The Grim Reaper’s Mate

Alias

David knocked on the door, startling me.

"You okay in there? If you're finished, I need to use the facilities now, roomie," he called.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" I threw open the door and scurried out mumbling, "I'm used to my own bathroom," as I scurried past him. In my poor life, we only had one small bathroom that we shared. I guess I've forgotten a lot about that life, like basic courtesy.

I went to my room and saw that David had laid out my bed and few belongings. On the floor next to my bed was a picture of my mom and dad and me. I knew my dad still had this picture, but I hadn't seen it in a long time. I walked over and picked it up, tracing his happy smile and gazing at my own smiling face. My mother had her usual tight, stressed smile. She was a beautiful woman, even when she looked agitated.

I set down the picture and turned my attention to my few remaining worldly goods. I had grabbed a couple of t-shirts and a pair of jeans that I liked and three comfortable dresses that didn't look designer. I set aside my undergarments and tucked them under the dresses to hide them. Then I brought out my soft robe, a little luxury that I couldn't bear to leave behind. Tucked under that was a worn fairy tale book that was my favorite story to read with my mom as a child and a worn out doll made out of some of my dad's mismatched socks. He had tried making it for me when he couldn't afford the pretty doll in the store window. I've always loved her. He tried to throw her away once, but I retrieved her from the trash, and he never took her again.

This was it. All that I had left of my previous life was sitting right here. I couldn't afford to make it look like I had escaped and lived to see another day. My bed was gone from the crime scene, but I don't think that's too unusual. It is nice, after all. A thief could easily take it. Or a homeless person who happened upon the chaos. That was feasible, right?

"Hey. You all done unpacking?" David asked from the doorway.

"Yes. I didn't bring much. It's a relief to have a simple life again, to be honest. I'm excited about it," I admitted.

"I'm sorry to hear that because you have millions of dollars in cash at your disposal. I do know how you should spend some of it. There's a nice salon down the road. Let's go there and get you turned into Angel. Angel, uh, what do you want your last name to be?" David pondered.

"Angel Hemlock. My childhood best friend had the last name of Hemlock, and liked it. I'm sure she wouldn't mind my borrowing it," I decided.

"Angel Hemlock, my pretty new girlfriend that I brought out of the poor district for her beauty and charm. How about that?" David teased.

I smiled and nodded shyly. "Yeah. That works."

He offered me his arm and escorted me down the stairs and out to the street. Children raced up to him and tugged at his sleeves.

"Mr. David! Mr. David! Please open your store! I got my allowance this week!" A little boy with two missing front teeth and an adorable face full of freckles begged.

"Not right now, Sonny. I need to take my new girlfriend to Ms. Patty's Salon. I'll come back and open up this afternoon just for you. How about that?" David grinned at the playful little boy who yipped and jumped happily.

He turned to the little boy and girl also trailing David and yelled, "Didja hear that?! The candy shop is opening this afternoon just for me! I'm gonna get some gum balls today!"

The other kids bantered with him about the best kind of candy to buy, and we soon left the small group of children behind as we made our way down the sunny, welcoming street.

"Those kids really seem to like you," I observed quietly.

"Yeah, well. I'm only an assassin because being a candy shop owner doesn't pay much," David mumbled. I couldn't tell if it was meant to be a joke or if he was serious.

"Well, if you want to quit moonlighting as a murderer, I'd be happy to share some of my millions with you if it means keeping your little shop open for those adorable kids. I could even help you expand your stock," I suggested. David quickly shook his head.

"Nah. That would be way too suspicious. I just had a hit job on a millionaire mobster who had a pretty daughter who up and disappeared only for me to suddenly have enough money to quit my job? The boss would be on to me in half a second. Too dangerous. Believe it or not, it's safer for you if I stay a hitman."

"Oh," I answered softly. I like David. He seems like a genuinely nice person, but I don't want to be stuck in the mobster world. If I stay with him, I run the risk of never getting to leave the world I have so come to despise. I'll need to start thinking of a way to support myself without sticking out too much. I can't get attached to David. It's too risky.

"Here we are," he announced in a sing-song voice, stopping in front of a light pink and slightly faded shop front with a mannequin head of a lady with a wig on in the window.

"Um...I don't want my hair to look like that," I said, pointing to the short, frizzy bob on the mannequin.

"And I don't blame you for that. Don't worry. Ms. Patty is very good. She just can't style wigs," David reassured me with a chuckle.

"Right. Um. Okay. I guess I trust you," I said nervously, frowning deeply at the ugly wig in the window as David gently pushed me through the door.

"Ms. Patty?" He called. "You here, ma'am?"

Something crashed in the back, and I heard a low curse before a plump little woman rushed out looking flustered with something brown spilled down the front of her clothes.

"Goodness, David! You know this is my breakfast break! You scared me so bad I spilled coffee all over me! Heavens," she suddenly gasped, looking at me with wide eyes. "Who is this angelic woman you brought to me?"

"Interesting you chose those exact words, Ms. Patty," David answered with an indulgent smile at me. "This beautiful lady is Angel Hemlock, my new girlfriend. I met her in the poor district. She moved in with me not long ago, and I thought it would be nice to get her done up for her new life in the middle district."

"Oh, my yes! It will be my delight! My honor! My pleasure!" She cried, forgetting her breakfast break and scurrying over to a chair to swivel it around toward me. "Come on over, my dear. Oh, but you are a beauty! No wonder you caught David's eye! He's the most eligible bachelor of the middle district, you know. Good with kids. Handsome. Mysterious. Funny. Kind. Why, I'd marry him myself if I was younger!"

"Ms. Patty, you flatter me," David laughed, but then he turned serious as he led me to the chair. "She needs a completely new look. Her natural hair color is unique and lovely, I know, but it would be best if she blended in. I'm thinking maybe brunette. Cut it to below her shoulders as she doesn't want it too short, but she needs it styled to change her looks a bit."

"Oh? You sound as though you're trying to disguise her, not get her done up," Ms. Patty said suspiciously.

"That's exactly what I'm doing," David answered, and my heart caught in my chest until he spoke again. "She needs to look like she belongs to me: the Candy Man of the middle district. I won't have her poor relatives trying to take me for everything I have."

I wanted to laugh out loud at that thought, but instead I gave the lady my best puppy dog eyes, received a tut-tut from her, and then was spun around to watch my past life fall to the floor in long, silvery locks.