I sat curled on our bedroom couch in my nightgown, leaning against the arm and watching my husband move about the room getting ready for the day. Zeus was power in motion and not a single movement was wasted. I brought my mug to my mouth and let the steam from my tea warm my face. It’s strange being a part of the mortal world. I’m used to watching their festivals and feast days from afar but being immersed in it is making me nostalgic for the days when my children were smaller and still had time for me.
I walked around town yesterday afternoon to get a feel for the area and smiled at all the children dressed up in costumes, already anticipating the upcoming Halloween festival. I watched mothers talking to each other excitedly about holiday plans as they ushered their children into coffee shops for pumpkin-spiced drinks. I walked by antique places with new window displays, hoping that the fake cobwebs and spiders would help sell the items with the real cobwebs and spiders.
I went to bed last night with my heart full and a smile on my face and woke up the same way. I stretched my legs out on the couch and went back to watching Zeus. He buttoned his shirt and combed his hair. Going to the closet he pulled out a silk navy blue Armani tie and tied it into a neat Eldredge knot as he walked back to his dresser.
“Hera, have you seen my cufflinks? The silver lightning bolt ones?”
“They’re in the top drawer there. I put them further back.”
“Why would you do that? You know they’re my favorite.”
“Honestly, my love, you have so many I thought you might want to switch it up a bit.”
“Hmpf.” Zeus effortlessly attached his cufflinks and turned to me, his mouth open to say something. He took a step towards me and paused to really look at me. “Why aren’t you dressed?”
I shrugged my shoulders delicately so as not to spill my tea. “I’m trying out this thing mortals call ‘playing hooky.’ Apparently, they take days where they skip work and sit around and do nothing all day.”
Zeus laughed. “You, sit around and do nothing all day? If I could play hooky myself, I would just so I could count the minutes until you fail.”
I frowned at him and he walked over to me.
“Does this playing hooky require a lack of clothing?” He slid a finger down my chest and pulled the front of my nightgown out far enough for him to look under it.
I swatted his hand away. “I haven’t decided yet but if it does, you won’t be a part of it. You have meetings all day.”
He threw his hands up in surrender and winked at me. “You could bring me lunch.”
I sighed loudly, pretending to be frustrated with him. “I’ll be busy doing nothing. I won’t have time to bring your lunch. Now go to work. You know how the henchfolk get when the boss is late.”
He smiled and leaned down for a quick kiss. “And they think I’m a slave driver. No one holds a candle to you, my dear.”
“Flatterer.” I shooed him away and watched him walk out. Such a beautiful sight to behold even after all these millennia.
I stood and stretched. I really was playing hooky today but not to do nothing. I was going to help out the nearby fire station get their haunted house in order. It reminded me of a haunted maze I put together for my children when they were younger.
I started to get dressed in some comfortable jeans and a sweater and as I wrapped my hair into a bun I smiled as I remembered the fun that we had during that festival season.
Occasional writer, often wanderer, horrible speller, broken thinker, incessant lover of all things ineffable, neutral evil and serious about it. CJ Landry is a multi-genre writer who always has some project demanding her attention. However, she's always got time to hide a body. She’s also deathly terrified of sharks because those fuckers will one day evolve to breathe on land and eat everyone.
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- The Trials of Herakles, Part VII - September 1, 2022
- The Trials of Herakles, Part VI - November 5, 2021
- Herakles, Part V - October 18, 2021