Chronicles of the Eternal Realm of Glory - Melanie and Daniel 2 - Novella

[Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly]

Chronicles of the

Eternal Realm of Glory

“Melanie and Daniel 2”

By

Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly

http://universalfaithassembly.angelfire.com

© 6175 SC by Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly and ‘Universal Faith Assembly
Books’

Chapter One

‘I am so fucking jetlagged.’

‘Watch your language,’ nudged Melanie, as Daniel almost fell off the
airport waiting lounge seat.

‘Were the hell are we anyway?’ queried Daniel, with bloodshot eyes.

‘You don’t know?’ queried Melanie.

‘No fucking idea.’ She nudged him again.

‘We are in Sandranvania. The capital city, Sandravon.’

‘Sandravon? I don’t think I have even ever heard of the bloody
place.’

‘It’s new,’ she responded, turning another page of her magazine.
‘Only a few centuries old. I checked the details before the band
arrived.’

‘You do that often?’ he asked, with no better question on his mind.
‘Check up on new cities?’

‘Only when our band is touring somewhere new. Were we haven’t been
before. The other girls and I always like to answer well at
interviews and we make mention of things like this in our concerts.’

‘Oh,’ said Daniel, but probably couldn’t care less anyway. He was
well and truly bored shitless after 4 fucking centuries of solid
touring to promote just one bloody album anyway.

‘You didn’t do this in the old days, you know. 4 centuries of this.
It was a 4 month getaway, and then that was enough for ages. But now
– 4 bloody centuries.’

‘Things have changed, Danny boy. We are committed now. VERY
committed. We now plan on pursuing this music as our primary career
eternally. The girls and I have worked out in true ‘Viva Forever’
fashion, that life never ends, and that eternity never ends, so as the
heavenlies go on expanding forever, we will increase our tour every
new time to every new city. Constant, continual, eternal growth.
Girl power, Danny Boy. Girl power.’

‘You are a freak, Melanie Chisholm. A freak.’

‘Takes one to know one, Daniel Daly. Takes one to know one.’

After a while Daniel spoke up. ‘My novel. Morning Stars. The
Chronicles of the Children of Destiny volume 1 epic. It is still
number one, you know. World wide. Still the all time best seller.’

Melanie looked at him, seriously. ‘I know, Daniel. I know.’

‘Yes,’ he responded, with bloodshot eyes. ‘But I do fuck all to
promote it, sweetie. Fuck all. I worked, once, for a while. Got the
series finished. Got it published. Promoted it. And then did
nothing more. Nothing. And it is still fucking number one.’

Melanie scratched her head, ignoring his boasting. Eventually she
took issue with him. It was a vain attempt at humility and
splendour. ‘Nothing? Really? What is it that you do on Google every
Friday? Every single Friday, around 4 in the afternoon, forever.
Literally forever. I have never seen you miss.’

He turned to look at her, and said ‘fuck’ under his breath. ‘Well,
okay. You have got me. I post a regular add for the book every
week. So sue me. Google groups are free.’

‘Yes,’ she says. ‘But you do promote it. I have read the messages.
You put on one of the short stories every time, from a list of about
400 that I have seen. Yes, I have been reading it for thousands of
years now also. Then you give a few hundred words of autobiography
from the past week, and you post your website links, and you post the
message to 15 specific Google groups that you never budge from. THAT
is what you do, Danny. You have never changed from it.’

He looked guilty. ‘And you think that does it, do you?’

‘100%, Dan. 100%. You dish up a constant supply of new work with
your autobiography, and you have a heck of a readership. I see it in
the webhits those groups get. And Google is everywhere on the net,
all over heaven, and there are literally sextillions of souls who read
those groups on a daily basis. It explains everything.’

‘I am just lucky. I have a priority address for postings. My message
usually stays on the right hand bar tab for 2 or 3 days, gradually
dropping down the list. That sort of exposure, with those numbers,
adds up to everything in the end.’

‘Yes. I do know Daniel. I do know.’

He smiled, took a sip of a flat coke, and went back to his grumbling.

‘What city are we in again?’

‘Oh, shut up,’ responded Melanie.

Chapter Two

Geraldine took out a hanky, blew her nose, and looked at the mess.
‘Good God. That was up my nose.’

‘Charming,’ said Victoria, handing her a bin.

‘It’s a perfectly good hankie,’ said Geraldine.

‘Bin!’ exclaimed Victoria. ‘Believe me, Geraldine – you can afford
it.’ Geraldine humbly obliged.

They were at the next show on their list, the eternal Spice. 5
British girls who were showing the world that Girl Power could do it
better, an eternal theme for the group. Wether they, in truth,
actually meant that or not was indeed another question, but when you
were onto a good thing….

‘The problem with men,’ began Emma, sitting in her white skirt,
looking ever so ‘Emma’, is that they just don’t know what they want.’

‘Oh, they know what they want alright,’ said Victoria, patting her
butt. ‘And they usually know how to get it.’

‘It is just that they are too stupid to properly appreciate it,’ said
Geraldine, which made the little group of 5 girls laugh.

Emma continued. ‘No, seriously. They just don’t know what they want
out of life. They spend forever changing careers, trying to be a
hotshot at this or that firm, before finally moving on and then, when
they are finally secure and you can rely on their income, off they go
dreaming of forming a business of their own. They are never bloody
satisfied.’

‘Now,’ began Melanie Brown,’ while girls certainly can do it better,
it is very hard to match the ego of men when it comes to their
ambitions. But, of course, they set big goals, yet reality is far
more frugal.’

‘True,’ said Geraldine.

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ responded Victoria. ‘David usually achieves his
goals after a while. And what about that Daniel fellow of yours Mel.
Apparently he is still number one all time. In fact, I saw his book
yesterday, at the newsagents at the airport. Sitting in the corner,
with a few others of his. Nice cover – basic, but dramatic.’

‘That’s Daniel,’ said Melanie. ‘Always a trier.’

‘What I think,’ began Melanie Brown, ‘is that despite all their flaws,
and shortcomings, and their utter reliance on the fairer sex, we still
couldn’t live without them.’

And the group all nodded.

* * * * *

They were at yet another airport lounge, sitting there, waiting on
their flight. Melanie always wanted to arrive early and, despite
Daniel’s constant bemoaning that they simply use the ‘Spice’ plane and
have enough of this regular carrier nonsense, which Melanie and the
girls usually refused on the grounds of trying to come across as
everyday girls in touch with the people, Melanie was still in an
upbeat mood.

‘So, where are we now?’

‘Same country, new city. I won’t bother telling you its name. You
will learn it eventually I suppose.’

‘I suppose,’ responded Daniel.

He, finally out of boredom, pulled a rubiks cube out of his jacket
pocket, which he had purchased at the airport newsagents when they had
arrived in their current city, and looked at it. He knew how to solve
them, generally, and had mastered it aeons ago, but never kept at the
technique, and these days was a bit fuzzy as to how to actually solve
the thing.

Melanie looked at it. ‘You think you can solve that then? You’re not
that bright, are you?’

‘Huh, I’ll show you,’ and for the next 45 minutes he twisted and
turned the thing, eventually getting 2 sides, before giving up.

‘Told ya,’ she said, smiling, and Daniel just moaned.

‘So, were to next, beloved?’

‘The other main city of this nation. It is an interesting one, you
know. About 70 main families populate it, all of them descended from
one couple who wanted to form their own nation ages ago. For a long
time that was all there was – just their family, but in recent
millennia they have opened up somewhat and allowed free movement. But
mostly the same family. A very strange project.’

Daniel thought that over. ‘Interesting, Mel. I will think over
that. Food for thought for a while.’

‘You do that, she responded, turning another page in her magazine.

Chapter Three

‘You know, Melanie. I kind of fancy that Daniel fellow of yours.’

Melanie turned to Geraldine. ‘You are kidding aren’t you? He has the
appeal of a slug.’

‘Then what are you doing with him,’ responded Geraldine defensively.

Melanie stared at her, but said nothing. She sat there, in their
dressing room, the other girls doing their makeup and things, before
eventually responding. ‘Look, Geri. What I said was too harsh.
Perhaps I was just jealous. Remember, he’s mine. Look, the way
Daniel often comes across is in a very rigid and legalistic way at
first, until you get to know him. He is actually quite liberal on
many issues, but is very careful with the reputation he seems to think
he has.’

‘Oh,’ said Geraldine. ‘Well, I was only remarking that he is cute.
Kind of guy I could go for, if he was available.’

‘But he’s not, so don’t even think about it.’

‘I won’t,’ said Geraldine, but wasn’t promising anything.

Later on that night, after the concert, sitting alone in the dressing
room after the girls had all left, waiting for Daniel who shouldn’t be
too much longer, Melanie thought on her husband. Daniel Daly – the
man who had finally taken her virginity. What sort of guy was he,
really, in the end? Why had Melanie bothered with an author, albeit a
successful one, to hang around and fall in love with. Was it his
stability? His success? His charms? He had a fair degree of them.
But was there something else. After a while she concluded she didn’t
really know, but a soft voice in her heart said ‘He will probably love
you, in the end, more than anybody else anyway,’ and that seemed to
satisfy Melanie’s question.

* * * * *

‘We are in Prontington!’ he exclaimed, with something of a victory
noticeable in his voice.

‘Oh, well done,’ responded Melanie, to Daniel’s triumph.

‘And the city has over 1 billion inhabitants.’

‘Yep. There you go again,’ she responded.

‘Yep,’ he said, and proceeded to take out his rubiks cube and puzzle
over it.

After a while he spoke up. ‘But what about genetics? Isn’t that a
problem?’

She said nothing for a few moments, before finally responding. ‘Uh,
Genetics, a problem? For who?’

He finished with his Rubiks cube. ‘Well, them, I guess,’ he said,
pointing at those gathered in the waiting room.

Melanie frowned. What was he on about? ‘Do you care to explain?’ she
asked him, putting down her magazine.

‘All these people. If there are only 70 major families, and they are
all related, shouldn’t there be heaps of genetic problems. I mean,
they are all inbreds.’

‘Oh,’ she said, finally catching on. She looked around them, at all
the people, suddenly looking at their faces, looking to see anything
of those potential genetic defects. There didn’t seem to be anything
immediately noticeable.

‘I mean, sure, maybe the original couple had very good and diverse DNA
for this project. Maybe it wasn’t a problem for the original couple.’

‘I guess,’ she responded, returning to her magazine.

‘Yes, that was probably what it was. Good DNA. A suitable match.
The kids never ended up having problems with interbreeding.’

‘And if the parents had sex with the children,’ said Melanie,
cautiously, still looking at her magazine.

‘Fuck,’ said Daniel. ‘Never thought of that. Adam and Eve all over
again. Incest – a game the whole family can play.’

Melanie smirked at that. A funny one from her beloved.

