounts of the fake blood drizzling down his face.
It was the expression on his face, however, that caused Lily to cringe more than anything. Staring upwards to the sky, his mouth gaping, a look of horror painted upon his face.
Grimacing, she wondered if they'd put that horrible statue there to make people feel guilty or if they just wanted people to feel pity so they'd put more money in the offerings basket. Either way, it didn’t motivate her to come here every Sunday.
Lily could never put her finger on her inner resentments towards the whole church 'thing'. She'd actually taken time to think about it, but never resolved her feelings. She considered it could be that her parents forced her to go to church or simply because she thought church was boring. She knew she had a relationship with this 'God' guy, but he reminded her more of a grandpa she rarely visited.
At seventeen, she was relieved to be too old for the weekly Sunday school class. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for the little children that were corralled into one of the back rooms during Sunday service.
She recalled arguing with the nuns about stories that didn’t make any sense to her. Her memory drifted back to one of the heated debates during Sunday school.
“Well, all I’m asking is if there was only Adam and Eve,” Lily proposed calmly, “and they had Cain and Abel…how did the rest of the people come about? I mean, Eve didn’t, like, you know…with her sons? Did she?”
Lily remembered being kicked out of Sunday school class that day, one among many. Her parents were notified, by a flustered nun, after mass. Of course, the real punishment came later in the form of a spanking, courtesy of her father’s leather belt.
Shaking off the unpleasant memory, Lily glanced at the confessional booth again, she sighed and felt her impatience creeping up.
Touching her curly caramel-colored hair, she assessed how frizzy it may have gotten on the way to church. Rain had devastating effects on natural curl. She was thankful she'd sprayed a bit of hairspray in it before she left home, she hoped her hair would stay put for a few hours.
Most of her corkscrew curly hair hung nearly to her waist except for a few shorter pieces in the front. Methodically, she placed a couple of curls over the large crescent-shaped scar on her forehead. She smiled, thinking back to the day she'd inherited that scar; that was the day she'd met Gabe.
She'd never forget the moment they met, though it felt more like a reunion than a first encounter. Her memory of that day locked forever in her mind as the best day of her life, well, other than the part where she almost died.
That was five years ago already she thought affectionately, picturing the first time she saw Gabe's handsome Greek features. Even though he was fifteen at the time and she was only twelve, something...almost supernatural...drew them together.
Lily's eyes glazed over as she daydreamed back to the moment she first saw him...the way his black hair shone with the gleam of the afternoon sun, his crystal blue eyes...
Grow up Lily! She scolded herself. He obviously doesn't like you that way!
Turning her wrist over, she checked the time on her watch; generating a wave of fresh anxiety.
“9:10.” she muttered under her breath, tapping the folded step on the back of the pew ahead of her.
Adjusting herself on the wooden pew, she placed her feet on top of the retractable prayer step. Being short, only five feet tall, had its advantages. The little prayer step, folded up onto the back of the pew ahead of her, would be too high for a taller person to rest comfortably on. For Lily, however, it performed more like a footstool than a penance cushion.
Lily glanced around the church, observing the people already there for the Sunday service. The two little nuns still prayed feverishly, two young alter boys were setting up in preparation for the service and a larger woman was sitting at the organ practicing songs.
Bored, Lily leaned forward to grab one of the psalm booklets in the shelf on the back of the pew ahead of her. As she shifted her weight to reach for the booklet, the hinged prayer step her feet had been resting on, suddenly flipped down, plunging Lily's face into the pew ahead of her.
To make matters worse, the commotion created a crashing noise that reverberated throughout the church; startling everyone, making them turn and stare at her.
Reorganizing herself, Lily touched her battered chin and saw traces of blood on her fingers.
“Jesus.” She hissed under her breath as she dabbed at her throbbing chin. Her curse was apparently louder than she thought as the two little nuns turned and glared at her furiously, their wrinkled faces contorted into a disapproving frown.
“Our…lord and savior…” she stammered, trying to cover up her verbal faux pas.
The two nuns shot her a scornful look and then turned their attention back to their rosaries. Lily fought the urge to stick her tongue out at them.
Well, that was fun. Lily thought wryly to herself searching her purse for a compact mirror and a Kleenex to clean off the blood. Before she could assess the damage done to her chin, she noticed movement from the back of the church.
Someone was emerging from the confessional booth.
