Eternity

Forty One

I watch as CeCe runs around with John and his wife Helen. After the hug between me, Demetri and Talon she flew up to Heaven. First I checked Hell but then realized she wanted to be with her dad.

Hearing flapping, looking over its Uncle A "Maybe I should let her live here" sadly saying as I watch CeCe laugh and smile the way she use to before her dad died "she's so much more happier up here...I could fake her death"

"She's your child" he reminds me

"You all see how she's been acting" reminding him "she is no normal child..." wiping away some tears that fall "can we talk about something else?"

"Your father needs to return to Hell or you need to take his place" looking over at Uncle A as he looks at me seriously "it was one thing to be there to raise you but he still went down to Hell and also introduced you to the demons. Right now this vacation" dad decided to go on vacation...wow, has it really been five years? "his absence has been too long, if he doesn't go you need to take his place"

Looking over at John and Helen with CeCe "I need to talk to John...I'll talk to dad about his absence" spreading my wings, flying over to them. When they look my way, CeCe's smile falls and she crossed her arms.

"I'm not leaving!" She runs into the house slamming the door closed.

Looking over at John "Can we talk?"

"I'll keep an eye on CeCe" Helen assured us going inside to where CeCe is glaring at me through the window, turning away not wanting her to see me cry.

Feeling arms wrap around me, John hugs me "I saw, I saw it all"

"We both know CeCe...she hates me" I say

"She's eight" he reminds me "she just..."

"She's staying here" looking up at John "I need to do what's best for CeCe and the best thing is for her to stay up here...I'll fake her death"

"Don't" shaking his head "I'll talk to her"

"It won't matter" wiping away my tears pulling away "here she can be free to be her full self, on Earth she couldn't. It's clear she belongs here with you and Helen...not me"

"Ruby" he stops me from leaving to say "just because CeCe is upset, don't let it stop you from being happy"

Nodding my head "Tell CeCe I'm faking her death, that she won't return to Earth. Her siblings can visit but..." tears run down my face "I always knew I'd have to say goodbye, but I always thought I had more time" spreading my wings "I'll always love her but I need to do what makes her happy"

Going down to Earth, when I walk into the living room Demetri looks my way and I fall to the floor crying "Ruby?" Demetri holds me as I cried "what happened? Where's CeCe?"'

|John's POV|

It breaks my heart watching Ruby cry, her soulmate is comforting her on the couch.  Holding her and rubbing her back, when CeCe came here I knew she ran off without her mom's permission. CeCe has been taking it hard, having Demetri around.

"Constance!" Calling her full name, when I go into the house I see she's on the couch talking to Helen. Helen gets up and leaves us as I stare at my daughter "I love you a lot Constance but right now? I couldn't be more angry with you"

"What?" She asks "Why?"

"Do you know what soulmates are?" I ask

She nods her head "It's who your destined to be with, Helen is yours"

"And who do you think Demetri is?" Crossing my arms as I looked down at my daughter.

"Some invader" she pouted "I hate him"

"He's your mother's soulmate" she stares at me "your mother came to tell me that your staying here with me and Helen"

"Really?!" She asks excitedly "My friends"

"You'll make new friends up here" she looks confused "you can't see any of your old friends, your mother will be faking your death"

"But why?" She asks "can't I go back?"

"No" shaking my head no "and I suspect to it aunts and uncles will make sure you don't go back" tears fill her eyes "you may still be a child Constance but your old enough that you need to learn actions have consequences. This is yours"

"What about Talon? Joanna? The twins? Baba Yaga? Boogeyman?" She asks as tears run down her face "Grandpa? Grandpa isn't allowed in Heaven...what about mom?"

"Your mother is letting you go" turning in the tv showing her the current situation on Earth, her mother crying "you did that, the man beside her is her soulmate. I always knew I wasn't hers, we may have loved one another but at the end of the day our souls were meant for others"

"But I don't like him" she looks up at me

"Why?" Turning off the tv "why don't you like Demetri?"

"Because he isn't you"  she stomps her foot "he's trying to be you! Talon called him dad and your our dad not him!"

"But he is Talon's biological father" she stares at me "Let me ask you this, if your mother died and I didn't and one day I started seeing another woman would you be fine with that? Would you want me to be happy?"

"Of course!" She exclaims "but this isn't the same! Mom can come up and be with you and"

"Constance!" Raising my voice silencing her, she stares at me "Demetri isn't trying to take my place, he's been giving you space and trying to get to know his son Talon. You're too young to understand now but one day you'll be told the circumstances revolving around why Demetri is only now in your mother's life. Why am I only allowed to be happy but not your mother?" She's silent as she holds her head down "Answer the question Constance, why aren't you letting your mother be happy?"

"Because it's not with you" she says

Pulling her into my arms as she cries "My time on Earth is finished, I wouldn't trade anything for it but right now? I wish I could go back and still watch you grow up, but I can't. I won't. I have everything I need, I have Helen. She's my soulmate. Demetri's is your mother's and all your mom wants is for you to be happy, so she's letting you go. That's why she's crying"