Chapter 7

MORTICIANS EMBRACE

An insight into Kayla’s mother, and how Kayla came to be.

“Jerry Lee, recording eight. Recording the autopsy of John White, age twenty one, autopsy, Start: Cause of death, gunshot wound to the head. Time of death, one in the morning, Sunday, tenth of October, 2006. Manner of death was ruled as suicide, identification of Johnny White, next of kin have been notified of decease. autopsy reveals a fractured skull due to blunt force trauma. White had ongoing problems with drugs. And evidence received shows he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. This recording is by Jerry Lee, and to be shared in confidentiality with family, friends, and those who will care for John White. End.”

“He went fast.”

“Who said that?”

Silence.

Violet Graves stood still in the mortuary. Dark at night, little light from the moon. She worked at odd hours.

“Demi-god.” An unfamiliar voice.

“God,” Violet had to squint her eyes in the dark. The silhouette of a man, tall, head down. “Thanatos, God of peaceful death.”

“I’ve never seen you before.”

“I could say the same.”

Thanatos came out of the shadow. He took his place beside the bed of the deceased man, his hands resting on the edge. “I’m late in my guiding, Violet, yes? Graves. How ironic.”

Violet cracked a smile. Nothing to be scared off. Though, she was surprised she hadn’t seen this man with the past month she had been working her new job. “Yes. I’m Violet, the new mortician.”

“Poor Elise. I’m glad someone like you took her place. I made sure that woman got a calm death. She was so gentle with the bodies.”

Elise, Violet had heard who was the past mortician. Old sixties, a humble woman. Violet was barely half her age.

“You seem similar,” He commented, before pulling his undivided attention onto the body infront of him. “Bless this man’s soul. Not his fault he got caught up in it all. They keep getting younger.”

“My first deceased was a suicide. Girl, thirties. The autopsy, my god.”

“You like this job?” He flipped his head back up to Violet.

“Yes. It’s calming. Quiet. I’d rather have that than a hectic job. I can’t say my mother agrees.”

“Mother? Who, pray tell.”

“Aphrodite. I share… some attributes. Although I can’t say I have similar interests.”

Thanatos nodded, a soft smile forming. “I can’t say I’m surprised for such a Goddess. Besides, i had my guesses as soon as I saw you.”

Violet chuckled at his words and agreed. She wasn’t much bothered of what her mother thought. Her mother always had different opinions. She’d learnt to live with it. “I’ve never seen you since I’ve been working here. Are you not guiding them all?”

“Like I said, I’m late. I often gather them during the autopsy. Not with the mortician. I’m behind schedule lately, it happens every now and then.”

“Well, you’re just in time. He’s being cremated. The crematorium will be picking him up in a few hours.” Violet took a step closer to the bed, trying to get a look at Thanatos. Long hair, natural. Tall- more than six feet. He was formally dressed in all black. His features were soft, extremely soft and welcoming, yet his arms which were clearly toned despite his blazer, well, he was rather muscly.

“I expect I’ll be seeing you quite soon. I need to get back on track with my soul guiding.”

Violet hummed in agreement with a light smile on her face. Wings popped out from his back, a few feathers blowing astray around the mortuary floor. Charcoal black, as soft as the man’s features himself. Large, which towered over him despite being so tall. Violet chuckled. “Oh my God’s, what a sight.”

Thanatos once again lost his concentration. “Indeed, though they do get annoying. Always knotted or covered in ashes. Not today. I really must be going, this man deserves a quick guiding as it is, dear.”

Violet nodded in understanding. Ofcourse. He did. Thanatos gave a last smile before slowly turning to the man. She turned away, and with the light reflected on the wall that disappeared as soon as it came, she turned back. It was as if nothing had happened, everything was as still as the night outside. She sighed, taking ahold of the mortuary bed and getting ready for the cremation.

“Late again, are we?” Violet mumbled to the racket she heard behind her one day.

Thanatos huffed after appearing from the darkness in the mortuary. A common occurrence in the past month. Around five other times had it happened. All of which were lovely occurrences in Violets eyes. The man was wonderful.

“I promise it’s not on purpose.”

“Debatable.”

Thanatos cleared his throat, quickly going over to the deceased. Then, he paused, nothing happened. Which Violet was happy for; she was always good at distracting Thanatos, even though she knew she shouldn’t have. Only for a few minutes. “When is the last time you had a check up?”

“Sorry?”

“Doctor’s check up?” Violet furrowed her brows at the question. This wasn’t the usual conversation route they went down.

“Uhm… a year, or so. I’m not sure.”

“You should go, it’s always- always better to be safe.”

Violet was speechless, her words fumbling before she spoke again. Thanatos had a point, maybe she would. She should, probably. It would be the wiser option. “I’ll… yeah, I’ll do that,” She nodded. Not a conversation she found interesting, however. “So, your day, how’s it been?”

“You know. Normal, I suppose. I’m behind schedule still. Most guidings have been easy today. And this one, this is a good one to finish my day of with. And seeing you…” He uttered, trying to pull his attention back towards the deceased infront of him. This cheered Violet up, and she huffed a little smile as she came closer.

“Ah, seeing me. Well I’m glad I can succeed in such a thing with a god like you.” She smirked.

“A god like me?” He smiled in confusion back.

“Yes. Just a god. Like you, you’re a god.”

“Ah, right. I thought you were going to berate me somehow.”

Violet chuckled. “Never. Just stating the obvious is all.”

“I’ll see you soon, thankyou for taking care of the bodies, they appreciate it.”

Thanatos gave one last direct smile before disappearing when Violet turned around, and the spark of her day disappeared. She went back to her deceased patient. Makeup, for a funeral.