“All right!” she said excitedly, ignoring the nuns shushing her and rushed over to the booth.
Pushing back the thick black curtain draped over the entrance of the confessional booth, she entered into the dark box. Arranging the curtain behind her so no one could see inside, she sat and waited for confession to begin.
After a few moments of silence, a deep male voice emanated from the other side of the confessional screen.
“Peace be with you.” he said professionally.
“And also vit you.” Lily replied, but she'd disguised her voice by imitating an old Polish woman. “It has been two veeks since I had confession.” Lily smothered a giggle as she continued her charade.
“Please continue.” he said, his tone patient.
“Oh thank you, thank you. Vell, let’s see, twice I say the Lord’s name in vain, vonce I forget to say grace before I ate and…vell…” She stammered in her old Polish lady dialect.
“Yes?” the deep voice asked inquisitively, urging her to continue.
“I…oh I cannot, it is too sinful!”
“We all have things we may be ashamed of,” he said with kindness, “but to ask forgiveness for them is divine.”
Biting the insides of her cheeks and taking a deep breath, she quelled the giggles that were fighting to break free.
“Vell,” she whispered, pretending to be nervous, “Many times…I have impure thoughts of…of…the young, dark-haired priest…in this church!” With that, Lily put both her hands over her mouth, desperate to smother the fountain of giggles.
“Oh!…uhhh….” the deep voice stuttered in pure horror.
There was an awkward silence for a few moments. Lily sat motionless, biting her lip in anticipation, awaiting his response.
After a couple of tense seconds, she heard a loud sigh come from the other booth. Then he spoke with a stern, but relieved voice.
“Lily!”
The dam burst and Lily laughed hysterically until tears poured down her face and she was clutching her stomach.
“Oh Gabe! That was priceless!” Lily giggled as she pushed the curtain aside to leave the booth, but the heavy curtain fell back before she’d gotten far enough out. The curtain swished roughly onto her head, knocked her off balance and filled her hair with static.
Lily watched as Gabe came flying out of his side of the confessional. An irate look painted upon his handsome face. He obviously had intentions of scolding Lily for her inappropriate behavior in the church.
The moment he saw her, however, his annoyed look quickly evolved to a reluctant smile.
Her hair, disheveled and full of static from the brush with curtain, stuck out like a butterscotch-colored dandelion. A large scratch on her chin, caked with remnants of dried blood, blemished her linen skin. Mascara streaked down her face from the tears she'd shed due to her hysterical laughing fit.
She grinned impishly, her green eyes fiery with rebellion.
Taking her arm, Gabe led her quickly to a back room in the church. Closing the door behind him, he chuckled with an affectionate sigh.
Approaching her with a look of playful disdain, he towered over her tiny five foot frame. Attempting to pat down her wild hair, he managed to tuck most of the wild strays behind her ears.
Lily’s mind was busy creating excuses and witty remarks as she prepared for the onslaught of reprimands she assumed she'd hear from Gabe. She waited with for his usual speech about respect for the church, his profession…blah, blah, blah, but it never came.
Oh sure, the silent treatment She thought dryly, though in truth, that was the worst punishment in her eyes. Lily could handle the reprimands and scoldings, but for Gabe to withhold talking to her; was agony.
Softly, he softly cupped her petite face in his large, warm hand. He retrieved a white handkerchief from his pocket, licked it lightly and began gently wiping away the assortment of smudges on her face. After successfully removing the dried blood and smeared mascara, he paused, holding her face with both of his hands. Staring at her affectionately, he ran his thumb over the old scar on her forehead.
“Oh, my Lily,” Gabe said quietly, gazing down at her, “Whatever am I going to do with you?” His icy blue eyes penetrated hers. His bronzed complexion glowed as he smiled at her, his dimples materialized as his lips curved up.
The mischievous smirk she wore slowly melted from her face. Lily's emerald eyes fixated on his face. Her heart beat madly in her chest as her head spun from his touch.
Gabe and Lily stood before one another, the whole world existing only in that room. Anything outside the room became a blurry memory. Beyond the door, the earthly realm disappeared, there was no church, no people, no nuns. The sentinel statues faded to transparency as did the staunch ambiance.
Lily's memory drifted back to the day they met, the day their souls reunited...the day she nearly died.
