Life after Death: The Afterlife of Hezekiah Chamblee

Chapter Twenty: A Visit from Lucifer

Hezekiah's POV

Back in the Nexus, two days after the dinner party...

"Lucifer, what are you doing here?" I exclaimed upon opening the door to find the man who ruled the world of eternal damnation at my doorstep.

"Oh, just happened to roll on through and had you on my mind, so here I am," the brunette-haired older man said, giving me a small smirk. "May I come in?"

I stepped aside, letting him enter. "I was just about to head to the pool for an afternoon swim after I had spent the morning running errands and cleaning up when you came by. I could use some of the energy after...well, let's just say that things were a bit chaotic at Alvin and Damon's dinner party."

Lucifer frowned. "How's that?" he asked.

I took a deep breath. "Catalina came by and started-"

"Her rant about you not being allowed a soulmate since you're the son of that rapist as well as you being too much of a 'runt' to have one, right?" he interrupted. "Abaddon and Azrael had already informed me of the matter as we've been getting more and more information about her and her backstory. But let's get back to you at the moment, lad. How have you been coping after that fiasco?"

I shrugged my shoulders as I made my way to the living room. "Honestly, I can't really say. On one hand, I should be worried how such a beautiful yet abrasive young woman could be placed here, never mind that she's got a heck of a jealous streak as long as her arm, especially when it comes to Chance. On the other hand, I know that I shouldn't be worried because I know that you and my other dad- God- are going to be making things right. But everything is so confusing because mainly my high-school best friend has a crush on me yet I got a Brazilian femme-fatale who reminds me of my birth mother that tears down what little self-esteem that I have.

"I'm a bit mad at myself because I shouldn't let her get the best of me, but I am because I feel like nothing I ever do for anyone back on Earth is ever good enough. I could give them all that I had and then the entire world in a little marble to be used as a necklace, but they'd spit on my face and kick me in the teeth before demanding for the entire Milky Way. In the eyes of Jeffrey and Adelle Chamblee, I did NOT fit into their vision of their so-called Chamblee Diamond Standard."

"Stop it right there, boy," Lucifer demanded, eyes glowing red and narrowing in silts. "Their so-called Diamond Standards are nothing but a mere set of rules that change every single time that you do something right. You're right when you said that you did right by them and they treated you like dirt. But it doesn't make you as worthless as they all wanted you to believe. The people who cared for you- the maids and servants as well as your little brother Cameron- saw the true potential that you have within you. It's the people who tear you down to make themselves feel good are the ones that have denied you the right to truly prove yourself worthy. From where I stand, however, you have nothing to prove to people who weren't worth the time and energy to do so. You ARE enough, Hezekiah Oshea Chamblee!"

By then, I was soon crying before taking a tissue to wipe my eyes.

"You are more than enough for my Brother, Chance, your new friends here, and myself. But more importantly, you are enough for yourself," Lucifer went on, his glare softening but still apparent. "I wish you could truly see what I can see in you, love, but the emotional scars left by those heartless snakes have all but nearly demolished you. I promise you that they will have a heavy price to pay in the end, love. Right now, I want you to know that what I've said was what you need to hear. Oh, Hezekiah. You have so much life to life here in the Nexus and so much love to give. The ones who scorned your existence did not deserve you and they never will. As for Miss Slade, she doesn't know your whole story and all the pains you went through. She cannot imagine all the tears you cried because you were kept in the background and separated from others when you were sent away for the summer. She can't imagine how you yearned for someone who genuinely cared for you. But most of all, she can't imagine having a soulmate who wanted to be more than friends."

My eyes went wide. "You can't mean that Chance is-"

"He is," Lucifer cut me off. "I know of it as do your new friends, Chance, God, and even the angels and demons here alongside the cherubs and seraphims. You and Chance share a powerful bond that was denied to you on Earth thanks to naysayers. But you both have the opportunity to claim it no matter what the girl thinks. The only person standing in your way to seal it...is you."

I inhaled slowly. "I'm just not sure if I can be ready for when the time comes," I confessed.

"You will be," Lucifer assured me, his voice steady and firm. "As you are my and God's creation and biological son, you are going to be ready. You'll know it when you least expect it."

I nodded. "I can give it a shot, Lucifer," I told him.

"That's all I ask of you. Now, I do believe that you are due for a swim. Since I have my minions doing most of my dirty work, I'm more than happy to join you." Lucifer snapped his fingers as his red-and-black suit was replaced by a form-fitting speedo that hugged his ass and groin like a glove. Yep, he could DEFINITELY give Tom Ellis a run for his money. "Now, go and change into your swimwear and I'll meet you in the pool outside."

"Okay, Lucifer."

"Please, son, call me Dad. I am your true father, after all. I'm sure that my brother will expect the same thing for you, though you're free to call him by another name."

I smiled softly. "Sure thing, Dad," I said before heading upstairs.

Lucifer can give a motivational pep talk, can he? And it's what Hezekiah needed to hear, folks!

Coming up next, we're back at the Afterlife Station as Louis, Salgiel, Catia, the archangels, and even the arch-demons talk about what's been said and done as well as all things Catalina Slade! And boy, there's going to be a LOT to address as this story rolls on, folks! Stay tuned!

The song for this chapter is "Change the Paradigm" by Austra. Dedicating this chapter to SuperheroesAndSprite.

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