Betrothed To Death

Chapter 20

I sat on the back porch, watching the sun slowly set below the tree line. Orcus had helped me change out of my dress when we got home and into a cotton night dress. He came up behind me, setting a warm hand on my bare shoulder and handing me a cup of tea. I took it but didn't drink from it.

"It is not green tea," he said. I had refused to drink green tea since my mother died, it had been her favorite. I gazed into the murky brown water in the cup. Orcus sighed and took the seat across from me. He was dressed in his usual sleep pants with no shirt to cover his toned chest. We sat in silence as the last rays of light disappeared from the sky and the world was cast into darkness. I heard the door behind me open and turned to see who it was. Grandmother stood in the door way in her old fashion long sleeve night gown that laced at her throat, her bible clutched in one hand and a cup of hot tea in the other.

"Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt," she said.

"You're not," I assured. "We were just sitting here." She gave Orcus a leery look and sat beside me. Orcus graced her with a dashing smile and nodded his head to her. Most would have found this charming but Grandmother seemed to become more upset by it. Orcus stared at her, his eyes flitting to me now and again.

"Grandmother," I said, "Is there something you would like to say?" I kicked Orcus under the table. He was teasing her and it was getting out of hand. I sometimes found that his ability to read mortals immediate thoughts and feelings was used for less than savory purposes. I was glad that power didn't extend to me.

She was quiet for a moment, clutching her bible tightly to her chest.

"I know who you are," she hissed at Orcus.

"Of course you do," I said. "He is my husband, Orcus." Orcus' obsidian eyes met my grandmothers wide blue ones.

"That is not what she meant," he said, searching her eyes. "I am afraid that our cover is blown, my darling wife." I looked at Orcus alarmed, then back towards Grandmother.

"You know me, do you not Genevieve?" he asked. "You know my true title." She nodded and clutched her bible tighter still.

"I know what you are," she whispered.

"Then what is my name?" he asked.

"Orcus, stop teasing her!" I scolded, getting to my feet.

"Death," Grandmother said. I turned to look at her, surprised.

"How?" I asked.

"I have seen him before," she said. "When my brother, William, died and again when the twins passed."

"I thought people couldn't see you," I said to Orcus.

"There are exceptions to the rules," he said.

"You can't tell Daddy or Evelyn or..." I began, pleading with Grandmother.

"I won't," she said. "They wouldn't believe me. They'd put me up in one of those nursing homes with people who can't even take care of themselves." We sat in silence for a moment, thinking.

"How?" Grandmother asked.

"That is a very broad question," Orcus said.

"Orcus, if you insist on teasing my grandmother, I'll make you leave," I snapped.

"My apologies," he said.

"Do you remember when I suddenly started to get better," I asked. Grandmother nodded.

"I thought our prayers had been answered," she said.

"Momma and I made a deal with Death when he came to take me," I explained, looking back to make sure we weren't interrupted by Daddy or Evelyn. "I couldn't leave my family behind. Orcus gave me Time, thirteen more years to walk amongst the living. On my twenty first birthdays he came for me and took me as his wife."