Skeleton Keys (on hold)

Chapter Ten

“Mary!” Dad said frantically. 

I pried my eyes open and glanced up at him. “What?” My voice came out scratchy, and I coughed to clear my throat. 

Relief flooded his face when I looked back up at him, his shoulders sagged for a moment. “You wouldn’t wake up. I was starting to think something was wrong.” 

I struggled to free of the covers, pulling myself upright. I felt like I’d only slept an hour or two at most, but the pre-dawn light seeping in behind my curtains told me I was wrong. “What the hell,” I mumbled, rubbing my face. My entire body ached. “What time is it?” 

“Almost seven. I was just about to leave for the store. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” He hovered at the end of my bed. Obviously he was concerned, but I got the feeling that he didn’t want to stick around for a nice father-daughter chat. I thought quickly. 

“Yeah,” I said, and swung my feet around to get out of bed. “Give me five minutes, and I’ll ride with you.” 

I was already in the closet, digging for clothes, when he acknowledged me and fled my bedroom. I shook my head and focused on getting ready, grabbing the first shirt and pants that matched before dashing across the hall to brush my teeth. When I returned for my jacket and purse, I realized I still needed my key, and went back to grab it from under my pillow. My hand touched the smooth metal and the rough texture of card-stock. Puzzled, I pulled the Key free and saw that a long chain was now attached to it, just like the one I’d worn in my dream. 

My heart froze. I yanked the pillow off the bed, looking for the paper I’d felt a few seconds before. On the card, in elegant black script, was a note. 

Hope this is proof enough. Please, do not tell anyone we have met. -H. 

“Mary! Are you coming or not?” Dad’s voice called from the hallway, breaking me from my daze. 

I stuffed the note in my back pocket and hurried out the door. 

Dad already had the engine started, and waited only long enough for me to click my seatbelt into place before backing out of the driveway. 

“What’s the rush?” I asked, pulling the visor down to glance at myself in the mirror. I dug around in my purse for some of the make-up I kept on hand. 

When he didn’t reply, I slammed the mirror away and turned to face him as far as the seatbelt allowed. He glanced at me nervously, and I knew that he knew he was in trouble. 

“No more hiding shit from me. Look, I know you’re my Dad and all, but you’ve never, not once, been there for me when it truly counted. This is some pretty heavy stuff you’ve just dropped on me. I deserve some answers, and you’ve been avoiding me.” 

He kept his eyes on the road and was still, his hands gripping white-knuckled at the steering wheel. The fact that he was going to try and ignore me again only made me angrier. I opened my mouth, ready to fling the next thing to come to mind, but he interrupted me. 

“Look, Mary. I’m sorry I wasn't around. I,” he paused, bitting his lip as he tried to choose his words. “I know I’ve never been a great father, and I know it’s been hard on you, too.” He stopped again. We’d pulled up to a red light, and he took the chance to glance at me. I wasn’t prepared for the regret on his face. “It was important that you and your grandfather have a strong relationship, and for that- I had to step aside. I hated it, you know?” 

Dad turned his attention back to the road, and we continued with the green light. I looked down at the Key in my lap. I wrapped and unwrapped the long chain around my hand as I tried to process what he’d just said. 

“Why?” I asked, looking up at him. “Why was it so important that we have a good relationship? Couldn’t we have had that without you stepping out? Like any other normal family?” 

He winced. “Maybe we should wait until-”

“Tell me.” 

He shot me a fleeting, painful expression and took a deep breath. 

"When a reaper of our family dies, their soul is too powerful to be sent straight to the afterlife."

"What happens with our souls, then?"

Dad pulled the car into the shop’s small parking lot.  He shut the car off, but didn't turn to face me.  He looked down, then glanced up at me with the shine of unshed tears in his eyes. "They become Keys." 

For the second time in less than an hour, I felt my heart stop. The Key in my hand was another's soul?

"I have some random relative’s soul?" I asked.

Dads expression dropped even further if that was possible. "No, it’s not random."

"Who?" But even as I asked, I figured out the answer. I looked down at the Key in my hand. My chest tightened as tears spilled over my cheeks. "Grandpa's?" I whispered past the lump in my throat.

When Dad spoke again, his voice was soft. "It's been this way for a while now; it's why you and your grandfather had to have such a close relationship.  So that when the time came, you would be able to reconnect with him as your Key." He patted my shoulder.  "I know that all of this,” he gestured toward the store, “is a lot to take in. And really, you’re doing extremely well with everything you’ve had to deal with.” He paused, shifting back to his side of the car. “I know I’ve never said it out loud before, but I really am very proud of you, Mary.” 

I stared at him. He was right, he’d never said anything like that to me before. I didn’t even know how to respond. 

After a moment of stunned silence between us, he climbed out of the car and headed into the shop. I grabbed my purse and followed, still not quite believing that we’d actually had a conversation.