“What?” Azrael gaped at Lucifer. “Dad, I thought you were going to rule Heaven?”
“Me?” Lucifer laughed. “I never wanted to rule Heaven. Granted, I never wanted to rule Hell either, but I've come to love it. Hell is my home. This,”—he waved a hand toward Heaven—“is not. No, this is Jesus's birthright. He is the King of Heaven, and he cares enough about his people to do right by them.”
“I told you already,” Jesus said, “I don't have the power to rule Heaven.”
“You have your father's connection to the humans. They see you, your mother, and your father as one. When he dies, the energy will go straight to you. Trust me.”
“Says the Devil.” Jesus smirked.
“The Devil is always right.” Luke laid a hand on Jesus's shoulder. “That's what makes me so very evil. Bwahahaha.”
Holly snorted. “He's not always right, but in this instance, he is. Go on, sit down, Son.”
“No. I won't claim the throne until my father is gone.”
“Fine, but don't go giving it away either.” Luke patted Jesus on the shoulder, then went back to sitting beside Holly.
As Luke sat down, Holly got up. She went to her son and hugged him. “You will make a magnificent king.”
“I'm not king material, Mom,” Jesus whispered.
“Yes, you are. King of Kings, remember?”
Jesus made a face.
Holly abruptly went stern. “Jesus, it's time for you to grow up. No more lazing about, smoking hashish, and meditating. Gods don't need to meditate.”
“It's pot, Mom, not hash. And it barely does anything to me.”
“Then why do it?”
“I like the smell.”
“Darling, it's called skunk weed for a reason; it stinks.”
Jesus chuckled. “Good, maybe it will keep the Angels from bothering me.”
“Jesus Hadranius Christ!” Holly said in her mom voice.
“Hadranius?” I whispered to Luke.
“It was her father's name,” he whispered back. “He didn't make it out of Atlantis and she loved him very much.”
“I'm so sorry.” Then I processed what he said. “You mean, the humans got it right when they came up with Jesus H. Christ?”
“Oh, yes. It's one of those things they learned but then forgot, then remembered, but couldn't remember how they learned it, to begin with.”
“Uh-huh.”
Meanwhile, Jesus Hadranius Christ hunched before his mother like a teenage boy whose stash of Playboys had just been found. “Mom,” he whined. “Let me do it my way.”
“Very well,” Holly finally gave in, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss Jesus's cheek. “I love you. I know you'll make the right choice.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Jesus pulled her into another hug. “I love you too.”
“Sweet Jesus,” Austin muttered again, then plopped down on the floor beside the Throne of Heaven.
Chapter Thirty-Four