***
Seating herself at the table for lunch, twelve year old Lily waited impatiently for her grilled cheese sandwich. Swinging her short legs back and forth, her feet nearly a foot from the floor, she watched as her mother prepared her lunch.
As her mother finished making a sandwich, she turned around to deliver it to the table. Her mother, preoccupied with her duties, walked almost the entire way across the kitchen before she actually looked at Lily.
“Good heavens child!” Her mother exclaimed, placing one hand over her startled heart and nearly dropping the plate of food.
Lily’s strawberry blonde hair was standing straight on end with leaves and bits of mud woven between the mass of tight curls. Her face, blotched with encrusted mud; eyelids included. Lily’s ivory sundress was now a murky clay color, one strap ripped off.
“Lord in heaven child! What have you been doing?” Lily’s mother was so mortified she forgot to make Lily say grace before handing her the plate.
“I was catching frogs near the pond…for a scientific experiment.” Lily stated as she shoved the sandwich in her mouth.
“Well, you’ll have to get into the bath lickity split after you eat and clean yourself up nice.” Her mother said sternly, her Irish accent becoming pronounced.
“Ugh! Why!?” Lily exclaimed, bread crumbs falling out of her mouth as she frowned at her mother.
“We have company coming this afternoon and I would like for you to look like a proper young lady.” With that, her mother walked to the living to vacuum.
Lily rolled her eyes, shoved the last of the sandwich in her mouth, took her plate to the sink and went to the bathroom to clean herself up.
It was so rare they had company that Lily was intrigued to see who these mystery guests were and why they were so important.
Getting the mud and leaves out of her hair, however, was easier said than done. It took Lily almost an hour to bath and then comb through the rat’s nest that ensued after the storm of dirt.
Choosing a white sundress with tiny blue flowers embroidered on it, she then walked to the bathroom to find a matching headband to tame her disobedient locks.
In the hallway, Lily was ambushed by her five year old twin sisters Quinn and Sheridan.
“Lily!!!” they both squealed in delight, rushing to give her a hug. Two miniature versions of Lily, right down to the crazy curly hair, ivory skin and bright green eyes. The only difference from Lily's face was that both twins had an abundance of freckles on their faces. Lily always thought their freckles looked like sprinklings of cinnamon on milk.
“You look pretty!” Quinn exclaimed admiring her big sister’s dress, Sheridan, ever so shy, just nodded in agreement.
“Thank you.” Lily replied patting her sister on the head and smiling at her. If there was one thing Lily loved about her life, it was her large family. The hustle and bustle of the household would drive the average kid crazy, but Lily loved the wild adventures her home held every day. Her two little sisters were amongst her most favorite people, even though they got into her stuff all of the time.
Lily hoped someday she'd have a bunch of kids of her own. Even at twelve years old, she had a precocious view of the world and what she wanted from it.
Lily had three older brothers, but they weren’t around often as they were usually helping her dad at the farm. Her grandfather had left several parcels of land to her dad in his will.
The twins ran off to play out in the yard, but not before they were firmly warned by their mother not to get dirty.
Lily finished getting ready and wandered downstairs to see if her mother needed any help.
I’m such a great kid! Lily thought, patting herself on the back, as she bounded happily down the stairs.
Lily and her mother sufficiently tidied the house just in time for the guests to arrive.
Outside, the sound of tires crunched on the gravel driveway as a vehicle approached the house. Lily ran quickly to the front window to catch a glimpse. She was notoriously nosy, especially when it came to meeting new people.
Peeking through the ivory lace curtain, Lily watched as a woman and two children exited a blue minivan. She could see her mother and twin sisters outside greeting the newcomers. Quinn happily ran up and hugged each and every guest while Sheridan hid nervously behind her mother’s skirt.
The mystery family’s complexion was darker, as was their hair color. They were obviously of foreign descent. Lily’s imagination flew in many directions, thinking they might be Egyptian royalty or roving Gypsies peddling their mystical wares.
In the midst of her exotic daydream, she heard her mother calling for her, “Lily, child, come out here please!”
Licking her palms quickly, she attempted to smooth back any rebellious curls that may have sprung out of place in protest.
Once at the screen door, she hesitated for a moment. As much as she liked meeting new people, she was a always a bit nervous in the beginning. Her family didn’t entertain many new guests, even those they'd known for many years.
