Death's Kat

After leftovers put away and dish washed, I told Dad that I was heading to my room. He doesn’t say a word as I kiss him on the cheek and walk down the hall. Why should he? After all I just ‘came’ back to life. Sighing I shut the door cutting off the sound of the evening news.
“Death, I….need you,” I choke out the words. A cool touch on my cheek lets me know he’s here.
“Little cat are you alright?” He says in a concerned voice.
“I don’t know anymore,” I wiggle my way into his arms. I feel his muscles relax melting under my touch. Out of all the people in the world he should be the last person I want to seek comfort from.
“This is…..,” his voice is low.
“Not use to someone hugging you? I bet Jett never gives you a hug.”
“No Kitty, he does not hug me. No one has ever hugged me before; it is something that feels right when you do it. Now come tell me how your first day back at school went I want to hear all of it.” Death picks me up as if I am a child and carries me over to the bed.
I start by telling him how the whole student body thought I should go back to the grave. I even told him about how my two best friends Tina and Alex were acting towards me. As I talk I feel the cat ears and tail come back. The velvet soft fur is a strange feeling underneath my fingers; I’ve never had a cat. So this feeling is so new to me. We lay on the bed together talking about how the day went at school or in his case work. My head rest on his shoulder with my new ears against his jaw. Death plays with the tail catching it and letting it go only to catch it a second later. I never noticed how gentle his husky voice is, it has a soothing charm about it. Death tells me that I should call him by his name Draven. It’s strange to call Death by another name.
“What type of job do I have to do for you?” My question breaks the silence that has fallen between us.
“You my dear little cat are going to comfort people as they pass. In your cat form you shall lay with them, helping them to well let’s just say to help.”
“You mean help them slip away in peace?” I sit up to look at him. His whitish blonde hair all a mess and his eyes closed. He appears to be asleep.
“That’s one way of putting it,” he peeks through his lashes. “Just think of it as giving them a peace of mind. Something peaceful to remember as they cross over into my realm.”
“That’s so sad,” tears roll down my cheeks. Such a sad job that I get.
“Don’t cry little cat,” he reaches out pulling my back to his chest. “I know that it is going to be a hard thing to do but I know that you have it in you. Katherine you are a strong young woman.” A flicker of warmth runs through my body at the sound of my name on his lips. A thumb wipes away the falling tears leaving behind warmth that lingers.
“You know that’s the first time you’ve ever said my name.”
I feel the chuckle build in his chest before I hear it come from his mouth. “Because to me you are little cat, Kitty, or just Kat, just those names I wish to call you by. Why don’t you like the names?”
Before I can give him an answer a knock comes from the door.
“Kat,” Dad’s voice is low. He sounds so sad.
“Yea,” I call out as I pull away from Death.
“Can we talk?” Quickly my hands fly to my head to feel that the ears are gone. Turning to say thank you, I find an empty bed.
“Yea come in,” I shout. “Thank you.” I whisper in a low voice knowing that he can hear me.
Slowly the bedroom door opens as Dad appears. His eyes are red and glassy. He’s been crying. I wonder why?
“Dad is everything alright?” I leap from the bed and run to him. Instead of an answer he warps his arms around me, pulling us together into a bear hug.
“I’m so sorry for all the years of drowning you out. I never meant for that to happen. I was just so caught up in your brother and his sports, I forgot about you. Tell me if there is anything that I can do to make it up to you?” A sob sounds in my ear. So my ‘death’ has gotten to Dad but not Mom. Right now she could care less about me.
“Dad, their fine don’t worry,” is the only thing that I can say. After all the years of being shut off to them, it felt normal. I got used to being on my own all the time.
“No its not fine Kat, it wasn’t right that I did that. But I promise you that I won’t do it again.” Dad pulls back and kisses me on the forehead. “You better get some sleep kido. I love you Kat.”
“I love you too Dad,” I watch him disappear into his room. This has to be a dream because there is no way that was Dad. Pin and needles settle in on top of my head and right above my butt. “Hello tail,” I say as I shut the door. Everything is happening why too fast for my liking. “Dea….Draven are you here?” The name sounds different and feels weird on my tongue. But it is only answered by silence. Death is done talking to me tonight.
Sitting down in the middle of the room I think back to what Dad told me.
“This isn’t fair,” I sob. “How is this fair? I finally get the Dad I always wanted, one that cares about me and here I am half cat half human. But why should I care. I went years without him caring or even noticing if I was in the room.”
“Things are never fair; it’s the way the world works.” Death appears on the edge of the bed his head hanging low.
“Well it sucks.” I spilt out.
“Welcome to the life that I have always known.” He looks up with so much sorrow in his eyes. Life has never been fair to him, but that is why he asked to marry me. I am supposed to change that.