Azrael

Part Three

                  Azrael watches Rocco reach out to hug his mom, needing comfort as much as he probably wants to comfort her. Unfortunately, she is ushered away by the other woman before he can attempt to wrap his tiny arms around her. Rocco finally breaks. His little body shakes as sobs force their way out of his mouth. The tears are flowing freely as he follows after his mom, holding his arms up to her. "Mommy. Please hold me, Mommy."

Azrael's heart breaks for the little boy who just wants his mom. This is another part that never differs from crossing over children. They always want their primary caregiver in death. She has time so she allows him to follow after his broken mother. She follows him, giving him a little space, but not enough for him to wander off on his own. Not that Rocco would leave his mother's side. Rocco is lost and confused and Azrael uses the time to learn more about his grief, trying to figure out her best move to cross him over.

"Mommy!" Rocco yells at his mother, stomping his tiny foot and crossing this arms.

Azrael forces herself to bite back a smile at the young boy's antics. In any other situation, this act would have been cute. "Rocco. Mommy can't hear you." She gently reminds him, knowing that what she tells him is falling on deaf ears. Rocco is determined to get his mother's attention. "You can't talk to Mommy anymore." She squats down next to him so she can be at eye level with him. "No one can hear you, Rocco."

"You can." Rocco looks at her and raises his eyebrows.

Azrael stares at him for a minute before blinking. 'This kid...' "I can. You're right. But I'm different. I'm here to take your soul home to the angels. I'm here to be your friend until you get back to them. And because it's my job to help you get to Heaven safely, I can see and hear you. But I am the only one that can right now."

"I'm not ready to be with the angels." Rocco states.

"Why not?" Azrael asks him.

"Because I still want my mommy." He shrugs. "Oh! And I just got a new dump truck! Like the one on my shirt!" He excitedly tells her. "I can't just leave my new truck behind!"

Azrael allows herself to grin as she watches him begin to explain what his new toy does and what it looks like. She listens carefully, learning more about the young boy before her. When he is done talking she speaks again. "Well, what if I tell you that the angels have new toys waiting for you? Dump trucks too. They told me themselves when they sent me here to get you." She tells him. 'His afterlife will definitely have some dump trucks.'

Rocco taps his chin, debating her proposal. "Mmmm. No thank you. I like the one Mommy got me. And I can't leave without Mommy. I'm not supposed to go anywhere without Mommy or Daddy. Oh, or Auntie Dawn."

Not entirely sure what to do next, Azrael decides it is time to take him away from the scene. She looks at the young boy who is staring back at her. "Rocco, do you like adventures?"

Rocco's big blue eyes light up and an excited grin makes its way onto his face. He nods his head repeatedly. "I love adventures!"

"You wanna go on one with me?" Azrael asks him.

"Can we?" Rocco starts buzzing with excitement. "Will Mommy be okay with it?"

"Of course! Mommy will understand. Now, go tell Mommy bye."

"Oh, I don't want to go see the angels."

Azrael bites back a laugh, knowing Rocco thought she was trying to trick him. "We're not. We're going somewhere else. Somewhere peaceful. Calm. Away from the craziness at the playground right now."

Rocco nods and rushes off to tell his mother that he is going on a trip and would see her later. He tries to hug her but his arms cross through her again. Confusion fills his face and Azrael steps in as his bottom lip starts to quiver again. "Come on, Buddy."

Rocco rushes back to her. "Okay, I'm ready for our adventure now. What's your name again?"

"My name is Azrael." She tells him, snapping her fingers and teleporting them somewhere else.