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He led Gentle out onto the landing。 The house lay quiet below。 Gentle sensed nothing。
〃Where is she？〃
Clem looked puzzled。 〃She was here a moment ago； I swear。〃
Gentle went to the top of the stairs； but Clem held him back。
〃Angels first；〃 he said； but Gentle was already beginning his descent； relieved that the torpor of the last few hours was over and eager to meet this visitor。 Perhaps she carried a message from Jude。
The front door stood open。 There was a pool of beer glinting on the step； but no sign of Monday。
〃Where's the boy？〃 Gentle asked。
〃He's outside； sky watching。 He says he saw a flying saucer。〃
Gentle threw his panion a quizzical look。 Clem didn't reply but laid his hand on Gentle's shoulder； his eyes going to the door of the dining room。 From inside came the barely audible sound of sobbing。
〃Mama；〃 Gentle said； and gave up any caution； hurrying down the rest of the flight with Clem in pursuit。
By the time he reached Celestine's room； the sound of her sobs had already disappeared。 Gentle drew a defensive breath； took hold of the handle； and put his shoulder to the door。 It wasn't locked but swung open smoothly； delivering him inside。 The room was ill…lit； the drooping； mildewed curtains still heavy enough to keep the sun to a few dusty beams。 They fell on the empty mattress in the middle of the floor。 Its sometime occupant； whom Gentle had not expected to see standing again； was at the other end of the room； her tears subsided to whimpers。 She had brought one of the sheets from her bed with her and； seeing her son enter； drew it up to her breastbone。 Then she turned her attention back towards the wall she was standing close to and studied it。 A pipe had burst somewhere behind the brick； Gentle supposed。 He could hear water running freely。
〃It's all right。 Mama；〃 he said。 〃Nothing's going to hurt you。〃
Celestine didn't reply。。 She'd raised her left hand in front of her face and was looking at the palm； as if into a mirror。
〃It's still here；〃 Clem said。
〃Where？〃 Gentle asked him。
He nodded in the direction of Celestine； and Gentle instantly left his side； opening his arms as he went to offer the haunted air a fresh target。
〃e on；〃 he said。 〃Wherever you are。 e on。〃
Halfway between the door and his mother he felt a cool drizzle strike his face； so fine it was invisible。 Its touch was not unpleasant。 In fact it was refreshing； and he let out an appreciative gasp。
〃It's raining in here；〃 he said。
〃It's the Goddess；〃 Celestine replied。
She looked up from studying her hand； which Gentle now saw was running with water； as though a spring had appeared in her palm。
〃What Goddess？〃 Gentle asked her。
〃Uma Umagammagi；〃 his mother replied。
〃Why were you crying； Mama？〃
〃I thought I was dying。 I thought She'd e to take me。〃
〃But She hasn't。〃
〃I'm still here； child。〃
〃Then what does She want？〃
Celestine extended her arm to Gentle。 〃She wants us to make peace；〃 she said。 〃Join me in the waters； child。〃
Gentle took hold of his mother's hand； and she drew him towards her； turning her face up to the rain as she did so。 The last traces of her tears were being washed away； and a look of ecstasy appeared where there had been grief。 Gentle felt it too。 His eyes wanted to flicker closed； his body wanted to swoon。 But he resisted the rain's blandishments； tempting as they were。 If it carried some message for him； he needed to know it quickly and end these delays before they cost the Reconciliation dearly。
〃Tell me；〃 he said； as he came to his mother's side； 〃whether you're here to stay； tell me。。。。〃
But the rain made no reply； at least none that he could grasp。 Perhaps his mother heard more than he did； however； because there were smiles on her glistening face； and her grip on Gentle's hand became more possessive。 She let the sheet she'd held to her bosom drop； so that the rains could stroke her breasts and belly； and Gentle's gaze took full account of her nakedness。 The wounds she'd sustained in her struggles with Dowd and Sartori still marked her body； but they only served to prove her perfection； and although he knew the felony here； he couldn't stem his feelings。
She put her free hand up to her face and with thumb and forefingers emptied the shallow pools of her sockets； then once again opened her eyes。 They found Gentle too quickly for him to conceal himself； and he felt a shock as their looks met； not just because she read his desire； but because he found the same in her face。