‘Family get togethers could be a thing, though. I mean, who do you
leave out? You could end up inviting half the bloody neighbourhood.’

Melanie had to again smirk at the comment.

‘Oh. And birthdays for the family members. Who DON’T you send a card
to? Could be bloody expensive.’

‘I guess so,’ she said, sobering up somewhat.

‘I guess blood is thicker than water, after all,’ he finished.

‘Yes,’ she said, as he returned to his Rubik’s cube.

‘I probably wouldn’t want to do that kind of thing. That kind of
experiment. Probably not me,’ he finished, and puzzled on his cube.

She sat there, not wanting to, turning her pages of her beauty mag,
but she thought on that anyway. A kingdom – a country – full of her
offspring. Her own seed, and nothing but. Surely she would never
contemplate such a thing. Surely never.

Chapter Four

‘Some things work. Some things don’t. We are supposed to work it out
in time and, I feel, inevitably most of us usually do.’

The two of them were in yet another airport of this quite large
country, in a smaller city this time, but the band wanted to be
extensive after all. Daniel had been sharing, in response to
Melanie’s recent question pertaining to the concept of ‘Sin’ as to
what Daniel felt on the subject.

‘Of course, Morning Stars, with the dialogue between Michael and
Saruviel, addressed something of the core issue. Your own way as
opposed to God’s way. God’s way wins, in the end. You will be even
admitting it. He already knows, that is all it is. He already knows
the fullness of morality. For most of us, our early years are found
simply in arguing with him. And then, as I said, we work out on our
own issues which God doesn’t address too much that some things work
well for us and some things just don’t. And that is the way it is.’

‘But why should we agree with God? I mean, what makes him right? How
are you so sure he has the truth on every moral issue.’

Daniel looked at her, a little bit taken aback at what he felt was a
slur against his lord, but took it on the cheek. Melanie wouldn’t
have meant it like that. ‘Look, see it this way. The being who is
Almighty God – Yahweh, as we mostly know him as – designed the human
body, the human mind, the human psyche. He knows, in all intricacy,
the depth of intellectual questionings our minds are capable of, in
all their synaptic glories. He already knows – he has already had
those thoughts, and he has already worked out the truth of the deepest
mysteries we could ever hope to plumb the depths of. He has already
done what we crave as our own original glory of thought.’

‘So you say,’ responded Melanie suspiciously.

‘Yes. So I say,’ responded Daniel, returning to his Rubiks cube.

They sat there for a while, Daniel working on his cube, Melanie
working up to a reply. She had one coming – in the guts of her – and
wanted to now have a go.

‘But how do you know, really, that he has bothered to work everything
out properly? How do YOU know? Has he told you? Personally?’

‘I read the book of Job, Mel. Probably the first spiritual book I
ever completed. It has all the answers on that one.’

‘Yes. I know the text. You would quote that. But who wrote it?’

‘It was still, whatever you might say on that issue, placed into the
canon. It still ended up in what came to be regarded as his word.
And, whatever its origins, to me it addresses the core of the issue.
God made it all – he already knows. Who the hell are we to think we
have originality in us? Huh?’

‘But aren’t we made in his image? Don’t we have something new to
offer him?’

He looked at her for a few moments and, then, thinking that over,
responded a little more carefully.

‘Well, maybe. Maybe. Yes, we are made in his image. Yes, we are his
children, with lives of our own. I don’t think we surprise him very
much in what we do, because he knows each of us by design very
carefully, and we respond in the way we are supposed to. But, perhaps
– perhaps there is a spark of originality in our knowledges which he
never looked into per se but, having said that, I don’t think we are
ever going to really surprise him with that anyway. He probably has
everything figured out by now, if he didn’t so already.

She didn’t dispute him. She wouldn’t, now. He had answered carefully
and kindly. But, she was not really sure if she agreed and, in truth,
not really sure if she disagreed. It was an interesting question.
Very, very interesting.

Chapter Five

Geraldine and Daniel were backstage, Melanie still signing autographs,
and the other girls had disappeared for the night.

‘So, you like ‘Spice’, I take it?’

‘I think I have expressed that to you plenty of times previously.’

‘Oh, you know, Dan. Tastes change. People move on – to something
else – something new. Time marches on and all that.’

‘I’ll put it this way,’ responded Daniel. ‘I never get sick of
oranges. And while I like apples and pears and watermelons too, I
still always like oranges as well. They are good for you, taste nice,
and a part of a natural diet.’

‘So that is what we are, is it? Oranges?’

‘Oh, you are a definite fruit salad of flavour, dear Geri. A definite
fruit salad.’

She smiled on that point.

‘So, what are your favourite fruits, then? Your favourite bands?’

‘Too bloody many to mention. At the moment ‘Panic at the Disco’ is on
my current iPod. A large selection of their early stuff. They
impressed me, once, with a couple of videos from an early album. I
put them on my listening routine from time to time. Of course, Bon
Jovi, Def Leppard, Dio, Madonna, Britney Spears and of course Spice
are among my most regular tunes. Iron Maiden, Evanescence and Roxette
also make the list a heck of a lot. They are still probably my
favourites.’

‘I see,’ she said. ‘The oldies.’

‘Oldies but goodies. Oh, heck, I have heard pretty much all of it by
now, and bands grab me from time to time with new sounds. But for
what I am into personally, the stuff I had in my first 60 to 70 years
of life was about enough for eternity. I haven’t dabbled seriously
with great listening to too many bands since that time. Didn’t think
there was much point. I’ll buy a new CD, but unless it really strikes
me as deserving more attention, I will stick to what I have.’

‘Yes, I am sort of the same way,’ responded Geraldine. ‘A core of
favourites makes up my playlists, and after that, well, you know.
Whatever is playing on the radio.’

‘Exactly,’ responded Daniel.

* * * * *

‘You and Geri,’ she said, out of the blue, as he continued to puzzle
on his cube, sitting again in a typical airport for this nation.

‘Uh, what?’

‘You and Geri. You both seem friendly.’

Daniel was flabbergasted at that. What WAS she on about.

‘Umm. Me and Geri have gotten along well for a long time. Is that a
problem?’

She turned to look at him, almost spoke, but bit her lip and stared at
him. She then turned back to looking into space, and gazed up at the
clock on the wall briefly, before returning her gaze to nothing in
particular.

After a while, Daniel returning to his cube, she picked up a magazine,
and started humming to herself. Whatever was on her mind, Daniel
didn’t really know.

It was the next airport, after another sold out show, they were
sitting there again, and again he was still trying to work out the
cube, when she brought it up again.

‘Geraldine. Is there…. Is there anything I need to know, Daniel?’

He looked at his cube. 3 sides, now. He had mastered getting about 3
of them with effort. But 4, 5 and 6, which he knew now would come
automatically when he had gotten the fifth anyway, were still an
ongoing challenge.

‘Uh, no. Nothing I am aware of that you need to know about me and
Geraldine. Don’t really know what you are driving at, sweetie. But
me and Geraldine are not hiding any secrets from you.’ And as an
afterthought he added, ‘Oh, and no. We don’t have any surprise
birthdays planned or anything like that. At least nothing that I am
aware of anyway. Now, why do you ask?’

She turned to him, looked into his eyes, almost into his soul, but
said nothing. She just stared at him, right into him, then turned
away, back to her magazine.’

‘No reason,’ she finally said, and that was that. Nothing more on the
issue eventuated.

Chapter Six

‘What about LMFAO? Are you shuffling every day?’

‘Am I what?’ responded Daniel, a big smile on his face.

‘Are you shuffling?’

‘I guess fucking so,’ he said, still smiling. ‘Yeh, I know the band.
I bought a CD once. Ages ago. Actually, no. The same CD, but a lot
of times. They have others, but I only listened to them early on.
There is just their early CD with ‘Shufflin’ that I listen to on a
regular basis.

‘Do you like them?’ persisted Geraldine.

‘I thought they were quite original, yes. Yeh, I like them. Not
completely my type of stuff, but some of the rare dance music I would
bother with. They are ok.’

She reached into her bag, pulled out a CD single of LMFAO, and as they
sang along and did a little dance, Melanie, who had been finishing the
removing of her makeup in the corner, just stared at the two of them,
but said nothing. After all, in Daniel’s own words, there was nothing
to say. Was there?

‘We really should try this live. I would love to, you know, but the
band won’t sell us the rights to perform live. It is there exclusive
domain.’

‘A lot of bands are like that, I’ve heard. But you can’t blame them,
can you. It is there living, in the end. They have to look out for
their welfare.’

‘I am sure they can afford it. It will only help them in the end.’

‘But that is not how everyone sees it. Some think you are stealing
someone elses audience, in a funny kind of way. Even if it is your
own you are singing to.’

‘All I can say is thank God for the Public Domain song database.’

Daniel nodded at that. The Public Domain song database of heaven was,
primarily, a host of song material which God himself had organized,
communicated to through a number of angels, and had put into the form
of an online database accessible by everyone. There were well over 10
Billion original songs available for everyone to utilize in their own
live performances and for the release of any particular CD they may
want to release for their own performing ambitions. The database was
part of God’s plan for every soul who wanted it to be able to
eventually make something of an impact into performance, and even a
career if they needed it, in the field of music. With the reality of
copyright, unless you had been amongst the first numbers to have
gotten the best tunes from the data range capable over a standard 80
minute CD, which was a practically infinite variety of sounds,
language and other strange communications, some quite evil, but that
also included, necessarily, music, then you were ultimately left
without original material to make a career from. The early birds
caught the worm in that sense, and now, millions of years later, all
the stuff which was cool and hip had basically been utilized in the
full data range available from the full code of a CD, in all
interesting enough variations. Funny that – how the entirety of the
human language and history of speech – everything you could ever hope
to say and ever would – already theoretically existed in the capable
data range of an 80 minute CD which, really, only needed to be
computed in a run, printed off, and ultimately listened to. God,
supposedly, knew it all though anyway. Knew the entirety of the
knowledge from such an idea, and thus knew the entirety of knowledge.
It was all happily at peace in the soul, mind and heart of the
creator, so the theologians constantly maintained.

Later on, back in the hotel room, ready to leave in the morning,
Melanie hadn’t spoken for a while. Daniel knew something was up –
something wasn’t right. Melanie had an issue with him, possibly
something to do with Geri, but he wasn’t sure. It might be something
else entirely, and maybe Geri had just set it off. He wasn’t sure,
but presumed he would find out soon enough.

Chapter Seven

‘Do you like me, Danny?’

‘Yeh, you are sweet, Geri. Really, if it wasn’t for Mel, you would be
the kind of girl I would go for.’

