21. ZARA
ZARA
“Are we visiting anyone tonight?” I was fully expecting Morpheus to say no, in which case I was planning to ask him if he minded me heading home early as I felt bad leaving Tilly all alone at the manor so often, even if she was probably sleeping.
He surprised me though, by announcing that we did have one visit, and then he had somewhere he wanted to take me.
“So where are we going?”
“First we’re going to see a daughter – not as many times removed as one might have hoped – of Dionysus.
” I felt a blush start to rise in my cheeks as I remembered that night on Olympus and he gave me a curious look.
“We’re going to talk about that blush later, Mathitevómenos.
I hope you haven’t been letting that philanderer lead you astray. ”
“Of course I haven’t.” I hoped I’d managed to sound indignant enough for him to let it go. “So what’s Dionysus’ however-many-greats granddaughter been up to?”
“Unfortunately, she appears to have inherited his weakness for a pretty face. Or in this case, a handsome one. She’s done very well for herself financially, courtesy of the two extremely wealthy husbands she outlived and some very astute investments, and now, at the ripe old age of seventy-two, she’s got herself involved with a much younger man who’s convinced her she’s the love of his life.
He’s working very hard to get her to change her will to leave everything to him and if she does, it seems unlikely it will be long before it comes into play. ”
“That’s a little harsh. Maybe he really does love her. I mean, look at the age difference between me and Seth. That doesn’t make me a gold digger.”
He gave me an exasperated look. “Zara, trust me when I say this situation is nothing like yours and Seth’s. The woman we’re going to visit is the third one he’s persuaded to change their will in his favour in the last five years. Neither of the previous two are still alive.”
“Oh.” There wasn’t really anything I could add to that.
“Oh, indeed. Hopefully I can convince her not to change her will, and to eject him from her life as soon as she can. If not, I’ll have Phobetor pay him a visit and make sure he disappears.”
“Sounds to me like he deserves that visit either way. Where else are we going?”
“As we’re going to New York for our visit, I want to show you one of the places there where I help out when I can. Oh, and while I think of it, everyone there knows me as Nero, so try and remember to call me that, not Morpheus.”
“Got it, boss.” I started to step closer to him, surprised when he held up a hand to stop me and looked me up and down.
I was wearing jeans and a long jumper tonight, along with some comfortable low heeled pixie boots and I prepared myself for one of his scathing comments about my ‘deplorable clothing choices’.
Instead he just asked, “pink socks again?” and then chuckled when I nodded.
Lush didn’t even begin to describe the room Morpheus whisked us away to this time.
An enormous four poster bed was the focal point of the room, set on a raised platform that looked more like a low stage with the three steps leading up to it.
The drapes were made of heavy burgundy velvet that screamed ‘expensive’ and must have been a nightmare to keep dust-free, but then I doubted anyone who could afford to live in a place like this was doing their own dusting.
A huge, ornately framed mirror was set on the wall between two doors, and if I had to guess I’d have said one led to a dressing room and the other to a bathroom.
If this was just the bedroom, then the rest of the house must be out of this world.
“This is quite something,” I whispered. “You weren’t kidding when you said she’s done well for herself.”
“I’ve told you before you don’t need to whisper,” he said. “She can’t see or hear us.”
He had told me that, many times now, but it still felt weird talking normally when someone was right there sleeping.
“This house was her last husband’s before they married and fortunately it’s in trust for his children to inherit when she dies, but everything else she owns is hers to dispose of as she sees fit.
” He strode over to the bed and looked down at the woman sleeping there. “Hopefully this won’t take long.”
I stood and watched silently while he did his thing, glad that I didn’t have to participate now he’d agreed that I wouldn’t be involved in carrying out the gods’ requests.
I managed to stay quiet and not ask him what he'd seen when he murmured “well that’s interesting, I can definitely work with that,” but as soon as he’d finished I couldn’t keep a lid on my curiosity any longer.
