A Walk Through The Park
A walk through the park. Such an arbitrary activity. Frivolous and unproductive. At the same time Annabeth's mind couldn't function without the occasionals strolls. Two or three times a week she would walk deep in to New Yorks Central Park until the she had escaped the oppression of the towering building of the city. She didn't hate the buildings. Quite to the contrary, she loved them and her job of designing them and all of the buildings of New York.
However, she simply could not wander these streets without feeling the weight of those buildings. Their presence pressed in and the faces of the architects looked down their noses at her from the windows. Surrounded by the tall buildings the sun seemed so far away and it corrupted her thoughts. Work became impossible. She couldn't read without distraction and even a relaxing night alone made her tense. But walking through the park made her same and kept her whole for at least a short while.
Today's walk was bleak and gray. The air was crisp and dry so she feared her lips would become chapped though she had applied a lip balm before leaving the office. The tennis shoes she wore did not match her outfit. Annabeth wore warm but professional attire. Her long thick coat hid most of her body except for a short length of her calf. In one of the coats pockets she carried a small bag of breadcrumb in case she should encounter birds of any sort though most of them had fled south for the winter.
She wound along a narrow path and began rounding a corner when she was hit.
The week had been a long one. The month had been even longer. But longer still was each new moment that passed. They were ones she would never get back like all moments but she wasn't worried about those. Important to her were the moments that approached. A pivotal moment approached. Frightening and uncertain this was one of the moments that marked great change for her life.
Annabeth was the sort of strong willed woman that was always focused on the task. That was the sort of thing she lived for. She was always planning the next challenge or adventure, but today she could not help but look back to the past. To the day she first invited Percy to her little apartment in New York…
"Wow!" he had said. "It's so clean! Why haven't I been here yet?"
Annabeth chuckled. "Because you embarrass me," she said. "What'll my neighbors think of me now that they've seen you?" The truth was she was embarrassed not of him but of her own apartment. It was clean, as Percy had said, but after seeing his apartment it also seemed so impersonal. The biggest mess was the few work notes she allowed to pile up on her desk.
The art that adorned her walls were all lined up straight and tasteful. There were no pictures save for the one on her desk of her and her old friend from high school. At Percy's there were all sorts of posters and pictures nearly covering the walls. Pictures of his family and friends and a couple of acquaintances. Items from his hobbies littered the place. There was a surfboard and a guitar. Each time Annabeth went there she couldn't help but pick things up and find homes for them. Their living arrangements were the biggest proof that they didn't belong together.
"Hey." Annabeth turned to look at her boyfriend. He had made his way in to the kitchen and was rooting through the refrigerator already having put the counter into disarray. "Do you have an onion in here somewhere?"
Annabeth giggled. "Did you try the drawer on the left?"
A moment later, "Aha!" He burst from the fridge and turned with a flourish and toothy grin that always tugged at the corners of her own lips. "Now go relax for a minute while I cook for you."
"Ok," she said having learned weeks ago he had a talent for cooking. Maybe she was wrong. The living arrangements may be different but that didn't make him more passionate and it didn't mean she couldn't handle a little discord. Maybe they could find peace together.
"Ow!"
"I'm sorry!"
Annabeth began picking herself up off of the ground. The man who had run into her offered her his hand. She took it deciding it would be better than the potential misfortune of ruining the pencil skirt she had worn today for work. Had it not been for the skirt she may have been able to keep her balance.
"I'm sorry," the man said again. He wore athletic shorts in spite of the cold. He also had a thin sweatshirt on but in spite of his light dress he was sweating. He was clearly out for a jog in the park.
"It's fine," she said. "It was an accident. I understand."
"Still I feel bad," he said. The worry put a crease in his forehead as he looked me over dusting off a spot on her elbow. "Can I get you a cup of coffee or something to make up for it?"
That took her by surprise a bit. She was bumped nearly everyday and while she didn't usually get knocked over she had never been offered a cup of coffee before. His eye's told her it was an innocent gesture, but her best friend had just recently told her she needed to stop focusing on work so much and get a social life and meet a guy. He was certainly attractive enough and his genuine concern was refreshing if nothing else. Still…
"I really need to be getting back to work right now" she said pulling out a pen, "but you can call me tomorrow and we'll make a date of it." She smiled as she wrote her cell number on the back of her business card even though she was certain he would find the whole thing weird and never actually call. If he didn't call then at least she would never see him again.
Looking startled he said "Uh, ok," then looked at the card she had passed to him.
"I'll see you tomorrow then," she said as she turned and walked barely aware of his farewell to her. Only once she reached her office did she realize she didn't even know his name.
Annabeth was alone in the dressing room with her best friend from her childhood Thalia. Thalia smiled and helped Annabeth into her dress. Annabeth had heard that relationships sometimes ruined friendships. It was the exact opposite in the case of Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth. She smile to remember the time Thalia and Percy first met. The evening had not been what you'd call successful but it never failed to make Annabeth laugh.
