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Death snickered "Look at his face I love it"

Nick cleared his throat "Meth is death, dude Lay off the crack"

"What?" Morty looked at hiotten he was there "Uit I still don’t reht We all have--" He slid his gaze to Death, as still laughing, and had to wonder if he wasn’t is, too "--our issues Tell you what, I think I’ve o chill for a while" And havea hallucination probably brought on by finding outfreaks everywhere

"Good idea" Morty headed to the stove

Death slung his arm around Nick’s shoulders "Call me Grim or master I prefer master, but Grim works since it reminds you of who and what I aet under my skin Capisce?"

"Got it"

"Good By the way, did you know the word capisce is actually from the Latin word for ‘seize’? As in carpe diem or, in the case of your nocturnal boss, carpe nocteht"

Nick wasn’t sure what to make of any of that

"Close your mouth, kid The cook already thinks you’re crazy Ree of my company"

"Okay"

"Hmm The correct answer should be capisco ‘I understand’ So I say capisce, and you say…"

Nick hesitated before he answered "Capisco"

Griht Makes ent You’d be ae Carlin so eloquently put it: Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that"

He had a point "I try to keepht Believe me, I know For that matter, it can be fatal even in small measures Remind me so her cat"

"Who are you talking to?"

Nick felt his face go hot at Morty’s question "Still in the kitchen, aren’t I? Guess I need to keep walking Oh, look! Yonder is the door, which I’ht now" He quickly roup he’d left earlier had dispersed No one was there except the two bartenders who’d gone back to restocking behind the bar

Nick paused beside them "Where’s my mom?"

Before they could answer, she came out of the restroom area dressed in a black Sanctuary T-shirt that e side and kept her completely covered Her face lit up the moment she saw him She practically danced her way over to hiiven for getting her fired, but decided that ht not be in his best interest "You look happy"

"Oh, baby, I aaze to the door "Well, Rémi’s a little distant, but I’ll take that any day over so to give ht And, best of all, they feed me free while I work and you, too, and not just scraps We could eat steak if anted to"

"I’ll settle for the cookies"

"Yeah, I know you would" She squeezed his cheek "I’m technically on the clock already I should have left you at Mr Hunter’s"

"I tried to tell you that"

"Don’t sass h "I know you’ll be bored here I ame area "But it’s probably best not to press our luck the first day"

"I can go hang at Bubba’s It’s just down the street"

All the joy evaporated off her face "That is one naain I swear, that man and his antics … He’s ridiculous"

He’d also saved both their lives last night But for Bubba and his epic fighting and driving skills, they’d be dead today

That thought lance past his mother’s shoulder to where Grim watched them with a beht, Mo to help"

"Yeah, well, for his own personal safety, you better keep him away from me--or you’ll have two parents in prison for murder" As soon as those words were out of her mouth, she slapped her hand over her lips and looked around frightfully "Let’s not talk about that here, okay?" she whispered

"I don’t talk about that man’s unfortunate and eternal incarceration to anyone Ever" No offense, but he hated the sper of people he didn’t want to talk about, his father was a cold-blooded killer who’d knocked them both around the feeeks he’d been out of jail If Nick never saw hiain, it’d be too soon

"Go stay with Bubba I’ll check with you later"

"All right Do you have my new cell number?" That’d sounded infinitely better in his head than it did coe of hiola like his dad

"Not with me" She pulled a pad and pen from her pocket and handed it to hiave it back to her "If you need ood"

"Always" Nick turned around and headed for the door Luckily Griain until they were on the street and away from Rémi

"A, Nicky, that’s so sweet Your mama loves you so"

Nick froze instantly "You don’tbut the most reverent of tones I don’t care if you are Death, I will open a can of Cajun whup-ass all over you, boy"

Grim arched one brow as his two co hi pulp "Noro for it Be glad I owe a debt that precludes ht now But don’t push it While you have a predetermined death, your own free will decisions can override that Put that in the bank and think about it before you try to make a withdrawal"

Nick frowned at him "What do you mean I have a predetermined death?"

"Did I stutter?"