CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
ANOTHER REDHEAD
SHE WASN'T SURE WHY SHE couldn't remember anything from before she had met Damien. She sat there with Zingo's head in her lap as she tried to think of anything, but she came up blank. She looked up from her concentrated spot on the ground when a knock fell on the open door. She looked up, noticing John standing there.
"Hey, you looked lost in thought. I didn't mean to interrupt."
"No, you're fine." Aphrodite assured. She nodded towards the spot on the other side of the dog. "Join me?" He did so, sitting down on the other side of Zingo. The dog lifted her head from Aphrodite's lap, glancing at John before placing her head back down. "This is Zingo. She's very quiet and keeps to herself, and apparently the people she likes. Which, at the moment, is only me and Art."
Zingo looked up again when John started to rub the dog's fur. She moved her head from Aphrodite's lap to John's, making the redhead chuckle softly. "I guess she likes you too."
"I have that effect on animals." John joked.
"Why? Because your name is Thunderbird?" Aphrodite quizzed before letting out a sarcastic scoff. "As if." There was a moment of peaceful silence before Aphrodite broke it. "How's Pulse fitting in?"
"Good. He likes it here." John nodded his head.
"Yeah, he seems like a nice guy." Aphrodite gently smiles. "I forget sometimes that mutants can be ten times nicer than regular humans." John nods in agreement. Aphrodite was oblivious to the slightly awkward silence as she looked down at the dog, rubbing her fur. John glanced at the woman, taking a quick second to just look at her before he listened.
"I think Lorna just got back." John informed. Aphrodite looked up and nodded her head before getting up off the couch. She paused.
"Hey John? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, everything's alright. Why?"
Aphrodite shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Just a feeling I guess. Come on, let's meet the second new comer for today." Aphrodite walked out of the room, and John followed close behind her. Lorna entered with another redhead by her side.
"Yes, another redhead." Aphrodite smiled as she got closer. Artemis soon joined the group, giving Lorna a hug before joining Aphrodite's side again. The young girl cocked her head to the side as she looked at the new woman that had entered. Aphrodite looked at her as well, frowning slightly. "Have we met before?"
"I don't think so." The woman said after a moment, shaking her head.
"Sorry. You just look familiar for some odd reason." Aphrodite responded.
"Win, John, this is Sonya Simonson, though she has another name that she also goes by, Dreamer. Sonya, this is John, Aphrodite though she prefers Winter, and her daughter Artemis." Lorna introduced. "Sonya here can add or subtract memories. Kind of like what you can do, Win. Just not as harsh."
"Mine isn't harsh." Aphrodite scoffed.
"Well, you haven't used your own powers against yourself, so you wouldn't know would you?" Lorna quizzed, cocking an eyebrow at her best friend.
"Yeah―︎"
"Oh my god." Artemis whispered, grabbing the four adults' attention. Her eyes were still on Sonya however. "What the hell did you do?"
"I-I'm sorry?" Sonya frowned.
"Undo it." Artemis spoke.
"Artemis, what are you talking about?" Aphrodite frowned.
"She knows what I'm talking about." Artemis narrowed her eyes. "You took her entire life. Give it back."
"Artemis, stop." Aphrodite snapped.
"No, mom, she―︎"
"I don't care. Go to your room."
"Mom―︎"
"Artemis Grace, room, now." Aphrodite demanded, pointing towards the direction. Artemis scoffed before turning on her heel and walking away. Aphrodite turned back towards Sonya, shaking her head. "I apologize. She isn't normally like that. Excuse me." Aphrodite turned on her heel and went after her child. She entered the room, closing the door behind her and crossing her arms over her chest.
"What the hell was that, Artemis?" Aphrodite quizzed.
"She's hiding something from you." Artemis spoke. "I read her mind. I―︎"
"You read her mind? God, Art. That's disrespectful. What have I told you about poking through people's heads without their permission?" Aphrodite asked, her jaw clenched.
"I'm sorry, but―︎"
"Is she dangerous? To us? Does she have bad intentions?" Aphrodite asked.
"No, but―︎"
"Then you had no right to go through her head. Art, this is a place where mutants are supposed to be welcomed. Not screamed at as soon as they walk through the door." Aphrodite snapped.
"Mom, listen to me!" Artemis snapped back. "I didn't mean to, I swear. But when I heard what she thought about when she saw you. . . I just. . . I reacted wrongly. It's not bad, it was good intentions what she did. But it's something that you deserve to know."
"Am I not the one that is supposed to be telling you what you should and should not know?" Aphrodite responded, her arms crossing over her chest.
"Mom, please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for acting that way. But, you need to talk to her. You need. . . you need to talk to your sister."
Aphrodite froze, raising her eyebrows at Artemis. "I'm sorry, my what?" Artemis opened her mouth, but Aphrodite shook her head. "Go train. You owe Sonya an apology, after I talk to her."
"I'm sorry." Artemis frowned.
"Art." Aphrodite pointed towards the door. Artemis looked at her mother, frowning before letting out a soft sigh and walking out of the room. Aphrodite placed her hands on her hips, blowing a strand of red hair from her face before following after Artemis.
As Artemis walked past Sonya, she stopped, looking at her before speaking. "I'm sorry." With that, the girl turned on her heel and walked down the steps so that she could train per her mother's request. Aphrodite walked towards Sonya and John, the duo looking at her.
"Can I talk to you?" Aphrodite asked, looking at the woman. Sonya glanced at John before nodding her head, offering Aphrodite a small smile.
"Of course."
Aphrodite nodded before walking over towards the door and opening it. Sonya walked out of the front door and just before Aphrodite followed her, she caught John's eyes. She quickly walked out of the building, closing the door behind her. She walked down the steps, stopping right in front of Sonya.
"Is everything alright?" Sonya asked, frowning slightly.
"I don't know. You tell me." Aphrodite answered, meeting the woman's blue eyes. The same blue eyes that Aphrodite held. As she looked at the woman, she could see the matching features. The red hair, the blue eyes, the sharp bone structure. They almost looked like twins, except, Aphrodite was a year older.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Sonya frowned.
"God, I wish I could believe you. And had I not had a mind reader as a daughter, I probably would have." Aphrodite answered. She watched Sonya's lips part slightly, her face going pale. "Mhm, there it is."
"Did she tell you anything?"
"Not really." Aphrodite shook her head. "Besides the fact that you're my sister. But of course, I wouldn't know if that were true or not, seeing as I have absolutely no recollection of my family."
"Aphrodite, I'm sorry." Sonya softly told her. "It was better you forgot anyways, it wasn't the best home life."
"So, you decided to make me forget? Only to be left with even more trauma because of my husband? I got pregnant at eighteen. Married at twenty with no one to invite but Damien's family because I didn't remember my own. Please. Tell me how that was better." Aphrodite snapped.
"I can. . . I can give the memories back." Sonya suggested.
"Are you really my sister?" Aphrodite asked, her voice low as she spoke. Sonya looked at her for a moment before nodding her head.
"Yes. Younger sister. By one year." Sonya nodded her head.
The woman nodded her head in response. "I, uh, I have to go train with my daughter. We'll―︎uh―︎we'll talk later."
"Yeah, okay."
Aphrodite placed her hands in her back pockets as she stood there for a moment before she nodded her head and walked away. She walked up the steps, entering the building before going towards the training room to join her daughter, only to be stopped by John. She sighed, looking at him. "What?"
"What was that about?"
"Ask her about it. I'm going to go find my daughter." Aphrodite muttered before pushing away from him and continuing towards the training area.