The Untold Story of a Grim Reaper: Chapter 7: Count Your Blessings

Jonah’s mother dropped us off at his car. Him and I didn’t even look to the house as we loaded in and left for Aaron’s house.

For most of the drive we were quiet, trying to collect ourselves the best we could before we had to pretend everything was alright. But Jonah and I had a lot of practice at that, so in the end it wasn’t all too hard.

Jonah got a text from Camilla and Jessie saying they were stuck at driver’s ed. Apparently Jessie had some points on her license and Camilla had to take defensive driving license from a previous accident. I didn’t matter to me much, I was more comfortable around Jonah and Aaron anyhow. And after what had happened I think Jonah was relieved to have a smaller group. 

We pulled up to Aaron’s drive way. Jonah pulled out his phone and called Aaron to let him know we were here.

We both got out of the car to stretch a little because Aaron said he’d take a few minutes.     

Jonah asked me to not bring up what happened to Aaron. He just wanted to forget about it for tonight, I basically agreed.

Aaron jumped from the front porch and greeted both of us with a hug, “I heard what happened!”

Jonah held his breath and discretely rolled his eyes as Aaron hugged me. 

I spoke first to defuse the tension I could feel building, “We’re fine, we don’t even know what happened. We were just nearby.” I looked to Jonah, wanting him to calm down, “Saw nothing really. Just heard the shot.”

Aaron gave a huff, pointing at Jonah’s cheek, “Well, how’d you get that bruise then?”

Jonah mumbled, “I fell while gardening.”

Aaron wasn’t buying any of what we told him but I he seemed to sense our resentment to relive it. And thankfully, he didn’t take offense to our curtness and dropped the subject entirely knowing it upset us, a quality in him I deeply admired. 

He gave a comforting smile and clapped his hands, “Well, then I suppose we’re all still up for a movie?”

Jonah, “Sure are, have you checked the movie times?”

Aaron, “Well, if we’re going to the drive-in they all start at 8:30 pm. Wanna just pick the movie when we get there?”

Jonah and I nodded and gave a carefree shrug. I asked, “How much is the movie?” knowing well that I didn’t have any money.

Jonah pulled out his keys while Aaron answered, “It’s $7.00 a person,” he held up his pointer finger in thought, “But! If you and I hide in the cab it will just cost $7.00. And then we can split that three ways!”

I shyly asked, “Can I pay you back Monday?”

Jonah climbed into the drivers seat and nodded, “That’s fine, with me.” 

Aaron nodded in agreement as he opened the cab doors, he bowed, “Ladies first.”

I climbed in the cramped seat, “Thank you, sire.”

Aaron jumped in behind me and took his small seat across from me, “Sire? I like that.”

He raised his eye brows and tilted his head forward. I laughed and kicked his shoe, “Ah, shut up!”

Jonah put the car in gear and backed out. Aaron punched the roof of the car, “Sire! I shall be!”

Jonah gave a small twitch on the steering wheel, jerking the car for a second, causing Aaron to hit his head on the back window. Jonah busted out laughing and I couldn’t help but do the same. 

Aaron rubbed his head, joking, “Sire down! Sire down!”

But as I laughed with the living, I couldn’t help but feel like I was not doing what I was assigned to do. I was sent back for this second chance to be the grim reaper, I wasn’t sure if having a good time is what Ardith had in mind. 

The drive was about twenty-five minutes, filled with more banter. Banter I think most take for granted. No one had spoken to me with this much carefree conversation in years, everyone at my old school would usually just give me that face of sympathy. Listening to me out of charity rather than actual concern.  I wasn’t a walking tragedy to Jonah and Aaron, they didn’t look down on me in pity, I was equal to them. I wanted to make sure to keep it this way.

When we pulled up to the drive-in, Aaron pulled me down by my button-up and gave a giggling shush. Jonah looked back at us to make sure we were ducking down far enough. He whispered, “Let’s see if freshman year of drama paid-off,” he rolled down his window, trying to play it cool, “Just one ticket, please.”

I heard the employee give a confused hum before he asked, “You’re going alone?”

Jonah happily tapped the outer car door and gave a big shrug, “I just enjoy the cinema.”

I sensed the suspicion in the employees tone as he accepted Jonah’s lie and said, “Seven dollars.”

Jonah handed him the money all in ones and gave a big wave as he rolled up the window and pulled into the movie lot. Aaron immediately sat up and yelled while holding a shakespeare like gesture with his hands, “Aaaacting!”

Jonah reclined his seat into Aaron, pushing Aaron against the back, Jonah gave a chuckle, “Hey, I got an B for my dramatic interpretation of Winnie the Pooh.”

Aaron busted out laughing, even though he was pinned between Jonah’s seat and the cab, “I remember that! You called it Winnie the Jew!”

