" It's February, but it feels like April." Lina sighed happily. "I love it when Oklahoma weather does this," she told Edith Anne, who trotted contentedly by her side. Rol erblades had taken some getting used to. It wasn't that her body didn't know what to do, it was Lina's mind that kept repeating thoughts like yes, that pavement is hard and slow down, we're going to fal and break something. So, even after several months of practice, Lina stil took it slow, stroking the wide cement walkway that ran along the Arkansas River with control ed, careful strides.

"On your left!" someone shouted behind her and Lina moved closer to the right side of the pavement.

"Thanks," she yel ed as a racing bike streaked past.

"No problem," the rider cal ed back.

"I real y appreciate it when they do that," she said to Edith Anne, who continued to keep pace with her in the grass that was just beginning to hint about future green off the side of the walkway. Edith snorted.

"Wel , you know it scares me when someone just busts past us without any warning. That big yel ow-bike guy almost knocked me over last week." Lina reached down and flipped Edith's ear. The bul dog hutted at her and licked her hand. "I guess I should pay better attention, especial y when it's quiet like it is this evening, but sometimes it's just so beautiful..." Lina smiled. Evening was her favorite time of the day to rol erblade. Oklahoma sunsets were glorious, and sometimes, just as the sun was fal ing beneath the Arkansas River, the light would glint off the water, mixing pink and orange with blue and gray - and she would be reminded of the magic of Elysia. It didn't make her sad. Time had helped her with that. She liked the remembrance, in little doses. It helped to keep the emptiness at bay.

Edith Anne stopped to sniff at a particularly interesting clump of weeds.

"Hey, keep up with me! If you get mud or thistles on you, expect to get a bath when we get home." Edith snorted a couple of times at the weeds before gal oping after Lina. Lina slowed to let her catch up. She thought she heard the clop of a horse's hooves in the distance. Interesting, she thought, the weather must be nice enough for the riverside stable to have opened early. Horseback rides along the river were big business during good weather, but the business didn't usual y open until April. She wondered how she'd missed the notice in the paper. Usual y she liked to post things like that in the bakery. She made a mental note to check on it the next day. The bul dog by her side again, Lina picked up her pace. She had already gone four miles, and her breath was stil coming easily. Her legs felt strong. Lina was glad she had added rol erblading as a regular part of her weekly routine. Not only did it keep her body in shape, it helped her think. And she'd had a lot to think about since Persephone's visit.

Merda! She'd been tempted by the Goddess's offer. How could she not have been? To return to the Underworld as its Queen... she would like nothing more. No, Lina corrected herself. What she would like more was what was keeping her from taking Persephone up on her offer. She'd wrestled with it over and over in her mind during the long winter months. She'd even wished she could cal her grandmother and ask her advice - without her grandmother thinking she needed to be committed.

Sometimes she thought that maybe Demeter had been right and she had just made a mistake. Then al she had to do was to remember how Hades had turned away from her when she had revealed herself to him. " Leave my realm" had been his response to seeing the real Carolina. Time had helped to heal her, but remembering his words stil caused her soul to ache. And it was almost spring. Persephone would return soon for an answer. Lina breathed deeply and kept a steady pace while she considered, for what must have been the thousandth time, her answer. Unconsciously, Lina's hand found the amethyst narcissus that always hung around her neck.

She couldn't return. She wanted to. She even dreamed about it. But she couldn't do it. Maybe she was a coward, but she couldn't take the chance. It had taken her so long to heal. Lina couldn't break the wound open again. She would tel Persephone no. Maybe Persephone could find another mortal to exchange places with. Dolores was active in the Society for Creative Anachronisms. She'd probably be very interested in hanging around Mount Olympus and frolicking with nymphs while Persephone baked bread. The thought made Lina laugh. She could even plan a long vacation and leave the bakery in Dolores/Persephone's capable hands. Italy was nice in the spring...

