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"Great," Bunny sighed. "So it really is my fault."
"Sorry, kiddo."
"Did they tell you how we can fix it?" For a moment she held out hope that maybe there was light at the end of this hellish tunnel, but Roberta shook her head sadly.
“Oh, before I forget,” Roberta added, reaching into her infamous top drawer. “Here are your name tags for the conference tomorrow.” She held a plastic office name tag out in each hand. One read ‘Death’ and the other read ‘Life’.
Bunny took hers and examined it as Death came back over to the desk to claim his. They glanced at each other before hesitantly taking them.
“What’s tomorrow?” Bunny asked, squinting as she examined her tag.
“The conference,” Roberta said slowly, as though reminding a child about homework they have due. “The Centennial Celestial Conference. I told Death…” She petered off before she nodded her acceptance of the situation. “Crap. Of course you don’t know about it, because he can’t remember it and hasn’t told you.” Roberta plastered her wide, lipstick-lined smile onto her face and straightened in her chair.
“The CCC is held every one hundred years. It’s mandatory for celestials to attend and features a bunch of speakers and workshops on various topics. It’s a great chance for you to learn more about the structure of the corporation and do some valuable networking. I guess it’s valuable for you, too,” she added with a glance at Death, and a smug smile at her own little joke, “seeing as you can’t remember any of the ones you’ve attended before.”
Bunny took a moment to process the news. Literal demons aside, she had a crazy daily quota, and now she was expected to do professional development and networking on top of it all, too?
“This is ridiculous,” she declared.
“Welcome to the universe,” Roberta shrugged.
“If it’s mandatory for celestials, then we’ll see Mike and Raph there and can get an update,” Death said hopefully.
“Will you be there too?” Bunny looked pointedly at Roberta, who shook her head.
“I’m just the receptionist. I’ll be here, manning the phones. Also, none of the archangels go to the conference unless they’re speaking or delivering a workshop.”
Death frowned. “But you said it’s mandatory.”
“Yeah well,” Roberta shrugged a shoulder, “technically, archangels are Upper Management. And Upper Management have more important things to take care of.”
Bunny quirked a brow. Typical-sounding explanation. “Charming,” she sighed, tucking her name tag into her pocket. “Where’s it being held?”
“The Skyview Hotel, downtown Atlanta. Tomorrow morning at nine. Tell them you’re there for the Dental Assistants of America convention.” Roberta handed Death a black tie from her top drawer, nodding at him to indicate he’d be able to pair it with what he was already wearing.
"The convention is being held in Atlanta?" Bunny asked, baffled but pleased.
"Well, you're the only human to attend," Roberta pointed out. "We do try to be considerate, you know." The woman sniffed, and then glanced down at Bunny's attire. “Wear something… professional.”
“Goody,” Bunny replied wryly.
* * *
The darknessin her bedroom was comforting after the blinding light and swirling mist of the Lobby. Bunny sighed, letting the action decompress her body as she released as much of her tension as she could. Though she couldn’t hear someone breathing next to her, she could feel the dip of the mattress where Death was lying. It was strange having one without the other.
“This is so weird,” she declared softly, her voice sounding small in the tiny moonlit room.
“Is it?” Death asked just as quietly. “Why?”
Because you’re so close to me yet have never been more unreachable.
“It’s a tiny bed, for one thing,” she said instead, looking to distract herself with the negatives. “Plus, you’re cold. And you don’t sleep,” she added as an afterthought.
“But you should,” he warned her, his tone concerned. “You’re going to need your rest for tomorrow.”
“Whatever tomorrow will bring,” Bunny agreed. She felt tired right down to her bones, but she’d never felt less like sleeping in her whole life—not the least of which was owing to the sexy immortal tucked up in her tiny bed beside her. She blinked at the shadows, knowing exactly what each of them was even though it was too dark to see the outlines.
“You’re right,” she sighed at last, burrowing under the covers and closing her eyes despite wanting to roll over and look at Death. “Night.”
There was a pause. “Good night,” he said.
Bunny nestled her face against her pillow, enjoying the cozy feel of the flannelette sheets the family always used during the cooler months of the year. The sounds of her childhood home settled around her, more soothing and familiar than any lullaby. Finally, her brain wound down and she managed to drift off into a peaceful sleep.
