“She's an Angel. I'm a Devil. And You Should See Us Behind Closed Doors!”

ENTWINED MAGAZINE Every Love Has a Story. CHANCE ENCOUNTER Some meetings are accidental. The love stories that follow are unforgettable. When Heaven and Hell Found Something They Could Agree On One woman came from Heaven, determined to rescue a desperate young woman from a decision she might regret. The other arrived from Hell, convinced that beauty, opportunity, and a little shamelessness could solve almost any financial problem. They were supposed to be opponents, fighting over the direction of a human soul. Instead, they ended up finding a solution neither had considered—and eventually fell hopelessly in love with each other. Our latest CHANCE ENCOUNTER interview is unlike anything we've published before. At thirty-three, Seraphina "Sera" Brooks died while helping evacuate residents from a burning apartment building. Today, she is a magnificent African-American angel with luminous dark eyes, long natural curls, extraordinary white wings, and a wardrobe of beautifully tailored white dresses, short skirts, delicate tops, and comfortable white flats. At thirty-five, Lilith "Lili" Devereaux died under circumstances she describes as "an unfortunate disagreement between a sports car, a bridge, and several bottles of champagne." Today, she is a spectacularly beautiful white she-devil with long copper-red hair, small elegant horns, dark crimson wings, a fondness for dangerously short red and black outfits, and a collection of towering platform heels that would intimidate most professional runway models. They are, by their own admission, completely unsuitable for one another. Heaven considers Lilith a corrupting influence. Hell considers Seraphina an embarrassment. And both administrations are becoming increasingly frustrated by the fact that these two extraordinary women appear to have absolutely no intention of separating. We met the couple in a private penthouse overlooking the city, where Lilith arrived wearing a fitted crimson leather minidress and seven-inch platform heels, while Seraphina appeared in an elegant short white dress, delicate gold jewelry, and her customary white ballet flats. The interview began politely. That lasted approximately four minutes. MAGAZINE: First of all, thank you both for agreeing to speak with us. SERA: It's our pleasure. I think it's important for people to understand that love can exist even where it's least expected. LILI: (Grinning.) And I think it's important for people to understand that angels are considerably more interesting than their publicity department suggests. SERA: Lilith, please. LILI: What, darling? I've behaved beautifully so far. MAGAZINE: We understand that both of you were once human? SERA: Yes. I was thirty-three when I died. I worked as a nurse, and when a fire started in the apartment building where I lived, I stayed to help some elderly residents reach the emergency stairs. Unfortunately, I didn't make it out myself. LILI: Whereas I was thirty-five, rich, irresponsible, spectacularly dressed, and driving a sports car considerably faster than was sensible. MAGAZINE: And that's how you ended up in different places? LILI: Among other things, sweetheart. Let's just say my earthly conduct wasn't particularly angelic. SERA: That's putting it rather mildly. LILI: Oh, here we go. MAGAZINE: But you both look exactly as you did when you died? SERA: More or less. Our physical appearance remains recognizable, although we're no longer limited by an ordinary human body. LILI: Which is an absolute blessing, considering how often we go shopping. MAGAZINE: Shopping? LILI: Darling, eternity is a very long time to wear the same outfit. