Most of the Goddesses take their tea and sip, while Aphrodite talks about her garden. I'm sure she has no intention of talking about her beautiful garden, being the Drama Queen that she is with all due respect. I'm starting to feel like I'm not so much a guest, but a show-and-tell object.
Besides that, Persephone and I don't take much offence to the bet the Goddesses had going on behind our backs. We brush it off and smile at each other, sort of content to be friends.
"Tell us, Leland, what names have you chosen for the babe?" Aphrodite asks and I turn my smile to her, knowing she would eventually put me back on the spot. Show-and-tell time!
"Well, since I suspect that I'm having twins, I decided to pick Marcus and Savannah." I reply and everyone brightens, exchanging glances. I look over at Artemis who reaches over with warmth. I swear Goddesses like to hold each others' hands. She grips my hand and smiles, her eyes glimmering. I swear her blue eyes are shining like a summer lake under a bright and warm sun.
"Oh my, no one had twins since Leto." Phoebe says and takes a sip of her tea, smiling at Artemis. Did she wink or was that my imagination?
"My mother would tell you that if you suspect you're having twins, then you are." Artemis says to me and everyone seems to agree. I guess they would know, since they've been Goddesses a heck of a lot longer than me.
"Leto knew she was having twins. She knew her daughter would be born before her son." Phoebe adds and the Goddesses nod. The Muses, now that I notice, have stopped their bickering and look over at me with glee, talking about creating music and poetry for my children. It's a little creepy.
"I'm sure my mother would love to speak with you. Would you like for me to arrange a meeting with her?" Artemis asks me and I nod with a relieved smile.
"That would be great. I'm a little nervous." I reply and the Goddesses all wave off my nervousness.
"Godly births aren't painful like mortal births." Aphrodite says like we're talking about something as mundane as shoes. It just might be the same to her.
"And they quickly grow, skipping that infant stage in a day." Asteria says, knowing that I need to hear more than just this don't-worry-about-it attitude. "As toddlers, they will be wise beyond the years of mortal children." She adds and I smile, relieved.
"A boy and a girl, interesting." Aphrodite says. "Marcus and Savannah, not quite Greek." She adds with a little grin my way. "Marcus is Roman and Savannah doesn't mean much. Why not Markos and Sophia? Those are Greek names." She adds, a smirk on her lips. Now she's looking to irritate me just for fun.
What a brat!
"Aphrodite, all due respect, keep your cute flawless nose out of my baby names." I reply with a grin. Everyone looks over at her, and then she laughs.
"You are so much fun when you're pregnant." She says and everyone relaxes with smiles. I guess they don't want to be on her bad side. I can imagine how a pissed off Aphrodite looks. Not pretty.
Get my joke? I'm hilarious.
Anyway, she's amused with me, so I might have more leeway that most.
"Hades likes the names?" One of the Muses ask while the other Goddesses seem to prefer not to bring him into the conversation. Kinda odd. Why not talk about my husband? He did make me pregnant.
"Yes, he does. He's been pampering me; whatever I want. I could have named our children ridiculous names and he'd let me. He's just so excited to be a father." I add and everyone seems a little surprised, but sort of wanting me to go on. I can tell because they smile at me, listening and waiting.
Persephone places a hand on mine, happy and relieved.
"You enjoy living in the Underworld?" Another of the Muses ask me.
"I do. It's wonderful. It's Home. The hellhounds and Cerberus are our pets, Charon our friend." I say and something tells me I could talk about the Underworld for hours. They seem to want to know everything and, as annoying as it might seem, I sort of want to tackle the predisposed opinions on Hades. He's not the same, besides his occasional dark and aggressive personality with people. The Gods have to start seeing Hades and the Underworld as I do, or at least try.
"The place will be so different with children." Persephone says and everyone just watches as I nod with a smile. "They will be so beautiful." She adds and Aphrodite lets out a little sigh.
"Did we have enough tea?" She asks, as if bored.
"We can tell you'd like to shift time." Aura says with a little grin.
"Keep in mind Leland is happily married and that I don't care much for these activities." Artemis says and Aphrodite smiles innocently, snapping her fingers. In that moment, the bright sky begins to fade to darkness, making it the Girls' Night that Aphrodite had promised. The patio lights up with these poles and strings of lights that look more like a gathering of light bugs.
In that moment, the fire pit shifts and becomes a man with skimpy clothes, dancing to music that the Muses provide with grins and giggles. I glance at Persephone who gives me a half smile.
"One of Aphrodite's servants and usually our entertainment." She says and I shake my head, glancing at Artemis who seems bored among all the happy faces. She meets my eyes and gives a smile that seems to ask me to rescue her. I grin and stand up, a hand on my stomach that seems to have gotten bigger. Crap, I'm huge.
