Chapter 14 — Finally Arriving at the Funeral
After spending a while at the breakfast table, Dante leisurely finished the last sip of his morning coffee. The aroma still lingered in the air—rich, warm, and comforting, mixing with the faint smell of toasted bread and Margaret's sweet fruit juice. Sitting across from him, Margaret absentmindedly stirred her drink, looking at him with the soft expression of someone who still hadn't gotten used to waking up next to him after their intense night together.
Dante set the mug down, leaned slightly forward, and said in a tone that tried to sound casual but carried a hint of seriousness:
"Margaret, I'm going to have to take a trip. So if I end up not coming back tonight, that's the reason."
Margaret paused mid-sip. Her eyebrows rose slightly as she lowered the glass.
"A trip? To where?" she asked, her voice curious but tinged with a bit of concern—she wasn't used to Dante leaving without much explanation.
He rubbed the back of his neck and replied:
"Well, my dad's old high school coach passed away. So we're going to the funeral… and after that we'll spend a few days at a lake house one of his friends rented. It's like a reunion after years."
Margaret nodded slowly, digesting the news, then gave a small sigh, her shoulders relaxing a little.
"Well… I'm going to miss you. Don't forget to call me."
But a second later she leaned forward, lowering her voice as she added with a mixture of embarrassment and anxiety,
"But Dante… I have a question about yesterday. You, uh… did it inside. I'm not at risk of getting pregnant, am I?"
Dante couldn't help laughing softly. Her expression was priceless—yesterday she had been bold, fearless, practically wild… and now she was fretting like a nervous teenager.
"For someone who went wild yesterday," he teased, "you sound pretty worried now. But relax. Since I'm a dragon now, it's actually really hard for me to get someone pregnant. So you're safe. We could do it every day and the chances would still be extremely low."
Margaret exhaled in relief and leaned back in her chair, visibly relaxing.
"It's not that I wouldn't want to have your child," she murmured. "It's just… right now isn't a good time."
Dante leaned over the table, cupped her cheek, and kissed her gently.
"It's fine," he assured her. "We still have plenty of time."
He stood, gave her one last smile, and then opened the shimmering portal. With a soft hum, the magic expanded, and in the blink of an eye Dante stepped through… vanishing completely.
Margaret stared at the empty space, cheeks warm, then sighed and muttered:
"Well… time to work."
She stretched, headed to the bathroom, and turned on the shower.
When Dante reappeared, it was in the familiar quiet of a nearly deserted street near his home. The morning air was cool, carrying the faint smell of damp concrete. Ahead, he saw his father, Charlie, carrying suitcases and loading them into a taxi, the trunk clearly struggling for space.
Dante walked up and casually asked:
"Need help there, Dad?"
Charlie wiped his forehead and shook his head.
"Everything's under control. Go see if your sister and your mother need help with their bags."
"Got it," Dante replied and headed into the house.
Inside, he immediately spotted several suitcases by the door. His mother and sister were in the hallway, both looking stressed in different ways—Sara organizing last-minute items with soldier-like discipline, and Bella flipping through her phone.
"Need help, ladies?" Dante asked with an exaggerated bow.
Sara handed him three suitcases at once.
"Take this one, this one, and this one. You and your father always forget socks when we travel, so I had to pack extra pairs for both of you."
Dante chuckled, hoisting the luggage easily. He carried everything outside… and of course, the taxi trunk was full.
Charlie sighed and called another taxi.
After a series of small but annoying delays, they finally managed to get everything sorted. Dante and Bella climbed into the second taxi, while their parents took the one in front.
Inside their taxi, Dante smirked at his sister.
"What's wrong? Sad about being away from that gothic emo for a while?"
Bella glared at him.
"He's not a gothic emo."
"True," Dante said thoughtfully.
"See? You know he's no—"
"It's true that love makes you blind," Dante interrupted, leaning back with a satisfied grin.
As Bella groaned, Dante's phone vibrated. It was Alice.
"Can we go out Saturday?" she texted.
Dante sighed and typed:
"Sorry, fairy girl. Something came up. A friend of my dad passed away and we're going to the funeral. But once I'm back, I'd love to go out with you."
Two minutes later Alice answered:
"I'll be waiting. You better not break your promise."
Dante chuckled and replied:
"Don't worry, I won't."
At the airport, while waiting for the flight, Dante rested his head on the back of the chair and looked at his parents.
"This wouldn't be happening if you two let me buy a private jet."
Sara rolled her eyes.
