8 New Envelopes For George and John

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"If I only knew then what I know now." – Georgia Lass

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George drove. Daisy sat in the passenger seat and Tommy was in the back seat. She had a persistent tingling sensation that annoyed the hell out of her. It wasn't a reap key working its way into her brain. That felt different. But it was something from upstairs and it was heading her way. She pulled into the Waffle Haus parking lot, found one of the good spots, visible from their booth, and turned the engine off. There was Penny's Camry. Penny rarely came here on her own and Marsha refused to learn to drive. Very soon Marsha would be coming in her own limo. She crossed her fingers. She should be living under Trip's roof very soon. George hoped they could transition the woman out and away from their group and maybe just maybe away from under Rube. Her reputation had proceeded her. The brief celebrity flaring around the fact she was the only reaper to come back from the Dark had faded as Seattle reapers got to know her. The fact was that no one in Seattle wanted anything to do with her. Harsh, but true, and why she was brought back was a mystery to George. However long she existed as a reaper the sight of the woman would remind her of Maria and her own personal failure to save Maria from the Dark.

She looked over at Daisy, who was way too freaking cheerful this morning. But why wouldn't she be cheerful. Since she had assumed her maternal duties upstairs sent very few reaps her way leaving more for Mason, Rube, and her to deal with. As Mason would say she wasn't breathing in death every day. She could pretend she was alive and throw herself into the greatest role she ever wanted on the biggest stage she ever dreamed of. Marsha picked up some duties but ran light. She was tenuously connected to Rube, but resided apart from the rest of them. First she shared a roof with Penny, something even Penny tired of, and soon she would be under Trip's roof. It was a big roof so everyone hoped that it would last. George sure didn't want Marsha living with them. From her few and mercifully brief interactions with the woman she was quite sure she had a few screws loose. True Daisy had her annoying moments. Daisy wanted to be taken for one of the aristocratic blue blood types, but Marsha was the real deal and she lived and died in a time when that meant something and for her that time was just yesterday. Rube…and Penny insisted it was just her being so abruptly shifted out of her time, and out of her social class. Bull. She was more than a little bit delusional. And she was here today no doubt with all her delusions intact.

Daisy threw cold water on her ruminations. "Georgia, Sweetie, I hope you don't zone out like that when you're driving." She finally noticed the Camry. "Georgia, look who's here." Daisy liked Penny and always looked forward to gossiping with her. But. "I hope she didn't bring…"

Penny's Camry probably meant Marsha, and Marsha would be complaining, complaining about something, everything. Mason pulled in to her left. At that they all got out and entered the Waffle Haus double doors. Penny and Marsha were sitting at a large table with Reggie and a surprise guest, Grace. George headed for Rube at their booth. Kiffany offered coffee as George pulled in across from Rube and next to surprise number two, John, who was sitting apart from Reggie. Kiffany placed a cup in front of her and one in front of Mason as he took a space next to Rube. Daisy and Tommy headed to the table. Huh, Daisy assumed she wouldn't get a reap this morning. What was really annoying was she was probably right. Rube made no move to pull her over likely confirming that irritating little fact.

Marsha was the one reaper in their circle Tommy did not refer to as an aunt and did not offer to hug when he met her. Probably he picked up on Daisy's negative feelings about the woman. Or maybe he picked up on the near brawls that almost broke out whenever Marsha and Daisy were in the same room. Mason thought there was some serious jealousy working just below the surface. No kidding. George was sure it was something like that too. They each had something the other wanted, needed. George noticed Kiffany standing off watching the two forces coming together at the table. With Kiffany there was a good chance she knew something was about to happen. Reggie caught George's eye and George saw her raise her eyebrows a tad before jumping back into the table's cross talk. They had maneuvered the seating so that the two women would be at opposite sides of the too small table. It wouldn't be far enough.

Rube pulled her attention his way. "Peanut. Good morning to my girl."

"And good morning to you too, Rube." She picked up two sugar packets.

Rube's planner was at his left. John was in his default quiet mode. He did not normally show up for their morning meetings. That tingling was flaring again. She looked back toward the table. It wasn't normal for Grace to be here either. She and Reggie often hung out together, at least when she and John weren't together, but all here this morning? That did not bode anything good. Mason and John exchanged some small talk and greetings.

Rube seemed to be studying her. OK now she was feeling something coming her way. She invited it in. "OK. Hit me Rube."

"Peanut. Have you ever explored the great outdoors?"

"Sure. Everyday Rube I breathe in this great-to-be-alive Seattle air."

