The Deathtaker's Daughter

by S. L. Baum

  Krista smiled at Doctor Baker. “I received Marc’s wedding announcement last week. He looks happy. I assume he’s coming to introduce his new wife to his aunt.”

  Doc nodded his head. “He did mention that.”

  “Give him a big ol’ hug from me when you see him.”

  “The man is a bit paranoid about talking to you. I’ve told him that he can call you. Your voice isn’t going to suck the life out of him.”

  Krista shrugged. “Everyone copes with this unexpected second chance at life in their own way. I completely understand. He writes me letters. I know how grateful he is for the extra time. And it looks like he’s putting it to good use.”

  “You are going to take next Friday off, and I mean completely off, no going into the medical center. You need to figure out a plan, soon. You need to put that gift of yours to use again so you can get yourself back to looking like our lively Krista again.”

  “I will. Maybe I just need to do a quick one, without a connection, like Chai does. It’ll reset my system.”

  Doc leaned back against the wall and rested his hands in his pockets. “You are not Chai. In any way.”

  Krista’s mother, Chai Vita, charged high dollar fees for her services, never made a natural connection, and approached being a Deathtaker in a sterile, cold, detached, businesslike way. Her power was part of a transaction, not a gift given freely. Somehow Chai had turned out completely opposite of the way Krista’s grandmother had raised them both to be.

  “I think her methods will have long term effects on her heath,” Doc told Krista. “The woman pushes her body too hard. When I saw her last Christmas, she looked like a hollow shell. Her skin was almost translucent, and it had a sheen to it that seemed unnatural.”

  Krista frowned, remembering, with detail, how her mother had looked. “I know exactly what you observed. She’d travelled the day after waking from a Deathtaking. The person was too old, and had a wide range of ailments. It had absolutely taken its toll on her. I won’t do anything like that. Grandma warned me not to be so careless with my gift. She always said I should let the natural course of age have its way; Grandma had a strict cut off at seventy. But people are living longer; taking better care of themselves. I think I’d have to weigh each case on its own. Not everyone ages the same way.”

  Taking a death wasn’t an easy choice to make. Krista thought it should only be done to benefit and extend the life of someone who would be ending it quite prematurely. Children were an easy choice, but choosing which one to save was heartbreaking because she couldn’t help them all. Why couldn’t she help them all? Waiting two years between helping someone was an awful thing to do, Krista admonished herself. She couldn’t put it off any longer.

  Krista slung her purse over her shoulder and started toward the door. She’d been selfish for too long. In trying to protect Eva from missing her mother, asking too many questions, and learning about the gift that would ultimately be bestowed upon her, Krista had denied someone the chance to cheat his or her own death. She hung her head in shame.

  “I’ve condemned people to die,” she mumbled.

  Doc came up behind her and rested a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve talked about this before, Krista. It is not your responsibility to save everyone.”

  Krista sighed deeply. It was something that Sam often mentioned as well, but they didn’t know her guilt. They never could. “It’s time,” she said as she opened the door. “My body is telling me it’s time.”

  Several hours later, true to her word, Krista slipped through the back door of the empty store and sneaked up behind Sam. “I’ll be in the attic,” she whispered in his ear. “Twinkling.”

  Sam turned around, but Krista already had her back to him, almost gliding across the floor. As she neared the back stairs that led up to the attic storage space, she glanced over his shoulder and gave him a wink. A grateful sigh came from him, after a wide smile appeared on his face. He was a lucky man, and he knew it. Krista peeled off her shirt as she climbed up the stairs and then wiggled her skirt down low on her hips. She discarded the last of her clothing on the top step. Sam quickly locked the front and back doors and followed her up.

  Chapter Two

  “I’m going to call Chai,” Krista told Sam, as they lay on their cot, tucked in the back corner of the attic at the hardware store.

  Sam trailed his fingers from her chin all the way down to her stomach. “Why would you do that?” he asked. Krista had little to no relationship with the woman. Other than Chai showing up in Cedar Creek every Christmas Eve, a practice which had begun the year before Eva was born, Krista had no contact with her mother.