“What did you see?”
“That she’s not as gullible as she’s led him to believe.
In fact, this intervention was probably totally unnecessary, but I gave her suspicions a little positive reinforcement anyway, just to be sure.
Her devoted admirer is going to get a nasty shock when the private investigator she’s already hired to look into his background gives her his report.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a prison cell features heavily in his future.
” He gave me a devilish smile. “I’m still going to ask Phobetor to pay him a visit though. Let’s get going.”
I’d been planning to ask if I could have a nose around the rest of the house, just to see if it was as decadent as this room, but before I could say anything, he hooked his arm around my waist and whisked us away.
The contrast between where we appeared and where we’d just left was jarring. Another church, Presbyterian at a guess, but this one had opened its doors as a homeless shelter.
“I’m going to make us visible now,” he said, “don’t forget I’m Nero here.” I looked around me as he pulled me inside, taking in a scene that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
“Nero!” The shout came from a plump, middle-aged woman across the room who was presiding over a huge pot of what looked like a hearty stew that she was dishing out, taking the time to exchange a few words with each person she served despite having a seemingly endless line to get through.
I saw her turn to the young woman next to her and hand her the ladle, before she came rushing over to us.
“I’m so glad you came tonight. You must have known I’ve been thinking about you and hoping you would.”
He gave her one of his genuine smiles, the ones he reserved for people he liked. “Hello, Samantha. I wanted to show my new assistant what wonderful work you’re doing here. This is Zara.”
She looked me up and down as if she was deciding whether or not she approved of me, before her face broke out into a smile and she held out a hand to me.
“Call me Sam. Everyone except Nero does.” She rolled her eyes and I smiled back, deciding I was going to like her.
“I usually get called apprentice,” I said with a shrug, “but I suppose it’s better than slave.” I ignored Morpheus’ tut and the muttered ‘such impudence’. “It looks like you’re doing something pretty amazing here.”
“We like to think so, yes. It took a while to get the church onboard with opening its doors a few nights a week, but our persistence eventually paid off. Between us and the other churches who have signed up to the programme, we’re able to offer a safe place to sleep to fifty people in total on a rota basis.
We take up to twenty here two nights a week and offer a hot meal to many more who are not homeless but still desperately in need of our help. ”
“Was there a particular reason you were hoping I’d drop in, Samantha?”
“You mean apart from wanting to thank you for that very generous donation you sent last month? Actually there was. You always like to know if any particularly deserving cases come through our doors, and there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
To my surprise, instead of taking us to one of the men who were starting to settle down on the bedrolls spread out around the church, she led us back over to where she’d been dishing out food earlier.
“Danni, this is Nero and his new assistant, Zara. You remember me telling you about Nero?”
The young woman who’d taken over serving the stew from Sam hastily wiped her palms down the apron she was wearing before she shook the hand Morpheus was holding out to her.
“I’ve heard all about you,” she said with a smile that didn’t quite dispel the sadness in her eyes. “I can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate your support. All of us.” She gestured around the room.
“I’m glad I’m able to help, Danni.” He held onto her hand a little longer than was usual for a handshake and I wondered if he was reading her story somehow. “But my support would be far less useful without people like you doing the hard work.”
“Danni has been an absolute godsend,” Sam interjected. “This place wouldn’t run nearly as smoothly without her help. Danni, are you okay to carry on here while I have a quick chat with Nero?”
“I could help you, Danni,” I offered, “unless you need me?” I looked at Morpheus, hoping he wouldn’t say I had to stay with him.
“You go ahead, apprentice,” he said with a smirk, “I won’t be long.”
I’d been hoping to find out what Danni’s story was, as she obviously had one if Sam had wanted Morpheus to meet her, but she was very good at not talking about herself.
She was more than happy to chatter on about the shelter and the people who came through their doors though, and it felt like no time at all before we were saying our goodbyes and returning back to Morpheus’ study for the nightcap that was the way we ended most of my working nights now.