Rube pulled a book from his booth seat next to the side board and placed it in front of her. Very unusual postit. And then she focused on the cover. The book was an old often abused oversize paperback book with the picture of some guy standing outside on a mountain top with a very large backpack towering up over his head. The title was 'Beginner's Guide to Backpacking' and Rube pushed it toward her…right up to her coffee cup. Rube looked over to the other table and called out, "Grace. Could you join us?"

Grace looked puzzled, got up, and came over. John glanced back at his cousin and frowned. He looked from Grace to Rube and back.

Rube pointed to his side of the booth and said, "Mason scoot this way a bit and let the young lady in."

She sat down but the way she settled onto her seat reminded George of a bird who's realized she's alighted a bit closer to a cat than is safe. Rube was her great great something grandfather, but he did not go out of his way to create opportunities to get closer to his many descendants. George knew John wanted to keep Grace away from them. She could sense it, and she didn't fault him. Grace would be better off staying away from her ancestor, someone in the normal course of things she never could have met, was not supposed to ever meet. George could see John was not happy at all. He wanted to say something, but knew better. He looked her way. George shrugged and shook her head. She didn't know what was up. He wasn't here on his own either. Rube or Roxy must have called him to come in. Last year when John first got called in to the Waffle Haus to sit at this booth he ended up on a road trip with her to LA to retrieve Maria and as a result contracted a terminal case of ghosting - something he would take to his grave i.e. incurable.

Kiffany was taking orders over at the other table. George finished sugaring her coffee and reached for the cream.

Rube said to Grace, "I understand you did quite a bit of backpacking in your recent college career."

Grace looked like she just discovered she was holding a winning lottery ticket. She had been called to come in. And she was too young and foolish to be afraid. She forgot about sitting next to the cat. Her anticipation showed in a big smile. "Yes, I did. Actually I'll be leading the University's Law and Order Society outing just before the new school year begins."

"Yes, you will. And George here…will be going with you."

A silence fell on the booth that was broken by George's spoon tinkling the sides of her cup as she stirred the cream into coffee. George picked up her cup and blew on it. She sipped a bit. It was too hot. She put it down and said, "Sounds like fun. A night out under the stars, marshmallows and Hershey bars, and somebody dying a horrible death. Sign me up."

John raised his hand above his coffee cup to get Rube's attention, to say something, but Rube cut him off. "You won't be going. Grace will be there supporting George." Rube fixed his eyes on George but spoke to Grace, "Grace. How long is this…trip, this outing?"

"Ahh. It's a more than a week - 13- 14 days actually. And this is not car camping. We will be going out and away from roads, carrying everything in our packs."

John again was about to say something, but this time Grace cut him off. Grace said, "It'll be fun, George. But you know only students can go and then it's for students majoring in some law enforcement…."

"That will be fixed. George will be taking classes soon…."

George made a bigger, much more important point cutting Rube off. "Rube. Two weeks. Outside?"

Rube fixed his eyes on hers. "Yes." He tapped the book. "You need to read up and…you need to go out on some practice hikes…with Grace."

Grace seemed excited. "Sure. I'd be glad…"

John was fidgeting. George had no experience with sleeping outside except those annual vacations with her family at the lake and that was in a cabin in a bed. Two weeks outside was above and beyond. "Rube." Two weeks was absolutely crazy. Food? Like in hot food? Showers - hot showers - none for two weeks? "Rube. OK, let's go over this again. I'm going to be the only reaper?"

"Just you."

"How many are dying on this little outdoor walk through Eden?"

"One."

OK. That was odd. "Why tell me so early?"

"You need to get ready."

"Who's dying?"

"You."

"Resurrection?"

"Yes. Millie Hagen, new student, tragically will meet her end. Details as to exact time and location to follow."

John found his voice. "Is Grace in any danger?"

Grace flared a bit. "John, I won't be dying. I'll be just fine."

Delight was written on Grace's face. Obviously backpacking was familiar and John had told her of Grace's eagerness to get more in the middle of the action. She had felt left out. Reggie had told her of getting almost killed, shot and almost dying, tortured and almost dying, and Grace was the proverbial moth who couldn't resist the flame, which caused John no end of heartburn. He wanted a plain vanilla ice cream life for his little sister, while she wanted to pour jalapeño sauce on whatever came her way.

Rube looked at John. "Don't worry. She'll be just fine."

Was that disappointment she saw on Grace's face?