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER MAGAZINE: How did you two meet? SERA: We were assigned to the same woman. LILI: From opposite directions, naturally. MAGAZINE: Could you explain? SERA: There are moments in people's lives when a decision carries enormous emotional or moral consequences. Sometimes, we're permitted to appear and offer guidance. We cannot force a person to choose a particular path, but we can help them understand the possibilities. LILI: And naturally, Heaven and Hell don't always agree about those possibilities. MAGAZINE: Who was the woman? SERA: Her name was Jasmine. She was twenty-seven, beautiful, intelligent, and desperately frightened. She'd lost her job, her savings were gone, and she was only days away from losing her apartment. She'd been offered money by a man who wanted her to accompany him to private parties and provide additional services. She didn't want to do it, but she believed she had no other choice. LILI: Which is where I came in. MAGAZINE: You encouraged her to accept? LILI: Initially, yes. Although I resent the suggestion that I was simply trying to corrupt her. The girl was gorgeous, she had bills to pay, and somebody was offering her a considerable amount of money. I told her she had something valuable to offer and shouldn't automatically assume she was powerless. SERA: You told her she could make more money in one weekend than she'd earned in three months. LILI: Which was true! SERA: And I told her that she shouldn't feel compelled to do something she desperately didn't want to do simply because she was frightened of losing her home. LILI: And that's when we started arguing. MAGAZINE: Immediately? SERA: Almost immediately. LILI: Picture this. I'm standing in Jasmine's apartment, explaining that she has options, and suddenly this magnificent woman appears in a cloud of irritating white light, looking like she'd stepped out of a heavenly fashion advertisement. SERA: Lilith! LILI: She had the most beautiful wings I'd ever seen, this tiny white skirt, lovely little flats, and an expression that suggested she'd already decided I was the most dreadful creature in existence. SERA: You were telling a frightened woman that she should ignore her instincts. LILI: I was telling her she needed money! SERA: And I was telling her that desperation shouldn't be mistaken for freely given consent. MAGAZINE: That sounds like a serious disagreement. SERA: It was. LILI: Absolutely. We stood there arguing for nearly twenty minutes while poor Jasmine looked from one of us to the other, probably wondering whether she'd finally lost her mind. MAGAZINE: What changed? LILI: The angel asked a very annoying question. SERA: I asked Lilith whether she'd actually considered what Jasmine wanted. LILI: And I said, "She wants to keep her apartment, sweetheart, and she needs two thousand dollars by Friday." SERA: Then I asked Jasmine what she would choose if the rent were already paid. MAGAZINE: What did she say? SERA: She said she wanted to work, earn her own money, and never have to depend on another person's generosity again. She'd previously worked in event management, but the company had closed. LILI: And that's when I realized the angel wasn't entirely useless. SERA: (Laughing.) Thank you, darling. MAGAZINE: What did you do? LILI: I knew a woman who ran a very successful entertainment venue. Not one of Hell's establishments, before you ask. A perfectly legitimate business with concerts, private events, corporate bookings, and an absolute nightmare of a scheduling department. They needed an assistant events manager immediately. SERA: I suggested Jasmine contact the venue. LILI: And I made a telephone call to ensure somebody actually answered when she did. MAGAZINE: Did she get the job? LILI: She got an interview the following morning, and the manager offered her a paid trial shift that afternoon. SERA: Jasmine negotiated a salary and an advance against her first paycheck, and her landlord agreed to a payment arrangement. MAGAZINE: So both of you helped her? SERA: Yes. I helped her see that she deserved a choice she could feel comfortable making. LILI: And I helped her find a way to pay the bloody rent. SERA: (Smiling.) Together, we accomplished something neither of us had managed alone. LILI: And the girl kept her apartment, got a good job, and didn't have to make a decision she didn't want to make. MAGAZINE: Does Lilith now believe sex work is always wrong? LILI: Absolutely not. Adults can make their own decisions about their bodies. What changed my mind in Jasmine's case was realizing she wasn't choosing it because she wanted to. She was frightened and being pressured by a man who knew she was desperate. SERA: And I learned that telling somebody to have faith is not nearly enough