Her parents were quite content to maintain a fairly humble and quiet existence, rarely inviting people over. Her father, Ben, was shy and set in his ways. Sheridan’s lack of social enthusiasm was likely inherited from her reclusive father.
Lily’s mother, Maggie, on the other hand, loved getting out and meeting new people. She was thrilled to be invited to church socials and consistently volunteered for any charity events organized by the congregation.
Maggie respected the privacy her husband cherished, so she fulfilled her need for social activity away from the home.
All this led Lily to realize these people standing outside must be of some significance to her mother, though it still made her nervous to come face to face with them.
Walking slowly out the door, Lily smiled warmly to the unfamiliar faces in her driveway. Scanning each face, she nodded to each as her mother did the introductions.
“This is Lily,” her mother began, waving her hand toward Lily. “Lily, this is Mrs. Konstantinos. Her daughter…” Her mother fumbled, embarrassed as she attempted to recall their names.
Mrs. Konstantinos jumped in to assist Maggie.
“Anna-Lucita, Dimitris and…” Her voice trailed off as she looked back at the van, obviously searching for someone. “Gabriel...who is apparently a little anti-social today.” She smiled apologetically.
The names of her children rolled off her tongue like verbal silk, her thick Greek accent adding an exotic flair to every syllable.
Lily inspected the visitors carefully. Mrs. Konstantinos was a tiny wisp of a woman. Her face, though worn by the years, showed a startling natural beauty. Her greying black hair tied neatly into a traditional bun, she exuded grace and poise. A dark sadness lurked behind her beautiful chestnut eyes.
Anna-Lucita looked to be about Lily’s age, but physically, the mirror opposite. Anna’s long black hair shone like obsidian in the summer sun. Her chocolate brown eyes glowed with patience. It was obvious Anna was to be a stunning beauty with all the grace of her mother.
Dimitris was about ten or eleven years old. His wavy, black hair fell into his dark brown eyes as he shyly looked at the ground. He appeared painfully timid.
A sound from the far side of the van caught Lily’s attention. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to a tall, muscular boy exiting from the minivan.
He had black, wavy hair and dark brown skin like his siblings, but it was the color of his eyes that made Lily gasp. His eyes were so icy blue, they appeared crystalline, lighter than the most transparent wave in the ocean.
“Aww, Gabriel, you finally grace us with your presence.” His mother said with her rich, Greek accent.
“Please, call me Gabe.” The boy said politely, correcting his mother, his voice deep with hormonal transition.
Lily didn’t know what it meant, but when she looked at Gabe, her stomach did flip flops and felt like it was tying into knots.
She frowned as she thought to herself, I feel like I've seen him before, but how could I? I just met him
The mothers excused themselves for tea, leaving the children to overcome their awkward silence.
The children stood around, mindlessly kicking pebbles in the gravel and waiting for someone to make the first move. Sheridan clung panic-stricken to Lily’s arm and Quinn fidgeted with the hem of her dress, unaware she was lifting it too high and flashing the guests her purple underwear.
Anna was the brave one who stepped up first, leaning in to greet Sheridan.
“Hi there, my name is Anna.” She smiled kindly at terrified Sheridan, “Which twin are you again?”
Sheridan buried her face into Lily’s waist and made a tiny squeak in response.
“Her name is Sheridan,” Lily volunteered, “and that’s Quinn over there.” she pointed at Quinn, who now had her sandal off and was attempting to pick up rocks with her toes. Upon hearing her name, she turned and grinned at Anna.
Anna nodded and smiled at the twins, her brown eyes sparkled with warmth.
“So,” Lily eyed Gabe ardently, “you guys want to come see our tree house?”
Everyone agreed and the young group followed Lily into the woods behind the house. The tree house was a five minute walk on a narrow, crooked path into the thick forest. Their father had built it in an old oak tree years before. Maggie, pregnant with Lily at the time, assisted her husband to best of her ability.
After her parents immigrated from Ireland, they purchased the home they now lived in. The house needed some tender loving care however. Thankfully, Lily’s father was a talented carpenter and created a castle out of a shack. He re-used the materials he took from the older home's renovations to build their tree house.
Arriving at the big oak, an elaborate tree house appeared, tucked away in the branches of the big tree. It had a weathered, but reliable, old ladder that led to a trap door entrance.
Tucking her dress between her legs, forming balloon-type shorts, Lily climbed the ladder first.