She nodded. They were alone in the girl’s dressing room, after the
show, the other girls having left. Melanie had been there, looking at
Geri who innocently was doing her makeup, and Daniel said he had to
pee, and went to the toilet in the dressing room, Melanie telling him
she would find her own way back to the hotel in a taxi on her own for
some quiet breathing space just before he closed the toilet door. He
had come out of the toilet, found Geraldine still there, and had said
‘Well I’ll see you later,’ before she had asked him to sit down. And
now, so he felt, she was chatting him up.

‘So you like me,’ she said, and put her hand on to his leg, and slowly
moved it up a little towards his crotch.

‘Oh, fuck Geri.’

‘Exactly,’ she responded.

‘But I can’t. I can’t. I’m married – happily.’

‘We’ve done it before,’ she reminded him.

‘I know,’ he said.

And before he could say anything she had whipped of her top and undid
her bra, and sat there with her tits showing.

‘They look good, don’t they Danny? I have been working out properly.’

He dared, and put his hand forward and grabbed one. Just then the
door opened and Melanie walked back in saying ‘I just forgot
something,’ and caught them. There was fire in her eyes. ‘You
fucking bastard!’ she exclaimed.

‘Uh, it’s not what you think, Mel.’ Geri quickly put her bra and top
back on, grabbed her purse, and walked past Mel, not before Mel hissed
‘Bitch’ at her, leaving a very difficult Daniel feeling guilty as
hell.

She just stood there, staring at him, and Daniel looked down, feeling
like a piece of shit. Eventually Melanie softened. ‘Well, do you
like her then? Is that just it? You like Geri?’

‘It’s nothing like that. But I think I know what you were saying at
the airport. From how Geri has been acting towards me recently. But,
really, there has nothing been going on. Just then was it. She just
whipped off her top and I couldn’t help feel her tits. They looked so
good.’

‘Oh,’ she said, and came to sit down next to him.

There was a part of Melanie C which had mercy. Which was soft, and
forgiving for such things. She knew Daniel was only a guy in the end,
only human, and so she forgave him for it. She noticed, though, he
had a strong erection. ‘Do you want me to take care of that, Danny?’
she said, indicating his crotch.

‘Uh, fuck.’ And so they did.

* * * * *

Daniel slept well that night, his dreams alive of all five of the
Spice Girls, there hands and arms wrapped all over him, his crotch
being paid particular attention and, the second time he orgasmed in
his dreams, it was in the most blissful of positions, all 5 girls
around him, his night being made. Besides him Melanie was restless.
She couldn’t sleep. She was worried. Would he leave her? Geri and
him had dated a long time ago, before they had been married.
Presumably they had slept together, but Geri never said anything about
it. Never mentioned anything since Mel and Dan had got together. But
did Geri really still have feelings for Daniel? And did Daniel feel
the same? Would she lose her man? She didn’t even want to
contemplate such a reality. Losing him now, after all this time
together – she couldn’t even hope to think about starting again with
another man. That much would be impossible to her – literally
impossible.

She stared at the ceiling, noticed him thrusting a little next to her
in his sleep and that he had come again. Was he in the arms of
Geraldine in his obviously happy dream? Was he getting lucky?

They had been together for so long now. Almost as if her life had
been Daniel’s life in a funny way – like they were one flesh in truth,
as scripture also decreed between a husband and a wife. She felt she
knew him so very well, all his strange ways, all his strange
thoughts. He was a gentle man, in most ways. Quite humble. And
faithful. Usually, very, very faithful. Had they done this before,
he and Geraldine? Had they been together behind her back? Was Daniel
hiding a hidden relationship which had never really ended? She hated
to think so but she was suspicious.

Eventually, she found sleep, and, in her dreams, giant heads of Geri
and Daniel seemed to float around, laughing at her, before changing
into giant slugs. ‘Ah, justice,’ she thought to herself, as she
laughed and dreamed on.

Chapter Eight

It was the next city, in the airport, Daniel had just mastered side
four, and exclaimed as such. Melanie was generally over her concerns
with him and Geri. He had claimed, the following morning, that no
shenanigans had been going on whatsoever and that throughout there
whole marriage he had remained faithful. ‘Yes, I have looked at
women. That is unavoidable. But I have never cheated,’ and she
believed him. He was telling the truth as well.

She sat on her airport seat, her magazine in her hands, staring off
into space, Daniel just having exclaimed his victory in mastering 4
sides of the cube, and all was, generally well.

The tour had been going well, so far. Four centuries of it, touring
now the outer limits of the heavenlies, having seen so much new
stuff. But that was life in an ever-expanding world. Always
something new.

She thought about that, and the girl’s devotion to tour forever, as
heaven expanded, always to a new show, to a new venue. Always a new
fan to sign an autograph for, a new CD cover to sign, a new hand to
shake. Onwards, forever onwards, the might of the Spice attack. This
was her life, now, and she knew it. She had committed to it. And for
the most part it was satisfying. Sure, she had plenty to do, and she
was never bored. Daniel was a great companion, and the girls were
eternal friends – as a group they just seemed to work.

But, deep in the centre of her heart, there was something. Something
which, although, was definitely saying she was fine and happy and had
no real problems to address, also shrugged its shoulders and said, in
a funny kind of voice, ‘Well I don’t know’, when she asked of it the
serious question ‘Is there anything more to my life?’ It was her
conscience, embodied in a little miniature version of Melanie, sitting
in her heart, telling her what she should and shouldn’t do. It had
always been there and, for a long time now, had not complained much.
But, over the last 5 or 6 thousand years, slowly, she had noticed it.
A malaise – a malaise of the heart – a little bit of it which said
‘There is still something more for Melanie C to find satisfaction
on’. And so she continued to question that little conscience of hers,
which was always reluctant to give her a proper answer, but which,
now, that a situation between Daniel and Geri had been resolved,
seemed to be standing up and saying it was time to deal with something
– something which her heart had been putting off for a long time.

And so, sitting there, staring off into space, she suddenly stood,
looked at Daniel and said ‘You know my mobile number by heart, don’t
you?’

He nodded.

‘Ok. Don’t call me. Not for a while. Not for at least a decade.
And tell the girls that the tour will do for now as far as Melanie C
is concerned. They can go on without me if they want to, or end it
here. I will be busy. And don’t even bother asking, ok Daniel.
Don’t even bother asking.’ She looked around, at the airport, the
people, and everything, and turned back to a very confused looking
husband. ‘Well, I’m off. I’ll see you back at home eventually.’ And
she turned, and walked away.

Daniel Daly, husband to Melanie Chisholm, singer and Spice Girl
extraordinaire, could be a very passive man at times. And he had an
odd way of dealing well with very difficult situations. But this much
was a little bit of a challenge to him. But, above all else, he
trusted God and the choice of heart which God had brought into
Daniel’s life to be his wife. So, with a trillion objections and a
trillion questions to ask her, instead he sat there, let her be, let
her walk off on her sabbatical of whatever she wanted, and, glancing
up at the clock, realizing he had her mobile number if necessary,
turned back to his Rubiks cube. At least the tour was fucking ended
for him, he thought sarcastically, and puzzled on his cube.

Chapter Nine

4 years. 4 bloody years, and to keep faith with her he hadn’t even
had a bloody wank. He really needed some attention and the thought of
ringing up Geraldine was even on his mind. But, no. He wouldn’t
cheat. He couldn’t cheat.

He looked at the telephone book in front of him. Melanie’s mobile,
written down in black ink, staring at him. He had been waiting for
her to ring, when she was settled wherever she needed to be settled,
doing whatever she needed to be doing. When she was happy. When she
had found herself. But she had never rang and as weeks turned to
months and as months turned to years, Daniel was starting to wonder if
he had lost her. Wether she was ever coming home.

He looked at the number, swore at himself for caving in to her, and
picked up his phone and dialled. It rang and rang and rang and rang
out. ‘Fuck.’ But he knew that it was getting through, as the ring
tone was working. Was she using the phone? Was she near it at the
moment? Was it sitting on a shelf somewere, disused? He put the
phone down, took a sip of Coke, and decided to ring again at 11 that
night. Give her time, if that is what she needed. Maybe she had
heard the call, but was nervous. Maybe she saw the number, and didn’t
want to answer. Maybe. He would wait. See what the night would
bring.

* * * * *

‘Uh, yeh. Is Melanie there? This is her phone.’ The lady on the
other end of the phone went silent for a while and then said ‘Who is
this?’

‘Daniel. Daniel Daly. I’m her husband.’

‘HER HUSBAND!’ the woman exclaimed. ‘But, but. She’s not married.’

‘Oh, yes she is. Unless she has divorced me without me knowing it,’
he said with a tone of anger in his voice. ‘Now is Melanie fucking
there?’

‘Oh, ok. I guess she will talk to you. Don’t swear, ok. This is a
chapel of God. We don’t tolerate such language.’

Daniel waited and thoughts flashed through his mind. ‘Were the hell
was she? Was she caught up in some bloody religious cult? What the
heck was going on?’

It was about 5 minutes later, and he could hear her in the background
saying she didn’t want to talk to him, when she finally picked up the
phone.

‘Daniel.’

‘Mel. Where the hell are you?’

‘I’m at peace, Daniel. I have finally found peace. With God. I am
complete, content. I don’t need anything anymore. Just me and
Jehovah. That is all I need. All I want.’

Daniel swore under his breath. ‘It’s a cult, isn’t it? Don’t tell
me, you have got yourself caught up in a fucking cult.’

Melanie said nothing initially. Eventually she responded.
‘Peacekeepers of Jehovah are NOT a cult. They are a mainstream
religion, which has separated from the world in the main for purposes
of peace and escape from the humdrum of it all. Sure, people say all
sorts of things about us, but we are NOT a cult. Just an escape. A
place of peace.’

Daniel swore again, a little louder this time. ‘Yes, I have heard of
them. And they are far from bloody mainstream. Way out in left…no,
excuse me. Way out in RIGHT field. They are lunatic fundamentalists
who hate everything except God and the holy bloody Torah.’

‘And what is wrong with that? Isn’t that your own faith after all?’

‘I don’t approach it the same way. No, no it isn’t my faith in that
sense. I may be a Karaite Noahide, but the Karaite Noahide community
actually IS very mainstream and accepting of ALL of God’s children.
We care about everyone in heaven, work in all the major charity
organisations for helping disadvantaged people and people recovering
from illnesses. We support the lonely people’s brigade, and bring
dinners to people to chat with them when they just need a friend and
someone to talk to. We are there for everyone. But the last thing we
bloody do is go off to a cult and separate from the community
believing we are the special bloody holy ones. WE DON’T FUCKING DO
THAT, MELANIE BLOODY CHISHOLM.’

‘Well we DO!’ she shouted, and hung up.

Daniel sat there, stunned and, eventually, swearing again, put down
the phone. The Peacekeepers of Jehovah. The bloody peacekeepers of
Jehovah. For heavens fucking sake, he swore again, and got off to get
some fresh air and swear some more.