“Dad? Dad?“

Sitting in the armchair of her father’s room in the caring home sat an old, withered man. Grey, short curly hair and saggy skin. Ofcourse, on deaths door. Violet held his hand in comfort for mainly herself. Visits like these were often, and this one had very likely been the last one. Violet’s dad’s eyes had closed a few minutes prior, and his muffled words had cut out towards the end. It had been a quiet conversation, but a conversation none the least. Daily activities, little things that brighten an old person’s day. Her dad loved things like that.

“Dad? Come on, dad?” Her voice cracked.

“Violet.”

Violet let out a little sob as she hunched over in the arm chair, not letting her hand part from her father’s. She knew who was behind her, she knew why, she knew her dad wouldn’t answer any time soon.

“I dropped everything, I won’t let this one wait.”

“Please do.”

“He’ll only be confused the longer his soul is left untouched.”

Violet bit back a Shaky lip. She didn’t want to leave her father. She didn’t want his soul to leave her side. Thanatos took slow, yet heavy steps towards Violet, appearing beside the armchair.

“You don’t have to take him to the mortuary.”

Violet let out another sob. She hadn’t even thought that far yet. “I can’t-“

“I can take him whole.”

“No.” Violet replied sharply. She wanted to take him to the mortuary. She couldn’t leave him.

Thanatos sighed in understanding, his voice as soft as always. “I can drop him of at the mortuary for you. Say your goodbyes, Vi.”

Violet did just that. She held her dad’s hand for a little longer, whispering little reassurances to him, despite being for herself. When she stood up, she gave a pleading look up at Thanatos, who couldn’t help to not internally react. Oh, how it was such a lovely curse to grow close to mortals.

He held his arms out. “Come here.”

Violet took the offer without a second thought, and her breathing quickly settled. He managed to wash over a calm feeling for Violet, and Violet couldn’t be anymore thankful for it. This man was a godsend- well, yes. He was.

Back at the mortuary later that day, her dad was already on a mortuary bed waiting to be seen to. Violet stood still in her tracks after closing the door behind her. Those memories, those youthful memories of having such a good dad. Time was so quick, it was hideous. He lay before her eyes now, not a single aching bone in his body. No worries, no pains, no sadness. Nothing. Nothing for him, alteast.

“You made me pick up my schedule, I’m back on track with my soul guiding. I wanted to be here… for when you got here.”

Violet looked up at the man who stepped forward. Some support atleast. Violet couldn’t be more grateful. The nervous pit in her stomach settled, just a tiny bit.

“I don’t-” She paused, stuttering, opening her mouth and closing it again. “If it’s full price I don’t have the money for his funeral.”

“You’re a mortician, it won’t be the proper amount. And if it is, we’ll, dear, you wouldn’t think I’d watch it all go down now, would you?”

Violet looked up woefully, teary eyed. So much stress. But, this man.

“I’m here, and these souls really do thank you, you know. The woman who cares for them is definitely having her own fathers funeral worthy of his life.”

“Thanatos…”

“Come on, darling. Get him ready. Don’t you worry.” He replied reassuringly, his head drooped to a level more accurate for Violet, who took slow steps forward, before standing beside Thantos and facing her father.

“Death is nothing to be sad about. Or scared of. I’ll have you know, your father told me he felt more alive than he had in the past twenty years when I was guiding his soul.” Violet cracked a chuckle at that. Her heart ached for so many reasons right now. She hadn’t realised tugging on heartstrings was a real thing until now, right now.

“Is this why you asked me to get a check up?”

Violet asked Thanatos who she could hear sneaking up behind her. The man had the most untimely yet welcomed visits. Violet was working on the makeup of a middle age woman, a similar age to her.

“Is what?”

“You knew, didn’t you?”

“Knew what, Violet?”

Violet was silent, holding her breath from making any whining noises while she brushed blush along the woman’s cheeks.

“Well, you knew something. Or you wouldn’t have told me to get a check up.”

“Of course I did, I could sense something,” Thanatos replied. Something could be anything, minor, major. Benign or malignant. “Oh. Oh, Violet.” He cooed, taking a few steps closer, right behind her. It couldn’t be something bad, really bad. Surely.

“I’ve got two to four years left. That’s what he told me.”

No, no. Thanatos had told her to get a check up, figuring whatever he sensed was antibiotic curable. But..

“He can’t be right,” He replied softly. He was close to Violet’s ear, a comforting warmth from behind Violet as he stood behind her. She was trying to not lean into him. To carry on with applying the make up to this woman. “What is it?”

Violet ignored the question, taking a big breath in and stating something from her mind. “This will be me in a few years. She’s the same age, you know. Just a different cause.”

“Violet, dear.”

She sighed, putting the makeup brush down in a hurry. Thanatos made the comforting move of placing arms around her when she subconsciously leaned into him. “Pancreatic cancer,” She mumbled. “Stage… three.”

Thanatos faltered. A sigh came from behind Violet. “Two to four years? I’m not…”

“You said it yourself. Death is nothing to be afraid of, right?”

And for once, Thanatos was reconsidering his own wording. No, he was right. It wasn’t something to be afraid of, not for oneself. But… for her-

“Violet, i- this isn’t right, it’s cancer? I can’t take your soul one day, I wouldn’t-“

Violet cut him off. “Come on, Thanatos. I’m just like any other. It’s not for a few more years… its gonna be fine. If I’m lucky I’ll barely feel any symptoms until the last few months.

He quickly replied, “You’re not any other. It’s not every day I come to a mortician to find a demi-god who does, well, a gods work. Violet, don’t deceive yourself. Do you have any idea how much you make my day?”

Violet stayed silent, and a sniffle came out from her. Some unspoken love this was, and they both loved it.

“Well, same to you.”

Thanatos and violet’s story to be continued. AkA Kayla’s mother. How adorable, literally.

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