I controlled my laugh but Jonah and Aaron looked like they were gonna cry from laughter over the memory. Aaron wiped his eyes, “You only got a B because our teacher was Jewish.” Aaron held his face when his laughter built back up, “Oh my god, it was so bad.”

They kept going back and forth over the memory, clueing me in on every detail. 

Jonah stopped the car and asked, “Wait guys, we didn’t pick a movie.”

Aaron peaked through the cab window, “The lots are just labeled numbers.” He turned to me, “Pick a number!”

“Why not…” I was awful at making decisions, always so indecisive, “Lot three.”

Jonah put the car in drive, “Lot three, it is then!”

There weren’t that many other cars, probably because it was a school night. Jonah pulled his truck up on one of the slants in the concrete so that the bed of the truck looked up at the screen. He turned the car radio on and adjusted it to the radio signal for movie three.

Jonah took out some tarps from the bed and laid them out so that the hard surface of the truck would be bearable during the movie. 

I had never been to a drive-in movie before so I had to admit to them I was eager. Jonah said he wanted snacks before the movie started and left Aaron and me to watch the truck. 

Aaron jumped off the bed and pulled out a cooler from the passenger side. I was a little disappointed; drinking would have no effect on me and they were going to be no fun if there were drinks in the cooler. But to my relief it was filled with waters and sodas.  He offered me a drink but I politely turned it down. Explained that I didn’t want to have to use a restroom anytime soon, best cover I could have thought of. 

Aaron picked out an orange soda and sat back in the bed of the truck, “So are you liking Mortimer Private so far? You must have been pretty smart. Transfer student’s are hardly ever accepted.”

I shrugged, “I’m liking it, still getting used to things. And my adopted parents pulled some strings and I took a few tests, wasn’t too hard to get in.” I smiled to mask the guilt of lying to him, I wanted to be his friend and this was no way of trying. So I changed the subject, “How did you and Jonah become friends?”

Aaron paused and searched through his memory, “We met in middle school. Band class.”

“Band? What do you play?”

“Well, I play the saxophone and Jonah plays in the drum line.”

I was impressed, “Sounds fun.”

“It really is, it can be a pain and time consuming though. You play any instruments?”

I could only think of one thing, “I sing.”

“Sing? Great, you should try for chorus or something. I’d love to hear you sometime.”

“Same to you. Your saxophone, I mean.”

He smiled, “That’s what I hoped you meant. You do not want to hear me sing.”

Aaron broke out in comical high operatic notes and gestured dramatically. 

We all sat and talked for another couple minutes waiting for the movie to begin. It got dark and much chillier. When the trailers started Jonah came back with an arm full of candy. He dumped the food in the bed and sat himself against the back with me and Aaron. Aaron went at the food without a second thought, but I turned down the offer when Jonah asked. 

The trailers were over and finally the movie started. I had no idea what we were watching to be honest. My recollection of life before my death was becoming hazy, and I think the first to leave my thoughts were movies in theaters. 

Nicole Kidman was in it, but it was the only person I could recognize. What terrified me about this was that I must have remembered the other actors when I was alive. I had to have. Jonah and Aaron’s comments made it seem like these people were well-known. So what did that mean? Was I losing recollection of life before the Grim Reaper? 

I tried to remember the name of my school… and only guesses crossed my memory. 

I spent the entire movie just trying to remember names; but I could only remember my mothers, fathers, grandfathers, and Vincent. Everything else was just more guesses and blurs. 

 After two hours the movie had ended but Aaron begged to stay for the double-feature. Saying that we shouldn’t pass up two movies for seven dollars. Even though it was a school night, Jonah didn’t argue but said he wanted to lie down. I didn’t protest because sleep wasn’t something I had to worry about. But Jonah did look exhausted. 

Aaron and I scooted over and let Jonah stretch out across the bed. We sat on the rim of the truck and waited for the second movie to start again. 

“Would you like to buy a flower for the pretty lady?” We turned around, there was a sketchy man holding up a single flower, his other hand pulled a dingy wagon carrying a bushel arranged in a box. I stammered, “Oh… but we’re not-”

Aaron interjected, “I’ll take a handful, please.”

“Two dollars,” said the man in a raspy voice. Aaron reached into his pocket and paid the man. The flowers he picked out were a pink, violet mix. He asked the man what kind they were but he didn’t have a clue, said he just sold them. Aaron lightly tapped Jonah with his foot and asked what kind of flowers he was holding. Jonah cracked opened his eyes and said they were sweet pea flowers. 

Aaron sat up and smiled, “For you.”

I took the flowers and rested them on my lap, “Thank you.” Aaron returned a sweet smile and we sat silently for the remainder of the night, listening to the next round of trailers. 

I counted my blessings and though I didn’t count many, I felt they were enough to silence the demons in my conscience… at least for the night.