  “You know I’ve been feeling off lately…”

  “Yeah,” he interrupted her and pressed his lips to her bare shoulder. “The headaches, the sore muscles. Your gift is rebelling against you. You need to do it again, don’t you?”

  Krista turned her body to face her husband’s. “I’m a Deathtaker, Sam, and we both know I’ve put it off too long. I need to release all this stored energy that has built up inside of me. But I don’t want to be gone for a long time, like I was the last time. Chai knows people, she knows how to deal with the forced quick connection, and I do trust her enough to make sure I’m safe during the process.”

  “I’m not sure that I trust her.”

  “It’s a one-time thing. I promise.”

  “I’ll support whatever decision you make,” Sam told her. “You know that.”

  “I do. You do an amazing job of loving me.”

  Sam kissed her deeply and pressed her hips against his growing arousal. “You make it easy.”

  “Samuel Webber, are we going for round two?” Krista wrapped her arms around her husband and sighed into his mouth. “Because that would be lovely.”

  “You’re lovely.”

  Eva slumped in her seat as her father drove her to school. “But why can’t I talk to her today?” she asked again. Sam had been counting; it was the sixth time she’d asked that morning. Krista had only been gone for ten days, but she’d called to talk to Eva every single one of those days, both before school and after dinner, so a missed call had caused panic.

  Sam sighed as he glanced down at his little girl. She’d twisted the edge of her shirt in her hands, wrinkling the entire front of it. “I told you, little one, Momma said that she’s going to be super duper busy for two whole days and will call us as soon as she has the time.”

  It was as close to the truth as Sam was prepared to get with his eight year old. The real truth was that Krista had texted the night before with a simple, “It’s happening now. I’m sure I’ll be out for two days.” There had been no response to Sam’s inquiries since. It worried the crap out of him. He didn’t like that his wife had decided to do a forced connection and take a death without following her usual routine, and the fact that she was with her mother was even more troubling. Even Krista didn’t like her mother. Truthfully, she could barely stand the woman. If Chai hadn’t saved his life, Sam didn’t think Krista would have allowed any sort of relationship to exist.

  With Krista’s body needing to use it’s power, and Chai’s experience with quick action, Krista had made the wary decision to call her mother. “I refuse to take any sort of payment,” he’d heard Krista insist when they’d talked. “And you better not try to get something for my actions either. Just contact the latest person you rejected for not being able to come up with your fee. Someone who is bad off, desperate, not too old, and needs the kind of help that only we can give.”

  That conversation had taken place two months prior. It had taken Chai almost seven weeks to call Krista back with an exact address and a promise that she would meet her daughter there.

  Sam reached over and squeezed Eva’s shoulder. He knew exactly how she was feeling. He wanted Krista back with them in Cedar Creek too. He missed his wife.

  Eva grabbed onto his hand with both of her own. “She always calls, Daddy-o. Always.” There was a sad desperate tone in her vo
ice.

  “She’s fine, I promise,” Sam told his daughter, and hoped he was telling her the truth. She had to be fine. He wouldn’t entertain any other scenario. “Where’d you pick up Daddy-o? I haven’t heard that in quite a while.”

  “From Opal.”

  “Ah,” Sam nodded. “When?”

  “Last weekend when Grumple and I went to the diner to get me a super delicious strawberry shake.”

  “Oh, yes, I remember. You batted those pretty eye lashes of yours and made poor Uncle Abe cave.” Sam playfully poked her nose, happy that they were no longer talking about Krista. “Was Opal talking to Pete when she said it?”

  “Yup. She gave him Lavinia to hold and then said, ‘I hope you’re ready for this, Daddy-o.’ Lavinia is so cute, like a doll. Don’t you think? I love her little dresses.”

  “You told me you don’t like dresses anymore!”

  Eva nodded her head. “I don’t really like them on me,” she clarified. “I only like to wear dresses if it is a holiday and everybody is being fancy, like when we all dress up for Opal’s fancy White Christmas party every year. But on Lavinia, dresses are always cute. Plus, she’s little.”