He wrested his hand from hers and backed away； his tongue fumbling with denials。 She was far less abashed than he。 Her eyes remained fixed on him； and she called him back into the rain with words of invitation so soft they were barely more than sighs。 When he continued to retreat； she turned to more specific exhortations。
〃The Goddess wants to know you；〃 she said。 〃She needs to understand your purpose。〃
〃My。。。 Father's。。。 business；〃 Gentle replied； the words as much defense as explanation； shielding him from this seduction with the weight of his purpose。
But the Goddess； if that was what this rain really was； wouldn't be shaken off so easily。 He saw a look of distress cross his mother's face as the vapors deserted her to move in pursuit of him。 They passed through a spear of sun as they came； and threw out rainbows。
〃Don't be afraid of Her；〃 Gentle heard Clem say behind him。 〃You've got nothing to hide。〃
Perhaps this was true； but he kept on retreating nevertheless； as much from his mother as from the vapor； until he felt the fort of his angels at his back。
〃Guard me；〃 he told them； his voice tremulous。
Clem wrapped his arms around Gentle's shoulders。 〃It's a woman； Maestro；〃 he murmured。 〃Since when were you afraid of women？〃
〃Since always；〃 Gentle replied。 〃Hold on； for Christ's sake。〃
Then the rain broke against their faces； and Clem let out a sigh of pleasure as its languor enclosed them。 Gentle seized hard hold of his protector's arms； his fingers digging deep； but if the rain had the sinew to detach him from Clem's embrace it didn't attempt to do so。 It lingered around their heads for no more than thirty seconds； then simply passed away through the open door。
As soon as it had gone； Gentle turned to Clem。 〃Nothing to hide； eh？〃 he said。 〃I don't think She believed you。〃
〃Are you hurt？〃
〃No。 She just got inside my head。 Why does every damn thing want to get inside my head？〃
〃It must be the view；〃 Tay remarked； grinning with his lover's lips。
〃She only wanted to know if your purpose was pure； child；〃 Celestine said。
〃Pure？〃 Gentle said； staring at his mother venomously。 〃What right has She got to judge me？〃
〃What you call your Father's business is the business of every soul in the Imajica。〃
She had not yet claimed her modesty from the floor； and as she approached him he averted his eyes。
〃Cover yourself； Mother；〃 he said。 〃For God's sake； cover yourself。〃
Then he turned and headed out into the hallway； calling after the intruder as he went。
〃Wherever you are；〃 he yelled； 〃I want you out of this house！ Clem； look downstairs。 I'll go up。〃
He pelted up the flight； his fury mounting at the thought of this spirit invading the Meditation Room。 The door stood open。 Little Ease was cowering in the corner when he entered。
〃Where is She？〃 Gentle demanded。 〃Is She here？〃
〃Is who here？〃
Gentle didn't reply but went from wall to wall like a prisoner； beating his palms against them。 There was no sound of running water from the brick； however； nor any drizzle； however fine； in the air。 Content that the room was free of the visitor's taint； he returned to the door。
〃If it starts raining in here；〃 he said to Little Ease； 〃yell blue murder。〃
〃Any color you like； Liberatore。〃
Gentle slammed the door and headed along the landing； searching all the rooms in the same manner。 Finding them empty he climbed the last flight and went through the rooms above。 Their air was bone…dry。 But as he started back down the stairs he heard laughter from the street。 It was Monday； though the sound he was making was lighter than Gentle had ever heard from his lips before。 Suspicious of this music； he picked up the speed of his descent； meeting Clem at the bottom of the stairs and telling him the rooms were empty below； then racing across the hallway to the front door。
Monday had been busy with his chalks since Gentle had last crossed the threshold。 The pavement at the bottom of the steps was covered with his designs： not copies of glamour girls this time but elaborate abstractions that spilled over the curb and onto the sun…softened tarmac。 The artist had left off his work； however； and was now standing in the middle of the street。 Gentle recognized the language of his body instantly。 Head thrown back； eyes closed； he was bathing in the air。 〃Monday！〃
But the boy didn't hear。 He continued to luxuriate in this unction； the water running over his close…cropped skull like rippling fingers； and he might have gone on bathing until he drowned in it had Gentle's approach not driven the Goddess off。 The rain went from the air in a heartbeat； and Monday's eyes opened。 He squinted against the sky； his laughter faltering。
〃Where'd t