Part 60

Part 60
The days after my conversation with Death were spent getting my affairs in order. I had drafted a will a week after we got married and I knew, at least, that Adara would be looked after. We were in a good place and I didn’t want to die with us angry at each other, so I pushed it to one side and just savored the time I had left with my family.

“We won’t be home for lunch. I’m taking Christian shopping.”

“I swear his clothes only fit for a month.” I smiled at Adara because it was true. He had gone into a growth spurt like it was a competition.

“See you later.” I kissed Adara goodbye and grabbed Christian’s backpack.

I dropped Christian off at school and hugged him extra tight like I’d been doing for the past few days. When I was at home I cleared my thoughts and Malachi had looked at me oddly a few times. I couldn’t tell him that I was going to die, I wanted to spare him that knowledge.

I finished up my staff meeting at the hotel and checked my emails. I had to submit my paper in three days’ time for final grading. I looked at the saved file on my computer. I attached it to the email and sent it off to my professor. I smiled. It was satisfying to know that I had kept to my schedule and even submitted it early. Not that it mattered now.

I had written letters to all of them. Those letters were written with mixed emotions. I had to leave them with one final goodbye. In Malachi’s letter, I asked him to keep raising Christian and to look after Adara.

Christian’s letter was for when he was older and I had swallowed my emotions away as I wrote it. In James' letter, I appointed him as the next Alpha of our pack, with Malachi as his advisor; Shoran also had what it took to be the Alpha Female.

I looked at my watch and saw that it was time to get Christian from daycare. I had texted Malachi earlier and canceled training. I had to buy Christian new clothes before it was too late, I had noticed they were a bit tight.

I put on my jacket and switched off my office lights. I greeted people as I walked to the foyer and outside to my Jeep. I loved this time of the day, when my half day at work was over, and I could change into jeans when I got home.

I drove towards Christian’s school and listened to the radio absent-mindedly. I parked in front of the school and waited for the bell. The bell rang and I got out of the Jeep and quickly crossed the street and went into the school. Lucy was shocked to see me as I stood in line to collect Christian and sign the register.

I picked up the pen and looked for Christian’s name. “Hi, Lucy.”

“What are you doing here? Christian went home hours ago.” My head snapped up to hers and I didn’t quite understand what she had just said.

Panic settled inside me and I heard Death laugh in my head. “What do you mean?”

“The nice policeman your father sent this morning. I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother’s passing.” My grandmother? Chills crept up my spine as I looked at her.

“Yeah, sorry, it’s been a rough day.” I practically ran outside to my Jeep and fumbled with my phone as I started driving home.

“Malachi! Did you send someone to pick up Christian?” I asked him urgently as he answered the phone.

“No, why?” Malachi asked.

“He’s gone! Someone picked him up from daycare. Lucy said my grandmother had died and you sent him!” I shouted at Malachi.

“Kiran…I…” Malachi tried to speak.

“I’m headed home now. My phone is going to die,” I said, as the phone beeped in my ear and went off. Traffic at daycare was terrible. Everybody drove half the legal limit and smiled and waved at each other. I was not in the mood today.

I finally got out of the street and raced home. I skipped a stop sign and my tires squealed as I went around a corner. I drove home as fast as the mid-afternoon traffic allowed me. Fifteen minutes later, I stopped in our driveway. I was about to open the front door when Malachi parked next to my car, his face pale.

“What do you mean Christian’s been taken?” he asked worriedly. I opened the front door and we walked in together. He placed his phone and keys on the kitchen counter.

My hands were shaking with anger as I spoke. “I got there to pick him up and Lucy said that he had already been picked up. Apparently, you sent a cop there to get him because my grandmother had just died.”

My mind went back to my conversation with Death. ‘We could always make a trade,’ he had said. No, please not Christian. I would never trade Christian’s life for my own. I would die a thousand times over and over so he could be safe.

“Adrian Peters,” Malachi spat out the name.

I sat down at the counter and ran my hands over my face. I had so many conflicting emotions running through me that I had to shut them off. I screamed in frustration and slammed my fists down on the counter. Adara came down the stairs amidst all the noise.

“What’s going on?” she asked, alarmed as she watched me. I had planned on keeping things right with her but instead I saw her as the enemy.

“You!” I turned around and Malachi stepped in front of me and physically pushed me back.

“This isn’t her fault, Kiran!” he shouted at me. Adara had stepped back as she saw my anger and Malachi turned towards her.

“Adrian took Christian from daycare. We have no idea where he is.” Adara’s eyes filled with shock as Malachi spoke to her.