Blow A Kiss Up At Methane Skies

Chapter Thirty Six: It's Through You

 “Angel. It's time to get up.”

She shook her head. “No, Poison.”

“It's noon. Come on.”

She sighed heavily and stood. “Don't take this the wrong way, but you look like hell,” he said. “Go take a shower. You can have my lunch.”

“I'll take a shower as long as you don't give me your lunch. I'll eat mine, though.”

Show Pony was playing with Spencer. The boy was shrieking with delight, and Leo was dancing around Pony's feet, demanding to be lifted up next. Angel felt a smile start to creep across her face, and she ran up behind him. “I gocha, Leo!” she sang. Leo giggled and put his arms around her neck.

“I missed you, Mommy!”

“I missed you too, Leo!” she laughed. “I'm gonna go take a shower, and then you and Spencer and I are going to spend the whole day together.”

They both cheered. “Now, go eat. I'll be right out.”

An hour later, they were climbing into the back seat of Midnight's car and Angel was saying, “This is your dad's car. His name's Midnight, Midnight Demon. He had dark hair and bright brown eyes-- you two look just like him. He'd be so proud of you.”

“Where is he?” Spencer asked.

She bit her lip. “He died before you were born.”

“Oh.”

She took a photo down from the visor and handed it to him. “That's us on our wedding day.”

They squinted at it and grinned, then passed the photo back front. She was frozen midlaugh, half shoving Midnight away from herself after whatever joke he'd cracked. He wasn't looking at the camera, instead staring at her, his eyes crinkled up at the edges.

She laughed at the memory.

“He's nice,” Leo said.

“He was. He'd be really proud of you.”

“I want a name like his!”

“No, I do!” Spencer insisted.

“Okay, okay,” she said. “When we get home, we can pick names for you two.”

They cheered and pressed their faces against the dust-caked windows. “Where are we going?”

“Where do you want to?”

They shook their heads. “All right,” she said, “what do you say we pick where we stop, and we'll eat lunch there?”

“That?” Spencer shouted, jabbing a chubby finger against the window.

“Let's go check it out!”

They pulled over to the side of the road, her hand instinctively on her gun. Leo started to run towards a small, ramshackle house, but Spencer shook his head and stared expectantly at Angel.

The front door to the shack was unlocked. Nonetheless, she knocked on it. “Hello?”

The curtains were partially tossed aside as a masked face glanced out the window. “Come in!”

Spencer shrugged and reached for the doorknob. Angel laughed and opened it herself. A Killjoy roughly Show Pony's age was turning away from the windows. “My name's Mother Death,” she said, pulling the skeleton mask off her face.

“Last Angel. These are my sons, Spencer and Leo. I'm very sorry for the intrusion. My sons saw your house while we were driving and wanted to see it.”

“Oh, it's no trouble. I haven't had visitors in ages. And you two look like my brother! I hope you don't mind me saying that.”

“Our daddy died,” Leo explained.

Spencer pointed to a photo on the wall and yelled, “Daddy!”

Angel turned to the wall, preparing to explain that not everybody who looked like Midnight was him-- when she came face-to-face with a dark-eyed twelve-year-old, with one unfilled pant leg and crinkles around his eyes. “Oh, shit,” she blurted. “That is him.”

“You know Spencer?” Mother Death asked hopefully. “My little brother went missing right after the fires. Last I saw him, he'd just lost his leg. That's when I took that. Where is he?”

“Oh. Oh, my God,” Angel said. “Uh...”

“My name is Spencer!”

“Sit down, Mother Death. I, uh... I married Midnight-- Spencer-- three years ago. These are his sons, Spencer and Leo. Before they were born, though... he was killed by BL/ind. I'm sorry.”

She inhaled deeply. “That's what I was afraid of. Tell me, how was he?”

“Before he was killed? Happy, I'd say. He lived at Doctor Death's with my dad's group and a few other friends.”

“You're Party Poison's kid? He's a good guy. I'm glad Midnight was happy.”

“Do you want to come back to Doctor D's with us?” she offered.

 “Sure!”