“Mother, I’ve told you it’s time you moved on.” I don’t wait for her to nag at me about what I should do. I continue. “You know you are dead and need to stop messing with my life. Move along now, you are holding up the line.” I smirk at my own thought, as I can imagine a line of up-and-coming angels getting pissed while my mother is holding up the line, like she’s in some store waiting to be served.
I shut out anything my mother has to say and grab my coat ready to head out to work. I’m working at the funeral home, which I hate because honestly, they will not shut the hell up. Telling me all about how they died. If someone did somethingbad to them. How much they loved their families. I even had one tell me her husband poisoned her, and yeah you know it. I found the proof and had him arrested. He’s serving life at this point.
Walking to work, I do my best to ignore the 6’2” asshole walking beside me, talking about his time in the military. How much he loved and missed his brothers. Things he’d seen and done. How he was shot in the head and never saw it coming. But his priority before he leaves for the next life is to see his military brothers safe.
Through gritted teeth, I snap, “Will you go away!” I pick up my stride, but you know I’m shorter than this idiot, being only 5’4” so he keeps up, and the asshole has a grin on his face knowing exactly what I’m trying to do.
Sighing as I come to a stop, I look around and thank everything holy that nobody is around to witness my conversation with a… well, they’d only see me talking to empty space, so would have me looking like a looney-tune. Gritting my teeth again, and thinking this could cost me in dental work, I snap, “What do you expect me to do? I’ve been to the place you told me to go. I spoke to the man. I did what you asked me to.”
I tilt my head to one side as I listen to him prattle on, but he’s just repeating himself until he says that he knows ZeBach is coming and he’s going to blow up the clubhouse.
My mind whirls as I think of the people I saw at that clubhouse, and it wasn’t just a few. There had to be at least twenty or more. Goddamn it, I’m going to have to go back again! “Bono, if you get me killed, I’m going to kill you all over again. That’s a promise.” Of course, that has him laughing his ass off and telling me he likes me. Asshole!
I head into work and the first thing I’m met with is Alan Pilhurst screaming about me being two minutes late. Twominutes! Well, I’m about done for the day being screamed at and ordered around. I look this ignorant idiot right in the eye. “I’m done. Wash them and dress them yourself. I’m done with it and you. I’ve worked here for four years and only been late once. Today is two freaking minutes and you are on my back. Well, Alan…” Yeah, I snarl. “I’m done. No notice is needed because I have enough information on you charging more than you should and pocketing the difference. In fact, I may speak with Mr. Gordenstone and tell him what you are up to. Yeah, that is a good idea I just had.”
Turning, I march out the door with the idiot right behind me, because we both know he’s not going to want to deal with the dead people in the building.
“Hey, hey, come on, Cilla. I’m just having a bad morning…”
Oh, I whirl around on him and feel smug when he takes two steps back as we are nearly nose-to-nose. “Don’t call me Cilla. I told you only my friends call me that. You are not a friend. You are a miserable asshole who needs to get a life. Maybe a new job where it’s not so morbid would help. But as I said we are done, I’m going home and not coming back.” I whip around and rush away, not giving him a chance to respond.
“Shut your mouth,” I snarl at Bono who is still following me around. “Go away, for goodness’ sake! Give me a break.”
I storm ahead of Bono, but I can hear him damn guffawing. If he weren’t dead, I’d strangle the asshole. Now, I’ve more things to worry about, like getting a new job and going back to that clubhouse. But first, I need more information on this ZeBach fella.
Closing the door, I put my purse on the table in the hall, then place the house keys in the small pot next to the purse and hang my jacket on the coat hook.
I’m now in automatic mode. Make tea. Chamomile should do it, calming! Once done, I sit at the small kitchen table and take a sip while closing my eyes. I throw up my mental barrier to give me a moment’s peace from Bono who is now standing in front of the sink watching me.
Once I’ve calmed and feel more like myself I open my eyes, but keep the mental barrier in place for a moment longer. Bono is still watching me patiently, but I suppose he’s dead so he has all the time in the world!
Finishing my tea, I drop the barrier and speak to Bono. “Okay, tell me all about ZeBach and what I need to tell your friend Tracker.”
I listen to Bono fill me in on who this man is, why he is crazy about having revenge. The fact ZeBach needs to die because of all the vile things he has done, and that I need to help his friends because there are more than one of his old team at the clubhouse.
“So, let’s see. One - ZeBach is here to kill all your friends because during a mission you all had demolished his place, which killed most of his nasty ass followers. Two, - he is being chased by Homeland Security because he’s classed as a terrorist. Three - you can keep that information to yourself.” Bono laughs again at that last comment, but I plow on. “Do you know where ZeBach is now?”
I listen while he mulls over the question, then shakes his head that no, he doesn’t. I give him a tut and a shake of the head before speaking to him again. “Well, get gone and find out. I am not going to that clubhouse with no information that can substantiate what I’m telling them. Go on, buzz off and don’t come back until you have better information.” I close my eyestightly and wish him gone and opening one eye I’m happy to see he has. Wow, I’ll have to try that one again.
Heading into the living room, I pick up my laptop and walk back to the kitchen table where I open it and start it up so I can search for a new job. Thankfully, I have savings and the amount my mother left me when she died. I used the sale of her house to pay off my mortgage. It gave me the opportunity to save more, and I’m at this time not overly worried about finding a job tomorrow. But this time I want a job I may actually enjoy.
After finding the local newspaper section where jobs are listed, I write the vacancies onto a notepad. My hope of a good job is going further and further down.
·Diner – server needed
·Motel – cleaner
·Bar – kitchen help
·Lawyer's office – receptionist
Well, that doesn’t leave much choice, and I’m not cleaning that motel because it’s a dive and I know the pimp uses it for some of his ladies. Yuck, no way am I cleaning in that place.
The bar is where a lot of the bikers hang out, and I’m not sure that is my cup of tea. I have nothing against them. I just don’t know them, and Bono placing me on their radar is enough.
As for the lawyer’s office, I give myself a moment to chuckle because I can imagine someone coming into the reception and I already see they have something to hide, or I can tip them off. Nope, it’s not a good idea at all.
That leaves the diner! Hmm, well I suppose I can hand out meals without too much trouble. If I put my barrier up before going into work I’ll not see everyone’s family, friends, or enemies hovering over them while they enjoy their breakfast or meal.