“I’m impressed, Mathitevómenos,” he said as he handed me a generous measure of the almond liqueur he was well on the way to having me hooked on.
“You managed to go the entire night without calling me anything at all. I must confess, I’m a little disappointed.
I was looking forward to hearing you call me Nero.
After all, we are friends now, are we not? ”
“I would be honoured to count you among my friends… Nero.” It felt strange calling him that, which was why I’d managed to avoid doing it all night, but the smile it elicited was worth it. “But friends don’t keep secrets from each other, so spill. Sam is one of Nero’s Angels isn’t she?”
“Nero’s Angels? Oh yes, very amusing, Miss Munroe.” I grinned, surprised that he would get a pop culture reference. “Samantha is one of my souls, yes.”
“And what’s the story with Danni?”
“Not too unusual a one, sadly. Danni grew up with dreams of becoming a doctor. Her father died while she was still in high school and she was working her way through medical school with some limited support from her mother. Then her mother got sick. Danni dropped out to look after her until she died last year, then she found herself struggling to come to terms with her loss. She found some solace in helping others through Samantha’s homeless project, but her dreams of returning to her studies have had to be put on hold indefinitely.
Which is too bad, because she would make an excellent doctor. ”
“So what’s stopping her from going back? Is it finances or her mental health?”
“To begin with it was both, but now it’s just finances.”
“So you’re going to help her.” It wasn’t a question because I was sure I already knew the answer.
“I am. What I saw in her head when we shook hands convinced me she’s worth helping.
” So I’d been right about him reading her.
“She could easily have chosen to stay in school and follow her dream, rather than caring for her mother. She also could have let herself become bitter about everything she’s had to give up, but instead she found a different way of helping others.
She is a born helper and healer, excellent qualities in a doctor.
Samantha was very clear that she would be too proud to accept anything she’d see as a handout though, so when enough time has passed for her not to connect it with our visit, Danni will get to hear about a new scholarship fund intended to help people just like her. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like you’re an extraordinary person, you mean?
Because you are, Nero. When I first met you I thought you were sarcastic, and supercilious and arrogant.
And sometimes you can be, but you’re also one of the kindest, most genuine people I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting.
And I really am honoured to call you my friend. ”
“I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a real friend before. Not one like you anyway. People like Samantha and Father Nico call me friend, but it’s not the same. This is… nice.”
I felt a pang of sympathy for him. It hadn’t taken long for me to come to the conclusion that he was lonely here, but I’d assumed he at least had friends on Olympus.
“If you wanted,” I ventured, “you could come and meet my other friends sometime. In fact, I’ve got one staying with me right now. Would you like to come to dinner tomorrow and meet her? If we don’t have any visits planned, of course.”
“Her?” He asked, fiddling with the cuff of his shirt. “If you’re trying to set me up with one of your friends, I’d really rather you didn’t.”
I burst out laughing at the thought of Tilly and Nero together. It was even more ridiculous than her and Quinn.
“I promise you that thought hadn’t even crossed my mind,” I said when I’d finished laughing. “Tilly is lovely but she’s very much an acquired taste. I don’t think she’d be at all your type in a romantic sense, but she is a lot of fun. Will you come?”
“If you’re sure it won’t inconvenience you, then yes, I’d like that. But please don’t try and feed me anything with those nasty little pink sea creatures in, the taste of them is not at all pleasing to me.”
“No sea creatures,” I promised, wondering if he meant prawns. “Anything else I should know?”
“Yes. I’ll bring the wine. Oh and also, I don’t think I really like pasta with sweet and sour chicken, just in case you were planning to create those.”
“Noted,” I said, struggling to keep a straight face. “But, Nero, I won’t be ‘creating’ anything, I’ll be cooking real food like a mere mortal. So make sure you bring your physical body as well as the wine. Seven o’clock, don’t be late.” I resisted the urge to give him a hug before I left.