Disclaimer: None of the characters is mine... no wait, Max is mine.
Author's Note: Awesome readers please drop a review. I ache for them. Super great Thursday!
School is almost over at least my state. The rest of Mexico have a different agenda. We blame the super hot summer. Anyway, I already graded my students. I am just waiting for the graduations of Tuesday and Wednesday and SUMMER!
Tomorrow, I think I will finally publish the first chapter of the 3rd part of Alaska: Title still in progress. One thing is for sure. I will be fast paced, shocking and not happy. I am going very dark on this one.
11. Christmas
Christmas morning started like every year. Some campers moved from cabin to cabin hugging each other and giving presents. The youngest campers were outside playing with the gifts sent by their mortal parents. The couples were kissing on the strawberry fields or on the lake exchanging gifts. Everybody was cheerful and jolly.
Inside Cabin 13, Hazel woke up with Nico by her side. Ever since she started her 6th month of pregnancy; Nico put their beds together so he can't keep an eye on her, to protect her. Hazel was really annoyed at first but she accepted in the end. Also, Nico slept with his sword under the pillow but that was a whole different subject.
"Good morning. Merry Christmas" said Hazel. Nico woke up and kissed her sister's cheek.
"Merry Christmas" said Nico with a big smile. He stood up quickly and took something from under the bed.
"You got me something? Nico! I didn't get you anything" said Hazel looking at the small gift of the size of a book.
"It's Ok. I will have a new nephew or niece really soon, that's more than enough. Come, open it, sis" said Nico giving his present to his sister.
Hazel opened it by ripping it greedily. Hazel gasped and happy tears fell from her eyes at the sight of the picture of her mother with her as a toddler. Hazel was wearing a flowery dress matching her mother's and both smiling. Her mother was just like Hazel remembered her. It was a reminder that they were happy once before everything weren't.
"Oh Gods! Where did you get this?" said Hazel.
"Dad. Don't tell Persephone" said Nico smiling.
"It's… thank you!" said Hazel and pulled her brother to her embrace. They hugged for a very long time.
Nico heard steps entering into the cabin. He pulled away to see Leo walking to them. Nico had tried to be civilized at Leo but this was crossing a line in his book. For Nico, Leo had no business here.
"What are you doing here?" said Nico angrily. He was ready to pounce at Leo and turned him into smashed potatoes with his fists. He hadn't done it yet only on due respect to Hazel and his nephew or niece.
"I want to talk to your sister" said Leo calmly.
"Nico, could you give us a moment?" said Hazel looking at her brother. Nico looked at her in doubt.
"But Hazel?" said Nico.
"It's Ok. Give him a break, it's Christmas, please Nico. I'll be fine" said Hazel smiling. Nico sighed and walked out. When he was next to Leo, he stopped and threw him a fearsome look.
"If you make her cry, I will send you to the Fields of Punishment in the EZ line" whispered Nico and walked out the door.
Leo sighed and shook his head slightly brushing off the tension in the room. Hazel smiled. Leo smiled too and sat by her side in the bed. Leo tried not to blush at the sight of her pregnant belly or the fact Hazel was wearing a spaghetti straps nightshirt which hugged her curves quite nicely.
"I got you something" said Leo with a mischievous smile. Before Hazel could say something, Leo walked outside the cabin and returned with a big box wrapped in red paper.
"You didn't have to. I don't have anything for you" said Hazel as Leo placed the gift in her hands.
"It was Calypso's idea. It's from the two of us, actually" said Leo smiling.
Hazel looked suspicions at the box and shook it trying to listen to the insides. She was smiling like little child making Leo happy. She looked just beautiful. For a quick moment, Leo felt like kissing her but he had Calypso now. He just loved Calypso more.
Hazel opened the gift carefully savoring the moment. She saw a baby blanket and took it in her arms. The blanket was ivory with a precious gems embroidered on the edge with golden thread. It looked warm and luxurious.
"She did it, right?" said Hazel knowing that Leo made a loom for Calypso in Bunker 9.
"Yes, with my design" said Leo. Hazel started to cry. Leo felt awful for making her cry. He hoped Nico didn't come inside in that exactly moment. Nico wouldn't be happy at all.
"Come on, please, don't cry. If you don't like, I'm sure Calypso can make another that you will surely like" said Leo thinking of hugging her or not.
"Don't worry. These are happy tears... It's just so cute. Thank you" said Hazel wiping her tears.
Leo's heart started to ache. He missed her best friend and he just hated the fact that he couldn't support her more.
Sometimes, he wished to be in love with Hazel, instead of Calypso. He wished them to be a happy couple in love expecting their first baby, but it wasn't the case.
"Hazel. I'm really sorry" said Leo with tears in his eyes.
"Why?" said Hazel and she wiped his tears. Hazel cupped his face. She wanted to kiss him but she couldn't make herself to move. Leo looked down and touched her baby bump. The baby was kicking.
"For Calypso. I know it hurts you. I never meant to hurt you" said Leo.
Hazel nodded and looked down to see his hands on her. She removed her hands from his face and placed them on his hands. She loved the feeling of her hands on his making her smiled softly.
"Leo, I'm just jealous and happy for you. I'm alone, you know" said Hazel weakly containing her tears.
"You got me. I will be by your side always" said Leo and pressed his forehead with hers.
"I mean a boyfriend. Someone to hold me at night that it's not Nico or Max" said Hazel and laughed softly at the end.
Some nights, Max sneaked and slept with them. Hazel slept in the middle. She loved her brother's boyfriend but she was really uncomfortable with the arrangement. However, Max made Nico happy and that was enough for Hazel to agree to their crazy demands.
"Max?" said Leo really curious.
"Don't ask" said Hazel rolling her eyes. Leo laughed softly making Hazel smile.
"You will find someone just perfect for you. You are really amazing. If it wasn't for Calypso…" said Leo.
"But she is here and you love her" interrupted Hazel. Leo sighed and kissed her forehead. Both cried silently.
"Sorry" said Leo looking at her eyes.
"It's Ok. We are not meant to be" said Hazel wiping her last tears.
"I sometimes wish it wasn't like that, you know?" said Leo.
"But it is" said Hazel.
"Yes, it is" said Leo and kissed Hazel one more time in the forehead and walked away.
That last kiss changed something in Leo. The feeling on his lips in her forehead confused him. For a second, he wanted to kiss her lips. At the moment, Leo walked out the door; he realized he made a catastrophic mistake.
The rest of the day, Hazel spent time with her friends. At lunch, Calypso hugged her and gave her another present: a big bag of baby clothes for newborn to one year size in different colors and styles. According to Piper, she had been working intensely boarding to insanity on the loom the last couple of days. Calypso even enchanted the clothes to make them fireproof just in case since it was Leo's baby.
Everybody touched Hazel's belly saying sweet things to be baby or kissing it. Percy was the sweetest and funniest. Every time he talked to the baby, Hazel could swear she heard the baby laughing inside.
The day went wonderful. Everybody was happy but concerned. The due date was around the corner and troubles would follow soon.