The Daughter of Artemis ψ Percy Jackson

Ch. 2: Stern Women and Orion

     The weeks passed, but the storm never did. It was strange, I had never seen a storm like this; it was everywhere. Cherrie and I took hold of this terrible weather by staying inside and playing board games and video games to acquaint ourselves better. She didn't have to go to work since the weather was so bad, apparently the fishermen took days with choppy weather off for safety reasons. It turned out that Cherrie and I had a lot more in common then our depressing pasts. We soon became very close, and she really made me feel welcomed in her home.

     I had always been fascinated with the moon, and some nights, the clouds would break and it would shine through the window in the temporary room I was staying in. It was a very peaceful scenery. That's why, on Friday morning, I assumed that even though it would be crazy outside, the day would be a peaceful one.

          I was in for a newsflash.

     "Olive! Wake up! We are gettin' out o' this house today!" Cherrie shook me as I lay, sleeping in the bed.

     "Noooo," I pulled the goose down pillow further under my head, clamping my eyes shut as she playfully shook me. It had almost been a month since I'd wound-up on Cherrie's doorstep, and we'd gotten relatively closer every day.

     "I need exercise! Do ye want me baby to be lazy? I have to set a good example from the beginning!" Cherrie shook me.

     I groaned, rolling out of the bed. "Okay! Okay!"

     Cherrie grinned. "Great! We are goin' shoppin' !" Then she hobbled out of the room, swaying only the way ballooned, pregnant women could.

     I sighed and slowly trudged to pick out some clothes among the stolen articles that were hanging in the closet. I'd used to have a few clothes from my past life, but after my rough time on the streets, things began to wear out and I didn't have the money to purchase the bare essentials I needed, so I turned to shoplifting. Cherrie had been pestering me about how it was not right to steal things, so she wanted to take me on a shopping trip, to Seattle. I had not really seen the main city, just the outer, more spacious, places close to the bay. 

     Cherrie was awesome, but she was a little too, well, cheerful for me.

          "Ye ready yet?" Cherrie yelled from the front room.

     "Almost!" I quickly threw on a sweater and some skinny jeans. Since it was still raining cats and dogs, I put on the squeaky rubber boots that Cherrie had graciously allowed me to borrow.

     I ran out to her and grabbed my secret stash of cash that I had been keeping safe inside my Jan-sport backpack.

     "What's that?" She pointed to the wad of green in my hand, carefully sliding a thick, winter jacket over her shoulders as we prepaid to brave the bitter air outside.

     I quickly shoved it into her hands. "For letting me stay, and for the clothes when we go shopping."

     Cherrie's smile faded. "No lassie, I'll pay. Ye have already become like a sis' to me." She shoved the money towards me, a placid smile on her lips.

     "I agree, but you don't have to pay, regardless." I shoved it back.

     We both argued for another five minutes, both being stubborn in our own way.

     "Enough!" Cherrie dropped the cash on the ground. "How about," She bent over, with an obvious struggle, and collected the money, grunting as she strained her back. "I buy yer clothes, and ye can buy the shoes and accessories?" She looked me in the eye, then put the cash into my hand.