" Are you sure you want me to leave early! I real y don't mind staying," Dolores said.

"No, honey." Lina waved a linen napkin at her. "I insist. It's not busy and we're going to close in thirty minutes. Anton and I can handle it."

"Wel , if you're sure..." Dolores said dubiously.

"Oh, go on! Lina and I wil be fine alone. Who do you think I am, Mr. Incompetent?" Anton huffed.

"I have never cal ed you Mr. Incontinent - at least not within your hearing." Dolores dissolved into snorting giggles at her own joke.

Anton drew himself up into his full southern bel e glory. "Ah'l nevah be nuice to you again!" he said, raising his fist in the air.

Lina laughed. "I don't think Scarlett would have worn those boots."

"She would have if she had been gay," Anton said smugly.

"Okay, ya'l , I'm leaving." Dolores opened the door and then hesitated, smiling back at Lina as she said, "It's nice to hear you laugh again, boss." Then she hurried out into the Oklahoma evening. Surprised by Dolores' words, Lina stared at the closed door.

"It is, you know," Anton said, touching her arm.

"Thanks," Lina patted his hand. "It feels good to laugh again." They smiled at each other. "I'l take care of closing up out here. Why don't you finish the dough in the back? It should be ready to be separated and put into the bread pans."

Anton nodded and scampered through the French doors separating the kitchen from the cafe. Lina was taking the PIZZA DEL GIORNO sign from the wal so that she could change it to read the next day's special, when the front door jangled open.

"I'l be with you in just a moment!" she cal ed without turning around. "You're in luck; I stil have one pizza of the day left. It's a lovely three cheese blend with garlic, basil and sun dried tomatoes."

"It is one of my favorites, but I have been dreaming of a thick slice of warm gubana with butter spread over it."

Lina froze. That voice. She knew that woman's voice as wel as her own. Lina turned and was struck anew by the Goddess's beauty. She was wearing jeans and a snug knit sweater, and she had her long hair pulled back into a thick ponytail, but her casual clothes did nothing to dispel her unique loveliness.

"Hel o, Lina."

"Hel o, Persephone."

Persephone smiled. "That is one thing we can count on -  we would recognize each other in the middle of a teeming crowd."

"I - " Lina ran her hand across her brow as if she was trying to wipe away her confusion. "I didn't expect to see you. This is a surprise."

Before Persephone could respond, the door chimed again. A tal , handsome woman stepped regal y into the bakery.

Persephone sighed and glanced over her shoulder.

The woman chose a table near the front window. She sat as if readying herself to hold court.

"I had a feeling Mother would fol ow me," Persephone said.

Anton breezed from the kitchen.

"Ohmygod, who knew we would get a rush right before closing?" Like a feather, he fluttered up to Demeter. "May I bring you something?"

The Goddess raised one eyebrow at him. "Wine. Red."

Anton tilted his head, considering. "Is the house Chianti okay?"

"If Carolina has chosen it, I wil abide by her wil ."

"Oh, sweetheart, you are right about that. Our Lina knows her wines," he cooed. "Anything else?"

"Anton!" Lina suddenly found her voice. "You can go back to the dough. I'l take care of both of these ladies."

Demeter raised her hand to silence her. "No. I am enjoying this" - she returned Anton's considering gaze - "young male. You two must talk. He shal attend me." Anton shot Lina a so there look.

"Can't I tempt you with something more than wine? We have an ab fab pizza today. I promise to heat it for you with my own lily white hands."

"Pizza?" The Goddess spoke the word as if it was a foreign language.

"Cheese, tomatoes, garlic, basil - it's to die for."

"Create it for me." Demeter said with an imperious waft of her hands. Anton smiled smugly. Before he turned away he said, "Sweetheart, what is your name? I don't think I've ever seen you in here before."

Lina opened her mouth, but Persephone shook her head, motioning for her to keep quiet.

"You may cal me Robin Greentree."

"Wel , Ms. Greentree, may I just say that on anyone else that outfit would look like a silk muumuu, but on you it looks like something a goddess would wear. You are perfectly majestic."

"Of course I am," Demeter said.

"I'l have your wine right out" Anton hurried back to the kitchen. As he passed Lina and Persephone he said, sotto voce, "I can't resist an old queen." Persephone covered her laugh with a polite cough. Lina scowled at him.

"Robin Greentree?" Lina whispered after Anton had disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Mother has a rather eccentric sense of humor, especial y about names. Do you know in some languages my name sounds just like 'corn'?"

"I am across the room, but I am not deaf."

