“Osiris?!? I doubt it. He’s an even bigger ass than my brother. He’s always going on about how he was the first real sky king. I can’t even listen to him. His head’s so big, I don’t know how he walks through doorways.”

“You know, it sounds like you’re looking for a reason not to try.” I put my hands in my pockets and muttered under my breath. “What was that?” She asked.

“What if she doesn’t want to talk to me? What if she’s moved on? Married? Maybe she’s one of the few who’s happily married. I don’t know any, but I hear there are a couple lurking around somewhere.”

Joan glared at me. “What if she’s not? What if she’s sitting around pining for you? And even if she is happily married, would you be any worse off knowing versus not knowing? All you’re doing is setting up roadblocks to keep yourself from finding happiness.”

“Shouldn’t you be counseling me to try and find happiness some other way? Rather than cheating on my wife? That wouldn’t bother you?”

“I’ve decided that I shouldn’t judge you based on my belief system, but yours. And from what I know about how things work in your world, affairs are fairly common.”

“Don’t kid yourself. They’re common in your world too.” I said with a laugh.

“True enough, but that’s beside the point. You keep changing the subject so that you can avoid the problem and possible solution.”

I looked away, taking a sudden interest in the plants she kept in her office.

“If you really want to be with her, why not take the first step? Contact her uncle and see if he has any information. If he doesn’t, then you’re no worse off than you are right now. Move forward. Work to get out of this funk your life has fallen into.”

“I’m scared.” It came out just above a whisper.

“Finally! Finally, you admit it. It’s okay to be scared. It’s not the end of the world. Everyone is scared at one time or another. But you have to face that fear or it will control your life.”

“I’m not supposed to be scared, not me. Don’t forget who you’re talking to and what I do for a living.” I let her feel just a touch of my essence and three hairs on her forehead turn gray. “I’ve fought Titans, and beaten them.”

Joan reached up, touched her hair, and scowled. “And you’re afraid to talk to a girl. Not so terrifying, no matter what you do to my hair. You’re not that different from everyone else. We all have our phobias, our own little nightmares. I’ll bet even your brother has been scared a time or two.”

I snorted. “You don’t know him.”

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