by R. L. Naquin
I passed it to her. “I want you to have it. It’s my way of apologizing to you for getting you fired. I’m sorry I was such a terrible client .”
She waved off my apology. “Don’t be silly. You weren’t difficult .”
We both froze for a second, aware of how ludicrous that statement was, then burst out laughing .
“I was a pain in the ass.” I wadded the plastic and tossed it in the trash. “I’m surprised you didn’t quit .”
She snickered. “There were days.” She smoothed her hands over the quilt in her lap. “Are you sure you want me to have this ?”
“Take it. If you ever lose your self-confidence, let it be a reminder that you don’t suck. Your influence stayed behind even after you were gone. It all worked out for me, and I think a lot of that was because of the work you put in earlier .”
She smiled, and her eyes looked a little misty. “I’m touched. Truly. Thank you .”
“Where are you going now that you’re finished in the Underworld ?”
She flashed a grin and sat up straighter. “I’m an Oracle , now .”
“What, like a fortune teller?” I couldn’t imagine why they would take such a beautiful voice and send her to read Tarot cards instead of being on stage .
“Something like that.” She glanced to each side with a conspiratorial expression, then leaned close to me. “Hang in there, Wynter. I looked ahead for you. It’s almost over. Everything’s going to be fine .”
She hugged the quilt to her chest and left, leaving me baffled and wondering what she was talking about .
A s I came up the walkway, I paused and gave the yard gnome the eye. “How’s it going, Frank? Anything new you want to talk about ?”
Frank responded with silence and a noticeable lack of winking or other movement .
I shrugged. “Suit yourself. But I know the truth.” I turned toward the door and took a step .
A teeny, tiny sneeze erupted from behind me. I swung around to catch the sneezer. Frank remained in the same position, unmoved. The flamingo, however, appeared to be turned more to the left .
So weird .
I let myself into the house and dropped my keys and purse on the table. “Phyllis? Hey, I’m home early.” I kicked off my shoes and headed for the kitchen. “I thought maybe we could spend the weekend watching reruns of The Golden Girls . What do you think ?”
I stood in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room, stunned. Phyllis had shed most of her leaves while I’d been gone. Only a handful remained. She was nothing but bare branches shivering in front of the window .
“Wynter.” Her voice was so quiet, I almost didn’t hear her speaking. “I’m so glad you came home. I’m afraid my time is just about up .”
“What? No!” I bolted to her side and knelt near the pile of leaves, gathering them in my arms. “There must be something we can do.” A sob tried to escape and I swallowed it. I would not give in to despair and helplessness so easily. “What would Mom do? You have to know something, Phyllis. Is there a book she’s got stashed? A special food she hid away?” I rambled at her while illogically trying to find a way to put her leaves back on her branches .
The giant sob I thought I’d pushed down escaped as a series of smaller ones .
“Wynter.” Phyllis bent a bare branch to touch me and it snapped. A drop of blood welled up like sap. “Wynter, please stop, sweetheart .”
At the site of the bleeding, broken branch, I halted what I was doing and went still. The leaves I held floated to the floor where I’d gathered them .
“I can’t just do nothing, Phyllis. There has to be something I can do.” My throat and chest were tight .
She barely moved as she spoke. “No, honey. I’m almost finished here. Sit with me. That’s all I want. Sit with me till it’s over .”
I brushed away the tears on my cheeks and pulled a chair over. “Maybe it’s just a bad day. Do you need water ?”
“Please sit down. It’s going to be alright.” One of her branches gave a slight quiver and a leaf dropped to the floor .
I looked away from it. “You knew this was going to happen.” I picked at the blue nail polish on my thumbnail. “You were trying to protect me .”
“You had so many other things going on. I didn’t want to add to it until I had to .”
I nodded. “Taking care of me all the way to the end .”
“You don’t need anyone to take care of you, Wynter. You’re doing that yourself , now .”
“I guess so .”
