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Home births were somewhat unusual now, but Henry and Millie had a good reason to believe that it was safer for her to deliver here. She would be more comfortable at home, with fewer people poking and prodding at her to monitor her delivery. They could get their little one settled into routine that much faster, with no huge disruption in the first week of their life. And then, most importantly, if Millie delivered at home, she would have the best midwife imaginable.
After five years of trying everything they could think of, Henry and Millie still hadn’t had their much-wanted first child. Even the doctors couldn’t help them. Then, at confession one spring, Henry had mentioned to his priest that he hated God for making this so hard for them. The priest, after doing the usual listening and declaration of penance, had a suggestion. “Pray to Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Anne, of course, but you might give the Archangel Raphael some prayer as well. He’s known as a healer. If there’s something wrong with you or Millie that’s keeping you from getting pregnant, Raphael will be able to help you.”
He hadn’t exactly been hopeful when he started including Raphael in his prayers, but then, a miracle happened. A young Black woman came to visit, introducing herself as Angela. Millie was hesitant when Angela asked to examine her, but agreed – at this point, what could it hurt? “I found the problem,” Angela announce. “Millie, you have a condition that causes your eggs not to develop properly.”
“So… that’s it, then? We’ll never have a child?” Millie leaned into Henry’s shoulder, tears flowing.
“Not without my help, no.” Angela reached out a hand, hovering it over Millie’s belly. “I can help you. All I need is your permission.”
“How can you help? If the doctors can’t…” Millie asked. Henry squeezed her. He was beginning to suspect what was happening.
Angela withdrew her hand, closing her eyes. The room dimmed around them as shadows of wings appeared on the wall. “My true name is Raphael. I am an Archangel of the Lord. Normally, I would not be permitted to interfere, but this is a special case. Your child is necessary. I can’t say more than that.”
“So why do you need permission?” Henry had to ask. If their child was necessary, why hadn’t Raphael just quietly intervened already? What would have happened if he hadn’t prayed for help?
Raphael smiled grimly. “Even Maryam, mother of the son of God himself, was asked for her permission. Forcing a pregnancy on a woman, even one who desperately wants a child, is not how we do things. Millie, I will have to visit often to make sure that the pregnancy progresses well. Consider that before you agree.”
Millie, of course, agreed immediately. She wanted a child, Raphael could make that possible, what was there to consider? Raphael’s visits started off daily, drawing gossip from the neighbors about the visitor Henry and Millie often spoke of but no one ever seemed to see. Once Millie’s pregnancy was confirmed, Raphael started visiting less often, although still several times a week. Both Henry and Millie came to regard Raphael’s visits as the highlight of the day, and encouraged her to visit as often as she liked. Now, with Millie’s due date coming up, Raphael had taken to simply staying at the house to be on hand when Millie went into labor.
She had also gotten rather pensive. After dinner one night, Millie brought it up. “Is something wrong, Raphael? Is the delivery going to be… hard?”
Raphael came around the table to hug Millie. “No harder than the normal problems of delivering a baby, and if there are unexpected difficulties during the delivery, I’ll be right here to help you bear them and survive them. It’s not God’s will for this baby to grow up without a mother.” Tension drained out of Millie as she leaned into Raphael’s hug, drawing comfort from the archangel. “It’s my brother. He… has questioned the necessity of my continued involvement.”
“Oh.” Millie clung tighter. “So you’ll have to leave once the baby is born?”
“Michael believes I should. He believes I should have left once we were past the point where any deficiencies from the egg could have reasserted themselves and we could be certain the child would be born and live.” She released Millie, turning away from both of them. “He believes that I am emotionally compromised, that I stayed because of my attachment to the two of you, rather than out of necessity. I want to say he’s wrong, but ever since our discussion, I… have my doubts.”
“And as an angel, you’re not supposed to form attachments?” Henry guessed. Based on the lore the Men of Letters had about angels, it made sense. “But you did.”
“Yes, but it’s more than that,” Raphael said. “Michael accused me of interfering in your marital vows. I have no intention to do so, but…”
“But there is a grain of truth there? The feelings are there, even if the intention isn’t?” Millie said. Raphael nodded. “Well don’t be silly. Henry and I love having you here, and we love you.”
Raphael turned her head, staring intently at Millie, and then turned her gaze on Henry. Whatever it was she was looking for, she found. “To clarify, I have no interest in carnal activity. This is purely emotional. I don’t know if that changes anything for either of you, but if you welcome me to stay, I will stay. Michael disapproves – but he never forbade it.”
Henry came over and wrapped his arms around both women he loved. “Welcome home, Raphael. Stay as long as you like.”
“Does this mean we don’t have to name the baby Raphael or Angela?” Millie joked. “Since you’re sticking around to be party of the family?”
“Please don’t,” Raphael said with a shudder. “Not for me. Was that truly your chosen name for your child?”
“Well, a son was going to be John Raphael, after my father and you,” Millie explained. “We would likely have called him John anyway. For a daughter, Angela Elizabeth. If you object to Raphael as a middle name, we could…”
“No, we are still not naming him after my father,” Henry grumbled. “Unless… Raphael, if we named the baby John Michael, do you think your brother would be more accepting of you staying here?”
“Unlikely. I doubt very much he would care one way or the other.” Raphael thought for a bit. “It would be a somewhat unusual name, but would you consider Tobias?”
“I don’t see the problem with that,” Henry said immediately. “Millie?”
“Unusual certainly, but hardly unheard of, and I like it. It’s not like you’re proposing we name him Nimrod.” Millie jumped a little. “I think the baby objects to the name Nimrod. Ow, that kick was hard.”