"And what would you even do with a private jet? You barely travel. It would be a waste of money."
"Money is for spending on cool things," Dante argued. "Like a jet. Or a yacht. Or maybe a Batmobile."
Bella overheard and looked at Charlie.
"Dad… can Dante really buy a private jet?"
Charlie exhaled slowly.
"Well, your brother is a successful writer with several books sold, with more being adapted to movies and series… or already adapted. So yes, he can. But Sara and I think he's too young to spend that much. So we don't let him."
Bella blinked.
"So he's that rich…?"
Dante grinned.
"I'm not that rich. We are. And if you ever need anything, sis, just ask."
Bella nodded shyly.
A few hours later, after a flight that Dante considered torture—especially after finding out his father had originally bought economy tickets—they finally arrived. He couldn't believe he had nearly been forced to endure screaming children and cramped seats. In a panic, he had immediately upgraded everyone to executive class.
After leaving the airport, Sara asked:
"So what do we do now?"
Dante stretched his arms.
"Well, Dad needs to rent a car. We'll be here for days, so we can't rely on taxis."
Charlie nodded.
"I'll go find one. Dante, stay with your mother and sister."
Dante raised an eyebrow.
"Bella I understand… but Mom doesn't need me to look after her."
Charlie ignored him and left.
Dante sat with Bella and Sara on a bench. They waited. And waited. And waited.
"I'm bored…" Dante groaned, staring at the sky dramatically.
"Just wait," Sara replied calmly. "Your father should be back soon."
Thirty minutes later, Charlie finally returned with the car.
During the drive, Charlie glanced at Dante.
"Son, I think I should teach you how to drive."
Dante blinked.
"I don't think I need to learn… right?"
"Well, you can't use those two abilities everywhere. There's no harm in learning."
"…Fair point," Dante admitted.
While they talked, Sara did her best to bond with Bella, though Bella remained quiet and thoughtful.
After nearly an hour of driving through peaceful landscapes and quiet roads, they finally reached the funeral.
Charlie straightened his suit.
"Sara, how do I look?"
She smiled warmly.
"Handsome as the day you first asked me out."
Dante grinned.
"Dad, even if you're not as handsome as me, you're still doing alright."
They got out of the car.
A voice shouted:
"Hollywood!"
Dante turned… and saw Adam Sandler—well, Lenny Feder in this version of the world. Seeing Lenny's beautiful wife reminded Dante how in every movie he starred in, he always ended up with gorgeous women.
"He's a lucky guy…" Dante muttered, amused.
Charlie approached his old friends.
"It's been a long time since we saw each other in person."
Lenny grinned.
"Sheriff! Looks like your dream came true—you actually became a cop!"
Kurt laughed.
"Look who showed up! If Hollywood and the Sheriff are here, today must be important!"
While the men joked, Dante turned to Bella.
"Let's go inside and let the moms talk."
Inside, Sara spoke with the wives of Charlie's old friends.
Meanwhile, the men discussed life, and Charlie mentioned having two kids now.
Kurt squinted toward Dante and Bella.
"You're telling me those two are your kids? No way!"
Lenny added:
"For real?"
Charlie sighed jokingly.
"I might not be handsome, but I'm lucky."
Kurt shook his head.
"I feel bad for guys who'll have to compete with your son. Brown skin like chocolate, blue hair, golden eyes, built… that's not fair."
Dante silently agreed.
He and Bella took seats in the last row.
After the speeches and emotional farewells, everyone moved to eat together. Bella seemed quieter and paler than usual.
"What's wrong, sis?" Dante whispered. "Something bothering you?"
"Nothing… I just don't handle funerals well. My head hurts."
"You can use my shoulder," Dante said gently. "I don't let just anyone use it."
Bella rested her head against him and slowly relaxed.
Nearby, the moms watched them.
"That's your son?" Roxanne asked.
"Yes," Sara replied.
"And that pretty girl is his girlfriend?" Diane assumed.
"No, she's his sister," Sara explained. "Charlie's daughter from his first marriage."
"Oh!" Roxanne laughed. "You need to tell me how you keep them from fighting. Mine are driving me insane."
After a while, everyone decided to head to the lake house.
Bella had fallen asleep on Dante's shoulder. He picked her up in his arms, princess-style.
Charlie asked:
"What's wrong with her?"
"She just doesn't like funerals," Dante said. "Headache. She fell asleep. I didn't want to wake her."
They all got in the car, and Charlie drove toward the lake house while the others followed behind.