Did I dare? Hell to the yes, I dared. “Umm…you wanna share?”
His blush deepened. It was adorable. “I think that should be a conversation with the three of us. I refuse to go there without Gram by my side.”
Always the gentleman. I was a little bummed, but some things were absolutely none of my business.
I knew we were getting to the end of our visit. “Mr. Jackson,” I started.
“Call me Joe,” he reminded me. “Or, you can call me Gramps if you’d like.”
“I WOULD LOVE!” I shouted, scaring the old man yet again. This time it only took me three minutes to pull myself back together. “Soooo, Gramps, normally after a visit to the Darkness, the dead are ready to go into the Light.”
I left the words hanging there.
Gramps shook his head vehemently. “Oh no, not my intention. I’d like to experience married life with family around. Gram and I are staying!”
My relief was so profound that my knees gave out. Gramps, because he was a great guy, plopped down on the floor next to me.
“Before we go, I do have a few thoughts on another matter,” he told me.
“Shoot,” I replied. Getting advice from a grandpa—my grandpa—was a new and wonderful experience.
“As I said earlier, I was a lawyer during life. To be more specific, I was a trial lawyer. While I might not speak all that much on the Earthly plane, I listen. If you go the route of suing the present Higher Power, I’d highly suggest getting a diverse jury of peers and finding a judge with no skin in the game to preside.”
“That’s going to be tough,” I muttered. “But talk to me more about the jury, please.”
“If you’re going to end the reign of someone who has ruled since the beginning of time, you need buy-in from as many people as you can find. A jury consisting of Angels, Demons, regular Immortals, mortals and other species, if there are any, would be prudent. Granted, I’m not sure after the stories Gram told about the Higher Power’s plane that a trial would work at all, but I wanted to share my thoughts.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “A trial might work. Gathering the jury could take some doing,” I told him. “Of course, that’s all contingent on us being able to catch the Higher Power and hold It long enough to seek justice.” I tapped my chin as I mulled the idea around. Wiping It out had been the goal, but maybe... There was something about Joe, umm, Gramp’s suggestion that resonated with me. “It’s food for thought. I’ll bring it up to the others when we get back.” I smiled brightly and leaned in for a hug. “But first, I want to celebrate Gram’s and your engagement. I’m so happy for you, for Gram and for our family. I’m going to throw you all a wedding second to none!”
“Your Gram will love that,” he said, emotion welling in his eyes. “So would I.”
Gideon and I had gotten married recently. It should have been a glorious event. Unfortunately, it had soon turned into an enormous shitshow right after the I-dos. Now we had the chance for an I-do-over. Gram and Gramps’ wedding could be the wonderful and peaceful celebration with the sublime aftermath that I’d wished for myself.
Don’t get me wrong. My situation had turned out fine. I was married to the love of my Immortal life. However, Gram deserved a special day, and I was going to make sure I delivered.
“You ready to go back, Gramps?” I asked. The word felt amazing coming out of my mouth.
He kissed the top of my head and pulled me to my feet. “Whenever you are, granddaughter.”
My inner child squeed when he called me "granddaughter," and I was eager to make it official. The first thing on the agenda when we got back was wedding preparations. I would make sure Gram and Gramps had all the bells and whistles for their shindig, and anyone who interfered would get no mercy from the Angel of Mercy.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The chilly morningbroke bright over the stunning Georgia landscape. I’d gotten the first peaceful sleep I’d had in a long while, complete with wonderful dreams about having a grandpa. When I woke up, I was excited that he wasn’t just in my dreams. The sunny day felt like a good omen for a sunny future. At least that’s what I was telling myself. An optimistic attitude was half the battle. I hoped the other half of the battle was just as positive. Only time would tell.
True to the Death Counselor’s new modus operandi, I’d only been absent from the Earthly plane with Gramps for five minutes last evening. It was an incredible relief for the future of mind diving. The old days of being passed out for twenty-four to seventy-two hours were over. I’d be able to help so many more of the dead who came to me for help. We just needed the unfinished and deadly business of dealing with the Higher Power out of the way first. I’d explained to the Immortal contingency about my legal discussion with Mr. Jackson upon arrival home last night. Heather, as a lawyer, was intrigued. Hell, most of them had been lawyers at one time or another. When you’d lived as long as my Immortal friends and husband had, you had many professions over the centuries. It wasdecided to table an in-depth discussion until later. There were too many moving pieces right now.
The Immortal world was never easy. I wasn’t sure who I needed to bribe to catch a break. As of yet, I hadn’t found anyone, but I’d keep searching.
After breakfast, we all went to work. Word had traveled fast, and everyone was thrilled about the engagement. Of course, Gram screaming that she was getting married sped the process along. Even the Demons who had come against their will got into the spirit of wedding planning. It wasn’t every day that the dead got hitched.
Gideon and Charlie were busy bringing the perimeter Demon army up to speed about the zombies and what to look for. The guard Demons were at their posts in the house with the Trinity, but had been briefed by the Grim Reaper and the Enforcer earlier. Our reprieve had lasted far longer than expected. We were waiting for the other shoe to drop. I wasn’t sure when or how the Higher Power would figure out that Its replacements were alive and well, but I had no doubt that It would.
It was a disaster waiting to happen, but instead of just waiting, we were going to live and celebrate the now. We had something big and beautiful to look forward to.
Tim, Candy Vargo, Jennifer, Heather, June, Alana Catherine and I were planning the nuptials with Gram. Candy Vargo insisted that she would preside over the ceremony. That was iffy, considering how many f-bombs she’d dropped while officiating Gideon’s and my wedding. Gram let her know if she cussed her way through the ceremony, she’d tan her hide and make her rue the day she was hatched. Candy agreed to the terms but negotiated the right to cuss at the reception. Win-kinda-win.
Candy also thought it was a grand plan to have Gram and Mr. Jackson ride my dogs, Donna and Karen, down the aisle. She was kicked off the planning committee after that suggestion. It was ultimately decided that I would walk Gram down the aisle and be her maid of honor. Alana Catherine would stand as Mr. Jackson’s best woman. We were a non-traditional kind of family, and it suited us just fine.
