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Down
No, Persephone really means it. Everything. Went. Down.
The days in Olympus came by without any change in anyone's being or any alterations to the building of where our story was taking place. Everyone handled their time efficiently as always following the daily routines of their usual schedules. Persephone was no different to the rest in this case. Her shift which starts at three and ends at eight, nine at most, assures nothing rewarding aside from a weekly paycheck of a minimum salary.
Same to as most young adults in the budding age of twenty-two, she was convinced that she was meant for something bigger than this. "One day, Hermes. One day." The male nurse snickered at the determination of the woman in front of him. How many times had Persephone said the very same things to all the other nurses here? They stopped counting a long time ago. Persephone never lost hope and none of them wanted her to. If there was anyone in that hospital who deserves a chance to go for her dreams, Persephone would be on the top of that list.
"What I need right now is a big break, Hermes. The earth's flora is barely understood. There are far too many plants left unstudied and the opportunities it can provide in diminishing world hunger and aiding in the cure of cancer are too great to be unrecognized. If I have to sell one flower a time to strangers just so I can have my chance, then be it."
It was ambitious but undeniably impressive. It was amazing that you could still find people in this day and age with same outlook at Persephone's. In a century which seems to be solely governed by single-minded goals, it's refreshing to hear someone still dreaming for the good of all of mankind. Or at least that's what Hermes thought as the young girl continued her soliloquy.
It's been two weeks since the incident in Zeus' office, five days since their cup of coffee at Café D'Inferno. And during that short time, Persephone has been able to know more about the man she so casually calls 'Hades'.
Her father had very sensible reasons for deeming this man his favorite. The six figure salary didn't come from a mere guess and Persephone had learned of it through the most embarrassing way possible. Not only was Hades one of the most successful brain surgeons in America, he was also a well-known philanthropist donating to shelters and orphanages all around the globe. His accolades stretch from basketball trophies, to science competitions, to dean's letters and honor grants. To say that the man was accomplished at thirty-one would be an understatement.
Almost everyone in Olympus treats the fabled Hades Triste in absolute respect. Their regard for him had grown from his outstanding achievements in college and continuous display of intelligence when faced with the most challenging medical cases. Even the most intelligent of her siblings, Athena admits to be inferior if compared to likes of Hades.
His name is seldom mentioned without an entitlement—a fact which she's entirely unaware of.
Once while on her lunch break with the Nymph sisters, she mentioned her fateful encounter with the Doc. Losing herself in narrating the story, she might have crossed some professional boundaries referring to the doc by his Christian name. The speculations of the Nymph sisters were comparable to a human torture chamber. They pestered her endlessly until she revealed the 'true' nature of her relationship with the doctor.
"We were two adults drinking coffee. What was so wrong about that?" Persephone asked in desperation. Note to self: avoid saying anything to the Nymph quartet regarding Hades Triste.
"Everything! Persephone, you do not know how many souls will kill just to sit next to that man!" said one.
"A lot of them would literally skin you to death if they happened to know your weekend affair." said another.
"Weekend—what?"
"Persephone, you went on the dream date of every female in their late twenties. Those bunny slippers would have been stilettos, your sweater would have been a red dress and the whole thanks-for-everything moment would've been a revolutionizing marriage proposal from the female race." the third sister said.
"You're exaggerating."
"And you are unaware that you practically went out with one of the decade's most eligible bachelors!" The fourth sister cried as she showed the cover of a world-known magazine featuring a familiar face amongst other equally handsome individuals.
And you know what? Persephone wasn't even surprised or shocked to know that the man's been interviewed by a gossip magazine anymore. She expected it, actually. After finding more about the man she deemed as ordinary and simply her father's favorite in the past, she learned what to anticipate.
So much for the innocent camaraderie she thought days back while she was in the café with Hades—err, Doc Triste.
Sure, she considered, at least for a very short millisecond, that it was a date. But hey! She was a female for heaven's sake and not an ugly one at that! She was programmed to think that way! But after realizing that this dude wasn't really there for romance, Persephone needed to admit, he would've made a good friend.
It was kind of sad actually. To know from childhood that the only way you could get yourself on decent footing would be to take on a book and head straight to medical school. She hated her dad for implanting that idea in her. She hated her dad for sowing the same seeds to Ares and Athena and all his other children in or out wedlock. But most of all, she hated herself for being unable to prove him wrong. She was the only one in the family not to take in the white coat—and look at her, disappearing for half a day, only to go back in Olympus every afternoon to take care of a little flower shop.
She never felt right around her brothers and sisters.
Of course, that didn't imply that they didn't love her or she didn't love them. Sometimes though, it gets really suffocating. They fuss over her at every angle asking her when she'll go back home only to be disappointed at her consistent refusal. She didn't have anything against them personally. But Zeus would always be Zeus. Her father would take every opportunity to rub it in her face how wrong she was to disobey him. Insecurity was inevitable when you have a family as big as theirs. She knew it wasn't healthy. And she really shouldn't be harboring any ill feelings like it inside of her. But when you have a father with the likes of Zeus whose favorite pastime is mentally tormenting his least favorite child, you'll feel the same way.
