Predestined (Existence Trilogy #2)(36)
Biting her bottom lip anxiously she reached for it. “I almost hate to hurt the paper. It’s beautiful.”
“I’ll buy you a whole roll, Pagan. Just open it.”
Nodding, she ripped open the side and the paper was forgotten as it fluttered to the ground. The white satin box sat in her lap as she slowly opened the lid. I wasn’t sure if she’d remember exactly what it was but I thought I’d wait and see if she worked this out on her own.
Pagan lifted the small gold brooch from the box. The flicker of emotion across her face told me she was working through the memories attached to the brooch in her hand. I’d been holding onto it for over fifteen years. Reverently she touched the pink glass stones that decorated the heart shaped filigree.
“Grandma gave this to me. I was sick and in the hospital and she’d come to stay with Mom at the hotel nearby. They took turns staying with me. Then Grandma had to go home because her heart was bothering her and her doctor wanted her home under observation. The day she left she brought me this brooch. She’d cried so hard as she’d told me to hold it close to my heart always. So I’d always know she loved me.
Pagan lifted her awed gaze to meet mine. “Then when... when...” she trailed off shaking her head in frustration. The memory was there. I knew it was and I wanted her to recall it without my help. It was one I’d waited patiently for her to remember since she’d discovered exactly who I was.
Her expressive green eyes showcased so many different emotions. Finally, she opened her mouth and whispered, “ohmygod,” and I knew she’d remembered.
“Then you, Dank, YOU came to talk to me. To tell me that I was going to die but I’d get another life. My body was sick. That when you came back I was to go where you sent me and I’d come back again. Ohmygod,” Pagan stopped and took a deep breath. “I gave you this brooch. I told you that I wanted to take it with me. You said that could be arranged and you slipped it into your pocket...but--”
“But you never saw me again. Because your soul was erased off the charts. The only reason I remembered you was because of this brooch. I knew there had been a soul that had been spared. Sometimes that happens. It’s rare but sometimes the Creator changes his mind. I thought that had happened to you. So, I held onto that brooch given to me by a little girl who wanted to take something from this life on to her next. I figured once your name appeared on the books again I’d make sure you got your brooch just like you requested. But your name appeared so much sooner than I expected. It intrigued me. I couldn’t understand why the Creator would stop your death as a child to take it only a few years later on the brink of adulthood. So, I came to watch you. To see what about this soul was so unique. Why it had broken all the molds I’d grown accustomed to over my existence.”
Pagan’s hand covered her mouth as a small sob escaped. I hadn’t meant to make her cry. I’d just wanted to give her something she’d once held very dear.
“Oh, Dank,” she cried flinging herself into my arms. “I can’t believe I didn’t remember you.”
She was crying because she’d forgotten she’d met Death as a child?
Holding her in my arms I was at a loss for words. How did I comfort her about something like this?
“This is the most precious perfect gift anyone has ever received. You gave me back a memory that I will cherish forever. You gave me something from my grandma I didn’t know I had. And you kept it and it led you back to me. It gave me you.”
I felt a wetness in my eyes and I blinked confused from the strange sensation. A small trickle of water ran down my cheek. I stared into the darkness as I held Pagan in my arms in amazement. Death had just shed a tear.
Chapter Fifteen
Pagan
The little yellow daisy I’d picked out of momma’s bouquet from her boyfriend looked kind of pitiful without all its petals. I twirled the remaining stem between my fingers and scowled at it. Stupid flowers. Stupid candy. Stupid stuffed bunnies with stupid purple fur. Oh and stupid, stupid heart-shaped balloons. It was all just stupid. I flung the stem in my hand into the creek behind my house.
The damaged daisy floated for a moment as the fast stream washed it away until I saw it slowly sink to the shallow muddy floor. Serves it right for being stupid, I thought with a huff. Crossing my now empty arms I glared at the water as it ran by. I didn’t have anything else to do. So I’d just stand here and count all the stupid things about today.
“Not having a good day?” a familiar voice asked from behind me. I spun around and saw a blond boy with friendly blue eyes smiling at me. He seemed like someone I should know but I couldn’t figure out where I’d seen him before. Maybe he played on one of the other teams we‘d played in baseball this year. It’s hard to recognize people when they don’t have on their baseball cap and uniform. Out there they all look the same. I started to respond until I noticed the fluffy white stuffed puppy dog in his hand. The stuffed animal even had a red heart full of chocolate candy in its paws. Even he got a stupid Valentine’s present. I decided I didn’t want to talk to him and turned back around to glare out at the water. Maybe he’d realize I was rude and he’d go away.
“You have something against stuffed animals and chocolate?” he asked in an amused tone. I didn’t think he was funny. Not one bit. Stupid boy with his stupid Valentine’s present. From some stupid girl.