Page 23 of The Rescuer

“You’re not crazy... umm well ...” Brian sat on the couch. “I see the dead.” He winced, briefly falling silent. “I can talk, write, and let them talk through me. Forgive me for not telling you,” he continued in a barely audible voice.

“I understand, I would probably have done the same. Besides, after my husband’s death, I wasn’t the most pleasant company. Scratch that, my behavior was inexcusable.” Edwin took his older brother’s hands in his. “Have you seen Reardon lately? How is he? Is he at peace?” He coughed discreetly, blushing. “We didn’t talk at all when he was here, we were too busy to…you know.”

Brian gave his brother a smile. “Yes, I know how it is. You couldn’t get enough of each other. I talked to Reardon a week or so ago. He's okay but has unfinished business.”

“I'm sorry, my friend.” The librarian heard his brother-in-law’s voice. “We have to talk, but not today. My husband sucked all the energy in me.” A giggling sound followed the ghost’s words. “I hope you can forgive me after I finish my story.”

Brian nodded, then turned to Edwin, who was bursting at the seams with excitement and couldn’t wait to tell his older brother about the wonderful sexual experience he had, wrapped in his husband’s arms, feeling him deep inside, into his very core. Reardon’s soft lips kissed every inch of his body, setting it on fire and making him special every time they touched his skin.

Head tilted backwards, eyes closed, Edwin relived the moments of passion his husband offered him, the intensity of the pleasure he felt still sending shivers through his body. Looking at the expression of pure abandonment on his younger brother’s face, Brian’s heart filled with joy, and he hoped the smile playing on Edwin’s lips wouldn’t disappear very soon.

No, he heard the answer in his head,it won’t happen again. Even if he couldn’t be with his husband all the time, Reardon promised to never leave him alone at night to cry himself to sleep. Eyes wide with surprise, Brian saw how the couch dipped under his brother-in-law’s weight and heard Edwin’s soft sigh of contentment when the ghost pulled him closer.

All the way back home, the librarian wondered what kind of spirit Reardon was; none of the other specters he’d come in contact with before had manifested the ability to move objects by themselves, and they also couldn’t play with someone’s mind like his brother-in-law did with Ottavio mere hours earlier.

Exhausted both physically and emotionally, Brian fell asleep the minute his head touched the pillow, but he continued to ask himself questions about Reardon’s nature over the following few days. Also, the librarian waited for his brother-in-law to get in touch with him, but it didn’t happen until a week later when he’d almost forgotten about the whole thing.

“Sorry I postponed this for so long.” Reardon materialized himself in front of his brother-in-law at the library. “I'm about to lose my only friend. You.”

“No, you won’t.” Brian slowly shook his head. “I promise I’ll listen to you carefully and try to understand you.” He spoke in a soft, reassuring voice.

“We've known each other since you were seven and gave half of your sandwich to the bullied five-year-old who begged on the street for some food.” Reardon inhaled sharply, then continued his story. “Remember when you suddenly started running very fast?”

“Yes.” Brian smiled at the memory. “I think I was around nine. Everyone was surprised. They said there wasn’t anyone in the family who could run like that. Mom used to say it was a gift from god.”

“It was a gift, all right, but from elsewhere.” Reardon let out a long, shaky sigh. “From your best friend.” He paused for a bit. “I’m sorry to bring back such painful memories, but do you remember how many times you wanted to kill yourself after Edward went missing?”

“Don’t worry, I put the past behind me. Those memories can’t hurt me anymore.” Brian’s voice was a bit far away. “But yes, you’re right, I often wondered what or who kept me from taking my own life back then. It was like I had a personal rescuer, a guardian angel of sorts. I didn’t believe in them or in any other kind of supernatural manifestations, but now… Was it you?”

“My real name is Lucius, but I prefer my current one.” Reardon ran a hand over his face. “Sorry I kept things from you. It's not what a good friend does.” The man paused for a moment. “Oh, and the only one who doesn't play by the rules is the Big Boss. He hates to lose. I'm sorry for all the bad things that happened to you, but I can't be everywhere, and I'm short of staff. The Big Boss tarnished my reputation, so there aren't many willing to come and work for me.”

“Are we talking angels and demons here?” Brian’s eyes went wide with disbelief and shock then he blinked in confusion. “Because if we are, I'm kinda missing how you'd lose me as a friend.”

“You can decide to ignore me.” Reardon’s voice was tinged with pain. “You can turn your back on me and never listen to me again. Wouldn't be the first, and I'd understand if you'd do it.”

“What if I don't want to ignore you?” Brian smiled. “Sorry about all the questions, I’m just confused. And very, very curious.”

“It would make me happy.” Reardon’s eyes regained their shine. “And grateful. And you'd be the first who would do that.”

“Do you happen to know why I see the dead?” Brian leaned over the counter, waiting for the other one’s answer.

Reardon nodded. “Yes.” He cleared his throat. “One of our ranks fell in love with this beautiful woman and made love to her, but his human form had to go to the war and was killed. When the child, a boy, was born, the villagers noticed he had different colored eyes. They didn't kill him, but when he was five, sent him to a monastery. That was your ancestor, Blasio. He had the gift from his father.”

“Wow!” Brian let out a loud gasp, then came back with another question. “Was I meant to be the one to return to the Mafia life like my great-great-grandfather said?”

“Yes.” Reardon gave his brother-in-law another bright smile. “You are The Peacemaker. One like you is born every two hundred years.”

Suddenly, the supernatural being fell silent and after listening intently for a few seconds, excused himself, invoking urgent business, and vanished into thin air, leaving Brian with a lot of unanswered questions. However, he showed up at the librarian’s house later that evening when the man was laying down on the king-size bed in the master bedroom, a book in his hand.

Taking advantage that Bart was still in the shower, Reardon told Brian that his offer to switch his healthy side and leg with his friend’s damaged ones still stood, and he would be very happy if the other man would accept the exchange. The librarian was even more tempted by the proposition but wanted to know if anyone would have to suffer because of the switch.

Reardon patiently explained to Brian that everything would happen between the two of them and no one would be negatively affected. On the contrary, the demon said, the librarian would regain his physical integrity and agility when he would heal the wounded leg and side, making them as good as new. A grin appeared on the supernatural being’s face when he said the last part.

Brian agreed, but he told his brother-in-law he also had to discuss the matter with Bart before giving the final answer. Reardon nodded in understanding, then told the librarian Edwin was pregnant with triplets, and he let all his men know so they kept a close eye on him. The expectant father didn’t have any idea about the changes that already started to happen inside him; his husband said he would start to mentally prepare him one step at a time.

Brian heard a swish in the air and didn’t sense Reardon’s presence anymore. Bart came out of the bathroom, and as he was sliding under the covers, his husband told him about their brother-in-law’s offer. The other man expressed his joy at the news but told the librarian the decision was entirely up to him.

I’ll be whole again, Brian thought, hugging Bart close to him, his mind made up.Scratch that, I became whole ten years ago when I met you.

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