Grim Reaper 01 - Embrace the Grim Reaper

head, somehow not surprised that Loretta could see Death. “No. This friend was just leaving.”
    Death frowned. “I was?”
    “Nice lady’s friend?” Johnny turned from his task in the corner and headed for Death, arms open.
    “No! Not you, too!” Casey stepped in front of Death, and Johnny’s face fell. “I mean,” Casey stammered, “my friend has…a cold, Johnny. I don’t want you to get it.”
    “Oh. Sorry, nice lady’s friend!”
    “Well,” Loretta said, pointing at Death. “If you have a cold, baby, you get out of the kitchen. Praise the Lord we don’t need anyone else getting sick.”
    “But I’m not—”
    “You heard the woman,” Casey said. “Get out.”
    Death frowned. “I’ll be back.”
    “Oh,” Casey said, sighing. “I have no doubt about that.”
    With a final glare, Death stomped out the back door, leaving it flung open.
    Loretta clicked her tongue. “With a temper like that, we don’t need more help, do we, thank the Lord ?”
    “That’s right,” Casey said.
    For some reason cutting up lettuce got a whole lot more enjoyable after that.
    The smell of pizza soon filled the kitchen, and Eric and Leila carried it out to the diners—Leila shooting Casey smug, angry looks—along with the salad and some chips. Leila must have felt so strongly about Casey’s presence it was worth it to serve her own family. Casey stayed in the kitchen, helping Loretta and Johnny with dishes and refilling the pizza trays as necessary.
    Before long the people were gone and the volunteers were standing around eating the leftovers. Leila didn’t leave Eric’s side, her demeanor daring Casey to make an issue of it. For the second time that night Casey had to remind herself that martial arts had no place in a charity kitchen.
    “Well, it’s about that time.” Eric said, glancing at his watch.
    “I’ll drive you to rehearsal.” Leila batted her eyes at Eric.
    He glanced at Casey. “I’ll just walk. Thanks, though.”
    “Oh, then I’ll walk with you,” Leila said. “I can leave my Bug parked in the back, can’t I?”
    Eric looked at Casey. “You coming?”
    She smiled. “Why don’t you two go ahead. I’ll catch up with you there.”
    Leila’s narrowed eyes widened, and she smirked, grabbing Eric’s arm. “Come on, Eric, let’s go.”
    With a pleading backward glance, Eric allowed Leila to lead him from the room. Casey listened until she heard the front door open and close.
    “You should go, too,” Loretta said. “You’ll be late for rehearsal, Praise God! ”
    “I’ll go in a minute. I just didn’t want Leila to kill me before I got there.”
    Loretta chuckled. “You just take that friend of yours along, babydoll. Then that girl will behave.”
    A good idea, but there was no way Leila would be seeing Death. Casey was quite confident of that.
    She picked up a pizza tray to take it to the sink, but Johnny was already coming at her for a hug, and the tray came up, smashing against her chest. He backed up, and they looked down at the mess, splotches of tomato sauce and cheese clinging to Casey’s shirt.
    Johnny cried out and grabbed a dishcloth, swiping at the spots, making little sobbing noises.
    Casey gently took his wrists, holding them away from her. “It’s okay, Johnny.”
    “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He jerked against her hold, wanting to go at the stains with the cloth.
    “Really, Johnny.” She tried to make eye contact. “It’s okay. I’ll wash it out.”
    “Just don’t you put that blouse in the dryer until those stains are all gone, baby,” Loretta said. “Or they’ll be there until kingdom come, Lord willing.”
    Johnny gasped. “Not the dryer!” He jerked his hands upward, flinging the dishrag, narrowly missing Casey’s face.
    “I’ll spray the spots really well,” Casey said. “And I’ll double check before throwing the shirt in the dryer. I promise.”
    “No!” Johnny said, coming at her again with the dishcloth. “Stay away from the dryer!”
    Casey again grabbed his wrists, forcing him to look at her, but his anxiety had climbed way past a simple messy accident. “Johnny. It’s okay. I’m not angry. The clothes will be fine. I promise.”
    “No! No!” He jerked and writhed, sudden tears running down his face.
    Loretta was there now, laying soothing hands on Johnny’s shoulders, praying for God to come and throw his calming presence over their beloved brother in Christ.
    “The dryer!” Johnny screeched.