"Leaving already, Leland?" Aphrodite asks with a smirk.
"Just stretching my legs or they'll swell." I reply with a sort of apologetic smile that makes her grin. I hope she doesn't know I just lied to her face.
"Hades can just massage your legs, right?" She asks and I grin in response.
"You bet." I say and the Goddesses smile, but then go back to stare at their male entertainer.
"I'll walk with you." Artemis says, standing up. Then, Persephone does the same.
"I hope three isn't a crowd." She says and I meet her eyes and smile.
"Not at all." I say and give Aphrodite a little bow of my head, which makes her smile.
"Do return for a manicure later." She says, blowing me a kiss and smiling at me.
I leave the patio with Artemis and Persephone, walking back to Aphrodite's garden. It's beautifully lit and it seems light bugs ignite the plants and flowers with a beautiful glow.
"Thank you for joining me." I say and Artemis smiles at me while Persephone hooks an arm with mine. We're like best friends now, which I never expected. It makes me wonder what Hades is going to think when I tell him that I'm friends with his ex-girlfriend.
"Thank you for your kindness." Persephone says and Artemis smiles at us, totally not jealous.
"I knew you two would become friends. No one can resist Leland's smile and, no offence Persephone, but you needed a friend." Artemis says and Persephone and I exchange glances, smiling.
"Quite true." Persephone replies. "I was hoping for someone to give Hades the happiness that I couldn't give, and I had hoped to become friends with her. I'm quite happy to see Leland is so accepting and compassionate. Exactly what I had hoped for." She adds and, as I look into her eyes, I can't help but feel like I'm living the story that should have been her life. She seems to notice that something is on my mind. "Leland?" She asks, curious.
"You were nearly raped long ago." I say and she nods. Artemis gestures to a bench and we walk over. Persephone and I sit on the bench while Artemis sits on the ground, attracting light bugs like they know she loves wild animals. Persephone holds my hands, waiting for me to continue. "After Hades kicked me out of the Underworld and Aphrodite spoke with me, I got into a car unaware that the driver was a rapist." I add and she sorts of tilts her head, nodding a little. "Hades pulled him out of the car and killed him." I say and she looks over at Artemis who meets her stare, then looks at me. "I feel as though I'm repeating what happened to you, only this time, I'm…" I conclude, unable to finish my sentence.
"Doing what I should have done." Persephone says and meets my eyes with a soft smile. "The Fates have a mysterious way of creating circular stories; echoes in time, we've come to call it. I don't think their antidote for me was a punishment for Hades as much as it was correcting the story so you could fall into place, like the rightful piece of the puzzle." She adds and taps my hand reassuringly. "It's why I'm so happy for you and Hades; you are happy together, a perfect pairing. I would like to give your children a gift, if it's alright with Hades." She concludes and I smile, wrapping my arms around her in a hug.
"That would be wonderful." I say and glance at Artemis who seems proud.
"I would love to offer a gift as well." Artemis says and I smile. "I can't imagine who wouldn't; many are enchanted by your enthusiasm. Your children will be spoilt by the majority of the Gods." She adds and sort of swats away the light bugs that try to go closer to her face, her smile being replaced with annoyance.
"What does one get Godly children anyway?" I ask, Artemis and Persephone glancing at each other first, then at me.
"Weapons, mostly." Artemis replies, a grin slowly appearing on her lips.
"Yeah, let's not get Hades' children weapons." I reply with a smile.
"You could always choose." Persephone says with a warm smile. "Whatever you'd like, we can offer it." She adds and I smile, nodding.
"I'll give it some thought. I might ask Hades. He's been remodeling the nursery and the rooms." I add and both Artemis and Persephone exchange glances, then smile at me. I can't help but let out a little laugh. "Let me guess, you'd love to help decorate the rooms?" I ask and they shrug their shoulders, but they can't hide their smiles. "Let me talk to Hades or else he might get grumpy if I go back home with a decoration party." I add and Persephone laughs, but there's a small hint of sadness in her eyes, like she remembers all too well a grumpy Hades.
"Good point." Artemis says and we hear a chime in the distance. "And that would be our manicure time." She says, actually getting on her feet so fast that I wonder if that's the only reason she still comes to Aphrodite's parties.
Persephone and I get up and with Artemis, leaving the garden.
I'm pretty lucky to have friends like Artemis and Persephone, to be accepted by the other Goddesses. I feel like this is exactly where I was meant to be, which is strange because I was born a human, living a human life and then I choose a destiny with Hades, then to become a Goddess and have Girls' Nights with fellow Goddesses.
Who would have thought? Although I know this is real, it sometimes feels surreal.