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“How did he take it? I was in the middle of something else.” Zeus asked Ari as she entered the palace area.
“I’m not really sure. I think he wants to kill himself. Or try. To see if what I said was true.”
“A... common... reaction.” Zeus said, nodding. “I’ll watch him closely.”
“Alright. I feel bad for dumping that on him. But I was younger than him, when I was told about Arkonel, wasn’t I?”
“I don’t keep track of mortal years very well, sorry.” Zeus responded. “So, what do you think are the chances of him agreeing? Working out?”
“Well, I’ve never dealt as a god with a mortal, so I’m not sure. But from the mortal perspective, I think he’ll do it. After all, he likes adventure.”
“That’s because he’s my son.”
“He didn’t take well to the immortality idea, either.” Ari mentioned to Zeus.
“No one does at first. Its great.” Zeus sighed. “All of the monotheistic paths on earth preach about everlasting life and the concept of rebirth through their particular deity, yet when it actually confronts them they are scared and run. Its like they want to die.”
“I don’t know. For me, it was leaving my mother behind that almost made me say no.”
“How is she doing?”
“She is doing well.” Ari said. “I went to visit her just yesterday.”
“She was so worried when you first crossed, if she would ever see you again. You go back what, at least once a week in mortal time?”
“Somewhere about there. We go out, eat dinner. Watch our favorite shows.”
“Is she past mortal bearing years?” Zeus asked, suddenly.
“She’s old, but I don’t think she’s stopped her cycles yet. Why?”
“Nothing. Just a question.”
“You are not having sex with my mother!” Ari exclaimed, and Zeus laughed.
“As I told my wife, Tobias was my last indiscretion. I was just thinking, that there are a lot of unwanted children there, on earth. Orphans have always been favorites of gods, especially Aphrodite. She could adopt a few. Or foster some.”
“She’s... she has the animals.” Ari said. “She’s been alone through most of my childhood. I keep telling her that she should go out and find a boyfriend, but she claims dad was the only one for her.”
“Well, you know our policy on the dead. They don’t get reborn until its their time.” Zeus said.
“I’ll talk to her about it. I feel horrible whenever I think about how I left her.” Ari said, worry lining her shimmering face. “Maybe we can just find her a companion.”
“That’s kind of hard to do in the world today. It seems to be all about the sex. As the mortals say.”
“It tends to be. But I’m sure with a little immortal intervention... ” Ari raised her eyebrows at Zeus, “Since we all want her happiness... ” Ari lowered her eyebrows, “We could find her someone willing to live with her without sex. Just a... a cuddle buddy.”
“Cuddle buddy?”
“One who is used for intimate forms of contact that are not sexual.” Arkonel’s voice echoed inside the palace seconds before he appeared. “Ari, I warned you about slang with father. He’s not very in touch with the whole mortal thing.”
“There wasn’t any one easy way to say it!” Ari protested as Arkonel came up behind her.
“So why do you want a cuddle buddy for your mom?” Arkonel asked her. “Aren’t the cats enough?”
“Well, we’d know if it wasn’t but mom doesn’t exactly talk about those things with me, you know?”
“She could always get another mate.” Arkonel responded.
“Does that mean I can get another mate?” Ari asked him playfully and his grip tightened around her.
“No. You’re my one true love.”
“And so was my father to her.”
“I don’t think he would get upset if she had sex with another man. It happens all the time.”
“So its alright for me to go and have sex with the mortal I’m watching, Toby?” Ari asked him, repeating her earlier intent.
“No. I’m alive, silly.” Arkonel said, “But if I was dead, I don’t think I’d care.”
“Well, you’ve never really had the fear of dying, have you.” Ari retorted. “My mom feels like it would be cheating on her husband. The equivalent of betraying your father.”
“I could do that.” Arkonel said, grinning at his father. Zeus’ size increased three times before the smile was wiped off of Arkonel’s face. “I get the point.”
“So she needs a cuddle buddy.”
“Why don’t we just get her a dog?” Arkonel said. “Its less pain and misery in the end. Dogs can’t argue back.”
“Gee, why don’t I just get a dog instead of you?” Ari asked him, spinning out of his grip. “My mom probably wants intelligent companionship.”
“Dogs are intelligent.”
“We need to find an older widower who just wants someone to share the bills with and sleep with at night.”
“Is your mom that lonely?”
“You’re immortal. You don’t sleep unless you want to. But mortals, sleeping is their most intimate moment, and they want to share it with someone. People are known to cry themselves to sleep because they’re alone. The feeling of someone wrapping their arms around you as you drift off to sleep is priceless as a mortal. When you have that for years, and suddenly, you don’t, it can be heart wrenching.”
“Okay, okay.” Arkonel caught up to Ari and captured her again. “You win. We will find her an older, eligible, widower bachelor who does not want sex. Unless she wants it.”
“Ari? Are you there?” Toby’s voice called out of the palace walls. Ari broke her husband’s grip and kissed him on the cheek.
“Duties to attend to. I will be back in a little while.”
“Love you.” Arkonel said as she shimmered and faded, leaving nothing. “You know... she used to say it every time she left the room.”
“Love you too!” Ari’s voice filled the room, and a grin broke out on Arkonel’s face.
“Good. She still loves me. See you later, father.” Arkonel disappeared, leaving Zeus shaking his head in confusion.
“Kids these days.”
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