when they're about to be evicted. LILI: See? The angel learned something practical. SERA: And the devil learned something compassionate. LILI: Don't spread that around. I'll lose my reputation. THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH ENCOUNTERS MAGAZINE: Did you expect to see each other again? SERA: Certainly not. LILI: I was hoping. SERA: You never told me that! LILI: Darling, you were gorgeous, intelligent, argumentative, and wearing a white skirt that I hadn't been able to stop thinking about. Of course I was hoping. MAGAZINE: When did you meet again? SERA: About three weeks later. We were both sent to help a young woman who'd been sleeping in her car after leaving an abusive relationship. LILI: Sera wanted to encourage her to seek assistance. SERA: And Lilith wanted to teach her how to stop allowing people to intimidate her. LILI: Both excellent ideas. MAGAZINE: What happened? SERA: We helped her contact a safe temporary housing program, and Lilith pointed her toward a legal advocate who could help recover some of her belongings. LILI: Then we went for coffee. MAGAZINE: Together? LILI: Naturally. I insisted. SERA: She said she needed to discuss our professional cooperation. LILI: Which was true. SERA: You spent most of the evening asking whether angels were permitted to date. LILI: Professional curiosity. MAGAZINE: And the next encounter? SERA: A woman in her sixties who believed she'd become too old to find love. LILI: Oh, that was a marvelous evening. SERA: She'd been widowed for years and had convinced herself that romance belonged to younger women. LILI: The angel wanted her to recognize her own worth, and I told her to put on something gorgeous, buy a pair of fabulous heels if she liked them, and stop treating sixty-two as though it were the end of civilization. MAGAZINE: Did it work? SERA: She eventually joined a local social group and met a wonderful woman. LILI: A sixty-eight-year-old retired lawyer with red hair, spectacular legs, and a very expensive convertible. SERA: Lilith! LILI: What? I'm describing her accurately. MAGAZINE: And your fourth encounter? SERA: A young couple arguing over whether they should separate. LILI: Which turned out to be our first proper disagreement about relationships. MAGAZINE: Why? SERA: I believed they should communicate more openly before making a final decision. LILI: And I believed they were making each other miserable and needed to admit it. MAGAZINE: Who was right? SERA: Both of us, in different ways. They talked honestly and decided to separate amicably rather than continue hurting one another. LILI: And then I asked the angel to dinner. SERA: She did. MAGAZINE: As a date? LILI: Absolutely. SERA: She called it a professional debriefing. LILI: I was being subtle! SERA: You arrived wearing a crimson minidress, seven-inch heels, and diamond earrings. LILI: I said subtle, darling, not invisible. WHEN OPPOSITES ATTRACT MAGAZINE: When did you realize you were falling in love? SERA: I think it happened gradually. I started looking forward to our encounters, and I found myself wondering what Lilith was doing when we weren't together. LILI: I knew considerably earlier. MAGAZINE: How early? LILI: Second meeting. SERA: Really? LILI: Oh, yes. You were helping that frightened woman find somewhere safe to sleep, and you took her hand so gently. I remember thinking, "This woman really means every word she says." MAGAZINE: That surprised you? LILI: Immensely. In my line of work, people often say whatever sounds good at the time. Sera genuinely cares. She doesn't pretend to be kind. She simply is. SERA: (Softly.) Oh, Lilith. MAGAZINE: And what attracted you to Lilith? SERA: Her honesty. She can be outrageous, impulsive, and terribly inappropriate, but she has an extraordinary ability to see through excuses. She also understands that people sometimes need practical help rather than comforting words. LILI: And you've always admired my legs. SERA: (Blushing.) Lilith! LILI: What? You told me so yourself. SERA: Not during an interview! MAGAZINE: Who made the first romantic move? LILI: I did. SERA: She kissed me on a rooftop. MAGAZINE: A rooftop? SERA: We were standing above the city after helping a young woman reconcile with her