Hades Ain't Got Nothing on Us

Ch. 19 - Harvest Moon

Sephy and Rob's strategy was working for them, though their friends couldn't say the same. From tagging along on Anna's hunting trips, to accompanying Leo to the gym, they found every opportunity to be together but not alone. It confused Jordan, who when invited to a concert with them, wondered why they leaned over him to talk to each other, when the most obvious solution was to trade seats. He drew from past experience not to ask questions, and wrote it off as another strange quirk to their pseudo-relationship.

On this glorious last day of summer, Sephy and Rob decided to reward themselves for their good behavior with a day alone. That, and Leo, Anna and Deion sneakily skipped town without them after they'd said their goodbyes to Sephy.

"Don't worry about Rob," Anna assured her. "We'll take care of him and Allison."

"Hades won't touch him while I'm gone," Sephy replied. "He'll be too preoccupied thinking of ways to torture me. I'm certain he's been counting down the days this year more than any other, as much as I have been dreading them."

"We'll be here when you get back," Deion added, "and you can pick up where you left off."

"Not necessarily. If Rob meets someone, don't interfere. Our time has been fun, but it is not healthy for him. He shouldn't have to quash his feelings the way he does with me. In my absence, I hope he will open himself to new possibilities and finally realize that my company is not worth spending six months apart every year."

"Fine," they agreed with their eyes rolled.

"We'll be thinking of you and wishing you were here, especially when we're freezing our butts off, in freaking Los Angeles."

Against Leo's shoulder, Sephy stifled the inevitable tears that came with every year's farewell. She looked to the ceiling of their colossal mansion.

"Go easy on them this year, Mom."

The noontime sun was unimpeded by a cloudless sky, but the temperature remained a pleasant, balmy 80 degrees all day. Sephy and Rob spent the full length of the sun's reign in its shower of light. There was no substitute for its pure warmth, and Sephy soaked up every last bit of it.

After the longest day on record, the sun was replaced by the most staggering moon. It glowed salmon pink against the pale blue-gray sky. Anna banished the clouds and smog from the atmosphere and commanded the stars to shine brightly for Sephy's final night under nature's canopy.

Sephy had notified Rob that she had a surprise in store for their last day, and that it was something of a farewell present. Given her abilities, it was futile to narrow down the possibilities, though he could definitely rule out bungee jumping. He looked cautiously around the kitchen as he followed Sephy towards the back of the house. Nothing was out of place, except that the self replenishing fruit bowl was empty again. Sephy found Rob's curiosity amusing. She summoned him to the sliding door and retracted the vertical blinds to reveal a thriving garden.

Five plants bore the plump, red tomatoes Rob remembered from his mother's lunches. Next to them, in what was once a parcel of dried earth, a garden of elegant flowers was at the peak of its blossom. A sprinkling of dew kept each petal moist in the temperate air. Besides the mound of wet dirt in the center of the garden, it was a complete and manicured landscape.

"This isn't all," Sephy said excitedly. "Tell me, what do you feel like eating right now?"

Rob searched his mental rolodex of foods. He imagined shopping at the local grocery's produce section, skipping from the vegetables, to the herbs, to the fruits. Then, a warm breeze hit him with inspiration, and he knew exactly what he wanted.