Grim Reaper 01 - Embrace the Grim Reaper

her eyes. She wondered how long she would have to work there before they would be brave enough to acknowledge her presence.
    She met up with Eric at the kitchen door. “You okay?”
    He shrugged. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
    Right.
    The diners ate the cookies quickly, and were soon headed home. Eric stood as host at the front of the room, shaking hands and patting the kids’ heads. Casey smiled. He should be running for office.
    As soon as the door shut, Eric locked it and strode to the kitchen. “Any of that macaroni left, Loretta!”
    “ Thank you, Jesus , there’s just enough!”
    She pulled a partially filled casserole dish from the oven, and Casey found a couple of bruised peaches in the refrigerator, which she sliced and distributed on their plates.
    “Silverware, nice lady!” Johnny thrust a bundle at her.
    “Thank you, Johnny.”
    “I’m the best at wrapping it, you know.”
    “Yes, Johnny, you definitely are.”
    They sat at the end of one of the dining room tables, Loretta said grace ( Thank you, precious Jesus!), and Johnny told them all about a restaurant he’d visited when he was sixteen, and how the napkins were folded like pyramids. Eric made comments at the right places, but Casey could see he wasn’t entirely with them.
    He finally set down his silverware on his empty plate. “Well, Loretta and Johnny, do you mind cleaning up? Casey and I have a rehearsal to get to.” He smiled at Casey, almost erasing the worry from his face.
    “Is it that time already?” Casey glanced at the clock. The day kept flying by. And she wasn’t exactly looking forward to another meeting with Thomas, or coming face-to-face with this Holly person, who obviously didn’t want her around.
    Eric stood and took Casey’s plate, along with his. “We can clean up before dinner tomorrow. If Loretta doesn’t mind wiping down the tables, at least?”
    Loretta clucked her tongue. “Of course I’m happy to do that, baby. Jesus wasn’t afraid to work, thank the Lord! ”
    “I appreciate it. See you tomorrow, Johnny?”
    Johnny jumped up from his chair to hug Eric, and spun toward Casey. She was ready this time, and folded her arms protectively in front of her chest to receive Johnny’s embrace.
    “See you tomorrow, Johnny.”
    “See you, nice lady.”
    Eric walked her to the front door, so he could lock it behind her. He smiled as she passed. “Wanna race again?”
    She made a face. “On a full stomach? I don’t think so. Besides, I don’t want to make you look silly in front of the cast.”
    “I’ve still got the car.”
    “Yeah, but I’m getting a head start, and it’s not that far.”
    He grinned. “What if I told you I’m walking?”
    She waved at her bike. “You can have a ride on my handlebars.”
    He eyed the old Schwinn. “I think I’ll pass, thanks.”
    “How ‘bout I just wait for you to lock up, so we can arrive together?”
    He leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed. “Scared?”
    “Not for me. But I think Thomas is going to be gunning for you tonight, after your show of…whatever it was last night.”
    He pushed off from the jamb. “Nah. He’s too wimpy, when it comes right down to it. And he really has no say in the matter.”
    “I wanted to ask you about that—”
    “So we’d better get going. Just a sec.” He trotted back into the building and came out with his bag, Loretta following. “She’ll lock up. Shall we?”
    Casey walked beside her bike, with Eric on the other side.
    “It’ll be interesting tonight,” Eric said.
    “Why’s that?”
    “Whole cast will be there. You only met some of them last night.”
    “Aaron and Jack, right? And Becca?”
    “Yup. And there’ll be a few more. Todd, who does some of the older male roles, and Leila. She fills in wherever needed—acting, props, whatever.”
    “And will I like Holly?”
    Eric froze.
    Casey stopped a few feet down the sidewalk and looked back at him.
    His mouth was a tight line. “How do you know about Holly?”
    Casey shrugged. “That was the detour I talked about. Why you beat me to Home Sweet Home.” She explained the churchyard conversation.
    He put his hands on his hips and looked at the sidewalk. “No wonder.”
    “No wonder what?”
    “You’re curious about Thomas and me.”
    “Yeah, well, I was curious before that. Last night’s rehearsal wasn’t exactly drama-free.”
    He gave a quick smile. “I guess not.” He began walking again, and she kept pace with the bike.
    “So