Lina was preoccupied with planning her Italian vacation when she noticed that the clomp of horse's hooves had gotten closer and faster. She was moving to the edge of the walkway when a joyous neigh of greeting sliced the air. Lina's heart jumped in recognition. She spun around as a large black shape overtook her. A dark muzzle was shoved in her face. Orion alternated between nickering and snorting while he nuzzled and lipped her hair and shoulders. In shock, Lina could only cling to the horse's tack and hope that in his exuberance he didn't knock her over.

"Who dares touch the dread steed of Hades?"

His words mimicked those he had spoken to her long ago, but his tone was completely altered. His voice was fil ed with love and longing. Lina looked up at Orion's back. He sat in a glossy Western saddle. He had replaced his archaic clothes with a black Western-cut shirt, the sleeves of which were rol ed up to expose his muscular forearms, jeans and Oklahoma cowboy boots. His hair was pulled back and his eyes were bright.

Lina stared at him without speaking. The sight of him tugged at the newly healed wound in her heart. Al those dark winter months he had left her to hurt alone. Al that time. Al that pain. The fierce surge of anger she felt surprised her.

He tried to smile, but his lips only quivered.

"You asked who dares to touch your steed, Hades." Lina's words were clipped. "Al ow me to reintroduce myself to you. I am Carolina Francesca Santoro, a middle-aged mortal woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who owns a bakery. And I didn't dare to touch your dread steeds - he stuck his face in my hands. Again."

Hades felt her words like knives. He didn't blame her for her anger. He understood it, but he wouldn't al ow it to make him give up. He kicked his leg over the saddle and dismounted. He wanted to approach her, to take her into his arms, but she was staring at him with a cold, unblinking gaze that was anything but welcoming.

"You left one title from your introduction, Carolina." His voice made her name a prayer.

"I don't think so. I know exactly who I am," she said. He hadn't come any closer to her, but she stil moved a step back from him.

"You are Carolina Francesca Santoro, a middle-aged mortal woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who owns a bakery. You are also Queen of the Underworld," Hades said. Lina felt a tremor pass through her and she clutched her anger, afraid if she let it go, her heart would tear into tiny pieces.

"I'm sorry, Lord. You must be confused. The Goddess Persephone is Queen of the Underworld. I was just a temporary stand-in, and I wasn't up to the job."

"Your subjects feel differently, Carolina." He looked pointedly at Orion, who had stretched out his neck so that he could nibble her shoulder while she stroked his muzzle.

"Animals like me," she said. As if to prove her words, Edith Anne butted against her legs, wriggling for attention. Orion snorted and bent to blow at the bulldog.

"He reminds me a little of Cerberus." Hades nodded at the squatty dog, trying again unsuccessful y to smile.

"He is a she. And I hear she has better manners than Cerberus has been exhibiting," Lina said, and then bit her lip. She shouldn't converse with him.

"No doubt Cerberus' manners are lacking because he is feeling the absence of his Queen, as is the rest of the Underworld."

"A dog and a horse aren't anyone's subjects. And I'm not a queen. I'm a mortal woman. I do not have any subjects."

Hades turned back to Orion's saddle and pulled out the rol ed-up canvas he had lodged under the pommel. "I have something for you. Eurydice tried to give it to me, but I reminded her that her work belonged to you. She stil thinks of herself as Personal Artist to the Goddess of Spring, though she misses her mistress very much."

"I'm not... no, I don't want..." Lina stammered, feeling a wave of homesickness at the thought of Eurydice. Then, Hades stepped close to her. In the months they had been apart she had forgotten about his size. He seemed to surround her. Even in modern clothes he was dark and rakishly handsome. Her Batman...

"The little spirit drew this from a dream she had of you. She said that it felt right." Hades was so close to her that she could feel the heat of his body.

Wordlessly, Lina took the canvas from Hades. She unrol ed it and gasped.

"It's me!"

It was her - the mortal woman, Carolina Francesca Santoro - her body, her face, her smile. Not Persephone. As she gazed at the image Eurydice had drawn from a dream, her fingers began to tingle and suddenly a current of emotion traveled through the canvas and into her soul. Within the current she could hear the unnumbered voices of the dead. They were al cal ing to her, begging their queen to return.

Her hands trembled and she felt the knot of anger within her begin to dissolve.