Chapter Ten

It was the following night, around 11. Daniel had calmed down and,
having done some research on the Peacekeepers of Jehovah and
realizing, whatever else, they would take Torah seriously and work to
be calm about everything, he called the number again. This time
Melanie answered.

‘It’s Daniel.’

‘Hello Daniel.’

He waited for a few moments. ‘I lost my temper last night. I
apologize.’

‘You are forgiven.’

‘Well, I would like to come and visit you, but I also respect your
privacy and your desire for peace, as you put it. I do need to know
this, though. Will you be staying with them forever, or will you
eventually come home.’

There was silence for quite a while. Eventually she spoke. ‘I will
one day come home. I won’t ever divorce you, now. Never. You and I
are one flesh. That is meant to last forever.’

He nodded. This sort of talking didn’t surprise him. It was what
cults could often be like.

‘I won’t argue with you. When you are ready, come home. I won’t go
anywhere. I will remain at home permanently. I won’t even go out
very much, but order the food from Woolworths for home delivery, and
order all my other stuff online. Friends can come and see me. I will
wait here, at home, even if I have to wait a million years, ok. Even
if I have to wait a million years. I love you, Mel. I love you.’

There was silence, and he heard faint crying.

‘I will be home one day, Daniel. One day.’ And she hung up.

He put down the phone, looked at the clock, and sighed. It could be a
long wait. It could be a very long wait.

* * * * *

About 300 years later, Daniel was really getting used to his own
surroundings. Perhaps his religious duty of his Googling on Fridays
kept him going in many ways, but perhaps it was just life, with how he
was simply alive from moment to moment, which was all that pushed him
onwards. But, no, there were other things. Geri came often and they
talked about Melanie. The girls had visited her once, early on, but
had been thereupon asked to respect her privacy, and that had been the
end of it. Melanie needed the peace she was seeking, and that was
that. And so Geri would visit Daniel, usually on a Saturday
afternoon, and they would sit there, play monopoly or Risk or
Scrabble, or some other board game or Jigsaw, and be best friends, but
never lovers. Daniel couldn’t even entertain the thought of such
thing with the commitment he had made to Mel. Geri was his light at
this time, and once she kissed him on the cheek and looked in his
eyes, but he just had to turn away. He couldn’t, and she knew it.

And then 300 years turned to 3000, and it had become a basic life,
sitting there, waiting for his bride to return, sometimes going to the
front window, looking for her, hoping, anxious. But she never came.
She never came.

He would cry a lot at nights, very often for the first couple of
thousand of years, and then he would do nothing. He would sit there,
numb, look forward to Saturday when Geri came over, and then breathe
new life with the presence of Geraldine.

And then, one day, Geri gave him a ring. What was called an
‘Eternity’ ring. She told him, then, she would be his friend
forever. His confidante forever. That she would always be there for
him, and that she loved him, and that was that. So he kissed her,
and, looking into her eyes, he knew she loved him. He took her, to
his bed then, and they lay there naked for a while. And then they
made love, and he found some peace. His virginity of over 3000 years
was broken.

Geri moved in after that, and stayed with him. For all intents and
purposes, she was his mistress, but that was that. What else could he
do? Melanie wasn’t coming home? Was she ever coming home? It could
be another 3 million years before she may even talk to him. But he
knew he would wait. He knew. But, at nights, when Geri was there, he
thanked God for Ms Halliwell, and her company, and the cold part of
his heart was warmed somewhat, as he waited, patiently, for the return
of his bride.

Chapter Eleven

6 AM. Time to get up. Prayer at 6:30 for an hour. Scripture reading
for an hour. Then breakfast. Another day in paradise.

Melanie, daughter of God, had been with the Peacekeepers, now, for
about 200,000 years, or there abouts. And, in fact, it had now taken
up a large percentage of her living history, which was something she
had intended for a long time. In her philosophy, since joining the
group, she knew she needed this stability, this divine focus, to
enshroud her heart. And, furthermore, she had committed to an eternal
relationship with the Peacekeepers. Not constantly – not at once.
But every few million years she would take a sabbatical of about
200,000 years with the peacekeepers to give her the spiritual
nourishing and food she needed to cope with her life. To live through
all the highs and lows a Spice Girl was faced with.

But today was a special day. Today was Monday, and she had completed
her obligations she had imposed on herself the prior Sabbath. She had
spent one more day, Sunday, saying farewells to her group and now,
Monday afternoon, having clutched at them just a little bit longer,
she was ready to leave. To get back to the chaos of it all. She had
found her God – Yahweh Jehovah – in the centre of her heart, and that
was all that she needed. God centred living.

Now, the trouble. But she was ready. Daniel had sworn allegiance,
that he would never leave. She questioned wether, as the spirit and
her dreams seemed to be telling her, that Geri was indeed with him
now, as a Mistress. But that was acceptable in the end. Daniel was
only human. He needed another wife, and Hagar and Keturah were never
far from Melanie’s thoughts on the issue. The concubines of Abraham
had demonstrated men’s humanity to her.

She wouldn’t ring. She would surprise him. Come home, find him, kiss
him, and get back into the routine. She would see just what would be.

* * * * *

‘Hello Geraldine.’

Geri stared at her, and then, catching herself, opened the door to let
her in.

Melanie walked inside, came into the living room and, suddenly, Daniel
walked in from the kitchen saying ‘Who was that Geri?’ and stopped,
staring at Melanie, who was dressed in a long white dress, with a
suitcase in white, and white shoes, with an appropriate white hat on.

‘Fuck,’ said Daniel, staring at her.

Melanie stared at him and, suddenly, there was a torrent of emotion
in her heart. She couldn’t speak, though. She wouldn’t respond yet.
She sat down, put the suitcase by the lounge seat, and looked towards
the TV Set, still not speaking. Daniel stared at her. Geri came
over, stood next to Daniel and he turned to her. ‘Come with me into
the kitchen,’ and they left to chat.

Melanie could hear them, speaking urgently, and Geri’s voice rose a
little before Daniel calmed her down. Shortly they both reappeared.
‘Right,’ said Geri. ‘Well, good to finally see you Mel. You can
catch me later at my place, if you wanna come around. Seeya.’ And
she stared at Melanie in her white garb, picked up her handbag, and
left through the front door.

Daniel stared at Mel for a while, realizing his wife had finally, and
quite suddenly, returned. But, coming to himself, he came over, sat
down next to her, and said. ‘Well, what do you know.’

Chapter Twelve

The following morning, Melanie having slept in the guest room, she
rose early, prayed, but only for about 10 minutes, which she had
already planned as her routine away from the peacekeepers, and read a
chapter of Torah. And then she had gone into the kitchen, found
something suitable to eat and was sitting in the living room, the
radio on a classical station, softly playing, sitting there, waiting.

Daniel rose around 9, came in, looked at her, and scratched his head.
She was back. What had happened to her, though. She was so – so –
passive. Just sitting there, hardly even blinking. Like a stone,
like a rock. Is this what the place had done to her.

He went into the kitchen, grabbed a can of Coke, and came back and sat
down in a large chair, opened his can, and looked at her. She just
looked ahead, looked at him from the corner of her eyes briefly, and
then continued staring outwards.

He took a sip, put down the can, and came over to sit next to her.

‘Look. I can tell you have changed. I can see that. Its obvious.
But I…. I haven’t much. And me and Geri. Well. Well, we have been
together for a long time now. A few thousand years after you left she
moved in. And we have been an item in that sense.’

‘I won’t divorce you,’ said Melanie, without looking at him.

‘Hold on, sweetheart. Nobody ever said anything about divorce. Geri
understood that when she moved in. I was devoted to you. I AM
devoted to you. Ok. Ok.’

‘Good,’ she said, and said nothing more. Daniel just stared at her,
but nothing more was forthcoming. Eventually he shrugged, sipped on
his can and stood, looking at her. ‘Ok. You seem not to need me at
the moment. I have not been out of this house for the last 3,000
years straight, apart from the yards. I have kept my commitment to
you, hardly ever leaving. But I need to get out of here. You can
come with me or you can stay here, but I am going over to Geri’s and
we are going to see a movie and get some fries and burgers and do shit
until late. Don’t expect me home till 11.

She said nothing, staring into space.

Daniel was frustrated. He wanted to say something. He wanted to say
he loved her, but couldn’t. Not yet. The time wasn’t right yet. Not
yet.

‘Well, ok. Seeya.’ And looking at her, waiting on some sort of
response which never came, he disappeared out the front door, found
his car and hoped it would run, which it did, and disappeared over to
his mistress’s home.

* * * * *

Melanie had looked through the photographs of them together all that
day, looking at how good they looked together, at how much in love
they had been. And then, around 11, Daniel came in, a tiny bit
intoxicated as she could smell it on his breath, but sober enough to
talk with. ‘Fuck, Melanie,’ he said. He had obviously forgotten.
‘Look, sweetie. We’ll talk properly in the morning,’ and he stumbled
into his bed, and fell down on it, soon snoring away.

She heard him, and coming in, she put a blanket over him and lay down
next to him, searching for sleep. It would just take time, she knew
that. It would just take time.

* * * * *

The following morning he seemed better. As if he had started
adjusting to her. Getting used to her new demeanour.

‘So, what was it like? All that time with one group? How did it
change you?’

They were at the breakfast table out on the verandah, with muesli and
orange juice. He seemed in a better mood. He seemed good with her.

‘Oh, it was life changing. I’m going back you know.’

‘Fuck. When?’

‘Oh, not for a very long time, ok. Not for a very long time. Perhaps
2 or 3 million years. But it will be a similar sabbatical. For about
the same time period. It is in my routine now. I will do it
forever.’

‘Oh,’ he said. ‘Ok. That’s ok. That’s fine.’

She nodded. He had accepted it, then.

He sipped on his orange juice, stared at her, and smiled at her
warmly. ‘You know Melanie. You are still the love of my life. When
all is said and done, it is still just you babe. It is still just
you. I can accept your peacekeeper ways. I have gotten used to the
idea now, ok. I can accept it.’

‘Then we will have peace,’ she said, tilting her orange juice to him,
and he smiled.

Chapter Thirteen

Geri was sitting on Daniel’s lounge, looking at the TV, while Melanie
was away shopping. Suddenly Daniel walked in from the kitchen and
went to his bookcase and picked up 3 books. She noticed that one of
them was his Tanakh – his Jewish Bible – which he was never without,
and the other two books were books on Judaism. He took them, walked
out the front door, and was back within a few moments, the books not
to be seen.

Out of curiousity she asked him ‘Uh, what did you do with the books?’

He turned to her. ‘It has been building up. For a long time,
Geraldine Halliwell. Perhaps for a number of lifetimes. But what I
have seen in Melanie is the end of it. I will NOT touch that Jewish
Bible or religion EVER FUCKING AGAIN. It is SHIT.’

