Hey, guys!
I hope you enjoyed that last chapter and Percy's proposal to Annabeth. I know I enjoyed writing it – I loved imagining how Percy would propose to Annabeth. I've never liked the flowery proposals with soaring violins and carriage rides: I've always preferred the more meaningful ones, where effort has been put in to be original.
Anyway, the wedding is coming up in the next few chapters – and then things will get interesting :) Unfortunately, I only have a couple of chapters left until the end of Hiding in Alleyways, which I'm very sad about – I've really loved writing this story and seeing you guys enjoy it. I'm so grateful for all the feedback you guys have given me. I really appreciate it.
Good news: the surprise I have in store is going to be revealed in the last chapter. I'm working it out as I write this, so hopefully, it will be ready by the time I'm ready to finish Hiding in Alleyways.
Please read, follow, favourite and review!
LilRed17 :)
Annabeth sat at the kitchen table, head in her hands, as she flicked through the pile of wedding magazines on the table in front of her.
She supposed that she'd missed the period of her life when teenage girls dream about their ideal wedding – she'd been too busy dealing with her life issues, which included an abusive ex-boyfriend, an unexpected pregnancy, a new boyfriend and a familial reconciliation after three years of estrangement.
Yeah, in between all of that, she'd had loads of time for daydreaming. Not.
And now here she was: nineteen, a new mother of twins and about to get married. And she didn't have the slightest clue where to start.
Percy was being extremely amiable about the whole thing. "I'll get a tux, you get a dress, you already have the ring," he'd said after he proposed. "We could get married in two weeks, if you wanted."
Her father, Eva, Sally and Paul had all been thrilled with their engagement announcement – both Eva and Sally had offered to help plan almost immediately. Annabeth had gently turned down their offers of help, saying that she'd try to figure out what sort of wedding she wanted first.
At first, Annabeth had agreed with Percy. But according to these magazines, it wasn't that simple at all. According to these magazines, one needed a one-of-a-kind princess dress, matching rings, multiple venues for ceremony and reception, a bachelorette party, catering, an eighteen-piece orchestra and a hundred guests to invite.
Well.
She didn't want a princess dress. She had no idea what rings to get. Multiple venues seemed like a waste to her, when one would do. A bachelorette party just seemed like an excuse to get drunk and she could hardly do that, now she had Ethan and Ella. Paying for catering was pointless – Percy owned his own restaurant. An eighteen-piece orchestra? Why? A hundred guests? She barely had more than fifteen friends.
She drilled her fingernails into the sides of her head, staring at the mash-up of wedding ideas in front of her. Guests… venues… party… invites… catering… music… dress…
"Gah!" she cried, slamming her palms into the table and sending the magazines flying across the table and cascading onto the floor. Standing up, she stormed across to the phone. "That's it."
Picking it up, she saw Ella peering at her, wide-eyed, from between the bars of her crib. Ethan was still fast asleep in his.
"Sorry, sweets," Annabeth whispered, holding the phone to her ear as she listened to the dial tone. "Not angry, I promise."
Ella gave her a gap-toothed smile and Annabeth gave her a smile in return.
"Hello?"
"Sally?"
"Annabeth?" Sally asked, sounding surprised.
"How are you?" she asked her, staring at the wedding magazines.
"I'm fine," she replied. "How about you? What's going on?"
Annabeth didn't answer, too busy glaring at the magazines.
"Annabeth?"
"Oh, sorry." I tore my gaze away from the magazines littering the floor. "Um – I was wondering if you were busy on the weekend?"
"No, not really," Sally said. "Why? Did you want to come visit?"
"Yeah, kind of," Annabeth admitted. "I'm trying to plan my wedding." She hesitated. "If I drove up with Eva, would you want to help?"
"Yes! Definitely," Sally exclaimed. "What time would you guys be here?"
"Is lunch on Saturday okay?" Annabeth asked, tentatively.
"Sure," Sally replied. Annabeth could hear a smile in her voice. "I'll see you and Eva then."
"See you then," Annabeth answered, beginning to feel the weight lift off of her shoulders.
Maybe this wouldn't be so difficult after all.
Saturday came. And with it, another five hours of wedding planning.
Annabeth watched the two women sitting in front of her, arguing back and forth, as they had been for the last three hours.
Annabeth hadn't been able to get a word in since their arrival at Sally's house, but it hadn't mattered: both of their ideas for her wedding were so different that she knew they would be here for a while longer yet.
It probably shouldn't have surprised Annabeth that Eva, with her black-and-red-striped hair, would be in favour of what she called a 'personalised wedding': Goth, or punk rocker-themed. She thought Annabeth should wear a pale grey dress, hold the wedding in a park, have red and black flowers in her bouquet and a rock band.
Sally, on the other hand, had voted for a more traditional wedding: ceremony held in a church, reception at a hall, a beautiful and traditional white dress, lilies in her bouquet and a string quartet.
Neither of these fit Annabeth's idea of what her wedding would be like. But then, hadn't she called this meeting so she could hear their ideas?
She didn't know anymore. It was all so confusing.
Her stepmother and her mother-in-law-to-be… How could she choose between their ideas?
Well, her subconscious began, in a tiny voice. You wouldn't have to choose. There is a third option.
Annabeth tuned out of the argument as her brain froze, considering the option her subconscious presented to her, one she hadn't even considered until then.
Her mother. Athena Alexandra Chase.
Annabeth hadn't known her at all: how could she presume to know what she would have suggested for her wedding?
But in that moment, Annabeth knew: this wasn't about choosing between her stepmother and mother-in-law-to-be – this was about choosing who she wanted to be. Who she thought of herself as.
And if she was anything, she supposed she was her mother's daughter.
Annabeth smiled.
"I have an idea," she interrupted the argument, which had started to become a bit heated. Both women looked at her in surprise, but it was Eva who broke the silence.
"What is it?" she asked.
And so she told them.
And the entire time she was talking, Annabeth could feel her mother's presence hovering beside her, more real and present than anything she had felt in years.