"Come on up!" Lily called down from the trap door.
The twins went up, with Anna doting behind them. Dimitris climbed up, still nervous and aloof. Gabe was last, his lean arm muscles flexing as he lifted himself through the trap door.
The little room had two windows adorned with miniature flowered curtains. A tiny table and chairs, just the right size for the twins, sat in the corner. There were small cabinets for cups, saucers and teapot, just in case of an unexpected imaginary tea party.
The main attraction of the tree house, though, was what lay beyond a garden door; a tiny balcony complete with rod iron railing. Just big enough for a lawn chair, Lily would spend hours reading out on the little deck. It was a small piece of heaven high up in the trees.
The balcony door was kept locked with a padlock for the twins safety. Only Lily and her older brothers knew where the key was.
Hunched over, the older kids peeked out of the garden door's window; to reveal a beautiful sparkling pond a little ways from tree house.
After a few minutes, the kids relaxed, started chatting and got to know one another better. Dimitris rarely added to the conversation, but often nodded politely and smiled at the girls.
Anna kept the conversation flowing beautifully, she was proficient at making everyone feel at ease. Even Sheridan, who normally took a long time to get comfortable with anyone new, climbed into Anna’s lap and began twirling Anna’s long black hair around her tiny pointer finger.
Quinn’s incessant chatter lightened the mood and set the tone for the afternoon.
They played several games of Go Fish and War with the decks of cards available in the cabinets. Lily’s brothers often crept away to the tree house to play poker.
Lily and Gabe, continuously made eye contact throughout the afternoon. Occasionally, they'd both look away and blush, especially when Anna and Dimitris noticed their lack of participation in the card game.
Lily probed her new friends for information about themselves. She learned the Konstantinos family had recently moved from Athens, Greece. Lily felt giddy as she tried to picture what an exotic location like Greece would look like.
Their father died last year, but when Lily attempted to ask more about the subject, she sensed the topic was not open for discussion. All three of the dark-skinned children would immediately divert their eyes or bow their heads whenever anyone mentioned their father. A deep pain and sadness consumed their eyes.
With the understanding that Mrs. Konstantinos was a widowed mother of three, Lily could see why her mother befriended her. Maggie’s own grandmother raised her children as a widow, so it made sense Maggie would extend an enthusiastic hand to this family in need.
"Hey, you getting hungry?" Lily asked as her snarled at her.
"Yes!" Quinn yelled, startling everyone, making them laugh.
"Let's go back to my house and eat." Lily said, as she started to get up.
Gabriel and Lily tried to stand at the same time. They bumped awkwardly into another, causing both to blush furiously.
“Sorry.” Gabe’s voice cracked as he apologized.
Instead of letting the awkward moment go gracefully, Lily felt inclined to show-off.
“Wanna see something cool?” She grinned mischievously as she felt around the top of the cabinets. Producing a key, she unlocked the balcony door and proceeded out onto the deck.
Even though her father had taken every precaution to protect his children from harm, Lily and her brothers had devised a thrilling secret exit.
“What are you doing?” Anna inquired nervously.
“Oh, you’ll see!” Lily replied as she steadied herself and climbed onto the rod iron railing. The ground was nearly fifteen feet down, so the kids felt uneasy about this strange new girl scaling the balcony.
Standing precariously on the railing, Lily felt around the side of the tree house. After a few seconds, with pure mischief in her green eyes, she produced a long rope that had been hidden.
High in the canopy of trees, a large cable could barely be seen. One end of the cable had been tethered to the tree house and the other, to a large tree near the pond. The big rope, knotted strategically every twelve inches to create footholds, was attached to a metal pulley.
“That’s not a great idea.” Gabe said with a serious voice, his blue eyes focused on Lily.
Lily smirked at him while she balanced on the railing. The metal railing groaned as Lily shifted her weight, slight as she was. Holding onto the rope with one hand, she looked like a miniature Jane in a Tarzan movie.
“Hmmff.” She responded haughtily, giving Gabe a smug smile. Organizing herself on the railing, she aimed the rope in the direction of the pond.
Quinn and Sheridan both whimpered lightly as they clung to Anna’s sides. Neither twin had seen their sister perform this scary maneuver.
“Please Lily! Don’t!” Anna pleaded, her soft brown eyes eclipsed with worry.
