Free Honor: a novella by Chasie Noble Page B

screaming and I couldn’t hold my emotions in any longer. I started to cry and couldn’t control myself.  
    “You don’t like the cold? Don’t cry, here have a tissue.” The driver slid open his plexiglass window that separated us and handed me a box of tissues.  
    “Thanks,” I said through my tears. I could tell the rest of the way the cab driver was trying to cheer me up. I had stopped crying as we were at a red light about a block away from my apartment.  
    The driver was telling me about his cousin’s restaurant that was nearby, and I saw Osric's truck across from us. He was watching the sides of the road. I pulled my hood up just in case. The light turned green and we drove on. I turned to watch, but he didn’t turn around. At my apartment I paid the cab driver and thanked him.  
    “Miss, here take this.” He handed me something—I wasn’t sure what it was at first. “It will protect you.” He waved goodbye and drove off.  
    I stood there staring down at an angel pin in my hand. I shook my head and gritted my teeth as I made my way up to my apartment.  
    The weekend was absolutely awful. I replayed our conversation in my head over and over. I cried more than I would have liked, but it was uncontrollable. I had to keep busy, so I rearranged the inside of my closet, then my dresser. After that I decided to rearrange the furniture. When I wasn’t busy, I was fighting back tears and losing. By Sunday night I checked to see if Osric had called, and his number filled the incoming call list. I missed him, and I hated myself for it.  
    I couldn’t take it any longer. I pulled out my laptop and began researching.  
    First, I looked up if humans and angels could even procreate. I felt stupid looking up something like this, and was glad I was alone. The offspring were called nephilim . They were large in size and very strong. This would explain his size, I thought. I eventually slammed my laptop shut, frustrated and angry. “This is ridiculous!” I shouted to my empty bedroom.  
    The next morning I woke up before the alarm went off. I went through my morning routine to get ready for work, but my mind was some place else. I had already decided that I wouldn’t tell Lilly about what happened with Osric. I couldn’t even wrap my mind around it and there was no way I could explain it. The hurt of all of it was too fresh to share.  
    Once I was at work, I hurried to busy myself with something to do. “Good morning Celia, do you need me to help you with anything?” I asked pretending to be cheerful.  
    She smiled back. “How was your Thanksgiving Honor?”  
    I had to push Osric from my mind. “It was really nice. It was great to spend time with my parents.” That was true anyway. “How about you? Did you have a good Thanksgiving?”  
    She smiled even bigger. “It was wonderful. My son and his wife announced that they are having a baby. I am going to be a grandma!”  
    I smiled through my hurt and hugged her. “Congratulations Celia! That is great news!”  
    As we spoke, Lilly walked up sporting her new engagement ring. We were all told about how after Thanksgiving dinner Ryan got down on one knee and asked her if she would spend the rest of her life with him.  
    I was happy for Lilly and Celia, but It was hard to celebrate with everyone when my life seemed such a mess. Throughout the day, if anyone would ask how my Thanksgiving had been, I would lie and say it was great. The only one that brought up Osric was Lilly, and I told her we weren’t seeing each other anymore.  
    “What happened?” she asked.  
    “Lilly, I am just not ready to talk about.”  
    She gave me a sad look. “When you are Honor, I am here for you.” She knew I needed to be left alone and did just that.
    Celia asked me if I would take down the Thanksgiving decorations and start putting up the Christmas ones. I was happy to busy myself and set to work. I was putting up the large Christmas tree in the alcove.