Callie’s tears had slowed, and I could see her body was dragging her back into sleep. I stroked her hair again and whispered, “Rest. We will deal with everything else later.” And we would, but her ex just might not survive me dealing with it. I still had a little goddess wrath within me, and I had plenty of frustrations to take out on him.
The pain troubles me, reminding me of what I am and that I am not what I should have been. Have I not suffered enough? My wife does not think so, and nobody speaks to guide her or to restrain my recalcitrant brother and his grievous behaviour. They would do well to remember that I could deal with the matter if I so chose, as I have been forced to act before. The day may come when I am left with no option.
The heavy weight in my chest, and the trepidation knotting my stomach, disappeared as the calming embrace of the sea wrapped around me. It was the calming embrace of what I could only think of as my mother. It had been the source of my creation, my beginning, and I was drawn to it as part of my new start. My birth had been in those waters. Why shouldn’t my rebirth have the same beginning?
As I enter, the world stops. For one brief moment, bright light is everywhere, but I am unsure whether I truly see it or whether it is some other type of experience. It seems the light is behind my eyes, as if all of my body, and all that there is, is composed of it. Then it disappears, and the world begins again.
The answers I seek cannot be found anywhere else. Going home means making amends, and I am prepared to do that. Whether it be by humiliating means or good deeds, I know it must be done. I am hoping to avoid the former, though.
It’d be a long road to where I needed to be, but it was time to go home and face my family, my issues, and them.
It is unfair. Why must I be the one to endure this? Why must I live in pain, alone, ugly, and unloved? Why do others get to enjoy existence? I am so tired, in every sense. So very tired. At last, I feel the pills take effect unless it is my imagination. The pain still seems to be there, but I find I care less. Perhaps I can sleep.
She points to the pillows next to me, and I grind my teeth to keep from snapping at my mother for setting me up. Clio’s face goes red when she sees me, and her gulp is audible even as she takes the seat beside me. Her back is stick straight, every inch of her body on edge. Her voice is frosty. “What is it you’d like me to do, Aphrodite?”
“I’m doing something different for my family,” I murmur, coming to my mother’s side, kissing her forehead. “I will always love you, Miteras, but I won’t make your choices, your mistakes. Things will be different for me, for Clio.”
The scythe cutting through the limb, the blood, the feathers falling from me, the agony, the feeling of horror, despair, betrayal.
“If you hurt my mother, I’ll kill you. I don’t care if the sun drops from the sky.”
I came up behind her to stop her, but she cut me short. “No, Nike! This needs to be said…” blah blah blah. All I could think was calm thoughts in hope to calm the room. The both of them were talking about Heph.
I lost them…holy s***! I mean, I really lost them. I told them I’d be back for them at two. They wanted me to go in with them, but I couldn’t because I’m considered under age by mortals standards.
“Hey all. What’s a God got to do to get a drink around here?”
“Prometheus? Is that you?” I asked.
“Hi. Yeah, it’s me, Nike.” I leaped out of my seat and ran to hug him.
I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. Looking up, it was Mistress Moxie; she took up my hand. Leaning my head toward her, she whispered, “Don’t worry. It will be alright.”
