Season's Reapings (A Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc. Holiday Short Story) by Angela Roquet

Author:Angela Roquet
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: urban fantasy, angels, demons, mythology, santa, grim reaper
Publisher: Angela Roquet

* * * * *

Muffled Christmas music seeped through the front door of the condo as Saul and I sloshed our way down the hall. I was slowly thawing out, all over the place. Holly wasn’t going to be happy.

Gabriel had agreed to report to Jenni on my behalf, partly because I needed dry clothes, but mostly because my shitty mood was infectious and he’d had enough. I was ready to redirect my animosity anyway.

I entered the condo, stepping carefully to minimize drippage, and glanced over the dining table to spot Bub in the living room, tangled in a heap of string lights. The helljack puppies ran circles around the coffee table, occasionally bumping an artificial tree that stood cockeyed in front of the center window, branches skewed and mashed in all directions.

Bub’s attention was focused on the television. The end of A Wonderful Life was playing, and I’d walked in just in time to catch the famous line, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.”

“That’s a load of rubbish,” Bub scoffed. “And every time a priest beats the bishop, a devil gets its horns,” he sing-songed mockingly as he went back to untangling the string lights.

My shoes squeaked, cueing surprised yips from the hounds, and Bub’s head snapped around.

“Lana! What happened to you?”

“I… I don’t even know where to begin.” Tears welled in my eyes as I took in the stockings and decorations lying over the couches.

Bub freed himself from the nest of lights and limped over to me, wrapping his arms around my back despite my soaked clothes. “Let’s get you in the bath, and I’ll put on some soup.”

After a lengthy soak and two bowls of chicken noodle, I could finally appreciate all the effort Bub had gone to. Sure, the tree was a bit mangled, but it just needed a little fine-tuning. I was extra amused that he had even tried to put himself in the mood by watching classic Christmas movies.

“Are bishops beaten by priests often?” I asked, still puzzling over his earlier comment.

“Hmmm?” Bub looked over his shoulder at me as he circled the tree, sprinkling bits of tinsel in the boughs. “What’s that?”

“Bishops. I heard you say something about priests beating them.”

Bub blushed and looked back at the tree with a grin. “That’s just an expression, love.”

“Oh.” I thought on it a moment, letting my thawing mind wander. “Oh!”

Bub snickered and joined me on the couch. He pulled my legs into his lap and glanced down in my empty soup bowl. “Would you like another?”

“Maybe later.” I smiled and set the dish on the table so I could snuggle into him.

Saul, Coreen, and the puppies had already finished their dinner kibble, and I could hear them snoring in our bedroom down the hall. Kevin and Jenni were both working late, trying to get ahead of the holiday rush so they could enjoy a day off. It was nice having the condo to ourselves.

Bub leaned in for a kiss and sighed.

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