estranged sister. The evening was beautiful, and we were talking about how strange our partnership had become. LILI: She was standing there with her wings glowing in the moonlight, wearing this beautiful short white dress, and I couldn't stand it any longer. MAGAZINE: What did you say? LILI: I asked whether kissing an angel was officially forbidden. SERA: I told her I wasn't entirely certain. LILI: So I said, "Well, sweetheart, there's only one way to find out." MAGAZINE: And you kissed her? SERA: (Smiling.) Yes. LILI: Best damn decision of my entire afterlife. MAGAZINE: Did anything supernatural happen? SERA: Nothing dramatic. LILI: Her wings lit up like a bloody Christmas tree. SERA: Lilith! LILI: They did! MAGAZINE: What about yours? LILI: Mine started trembling. SERA: (Laughing.) They did. LILI: We agreed never to discuss that. HEAVEN AND HELL FIND OUT MAGAZINE: How did your respective administrations react? SERA: Heaven was concerned. LILI: Hell was absolutely furious. MAGAZINE: Why? LILI: Apparently, falling in love with an angel creates something called a conflict of eternal allegiance. SERA: The heavenly authorities were concerned that our relationship might interfere with our assignments. MAGAZINE: Did it? SERA: Initially, we worried it might. LILI: Then we started getting better results than anybody else. MAGAZINE: How so? LILI: Simple. Angels are wonderful at helping people recognize their worth, while devils understand temptation, greed, desperation, and all the unpleasant things people don't particularly enjoy discussing. Together, we're a bloody effective team. SERA: We don't always agree, but we've learned to listen. MAGAZINE: Are you officially allowed to live together? SERA: There isn't an established rule addressing our particular situation. LILI: So we found a loophole. MAGAZINE: A loophole? LILI: Neutral territory. A penthouse that technically belongs to neither Heaven nor Hell. SERA: It exists between realms. LILI: And has a fabulous dressing room. MAGAZINE: Who pays for it? LILI: Darling, I'm a devil. Property negotiations are practically a birthright. LIFE TOGETHER MAGAZINE: What is it like living with somebody so different? SERA: Surprisingly peaceful. LILI: Except when she rearranges my shoes. SERA: You had forty-seven pairs scattered across the bedroom floor! LILI: They were organized. SERA: By what system? LILI: Emotional significance. MAGAZINE: (Laughing.) Seriously? LILI: Absolutely. The crimson platforms were near the bed because those were the heels I wore when she first told me she loved me. The black patent pumps were beside the wardrobe because she'd complimented them the previous evening. SERA: And the gold ones? LILI: Those were there because I hadn't decided where to put them. SERA: (Laughing.) Exactly. MAGAZINE: Does Seraphina ever wear high heels? SERA: Occasionally. LILI: Occasionally! SERA: Lilith, don't. LILI: Oh, this is going to be fun. MAGAZINE: We understand you prefer white flats. SERA: I do. They're comfortable, practical, and particularly useful when I'm working. LILI: Yes, but that's not all she wears. SERA: Darling... LILI: You see, when we're out helping people, she's the picture of heavenly elegance. White dresses, lovely little ballet flats, glowing wings, the whole beautiful angelic performance. But at home... SERA: Lilith! LILI: Let's just say the angel has discovered the remarkable advantages of an extensive shoe collection. MAGAZINE: Advantages? LILI: (Grinning.) Oh, absolutely. She has a favorite pair of white platform heels that are almost as high as mine. SERA: They're not quite that high. LILI: Six inches, sweetheart. SERA: Six and a quarter. Lilith bursts into laughter. LILI: See? She knows the exact measurement! THE FIRST POLAROID MAGAZINE: Do you have any photographs of your life together? SERA: Certainly. We brought a few. LILI: (Suddenly smiling mischievously.) As a matter of fact, I brought one particularly interesting photograph. SERA: Lilith, what are you doing? Lilith opens her crimson handbag, produces an old-fashioned Polaroid photograph, and places it on the table with a triumphant expression. LILI: Ladies and gentlemen, may I present my adorable little angel as you've never seen her before. The photograph