‘Well, Amen to that,’ responded Geri. Daniel nodded, went back into
the kitchen, leaving a very perplexed looking Geri Halliwell.

* * * * *

‘So you are no longer a Karaite Noahide?’

‘Not a Karaite one. No. Just a Noahide. That was true
historically.’

‘So you reject God, then?’ continued Melanie.

‘No. Just the Jewish Bible. I have seen what it has done to you, and
I have had so long seeing Jewish people for what they are – pride
filled ‘Chosen’ people, who really think they are too good for the
rest of us, and that we should kiss their asses. It is what they have
always been like – separatists. I don’t want to fucking know anymore,
Mel. I don’t want to fucking know about that shit ever fucking
again.’

‘Oh,’ she said, and said nothing more.

* * * * *

Later that week Melanie had taken her Jewish Bible and also thrown it
in the bin. Daniel was her husband, and was faithful to him. If this
would put a problem between them, then, in the end, she chose her
love. She chose the man who had been faithful to her.

* * * * *

It was 40 weeks later. Melanie had sent a letter to the ‘Peacekeepers
of Jehovah’ saying she wouldn’t be back. That it was over with, and
not to bother sending her the yearly annual. She had let go, now.
She had moved on.

And then Daniel, one afternoon, tinkering away at his PC, had written
down some dialogue on ‘Universal Faith Assembly’ which had been the
name of a religion he had registered a long time ago, but never used.
He showed it to Melanie, she nodded, and that was it. It was the
‘Book of Universal Faith’, four simple verses, and Melanie agreed that
they would follow whatever it brought – for better or for worse. And
it read:

The Book of Universal Faith

By

Daniel

Verse One

Unity. Many coming together as one, linked by an idea, a belief, a
purpose. For we are all one, daughters and sons of Eve and Adam. And
the idea? Connections, to those within humanity who best meet our
hearts needs, wants and desires. Connections, built with trust,
respect and patience. Connections, which grow into love and
appreciation. For Universal Faith is to appreciate all of God’s
children, those who fill this universe, and make connections with
them, one by one, to fully satisfy all the desires of knowledge that
these connections can impart to us.

Verse Two

Humanity is like one body, with many parts. All of us are offspring
of Adam and Eve, eternally genetically linked. Yet, as science
teaches, in the 700 Trillion unique genetic designs within humanity,
there are those designs which connect to us most appropriately and in
the most stimulating of manners. Yet, every design has its purpose in
the creators mind, and each design, each and every human gone from us
and yet to be has a purpose in our life, bringing those aspects of
knowledge, friendship, kindness, blessing and love we so truly desire.

Verse Three

Eternal connections. That is the purpose of our life. To find and
build eternal connections. Friendships which endure not just for a
day, a week, a month, a year – but friendships which endure throughout
the endless eternity before us. Each of these friendships must be
valued and treated with respect, for they are eternally our source of
joy, love and comfort. And to begin these connections, seek out those
whose focus is on the eternal – those whose belief is in eternal life
– for such people have a focus on Yahweh and the gift of eternal life
he has promised them, and thus are well endowed to bless you with the
connections to bear the fruit you desire with all your heart. So seek
ye the connections with those whose focus is on the eternal.

Verse Four

And the completion of things is the moral heart. Value those things
which speak to your heart, and remember the purpose those others which
do not so speak to you have in the hearts and minds of others. For
not every gift of knowledge, at first, speaks to every unique human,
but we find our way slowly and carefully along our eternal destiny,
learning, loving, growing and living in the hands of our eternal and
great God and Father, slowly appreciating every aspect of the Infinite
and its place and purpose in the eternity of creation.

‘Amen,’ said Melanie, and that was that.

Chapter Fourteen

Over the next few years, having posted the information to the web at
http://universalfaithassembly.angelfire.com , Daniel started gaining
that rarest of commodities – actual living converts. Slowly,
gradually, the assembly took form and, having started writing a new
series of angel books for the assembly called ‘The Chronicles of the
Eternal Realm of Glory’, which was set in a new universe, different to
his first two sagas, a universe more like their own, Daniel made sure
it was known that the series was to serve as the spiritual literature
for the Universal Faith Assembly. Apart from the very basic laws and
teachings from the ‘Rainbow Bible’, which was the first 10 chapter and
the first 9 verses of the 11th chapter from the Hebrew Bible, which
was pertinent to Noahides, and the ‘Book of Universal Faith’ to
organise the main idea of the Assembly apart from its religious
obligations to God, the ideas and doctrines for members of the
Assembly were to be derived from their own life walk and, by way of
assistance from the founder of the assembly, whatever teachings they
found value and merit with from the ‘Chronicle’s’ which were to serve
as the spiritual fiction for the assembly.

Would it be a success long term? Only time would tell.

* * * * *

Daniel had concluded that God had done it. In hindsight, it was God’s
way of resolving things for Daniel – for coming to a necessary
solution before the problem became insurmountable.

Melanie would likely have been eternally dedicated to the
‘Peacekeepers of Jehovah’ and, inevitably, Daniel’s frustration over
this, despite his love for Melanie, would have torn their hearts
apart.

And, in the end, seeing Karaite Judaism, in all its fundamentalism,
for what the Peacekeepers followed, taught the heart of a long-term
Noahide that, in the end, the Jewish Bible was just for that – Jews.
They were suited to it. And, unless you were ever going to dig right
in and actually convert eternally to this faith, then forget about
it. Don’t even read it in the end. Let it go. It was Jewish history
– a Jewish family legacy – and while they did indeed promote it to the
world, in the end it was only for one definite ulterior motive – the
proclamation of their own name and glory and the expansion of their
family, religion and nation.

The Kingdom of Noah was NOT the kingdom of Israel. He had even heard
Noah himself preach as such at a Noahide conference once. His people
in the Noahide community were called NOT to the people of Israel, and
the glory of Hashem’s son – they were the everyday world of humanity,
the real life, regular people, in all their humanness and all their
frailties. They were the REAL people, as Noah put it, the salt of the
earth, which humanity needed to balance itself against the religious
zeal of God’s son Israel.

‘Sure, God loves religious people,’ Noah had said once. ‘They are
trustworthy and do as they are told. But there is an inevitable
clash, as we know so well. They put so much emphasis into an idea
such as the fulfilling of a Mitzvot or the strict observance of a
Sabbath day, or dietary regime, that they forget there plain
humanity. And I think, in the end, Hashem knows this truth. Yet, for
better or worse, they are his priestly nation, and that is how they
function. But that is not for us, children of Noah. That is not for
us.’

The more Daniel thought on those words, the more truth he gained from
them. It was a timeless statement on the reality of life in relation
to God’s people Israel. He was a priestly nation – he lived in a
world of his own – and while he would attempt to minister his values
to mankind, in the end Exodus taught that he was specifically a priest
to Almighty God and relating to the everyday fold of humanity didn’t
always work that easily. Sure, they knew what they were supposed to
do in terms of moral issues because of Israel’s teaching, but they
couldn’t really fellowship with them that easily – torah forbade
that. And that is were Noahide faith became the reality of how people
in the real world fellowshipped, learned the truths about God, and got
along well with their fellow mankind. It was the practical realities
of Noahide faith which appealed to Daniel and how they, as Noahides,
WERE the people, and not separate to them, which made sense in the
end. Something which worked practically – not airy fairy philosophy.

Chapter Fifteen

‘Life just fucking goes on anyway, Melanie Chisholm. It just fucking
goes on anyway.’

Melanie, dressed in a red skirt and black T-Shirt, looking very
attractive, sat at the breakfast table, chewing on toast with
vegemite, drinking orange juice, looking at Daniel, who had been up
all night on the Net, seemingly emailing everyone.

‘And why does it go on, anyway?’ she queried.

‘Because, even after you have exhausted all your religious virtues,
life still bloody goes on. It still bloody goes on.’

‘Unless you kill yourself,’ she said. And then, matter of factly, ‘Or
someone kills you.’

She continued chewing on her toast, staring at him, raised her
eyebrows in a ‘wow I’m smart’ motion, and Daniel stared at her. He
took a sip of Coke, burped a little, and eyed his beloved.

‘Well, perhaps we can make that a rule of the Assembly then. Don’t
kill.’

‘Oh, so it is rules is it, Lord of Hypocrisy? The very thing we
deride blessed Israel for. Rules.’

‘Mmm,’ said Daniel, and took a sip of Coke, staring at his adversary.

‘That is more a life principle, than a rule. How shall we put it –
maybe an imperative. Live and let live.’

‘Imperatives? Is this a new religion?’

He stared at her, took a sip of Coke, and picked up his Rainbow Bible
which was sitting on the table. He turned to chapter nine and read it
out. ‘And if a man kills, surely they are to be put to death, for in
the image of God was man made.’

Melanie nodded. ‘So that is the fundamental idea of Rainbow Bible
Noahide faith then. Don’t Kill?’

‘And don’t eat blood.’

‘Right,’ she said. ‘I’ll remember that. Sounds like rules, though,
don’t it.’

‘The only ones which matter, sweet cheeks.’

‘I must tell that to Dracula.’

And Daniel laughed.

* * * * *

‘Who the hell cares about religion, anyway, Daniel. Real life ignores
that stupid stuff. Look, divorce Mel and shag me. You’ll be much
happier in the end anyway.’

Geraldine, her hair up, looking ravishing, smiled at him.

Daniel sipped on his Coke, chewed on his toast, and said ‘Yeh. Yeh.
I should. Really, I should.’

It was the following morning, at the breakfast table, and Melanie was
out the back yard, praying. Suddenly she appeared. ‘Geri? What are
you doing here?’

‘Oh, speaking wisdom to your husband. I think he really is starting
to see the light, you know.’

‘Oh, really,’ responded Melanie, sitting down, and pouring some orange
juice for herself.

As she buttered some toast, and put some honey on it, Melanie stared
at Geri who sat there, occasionally sipping on some bottled water,
looking as radiant as ever.

‘Are you trying to steal my husband?’ There, she blurted it out.
Daniel looked guilty. Geri took out a nail file, began filing her
nails, looked at Melanie and smiled, but said nothing.

Melanie munched on her toast, staring at the two guilty parties. ‘You
won’t get him, you know. Daniel is faithful. AREN’T you Danny Boy?’

‘Yes Mel,’ he said obediently.

Geri continued filing her nails, looking radiant. Daniel did nothing
but groan.

‘So, what is the plan today, Danny?’ queried Melanie. ‘We have
finished our tour of the ‘UFA’ assemblies.’

‘Yep,’ responded Daniel. ‘706 heaven wide established fellowships.
All doing well. All happy. Yep.’

‘Yes,’ said Melanie. ‘OUR project. To keep faith with Jehovah. To
show we ARE loyal.’

