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“Mrs. Howard kept wandering around the halls, complaining that she couldn’t stay still and claiming she had to be somewhere.” Dana shook her head sadly. Mrs. Howard was a favorite among the staff—a genuinely sweet old woman who rarely gave any trouble. “It was just so out of character for her. Don’t worry though. She’s been given something to help her sleep. She’s not going anywhere tonight.”
“Good call,” Bunny agreed, reaching down into her bag for her travel cup. The last thing she needed was Mrs. Howard pottering around looking for Death again.
“Between you and me,” Dana added, sounding upset, “I think she’s coming to the end of her time.”
Bunny paused on her way out of the nurse’s station, sadness filling her heart. “I think you could be right.”
* * *
Initially,Bunny’s plan had been to keep Death with her at all times and protect him until she could figure out how to fix his immortal identity crisis. But after they’d arrived at Arcadian Waters and she’d signed on for her shift, Bunny realized it wasn’t Death who needed protecting.
How good an idea had it been to bring him to work with her, where there were literally hundreds of old people living out their last days?
She supposed he would have gotten around to each of them eventually, during the normal course of his duties. But turning him loose inside of a care home was just not right. He’d proven he could accidentally remove someone’s soul without even thinking about it. She needed to keep him—and everyone else—out of harm’s way.
The heat of her coffee dregs bled through the layers of her travel cup, warming her hands as Bunny bustled through the corridors. She was beginning to develop a real familiarity with the place now, learning the shortcuts to this part of the floor and that, giving herself greater efficiency when answering bells or doing her general rounds. It wasn’t as though anyone would even notice she was being more efficient… except her.
It brought its own special type of satisfaction. Especially now.
Having left Dana to go grab her caffeine refill, Bunny knew she had a little time to find somewhere to stash Death. Somewhere quiet and out of the way, where he could wait for her to check on him between rounds.
The perfect room was available at the end of one of the wards, having recently been vacated by Mr. Grisham, thanks to his untimely hospital visit. Unfortunately, none of the patient rooms on this floor had locks. She was just going to have to trust he’d stay put.
Two beds extended from the wall to the left of the door. A window on the wall opposite the door allowed the last rays of evening sunlight to cast an orange glow over the space. Bunny stepped inside, flicking on the light, and waiting for Death to join her before she closed the door.
He looked so vulnerable, so reliant on her. Almost like a child. It was a deeply unsettling sensation, because Bunny’d always made sure the only person relying on her was herself. His calm confidence was gone, as was the reassuring competence he usually held in his gaze.
She never thought she would miss the way his lips would twist into a sardonic smirk that heralded a smart-ass comment was about to be delivered… but she did. Death had changed completely, and while she couldn’t say she didn’t find this meeker version at least a bit appealing, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t worried.
Would he ever come back to being his normal self? What did this mean for humanity? How had one kiss managed to cause such a catastrophe?
She hated herself for it—for thinking she had any right to assume a mere mortal like her had any business seeking a romantic connection with someone so otherworldly. He had absolutely no memory of his existence; of the job that had been so important to him or of the eons he had spent performing his cosmic duty.
It was all her fault, and she had absolutely no idea how to fix it.
She pursed her lips and bustled around the room in her usual nurse-like manner, unfolding the fresh sheets on the end of the bed and making it ship-shape in a minute flat. Nodding her head at the TV hanging on a bracket on the opposite wall, she reached for the remote as soon as she finished up with the bed.
“This room’s empty right now,” she informed him, “so you can stay in here while I work. You can lie down, watch TV, whatever—okay?”
His lips were just as full and enticing as ever, and she could almost feel the tingle of them against her own. Then, almost like a cosmic reminder that kissing was what had caused this clusterfuck in the first place, one corner of his delicious mouth pulled downward in a grimace that was anything but sexy.
“Sounds… riveting,” he said wryly.
Bunny shrugged, pushing a little of her usual sass into the gesture. “It’s the best I can do right now. I’m a mortal, and I have a mortal job. I wish I didn’t, but I do. And I have to pay bills, so you need to put your big boy pants on and stay put.”
He blinked “You want me to stay in here the whole night?”
“Yes.” Her tone brooked no refusal. “Under no circumstances are you to leave this room.”
“I’ll be bored out of my damn mind,” he sighed, letting his head fall back.
She frowned at the way he was complaining, testing her patience.
“You don’t even have your damn mind right now,” Bunny griped back at him, “So I’m not sure how that’d work. Just… work with me, here.” She exhaled, softening. “I’m due for my first round in ten minutes. It’ll take about an hour. I’ll check in on you after that. This button turns the TV on—this one changes the channels. I’m sorry but you’re gonna have to keep it muted so no one knows you’re in here, because this room’s supposed to be empty. Okay?”
The idea of TV, muted or not, obviously didn’t appeal to him. He sucked his bottom lip in, chewed on it for a moment hesitantly, and then lifted his gaze to hers.
“Why can’t I just come with you?” he asked, his voice adopting that hopeful tone employed by children the world over who are angling for pancakes for dinner instead of meat and vegetables. “No one will see me, and I’ll be good. I promise.”
A sigh filled Bunny’s lungs, but she purposefully held off on releasing it. The last thing she wanted was for him to think he was a burden in addition to everything else. Even if, under the circumstances, it was true.
“Because I’ll have enough on my hands with old people needing my help and trying to cover this floor with just one other person to help me,” she explained. “I can’t be watching you while I’m on shift.”
His broad shoulders sank a little as he accepted her reasoning, and he perched on the bed. Bunny instantly felt bad, but she couldn’t afford to let it rule her. Facts were facts.
“You’ll be fine,” she told him. She went to touch his shoulder comfortingly, but then reneged when she thought better of it and let her arm fall back by her side. “Settle in, watch something. I’ll be back to check on you in about an hour. Whatever happens, don’t leave the room.”
“Mmkay,” he murmured, slowly reaching for the remote.
Bunny closed the door behind herself, ignoring the way the click of the latch reminded her of an animal cage locking.