"Your subjects recognize you and cal for you, Carolina," Hades said gently.

"It's too bad that their God did not recognize me," she said without looking up at him.

"There is no God here now, nor any Lord." Hades' voice broke, and he had to pause before he could continue. He took Lina's chin in his hand and brought her face up so that she must look into his eyes. "Tonight I am only a man who is desperately seeking his soul mate. You see, she was separated from me because of my foolishness, and I had to forgive myself before I could find her and ask that she - "

Tears began spil ing from Lina's eyes.

"Do not weep, beloved."

"You turned away from me," she whispered through broken sobs. "When you saw who I real y was, you didn't want me."

"No!" He pulled her into his arms and crushed her against him. "It was never you I turned from. It was pride that goaded my words and actions."

"Because you didn't want to love a middle-aged mortal," she said into his chest. His laugh came out as a sob. "No, because I was terrified that I had lost my soul to a woman who wanted nothing more than a dal iance with an inexperienced god about which to brag." Lina looked up at him. "I only told Demeter about you not being with any other goddess because I was trying to convince her that you were different."

"I know, beloved. Forgive the pride of an old, solitary god." His lips were final y able to form a smile. "And please come home."

In answer, Lina pulled him down to her.

"Carolina," Hades breathed her name against her lips. "My soul has ached for you, my eternal beloved."

Before he could kiss her again, Orion bumped him from behind. The short, stout dog was sniffing around his feet. Hades glanced down to see streams of saliva on his boots.

"Orion, stop that," Lina said, pushing the big, black head aside. "Oh, Edith Anne, don't do that. You're messing up his boots."

Hades threw back his head and laughed. He swept his queen off her feet, tossed her up onto Orion's back, and then he swung up behind her with a strength that clearly said he was no mortal man.

"Hades! What are you doing?"

"Taking you out of the reach of those beasts." He wrapped his arms around Carolina and pul ed her firmly back against him.

"But, Edith Anne - "

"Do not fret. Orion wil go slowly. We wil not lose your dog." Holding her securely, he clucked at the stal ion. Orion turned his head and snorted, but he began walking, slowly, so that the bulldog had no trouble trotting by his side. Then the God returned his attention to Carolina.

"We have a short time before spring returns to your world. Perhaps you would like to show me some of this kingdom you cal Tulsa," Hades said, stroking the soft brown curls that formed at the nape of her neck. He was having a difficult time restraining himself from ravishing her right there. He thought the new body she wore was seductive and womanly. She was soft and fragrant and delectably inviting.

Lina twisted around and smiled at him. "You know about Persephone's plan?"

"Who does not?" he said good-naturedly.

"I'm beginning to think that it could work," she said.

"As am I." He bent to claim her lips.

Lina pushed back from him. "Wait, you shouldn't be here; you certainly can't stay very long. You don't have anyone taking your place in the Underworld."

"No, I do not." He smiled at his queen and his soul felt light and young. "But sometimes even Death must take a holiday."

As their lips met the sun touched the bank of the river. It paused there and shone one brief, winking beam on the lovers before fal ing from the sky.

*****

Today Tulsa mourns the passing of a local matriarch, Carolina Francesca Santoro. Ms. Santoro was a restaurateur, philanthropist and renowned animal lover. Ms. Santoro is not survived by any biological children, but she wil be greatly missed by many who felt they were her family. For decades her chain of Pani Del Goddess bakeries have been a vital part of many Oklahoma communities. The bakeries are best known for their specialty, ambrosia cream cheese. The recipe for this delectable cheese has been a closely guarded secret for more than half a century. But do not fear, loyal Pani Del Goddess patrons. Before her death, Ms. Santoro shared the recipe with an Italian relative, her great-niece, Persephone Libera Santoro, who wil be assuming the position of major stockholder of the Pani Del Goddess Corporation. The new Miss Santoro has announced that she wil be dividing her time between Oklahoma and Italy. As is only appropriate considering her name, she wil spend each spring and summer with us in Tulsa. To honor the memory of her great aunt, let us give her a warm Oklahoma hel o!

- The Tulsa World,

21 March