‘Yes,’ said Daniel, and groaned some more.

Melanie continued munching on her toast.

‘I don’t have a religion,’ said Geri, blurting it out like that.
Daniel and Melanie looked at her. ‘I used to be Roman Catholic, you
know. And mum took me to the Jehovah’s Witnesses somewhat as a
youth. But when I got to heaven and found out that was wrong, I got
completely over it. You don’t need it, you know. It is just a
crutch. Just live by the laws of the Civic council. The laws of the
land. That is all they insist upon anyway.’

The Civic council was the judicial body which had drawn up the
universal legal code which was mandatory behaviour for all citizens of
heaven. It was a basic civil code, but universally enforced, and
generally accepted. Even in heaven there were a lot of non-religious
people.

‘Don’t you want to know God?’ queried Melanie.

Geri just tilted her head, as if that was answer enough, and said
nothing more. Eventually she spoke.

‘Ok. I pray a few prayers once every few thousand years. Just to say
hello, and ask him for a few things if he can find the time. But that
is the end of my devotions. He has never bothered me about it.’

‘Sounds fine, Geri. That is all you will ever need for an eternal
life. And even less if you want. He doesn’t mind. As long as you
get along and are happy.’

Melanie looked at Daniel upon those words. ‘Then why do you push the
religious agenda so much?’

Daniel took a sip of Coke and turned to Melanie. ‘I get a kick out of
it a lot of the time. It gives me something to focus on. Oh, and I
do like God a lot. He means a lot to me. He speaks my type of
spiritual language. But, believe me, I couldn’t care less if the next
man in the street doesn’t give a shit. That is his business. Sure, I
will tell him about it, see if he is interested and all, but if he
doesn’t give a shit, then that doesn’t bother me. Live and let live
and all.’

Melanie nodded. ‘So it is just because you derive personal meaning
that you pursue it.’

‘I love God, as I said,’ responded Daniel. ‘He is a good guy to me.’

‘Oh,’ she said, and said nothing more.

The little group sat there, Daniel occasionally sipping on his Coke,
Melanie finishing off her toast, and Geri filing her nails.

Geri turned to Daniel and said. ‘Good to know. Your attitude on God
and others. Good information. Thanks for telling me.’

‘Your welcome,’ responded Daniel.

Melanie looked at Daniel and then Geri and shrugged. ‘Such was life,’
she thought to herself.

Chapter Sixteen

‘I am so fucking jetlagged.’

‘Watch your language,’ nudged Melanie, as Daniel almost fell off the
airport waiting lounge seat.

‘Were the hell are we anyway?’ queried Daniel, with bloodshot eyes.

‘You don’t know?’ queried Melanie.

‘No fucking idea.’ She nudged him again.

‘We are in Brantolford. It is the capital city of Bradondya, a
smaller newer nation.’

‘Oh,’ he responded, and took out his cube.

Melanie stared at it. ‘Did you ever get all 6 sides?’

He sat there, stopped his twiddling, and turned to her. ‘Uh, no
actually. I don’t think so. Not from memory. Only when I originally
solved the thing a long, long time ago.’

‘Right,’ she said. ‘Watch out, though. Get all six sides, and I
might disappear over to the Peacekeepers,’ she said, with a grin.

‘God forbid,’ he responded, going back to his cube.

Melanie looked straight ahead. Here she was, 3 more centuries into
yet another tour. Yet another tour. Yet another tour. She looked at
the clock up on the wall, and looked at her mobile. She then, knowing
Melanie C, stood, turned to Daniel, and handed him a piece of paper
with her mobile number written on it. ‘Make sure you don’t forget
it. This time I WILL contact you eventually, ok. But I am off
again. It’s NOT the peacekeepers. But I don’t want to say anything
more. I’ll let you know when you can visit.’

He looked at her, almost said ‘For fuck’s sake,’ but refrained. And
then, she looked around, turned to him, waved and smiled, and she was
off. Off on yet another little adventure of Melanie C.

* * * * *

It took Geri exactly 3 weeks after the rest of the girls brought a
quick end to their tour to come over to Daniel’s, move in, and start
shagging him again. This time Daniel was less concerned. A lot less
concerned. He just missed Melanie, now. Just missed her, and prayed
that God would take care of her. But, apart from that, he was
alright. He knew Melanie was off an another of her missions in life –
something which may even occur yet another time. But, perhaps, this
was expected. He hadn’t liked the idea of the peacekeepers, and she
needed a void to fill with some sort of focus. Daniel was now
starting to understand that. He would be far less judgmental next
time because of it.

When Geri said she was pregnant Daniel said ‘Fuck.’ ‘Well, yes,’
responded Geri. ‘We did. That is how it happened.’

‘But we have always been careful,’ he objected.

‘Not the last time. You didn’t think it mattered anymore. I think
you forgot I could theoretically get pregnant. You know, fucking is
what causes it Daniel. It is how babies are made.’

‘Yes. Yes, I know,’ he said distractedly. The baby was on his mind.
‘What shall we call it?’

Geri smiled. ‘Well, if it is a girl, how about Geraldine? And for a
boy, I like Sebastian. I have always fancied that name.’

‘Uh, sure,’ said Daniel. ‘You can choose.’

‘Then they are the choices.’

‘Okely Dokely,’ he responded, and sighed. A father – again. He would
be up late with crying babies, nappies and never get any rest. But,
in his heart, he wasn’t disappointed. He loved Geraldine, and the
final sealing of a child… Perhaps that was the right thing in the end,
anyway.

Chapter Seventeen

‘Waahhh.’

‘Oh fuck. What do you want?’ said Daniel, staring down at little
Geraldine.

‘Waahhh.’

‘Oh, you want your mother.’

‘Not bloody likely,’ Geri yelled out from the next room. ‘Your turn
Danny.’

‘Waahh.’

‘I am sure the kid wants its mother. It needs to feed,’ he yelled out
to Geraldine.

‘Use the bloody bottle,’ she screamed, the scream of a woman who was
not getting enough sleep.

‘Yes, the bottle,’ he said, looking around. Suddenly there was a
ringing noise, and as Daniel searched around for the bottle, ignoring
the noise, hoping it would go away, he simply couldn’t find the bottle
anywhere, and the baby continued crying.

‘For fuck’s sake,’ he said, and picked up the baby and started patting
its bottom, which brought an end to the crying.

‘What did you do?’ yelled Geraldine.

‘I picked her up. She’s happy now. Now were is that phone?’

He fished around, found his mobile, answered and said ‘Daly’s baby
service. Can I help you?’

‘Baby service?’ queried the voice on the other line. ‘What is going
on there?’

‘Oh fuck. Melanie. Hold on a second, ok.’ He went into the other
room, and looked sorely at Geraldine. ‘It’s Melanie. Come on, take
the baby.’

Geraldine put forward her arms and Daniel gave her her daughter, which
cried momentarily, but soon shut up.

Daniel walked into the other room, sat down, breathed slowly, and
said, ‘Right. Melanie. Where are you?’

‘Not far from you. One city away. I have been all along.’

‘Then why didn’t you bloody tell us?’

‘I have been busy. But you can come now. Do you have a pen? I’ll
give you the address.’

‘Uh, wait a minute,’ he said, as he scrounged around for a pen and
writing pad. ‘Shoot,’ he said.

‘The address is 67 Nottingdale Avenue, Parsington, in Citydale.’

‘You’re in Citydale, huh. Look, I can be there tomorrow afternoon if
you like.’

‘That’s up to you. Don’t rush, though. I don’t want you having an
accident.’

‘Uh, right. Ok. Well, I will come when I can then. Give me a day or
so, but I will ring just before I arrive. Let you get tidied up and
so on.’

‘Ok. I love you Daniel.’

‘I love you to, hon.’ she hung up.

Daniel walked into the bedroom and looked at Geri. ‘Mel. She is in
Citydale. She has been all along.’

Geri nodded, nursing the baby. ‘Are you going to visit her?’

‘Yes. It’s been arranged. I’ll go in a few days.’ He stared at the
baby and, realizing he would have to bite the bullet eventually
anyway, put in. ‘Do you want to come along? With Geraldine?’

Geri looked at him, looked down at their child, and looked back up.
‘Ok. She will find out eventually anyway.’

‘Yes she will,’ agreed Daniel.

* * * * *

‘Her name is Geraldine. Like her mother,’ said Daniel, handing the
child to Melanie. Melanie looked at the child, and let it suck on her
little finger. She turned to Geri. ‘So you have your prize in the
end, anyway.’

‘Don’t sue me, ok. You already knew that when you are away, doing
whatever it is you do, I hang around Daniel. We get along well. He
loves me, you see. Properly. Eternally. He is a committed friend.
I don’t mind sharing a kid with a man like that.’

Melanie looked at Geri and looked at Daniel. That much seemed
evident.

She turned to Geraldine. ‘Hewwo little Geri. I am your auntie
Mewanie.’ And the baby burped, which made the group laugh.

Melanie looked up at Geraldine. ‘Ok. When I am away. But ONLY when
I am away. He is MY husband after all.’

‘Noted,’ said Geraldine, looking down at her child with the loving
eyes of a concerned mother.

Chapter Eighteen

Geri had taken her daughter to stay in a nearby hotel from were
Melanie was living, leaving Daniel and Melanie to catch up.

‘So what is this place?’ queried Daniel. ‘It doesn’t look religious?
What gives?’

‘It has a little bit of a religious basis, sort of. They do use the
bible a little bit in encouragements and so on. But no, it isn’t
specifically a religious organisation. It is called ‘The House of
Broken Hearts’. I am both a worker here, and I also get a little
therapy, as they sometimes call it, as well.

‘The House of Broken Hearts?’ queried Daniel. ‘What do they do?’

‘Minister to broken hearts. Let people know they are loved. A house
of love and healing. A place to recover from broken romances and hurt
friendships. From divorces which have failed, or from estranged
family. A place were people can come and have their broken hearts
mended through the loving counselling of concerned peoples. Oh, and I
get paid as well. There is a sliding scale for our fees, but we often
get very good donations from past recipients who have been very
grateful for our services.

‘Oh,’ said Daniel. He thought on that for a few moments, that Melanie
seemed to again be searching for a meaningful course of action in her
life, to connect to people, to help people, and suddenly it only made
him love her more. ‘Does it suit you?’ he queried.

‘Oh, I think I was made for this work,’ she responded. ‘It is perfect
for a person like me. And, as much as I hate to say it, people
usually get a buzz out of sporty spice ministering to them. The
organisations heads say I have been an untold blessing for them.’

Daniel nodded. Melanie had found purpose – meaning. He knew he
should not be jealous, but overjoyed for her. But he also knew, with
the look in her eyes, she would be here for some time. So he asked a
fundamental question.

‘Can you do this back in our home city?’

