He was hard at work in his office when he heard the knock on the door. He stopped his writing for a moment and closed his eyes.
“Not this again”, he thought to himself as he let out a deep, exaggerated sigh.
“Come in”, he said in a low, flat tone.
He rolled his eyes slightly as the grand fireplace came to life, as if alerted to her presence.
She sat down silently across from him, waiting not-so patiently while he wrote in his ledger. He often took a few extra moments when someone was waiting on him, not unlike a champion fighter making his opponent wait in the ring while he delayed his own entrance.
Give them a moment to think before the impending confrontation.
Finally, he looked up.
“Yes, darling?”
She let out a sigh, and then it began.
The usual tirade about not spending enough time together, always cooped up in this “cold, dark prison”, etc., etc.
Samael was fairly sure he could recite the whole thing by heart at this point.
“You know there is work to be done, my dear Lilith”, he said casually with a slight grin. He could sense the anger within her coming to a high simmer.
He was always amazed by her lack of gratitude for all his hard work. The riches, the fame and glory. Why does she always think these things just magically appear?
She spoke to him in her most seductive way. And as tempting as she was, and always will be, he knew someone had to keep this machine rolling.
“What is it that you want?” he asked finally, as if he didn’t know already. Every 50 or so years, it was the same old song and dance.
She wants to take a vacation.
She threw the usual lines at him. “They will never stop worshiping us”, and so on.
“Yes. we are immortal, legends and all that. But do you remember what happened last time we took an extended holiday?” Offerings and tributes were down 3.33%!” he said with more than a bit of agitation.
“We do not speak of the 3.33%, Samael”, Lilith said with a cold, icy tone. “When will you stop blaming me for that?” she asked with a quiet rage. “And stop talking about me in your head!” she yelled suddenly.
“I was merely pointing out the fact that it was an odd percentage. 3 being your favorite…”
“Drop it. Now”, Lilith said flatly.
Samael put up his hands in mock surrender. She hated it when he did that. So damned patronizing, it was.
“My point it that if I take time off to cavort around the cosmos, the numbers drop,” he said plainly. “While we’re away, who knows what my competitors will do? I’ll be damned if that bastard Michael is going to steal business from me!”
That was when the idea hit her.
“You know what? You’re right,” she said with a demure smile.
“Keep working, my love. It’s what you do best, after all.”
“Finally!” he thought to himself in relief.
“Yes. You keep working. Keep the offers and tributes rolling in,” she said as she blew him a gentle kiss.
“Speaking of Michael, I have not seen nor heard from him in ages. Perhaps he’d like to meet me somewhere and catch up,” she said coyly.
Samael stopped working immediately and she could see the rage manifest itself in a hot, fiery glow all around him.
“What did you say?” he asked in a low, quiet tone.
“Oh, I was just thinking it would be fun to see how things are going on the other side, as it were,” Lilith replied innocently. “Is that a problem, dear?”
Samael sat in quiet contemplation for a few moments. Finally, a smile crossed his face.
“No, my love. It’s not a problem, per se, but you really won’t have time. I’ve been thinking this whole time, and you’re right,” he said cheerfully. “I have all eternity to cook the books. We really can and should spend more time together.”
Lilith’s eyes widened and a genuine smile started to form on her lips.
“Do you really mean it?” she asked excitedly.
“Absolutely,” Samael replied with a smile. “We’ll leave first thing tomorrow.”
Lilith was ecstatic. She could hardly believe her plan had worked, but deep down, she was positively thrilled and sensed a new spark may be rekindled between them.
“And no business, right? No ledgers, laptops, or any of that?” she asked.
“No business,” Samael replied as he rose from the desk and walked around to join her. He put his arm around his lovely mate.
“Let’s go upstairs, dear. We have a journey to prepare for,” he said happily.
As he passed the front of his desk, Samael, unbeknownst to Lilith, slid a cellphone in his pocket.
“I’ll just check the numbers every once in awhile,” he told himself. “She’ll hardly even notice.”
That, however, is a story for another day.
©The Beginning At Last
The Beginning At Last 
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