The Son of Time

chapter 46

Luke's Point of view

I told Chiron where I was going and then I left Olympus. Just like when I had come up the elevator played some old song that I didn't know the name of. All I knew was that I didn't like it. I walked out of the empire state building and took a cab to our apartment. Yes there were a few cabs out, even though it hadn't been that long since the mortals had woken up from a nearly two day nap. When I went into our apartment my mom was sitting on the couch, but when she heard the door open she stood up and looked toward the door. When she saw me she said "Luke!"

I said "Mom!"

We hugged and then she said "I've missed you."

I said "I've missed you to Mom."

She glanced at me and then said "Why don't you get cleaned up and then we can talk." That was when it dawned on me that although I had already taken my armor off I was still covered in monster dust. I didn't argue I went and got cleaned up and put on some fresh clothes, before heading back to the living room where my mom was waiting for me. 

She asked me about what had happened since we had last talked. I told her, although I left out a few things, and tried to make other parts seem less scary than they really were. In the end though, she said "Are you alright?"

"I answered "Yeah I'm fine." I didn't like lying to her, but I really didn't want to talk about what was bothering me.

She said "Luke I know you're lying, please tell me what's wrong."

There's just something about my mom that makes you hate to lie to her, or argue with her.   Regardless I remained silent.

She said "Luke Please tell me, I know that I'm not a demigod, and I haven't been through what you went through so far  this summer, but I might still be able to help you. What's wrong?" Once again I was silent.

Sounding slightly exasperated now she said one last time "Luke please tell me."

I was silent for a bit before she said "Ugh you got your father's stubbornness that's for sure."

I thought about commenting that she had a stubborn streak to, but I didn't. Instead I caved. I huffed "Fine I'll tell you." I caved partially because I didn't like keeping stuff from her, and partially because I realized that she might kind of understand, I also realized that I perhaps should have told my dad because I realized that he would have understood what I was dealing with even better than she did.

I knew that my mom had lost someone before. Her father had died from cancer when she was in high school, but that wasn't quite the same as watching someone you care about be stabbed through the chest right in front of you. When you lose someone to disease you just feel grief, but when you watch them be killed right in front of you there is also guilt, you think you could have done something, that you should have done something.
I started off saying "When I first got to camp I made a few friends, but during the battles Two of them..." I trailed off I couldn't bring myself to finish my sentence. Finally I managed to tell her about them. I said "One of them was my adoptive half-sister." 

"Half-sister?" my mom said surprised

I answered with a sad expression on my face, "Yeah years ago dad saved her from a tough situation, and later adopted her. Did he never mention her to you?"

My mom replied "Now that you mention it, he might have, I guess I just forgot."

We continued to talk, I told her about them, and what had happened she did her best to comfort me, and tried to convince me that it wasn't my fault. Much to her chagrin I didn't really believe that yet. I decided to stay the night at home with my mom before I headed back to camp. After I finally managed to change the subject from me I said "Mom I know that you aren't really happy, and you haven't been for a while, after seeing him a few times I realized that dad was the same. I know that neither of you will really be happy unless you are together. I'll stay at camp I just want you to be happy. If it's what makes you happy, be with him, marry him."

Surprise colored my mom's features, she said "Luke you don't have to do that for us, if you want it you can have a normal life."

I said "You know as well as I do mom that demigods can never really have a normal life, I would always be getting attacked by monsters, it would be easier just to stay at camp where I can train, and be mostly safe. Once the barriers are back up it will be the safest place for me. I love you mom, and I just want you to be happy.

She said "I love you to Luke, and you are right I still love your father, I never stopped loving him. I have always wished that there was some way for us to be together. But I would always berate myself for thinking such thoughts, partially because I thought that they were just wishful thinking, and partially because you have always been my first priority.

Recently since you got to camp your father has visited me a few times, his excuse for doing so was because he wanted to keep me updated on how you were doing, but we just couldn't resist each other. He told me that he could make me his immortal wife, and he also told me what that would mean for you if he did..."

I cut her off saying "I know Mom you wouldn't be able to see me as often. I talked to dad He explained what would happen. That doesn't matter though, I'll be fine I just want you to be happy. 

She said "Are you sure Luke?"

I replied, "Yes Mom I'm sure."

After that we sat in silence for a while, mom eventually turned on the news, and it was talking about all the damage that had been done to Manhattan, I almost laughed at some of the ridiculous explanations that the mortals were coming up with to explain the damage. But then again the mortals can't know the truth. Some of them wouldn't be able to handle it if they did find out.

My mom stated making dinner, I walked back to my room. When I walked in I couldn't help but remember that I hadn't been in there since the morning of that fateful day when the laistrygonians attacked me and I learned that I was a demigod, and met my dad for the first time. So much had happened to me this summer, and the summer wasn't even over yet. Who knows what will happen during the next couple months.

When dinner was ready mom and I ate, we only talked about unimportant things, we didn't talk about the war or camp. I almost didn't want to let mom drive me to camp in the morning, even though the war was over I still felt apprehensive, like something bad would happen tomorrow, and I couldn't understand why. I had trouble falling asleep that night, I tossed and turned for a while unable to fall asleep. When I finally did sleep I had dreams as usual, and they didn't help my uneasiness either.

The next morning the uneasy feeling hadn't faded, I still felt like something bad was going to happen. I tried to argue with my mother that I could take a cab to camp or something but she insisted on driving me.