Free dark faerie 06 - ever dead by alexia purdy Page B

Pulling away from him, she spent a few moments looking over her grandson.
    “It looks like you are keeping fit, although you are a little thin. Are you eating enough?”
    Hank grinned. “Not really, but we were kind of hoping that you could fix that!”
    Ariel grinned, “I most certainly can! How about some coffee?”
    Grabbing his hand, she led him over to the small kitchen table before making her way to the counter to whip up a batch of coffee.
    “I had a feeling something different was going to happen when I woke up this morning,” she exclaimed as she poured the water into the coffee maker.
    “Oh yeah?” he replied cautiously, “So did I actually. In fact, it was the most different morning that I have ever had.”
    Hank’s parents had both died years ago in a car accident, the same accident that had crushed his foot. Being only ten at the time, he moved in with his grandparents until he’d eventually gone off to college. When his grandfather had died ten years before, it had left just Hank and his Nana. She was the only family he had left.
    Ariel nodded at his response as she pulled some cinnamon rolls out of the oven.
    “I just happen to have a large batch of cinnamon rolls ready to eat for breakfast,” she smiled as she set the pan on the table. Turning toward the counter again, she pulled open the lid of a crock and pulled out a dog biscuit. 
    “And here’s a goody for you too Luci,” she said with a smile as Luci sat on her hind legs to receive the treat.”
    “Since when do you keep dog biscuits in the house?” Hank asked suspiciously as he bit into the hot cinnamon roll.
    “Since I went to the store early this morning,” Ariel smiled as she sat a steaming cup of coffee in front of him.
    He stopped chewing as he stared at his grandmother. She just returned his smile as she sat down next to him with her own cup of coffee. Placing her hand on his arm, “Finish chewing Hank, chewing your food properly is one of the hallmarks to a long life.”
    In spite of his curiosity, he finished chewing before he spoke next.
    “Did you…know we were coming?” he asked quietly.
    “I had a good idea,” his grandmother replied cryptically. “Please, have another roll, I made plenty.”
    Hank placed his hand on hers instead, looking at her thoughtfully before saying, “Nana?”
    “Yes, Hank?”
    “How could you know that we would be coming here today?”
    Ariel shrugged her shoulders. “Well you know it is long overdue. I guess I was just hopeful!”
    She smiled at him then, seeming confident that this reasoning would put an end to his doubts.
    He grabbed another cinnamon roll, taking a bite and chewing it slowly as he stared at his grandmother suspiciously.
    “I don’t buy it,” he finally replied when he finished chewing. “I’m sure you don’t do this every weekend…why this particular one?”
    Ariel was by then staring at her coffee cup, running her fingernail around the rim distractedly. Finally sighing, she replied just above a whisper.
    “Dulci told me.”
     
    ***
     
    Hank jumped up and away from the table, glaring at his grandmother like she was a demon.
    “Oh my God!” he literally screamed. “Wait! You know Dulci?”
    “Oh my God!” he repeated then. “I mean…do you know who she was? I mean…with Tamaki?”
    Hank had always called his Grandfather by his first name. Tamaki had insisted on it.
    Ariel nodded. “Sit down son; you will ruin your digestion.”
    Still staring at Ariel like she was from a different world, Hank nevertheless made his way back to his chair and sat down.
    “I’m sorry for exploding like that Nana...but…what the hell?”
    Ariel placed her hand calmly on his.
    “I knew someday that this may come up. I was hoping it would miss you of course, with the curse and all. But with Howie’s passing…”
    Hank felt so lightheaded that he crossed his arms on the table in front of him and lowered his head as he let out a moan.
    “This can not be happening to