The Goddess of My Heart

XLVII. The End.

Evan

"Mommy!"

"Yes, Aphrodite?"

"Am I pretty?" Aphrodite bats her eyelashes at me.

"No because you're beautiful."

"Really?"

"Really."

It's crazy how such a massive personality can fit in a tiny body. The same goes for all of them now. They are six years old and are the spitting images of Apollo, but Aphrodite always wears her hair down, apart from when she goes on the pool. The rest like to have their hair up in a pony tail like Apollo's.

Atropos has an obsession with being a firefighter. Apollo has made her her own uniform that's identical the one they were at the station, it has ATROPOS sewn on the right side of her chest and it looks so cool. It looks perfect and it's not tacky in any way shape or form. She loves to wear it to school and tell her teachers about Apollo.

Athena is very curious about the human body. She loves things that makes us unique like our finger prints and our tongue prints. We told her that she can use things like that and DNA to solve crimes and now she wants to be a Forensic Scientist.

Artemis loves animals. She brought home a squirrel from school and she demanded that we take it to the vets because it was hurt. So we did that and she stayed with the squirrel the whole time. Guess who has a pet squirrel now?

Aphrodite loves planes. She watches videos on YouTube of jets and flights taking off and landing and loves to wear sunglasses because she looks like a pilot. That's what she wants to be when she's older.

We have had two more kids since the quadruplets, twins, Isaiah and Isaac. They're both gorgeous little girls and they're so kind. They're two next year. From what I can tell, Isaac has brown hair and looks a lot like me when I was a kid and Isaiah looks like Apollo. She has some strong genes. But I'm not complaining because I still have a beautiful wife and eight gorgeous kids.

"Mama!" Aphrodite shouts as Apollo walks through the door.

"Hey, kiddo." she greets, but I can hear her voice cracking and she sounds congested, like she's been crying.

The rest of the kids find their way to Apollo, saying their hellos and how much they missed her. I missed her too.

"Apollo!"

We had a new addition to the family two years ago, QJ. Apollo saved her from a fire and she wouldn't stop following her around for like, a week after that. Eventually, at our house, QJ met Grace and they both fell in love. So the two spend a lot of time in Grace's room and do whatever, coming downstairs every now and then.

"QuinnJay! How are you, darling?" Apollo asks, hugging the tiny body to her.

"I'm good. I held eye contact today!" QJ is also autistic, so she relates to Apollo, Atropos and Artemis.

"That's great, kiddo! I'm proud of you."

Grace hugs Apollo and gives her kisses. Ava is currently at dance so she'll catch up with her Mama later.

"Come on, Cudgy." Grace says to QJ, using the nickname that only she and QJ's Mom can use.

After all the kids are satisfied, Apollo sits next me on the sofa, giving me a long kiss and just touching me with her hands. I enjoy her touch, it's like a power.

"Hey, how was work?"

"It was work. I lost a kid today." she says solemnly.

"I'm so sorry." I pull her into my embrace, just trying to comfort her. Apollo feels all of her losses so greatly, it's heartbreaking.

"How about I cook up some dinner and you get showered. Then we'll have a cuddle on the bed until we fall asleep? How does that sound?"

"Good."

"Okay, you go and get showered then. I'll start dinner."

This is how damage control operates around here, granted, Apollo doesn't lose people often but it happens occasionally, we have a plan put in place so she can feel her emotions.

She showers to process the day, the food is to recognise her feelings and then the cuddles are to feel and reflect. It works all the time and it means that she won't have a meltdown. That's a win for everyone.

I start dinner while reflecting on my own day. I am the Principal of an Elementary school and I have a good day almost everyday. I make sure to spend time with my students during recess, by spending time I mean go on duty to give them that opportunity to talk to me if they feel like it, I attend every parent-teacher conference and I make sure to answer and talk to most parents when the kids are leaving or coming into the school. Everyone seems to enjoy working with me and I enjoy working with them.

I try to make the school environment the best I can for the kids and staff and it seems to work. I have a good school running. Top in the state. That's an achievement that Apollo loves. A school that's awesome on my watch. She calls me a superhero but I'm nothing of the sort.

"Dinner's ready!" I call for my dogs- I mean kids, to come downstairs.

We all eat and talk about our day, apart from Apollo, and everyone enjoys the dinner. This is sort of what happens every night, with or without Apollo, we always enjoy mealtimes even if it's just a quiet one or filled with chatter. It's a chance for us all to be in the same room and just be together.

I clean up the kitchen and the plates while the kids get ready for bed and Apollo just sits silently at the table. Once I'm done, she follows me to the living room and sits next to me on the sofa.

"Tell me what happened, baby." I say softly, taking her hands in mine. She takes a shaky breath before starting.

"We got called-"

Ding dong.

"You're kidding me."

I get up to open the door and I see Melissa and Hayley standing there. Hayley looks pissed and Melissa looks sad.

"May we come in?"

"Sure?"

I step aside and let them in, they find themselves a seat next to Apollo, who looks just as confused as I feel.

"You're probably wondering why we're here." Melissa starts.

Apollo nods and Hayley let's out frustrated sigh as I sit on the other side of Apollo.

"We are here to call you to duty, Apollo."

What?