"So, Cindy," Percy offered the girl a container of apples and cheese. "Have you found a place that'll hire? Worked on an interview?"
"No, I haven't," she inhaled half the contents of the plastic container and stored the rest in her backpack. "I've been busy."
"Oh, I understand," he leaned back in his chair. "I'm actually falling behind on graded work for the first time in over a year."
"Getting the house ready for a new arrival?" Her eyes sparkled.
"Of course," he crossed his legs. "Less than four months, now."
"That's awesome!"
Percy hadn't noticed before, but Cindy never quite looked him in the eyes. She always gave him tilted, sideways looks. Interesting tic.
"I notice your grades are starting to slip a bit," he pulled up her file on his computer. "Anything you need help with?"
"No," she shook her head, then frowned. "But do you have any cough medicine? I'm getting a little of a cold."
She didn't sound like she was. Oh, well.
"Yeah, actually, I have some in my bag!" He brought out a plastic bottle of sickly red syrup. "Can you use this?"
"Yes."
"Good, you can just keep this bottle. I only had it just in case."
"Oh," she hesitated, then gingerly plucked the medicine out of his hand. "Thank you, sir," she stored it in her backpack as well.
"I hope you feel better, soon," he started spinning around in his chair. "You know I can't keep feeding you forever, but how about we take some time to see who's hiring?"
"Thank you, I'd like that."
"Alright," he scrolled through lists of local businesses. "Jobs will open up in the beginning of summer vacation for most places. That's good. We can set you up with a job by the end of the school year. You won't be needing me for much longer," he grinned.
"Sounds good," Cindy started spinning in her chair. "Soon, I'll be able to pay you back."
"That won't be necessary," Percy shook his head.
"Yes it is," she insisted.
"Cindy, just don't worry about," he closed the laptop. "Your GPA is suffering. Focus on your grades before you get a job, please."
He saw her sneer out the corner of his eye.
"Would you like some extra tutoring?" He pulled out a pad of printed passes.
"No, thank you," she scowled. "I don't need any more help today, thank you," she rose and strode leisurely out of the room.
Stubborn child. Percy had no idea what to do with her. Of course he didn't. He had no grasp of her situation. He couldn't imagine being cast out and rejected by a biological parent. But he knew plenty of people who had a similar experience.
No more cold snaps. The California heat and come back to stay. Percy shed his jacket during his walk.
He stopped at the store on the way. Upon exiting, he heard rustling trees on his left side. He turned around and found nothing. No movement of leaves. His nerves were set on edge for the rest of the way home.
It was almost five when he reached the house. He inspected the area around the house before going in. All clear. He stepped inside.
Annabeth was taking a nap on the couch. An open book had fallen onto the floor next to her. She was still wearing her glasses. Percy decided not to wake her up.
A shadow washed over him through the window. He pulled open the blinds and found...
Absolutely nothing. Was his stalker bending reality just to get the drop on him?
Now he was surely just being paranoid. He shut the blinds and locked the door before putting away the groceries. He sat down and reclined in his favourite chair.
Was something burning? