The Irony In All This (Percy Jackson)

We Keep Waiting Anyways

Leo:

Six months was amazing. Then it was nine, then a year. Then it was a year since he showed up at camp. 18 months that we had been together. An entire year since he's had anything to do with his family.

Yeah, he flat out had nothing to do with them anymore. We both had our own place outside of the city now, being it's close to the college we go to. It's actually half way across the country in Minnesota. We were accepted to the University of Minnesota Duluth, so were there now. In Duluth.

It's nice, yeah. There's not many monsters and Lake Superior is here and it's beautiful and it's a tourist hot spot for a lot of good reasons.

But on the other hand, you miss people. I think that after a year, he was starting to really miss his little sister.

"She'll be three on Christmas Eve." Percy would tell me on occasion. ,"And I won't be there. Again."

Gods, that must be tough to deal with.

We were laying on the couch one day, it was the 23rd of December. We've been here for like 8 months, in Duluth, and the phone started to ring. A New York number. Calling our landline.

"Hello." I said into the phone, curious as to who would have our number.

Surely enough, it was Sally Jackson.

"Hey, Leo." Percys mom started off, sounding very worried. "Sorry to bother you, Frank gave me the number."

"No, it's fine." I assured her, waiting for an explanation to the call.

"Well, as you know, Christmas is in a few days." Sally explained to me something that was very apparent. "And tomorrow our little girl turns 3 and I just thought maybe that you know, after a year, Percy might want to at least see her. Assuming he's not dead and all. Frank just said you might know where he is or something."

And suddenly I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"I, uh... Hold on a second."

I put the phone down and walked over to my boyfriend.

"Who is it?" He questioned, my expression making him slightly worried.

"Your mom." I was fully honest with him about it. "She wants to know that if I know where you were, which I do, if you'd want to go home for Christmas. At least see your sister turn 3 because you missed her turning 2."

He made an o with his lips, and looked down after a second and that's when I saw it in him. That was when I first came to notice that my boyfriend was becoming homesick. starting to miss home and the people at home.

"If she makes sure there's no alcohol in the apartment, I'll go home for Christmas." My boyfriend agreed to those terms. "But only if you come with me. I'm not going back alone. Plus, you'd be alone then and I don't want you spending the holidays alone."

"Of course, I'd come with." I assured him and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Okay, hold on a minute."

Walking back over to the landline, I picked up the phone and made sure she was still there.

"I'm here," Sally assured me, in an impatient sort of tone. Anxiety driving her at this point, I imagine. "Was Frank telling the truth?"

"Yes, of course." I informed Sally. "I've been in contact with Percy all year. I talked to him and he said he will come home under two conditions."

"I expected more, but okay." Mrs. Blofis reasoned. "What are they?"

"No alcohol," I started off. "And I go with because otherwise I'll be here alone for Christmas."