Percy and Thalia passionately discussed something over dinner that Annabeth could no longer recall, but it had been such a discussion that the three of them decided it would be best for them to part ways for the evening. So Annabeth and Thalia went back to her apartment, since Thalia was visiting from Oregon, while Percy went back to his own apartment. After changing, Annabeth and Thalia sat on the couch to watch some tv and discuss the night.
"How can you stand him?" Thalia nearly spat the question.
Giggling Annabeth replied "He's a good guy."
"How can you say that?" Thalia asked incredulously.
Still laughing she replied, "You've spent one dinner together. You just happened to only talk about things you disagree on."
"That is enough," Thalia responded. "I'm the best friend. He should know that he needs to get along with me to get my approval."
"I want you two to get along, but he doesn't need your approval," Annabeth said. Just then she received a text message.
*"Made it home " –Percy
Annabeth smiled.
"Who is it," Thalia asked looking closely at her friend in obvious confusion.
"It's just Percy letting me know he made it home," she replied quickly typing her response.
* "Good " –Annabeth
Thalia turned back to the tv without saying anything. Annabeth's phone buzzed again.
*"Sorry I didn't get along so well with Thalia :/ I promise I tried." –Percy
Annabeth smile again while typing her response as Thalia gave her a sideways glance.
*"I know you did. Don't worry about it. You 2 can't hate each other forever. J" -Annabeth
"Is he giving me lip again?" Thalia asked. "Do I need to go teach him a lesson?"
Annabeth laughed. "No. Here read it." She shoved the phone in to her friends hands.
As Thalia read her expression did not change from the steady thoughtful one she had put on from Percy's first message. The phone vibrated again.
"Ok, give it back," Annabeth said and Thalia handed it over without a fight.
*"I don't know. She's nothing if not willful…" –Percy
*"Haha well you can be pretty stubborn yourself. I have no doubt you'll find something you can stand together on." –Annabeth
"What'd you say?" Thalia asked. Annabeth showed her the message. "So what are our plans tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure," Annabeth said thinking. "I figured we'd sleep in then discuss it over coffee in the morning." New message from Percy.
*"If you say so. I wouldn't mind getting a second chance tomorrow if you 2 aren't too busy" –Percy
"I think we should get together with Percy again tomorrow," Thalia said causing Annabeth to look up from her phone before she had the chance to message Percy back.
"What makes you say that?" she asked.
Thalia turned away from the tv to look Annabeth strait in the eyes. Thalia's eyes had their usual mischievous gleam and her smile was toothy and maybe a little sinister. "Because I've got unfinished business with him," she said. "Besides I didn't even get to ask him how he feels about you."
Annabeth's ensuing laugh was loud and hearty. It was full of astonishment and happiness and maybe a little relief. "Ok," she said once she regain control, "I'll let him know." She then typed out her message.
*"I'm we'll get around to meeting with you tomorrow " –Annabeth
That night Annabeth got a call she only expected she might receive the next morning. She had just been getting ready to cook herself some dinner and cuddle up on the couch for the night. The sky was dark but mostly clear though you could never see the stars in New York. She had just been thinking that the small apartment she rented felt cold. The place was usually kept a good temperature for her, but somehow today all the open and empty spaces made her shiver as if she'd just passed through a ghost.
Then her phone placed on the counter buzzed loudly causing her to whip her head around. It was a call from a number not in her contacts which usually caused her to immediately press ignore. Today however she picked up the phone and swiped to answer the call just as the second vibration cycle ended.
"Hello," she answered. Her tone was even with the slightest edge of anticipation.
"Hello," a man answered from the other side. "Umm, this is Percy. Er, the guy who ran you over today in the park."
Fear settling. She hadn't thought it through when she'd given him her number. She didn't have time afterwards to prepare herself to actually talk to this stranger again. "Oh, hi. I thought you'd call tomorrow, or you know not at all since it was kind of weird of me to just give you my number and run." Rambling?
"Oh, I'm sorry," he replied hurriedly. "I know you said tomorrow, but, well since you ran off so quick I figured sooner would be better to sort some stuff and introduce myself and stuff. I can call back later if you want?"
"No," Annabeth said maybe a little too quickly, "now's fine. I was just surprised that's all. My name is Annabeth, by the way." One deep silent breath to calm down.
"Oh, I'm sorry Annabeth," he said. Had he been a little panicked too? "And I'm sorry for knocking you over earlier."
"Oh don't worry about it," She said.
"Anyway," he said trailing a bit, "The reason I called was to see when would be best to get coffee with you and where would be best for you."
"Well," I began, "I take my lunch break at 11:30, but I'm not very familiar with coffee shops around here."
"I know a couple of good ones," Percy offered. "One near the north edge of the park is really good if you work around there?"
"Actually I'm on the south end," I said not sure if I should apologize for that. "Know of anything closer to there? I would rather not take a cab."