“Lily!” Gabe warned her once more, taking a step toward her, but was too late. Lily had already pushed herself from the railing and was sailing through the air. The cable and pulley made an odd zinging noise as it zipped through the forest.
Lily felt exhilarated as the wind blew her long hair back. Clinging to the rope, her feet propped on the large knots, she closed her eyes and allowed one of her arms to flow free. She pretended she was an angel in flight, wings spread wide, soaring through the heavens.
Opening her eyes and looking up to the canopy of leaves, she watched the sun shimmer through the spaces in the leafy lattice. The rope swung Lily toward the deep, blue pond, its knotted end inches from the ground. Lily could see the pond and its waters beckoning her. She prepared herself for dismount, her petite body bracing for impact in the cool pond. Only meters left, Lily felt butterflies in her stomach. She really hadn't done this ride without her brothers, and even then; she'd only attempted it a few times.
Nearing the edge of the pond, the bottom of the rope suddenly caught on a stray branch from a fallen log. The inertia ceased, causing the entire rope to snap sharply to a halt. Lily grasped at the rope with desperation, but lost her grip and was sent hurtling to the ground.
Landing with an incredible thud, Lily felt excruciating pain shoot through her left arm. With the wind knocked out of her, she struggled to take a breath of air. Her eyes swam with tears and her head spun. Fighting to maintain consciousness, she felt a throbbing sensation on her forehead. She moaned softly, then slowly; her vision faded to black.

From the tree house, only horrified gasps could be heard.
“Lily!!” Gabe yelled, panic overwhelming him.
The children scrambled down the ladder as fast as they could, Gabe was the first to the ground. He jumped off ladder, a few feet from the ground. Anna and Dimitris helped the twins get down safely. Both Quinn and Sheridan were near hysterics after they'd watched their sister plummet to the ground.
Gabe bolted towards Lily’s motionless body, “Lily!!” he yelled to her, receiving no response. As Gabe neared her, he skid sideways in the dirt; like a pro baseball player sliding into home base. He immediately flipped her over onto her back to assess the damage.
“Lily!” He yelled at her, slapping her cheeks lightly, trying to get any response at all.
“Anna!” he called back towards the tree house. “Go get Lily’s mother!”
Anna, tears streaming down her face, ran frantically to the house to retrieve Maggie. Dimitris followed, leading the crying twins home, their traumatized sobs heard echoed through the woods.
Gabe sat in stunned silence as he held Lily’s hand, praying for any sign of life within her. He watched helplessly. Her chest didn't rise or fall. A large gash on her forehead oozed blood, trickling into her butterscotch hair, staining it hot red.
Studying her face, he hoped this wouldn't be the last moment with her, that he'd see those beautiful green eyes sparkle again. Stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, he smiled wistfully as he imagined all the adventures they could've gone on together.
A flutter of panic within his chest, he traced his fingers around her lips; now tinged light blue from lack of oxygen. Something inside told him it wasn't meant to be this way, there was more to the story; more to their story.
Turning to his faith, Gabe whispered a prayer; a plea to whatever heavenly creatures might be eavesdropping.
"Please, please save her. Lord, please help me."
Without hesitation, a sudden wind burst through the trees, like an angel had exhaled with relief to be asked for its divine assistance. Only a moment before, the air was still, even the leaves barely fluttered.
Startled, Gabe felt an incredible energy surge around him, an electrified rush of tingles rippled up his back like bubbles of white light. The tiny hairs on his arms and neck stood on end as though charged with static electricity.
A sense of calm washed over him, the fear for Lily dissipated, replaced with a sense of peace. A presence stood behind him, the energy pulsated with pure love and kindness.
The entity communicated to Gabe through his thoughts, whispering angelic words of guidance. It told Gabe what he needed to do to save Lily.
Whisper to her soul, Gabriel. Remind her, tell her who she really is
Trusting the guidance of the higher power, Gabe gently brushed Lily’s hair aside and he leaned close to her ear. Like a hushed lullaby, he whispered to Lily's soul. He spoke words only her soul could understand.
Within seconds of his secret whisper, Lily’s body twitched and convulsed as air fought its way into her lungs. She coughed as life re-entered her body. Her blue lips pinked immediately as her pale skin flushed with life.

