"Not too bad." I smiled while watching Tobias paint away.
It was storming outside and the weather was unsafe for either of us to go out to work. In the meantime, I decided to teach Tobias how to paint. He wasn't doing a terrible job, but I've seen better.
"Are those bees?"
"No, that's a flower." He frowned. "It doesn't look like a flower?"
"It does." I lied.
"I give up." He huffed before placing down the paintbrush.
"No, it's beautiful. I'll just make some adjustments, okay?" I picked up the paintbrush.
"I was never into crafts when I was younger. I spent my time reading marketing books that I didn't understand so I could be like my father."
"All I did was crafts, besides school. I ice skated for a minute, but most of the time, I was painting, making pottery, or creating designs."
"You make pottery and you ice skated? Don't take this the wrong way, but you're like an onion. You have so many layers."
"Thank you, I think. Besides reading marketing books, please tell me you did fun things."
"I played golf and I guess I use to get creative by cooking."
"You're an excellent chef."
"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself."
"Don't lie to me, we both know I'm terrible."
Tobias and I chuckled.
"I feel like I've done so little today." Tobias groaned.
"You've done a lot today."
"Yeah, work-wise. I couldn't go to the gym this morning because of the weather. I hate missing days."
"What time do you go?"
"Five in the morning."
"Five in the morning!" I exclaimed. "No way. How can you manage to go throughout your day? You have to be tired."
"It wakes me up."
"I will have to try working out then. Just not at five in the morning." I mumbled while focusing on the painting.
"I will remind you."
"Thank you."
"Want a glass of wine?" He questioned while standing up.
"Of course."
The room went dark and I let out a scream. I was terrified of the dark. As silly as it sounded, something about it terrified me. I heard Tobias stop in his tracks.
"Are you okay?"
"Tobias? Where are you?"
"I'm by the kitchen entrance."
"Please don't move."
"Why what's wrong? I think the power went out because of the storm. Everything's okay."
"I know but please just stay in this room."
"You're not afraid of the dark, are you?" I could hear him laughing.
"I am and it's not funny." I felt around the easel and placed down my paintbrush. "Please just stay there."
"Athena come on." Tobias chuckled.
"Stop laughing, it's not funny."
The room went quiet. I frantically looked around trying to spot anything, but it was pitch black.
"Boo!" Tobias popped up behind me.
"Oh my God!" I screamed. "Tobias!"
I pushed him away.
"Why would you do that?" I clung to my chest.
"I'm sorry." He laughed. "Here let me help you to the couch."
I grabbed his arm. I never noticed how much muscle he had until now. I felt myself collide into the easel and he quickly grabbed me by the waist making sure I didn't fall.
"Oh my."
"My masterpiece." He said. He pulled me up and helped me to the couch. We both sat down. "How old are you?"
"How funny."
"No I'm serious, how old are you? I don't think we've ever asked that question.
"I'm twenty-three. And you?"
"Twenty-five."
"Ah, I forget you, Eros, and Anteros are the same age."
"Why are you afraid of the dark?"
"I just am."
"Right."
"Is the fireplace gas or can you start it by lighting it?" I questioned.
"Good idea!" He stood up.
"Wait!" I said while grabbing his arms. He started laughing. "It's not funny."
He walked us over towards the fireplace. It was a bit silent until I saw him flick the lighter on and hold it towards the wood. Instantly the logs caught fire giving us some sort of light.
"See. No one's here to kill us. Still want wine?"
I nodded before sitting down in front of the fire. Tobias walked towards the kitchen. I sighed while waiting for him to finish.
"Here you go." He handed me the glass before sitting down.
"Want to know what I figured out?"
"What?"
"You get very afraid of your feelings. Like if you're mad or sad, you'd rather run and hide instead of facing them."
"Not true."
"So true."
"Well then, you wear your heart on your sleeve. Which is a good thing. You're never afraid to tell someone when they've wronged you."
"That took practice. I've been wronged my whole life. It took me to learn how to stand up to someone."
"Athena. I have to admit something."
"What?"
"When you were attacked, your father didn't contact you. It was a lie made up so that you weren't sad."
"I know."
"You knew?"
