The Morning After

JC woke, fully clothed, in his bed the next morning and couldn’t remember how he got there. That bizarre dream…Sitting on the lighthouse rail with an angel and falling…He couldn’t recall the angel’s face, only that her wings had been golden. He vaguely wondered if he’d hit the ground. He only remembered the sensation of falling…

Sitting up, his throbbing head reminded him too much of a good thing had consequences. Too much Cristal led to hangovers and weird dreams of angels. He scrubbed his hands over his face. The rough bristle of his unshaven jaw greeted his palms. He supposed he should shave…What the hell for? He didn’t much care anymore what he looked like. He’d shower and then maybe he’d feel human again.

“Well, Mother Hubbard, your cupboard is bare,” JC muttered when greeted with a nearly empty refrigerator. Grabbing the milk carton, he drank the last of it. “Road trip.”

“What the fuck?—“ JC slammed on the brakes, bringing his rental jeep to a shuddering halt. Spilling out of the door, he went to the figure that lay in the middle of the road.

It was a girl – or rather, a young woman. A very stunningly beautiful young woman with long, dark brown hair. She looked for all the world as if she merely slept, her face serene and peaceful. Her tee-shirt was pristine white. Her jeans had the just-bought crispness of color. White socks and brown penny loafers with real pennies rounded out her wardrobe. She didn’t appear to be injured. She bore no scrapes, bruises, or cuts. She wasn’t dirty or smudged. Her breathing seemed normal. How could she nap on asphalt?

JC touched her shoulder gently. “Miss?”

Two huge sapphire blue eyes blinked open. He was offered a sleepy smile. “Hi.”

He couldn’t help smiling back. “Good morning.”

The woman sat up and looked around, clearly confused.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“No…”

“Were you in an accident?”

“I don’t think so…”

“What’s your name?”

“Ciel.” She smiled at him again. “What’s yours?”

The total lack of recognition assured him that she wasn’t some fanatic fan seeking him out. “Joshua. Joshua Chasez.”

“Joshua is a nice name.”

“Yeah, I like it. Ciel?…” He sought a last name.

She frowned. “Just Ciel. I can’t remember…”

Helping her to her feet, he asked, “Does your head hurt?” His did; it throbbed with every breath. The last thing he needed was a waif-like woman underfoot.

“No. Except for not remembering, I feel fine.” She amended, “I’m hungry.”

Leading her to the car, he opened the passenger door. “Get in. I was heading into town for breakfast and groceries. We’ll stop by the sheriff’s after breakfast and see who you are.”

For a tiny person, five-two was his guess, JC watched this Ciel eat like a starving farm hand. He understood that sort of metabolism, he had one – but where did she put it all? She ate with so much gusto and enthusiasm, he had to wonder when her last meal had been. He nursed his coffee and headache as she finished her large breakfast.

Another thing, the locals coming in and out paid them little attention. Only curiosity of strangers. No one’s eyes lit upon Ciel with recognition – which meant she was a stranger as well. How in the hell did she come to be on the private road looking as if she had merely dropped out of the sky for a nap?

A trip to the authorities gained nothing. JC left the lighthouse’s number in case a missing person’s bulletin came across matching Ciel’s description.

“That was fruitless,” JC grumbled as they left the office.

Ciel tended to agree. The man in uniform seemed to have very little interest in a forgetful adult. “I apologize for your trouble, Joshua. You have been very kind.”

“I can’t see just doing nothing.” Besides, he found himself enjoying her quiet company after weeks of being totally alone.

“Is there somewhere I might go?…”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t wish to impose on your hospitality—“

“You don’t know who you are or where you came from.” He reminded her. “And you have no money.” They had checked her pockets for ID. She’d produce no wallet – not even lint.

“No…”

“The you have no place to go.” He pointed out.

“Well, no, but—“

“I have room,” JC told her before he was aware of what he was saying. “You can stay with me until we can find out where you belong.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes.”

With a shy smile, she said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, angel girl.”

Her big blue eyes went even wider. “What?”

“You dropped out of nowhere.” He chucked her chin playfully. “You must be an angel who fell to earth.”

Ciel giggled – it was a light-hearted, innocent sound.

He opened the car door for her once more. “Guess we’d better get you something to wear.” He sighed as he walked around and got in on the drivers side. Another wasted day. Like he hadn’t been wasting a lot of them lately anyway.

“I am wearing clothes,” she said as he started the car.

“You can’t wear the same outfit twenty-four/seven. That’d get rank.”

“Oh.”

“Extended road trip.”

Ciel knew nothing about money – or rather how to spend it. Six white tee-shirts. Six pair of plain blue jeans. Six pair of white socks. Six white cotton panties. JC had said she needed an outfit for every day – and she took him at his word.

“You don’t believe in color?” he asked when she brought her selections to the counter.

“I require nothing more.”

“What do you sleep in?”

Her eyes blinked like an owl’s – as if not comprehending the question.

“Night gown? Pajamas?”

“I don’t know.”

“We’ll get you a sleep shirt or two.” He went to a rack of leather jackets. “It can get chilly at night.” Ciel was so dainty he was afraid he might have to look at child sizes. “Try this.” He handed her a jacket that looked small enough.

