Athena's Enigma

18 - Adding More Worries

I began to walk down the stairs when I felt a hand on my arm stop me. I turned back around to look at Jason with a confused expression. He instantly hugged me once I faced him fully and I quickly got over my shock and hugged him back. I noted that he seemed thinner than Logan or maybe it was a lack of muscle? I mentally scolded myself for comparing two things that shouldn’t have to be compared.

Another thing I noted was that he smelled like the Axe body spray and cigarettes. It was not an appealing combination and I wrinkled my nose in protest of it. When Jason broke the hug a few seconds later he held me at arm’s length.

“You have to let me take you out sometime,” he suggested. ‘Screw her boyfriend; I really want my chance with her!’

I laughed. “And just who would be the one buying?”

Jason blushed slightly. “Sometime later then?”

“Sure,” I agreed politely. “But I really have to go now. I need to meet up with my mom for the holidays.”

“Oh yeah,” Jason said understandingly letting go of me. “Happy Thanksgiving!”

“You too!” I smiled and waved goodbye as I raced down the stairs to catch the cab that would bring me home.

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“Avena!”

My mother rushed over to the door and enveloped me in the tightest hug possible. My cheek was actually squished so hard into her shoulder that I couldn’t speak, only make grumbled protests.

“Sorry,” Athena apologized pulling back slightly. She looked me up and down then hugged me again effectively knocking the wind out of me.

“Yeah,” I breathed out against her. “I missed you too Mom.”

This wasn’t the first time I had been home in a few weeks. I kept true to my word and came every other weekend but most of the time my mother was so busy with work that I barely saw her.

I took a good look at her dressed in navy blue silk floor length dress. Navy blue was the theme color of this year’s bash. Even though it was obvious that my mother was stunning, underneath the little makeup she had on, signs of aging were starting to show. That was very unusual for us immortals and it was normally caused by stress. I looked miserably at Athena listening to her jumble of thoughts run through both her and my mind. The thoughts were crossing through so fast that I could never focus on just one. It wasn’t an unusual thing but it still worried me. My poor mother was overworked.

“Mom?” I asked carefully. “Are you alright?”

Athena smiled but I could tell it was mostly for my benefit. “Zeus has placed some new laws in order and I’m helping Ares with things happening down on Earth but yes, I am alright.”

I doubted her but didn’t argue as she pushed me off into my room to get ready. I had a navy blue summer dress waiting for me back in my room. It was the kind that twirled when I spun around and maybe it was my inner-teenager but that always excited me. I matched it with some simple black flats and let my straight blonde hair just fall around my face. I didn’t bother to add makeup since I wasn’t going to impress anyone and was ready to go within ten minutes.

The ride over to where ever the ball was being held was in silence. My mother leaned her head against the seat of the chariot and looked to be closing her eyes.

“You’re exhausted,” I stated disapprovingly.

Athena lifted her head and smiled over at me. “It is nothing that you need to concern yourself over. I have handled far worse.”