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Hetty scowled as Patience refused her husband’s hand, too coward to ever truly follow the sayings of her talk. It wasn’t surprising, the fact that she even offered in the first place was, but turning tail when faced with the decision was exactly as expected.
Now Jay was certain to die and only one person could say goodbye to him. She whispered a short goodbye to the man who would never hear her when Peter’s voice rang out.
“Not as much as I do.”
If it were any other day, an argument would have been started. If it were any other day, the others would have realized how insane it was for the man to claim such when his wife was saying her final goodbyes. And if it were any other day, she wouldn’t be watching Peter prepare himself to doom himself to eternal damnation for the rest of his existence.
“Elias, take me instead. Jays my best friend, he’s got his whole life to live.”
Elias, the man that had taken everything offered and even what was not. He was planning to rip away one’s husband and now a core pillar of this cold mansion. Everyone watched in horror as he stood infront of the bargaining demon, eyes not even glancing at a shockingly tearful Carol who fled to avoid bearing witness.
“Works for me.”
Everyone protested as Elias outstretched his hand to shake. Hetty felt like she was back at the well, watching everyone fall apart when she had a perfect solution at her fingertips. When her hesitation nearly costed both Flower and Thor their lives.
She had grown unfamiliar with Elias’ cold touch in this past hundred years, but it was as unforgiving as ever. He stared at their enclasped hand and the astonishment slowly faded into joy.
“Give me an hour,” she demanded as the world began to fall apart around her. “Let me remain until midnight and I will return to the wife you remember.”
“Done.”
He vanished back into the fire pit below that she would be familiar with come midnight. The hellfire that befitted a soul like Patience or Carol would have her instead.
“Hetty…” Peter spoke first, horrified shock painted across his face and bleeding into his voice. It was a matching expression among the group.
“I,” she swallowed harshly. Always choking when faced with difficulty. “I couldn’t let him hurt anyone else.”
The tears started, then. If it were any other day she would have stormed off embarrassed. But, if it had been any other day, they wouldn’t have been crying with her.
“Henrietta,” Isaac started, stepping forward first. He opened his mouth as if to start a speech but surrendered as words failed him, pulling her into an embrace she wish she didn’t have to ever leave.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered for lack of anything to say. It said everything she needed it to.
“You’re safe Jay,” Sam mumbled, dragging him into a similar embrace.
“Pete sacrificed himself for me,” He said, voice breaking around the edges. Sam shook her head on his shoulder and fell apart in his arms.
“Hetty has until midnight,” Sam said, both to Jay and the ghosts that transformed the embrace between her and Isaac into one of a group.
“Hetty, you didn’t have to,” Pete said as it broke apart. He looked like a puppy left abandoned by its owner.
“I can’t watch Elias destroy a soul like yours Peter,” She replied. “You are destined for the skies above, I am simply descending sooner than expected.”
“Thou doomed to hell?” Patience interrupted. One of the ghosts yelled at her to return to the dirt for whence she came.
“I committed the greatest sin possible,” she told the puritan, reveling in the look she got from the woman as she stormed away. “And now I am reaping what I sow.”
“Reaping, like the grim reaper,” Peter attempted to joke like normal. She smiled and it only seemed to dampen the mood further. “Sorry.”
“We’re going to miss you Hetty,” Sass said after he finished glaring at Pete.
“Most noble sacrifice,” Thor said, resting his hand on her shoulder. “You are good person Hetty.”
“You didn’t talk to me much,” Flower started bluntly. “But you were always a good listener and even though I’m pretty sure you tricked me, I don’t think you meant it. You care about the people around you no matter how much you pretend you don’t, and I’m happy on of those people was me.”
“Hetty,” Jay spoke abruptly before she was able to reply to Flower. “I know I can see or hear you but thank you. For all of your help with the ghosts, for being a role model for Sam, and for saving my life. I don’t know how I could ever repay you.”
“This is my repayment,” Hetty said, Sam quickly repeating it. “To you and Samantha, for everything you have done for me and this home. You two will live long lives yet and I am certain they will make the Woodstone name proud.”
“Oh Hetty,” Sam whispered as she finished. “I love you, mom.”
She was slightly taken aback but quickly walked forward, hands resting as close to her face as possible. “Samantha, you are a woman I would wish my daughter could have become. I could not be more proud of you.”
Jay embraced Sam in the way Hetty wished she could as the woman broke down crying. He gently sat her on the couch, comforting her as she desperately reached out for an impossible embrace.
“Hetty,” Alberta spoke as the ghost finally took her eyes away from Sam. “I know we’ve had our differences over the past hundred years, but you have always been a sister to me. I… can’t believe we’re losing you.”
She gently took Alberta’s hand in her own. “If there was any other way I wouldn’t be, but alas, this is the hand we’re dealt. I’m grateful for the times I have been able to spend with you Alberta, through the highs and lows you have always been and will always be my sister.”
“Gods can today get any more emotional,” Hetty laughed wetly, attempting to fan away her tears. Hetty laughed with her and opened her arms for an embrace that the other woman quickly fell into. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Then I’m sorry, Hetty,” Pete said. “If I hadn’t hesitated you wouldn’t have…”
“This is no fault of yours,” She reassured, smiling encouragingly as he looked doubtful. “You deserve to find yourself in this afterlife and then live in the clouds, I couldn’t let you be dragged to eternal suffering because of Elias.”
“Thank you, but Hetty you deserved Heaven too. And now…you’re doomed because Elias wants a promotion.”
“That happens a lot,” Sass quipped and everyone weakly, but honestly, laughed. “Just know, none of us are judging you if you try to reap our souls to be able to torture him instead.”
Chuckles rippled through them, herself included. “Thank you, Sasappis.”
“It’s been unbelievable, watching you change from a newly dead ghost who despised everyone and everything to one willing to sacrifice herself for somebody. You’re an inspiration for all of us to be better Hetty, even if its harder.”
Isaac cleared his throat as Sass finished. “Hetty, you are my closest friend and have been since you joined us in the afterlife. We’ve known each other for over a century and yet I could still never tire of talking with you about any topic in the world. You have made the afterlife an enjoyment rather than a prison and… I can’t imagine living without you.”
“Well then it’s a mercy you’re a ghost,” She shot and there was a beat of silence before the two of them broke into hysterical-leaning laughter.
As it died down, Sam quickly spoke which made all the ghosts jump slightly having forgot her and Jay (who had fallen asleep) were still there. “Five minutes until midnight.”
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Trevor standing there sheepishly. “Hetty Woodstone, I… don’t even know what I can say. I know we’re not even dating right now but… I love you. I didn’t think I ever wanted to settle down, I died too young and then I fell for you and that’s been the only thing on my mind. I regret that my last time seeing you is only as friends because I wish we could have been more.”
“Trevor Lefkowitz, if there was a decision I made in my afterlife I could change, it would be betraying you. I hate that now is the time when I can finally see that… I love you too.”
Their final kiss was unlike any other. Usually they were fast, hungry and lustful. Now, they met and it felt like their hearts had bled into one. Fear and heartbreak and the realization that they loved each other created sparks in the air that she desperately wanted to chase even as they separated.
“You’ve had your hour,” Elias announced as a clock chimed to signal midnight. “Now, you will come to the underworld to be at my mercy.”
Flames licked at her skirt and danced in Elias’ soulless eyes as the floor opened beneath her feet. Everyone threw their last goodbyes at her as she felt her heart tug downward.
Henrietta's Woodstone’s last words in life were apologies to God for the action she was about to commit.
Hetty’s last words were something she should have said to the ghosts she now considered family more in her afterlife.
“Thank you.”