Maybe that was why she felt a certain affinity with Doc Triste even if she hadn't known him that well. He was one of the few people whom her father respected. He was one of the few people who saw more than the chairman's daughter. The dude would've really been a nice friend to have. Too bad, that was no longer a possibility.
And you ask why?
Well, let's just say that when you're pretty, you're not as attractive to females as you are to the opposite sex. What does she mean by that? Well, a little rumor circulated around Olympus on how a 'little girl' seems to be dilly-dallying with one of the resident doctors. Most of the nurses had taken the best of their days to spread the word around, half out of boredom and half out of the love for gossip. And sure it wasn't really a big deal at first. But when they started giving out names and it just so fatefully happened that her Aunt Hera was within the scope of hearing, everything really went down.
No, Persephone really means it. Everything. Went. Down.
Persephone received ice-cold glares and really harsh implications. Her Aunt Hera never really liked her but then she didn't like any of Zeus' illegitimate children. It just so happened that on the onset of that rumor, Hera not only disliked her more but loathed her even. One time when Persephone happened to break a vase while Hera, who was talking with an intern, was twenty paces away, Persephone received a good scolding. Not only did the 'noise' distract Hera but the broken shards made the floor dangerous to walk on. And sure, Persephone tolerated it at first, since well, in some levels Hera had a point. But when her Aunt Hera started shouting and things got more and more personal—Persephone was not someone who'd swallow and leave the rest to karma.
"Madam," Persephone had a habit of calling unreasonable people with antediluvian titles. "I don't think it will do either of us any good, if we overreact. Let me just take a broom—'
"Overreact?!" Hera cried causing heads to turn from their direction. "Are you really ignorant? Or are you just plain stupid?"
"Madam—"
"This is a hospital for Christ's sake! If it's full of idiotic accident-prone employees, how do you suppose the public would trust us?"
"Madam—"
"My God, Persephone!"
"Madam!—"
"You really are Demeter's daughter! Both of you are such a mess."
And that would probably be the exact second when Persephone's hand met with the right cheek of her 'dear' aunt—had it not been for the man who had beaten her to it. She could've sworn the angels' were toying with her because just beside her, in a scrub suit, was Doc Triste.
Freaking Doctor Hades Triste.
If Persephone paled on the sight of her father's favorite, Hera went completely white. Hades who was completely indifferent to the two women's silence, acted as if it had been the most common occurrence that this had happened.
"What would father say, sorella?"
That was all Persephone cared to hear because right after the interference of Doc Triste, Hera turned to what most kids would call a human statue. Sorella—it means sister in Italian. Hades Triste had her aunt Hera for a sister. Huh. Go figure.
What happened after that was that, Hera, who was furiously gritting her teeth half out of annoyance and a greater half out of mortification, came to the conclusion that the wisest thing to do at the moment was to walk away from her traitorous brother and that girl. Everyone took it as their cue to remove their eyes from the scene and go back to their work, knowing all too well that what happened in the lounge would be the subject of discussion among the nosiest among them for weeks to come.
"Are you alright, Persephone?"
"Ahh…Yeah. Ummm..Thanks, Doc Triste."
"She didn't hurt you, did she?"
"No! I mean Aunt Hera didn't really—you know what, I should really go back to the flower stall."
And as if to prove their conjectures right, Persephone ended her conversation with the brain surgeon in the lamest and most awkward way possible, leaving Hades in a state of absolute confusion. If it wasn't for the sudden appearance of Ares who needed to consult the doc about some problems with a patient, things would've gone far worse.
So with that tale narrated, let's skip to two days and four hours after that. With our most loved, Persephone with her clouded troubled thoughts. Well at least, she knew why her Aunt Hera seemed to hate her more than usual these days. Could she really blame her? Persephone was dragging the name of her aunt's brother in the daily rumors of the hospital. It was not something a sister would delight in knowing.
Persephone sighed. She didn't know if fate was toying with her or she was just a sore victim of bad luck these past few days. Let's see. There are rumors circulating around the hospital. Her Aunt Hera's furious with her. The Nymph sisters are demanding a daily update with her status with Doc Triste. And Doc Triste himself? Well, she hasn't spoken to him since the incident.
She's not even going to be surprised if he starts ignoring her altogether.
He probably heard of the gossips and is just starting to realize how much of a liability that Persephone-girl really is. Maybe he's having dinner with Hera now to conciliate their relationship. Hera would go on and on how rude she had been to her and Hades would nod in agreement. And one of the few decent people she befriended aside from Hermes, Charon and Hecate, who didn't have Zeus for a father, was gone.
To think of it, she hasn't seen him since. She wondered what could've prevented the medical doctor from walking down the white halls of the hospital in his scrub suit. But hey, she shouldn't give it much of a thought.
For all she knows, that short-lived friendship with the doc wasn't meant to last.
Thanks for reading!
Yours truly,
Ms. Reen