“Did your client finish his painting ?”
I knew she was trying to change the subject. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea. “I don’t actually know. I believe so. But you were right about the ‘Imminent Death’ thing. He’s gone now. I saw him off at the River Styx with his lost love this morning .”
Reliving all that gave me an idea. If I had to lose Phyllis, at least I could visit her in the Underworld. Death was not the end for me anymore. Maybe this wasn’t as bad as it felt .
I relaxed a little, though my heart gave an extra thud with every leaf Phyllis lost .
“Well, that’s nice. At least he got a happy ending. You did good.” She sighed and it sounded like wind blowing through dry reeds .
I nodded. “The Underworld’s not so bad. You’ll like it .”
She was silent for a moment. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m not going to the Underworld. I’m transitioning straight into my next form .”
I frowned. “What does that mean? Where will you go? Who will you be?” My throat tightened with the idea that this might truly be the end for us .
“I don’t know, actually. It just happens. Then I wake up somewhere else as something else .”
“But why?” I was horrified. “This is a terrible way to live. Did someone do this to you? Is it a spell? I know the queen of the witches. Hecate likes me. I can fix this .”
Phyllis gave a weak chuckle. “My darling, look how much you’ve grown since I came to take care of you. You didn’t care about anything. Now you care so much. And you want to fix everything for everybody. I’m so proud of you .”
“I’m still a mess.” I shook my head. “Look what happened with Mark .”
“You’ll figure that one out for yourself. I have faith in you .”
Tears rolled down my cheeks and dropped into my lap. “I don’t want you to go. I’m not ready .”
“Shh. You’ll be fine.” She tried to move a branch toward my face and another leaf dropped. “Hey. Why don’t you tell me how your day went? I want to hear the whole story about your painter fellow .”
And so I told her the whole story with all the gory details and the sweet ones. I told her about all the friends who came together to make it happen. I told her about Phoebe, and I told her everything I’d hidden in my heart about Mark .
The sun went down, and we talked about my future and a little about my past. With each hour, Phyllis’s voice came from farther away inside of her. I couldn’t stop it. My friend was dying. The only thing I could do for her was honor her last request to keep talking. But she wasn’t done taking care of me, apparently. She still had one last item on her list .
“Did you call that boy from jury duty, yet? Scott ?”
I shook my head. “I haven’t had a chance. Besides, I’m not sure what good it would do to rehash the breakup. We clearly didn’t see it the same way .”
Phyllis coughed, and two more leaves dropped to the floor. “That’s precisely why you should go, don’t you think? Maybe you need to see it from his point of view before you can work things out with Mark .”
Talking about my love life while sitting with my dying friend seemed self-centered and out of place. But it was what she wanted .
“I’ll think about it .”
She let out a soft sigh. “Think hard. I don’t want you to be alone. You deserve to be loved. You have to learn to let someone love you .”
I drew my arms around myself. “I let you love me.” And look h
ow that had turned out. I didn’t mention that part, though .
“Yes. And I had to fight hard for it. You didn’t make it easy, you know .”
I smiled, remembering how I’d thought my plant talking was all in my mind. “I put you outside so I couldn’t hear you anymore .”
She chuckled, and the laugh turned to a cough. “I sang louder until your landlady came running .”
“That was not cool .”
“But it worked. You finally believed I wasn’t a hallucination .”
Mrs. Terwilliger had heard Phyllis singing the theme song from The Fresh Prince and thought it was me singing in the courtyard in the middle of the night .
I smiled, remembering. “You could have gotten me evicted .”
“Served you right, ignoring me like that .”
I laughed, but the lump in my throat made it sound desperate. I changed the subject and talked about Phoebe and the play I’d seen her in. I talked about Hal and his wife. I talked about Jilly and Trina and how much fun I’d had taking them to House of Nyx. When I thought I’d run out of stuff to talk about, I told her about how I gave myself a bad perm in seventh grade and ended up having to pay a stylist to relax it and fix what I’d done .
