Lytrotís

Chapter 3

Why is He in his UNDERWEAR

   Grover quickly rushed me inside. He kept muttering to himself something about me dying. Well that's definitely reassuring. I walked in the building and waved at the person in the building office, Jan.  I've known her since I was three when my Aunt moved here. She very nice and always has candy for me. I quickly make my way to the stairs, the elevator is still under construction. Grover follows me up to the 4th floor. I walk to the first door to the right and knock. I hear shuffling from the other side. When she opens the door I fling myself into her arms. 

    "Andy, honey, what are you doing home so early. Not that I care. You don't get out till next week right?" Aunt Tia says, hugging me back. 

    "Lady Hestia, what and honor" I hear Grover say. What did he mean? I think I know,  but I hope not.  

"Grover, you know you can call me Aunt Tia, I've already said this" she says, sternly.  

"What?" I ask, I'm done with this. 

"Honey, I think it's time that the truth came out", Aunt Tia said in a steady voice, crap, "I'm not actually related to your mom, I've never been. I'm actually related you dad. Your mom knew what he was and came to me for help. She made me promise to take care of you. Like I wouldn't. But anyways,  when she found out she had cancer she started to prepare me to take care of you. Her last wish was to keep you out of camp for as long as possible, to give you a chance at a normal childhood. And I kept it. So here we are. I am the goddess Hestia. I'm just sorry you had to find out" 

Ok, that's it, I'm done. So my "aunt" and mother have been lying to me for basically my entire life. What is this shit?  I can't even be angry with them. I can see where they are coming from and I have had one of the luckier childhoods. This feels like a kind of betrayal but I still just can't get mad, so I just sit on the couch in a stupor. 

"Uh, Aunt  Tia, I think you broke her" Grover says in a stage wisper.  

"So you are telling me that your are a goddess and you aren't actually related to my mother?" I say in a strangely calm voice. 

"Yes. I am so sorry I couldn't tell you sooner. You see, as soon as a half blood knows about their parentage their scent increases. I couldn't risk it. Your mother and I did what we thought was best" she continues to explain, "I am so so sorry Andy" 

I really can't get mad at her, I just can't. I only feel a bit betrayed, well a lot betrayed. I do know that I am going to forgive her no matter what. I can't go to this strange camp without everything being good with us. It would just break me. 

"I forgive you, but our trust has been broken. A big chunk of it. It will take time for it to be earned back but I'm sure you can do it" I say, my voice almost monotone. This is the closest thing of forgiveness she will get from me. 

"I can accept that. Now we need to get you to Camp before something starts to catch your scent. And I have something to help." Tia says as she starts to walk around the apartment, "Now where is that thing?" 

Aunt Tia looks in the cushions of the couch in the center of the apartment before finding a medium sized backpack.  It was a mint green color, one of my favorite colors, with about three different pockets. She walked over to me and set it in my hands. It was unusually light for a backpack of its size. I open it to see about five pairs of clothes, three different pairs of sneakers, about five hundred dollars in cash, and a bunch of gold coins. What are those? 

As if he read my mind from over my shoulder Grover says "The gold coins are drachmas. The current currency of the Greek world" 

Okay, that makes sense. The mood seems to shift as I realize that we have to leave.  I really don't want to go. I just want to stay here with my aunt and pretend this doesn't exist. But me knowing puts me in danger and my mother would want me to go. I slowly get up from the couch, moving as slow as possible, trying to delay the inevitable. I walk at the pace of an elderly turtle to my aunt. When I get there we hug. I'm not sure how long we stay in the embrace but all to soon she lets me go and grabs my solders.