  “You’re always cute too,” Sam insisted as he pulled into the school’s parking lot. There were three other vehicles in front of him in the drop-off lane.

  “You have to say that.”

  Sam smiled. “I mean it. You are a gorgeous girl. Just like your mother. You have the same mischievous smile and those amazing green eyes.”

  “They’re too green,” Eva said as Sam reached the front of the line.

  “They’re perfect.” Sam opened the center console and took out a little red swan. “Here. I made this for you last night. Keep this little guy with you today and look at him when you’re worried and know that your mom and dad love you and everything will be okay.”

  “Oh, it’s so cute. Thank you, Daddy.” Eva opened the door. “If she calls and I’m not near you, you tell her to come home soon,” she said as she got out of the vehicle.

  “I will.” Sam blew a kiss to his daughter. He rolled the widow down as Eva closed the door. “I love you, pumpkin. Have a good day,” he said as his daughter waved goodbye.

  “Love you too!” Eva blew a kiss of her own and then ran toward the playground, with her new little red paper bird in her hand, to wait for the morning bell.

  After leaving the school, Sam drove to the diner for breakfast. He’d woken up late that morning, with barely enough time to get Eva dressed and put her in front of a bowl of hastily prepared packaged oatmeal, before he ran back up to hop in the shower. He’d actually made it downstairs, frantically tucking in his shirt, just as she was finishing up. Abe had left the house early that morning to go fishing: he’d always insisted that fish were at their hungriest just as the sun was waking itself up. So, without Krista or Abe at home, there had been no one to make sure he didn’t oversleep.

  Since Jake, Sam’s only employee, was scheduled to open the store while Krista was out of town, Sam decided to take a moment to unwind before he headed in. As soon as he swung open the glass doors, and the bells clanged out his arrival, he was greeted by Lavinia’s squeals of delight.

  “Vinnie!” Sam crouched down and opened his arms as the little girl ran toward him. He scooped her up and they touched noses, which was Lavinia’s preferred greeting. “How’s my favorite four year old girl?”

  “Guess what!” She said, sucking in a breath. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

  “What?”

  “Grammy gave me Kitty!” She announced and clapped her hands with excitement. “She’s white and black and soft and so, so cute.”

  “What’s her name?”

  Lavinia laughed and shook her head. “I told you. Kitty!”

  “Oh…”

  “But she’s too little to come home yet. Grammy said she still needs her mommy.”

  Opal came through the kitchen door and smiled at the sight of her daughter in Sam’s arms.

  “Mommy, when is Kitty ready to come home?” Lavinia asked.

  “Two more weeks,” Opal told her. “As soon as she doesn’t need to drink from her momma any longer.”

  “Like I did.” Lavinia said and pointed toward her mother’s chest.

  “That’s right.”

  “But Kitty’s mommy doesn’t have boobies,” Lavinia told Sam in a whisper.

  Sam tried to keep a straight face and looked at Opal. She just rolled her eyes and sighed.

  Sam laughed. “No?”

  “No,” Vinnie whispered back.

  “Lacey is going to be here in a minute. You should go get your bag,” Opal told her daughter.

  Sam lowered the girl and she ran to the counter to where her little backpack was waiting.

  “She’s obsessed with breasts right now. She asked Pete’s mom if hers had wrinkles. Talk about being mortified. I swear it is only going to get worse.” Opal glanced out the window. “Lacey’s here. I’ll be right back. Tell Daddy your order,” she told him as she took her daughter’s hand. “Lavinia, you ready?”

  The girl nodded and then proceeded to skip all the way out to her babysitter’s car.

  Jim poked his head through the order window. “Morning, Sam. What can I make for you?”

  “Good morning, Jim. Just something simple. Scrambled eggs, toast, and sausage. Actually, can you make that into a breakfast sandwich, with cheddar on it?”

  “Can do. Coming right up.”

  Sam moved to a stool where he could see Jim through the window and then he sat down. “Lavinia is getting so big.”