John sighed heavily. Poor John. His not imagined problem was Grace's willingness to get closer to reapers and her distant ancestor, Rube. He wanted her to stay as far away as possible and probably not unreasonably he wanted her to avoid his fate. But it was her life…and more to the point…her death…even if that death wouldn't be occurring on this particular trip.

Millie was due to find her end. George looked way too young to support the Millie Hagen ID that had her on top of 30. It already had been a problem more than once with people looking at her driver's license, noticing her birthdate and then re-checking her face, which because she hadn't aged since she died at a tender age of 18 was exactly the same. This resurrection death was good, really very good. A resurrection and some new ID meant she wouldn't be forced to relocate, she would be staying right here in Seattle. And that was just fine. She smiled.

Mason noticed her smile and said, "Georgie girl. I think there's another shoe about to drop."

Mason, to the casual observer, came across as an idiot. George having known him for over 10 years was aware of certain character flaws which hid some deeper currents of insight he possessed about people. He just rarely turned his insights on himself. She paid attention to his warning. She could still feel the echo of that tingle and her resurrection didn't account for it. Why was John called here? She studied Rube's face and there was the confirmation of something more about to drop. Rube smiled. Ahh shit. There was more. His eyes had that sadistic sparkle. He pulled out from that space in his seat next to the wall two envelopes and placed one in front of John and the other in front of her. Ahh fuck.

"Rube. No."

"Peanut. Yes."

John sighed again and leaned back making no move to touch the envelope. He crossed his arms and looked down at the it. He shook his head and smiled in a 'ahh I'm fucked' sort of way. She picked hers up and opened it. It was filled with cash. She put it down. "OK, Rube. Let me have it."

"In San Fransisco there is a new reaper, no more than a few months old, who has a God complex. Something you may know something about."

She stirred her coffee and took a long sip and then gulped down most of it. Maybe not hot enough. She put it down and looked for Kiffany to get a refill. With all this talking it had cooled too much. She ignored Rube and his insinuation. She wasn't sure what specifically he was referring to, she had committed more than a few reaper sins in her short undead afterlife.

John put his hands to his face. He put them down and asked, "Rube, why am I going?"

"Did I say you were going?"

John pointed at the fat bundle on the table. "Yes. The envelope."

"Well, yes, you are going."

"And why?"

"I don't know. When I need to know I'll know. When you…"

John jumped in. "And I need to know then I'll know…Yeah, I've heard that somewhere before."

Rube smiled at his distant descendent. She had never been to San Francisco and she wasn't against taking an opportunity to see the outside world, but the sticking point here…going with her sister's fiancee could be awkward, the more so given they had a history together. Oh, well. Reggie knew about that history already.

John said, "That really leaves a lot of questions, good questions, unanswered."

Rube shrugged. George put things back on track. He had more to give up. She asked, "And what do you know now, Rube?"

"Well, Peanut, this reaper believes he can stop all death from non-natural causes. He's ginned up a revolution, or he thinks he has. He and his followers have been interfering with appointments in ways that leave the intended still alive." He paused and locked onto her eyes. "And as we know that can have all kinds of unintended consequences."

She knew now all too well what he was referring to. Early on the idea of interfering with an appointment had occurred to her too - although her motivations were perhaps not as lofty or as noble - she had stopped one man from meeting his scheduled end only to have several hundred others die as a direct consequence. Their deaths were on her and she still had nightmares about all those faces. None of whom would have died but for her deciding to play with that one man's fate. She looked down at her coffee which needed to be stirred. "I remember, Rube."

"Maybe that's why you were selected to go…to explain to him…to them."

"Is that all? I just explain to him?"

Rube got very serious. "No. You give him and any of his followers a choice. If he and they make the wrong choice you make sure that they won't be making any more such disruptions to the balance."

Kiffany showed up with a fresh pot and catching her eye held it up. George nodded and Kiffany filled her cup to the brim. "Thanks, Kiffany." She turned back to Rube. "And why John?"

"I don't know." He pulled a postit - no name just a hotel and address - and placed it in front of her. "You're to check in at this hotel. And I have an old friend down there, this reaper's boss. He'll find you and fill in more details."

"Does this revolutionary have name?"

"Conrad. He goes by Conrad."

"And your friend?"

"Taylor. He used to work here in Seattle. He knew Penny and Marsha back then and witnessed Ice dust two reapers." He paused and looked off a bit and then continued, "Right over there." He pointed out into the parking lot. He looked over at Grace and then John. "My daughter, Rosie, was very young, no more than six years old. Ice took her home and it was the last time I saw her until…"

She could see his memories pulling him elsewhere. "And Rube. When do we go?"