My voice went scratchy somewhere in the middle of the night, and Phyllis’s responses became fewer and farther between. I caught my eyelids closing a few times, but still I kept going .
But I’d had a long, emotional day, and my body eventually gave out. My head came to rest on the table somewhere in the middle of a story about how I’d broken my arm in second grade when I fell off the top of the monkey bars at the park while attempting to escape from a hot lava monster. I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep until hours later when the sun streaming through the window woke me up .
I groaned, lifting my head from such an uncomfortable position. “Phyllis, why did you let me fall asleep?” I rubbed my eyes and turned to my friend .
She was gone. Phyllis’s branches had dried up, and her trunk had withered into the soil .
“Oh, Phyllis, no.” I held out my shaking hands and ran my fingers softly through the dirt. I thought I’d cried enough the night before, but it seemed I still had gallons of tears in reserve. Phyllis was gone, and I had nothing but dried leaves and a shriveled root system left to say goodbye to .
As I sat staring at my dirt-covered fingers through blurry eyes, a key turned in the front door. I sniffled and rubbed my face with my forearm .
“Wynter?” Mom’s keys clattered on the table where I’d dropped mine the night before .
I didn’t turn to look at her. I was deep in grief and didn’t want to say anything I’d regret later. She could have helped, but she wasn’t there. She hadn’t been here when I needed her .
“Hi, Mom.” I sniffled again and made another swipe at my face .
“Oh.” She stood behind me in the doorway. “I see it’s over .”
“Over?” I swung around and stood in one motion. “You knew this was going to happen?” I took a step toward her, my grief turning to rage, and tripped. I went sprawling and landed on my hands and knees .
“Careful!” Mom bent to help me up .
I climbed to my feet and turned to see what had made me fall. My eyes grew wide in surprise. “ Who’s that ?”
An old woman—a naked old woman—lay sprawled on the tile. Her white hair floated around her head and covered her cheek. I hadn’t noticed the sound before, but a familiar snore drifted from her open mouth .
“Phyllis?” I moved closer, leaning over her, and brushed the hair from her face. “Mom? What’s going on ?”
Mom knelt beside me with an afghan she’s snagged from the sofa. She placed it over the sleeping lady and gently shook her. “Phyllis? It’s time to wake up .”
The woman’s snoring stopped, and her eyes fluttered open. They were as green as a pine forest. I’d never seen eyes so green before .
She blinked and sat up, glancing around the kitchen. “What’s going on?” Her gaze found my face and the confusion on her face faded. “Wynter. Why am I still here?” She reached to touch me and stopped, staring at her hand. “I’m human.” She caught a glimpse of her hair and pulled it around so she could look at it. “I’m an old human .”
Mom chuckled. “That’s temporary. You’ll age backward until you arrive at the age you were when you…when I had you cursed .”
My head swung around . “What ?”
She nodded. “You’ve studied enough Greek mythology to know how these things work, Wynter. It was a very long time ago. I was jealous. Things got out of hand .”
“You were jealous, so you cursed a woman to an eternity as a reincarnating plant who had to play nursemaid to losers like me?” I tried to keep my anger in check. She was right. The gods used to be total dicks. I’d read all the stories. I grew up on them .
Mom’s hands were curled in frustrated fists at her side. “I’m trying to make up for it .”
“By leaving town when I needed you and making me sit up most of the night while my best friend died? What the hell is wrong with you?” I took Phyllis’s elbow and helped her to her feet. “Let’s get you some clothes .”
She put her hand on my arm—much like she had done with her leaves in the past. “Your mother couldn’t stop the process. She had to let it play out.” She turned to my mother. “Thank you for your forgiveness, goddess.” She bowed lower than I expected her old frame could manage, especially while keeping hold of the afghan .
Mom—the goddess Persephone—placed her palm on the top of Phyllis’s head. “Thank you for caring for my child. Your debt is paid in full. Go with my blessing .”