shows Seraphina standing in their bedroom doorway, her natural curls cascading over her shoulders, her white wings partly spread, wearing an oversized black T-shirt with the words "She's MY Devil" printed across the front. On her feet are an extraordinary pair of glossy white platform heels with delicate ankle straps, a dramatic departure from her familiar white flats. Seraphina is laughing in the photograph, one hand on the doorframe and the other playfully lifting the edge of a wing. MAGAZINE: Oh, my goodness! SERA: (Turning bright red.) LILITH! LILI: Isn't she magnificent? SERA: You promised that photograph was private! LILI: Darling, you look absolutely gorgeous. MAGAZINE: We must admit, it's quite a transformation. SERA: (Covering her face.) I cannot believe this. LILI: And the best part is that she bought the T-shirt herself. MAGAZINE: Really? SERA: (Very quietly.) Yes. LILI: She wanted something special for our anniversary. MAGAZINE: What was your reaction when you saw her? LILI: I forgot how to speak. SERA: For approximately three seconds. LILI: The longest three seconds of my afterlife. MAGAZINE: Does the shirt have any particular significance? SERA: (Looking at Lilith.) I wanted her to know that I wasn't ashamed of loving her. People sometimes assume I'm embarrassed by our relationship because she's a devil. I'm not. I'm proud of her. LILI: (Her expression softening.) Oh, sweetheart. SERA: Although I'm considerably less proud of her at this particular moment. LILI: (Laughing.) Fair enough. WHAT REALLY HAPPENS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS MAGAZINE: Lilith, you suggested earlier that Seraphina is rather different at home. LILI: Oh, she's an entirely different creature. SERA: I am not! LILI: Darling, you're an angel who can lecture a demon for forty minutes about moral responsibility, then come home, put on a pair of six-inch heels, and tell me precisely where you want me to sit. SERA: (Mortified.) LILITH! MAGAZINE: (Laughing.) Goodness! LILI: She has this sweet, gentle voice when we're working, but you should hear how confidently she speaks when we're alone. SERA: Lilith Devereaux, you are going to regret this interview! LILI: And she's absolutely wonderful in bed. SERA: LILITH! LILI: What? You are! MAGAZINE: Seraphina, would you care to comment? SERA: (Her wings visibly fluttering.) Absolutely not! LILI: Oh, look! The wings are doing that thing again. SERA: I am seriously considering returning to Heaven immediately. LILI: (Laughing.) You won't. SERA: And why not? LILI: Because you adore me. SERA: At the moment, I'm reconsidering. MAGAZINE: (Laughing.) We certainly didn't expect the angel to be the one threatening disciplinary action. SERA: Believe me, there are limits to heavenly patience. THE ANGEL STRIKES BACK Just as Lilith is returning the Polaroid to her handbag, Seraphina becomes suspiciously quiet. SERA: Actually, since we're sharing private photographs, I believe I brought something rather interesting myself. LILI: (Her smile disappearing.) You didn't. SERA: Oh, I did, darling. MAGAZINE: Another photograph? SERA: Yes. One that demonstrates there's considerably more to Lilith than her outrageous clothing and terrible jokes. Seraphina opens her small white handbag and places a second Polaroid beside the first. The picture shows a very different Lilith. Gone are the towering crimson platform heels, the dramatic pose, and the devilish expression. Instead, Lilith is curled up barefoot in Seraphina's arms on their enormous sofa, wearing a loose black T-shirt and soft red shorts, her crimson wings folded around them. Her eyes are red, tears are running down her cheeks, and she's clutching a large tissue while staring at the television. Seraphina is holding her tenderly, kissing the top of her head. MAGAZINE: Lilith! Are you crying? LILI: (Horrified.) SERAPHINA! SERA: (Smiling sweetly.) Yes, darling? LILI: You promised to destroy that photograph! SERA: And you promised not to show the one of me in the T-shirt. MAGAZINE: (Laughing.) What happened? SERA: We were watching a romantic movie. LILI: It was a very emotional movie! SERA: A rather ordinary love story about two women who'd been separated for years and finally found each other again. LILI: