The Reaper's Embrace
After being disowned by her preacher father at the age of 16, Natalia finds herself living on the streets. One night, she wanders into a club and meets a guy who turns out to be a demon. She is then drawn into a dark world and h...
Iris beamed back at me, her long blonde hair tied up into a ponytail. She was wearing a cute sundress, in a lovely shade of purple with white daisies all over it, and cute sandals adorned with flowers.
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'What are you doing here?' I asked cheerfully. 'Well, obviously checking out books, darling. What else would I be doing?' she responded with a chuckle. I giggled, realizing that was a silly question. "I wanted to say thank you so much for the week's stay at the hotel. It's been nice to have a steady place to lay my head. However, you just said you were getting me a room for the night, lady! You've already done so much," I told her. "Well, maybe I changed my mind when I went to get the room," she let out a laugh. I shook my head, knowing that was bull crap. She planned the whole thing, the sneaky old bat. I couldn't help but feel such fondness for her. She's just a one-of-a-kind type of gal. "Listen, child," she said to me. "I understand what it's like to struggle to survive and not know where you are going to lay your head down or where your next meal is going to come from. I have the means to pay it forward, so I will. And hopefully, someday, you will be able to do the same for someone else. It's important to pay it forward. That's what I have always believed.'" I look at this woman who is so wise and caring. I smile at her "I have learned better than to argue with you Iris" I smirk "So, thank you so much, and guess what? I have good news." "Oh yeah, well by all means, dear. Let's go find a seat, and you can tell me all about it." We walked over to a couple of comfortable-looking armchairs seated by a big bay window facing out towards the library garden. We both took a seat, ready to enjoy the warm sunlight and the sight of the beautiful garden. I beamed at Iris, so excited to share my news. "I have a job! I got hired as a hostess at a nightclub called The Abyss. It pays extremely well and doesn't require a high school diploma or anything.'"
"Oh darling that's such great news, I am so proud of you! Iris exclaims and jumps out of her chair to hug me. Damn, she's agile for an older woman I think to myself. I hug Iris back. It feels nice to share an embrace with someone who you feel truly cares about you. She sits back down and we talk back and forth for quite a while. She tells me how her daughter is about to have the baby any day now. I feel a pang of sadness, even though I am happy for Iris and her daughter. She also tells me that her daughter has gone crazy with cleaning everything and prepping for the baby. Iris refers to it as nesting. That is why she swung by the library she needed out of the house and it turns out she also is a book addict like myself. We decide to get up and wander through the library, we both pick a few books. She lets me check out a few books using her card well, I suppose it's her daughter's card because she's the legal resident of Memphis but she only got the card for her mother in the first place. After we check out our books Iris invites me to lunch by now my breakfast has worn off and I am appreciative of the offer. I know better than to try and disagree. It's around 2 o'clock. I still have quite a while until I have to show up at work. We walk out of the library and into the stuffy Memphis heat and I hop into Irise's trusty red Buick. We pull up at a small little diner called the Cozy Kitchen "I have been coming here since my daughter moved to Memphis a few years back the food is wonderful and it has a nice cozy atmosphere." states Iris. "I'll take your word for it and I am so very thankful to you for this." "Don't mention it" Iris says waving her hand in the air. We open the Doors and enter the diner. It appears The Cozy Kitchen is a retro-style diner that is designed to transport you back in time. The interior is decorated with vintage posters, neon signs, and classic diner furniture. The walls are painted in a warm, muted color palette that creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The lighting is soft and warm, with a mix of overhead lights and table lamps that cast a gentle glow over the space. The diner seems small and intimate, with a handful of booths and a counter with stools. The booths are upholstered in red vinyl, and the counter is made of gleaming chrome. The tables are covered in checkered tablecloths, and the napkin dispensers are shaped like classic cars.
