Chapter Forty-Four: Camon:

Our first son was born in 1939. This was the year that started a chain of events. I will get back to that later. He was a really big baby. Camon was my sixth child and my fifth son. Madonna looked so happy when she held him in her arms.

“He’s beautiful,” she whispered. I have seen this before.

“Can I hold him?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. She handed me own son. That feeling warmth ran through my chest. I didn’t get to feel this with Irani. I got to enjoy this with Leo, Jim, Aven, and Lust. I never got tired of the feeling. Only one name came to my mind.

“Camon,” I said.

“What?” Madonna asked.

“I want to name him Camon,” I said. She had a dreamy look in her eyes when she stared at me.

“Sure,” she said. I looked down at our son.

“Hello, Camon,” I said. The baby lay quiet in my arms.

“Can I have him back?” Madonna asked.

“Oh,” I said. “Here.” I handed little Camon back to my wife. Madonna cooed as she pulled him into her arms. I think that was the happiest I had ever seen her in the years that we were married.

Like I said before, Camon was born in 1939. Specially, September first, 1939. Yes. That’s right, World War II started then. Did his birth bright about the war? I don’t know. That is debatable. I didn’t know about this at the time. I had become a father, again. Sure, there were the whispers. But I didn’t pay any attention to them. Why would I? I had another new family.

I become aware when my subjects complained about the workload.

“Boss,” they complained. “Can we please have a break? This is getting to be too much.”

“Why do you need a break?” I asked.

“We keep getting too many souls at our gates,” one of my subjects wailed. I raised my eyebrow.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I said. I stood up and followed them out to the front gate. What I saw made my jaw drop. So many faces were pressed against the gates. When did everything get this backed up?

“How long has in been like this?” I asked.

“Six years,” one of my subjects said.

“Six years? Six years?!” I asked. I stumbled backwards. This had to be a joke. It’s been going on like that for six years?!

“How did it get like this?” I asked.

“Well, we’re understaffed,” one of my subjects said. “Some just keep quitting.” I looked so confused.

“Why would they be doing that?” I asked. My subjects all looked at each other nervously. I folded my arms across my chest.

“Spit it out,” I said. “Why is everyone quitting?” One of them stepped forward.

“It’s because of your relationships with angels,” he said.

“What?” I asked. My subject looked down at his hooved feet.

“The others are losing confidence in you because you keep sleeping with angels,” he admitted. “It didn’t help that you were also in a relationship with a human.”

“What do my relationships have to do with anything?” I asked.

“My lord,” another subject said. “Some of us are not too comfortable with you having any association with Heaven.”

“Don’t forget that human woman he was with in the living realm,” the first subject pointed out.

“Yeah,” the second one said.

“In fact, I am resigning my position today,” the third subject admitted in a quiet voice. The other three looked at him.

“What?” they asked.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, bowing his head. “I got offered the chance to be reincarnated. I couldn’t pass up the chance.”

“You can’t mean that,” I said. “Is such a thing possible?” The other subjects looked at me as they shrugged and shook their heads. The traitorous subject bowed his head.

“I’m so sorry,” he said again. “Goodbye.” My subject disappeared into thin air. I looked at the remaining three with a disapproving look.

“Anyone else want to leave?” I asked. They didn’t say a word. I sighed and shook my head.

“I will try to find more subjects to help you,” I said. “Just get back to work. We have so many souls to assign.”

“Yes sir!” they were quick to say. I rubbed my forehead as they hurried back to work. So much for spending time with my wife and son. Why did things have to turn into such a mess?