A chill ran up my spine, as if I’d witnessed something deeply spiritual or sacred being exchanged .
“I’ll find what I need in the bathroom, Wynter.” Phyllis smiled and kissed my cheek, then left down the hall .
“Seriously?” I gave Mom the side-eye. “What just happened ?”
“Things are different now. Not so harsh. But a word of advice, my darling.” Mom leaned close and whispered in my ear. “Never sleep with a married god. His wife will not take it well .”
Chapter 21
B one weary and emotionally tapped, I slept through the majority of the weekend. Mom made me get up and eat a few times, but I went right back to bed afterward. It didn’t matter that Gordon got the girl in the end or that Phyllis was reborn and temporarily living in Mom’s spare room until she figured out what to do with her brand new life as a human. I’d been emotionally steamrollered, and my body and mind needed a reboot .
By Monday, though, I was ready to return to the world .
Mom made pancakes and bacon and coffee, and I scarfed it down as if I’d been starving myself since she’d gone away. After gorging on crispy bacon, I stopped, the last piece hovering in my hand. I stared at my mother. “You cooked meat. You don’t cook meat .”
She shrugged and smiled. “I had to do something with it. I couldn’t keep it in my refrigerator .”
I frowned, chewing. “Did Grandmama come over while I was sleeping?” That had to be where the bacon had come from .
Mom took away my empty plate and set it in the sink. She spun around and grinned at me. “I can’t believe you gave the magic rock to Demeter .”
I crunched my piece of bacon and chewed slowly. “It worked .”
“Still. Pretty ballsy .”
I smiled and wiped my fingers on my napkin. Part of me was amused right along with her. But part of me relived the fear and helplessness of being a mortal while a powerful goddess was completely out of control. And the only one who could have helped me was off with her husband somewhere waterskiing or playing shuffleboard. Who knew what gods did on vacation .
I knew she’d left me on purpose. She couldn’t be around while Phyllis ended her curse. I had to be alone for that—sort of a like a final test to prove I no longer needed a houseplant guardian. I understood it. But I was still a little sore. It would take time for the resent
ment to completely fade. Logic didn’t always cancel out emotions. I wasn’t angry. It would just take a little while to shake off some of the residual feelings of desertion .
“I’m going to be late.” I shoved my phone into my purse and gave Mom a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for breakfast.” I took a few steps toward the front door, then swung around and went back to her. “I’m really glad you’re back.” I hugged her tightly .
She hesitated for a moment, probably surprised by my spontaneous show of affection. She wrapped her arms around me and stroked my hair. “I won’t leave you again, baby. I promise .”
I left for work knowing we would be okay. But I also knew I probably needed to move back into my own apartment , soon .
A t the office, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I no longer had even one client. Would I have an inbox full of ten new ones? Would I get my old ones back ?
Would I be given a lecture for failing Gordon? I didn’t know for certain that he managed to finish his painting before his accident .
My heart sank when I reached my desk. My inbox was empty, and a note from Polly was stuck to my dark computer screen asking me to see her in her office. My worst fear had happened. Apparently, Gordon hadn’t finished his painting after all .
I dropped my purse in the cabinet under my desk, took a deep breath, and made my way to my boss’s office. The door was open a few inches, and I hesitated with my knuckles poised to knock .
“Come in, Wynter.” Polly’s lyrical voice floated through the open crack like a fistful of flower petals welcoming me into a parade .
I often forgot that Polly was a real Muse with godlike powers. Her knowledge of me standing at her door when she couldn’t see me made me shiver. I pushed the door open and peered inside .
“You wanted to see me?” I closed the door behind me and tried not to fidget .
“Sit.” She nodded toward a straight-backed chair that had taken the place of the weird interactive chair I’d struggled with the last time I’d been here .
Apparently, it hadn’t made the cut .
I perched on the edge of the new chair, waiting for it to do something weird. It didn’t .