Indigo Eyes

Chapter 92

"I'll talk to him," Percy promised. "After we're done with the quest. I'll even tell him the truth if you want."

Sally put her hand on Percy's shoulder. "You would do that?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, he'll think we're crazy."

"He already thinks that."

"Then there's nothing to lose."

"I can be here if you want? If he takes it wrong then someone cable of removing the memory might be handy to have around," Cressida offered.

"Sweetheart, you're always welcome here. And that actually doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I'm hoping he does take it well though," Sally said and Cressida gave her a warm smile as she bit into her cookie. "What happens now?"

Annabeth broke her cookie in half. "Percy has this plan."

Percy seemed reluctant but he told his mom his idea and Cressida squeezed Annabeth's hand in support as Sally nodded.

"It sounds very dangerous. But it might work," Sally said.

"You have the same abilities, don't you?" Percy asked. "You can see through the Mist."

His mom sighed. "Not so much now. When I was younger it was easier. But, yes, I've always been able to see more than was good for me. It's one of the things that caught your father's attention, when we first met. Just be careful. Promise me you'll be safe."

"We'll try, Ms Jackson," Annabeth said. "Keeping your son safe is a big job, though." She folded her arms and glared out of the kitchen window.

"Ain't that the truth," Cressida huffed as she nabbed the rest of Annabeth's cookie that she'd abandoned - it seemed like a crime to waste something so good.

"What's going on here? Have you guys been fighting?" Sally asked with a frown, and no one said anything. "I see," she said. "Well, remember, Grover and Tyson are counting on you."

"We know," all three of them said at once.

Sally smiled. "Percy, you'd better use the phone in the hall. Good luck."

Percy got up but as he was leaving the kitchen, he heard his mother say, "Cressida, you better come with me."

Surely that couldn't be good.

And while he realised that he unconsciously memorised the phone number Rachel had scrawled on his hand, he really wished he could be a fly on the wall to know what his mother was saying to the girl he liked.

Meanwhile, it was actually Annabeth who asked for a moment alone to just digest everything as the two other women left the kitchen and Sally pulled Cressida into the nearest room which happened to be Percy's, and she shut the door.

"How are you? Are you alright?" Sally asked and Cressida sighed heavily.

"I have no idea," she said honestly.

"Are you and Percy fighting?"

"Sort of. We talked through some of it yesterday." Cressida took a deep breath. "You know my fatal flaw?" she asked, and Sally nodded, Percy having told her with Cressida's permission. "Yeah, well, your son kissed me. Before he ran off and died for two weeks, he kissed me. And then he was marooned for two weeks, it was with a beautiful immortal woman. And that's just the beginning of our issues."

Sally couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "Percy kissed you?"

Cressida had to grin at her enthusiasm. "Yeah. I mean I kissed him first last winter, but this time he kissed me. We kinda talked about it yesterday. Yesterday, when he kissed me again."

"Oh my goodness! I can't take this. What happened next?"

Cressida chuckled a little. Sally was the kind of person that would make a great interrogator, but she would get answers out of people by bribing them with cookies and smiling at them.

"Well, Percy swore on the Styx that nothing happened between him and the girl on the island. And then we kinda, sorta admitted that we had feelings for each other."

"Oh, today is a good day!" Sally exclaimed as she hugged Cressida who was blushing like mad.

"Nothing's happened though. And nothing will until this quest is over," Cressida reminded her as she pulled away.

"Sweetheart, every mother wishes their son could be cared for the way you care for Percy. And you don't know how relieved and how grateful I am that you're willing to put up with my son's many flaws."

Her laugh was louder this time. "We both have our share of problems, but we are working through them."

"And that is why you will last," Sally said as she tucked a strand of hair behind Cressida's ear. "Wait, is this mortal girl one of your problems?"

"I have nothing against Rachel. Just the fact that Percy lied to me about her and that he now wants her to lead Annabeth's quest. Annabeth has been dreaming of leading a quest since she was seven years old. It just doesn't seem fair."

"It may not be," Sally said. "But if all of you get to stay alive and save your camp, it would seem worth it, would it not?"

"I guess. I still don't like it though."

"I would be surprised if you did."

Cressida bit her lips as she smiled before a knock sounded on the door. "Mom? Cress?" Percy's voice called as Sally went to open the door.

"Yes, Percy?" Sally asked as Percy nervously looked between the two women.

"Uh, I called. We should probably get going now."

"Of course," Sally said before she reached out to put a hand on Cressida's arm. "Make sure you take some cookies with you."

"Oh, I'm taking all of them," Cressida grinned as she slid past Percy, shooting him a wink because she could see the anxiety rolling off of him. "Look alive, Barnacle Brain."

And she slid past him and towards the kitchen.

"You, my son," Sally said as she came over and kissed his cheek. "Have got it bad."

And she followed after Cressida.

"Uh, Mom, what did she say to you? What did you say to her? Mom? Mom, please tell me. I'm begging here!" Percy called after his mother who simply smiled as she ignored her son.