The conversation carried on in to the night. It turned out Percy knew about coffee shops all over the place and finding one that fit was easy. More surprising though was that the conversation didn't end there. Annabeth wound up cooking her dinner with Percy on speaker phone. Fear long gone now Annabeth laughed as Percy tried to convince her to add brussel sprouts and soy sauce to her salad. Though she refused it at the time Percy's salads became her lifetime favorite.
Annabeth stood before a pair of heavy wooden doors waiting. Nerves boiled and turned in her stomach like fireworks ready for her to explode. Through those doors were all of her family and friends waiting for her. They were waiting, but she wasn't sure if she was ready. She thought she was ready last night. She thought she had let all of the fear and doubt flow out of her last night in bed, but here she was carrying the fireworks in her gut.
What came to mind in those moments weren't the good times she'd had with Percy. Instead she thought of the biggest fight they'd ever had.
She had been scared. Annabeth had been offered a job that would take her back to california where she had grown up. She hadn't told Percy. She didn't want him to say goodbye to him she convinced herself that she just wanted their last days together to be happy, but really she was just afraid. She was going to tell him. She just hadn't figured out how or when, but of course he found out.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Percy had asked. He was angry just like she knew he would be.
"Because we hadn't talked about the possibility of me leaving and I didn't have time to get your input before making a decision," She argued defensively. "I didn't want you thinking I had plotted to run away from you."
"And this is better?" the apartment seemed to heat up with the intensity of the argument. "Leaving without telling me is supposed to make me believe you aren't running away?"
"I was going to tell you!" Annabeth hated that she had yelled, but she couldn't help it. "I would have told you soon I just hadn't figured out how or when would be best."
"You should have called as soon as you found out," he said not shouting as much anymore but still obviously not pleased.
"I want to have this fight over the phone," Annabeth said feeling more down by the minute. "I didn't want to call you, argue, and never see you again."
"Babe, I would have been happy for you!" He said wrinkling his forehead looking upset while his eyes smiled. "I would have said "Congratulation! When do we leave?"."
"What?" Annabeth asked confusion infecting her.
"I'm coming with you idiot," he answered.
In spite of the sadness that had possessed her in the days before she he had made her happy and done so while calling her an idiot. Annabeth remembered this while twisting her wedding ring before finding the strength to push open those heavy wooden doors.
Annabeth left the office right at 11:30am as to not be late for her date. After walking out side and opening her umbrella she heard the "hey" she had memorized only last night. She looked up in the smiling face of Percy. This was the first time she had seen him smile and she was struck by how natural it looked on him. Annabeth could almost believe that his relaxed expression was the same look he gave to her now. Annabeth had never been attracted to goofs before but as she looked Percy she didn't see a goof. Instead she saw a man that could always see happiness just around the corner on in the next minute.
"Hey," she said. "I thought we were meeting at the shop?"
"Yeah I got excited and jumped the gun a little," he said looking a little abashed.
Annabeth laughed. "Well, I hope you brought your own umbrella because mine only has room for one," she teased.
"Actually," Percy began looking very proud, "mine has room for two. So why don't you just put that one away." He said pulling out a large umbrella.
Annabeth smirked. "Sorry, I don't share umbrella's with strangers." She said before turning on her heel, nearly hit Percy with her umbrella, and set a brisk pace up the sidewalk.
"Hey!" Percy chased her up the sidewalk all the way to the coffee shop occasionally directing her.
They laughed as Percy attempted to persuade her into the cover of his umbrella and Annabeth turned him down. They weaved easily around other pedestrian not breaking conversation or the game they played. Crowds did not part, and only few took notice, but to Annabeth the rest of the world was merely a stage for their game and amusement.
The reached the coffee shop without Annabeth taking any notice of the direction they had come. The shop was small and the inside was warm and smelled beautifully of coffee ground. All the employees inside were loudly working. The line was short and many tables were open.
"Do you know what sort of coffee you like ?" Percy asked her.
"No," she replied now a little nervous. "I don't go out for coffee and have no idea what's good. Especially in a place like this."
"That's fine. Why don't you go find us a table and I'll get you something delicious." In one sentence and a smile Percy had turned Annabeth's dread in to excited anticipation.
"Ok," she said before leaving him to get the open booth by the window.
The coffee was delicious and the company was even better. And when it came time to head back to work they shared Percy's umbrella and made plans for their next date.
Percy looked very sharp in the suit they had put him in. It fit well and for the first time he looked comfortable in formal attire. Annabeth could hardly pull her gaze away away from his closed eyes as he lay on the soft white fabric of his casket. With great effort she tore herself from him so that she turn and face her friends and family. She leaned heavily against the wooden box-like stand to give some rest to her feet.
She looked in to the crowd. There were many familiar faces but many of them were turned down or streaked with tears. Annabeth spoke. She told stories. It wasn't what she had prepared, but it was more honest. Stories of him and the things he'd done and the mistakes he'd made and then the things he did to fix his mistakes. It didn't dry the tears but it brought smiles and laughter.
It didn't bring him back or make things better but it was the best way to honor his life and instill his essence into all that heard Annabeth's words.