She looked at him, and seemingly had an answer. ‘Maybe. They DO have
offices there, yes. And I would be perfectly welcome. But I usually
work best when I am totally committed to it, without other voices.
Without other concerns.’

‘So you don’t want me around when you are doing this?’ he asked.

She looked at him, but the look on here face said it all. She spoke
after a while. ‘But you have Geri when I am away, anyway. Remember?’

He nodded. ‘I guess so, Melanie. I guess so.’

‘Yes,’ she agreed.

Chapter Nineteen

So there they were, Daniel, Geraldine Senior and Geraldine Junior – a
family – of sorts. Of sorts.

Daniel was in two minds about the whole situation, having a mistress
and having a wife, away, in another city, working for a living on her
own, away from her man. And also approving of the situation. Could
this be right?

He looked at Torah for a while and, realizing that Abraham indeed had
one wife and two concubines, really one latter wife in Keturah after
Sarah had passed and also how Jacob had had two wives and two
concubines. And of course, how could you ever forget Solomon on the
issue.

In the end, the situation was relatively normal enough. Wasn’t it?
Wasn’t it? He concluded, though, that the slight degree of discomfort
on the issue was simply his indoctrination since his religion of birth
– Roman Catholicism – and the traditional ways of his parents. In
Catholicism a man married one wife. This was the traditional way of
his church of upbringing and, psychologically, perhaps some things
never changed. Sure, while he was doing it with only tacit approval
from Melanie it was indeed what he really wanted, but her disapproval
or, rather, her lack of complete support, always seemed to justify the
situation in a reverse way of thinking. But with her support he had
to now question was what he was doing really legitimate? It was
popular in heaven, certainly, his lifestyle – especially amongst some
religious groupings. Did that make it right? Did that make it
wrong? He didn’t have an answer yet and, so, in prayer one night, he
prayed a short prayer for God to help him make sense of it all.

* * * * *

‘Daniel. Life doesn’t always go according to plan. And wouldn’t it
be terribly boring if it did?’ ‘What is your point Geraldine?’

‘Don’t sweat the situation. It works well enough. I don’t mind,
really. I can have another man if I need to. I don’t – at the
moment. I am happy with your friendship. We are cool together. We
like each other. I gave you that eternity ring for a reason, and I
meant it. You are the one for me to be there in those special times.’

‘And Melanie?’

‘Well, as strange as it might sound, she likes to go off and do her
thing a lot of the time. Seems to be something which has developed in
her way of thinking. But you need a woman, don’t you?’

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I don’t really like to masturbate unless a woman is
watching, and usually involved – and I haven’t been to a prostitute in
a hell of a long time.’

She looked at him with a smile. ‘Good to know, Danny. But that is
exactly my point. You need a woman. So when the cat is away, the
mouse will play.’

He looked at her and nodded. ‘I guess so,’ he finally sighed. ‘I
guess so.’

Chapter Twenty

Melanie had, after about only 3,000 years this time, finished up with
her first stint at House of Broken hearts, and come home. Geraldine,
duly, grabbed her stuff, kissed Daniel on the cheek, and scampered.
Young Geraldine, their daughter, was well married now, and living a
few cities away.

‘So, Mel. Home at last?’ Melanie, sitting in front of the TV,
watching a nature documentary nodded a little.

Daniel stared at her. She had gotten back a few days ago, and they
hadn’t chatted yet, seriously. He wanted to clear up some things.

‘Mel. You know I love you, don’t you.’

‘Yes sweetie.’

‘Good. And, believe me. That will never change. And, well. I
really don’t ever want to divorce you. You know that as well, don’t
you?’

She nodded, but continued staring at the television set.

‘Ok. Well, it’s like this. In the bible,’ and she turned to look at
him.

‘Yes Daniel. What about the bible?’

He gulped. ‘Well, in the bible, Jacob, who we of course know is
Israel, well…’ he left off.

Melanie stared at him, and then made a connection. ‘He had two
wives. Is that what you are saying?’

‘Uh, kind of.’

She turned back to the TV. ‘Go ahead, then. I don’t care. I am used
to the idea now.’

‘You don’t mind? Really?’

‘If Geri doesn’t, then I really don’t care anymore. Have it your
way.’

‘Oh boy. Thanks, Mel. You’re a lifesaver.’

* * * * *

When Daniel had proposed to Geri, she laughed and said ‘You aren’t
serious, are you? What, has she agreed to a divorce?’

And Daniel went on to explain his biblical faith and Geri just stared
at him. But she wouldn’t answer his question after that, but just
went silent. Daniel only presumed she was thinking it over.

It took a few years, and eventually Geraldine came around. ‘Look,
Danny. No, ok. No. We have an eternity friendship between us, but I
won’t play second fiddle to Melanie as the second wife. That is not
my way, ok. I am also sort of strict about those things, as bizarre
as that might sound. If am going to get it right, then it would be
done right. We shack up with each other – we are good friends. On
that basis it works for me, but nothing more ok. I don’t need to
legitimize that kind of friendship. You might, but I won’t agree. So
don’t ask it of me, ok?’

‘Ok Geri. Ok. I get the point.’

And that was the end of it for a while.

* * * * *

They were at another airport, sitting there, when Daniel blurted it
out.

‘It won’t work, you know. Our arrangement. It won’t work for me. I
don’t feel comfortable with it.’

Melanie stopped her magazine, thought about what he was saying and
said ‘The situation with Geri, you mean?’

‘Exactly.’

‘Then what do you propose to do about it?’

He turned and looked at her, kissed her on the cheek, and said ‘Well,
I have already chosen you. I won’t change on that, ok. I won’t. If
Geri won’t marry me, then there is nothing more I can do about the
situation. But I won’t sleep with her anymore. I won’t do that.
It’s cheating. She is not, whatever it is supposed to be anyway,
which has always been a little vague, but she is not a concubine. And
she is not a wife. And she won’t be. She is a mistress. And I won’t
have one of those. In the end, over the long haul, it will affect my
reputation. People are aware of it and while I hear that nobody
really minds, there are a few chuckles. And I won’t have that.’

‘So what are you going to do about it?’ asked Melanie.

‘Break it off. Completely. Not our friendship – never that. Me and
Geri are forever as well. But I won’t sleep with her again. I chose
you.’

Melanie nodded and returned to her magazine. But, shortly, she put
her hand into Daniel’s and left it there.

Chapter Twenty-One

Geri understood. In the end, she sighed, kissed Daniel on lips and
said ‘Oh well. You know what you are missing out on honey?’

‘Its just the way it has to be,’ responded Daniel.

‘I guess so,’ she responded.

* * * * *

‘So, what next Mel? Now that work is over with, what next?’

‘Not much for a while. Just at home with you. A tour, eventually. A
comprehensive one. I won’t sell the girls short this time, though.
I’ll complete it.’

‘I am sure they toured enough last time,’ he put in. ‘Sales are good
enough.’

‘Oh, sales are excellent,’ she responded. ‘In fact, never better.
The tours we have done in the outer areas have really paid off in that
respect. All sorts of new fans.’

‘And that is how it is done?’ he queried.

‘There are reasons, Daniel. Things I have learned about heaven, and
the future. About the eventual cost of living in a place like this.’

‘What do you mean?’ he asked. ‘Its not that expensive.’

‘Not at the moment. Not for millions of years more either. But one
day, being mainly the centre of heaven, costs will larger. And
getting around will be more challenging. I have been reading about
it. In some of Raphael’s literature on the subject. ‘The Future of
Heaven’ as he writes about on his website.’

‘I’ll have to look at it,’ responded Daniel, sighing.

‘You probably won’t need to worry. I mean, with your googling work,
being faithful to it. You probably won’t have to worry ever again.
You have that. Morning Stars – it won’t ever stop selling. I am
convinced of that.’

‘I know,’ he responded. ‘I mean, sure, I have googles of cash at the
moment anyway, and enough investments in shares and property here and
there. We are lucky like that – plenty to live on.’

‘One day, though,’ she responded. ‘One day this city will be full of
fat cats, though. Take my word for it. One day, when our city
neighbours have all realized their own dreams and bought all their own
shares and made all their own money….. the price of hired labour will
be astronomical.’

Daniel looked at her, catching on. ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘Yes. I see what
you mean.’

‘Which is why, Daniel, we need a reliable income. If we want to stay
in the centre of heaven, that is. People keep on learning how to earn
more money and, no matter who you are or what you have done in the
past, you will need a good income to make it in this world.
Especially were we live – in the centre. And so me and the girls will
tour forever, to ensure our quality of life continues.’

‘Forever?’

‘Forever,’ she responded. ‘And the work with the Broken Hearts
foundation is a reason as well. Your job, though. That is googling
away on Friday afternoon. The same old same old – for all eternity.
That way you will never need to worry again.’

‘That much I can do,’ he responded.

‘Good to hear, Daniel Daly, good to hear,’ and she kissed him on the
cheek.

Chapter Twenty-Two

‘Danny, Danny, Danny.’

‘Oh, fuck. Kesha.’

‘How are you going, Danny, Danny, Danny. Tell me, are you going to
Kiss and Tell? Geri has been suggesting all sorts of things to me.’

Daniel looked over at Geri, seated innocently, brushing her hair. The
girls were being supported by ‘Kesha’ on this tour, and the girl was
almost coming on to him, it seemed.

‘There is NOTHING going on between me and Geri, Kesha. There NEVER
has been, and there NEVER will be.’

‘Oh, really,’ said Kesh. She looked at Geri, who smiled back, and
turned back to her man. Melanie, doing on her makeup, looked at the
two of them through the mirror and smiled.

‘So there is no little Geraldine floating around out there? No Ginger
Spice Love Child?’

‘Not that I am aware of,’ responded Daniel, lying through his teeth.

‘You’re sure of that?’ she said, with cute smile on her face. ‘No
Love Child?’

‘None whatsoever.’

‘Mmm,’ said Kesha. ‘This could be interesting.’ She turned to Geri,
who smiled, picked up her phone, and dialled and shortly was talking
to someone. Kesha turned back to Daniel.

‘So there are no confessions you want to make? Danny, Danny, Danny.’

‘Not that I am aware of, Keshy, Keshy, Keshy.’

‘Mmm.’ Just then, in through the dressing room door, Geraldine
walked, with her big top of red hair, just like her mother, and came
and kissed Geri on the cheek and started chatting with her. Kesha
turned to Daniel and said ‘Are you sure you have nothing to confess,
Danny, Danny, Danny.’

Daniel had a smile now. ‘Yeh. I’m sure.’ Just then Geraldine junior
came over, kissed Daniel on the cheek and said ‘Hi Dad,’ and walked
back over to her mother.

Kesha opened her eyes brightly and said. ‘Oh, what? What was that?
Dad? Dad? What gives?’