"Of course, Mother," Persephone said.

"Sorry, Demeter," Lina said.

The two women shared knowing looks that turned into smiles.

Persephone studied the bakery with keen eyes. "Dolores isn't here?"

"I let her go early."

Persephone nodded. "She works hard. She deserves time off."

"It's hard to get her to take time for herself." Lina and Persephone spoke the words together. They stared at each other.

"Yes..." Persephone said.

"Yes," Lina echoed.

"Here's your Chianti and some bread with spiced olive oil." Anton placed the red wine goblet and a bread basket in front of Demeter. "Your pizza wil be out in a jiff." He swished past Lina humming

"Shal We Dance" from The King and 1 and fluttered his fingers amiably at Persephone. Persephone laughed. "I've missed Anton."

"Wel , he certainly grows on you."

"Stop wasting time!" Demeter snapped.

"Mother! Please. Drink your wine. Your pizza has to cook. Try to be a little patient." Persephone sighed and turned back to Lina. "Being the daughter of a goddess is not easy."

"I know," Lina said.

"Yes, you do." Persephone looked down at the counter and took a deep, cleansing breath. "I needed to come back."

Lina's face was a question mark. "Why?"

The Goddess met her eyes. "I am not happy. I miss my bakery - our bakery - your world," she stuttered.

Lina glanced at Demeter, expecting her to react to her daughter's words, but the Goddess continued to sip her wine silently.

"I don't understand."

"Is there nothing you miss about the Underworld?" she asked imploringly. Lina felt her spine straighten. "What do you mean?"

Persephone searched the mortal's eyes. "We cannot lie to each other."

"I'm not trying to lie to you," Lina said. "It's just that it..."

"It hurts," Persephone finished for her. "I know. I tried not to think about everything I missed, too. I thought it would be easier if I chose not to remember."

Lina nodded, struggling to keep her emotions under control.

"I wil begin." Persephone's smile was wistful. "I miss the bakery - its busy efficiency, the way it smel s and sounds, and how it is a gathering place for so many differ-ent types of mortals. And I miss little things, like how Tess Mil er has to have her glass of white wine precisely at the same time every day. I miss her little dog, even though he shocked Tess so badly when he snubbed me that she threatened to take him to the pet psychic. Animals do not react to me as they do to you." Persephone wrinkled her brow at Lina. "You know, the connection you have with animals is very odd."

"Yes, I know."

"I think what I miss most is the way everyone looked to me to solve problems. They did not see me as a younger, incompetent version of my mother. No one ran to her after I made a decision to double check that I was being wise. They respected me and trusted my judgment."

"You showed excel ent judgment, Persephone," Lina assured her. "The bakery is thriving. Everyone is happy. Merda! You even managed to get me into shape." Persephone gave her an assessing look. "Your body was a comfortable place to live, Lina. Do not underestimate your own beauty." The Goddess grinned and Lina was reminded of a cat regarding a bowl of cream. "That is another thing I miss. Mortal men are so very appreciative."

"Scott," Lina said dryly.

"Scott," Persephone purred. "I found him to be an interesting dal iance."

"He fel in love with you."

"Of course he did." Persephone shrugged her shoulders. "He wil recover and be a better man for the experience. Knowing how to please a goddess is something al men should learn." The idea made Lina smile.

"I even miss those two creatures who live with you, especial y the cat," Persephone admitted. That made Lina laugh. "Patchy Poo the Pud is awful, but loveable."

"Horrid beast," Persephone teased.

Lina nodded.

"Now it is your turn to remember. What is it you miss about the Underworld?"

"I miss Eurydice," she said with only a slight hesitation. "The little spirit was like a daughter to me. I worry about her."

"What else?"

"I miss Orion. I know he's supposed to be a dread steed, but he reminded me more of an overgrown black lab puppy."

"And?"

"I miss the way the sky looked. Daylight was like a watercolor painting that someone had breathed into life. I realize that sounds ironic because I'm talking about the Land of the Dead, but it wasn't dark and gloomy there, at least not after you got to Elysia. Actual y, it was the most incredible place I've even been, ever even imagined." Lina let her mind wander. Now that she had started talking she didn't want to stop. "Did you know that the night sky is lit by the souls of the Hyades so that when evening comes to Elysia everything looks like a beautiful forgotten dream?"

"No, I did not know that," Persephone said.

"And the souls of the dead aren't scary or disgusting. They are just people whose bodies have become less important. They stil have the ability to love and laugh and cry." Persephone took Lina's hand. "What is it that you miss most?" Lina's eyes fil ed with tears. "Hades," she whispered. "You fel in love with my world, but I fel in love with the Lord of the Underworld."

