Erasure and Affirmation (Hypernaturals 11)

Vampire Toll

We got Denise settled into her new room. I am never getting back my old office. I might as well just resign myself to that.

We sat down to dinner.

Denise was holding Laura, and Laura is eyeing her with suspicion.

Angel watched Denise holding the baby of the family. Sure Laura walks and talks when she wants to, and takes things apart and puts them together at far more than her age should allow, but... still. The baby. Angel could not help but tease her. "The bridal suite is upstairs. We are still in it."

"Yes, well, going to be a while before I can be a bride." Denise said.

"May I ask how many male Vampires worth of guilt you are working off?" Angel asked. I always find that particular phrasing odd: asking if it's OK to ask the thing you just asked.

"Fifty-Two." Denise replied, the number well known to her.

"Over what period of time?" Angel wondered.

"Since March of 1781." Denise also knew that answer.

"What is the penance? You have to save that many now?" Angel kept digging.

"I don't know. Whenever I can forgive myself for following orders." Denise said.

"Never, if Morgan is any guide." Angel pronounced.

Denise found that humorous."I think I will forgive me for what I did before Morgan forgives herself for what she did NOT do." Denise said. "It's harder to forgive yourself for fictional, assumed guilt, than for real, actual acts that require some sort of balance. How can you ever balance something that never happened in the first place?"

"I never thought of it that way. Good point." Angel agreed.

Morgan gave Denise a very sour expression.

Denise is not intimidated by Morgan frowns. "Frown away, Detective. Only person here that does not know you have nothing to pay for about that kidnapping and rape is you."

Her phone buzzed, and she looked at it. "Samples are at the Crew lab. More soon."

"You tell Victoria about assigning yourself to Adrian like this?" Morgan asked.

"I texted her about it." Denise said.

"Did she reply?" Morgan pursued.

"Yes." Denise said.

"With what reply?" Morgan asked.

"She said it is my call, and that she put ME in charge." Denise said.

"Are you ever leaving?" Morgan asked.

"Not planning on it." Denise said. "I suppose that depends upon you."

"OK. Can you cook?" Morgan asked.

"Not like you. I was a Madam. We had a house chef. I was on Crew. We did take out." Denise said. "I can learn though."

"Well, you are not just going to move in without carrying your weight, lady. Laundry. Cooking. Fixing shingles. You may be head of Crew out there, but here, you are another mom with family chores." Morgan told her.

I do not think Morgan liked Denise calling out her guilt like that. I, on the other hand, love it.

"Whatever it takes." Denise said. "The bedroom I am in used to be an office, so I can do Crew BS from there. Not bug you."

"It won't bug me." Morgan assured Denise.

Nakoma was trying to hide her smile. "M-Mom is just pissed that you called her out so hard, Denise. Hmm. If you are staying, I guess you are going to be D-Mom. Oh. You. You are Dee Mom! I am going to have fun with that."