A Father's Emotions

IX

He watches as Hope lets go of him last. 'You okay?' Death whispers making Hope nod. 'You can see her in a couple of weeks but she's proud of you.'

Hope smiles at her dad before looking at Oriana who is distracted on her phone. 'Then why couldn't she tell me herself? Rather than taking the cowards way out by telling you to tell me?' Hope replies.

'Maybe she was scared about how you would react or maybe she didn't want to see the hurt on your face because she left. Or she didn't want to hurt you like she hurt me.'

'And maybe she's doing all of the above.'

Oriana takes Hope's hand. 'We'll meet you back at yours. We've got to meet someone,' Oriana says.

'Since when?' Hope asks.

'Since now.'

Death looks back at the table he abandoned to see the seats empty where Salix has left also. A quiet sigh leaves his lips. 'Be careful,' Death whispers, pressing a kiss to Hope's forehead.

'I will,' Hope mutters as she ruffles his hair. 'Text him.'

Death nods as the pair walk off. His eyes go to Karma who smiles awkwardly.

'I'm Naretha, you haven't heard of me from the confusion on your face,' Naretha says, offering Death her hand to shake.

'I haven't but now I know why he's smiling at his crotch,' Death replies before taking her hand and kissing the back.

'You have more game than he has.'

'Give him time.'

She smiles as she watches him squirm in his seat. Her head tilts slightly. 'Why did you ask for us to get coffee?' Hope asks, already knowing the answer.

'I wanted to talk to you about you rather than hearing about you from Ri,' Salix replies.

'I'm calling bullshit.'

Salix breaks, grabbing her hands across the table making Oriana raise an eyebrow. 'You're close to him, help me get him interested.'

'He already is.'

Salix blinks with a confused expression. 'What?'

'He was stood there for a good couple of minutes before I noticed him earlier.' Hope gestures at the tattoo sleeve. 'Keep that exposed around him too. He likes it.'

Salix looks at his tattoo sleeve before looking at Hope. 'Really?'

'Makes him feel better about himself. And as much as he glares at you for touching his hair, he secretly loves it. The only reason he's kept it long is that I used to braid it when I was younger to practice.'

'That's adorable,' Oriana comments making Hope grin. 'And such good blackmailing material.'

'He's already interested and you need to keep doing what you're doing,' Hope explains quietly. 'The only reason he shut down earlier is that he felt bad about being happy.'

'How do you know?' Salix whispers.

'Because my mum died two weeks ago.'

'That car explosion after the hit and run?'

'He could only save Karmi.'

'Wait.' Salix lets go of Hope's hands. 'What are you saying?'

'The quote makes him feel better about what he does.

'

He stares at the blank message thread, unsure what to type.

'Oh, pass it here,' Naretha comments, offering her hand out. Her head rests in Karma's lap as he grins at his dad.

Death rolls his eyes and passes his phone to Naretha. 'Be subtle and say the Gold Heart bar about eight,' Death warns.

Naretha laughs. 'He wasn't being subtle as he was practically all over you. Why do you want to be subtle?' she looks at Death, waiting for an answer.

'Because I'm lucky to have another chance. Not everyone is.'

Naretha looks at Karma who shrugs a shoulder. 'Well, he put an eggplant by his name. I'm pretty sure you're fine.'

'What does that mean?'

Naretha stops typing to look at Death baffled. 'You don't know what that means?'

'Would I ask if I did?'

'What if it was a cucumber?'

'I don't see how they have anything to do with this.'

Naretha smiles as she finishes the text.

You'll guess who I am, meet me at Gold Heart bar at half eight tonight

'Dad, it means d**k. He's basically offered you his ass if you want it,' Karma groans, running a hand down his face. Death looks at Karma startled due to the meaning.

'Did you just say dad?' Naretha asks.

'Uh.'

Naretha sits up and looks between the pair. 'I thought your dad left?'

'Turns out that was my mum?'

'And how does he look twenty-five if he's your dad?'

'I suppose I should properly introduce myself, I'm Death,' Death comments.

She watches as the guy startles at the sudden message tone on his phone. He practically flings the phone at her making her catch it awkwardly. 'What the hell was that for?' Hope asks.

'Read the text,' Salix replies, watching Hope nervously.

Hope smiles slightly as she reads the number. 'His favourite bar and restaurant. You're lucky.' Hope offers him his phone back.

'Why lucky?' Salix takes his phone back cautiously.

See you there x

'That's never an option if he takes anyone out. Trust me,' Hope explains. 'Now, we need an outfit.'

Oriana grins before pulling the pair out of the coffee shop.

Death eyes Naretha hesitantly.

'As in grim reaper type Death? Naretha asks.

'Pretty much,' Death replies. 'Hope and Karma are my kids.' Naretha glances at Karma. 'Their cousin is Fear, his dad is Love, who was with him, and my sister is Life.'

'She's a bitch.'

'Thank you. You don't know how much better that's made me feel.'

Naretha laughs before looking at the phone in her hand. 'He said he'll meet you there.' Naretha throws him the phone back. 'Anything else?'

'We stop ageing at twenty-five. Fear is really twenty-eight and you don't want to know how old we are.'

'So, you guys are immortals.'

'Yes.'

Naretha glances at Karma nervously, joining their hands for comfort. 'What about us? And Hope and Oriana.'

'There's a ritual that can bind a human soulmate to their immortal and the human becomes immortal too. It's the ritual Oriana never shuts up about since she found out.'

Naretha watches Death rather than Karma. 'What does that mean for us?'

'You two can do the same ritual.'

Naretha wraps herself around Karma, crying in relief into his shoulder as Karma rubs her back in comfort.

Cerberus trots into the room, noticing Naretha in there and pauses awkwardly.

Naretha looks up at the sound and a grin spreads across her face. 'Is that Cerberus?' Naretha asks.

'Yes,' Death replies.

'He's adorable. Naretha kneels in front of Cerberus fussing one of the heads as the other two watch Death baffled.

Salix raises an eyebrow as Oriana goes through his clothes. 'Is she always like this?' Salix whispers.

'She's chosen both of our outfits for this ceremony already and it's in a couple of weeks time,' Hope mumbles, catching the pair of ripped black skinny jeans Oriana throws at her. 'You want to come?'

'Yeah. Text me the information.'

'You got combat boots?'

'Yeah.'

'Wear them, don't tie them up completely.'

Salix catches two shirts Oriana throws at him. 'Awesome. Anything else?'

'Tight pants.' Salix gives Hope a weird look. 'It'll make him stand closer to you as he'll feel he's the only one who deserves it. Plus, he'd be more protective.'

'That's a bonus.'

'Choose a shirt,' Oriana states. 'And don't think I can't hear you two bad mouthing me about choosing clothes.'