The Nest Read Online Free Page A

and I didn’t know why really, and I thought this was a good way of reminding myself of all the good things in my life. The list was pretty long by now, about four pages torn from a notebook. Sometimes I added new things. The last thing was: Our baby.
    Next was the list of people I wanted to keep safe. I didn’t really know who I was asking. Maybe it was God, but I didn’t really believe in God, so this wasn’t praying exactly. It was a bit like how Nicole blessed people at night. This was me wanting to make sure that all the people I knew wouldn’t get hurt. I started with Mom and Dad and Nicole and the baby and then went through my grandparentsand my uncles and aunts and cousins and my friends Brendan and Sanjay. If I lost my place, or started worrying I’d skipped someone, I began at the beginning again, just to make sure. I always ended with the baby, to make doubly sure I hadn’t forgotten him.
    Then I turned off the light, pulled the covers over my head, adjusted my breathing hole, and slept.

I DIDN’T THINK I ’D SEE THEM AGAIN, BUT that night I did. I was in the beautiful lighted cave, and my focus was a bit clearer this time. The walls reminded me of those rice paper blinds Brendan had in his bedroom. The cave’s curved walls soared all around me. It felt good to be inside, like feeling the sun warm on your face through the car window even though it’s winter outside.
    And I was aware of the angels, moving about overhead, on the walls, on the high domed ceiling,wings aflutter, a pleasant thrum filling the air. And then, suddenly, one was much closer to me, and I knew instantly it was the same one I’d talked to before.
    â€œHello again,” she said.
    I still couldn’t focus properly on her face. It was like that time the eye doctor dilated my pupils and I couldn’t read anything or see anything close up. The angel seemed so near that she was just a blur of light. She was all black and white. I didn’t feel at all afraid of her. Light radiated from her face. Her dark eyes were very large. No ears that I could make out. Her mouth was somehow sideways. Her face was divided by geometric patterns.
    â€œHow are you?” she asked me.
    With each word I felt like I was being caressed, something very soft brushing my cheek, my throat.
    â€œFine.”
    â€œAnd your family. Holding up all right, I hope?” She was very polite.
    â€œI think so.” It seemed I should say something back. “How are you all doing?”
    â€œOh, very busy, as you can see. Very, very busy, as always.”
    â€œI didn’t think I’d see you again.”
    â€œWell, of course you’ll see us again.”
    I liked her an awful lot. She just seemed so easy and friendly—and I’d never been very good at having friends. At school I spent most of my time reading at recess and lunch. I did crosswords. I liked those. I didn’t like the way kids talked to one another. I was not a very popular kid, never had been.
    â€œWe’re here to help, and we’ll stay until our work is done.”
    â€œFixing the baby?” I said tentatively. I wanted to make sure I understood properly from last time.
    â€œAbsolutely. That’s what all this is for.”
    There was a brief pause, and I looked around at the beautiful cave, and the light alone made me joyful.
    â€œWhen will you fix the baby?”
    â€œVery soon. Don’t you worry.”
    â€œWhat I don’t understand is . . .” I didn’t want to be rude.
    â€œGo on,” she said gently.
    â€œWell, how are you going to fix the baby?”
    Would it be some angelic surgery? Did it involve spells or actual medicines or just words of power? Would they touch him with those magical gossamer caresses I was feeling now?
    â€œWell,” she said, “first of all, ‘fix.’ It’s a rather odd choice of words, isn’t it?”
    I laughed with her.