They thought the other one was dead! SERA: Yes, sweetheart. LILI: And then they met again at the train station! SERA: Yes, darling. LILI: After twenty-three bloody years! Lilith pauses, clearly fighting another wave of emotion. MAGAZINE: You're getting upset just talking about it. LILI: (Grabbing a tissue.) Well, it's a sad story! SERA: She cried for nearly half an hour. LILI: That's a lie. SERA: Forty-five minutes? LILI: Oh, go to Heaven! SERA: (Laughing.) I already have, darling. MAGAZINE: (Laughing.) So the terrifying she-devil cries at romantic movies? SERA: Regularly. LILI: I do not! SERA: She cried during a wedding scene last week. LILI: The bride's mother gave her the necklace! SERA: And during the story about the elderly couple renewing their vows. LILI: They'd been married for sixty years! SERA: And during the advertisement for the animal shelter. LILI: That puppy found a home, for Hell's sake! At this point, Seraphina begins laughing so hard that she has to put her hand over her mouth, while Lilith folds her arms and attempts to look threatening. Unfortunately, the effect is somewhat diminished by the tissue she's still holding. WHO IS REALLY THE ANGEL? MAGAZINE: Lilith, does it bother you that people are seeing this softer side? LILI: (After a moment.) Not really. I suppose it's difficult to maintain a terrifying reputation when the woman you love knows absolutely everything about you. MAGAZINE: Including the crying? LILI: Especially the crying. SERA: (Taking her hand.) She's much more sensitive than she lets people believe. LILI: Don't spread that around, sweetheart. SERA: She buys flowers for me, remembers every anniversary, and once spent three days searching for a particular book I'd mentioned wanting to read. MAGAZINE: That sounds very romantic. LILI: Well, I'm a devil, darling. When I want something, I go after it. SERA: And she has never once tried to make me abandon my beliefs. MAGAZINE: Really? SERA: Never. She challenges me, certainly, and sometimes her suggestions are outrageous, but she respects the things that matter to me. LILI: And she doesn't try to make me behave like a bloody angel. MAGAZINE: No plans to convert one another? SERA: Absolutely not. LILI: I like being a devil. SERA: And I love being an angel. LILI: Besides, darling, somebody has to keep things interesting. THE QUESTION EVERYBODY WANTS ANSWERED MAGAZINE: We have to ask. Can an angel and a devil really have an ordinary romantic relationship? LILI: Define ordinary. MAGAZINE: Dinner together, sharing a home, disagreements, affection, intimacy? SERA: Of course. We have disagreements, we compromise, we look after one another, and we enjoy spending time together. LILI: And the intimacy is spectacular. SERA: LILITH! LILI: Sorry. Couldn't resist. MAGAZINE: Are your wings ever a problem? SERA: Occasionally, especially in smaller rooms. LILI: We had to buy a much wider bed. SERA: That's true. MAGAZINE: Because of the wings? LILI: Among other things. SERA: Lilith! LILI: All right, all right! Yes, the wings. MAGAZINE: Do you ever argue seriously? SERA: Naturally. We're both strong-willed women. LILI: She's particularly stubborn. SERA: You are considerably more stubborn than I am. LILI: See? MAGAZINE: Who apologizes first? SERA: Usually whichever one realizes she's been unfair. LILI: Sometimes that's me. MAGAZINE: And sometimes? LILI: Sometimes I buy her shoes. SERA: (Laughing.) That does seem to happen rather frequently. AN ETERNITY TOGETHER? MAGAZINE: One final serious question. You're both immortal now, or at least no longer subject to ordinary human aging. Does the idea of spending eternity together frighten either of you? SERA: Not at all. LILI: Not even slightly. MAGAZINE: Eternity is a very long time. SERA: I know. Before meeting Lilith, I thought my existence would consist entirely of fulfilling my responsibilities, helping people, and returning to Heaven. I was happy with that. But I never imagined I could find somebody who would make me laugh so much, challenge me so completely, or understand parts of me I hadn't even discovered. MAGAZINE: And Lilith? LILI: I spent much of my human life chasing excitement, pleasure, money, and anything else that made me feel powerful. After I died, I continued