"Now would be good."

John sat upright. "You know, Rube, I have active cases and…"

"Roxy will take over. And…these things have a way of falling into line." He pulled out a map, this one detailing Northern California, and another map for Oregon.

Grace said, "I'm going, too."

John, in his big brother voice, said, "Oh no you are not." It was a valiant attempt, likely inspired by his sense of duty to protect his little sister, but already George could see in Grace's face that big brother's will would be tested. Poor guy.

Grace said nothing…to John. She excused herself, Mason let her out, got up, walked over to Reggie, and pulled her away from the table for a huddle. George had to suppress a smile. Grace knew how to get her way. The two came over to their booth. Grace sat back down in the booth next to Mason and Reggie pulled a chair up and sat at the end. Reggie looked at John and said, "We're both going."

George and John in chorus said, "What?"

Grace said, "We're both going. It's simple."

Reggie picked up. "You're not taking…."

John found his voice and looked to Rube. "Come on, Rube, there has to be a rule against this sort of thing. They…we…"

George needed to reinforce his counter attack - he seemed to be faltering far too prematurely. "Rube, remember the last time we had to do several reaps on the way there and on the way back and it did get a little dangerous more than a few times…John got ghosted. You want your…your…whatever granddaughter here to get ghosted?"

Rube shook his head. "I'm not getting in the middle of a bunch of women squabbling over some guy."

That pissed her off. He was deliberately misunderstanding what was going on here. "God Damn it, Rube. We're not talking about John."

Rube put his hands up. "I'm out of this. Kiffany. I'm ready to order." He pulled a menu up to block any further discussion. Well, he was out. It was up to her…and John…and it didn't look good.

Grace and Reggie got up and returned to the other table. George ordered some oatmeal and tried to figure out how this had happened. John was not happy. She sure was unhappy. She did not want Reggie on a trip like this. John got ghosted on the last one and she wanted to keep Reggie away from reaping in general and odd jobs like this in particular. She looked over. The two were discussing plans for God knows what and telling the others the good news.

Mason was smiling. She glared at him. He said, "Georgie. No more shoes."

Boy was he wrong.

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George packed a few things and while Reggie was out getting her stuff together George left to gas up her SUV. She got back and pulled up to the curb. She saw Joy's car at the curb. Oh oh. She entered the front door and also noticed right away how things could get much worse. Inside Joy was there standing with her arms crossed glaring at her challenging her to some imagined personal combat. George expected her to pull out a cross and wave it in her face. No cross appeared, but George could see a bag packed next to her on the floor. Ahh shit. Reggie walked in noticed the stand off and shrugged George's way. They had been talking.

Joy's eyes narrowed and she threw down the gauntlet. "If Reggie goes, I go."

Great. Her dear Mother, who thought George was one of the greater demons straight out of Hell, wanted to spend the next few days, or Christ, the next week traveling together in the same SUV, eating in the same restaurants at the same table, sleeping in the same hotels. John walked past carrying a few bags. He didn't look at her. His face had the cast of a condemned man with no options left walking the narrow path to his end at the gallows. Yes, things could be worse. For him he was going to be in the same car for the next week or so with his sister, his ex, his current, and his soon to be mother-in-law. What could go wrong there? Doomed. Grace appeared and she and Reggie were chattering away now moving a few bags of their own outside to load up. She looked back toward her dear Mother who was still in full-on glare mode, her hate-the-monster mode, ahh that monster would be her, all directed at her, and likely for the duration.

She got her two bags and went to load up. It was going to be a bit tight but not for lack of room. Thanks to the reaper she dusted, Paul, yes, thankfully his taste in SUV's ran to the oversize and he had picked a very large one, they would have enough physical space with one extra bench seat in the back for her to sleep on. She wasn't so naive this time not to expect reaps on the way. Outside she and John removed the last seat in back leaving plenty of room for luggage and still the one extra bench seat. She turned to get behind the wheel and John was standing there. He said, "I'll drive."

"Fine." She got into the front passenger seat and off they went. Her Mother, Grace, and Reggie shared the bench seat just behind. Joy was joylessly staring out the window while Reggie and Grace discussed shopping. They had apparently spent some time researching choice shopping districts in downtown San Francisco. Reggie had taken the hotel address and mapped it and downtown San Francisco. John stared straight ahead driving as if alone. This trip for her as for him was something to get through and hopefully without letting anything nasty coming to the three, or maybe the two, in the back seat. Accidents do happen. Oh, Christ, she was going to Hell for sure.