  “Yes, she is. That seems to be what they do.” Jim smiled. “She’ll be starting kindergarten next year.”

  Sam sighed. “I wish I could press pause sometimes.”

  Jim laughed as he cracked the eggs over the griddle. “I used to say that all the time with that one out there.” He pointed his spatula toward Opal, who was waving and blowing kisses to Lavinia as Lacey’s vehicle left the parking lot.

  Opal walked back into the diner.

  “It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now,” Jim told Sam. “I still spend too much time wishing I had more time… and worrying. Now I have twice as many girls to agonize about their welfare. Add to that a son-in-law to worry about too.”

  “Stop worrying about us, Daddy. You’ll give yourself ulcers,” Opal warned.

  “You have a child now. You know it is an impossibility to cease worrying,” he insisted.

  “I know. I know.” Opal glanced down at herself, and Sam stopped to stare at the exact place that she was looking.

  “Daddy-o,” he whispered.

  Opal’s head snapped up.

  Sam looked into her eyes. “I probably shouldn’t ask this…”

  “Then you probably shouldn’t,” Jim interrupted as he flattened out the sausage patties, putting a good crisp on both sides. “Think before you talk. Sage advice from my father.”

  Opal quickly slipped behind the counter, picked up a rag, and began to wipe it down. “Pappy was a wise old man.” She kept her eyes on her work and, even though she could feel Sam staring at her, she refused to look up at him. She could guess the question and knew she didn’t want to answer it.

  “I’m going to ask anyway,” Sam finally broke the silence. “Are you pregnant?”

  Opal’s hand came to an abrupt halt. “Why do you ask?” She turned around as she spoke the words, so he couldn’t see the panic on her face.

  “I’m probably just reading too much into things. But Eva told me that you called Pete Daddy-o last week. I haven’t heard you say that since Vinnie was a baby, and you started using it when you were pregnant, if I remember correctly. Plus, there have been a couple of other things you’ve said – done – since I got here this morning. It’s got me wondering.”

  A nervous laugh slipped from her lips. She straightened her face and turned back around to face him. “You’re not calling me fat, are you? Thinking I gained a few pounds?” She smoothed her
hands over the front of her apron, and Sam was pretty sure he saw the outline of a growing bump.

  Jim set Sam’s plate on the counter in the window and looked at his daughter. He eyes were full of concern. “Well, are you?” he asked.

  When Opal didn’t answer immediately, Jim came out through the kitchen door and stood near his daughter. He put his hands on his Opal’s shoulders and waited for her to look him in the eye.

  “Oh, hell!” Opal sighed. “Pete is going to be pissed that I’m doing this without him. We were waiting until I was a bit further along.”

  “But…” Jim knew that Opal had miscarried twice before she had been able to carry a baby to almost full term. He thought back to the end of her pregnancy with Lavinia. Opal spent nearly a month in Greenville General, on forced bed rest, and even then Vinnie came out almost four weeks early. Jim knew that a pregnancy at her age would add to the risk. Opal’s birthday was just a few weeks away, the day after Christmas, and she’d said goodbye to her thirties on her last one.

  “Yes, Daddy. It’s a higher risk pregnancy,” she confirmed his thoughts. “I’ve already seen my doctor in Greenville. She’s the same one who got me through the end with Lavinia. She’s going to keep a close watch on everything.”

  “Why now?” Jim asked his daughter. “I thought you said you were done after Vinnie.”

  “It wasn’t planned, but it is wanted,” she said softly, while resting her hands on her tiny belly.”

  “Oh, man. I’m sorry I asked. I should have waited until you said something, until you were ready to tell me on your own.” Sam bit his bottom lip.

  Opal walked over to where Sam’s breakfast sandwich sat in the pick-up window and grabbed the plate. She put it down in front of him with a clang. “We were gonna wait a little longer, but I’m almost glad it is out now. We’ve passed the first trimester, and so far there have been no issues at all. That’s a good thing. But you did kill my opportunity to tell Daddy privately and stop the worry before it started.” She glared at Sam.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me right away!” Jim frowned.