RP: Is this Heaven?

[rainbowmods]

There is a reception area, and at first glance, it looks to be like most reception areas: there is a front desk, a hallway that leads away, boasting a row of doors appearing to go on forever; there are two other doors immediately visible, one bearing the words Conference Room and the other Committee Chair, both etched in fine glass. All of the décor is elegant, if cold: everything is done up in blues and whites, and the chairs and couches provided look like they were chosen more for their appearance over their actual functionality.

If not for the sense of other in the room, it might seem like an ordinary office building.

It isn’t.

Welcome to heaven! Feel free to explore. A very freaked out Gabriel will probably greet you at some point.

Comments

[sarcasticsra]

"My father is an angel," Lucille explains. "I've visited a lot. Although I suppose I did a lot of growing up on Earth as well." She smiles, adding, "I should let you know--once you've appeared someplace once, the chance seems to go up that you will do so again. Different places, but the same idea."

[bookblather]

Maya wrinkled her nose. "That... actually sounds pretty good," she said. "My real life's not that great right now. Yours sounds awesome though!"

[sarcasticsra]

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lucille says, and gestures for Maya to follow her to one of the couches. She gently encourages it to be more comfortable than it otherwise would be before they sit down, and asks, "What's the matter, if you don't mind my asking?"

[bookblather]

"I don't, really," Maya said, and sat down on the most comfortable couch she'd ever known. It was like... like sitting on a cloud. She bounced up and down a couple of times, then added, "It's stupid, though. Really boring. Just... I was stupid."

[sarcasticsra]

"People are rarely as stupid as they think they are," Lucille says, smiling a little. "What happened?"

[bookblather]

Maya hesitated. Lucille was nice, but as soon as Maya said anything about how stupid she'd been, she probably would stop being nice in a hurry. Still... "Do you promise you won't judge me?"

[sarcasticsra]

"Judgment gets in the way of knowing people," Lucille says. "I promise I won't."

[bookblather]

"Okay," Maya whispered. She clenched her hands in her lap. "I... I'm pregnant."

[sarcasticsra]

Lucille is aware without really being aware that Maya is only fifteen. She smiles reassuringly, gently increasing her presence to match. "That must be terrifying," she says. "How are you holding up?"

[bookblather]

"Not so great," Maya said, her mouth twisting, and all of a sudden it came out. She couldn't help it, Lucille was just so nice, and it felt so comforting to say it. "My parents kicked me out. I don't really have any place to go."

[sarcasticsra]

Lucille finds herself suddenly tempted to find these people and explain to them in very clear terms why that was a terrible decision. She can practically hear her mother in her head cheering her on.

"I'm so sorry. That is truly... awful," Lucille says, feeling even without contact the weight Maya is under. She knows she can help shoulder some of that. "May I touch your shoulder for a moment? I might be able to help, at least a little, with the burden."

[bookblather]

Help with the burden? Whatever that meant, Maya instinctively trusted Lucille. "Sure, if you want." She shook her head. "I don't... it kind of helps just knowing that... other people think it's awful."

[sarcasticsra]

If there is anything Lucille is good at, it's sharing emotional weight. She touches Maya's shoulder, gently radiating empathy. It's not a magic cure-all, but it helps to share the weight of one's troubles. Lucille's version is merely a more literal translation of that principle.

Lucille is surprised by a sudden clamoring, a word bubbling forth in her mind with bright intensity: joy. These wisps of possibility are among her lesser-explored abilities, but this one is clear enough. She smiles at Maya, saying, "You're not alone, believe me."

[bookblather]

It felt like a weight had literally been lifted from her shoulders. Maya found she was even sitting up straighter. "I... wow, that's... yeah. Thank you, I..." To her surprise, she found she was crying.

[sarcasticsra]

Lucille smiles, gently rubbing her back. This isn't an uncommon reaction at all.

[bookblather]

Maya cried for some time, and finally straightened up, sniffling. "Thank you," she said, more coherently. "That's... it's weird, but this is the best I've felt since I found out."

[sarcasticsra]

"I'm glad I could help," Lucille says genuinely.

[bookblather]

"It really does," Maya said, earnest. "And I thought... I don't know, maybe you could help me figure out what to do next? If you want to, I mean. You don't have to. It's... I'll probably be okay."