I wasn’t certain what I should say.
“No angels,” Cormack volunteered as he exited the men’s room. His suit jacket had gone missing, making me believe it was probably a lost cause, but he didn’t appear all that upset about the exploding revenant. “Well, at least I don’t think there are angels.”
Sami’s dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Have you been over there?”
“No.”
“Has anyone been over there?”
Cormack flicked his eyes to me and then held out his hands. “I know three people who have managed to cross the threshold and return.”
“Really?” Sami’s expression brightened. “So ... you’re saying they looked Death in the face, kicked him in the nuts, and escaped back to this side? I like that.”
Cormack chuckled. “Oh, I want to keep you.”
“Don’t threaten us with a good time,” Aric warned, although he appeared amused by Cormack’s response to his daughter.
“Just out of curiosity, did the people who crossed over kick Death in the nuts before escaping?” Zoe queried.
“No.” Cormack shook his head. “It’s not like that. However, I’ve never been on that side. If you have questions, talk to Izzy and Oliver. They were two of the three who managed to return.”
I shot him a dirty look. I couldn’t believe he’d opened me up to questions from the tyrannical teenager from Hell.
“You were over there?” Sami’s expression was serious as she regarded me. “Does that mean you died?”
“Sami.” Zoe shot her offspring a warning look and shook her head. “Don’t pry into Izzy’s private business.”
“We’re here to help, though,” Sami pointed out. “Don’t we need all the information before we can help?”
Zoe opened her mouth but didn’t immediately speak. That was enough to have Sami’s lips twisting into a smug smile. “That’s what I thought.” She extended her hand toward her father. “That’s twice in one month. You owe me fifty bucks.”
Aric rolled his eyes but dug for his wallet, riffling through the bills there before handing Sami two twenties and a ten. “I don’t know that I believe this counts.”
“What’s twice in one month?” Zoe snapped, suspicion evident. “What are you two even talking about?”
“I bet Sami she couldn’t render you speechless twice in the same month,” Aric replied, unruffled by his wife’s tone. “She pulled it off, so she gets her payment.”
Zoe’s eyes flashed with malice. “This time doesn’t count. I’m not speechless. I’m just ... thinking.”
“Uh-huh.” Amusement lit Aric’s features before he focused on me. “I’m sorry if you’re uncomfortable with my daughter’s questions. I wish I could say it’s going to get better. It’s not. It’s just going to get worse.”
I’d figured that out myself. “Yes, well ... .” I wasn’t used to spending time with children. Sure, Lily was always around, but she was an infant. I had no doubt she would grow into a mouthy monster like Sami at some point, but that was still years down the road.
Cormack cleared his throat to get everybody’s attention. “I don’t want to be the downer here, but you guys need to clear out.” His gaze was pointed when it landed on Zoe and Aric. “We need to call the home office to clean up this mess and I think it would be best if you’re not here when they arrive.”
If Zoe was offended by the statement, she didn’t show it. “Fair enough. How are you going to explain this, though?” She gestured toward the disgusting remnants of the revenant.
“Are you worried we’re going to out Sami?” Cormack queried. “If so, don’t be. I know a little something about protecting children.”
“He definitely does,” I agreed. “His children make yours look like an angel.” Even as I said it, I wondered if it was a mistake. Nobody wanted to hear a virtual stranger disparage their child ... even if the parents in question were currently annoyed with that same child. Aric and Zoe, however, appeared amused by the statement.
“That’s ... truly frightening.” Aric grinned. “We have no problem taking off. We need to check into the hotel and get cleaned up anyway.”
“Yes, I’m worried some revenant slid down the back of my shirt and landed in my underpants,” Zoe supplied. “There might be a crack issue when it comes to cleaning that can’t be addressed in a public bathroom.”
Sami made a disgusted face. “Omigod!”
Cormack’s smile was back. “I absolutely love her.”
Zoe shot him a sidelong look and then shook her head. “You’re a strange man.”
“What hotel are you staying at?” Paris queried. “I don’t think you told me.”
“The Townsend in Birmingham,” Aric replied. “We have a suite. We need to check in and get cleaned up. Once you get everything settled here, you can call us and we’ll figure things out from there.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Cormack stepped forward and shook his hand. “I know this all seems ... odd. While you might be angry with your daughter, she ultimately did the right thing. It was a monster trying to come through.”
I opted not to remind him that it could’ve been his father. That seemed like a conversation better suited for another time ... and definitely another place. The gate room wasn’t the appropriate location for this conversation.
“I’ve never doubted Sami’s bravery,” Aric offered. “She always jumps right in to help. Of course, sometimes she doesn’t think before she does the jumping. That’s what we need to work on.”
Cormack nodded in agreement as he sent Sami a sly smile. “I think she’s going to fit in fine with my brood. They’re all jumpers.”
“See,” Sami said pointedly to her mother. “He doesn’t get mad at his kids for doing the same stuff as me. How come you have to be such a pain about it?”
“It’s what keeps me young,” Zoe replied, placing her hand on the back of Sami’s neck and prodding her forward. “We’ll head to the hotel. Let us know what’s going on when you get this settled.” She cast a final look at the gate. “I have a lot of questions.”
“We all do,” I said. “Hopefully, together, we can come up with answers.”
“Hopefully,” Zoe agreed.