"Good!" Persephone said happily, squeezing Lina's hand.

"How can that be good? I love Hades, but he loves you."

Persephone's laughter was a joyous noise that seemed to make the lights in the bakery glow brighter. "If he loves me, then why is he refusing to see me?"

"You've tried to see Hades?"

"Of course. I was miserable with missing your world. Then I started hearing rumors of Hades having gone mad and the spirits in the Underworld being in disarray, et cetera, et cetera, because the Queen of the Underworld had left her realm."

"Wait! Hades has gone mad?" Lina felt the color drain from her face.

"Oh, it is nothing. He is simply sulking." She made a careless gesture with her slender hands. "But the rumors made me think that perhaps I was not alone in my unhappiness. So I visited the Underworld."

"And?" Lina had the sudden urge to shake her.

"And the first thing that happened was that awful three-headed dog refused to al ow me to pass." She shivered. "Edith Anne has much better manners."

"Cerberus gave you a hard time?"

"Hard time? He blocked the road, growling and slobbering. I was afraid to get near him. I actual y had to cal for help." Persephone shook her head in disgust.

"And Hades didn't come to you?"

The Goddess frowned. "His daimon appeared instead. With that hateful black horse."

"Orion was mean to you?"

"He laid back his pointed ears and bared his teeth at me."

"I'm sorry about that. I have spoken to Orion about his attitude. He probably just thought you were me, and when he realized you weren't, wel , he should have behaved better," Lina said.

"Yes, he should have. Anyway, I told the daimon that I wanted to speak with Hades. The daimon asked me if I was the Goddess of Spring, or the mortal woman, Carolina." Persephone looked annoyed. "As if he did not already know! Even the spirits of the dead knew. The whole time I was traveling down that gloomy black road they watched me. At first they seemed happy, then when I spoke to them - simply trying to be polite - they drew away from me. I even heard them whispering things like 'Someone is masquerading as Queen of the Underworld.'" Irritably, she brushed aside a strand of hair that had escaped from her ponytail. "I can tel you, it was certainly a disturbing experience."

She paused before continuing and studied her wel -manicured fingernails. Lina wanted to shake her again.

"Wel , I assured the daimon that my body and my soul were the same. He disappeared, and when he returned he said that his Lord refused to see Persephone, and he commanded that I leave his realm and stop bothering him."

"And how does that prove that he doesn't love you? Hades is very stubborn." Lina glanced at Demeter, who was pretending to study her wine. She leaned forward and lowered her voice.

"Sometimes it takes a lot of work to get him to relax and talk. Actual y, he's romantic and passionate. You should try again. He wil probably see you next time." Lina's stomach clenched and she hated herself as soon as she said the words. She didn't want Hades to see Persephone. She didn't want him to see anyone except her.

"I think you should try," Persephone said firmly.

"Me?" Lina blinked in surprise. "How can I?"

"We could exchange bodies again." Persephone gestured at Demeter. "Mother wil aid us. She recognizes that her plan did not work exactly as she had expected." Lina looked at Demeter. The Goddess inclined her head in a smal , regal bow. "I acknowledge the truth of my daughter's words. I was mistaken in how I handled the situation." The awful bedroom scene flashed through Lina's memory. "I'm glad to hear you say it, but it doesn't change anything."

"Do you remember, Carolina, when you came to my oracle distraught because you had made an error in judgment?" Demeter said.

"Yes, I almost caused Eurydice a lot of pain because I made a decision without thinking it through."

"Do you remember what I told you then?"

"You told me to learn from my mistake," Lina said.

"Yes, and I have taken my own advice. I, too, did not fully consider my decision. What I have learned from my mistake is that even a goddess can be surprised by her daughters." Demeter gifted the two women with one of her rare smiles. Then she returned her full attention to Lina.

"Hades was being truthful with you. He has always been different from the rest of the immortals. I believe the Lord of the Underworld did fal in love with you, Carolina."

"And I have a proposal for you," Persephone said. "You love Hades. I love your bakery and your world. Why must we live forever without our loves?"

"But Hades - " Lina began.

"Hear me out," Persephone interrupted. "As Goddess of Spring, I must be in my world for six months, then, as you would say, my 'job' is completed until the next spring. I could come here during that interlude. And while I am here, you could return to the Underworld as Queen." Lina's head was spinning. "I would pretend to be you again?"