‘Oh, fuck off Kesha,’ he said under his breath, and she grinned like a
Cheshire cat.

* * * * *

‘I’ll get that Kesha. I’ll get her.’

‘What was that?’ asked Melanie, as they were sitting in yet another
airport, in yet another country, on yet another tour.

‘Uh, nothing Mel.’

‘Don’t get her pregnant this time,’ said Mel, and Daniel instantly
looked very innocent.

‘What are you possibly suggesting?’

‘I know Daniel Daly,’ responded Melanie Chisholm. ‘He has his eye on
all the popular girls. Believe me, I HAVE noticed. You’ll have
offspring from all 5 Spice Girls if you possibly can, and then some.
I mean you probably fancy Avril Lavigne and Rihanna and Mandy Moore,
not to mention Britney Spears.

‘Yeh, Britney is hot,’ responded Daniel.

Melanie laughed, despite herself. ‘Exactly,’ she said, justifying her
words.

After a while he put in, ‘But I’m not after Keshy baby. Really.
Trust me.’

‘Really?’ she replied.

He didn’t respond. Perhaps he was. Perhaps.

* * * * *

Kesha stared at her new man. He was in her bedroom, half naked,
swearing to himself that he would NOT father another love child, but
not daring to believe he could possibly achieve such a result. Some
things, apparently, were inevitable. The lust of Daniel would have
its say, in the end. And whatever the consequences, such was life.

Kesha came over, got up on him against the wall, and rode his
manhood. He grunted as she rode him and, coming hard, she smiled.
‘Your good, Dan. You’re good. Give me a kid, ok? You don’t mind. I
want one of yours.’

‘Hopefully I just did,’ he said, and lay down on the bed, took out a
cigarette, lit it, and puffed away.

She went into the shower, came back after washing herself thoroughly,
and indicated her femininity. ‘If you possibly can, I wouldn’t mind a
rush. You’ve had yours.’

He looked at her, put out his cigarette, and diving into the womanhood
of Kesha, tasting her forbidden fruit, he suddenly forgot his dilemma
about possibly being a father again, lost in forbidden spices.

Chapter Twenty-Three

When Kesha dropped around with the baby about a year later, Daniel and
Melanie back home, as it had been near the end of a shorter tour
anyway, Daniel was flabbergasted. Melanie looked at the child, put
her little finger in and the kid started sucking it. Again it was a
girl. ‘What is its name?’ asked Melanie.

‘Danielle,’ said Kesha,’ looking at Daniel.

‘She wanted one from me,’ said Daniel defensively. ‘That is all it
is. She is not interested in any major fling apart from that. I
didn’t think it would be a major problem.’

‘No, that is ok,’ said Melanie.

A little later on Melanie blurted it out. ‘We have only had 3 kids,
Daniel. Do you….. Do you want more?’

Daniel and Melanie had had 3 children in the early years of their
marriage, Jenny, Paul and Fiona, who did not live in Joniquay, but
were elsewhere. They visited their parents from time to time, but
mostly had their own lives now.

‘Another child, Mel? Do we need more? But, no. I shouldn’t be
stupid. It is very natural and normal to want such a thing. Ok. I
don’t mind. Sure. When do you want to start.’

She looked at him, pretty sure he meant it and said. ‘Well, ok. I
just wanted to check. Yes, I want more. Lots, actually. We could do
that sort of thing for a while. A lot of kids.’

‘Yeh. I think we can afford a permanent royalty to each of them for
their upkeep, wherever they may roam. Like with the other kids.’

‘There is nothing wrong with them making their own living, Daniel. It
is how we both started after all.’

‘That’s true. I do know what you are saying, Mel. But, if I can
afford it, which at the moment I can for probably a billion children
easily, I would like to give them a royalty. An income.’

‘As you wish,’ responded Melanie. ‘I don’t mind.’

‘Then it is settled. As many as you want, hon. I will even look into
buying some property here in Joniquay if I can possibly find some.
But you know how expensive it is.’

‘As I have said before,’ responded Melanie.

‘Yes, as you have said before,’ finished Daniel.

* * * * *

After the seventh child, the house was full. All in a rush, twin
girls, followed by five boys in a row – a full house.

Natalie and Nellie were the two oldest, followed by David, Michael,
Sebastian, Radric and Lucas. They were 5 argumentative boys, who
never stopped infighting and trying to dominate each other. You would
see strange allegiances form, but David usually ruled in the end.

It was a happy household, and Melanie beamed being a mother again. It
seemed, for some personal reason she’d had, that this was necessary at
this time. To be a mother again. To have family.

They did all the usual things that families did. They ate at
McDonalds together, went to the beach and the snow together, watched
television together, and ate their dinners apart, one sitting in front
of the box, someone in their room with a wargame, someone up a tree
house and so on. It was chaos, but Melanie loved the chaos, and so
did Daniel for that matter.

The kids soon found out who their parents were, and how they famous
they also were. Mum was a Spice Girl and daddy wrote the bestselling
book of all time. It was quite a family to be born into.

The twins, Natalie and Nellie, were reddy brown in their hair colour,
and would brush each other’s hair, and tell stories of the boys at
school. Daniel and Melanie instantly knew the two of them had that
special link which children often had who were twins. They could feel
each others pain and sense when the other was worried or concerned.
Something was going on there, and Daniel knew it.

They were in fact doing so well, and everything going great for the
family, that the letter in the mail from the department of earth
affairs seemed to catch Daniel by surprise.

He opened it was Melanie, and the both of them had a fairly good idea
what it may be about. And they were right. They had been selected –
again, in a sense. For their second duration on earth. They and
their immediate family of 7 children, were to have a life again on
earth, for it had always been part of the plan that, occasionally,
second and even third tours of duty of life on earth would go ahead.
They looked at the names that would be given them, which was some of
the scarce information available. Melanie would be ‘Jane Chisholm’
and Daniel would be ‘Thomas Daly’. All other details were fuzzy. But
they had plenty of time – a huge amount, in fact. Another million
years before they would be called to a special meeting about the
manifestation. It would be interesting, being on earth again, with
its heavy physicality, but Daniel didn’t mind. Such was life.

Chapter Twenty-Four

‘You want to WHAT?’ His tone was quite incredulous.

‘Married. Get married again. To affirm our eternal love for each
other.’

‘Fuck. And we need to? We have 10 children together, Melanie Jane
Chisholm. Isn’t that enough?’

‘Don’t you love me?’ she said defensively.

‘Oh, fuck. Yes. Yes I bloody do. Look, alright. Whatever. If it
will make you happy I am all for it. I didn’t think it was necessary,
but reaffirming our vows is something a lot of people do, so
whatever.’

‘So can we have a monster of a wedding this time? The first one was
kind of basic in hindsight.’

‘I was so excited, ok. I wanted it official.’

‘So this time is the big one, Danny.’

‘Ok Mel. You’ve sold me.’

Melanie proceeded to spend the next 4 months steadily planning the
Spice Wedding of the century. She asked Geri if she would sing the
main songs at the reception, which didn’t seem to be a problem, and
the other Spice Girls said they would do some numbers if she liked.

It was all hectic for a while, and young David said it would be
strange going to his own parent’s wedding.

‘It’s not that uncommon, David. A lot of the time people aren’t
married when they have their first children, and get married much
later.’

‘Isn’t that fornication,’ put in the moral young youth.

‘Well, yes it is son. Yes it is. Glad to see you are on to these
things,’ said Daniel, looking down at his very legalistic older son.
‘Is that a problem for you?’

The fifteen year old didn’t respond straight away but then said ‘Well,
I have read the Torah. You probably should be married first.’

‘I guess so,’ said Daniel, looking down into the eyes of another
David.

The other children were far easier in accepting their parent’s
decision and the girls were really looking forward to it, as they were
both to be bridesmaids.

Indeed, it would be the wedding of the century.

* * * * *

‘Do you, Daniel, take Melanie Jane Chisholm, to be your lawfully
wedded wife. To love her alone, forsaking all others?’

Daniel stood there, and looked at the pastor. ‘Forsaking all others?’
he thought to himself.

‘Well,’ said Melanie, very softly to him.

‘Uh, I do,’ Daniel blurted out.

‘Do you, Melanie, take Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly, to be your lawfully
wedded husband. To love him alone, forsaking all others?’

‘I do,’ she responded.

‘By the powers vested in me, as a minister of the Most High God, I
declare you before the throne of heaven to be man and wife. You may
kiss the bride.’

And he kissed her, and there was cheering, and it was beautiful.

* * * * *

The honeymoon was perfect. Everyone had been at the reception, even
Kesha with Danielle had shown up, and the reception had gone late into
the night. Then they had disappeared, off to a private plane, away to
an island in the ocean, full of tropical wildlife and vegetation, a
single resort of about 50 rooms on the island, and nothing more. A
very private, and very expensive getaway for a month.

They were passionate in their lovemaking for that month, and did it
just about every night. In fact, they had a hunger for each other
again and, when she did a test near the end of their stay, she was
again positive – they would be having another.

Looking back over his life, at that point, Daniel was bemused at how
things had worked out so far. He and Melanie had been through so much
together – so many struggles and trials – but it had all worked out in
the end. They were together, a happy family, and really, in truth, he
couldn’t ask for anything more, Nothing more at all.

Chapter Twenty-Five

‘I am so fucking jetlagged.’

‘Watch your language,’ nudged Melanie, as Daniel almost fell off the
airport waiting lounge seat.

‘Were the hell are we anyway?’ queried Daniel, with bloodshot eyes.

‘You don’t know?’ queried Melanie.

‘No fucking idea.’ She nudged him again.

‘We are in Sandranvania. The capital city, Sandravon.’

‘Sandravon? Just a second. The name sounds familiar.’ He looked
around, at the airport, and dim memories came back. ‘We’ve been here
before, haven’t we? On tour?’

‘Yes, yes I think so,’ she nodded.

‘Right,’ he said. ‘Small world after all.’

He took out his rubiks cube and looked at it. 4 sides completed, and
the 5th, which would include the 6th, just about ready to fall. He
twisted. For half an hour he twisted, this way and that and, finally,
in extreme jubilation and triumph, he held it up to the light and said
‘Ta dar. I TOLD you I would get it.’

‘You took your time though, didn’t you?’ she smiled at him.

‘Such is life,’ he responded.

He then, just for the heck of it, puzzled up his cube, and started
playing with it.

Next to him Melanie got an idea. She looked up at the clock, pulled
out her pad and wrote down her mobile number and, standing, she walked
away a little and turned to him.

‘Daniel!’ she exclaimed.

Daniel looked up. ‘Oh, fuck. Here we go again.’

‘Tricked you!’ she shouted, and jumped on top of him, kissing him on
the lips.

That was life married to Melanie C, though, in the end, thought
Daniel. You never knew what you were going to get.

The End