Keepers of the Underworld

Chapter 4

Dee knocked lightly on the door and waited for a reply. He could hear people inside talking and arguing. Dee did not wait any longer to be invited in. He had a job to do whether they wanted him there or not.

"Who are you?" a man who appeared to be in his mid to late twenties demanded from a chair in the corner of the room.

"I'm Dee Pappas. I am the new attorney here at the center. I'm visiting all the residents and their families to ensure there are no questions and see who I can better assist in this time of transition," Dee politely said, hiding his accent as he spoke.

"Transition? Is that what we are calling it now?" a woman scoffed from the sofa. "My son is going to die one way or another, and the sooner, the better it will be for all of us."

"Why do you feel that way?" Dee asked with a genuine interest in the answer the vile woman before him would give.

"Look at him! He's nothing more than an overgrown infant now," the woman spat.

"And you are his mother?" Dee questioned.

"Yes. My name is Rachelle Collins."

"And the rest of you? I can only discuss Travis' legal matters with those who are authorized," Dee coolly stated as he looked at the man in the chair and a man sitting on the opposite end of the sofa from Rachelle.

Rachelle jerked her head toward the man beside her and said, "This is my son Justin, Travis' older brother. Over there is Keith, Travis' cousin."

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm aware both of you are on the releases to discuss Travis' care and health," Dee said, keeping his professional demeanor. "Do you have any questions or concerns you would like to address?"

"I want to know why the staff is working so hard to keep my son from dying. Hasn't he been through enough?" Rachelle grumbled.

"Ms. Collins, I assure you that the care your son is receiving is the standard of care. The nurses will do their best to make Travis as comfortable as possible as his condition progresses. They are not doing anything that will prolong his life," Dee told her. He wanted to gauge her response to him by stating the facts about her son's care.

"Yeah, that's what I keep being told," Rachelle hissed.

The door opened, and a woman walked in, closing the door behind her. Dee was immediately put off by the woman due to her attitude and appearance. She strolled into the room dressed far more for a night out at the club than anything else. She was tall and so thin she was emaciated. Dee had no doubt that her complexion would have been pale and sallow if not for the dark artificial tan. Her overly processed bleached blonde hair was stringy and unkempt.

What made it worse was when her eyes fell on Dee, she tried to smile at him seductively, which had the opposite of her desired effect. Dee was instantly repulsed by the thought of even touching her long enough to shake her hand if she insisted.

"I'm Jennifer," the woman cooed as she held her hand out to Dee and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"Dee Pappas, attorney for Spring Haven. I came to see Travis, and if anyone has questions about his care and arrangements," Dee told her as he fought the urge to recoil away from the wretched woman. He could feel the despicableness oozing out of her.

Jennifer laughed, "Why would you want to see Travis? It isn't like he can tell you anything."

"I have been doing this a very long time. I promise you that Travis can tell me far more than you know," Dee scoffed.

"Do whatever you want with and to him. He won't notice," Keith said as he pulled Jennifer onto his lap.

"Perhaps not, but I would," Dee said as he moved to Travis' bedside. He held Travis's hand as he pushed the young man's hair away from his face. Dee softly asked, "Is that better, Travis?"

Travis gave a shuddering inhalation, causing Dee to raise his eyebrow out of curiosity. He watched as a tear formed in the inner corner of the man's eye, and his eye twitched almost imperceptibly. Dee took a tissue from the bedside table and carefully wiped the tears away.

Dee's eyes shifted to the hand he was still holding. He could feel Travis' fingers twitching as he held them. While it might have been a coincidental muscle spasm, Dee thought it was more.

"I promise. You will be at peace soon," Dee consoled the man. "I also promise you that my Sephi will be there with you to guide you when it is your time."

"Why are you treating him like that?" Keith asked as Dee released Travis's hand and gently pulled the lightweight blanket over his arm and shoulder.

"I treat him like this, because while he is not my son, I understand it could be my son in his place. I treat him like I hope someone would treat my child."

"Even if it is a waste of time?" Justin snickered.

"Doing things that ensure my conscience is clean, and I sleep well at night is never a waste of time," Dee replied.

"If you say so," Jennifer snorted.

"If you will excuse me, I have some things I need to finish in my office. Again, if you have any questions or concerns regarding the legal aspect of Travis' stay here, please let me know," Dee told them politely before leaving the room.

The visit to Travis Collins' room had made Dee angry. He wanted to yell and throw things. In all his years as the king of the underworld, he had never met a family that was so insufferable. They had no concern for the young man who was the resident. They made it clear that while he was dying, it was not fast enough.

He dropped into his desk chair and dialed his cell phone. He scowled as he continued to think about Travis. He needed the information Darius was collecting faster than expected.

"Yes, my king," Darius answered at the other end of the line.

"Have you included medical records in the information you are obtaining involving the Travis Collins situation?" Dee asked.

"I am now," Darius answered. "I take it something has happened."

"It has. I am of the same opinion as Sephi. I think he understands what is happening around him and is reacting to it. If he does, that young man's family is even more repugnant than we first thought."

"I doubt that is possible in regard to his family. When you read the information I have sent you, you will agree. Until the day of the car crash, Travis had a spotless record, not even so much as a traffic ticket. I find it difficult to believe that he would suddenly go from an honor student and model citizen to a felon in a matter of hours," Darius said.

"That is my thinking as well," Dee sighed. "Thank you, Darius. I will look over the information after dinner tonight. Melanie wants us to visit a little diner she has fallen in love with."

Darius chuckled, "It is the one over on Elm, I understand. The food and atmosphere are both nice. You will enjoy it."

"If you enjoy it so much, why don't you join us?" Dee smirked. "I might need the help if Zach is in a mood and tries to irritate all of us."

"Only if it is not a bother."

"Not at all. Sephi would love to see you, and you know how my children can be. Grown or not, they still know how to annoy us to no end. We are meeting at seven."

"In that case, how could I refuse," Darius laughed. "I will see you then, and I will try to have an update for you as well."

"Thank you, Darius. See you then," Dee said before hanging up. He began feeling better as he stood and strolled to the nurses' station to see his wife. He smiled at her as she typed away on the computer. He was right in front of her before she noticed him and grinned.

"Hello, my love. Is there something I can help you with?" Sephi asked him.

"I invited Darius to join us for dinner tonight. I hope you don't mind," Dee grinned with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Of course not. Darius is closer to family than some of our real family. Besides, he can help if Zach starts being extra Zach tonight," Sephi giggled.

"That's what I said!" Dee exclaimed as he gave a booming laugh. "He also seems to know the diner Melanie wants to eat at and said the food is quite good, as is the atmosphere."

"In that case, let's finish up our work so we can go home, change, and have a nice family meal."

"Of course, my queen. Anything you wish," Dee said with a bow before he turned back toward his office.

Roxy rolled her chair beside Sephi's and said, "You know, I think it is that, "my queen" thing he does that gets me."

"It gets me too. That's why he does it," Sephi laughed.