Lily opened her eyes, her head throbbed. Above her, Gabe stared at her, a look of mixed emotions on his face. She looked long and hard at Gabe and realized she’d known him much longer than today. For one precious lapse in time, they weren’t children anymore, but immortal souls reunited. She had known him for centuries, ages…infinity.
His eyes spoke the chapters of their love that embraced a thousand lifetimes. Her soul resonated with fiery recall as she stared, mesmerized, into his ice blue eyes.
“Lily!” Maggie’s voice penetrated their transcendental déjà vu as she approached the scene of her daughter‘s accident. The ethereal aura that had spoken to Gabe suddenly vanished.
The moment they'd just shared shattered into a million fragments, creating a dreamlike rift of amnesia. Leaving the two children to grow up innocent, each wondering if it had happened at all.
“Lily! What on earth have you done now?!” Her mother fretted as she checked her daughter over from head to toe. Gabe picked Lily up once her mother had decided her daughter's neck wasn't broken, although, she later told Lily she was angry enough that she was tempted to break it for her.
Held closely to Gabe's chest, Lily could think of nothing but the heat of his body next to hers. Her good arm draped around his shoulder, she could feel the downy hairs on the back of his neck.
Once they reached the car, Gabe and Mrs. Konstantinos assisted Maggie getting Lily and her sisters into their seats. Maggie was obviously embarrassed, having to end their visit so abruptly to take Lily to the hospital.
Everyone mumbled their good-byes and well wishes. Quinn had to be told several times to close the window and sit down before they could drive away.
Sitting in the backseat, holding a towel to her wounded head and her broken arm tight to her chest, Lily stared out the window at Gabe.

Standing motionless in the driveway, his family already loaded into their own vehicle, Gabe kept eye contact with Lily as her mother drove away. Her scent lingered on his shirt as he watched until he could no longer see the car.
It hurt his heart to see her go. This pleased him, however; after losing his father, he wasn't sure his heart was able to feel anything again.
***
Years blended together like pages in a book flipped by the wind.
Standing motionless in the church room, facing one another, reality melted like fresh fallen snow on hot skin.
Lifting her chin, his ice blue eyes blazing, Gabe leaned in to her. So close, he felt the warmth of her breath on his face. Closing his eyes, his lips inched towards hers, as though drawn by a gravitational pull.
The moment had come, after all these years, to proclaim a love that had slumbered deep within him. Fate forced its way through the veil of denial.
Gabe held her face, nuzzling against her petal-soft skin. Her hair, cascading down her back, taunted him with the soft scent of flowers.
Gabe tried to smother the feelings building within him, the fury of lust branding sin upon his soul. Holding her face next to his, he softly kissed her cheek, then her forehead. He felt her lips graze his earlobe, sending shock waves through his body.
Pausing to catch his breath, he tried to stop himself, to fight the inertia. He couldn't.
Tilting her face to him, he pressed his lips to hers for the first time…
“Father Gabe?” A man’s voice at the door queried, followed by a light knocking. “Father Gabe, are you in there?”
The ambiance pierced like a balloon popped with a sharp needle. Reality rushed back into the tiny church room as though a clap of thunder had erupted.
Realizing his moral lapse, Gabe pushed Lily forcefully away from himself. He clasped his hand over his mouth and took deep breaths, attempting to compose himself.
He looked at Lily, a feeling of betrayal surged through him as he shot her a look of sheer contempt.
Lily's eyes filled with tears of rejection as she searched the room for another exit. Seeing a side door at the back of the room, camouflaged by a large fern, she bolted for the door and ran out of the room.
“Father Gabe?” The unfamiliar voice insisted.
“Yes,” Gabe finally finding his voice. “Yes, I’m here. One moment please.”
Gabe searched his mind for some rational way to explain this to himself. He'd known that giving up women, marriage…and loving Lily…was part of the job. He was allowed to love Lily as a friend, just not…that way.
Becoming a priest was what would make his mother and deceased father proud of him. This was what he wanted…wasn’t it?
He yearned to go after Lily to explain his reaction. He'd taken a vow, a sacred vow, to remain loyal to the church and to God.
More than that, he wanted to kiss her again.
Angry with himself, he raged inside, confused and bitter for his choices, his restrictions.
The voice from the other side of the door apparently decided he'd waited long enough. Gabe heard the doorknob turning and taking a final breath of resolve, he turned to face his mysterious visitor.