SUNNYVALE

(71) THE STORY OF NOT-SO-VIRGIN MARY

Shelina enters her mother's office, and as soon as Mary Zadorsky sees her, she runs toward her daughter and holds her close. Realising that the latter was responding in a rather cold and hesitant manner, she takes a step back, tears in her eyes.

While Shelina frowns, her mother says:

"I am so glad to have you back: sit down, I've got some explaining to do."

Nodding her head, Shelina sits down, ready for the worst. 

When her mother removes her sheriff's hat, she then takes a moment to contemplate her daughter, making sure nothing of her was missing. Realising she was absolutely okay - which was quite impressive when we know she came back from Hell, literally - she sighs in relief and takes an old photograph out of her pocket, putting it in front of Shelina. 

Frowning, the brunette observes the blonde lady standing next to a much younger version of her mother, with clothes that seemed too old to be worn in the last few centuries. 

"The year was the first year of our calendar" Mary Zadorsky starts thoughtfully, staring at the picture in front of Shelina. While the blonde tries to identify the woman on the picture, her mother continues: "I was living in Nazareth, in Israel, with my husband Joseph. He was gone for a few months because he had to fight in the Mesopotamian War, and I was holding our familial farm all by myself. We've been trying to convince a child for a few years now - I was 19, he was 21, at that time it was already a very old age to have your first kid - but nothing worked: our doctor told me I was cursed by the gods of nature, and that I could never infant. I have going through a depressive episode for a whole year, abandoned by my husband, and being one of the only women in Nazareth without a child. Until she arrived out of nowhere..."

Shelina frowns. 

"Who?"

"I never quite knew her name - or at least her human name - but she was beautiful: her hair were unconventionally short for a woman at that time, and her brown eyes were piercing and intense. She had that way of looking at me where I thought I would die every second. She came knocking at my door, asking for a refuge, which I granted her. It took me only days to fall high over heels in love with her, although it was strictly forbidden: we would talk for hours, and somehow something about her was quite abnormal - she never quite felt like the rest of us."

She takes a small break, as if remembering this divine figure was at the same time a source of passion and also a source of hurt.

Deciding that it would be better not to push her too far, Shelina waits for her to continue: which she does, tears in her eyes.

She resumes:

"We spent one night together - a night that I would never forget... Well, you must know what I am talking about since you and Crystal probably-"

"Mom !" Shelina exclaims, half-laughing, half in shock. 

Mary Zadorsky laughs, before continuing, more seriously this time:

"Anyway, we spent the night together, during which she promised me everything I've ever dreamed of: immortality, beauty that never fades, strength in mind and in physique and, most importantly: children. When I woke up the next morning, she was gone. Nine months later, after an obvious denial of pregnancy, I was blessed with twins: you and your brother Jesus. When Joseph got home from war, I immediately knew he was going to get pissed, so I hid you two the best that I could - but that one night, he found your brother in our room, and killed him in cold blood, thinking that I slept with another man. I knew I had to save my other child, so I fled Nazareth and ended up in the United States, that were only occupied by Native Americans at the time, who welcome us with open arms."

"This is when you arrived at Sunnyvale?" Shelina asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Exactly" Mary says, sighing, "and as I settled in the twin city of Salem, Melas, I started feeling like I could never leave anymore."

"But, does that mean-"

Suddenly, her mother's eyes were lost, and her mouth open, blood coming out of it in rivers.

Shelina looks down and sees the sword planted on her mother's stomach, before looking behind her: a shadowy form that just disappeared right away, while Mary fell on the ground. Screaming in deep pain, Shelina gets on her knees and hold her mother as blood was leaving her body.

She then looks up at the sky, her eyes full of tears, screaming one last time, her mother dying in her arms the following minute.

***

Christen shivers.

Two women were standing in front of them, as the Angels immediately get on their knees, saluting them - Christen and Tierna are the only ones who don't, and soon Mapi sends them a murderous and warning look, so they put the knee to the ground as well. 

Crowned with a golden laurel around her head, the blonde with mid-long hair and piercing blue eyes could not be mistaken with anyone else than a divinity, if not THE divinity: God - or Goddess, it seems? By her side, holding her arm, was a divinely beautiful brunette with long, wavy hair and deep, brown eyes, staring at the two humans in disgust. 

After a moment, the blonde talks to them again:

"My children, do get up: we have been waiting for your arrival for more decades that I could ever count. Welcome to the Land of the Goddess, and of my wife, the Mother of Creation."

As the angels get on their feet again, Christen and Tierna follow, exchanging a look. 

This is when it occurs to Tierna: from her hours spent at the library following the lead of a witch, she had come across from a picture of two women that looked just like the two goddesses standing in front of them. 

Realising what Tierna was thinking about, the brunette speaks first:

"Yes, my dear Tierna, you are right: you know our human names from your dusty books. Isn't she, my love?"

The blonde nods.

"It has been a long time since I haven't seen you in such a good mood, my love" she retorts, before turning toward her angels. Taking a deep breath, she says: "You can all dispose, I want to talk to our guests alone."

"Yes, Goddess." they all respond at the same time.

Just like that, they fly away - except for Mapi, who is a bit more hesitant, but ends up following the others.

As Tierna is about to say something, Christen takes the lead and asks:

"Uh... Goddess and Mother of Creation...?"

"Oh, honey" the Mother of Creation whispers, cracking a smile: "since you two are such special guests, you can call us by our human names."

Christen turns toward Tierna.

"Do you know their names?"

The youngster nods, before answering: 

"Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger"

Just as she names them, the two women start laughing, as the Goddess' eyes go from blue to their usual dark brown. 

Smiling, she only says:

"You may recognise me better now - our holy forms would be too much to handle for delicate humans like you are"