Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,32

you." I managed a smile.

She was watching me, eyes flickering to the coffee cup in front of me.

I took a sip, made some appropriate Mmmm Mmmm noises and set the mug back down.

"You drink that all up, Sweetie. I'll be back to take your order in a minute!" She wandered off to pick up an order in the window.

"What the fuck did I just drink?"

"Coffee, lemon, cinnamon, turmeric, and something else that she won't divulge. However, I have never failed a drug test at the department, so I don't think it's illegal."

"Pretty sure its fucking illegal to serve tar to customers."

"Should have just told her you weren't sick." He chuckled and clinked his mug against mine before leaning back in his seat and putting his arm up on the back of the booth.

"You look more relaxed."

He nodded and smiled. "I feel better, too." His face darkened. "I'm really sorry about this morning."

"Don't be. Everybody is entitled to a few breakdowns now and then. Considering that was your first and you're dating me, you are doing exceptional."

"So, what's going on with you?" He dropped the subject of him and switched to me.

"Just tired. I got a bit more sleep but had a ghostly visitor when I woke up."

He paled and scooted forward in the seat, wrapping both hands around his mug. "Becca? Did you lay her to rest?"

I shook my head. "My father."

"What?"

"Sitting at my table. Dropped by to say hi."

"That's amazing? You don't have to rescue him anymore?"

"He was a phantom. Not really real. He's still in Tartarus."

"What did he say?"

"Abandon all hope. Live my life. There was no way to rescue him, blah, blah, blah."

"You gonna listen?"

"Would you?"

He sighed and took a sip, thinking about it. "I don't know. Maybe."

"You just want me safe, too."

"Yep. I'm a bastard like that."

"You guys decide on something other than a damn cheeseburger?" Marge slipped up while we were talking and pulled out her order pad, shooting Chief a disgusted look.

"Cheeseburger," he said with a smile.

I swear she growled before looking at me.

"Tell Herb to surprise me."

"Oh, no." She rolled her eyes. "He's had twenty friggin' recipes he's had in his head, waiting for you to say those damn words. I'll alert the fire department." She huffed and wandered back to the window. "Herb! Fatty patty for Chief, and a Cauldron Special for Dot."

"It is time," he said and lifted his head, grinning at me through the window.

He hit the play button on the ancient boombox in the window and turned his hat around. The heavy beat of Eye of the Tiger filled the diner.

"Should we run?" Chief turned his head slowly and looked at me worriedly.

I couldn't stop myself. Hysterical laughter burst out of my chest and I sat there in the seat, wiping my eyes for a good three minutes before getting it under control. Every worry, doubt, and crappy feeling that had been weighing me down vanished with the gigglefits. Laughter truly was the best medicine.

Chief had sat back to watch the show, joining me in a few of my more raucous cackles. Sometime during my display, Nana and Mother had entered the diner, grimaced at my hysterics, and sat at a booth along the back wall, pretending not to know me. That just set me off more.

"You gonna live?"

"Yes. Just give me a minute." I rubbed my eyes with one hand and held up the other.

Where are you? Yuki's thought stifled my laughter.

Lunch with Chief. Diner. I sent to her. Everything okay?

The chime answered that question and she slipped into the booth beside me. "Thought you'd still be sleeping. I cleaned up your mess." She shot me an angry glare.

"Oh, shit. I forgot about the coffee."

"You feeling okay?" She put her hand on my forehead.

"Yes!" I pulled away from her cold hand. "Sheesh. Everybody is my mother."

"That would make the world a better place, Dear," Mother whispered from across the diner. I had forgotten about her bat ears. Which was hard to do, since in entirety, she was an old bat.

Ignoring her, I looked back at Yuki. "I got up and everybody was gone."

"Candsie went to work. Jaeren had elfly duties to attend to and went back to faerie last night. And Dar took Ellis to the bookstore. Said they were short on stock help."

"Candsie?"

"Candace and Josie. Candsie sounds better than Jondace."

"You shipped them?"

"They shipped themselves." She started giggling.

"Ellis? They're going to put him to work at the bookstore? In public?"

"Apparently, he's some kind of master wizard or some