¹On This Spring Day.

017.

               "I'm already nervous!"

               "Then don't make us both more nervous," Violet snapped back, her hand faltering right before knocking.

               "Come on, Violet," Nico groaned. "We don't have all day!" He rapped his knuckles against the door three times. The daughter of Eros was going to hiss at him when it swung open.

               Dahlia stood at the door, the stem and head of a red begonia in her hand. She blinked once, then twice, then launched herself at Violet. The hug was only slightly less powerful than a truck hitting Violet at full force. Dahlia wrapped her arms around Violet's neck tightly, and the petals of the begonia tickled Violet's face.

               "I knew Chiron was wrong!" she said, ushering her daughter and Nico inside. The apartment was just like Violet remembered—including the flowers all over the dining table and the kitchen counters. Half-made floral arrangements were placed around, and it all made Violet frown. It wasn't as comforting anymore, flowers used to remind her of her mom, it was something they shared—even their names were after flowers, Dahlia and Violet.

               Now it just reminded her of lies.

               Dahlia insisted on feeding them ( "When did you get so skinny, Violet?" she demanded, fussing over the dirty counters. ) She swept red carnations, tossing them into a pile with some yellow carnations. And twenty minutes later, some galette bertonne were shoved into Nico and Violet's faces. It was Violet's favorite—one of her favorite foods from France.

               Dahlia leaned her hands on the now-clean dining table. "Have you had bœuf bourgignon before, Nico?"

               "Um," the son of Hades glanced at Violet, whose hand was holding onto her fork tightly. "No. What is it?"

               "It's one of Vi's favorite meals from back home." Dahlia smiled at her daughter. "Her grandmother makes the best bœuf bourgignon!"

               Violet's jaw ticked. "How's Mémère?"

               Dahlia's smile dropped. "She's ... okay. Um, I felt I needed to call her after Chiron spoke to me. That you were ... you know."

               "Missing," answered Violet.

               Violet's mother looked down. Her lips were pursed. "Violet—where were you?"

               "Learning about all the lies you told me."

               It wasn't how Violet meant to bring it up—and some part of her didn't even want to. But the other part of her couldn't help but let it spill out of her mouth. Part of her wanted to hide away from it all, and go back to pretending that she and Dahlia had a perfect relationship ( when they never did ).

               Dahlia's brows furrowed. "What? What are you talking about?"

               That made Violet angrier. "The fact you've known, and that you've said nothing! That's what I'm talking about. For months—you watched me struggle to cope with the fact that I thought there was something wrong with me—that I was some monster—and you continued to lie!"

               Her mother's face dropped. Her eyes traveled to Violet's charm bracelet, where the pomegranate charm was dangling as Violet swung her hands around in frustration.

               "You know that we're ..." Her eyes were sad. "I was hoping ..."

               "You were hoping what?" asked Violet. "That I would never find out?"