ATLOP: Trial by Fire

Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants

But all that was to say that my mom was amazing and deserved the world.

I was looking forward to seeing her again, I'd missed her through the school year. Unfortunately, I'd have to wait a little longer.

I walked into the apartment to find Smelly Gabe, the useless step-dad that he was, in the living room playing poker with his buddies. Mom was probably still at work.

The television blared ESPN and chips and beer cans were scattered over the carpet.

He didn't even look up from his cards as he spoke around his cigar, "So, you're home."

"Where's my mom?" I asked in lieu of a greeting.

"Working. You got any cash?"

He also didn't bother to give a greeting. We didn't really like each other.

He didn't like me because I was a "troubled kid".

I didn't like him because he was mean, rude to my mom, lazy, gross, and barely worked when mom worked all the time . Supposedly he managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens. Supposedly. I had no idea how he did that, because he'd never gone into work as far as I knew.

All he did was collect paychecks, spend money on cigars that made me nauseous, buy enough beer to drown in, and gamble.

Of course, whenever I was home I was expected to fund his gambling. I'd spent the last few years getting some money from the river to cover that.

The few times I'd refused or hadn't given enough money... well it was a good thing I had natural healing abilities.

I tossed a five at him, not willing to have that fight on my first day back. "I hope you lose."

He sneered as I stalked out, "Your report card came in, brain boy! I wouldn't act so snooty!"

Jerk.

I slammed the door to my room, only to wrinkle my nose. It smelled like cigars and beer.

Gross.

Gabe had decided to use it as his "study" while I was at boarding school and it'd been in the same state when I'd come back for winter break. All the more motivation to never got to another ever again .

I pulled Carl out of my bag and set it (and him) on the desk.

He swam around happily for a moment before noticing the mess. He promptly started grumbling about Gabe.

Honestly the smell was almost worse than the feeling those old ladies gave me. It was definitely worse than my nightmares about Ms. Dodds.

I scratched my arms, mind drawn back to the fight to the fruit stand to the-

"Percy?" My mom called.

She opened the bedroom door and swept away all the tension. She always did that, brightening the room just by entering. It was like she radiated love and care.

Her eyes sparkled and changed in the light, her smile as warm as a quilt. Her curly black hair had a few gray streaks but she didn't seem old at all.

She smiled at me like I was the best thing in the world, none of the bad even registering for her.

"Oh, Percy," She hugged me tight. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"

I hugged her back tight, tears pricking my eyes. I missed her.

"And your hair is so long now," she said as she pulled back to study me. "We'll have to cut it later."