"I checked the call log and I just wanted to believe that he cared. When I was thirteen, I got my tonsils removed, he didn't stay with me. He filled out the paperwork and left." I shook my head. "I knew he didn't check on me."
"I wanted to tell you but-"
"Kelsey wanted to protect me. I know. She thinks I'm fragile. Like I'm glass. That's how anybody sees me. Athena, the girl whose mom ran away and whose father is a dirty capitalist."
I went silent to take a sip of my wine.
"It's true though." I shrugged.
"I don't think you're fragile. At all."
"Hm."
"You hold your own. When I'm acting like an ass, you make sure to tell me that I am one."
"Thank you." I smiled.
The fire sputtered and soon it went out.
"Shit." Tobias huffed.
"Do you mind if I scoot closer?"
"Of course not."
I felt the ground before scooting over.
"You hold your own as well." I started. "You're stubborn as hell, but that's good in some ways. And you care hard for people."
"I care about you, you know?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I've lived with you long enough to know that you're a good person."
"I care about you too, Tobias."
It was silent. I felt Tobias touch my chin before kissing me. Tobias was kissing me.
Wait. Tobias was kissing me.
And then.
I kissed back.
~
"So. I was thinking for the dress, big and princess-inspired." Beverly smiled. "You can oppose."
We met with designers today so they could start on my multiple wedding dresses. There was one for the ceremony and one for the reception.
"I like that."
"Perfect."
One designer began drawing outlines on her sketchbook.
"Athena, what do you think for the reception?"
"I was thinking something dramatic with the sleeves and then a dainty silk dress maybe. Something comfortable to dance in."
"Athena. Have you stolen my mind?" Beverly questioned. "Because I was thinking the same thing. Then the sleeves could be embedded with pearls or diamonds."
"Exactly what I was thinking." I smiled.
The waiter came and sat our mimosas down.
"We have software that allows us to create dresses. We will send you multiple designs for the ceremony and the reception dress." The man spoke.
"Perfect. Thank you, Hermon and Stephanie."
We both stood giving them air kisses before they left. Beverly sighed and sat down. She sipped her mimosa.
"I know this wedding isn't real, but I'm excited to see how beautiful you look."
"Thank you, Beverly."
"Not in a weird way, but I've checked on you throughout your life. Before your mom left, she requested that I checked on you. I was at your graduation, though we didn't know each other, you had someone there."
"Thank you. How close were you and my mom?"
"We'd been best friends since we were girls, maybe ten."
"Do you think she hated me?"
"Athena, no." Beverly shook her head. "She adores you. When she talked about you, her eyes lit up."
"Really?"
"Yes." She reached in her bag and pulled out a white journal. "Here. I take this with me a lot, but I think this belongs to you."
She handed me the journal.
"You get your eye of fashion from your mother. She carried this thing everywhere. It's filled with her designs."
"Wow. These are beautiful." I smiled.
"I know."
I closed the journal before taking a sip of my mimosa.
"I talked with Eros, one day."
"Tobias told me about the conversation. He holds a lot of anger. The things he told you weren't true. She was sad, but not at you."
"Who made her sad?"
She remained quiet while sipping her mimosa.
"Was it my father?"
Beverly cleared her throat.
"Please, Beverly. Did my father abuse my mom?"
"Vince would never. They loved each other, but she was pressured. Kaelyn never wanted children, she loved you guys, but that wasn't her dream. That's why she got cold feet and left the twins. Then she had you, who she loved but..."
"But resented."
"Yeah. She loved you, but she hated the commitment of being a mother. Vince pressured her for more kids and she didn't want that. She felt like she was being a bad mother and wife. Then she found out she was pregnant again."
"What!"
"She left."
"Did she tell you where she was going?"
"She didn't. She told me she was pregnant and that she didn't want another child. Next think you know, I'm watching the news and she was missing."
"So she left because she was pregnant. Where is the baby now?"
"I don't know. I don't know if she chose to keep it or have an abortion."
"Do you think it was with my father?"
"Without a doubt. She was loyal to Vince, not to Lance."
"Raspberry vinaigrette salads?" The waitress questioned.
Beverly nodded and they say the plates in front of us.
Maybe I could view birth records online to see if my mother had the baby. It could give me a step closer to where she could be. If she was still alive.
Where ever my mother is, she has a lot of explaining to do.