doing much the same thing. Hell can be a lot of fun if you know the right people. MAGAZINE: But? LILI: But there's a difference between having everything you want and having somebody you actually want to share it with. SERA: (Softly.) Lilith... LILI: I can have all the shoes, dresses, jewelry, and outrageous adventures in the universe. But if I come home and she's not there, none of it feels quite right. MAGAZINE: So you're happy? LILI: Ridiculously happy. SERA: So am I. MAGAZINE: Despite everything Heaven and Hell think? LILI: Darling, Heaven and Hell have been disagreeing since the beginning of time. I don't see why our relationship should be any different. SERA: (Laughing.) That's one way of looking at it. ONE LAST REVELATION MAGAZINE: Before we finish, is there anything you'd like our readers to know? SERA: Yes. I'd like people to understand that nobody should have to choose between being compassionate and being practical. Sometimes the best solution comes from listening to somebody whose experiences are completely different from our own. LILI: And I'd like people to stop assuming that a devil can't love somebody honestly. MAGAZINE: Anything else? LILI: Actually, yes. SERA: Lilith, what are you doing? LILI: Darling, we've talked about our relationship, our work, our wardrobes, and those dreadful photographs. But there's something we haven't mentioned. SERA: (Looking alarmed.) What? LILI: We have an anniversary coming up. MAGAZINE: Congratulations! LILI: Thank you. And I've planned something very special. SERA: You have? LILI: A weekend away. Somewhere neither Heaven nor Hell can bother us. SERA: That sounds wonderful. LILI: Private terrace, enormous bed, gorgeous views, and absolutely no assignments. SERA: (Smiling.) I'd love that. LILI: I've also bought you a little present. SERA: Oh, Lilith, you shouldn't have. Lilith produces a small velvet box from her handbag. MAGAZINE: Another piece of jewelry? LILI: Better. Seraphina opens the box and discovers a delicate silver necklace bearing two tiny charms: a white feather and a crimson wing. SERA: (Her eyes filling with tears.) Oh, darling. LILI: One for you. One for me. So wherever we go, we're always together. SERA: It's beautiful. She leans across the table and kisses Lilith tenderly. MAGAZINE: That's a lovely way to end our interview. LILI: (Grinning.) Oh, I'm not finished. SERA: Now what? LILI: I also bought you a pair of white platform heels to match it. SERA: LILITH! LILI: Seven inches, sweetheart! MAGAZINE: (Laughing.) And will you be wearing them on your anniversary? SERA: (After a long pause, smiling mischievously.) Perhaps. LILI: Oh, believe me, she will. As our interview finally comes to an end, Seraphina rises gracefully, smoothing her short white dress, while Lilith retrieves her crimson handbag and slips an arm around her girlfriend's waist. The contrast between them is extraordinary: luminous white wings beside dark crimson ones, soft white flats beside towering red platform heels, heavenly composure beside irrepressible devilish mischief. Yet as they walk toward the penthouse doors, Lilith suddenly stops and turns back toward us. LILI: One last thing! MAGAZINE: Yes? LILI: You can publish the photograph of the angel in the T-shirt. SERA: Lilith! LILI: But only if you publish the photograph of me crying as well. MAGAZINE: Why? LILI: Because if we're going to show people who we really are, they might as well see everything. Seraphina looks at her for a long moment, then smiles and takes her hand. SERA: I think that's a wonderful idea, darling. LILI: Besides, I've got nothing to hide. SERA: Not even the little pink slippers you wear when your feet hurt? LILI: SERAPHINA! The angel bursts into laughter, the devil turns bright red, and both women disappear through the penthouse doors, their wings gently brushing together. Somewhere beyond human understanding, Heaven is undoubtedly filing another complaint, while Hell is probably preparing a disciplinary hearing. Neither woman appears particularly concerned. Because sometimes the greatest miracle isn't an angel saving a soul or a devil offering temptation. Sometimes it's two completely different hearts discovering that eternity is better when they spend it together.