"No." Persephone's smile was enigmatic. " You would not have to pretend. Everything from the animals to the spirits knew I was not you. You wil not be pretending, Carolina, you are their Queen. You wil simply be housed temporarily in my body because I need yours here. I wil be the one who must masquerade as another."

"No," Lina said.

"Why not?" Persephone gave a long-suffering sigh. "Oh, I give you my word that I wil neatly discard any 'Scotts' before you return."

"It's not that," Lina said.

"Then what is it?"

"He doesn't want me, Persephone. He told me he loved my soul, and then when he saw the real me, he rejected me."

"Lina, he was just surprised," Persephone said.

"You didn't see his face."

"I saw his face," Demeter interjected. "And what I read there was, indeed, surprise and hurt. I did not see disdain or rejection."

"Then you saw something I didn't," Lina said.

"Perhaps you are simply making a mistake, Carolina," Demeter said.

"Maybe, but what if I'm not?" Lina felt the sick wave of pain that remembering Hades' rejection evoked. She blinked furiously. "I can't bear it if he looks at me like that again. And what if he doesn't? That might actual y be worse. How would I ever know that it's not just your body he desires?"

"Can you bear to live an eternity without him?" Persephone asked softly. Tears spil ed from Lina's eyes and left shining trails down her cheeks. "What I can't bear is what it would do to my soul to have him turn away from me again - or to have him accept me only because he wanted me to be something that I'm not."

"Do not make a decision before you have pondered it properly," Demeter said.

"Yes, promise me that you wil consider my proposition. Fal has just begun here. You have until the first days of spring, then I wil return for your final decision." Persephone wiped a tear from Lina's face. Then the Goddess's smile became bittersweet. She reached under her sweater where a silver chain lay hidden. Without speaking, she pulled it over her head. The amethyst narcissus caught the bakery lights and sparkled.

"This belongs to you," she said, placing it carefully over Lina's head. "The chain had been broken, and then knotted. I did not have it replaced. It is just as you left it."

"Oh," Lina said with a sob. She wrapped her fingers around the bloom that had been so lovingly carved for her. "I didn't think I'd ever see this again. Thank you for returning it to me." Anton burst from the French doors whistling a show tune from Gypsy and carrying a round tray which held a fragrant, steaming pizza. He glanced at Lina and came to an abrupt halt.

"Why are you crying?" His eyes flashed and he turned on Persephone. "Little Miss Cute Thing, if you made her cry I'l  - "

"No, Anton, it's nothing bad." Lina smiled through her tears, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Persephone gave me this necklace, and it is so beautiful that it made me cry." Anton's body relaxed. "Persephone? You mean like the Goddess?"

"Exactly like the Goddess," Persephone said.

"I haven't seen you here before, either. How do you know our Lina?" Anton said. Persephone smiled. "Lina helped me grow up."

Anton looked confused.

"Persephone," Demeter cal ed from across the room. "We should depart."

"Anton, we wil need that pizza in a 'To Go' box. And could you please add a big slice of gubana, too?"

"Of course," Anton said. "Anything else I can get for Her Majesty?" He nodded his head at Demeter.

Persephone laughed. "Just the check."

"I shal pay," Demeter said. With a great sense of dignity she stood and then strode to where Anton waited at the cash register.

"With what?" Lina whispered.

Persephone shrugged her shoulders.

"Anton!" Lina said.

He looked at her.

"With these ladies we accept barter. Just be sure you drive a hard bargain." Anton's eyes widened. "Whatever you say, boss." He faced the approaching Goddess. "Wel , Queen Greentree, what are you offering for pizza, gubana and wine?"

Demeter raised her haughty chin. "I prefer the title Goddess. Queens have realms that are entirely too limited."

"Fine, Goddess Greentree. What are you offering?"

Demeter's smile was sly. "Do you have any need for a talking bird?"

"No, honey," Anton rol ed his eyes. "We have way too many animals that hang around this place. Try again."

Persephone pulled on Lina's sleeve. "Leave them to their bargaining. I have one more question to ask you."

"What is it?"

"What did you do to Apol o?"

"Nothing," Lina said, surprised.

"Nothing?" Persephone asked.

"Not a thing."

"You refused the God of Light?" Persephone wasn't sure she had heard her correctly.

"Of course. I'm only interested in one god at a time," Lina said.

"Real y?" Persephone tapped her perfect chin thoughtfully. "What an interesting concept."

"Sold! For one gold crown that is probably fake but I just adore it!" Anton squealed.

P/S: Copyright -->www_novelfreereadonline_Com

***