As she slipped it on, he plunked a leather newsboy hat on her head. She looked adorable – and about twelve.

“Are you over 18?” he asked, aware he didn’t have a clue if she was a minor. She had old eyes and a calm teenagers rarely had, but her face was young and ageless.

“Yes,” she answered without hesitation – and with no particular eagerness. Just a casual, simple truth.

JC continued walking around the store, picking thing out for Ciel. She pointed out nothing, oohed and ahhed at nothing. She asked for nothing and hinted at nothing. The woman would be an easy keeper. Or maybe harder since she had no wants!

“I’m gonna put these in the car,” he told her of the clothing purchases. He indicated a bench. “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

With a nod, Ciel sat down.

Damn! JC hurried back into the mall. He’d been way laid by autograph seekers. He wouldn’t be surprised if Ciel had taken off to explore on her own or was ready to rip him a new one. Neither was true. He spotted her sitting calmly where he had left her, her hands resting in her lap – looking serene. She smiled warmly when she saw him approach.

“I’m sorry, baby. I took longer than I meant to—“

Ciel rose and said, “Time is nothing.”

Putting a companionable arm around her slim shoulders, he breathed a sigh of relief as he steered her towards more shops. “You must have perfected patience somewhere.”

“Joshua?”

“Yeah?”

She pushed her little nose against the fabric covering his shoulder. “You smell good.”

He must have blushed; he just knew it. The way she said it was so plain and honest; he was flattered. It wasn’t a come-on or because he was JC Chasez. She simply liked his cologne. “Thanks, Ciel. That reminds me…we have to get you some toiletries.”

“Toiletries?” She frowned, trying to recall the word.

“Bath stuff. Hygiene stuff.”

“Ah…okay…I suppose you don’t want to share yours.”

“I would, but I have guy stuff. You need girl stuff.”

“Soap and water.”

“I bet you’re an Ivory soap and a baby powder girl.” She seemed to like things simple. No frills.

“I have no idea what I am.”

It was obvious that Ciel knew about grocery stores, but it was clear she didn’t seem to know how to shop. She was curious as any toddler and JC almost felt the need to put a leash on her.

“Look at all this bounty,” she said at the produce section. Then she looked at him with wide, sad eyes. “Yet why do so many go hungry?”

For a moment, JC felt guilty for all that he had accumulated in his short life. “Greed. Politics. People don’t care about what they don’t have to look at.”

She laid her head against his arm like a weary child. “That’s horrible.”

“Yeah, it is, angel girl.” His arm went around her automatically.

“Is there nothing to be done?”

“Not until everyone in the world decides to play nice and get along.”

“People are stupid.”

He had no answer to that. “What do you like to eat?”

“I don’t know.”

He reached for a bunch of grapes and plucked one off. He put it to her lips. She trustingly took his offering and chewed thoughtfully. “Like it?”

“Yes.”

Grapes went into the cart. JC selected foods he liked and only hoped she didn’t have some food allergy. There wasn’t a problem until the cracker/cookie aisle. It seemed the delicate-boned girl might be a junk food fiend.

“One package of cookies,” JC stated firmly.

Ciel sniffed, shook, and examined all the packages. “Ooh, this one smells wonderfully of chocolate,” she cooed at the bag of Oreos. “Might I have this one?”

His smile was almost fatherly. He had taken her to a large mall and she could have asked for anything – all she wanted was a bag of cookies. “I’m feeling generous. Get two.”

“Thank you!”

Her enthusiastic hug warmed him. Ciel, whoever she was, seemed to be openly affectionate and easily pleased. Somebody had to be missing her!

“Joshua, I don’t remember how to prepare meals,” Ciel confessed as they continued to the cereal aisle.

“I’ll make dinner for us. Breakfast can be toast, cereal, poptarts – no brainer food. Sandwiches and soup for lunch – no brainer there.”

“No brainer?”

“Things you don’t have to think about too much.”

“Ah...okay…I am willing to learn.”

“We’ll see.”

Clearly lighthouse living was for physically fit people, JC decided as he and Ciel made several trips up the steep winding stairs with their purchases. He was glad to see she had no problem keeping up. In fact, he was more breathless. Hmm…he needed to get back into shape. Not touring was making him soft – as well as feeling at loose ends. Maybe Ciel was the distraction he needed – something else to focus on since his music was gone.

Ciel became aware of being studied as she folded her clothes and put them away. JC had given her the bedroom furthest from his. It was a small guestroom, but the view was breathtaking – over looking the sea.

“Is there something you need?” she asked the man who hovered in the doorway.

JC shook his head. “I just can’t believe no one is looking for you. I don’t understand how you got here.”

“So many questions,” she sighed.

Ciel had a beauty that went beyond her lovely face, almost as if she was so incredibly beautiful on the inside too it couldn’t be contained. She almost glowed. JC had never experienced such a woman before. Innocent and wise. Uncomplicated but not simple. Stunningly beautiful but totally unaware. Intelligent without condescension. He hadn’t known women like her even existed!

Late that night when the entire house was asleep and the only light to be found was that of the moon, Ciel slept the deep slumber of the truly pure of heart. Her wings sprouted beneath her over-sized sleep shirt and a golden circle of light wreathed her head. The earth-bound angel was herself once more.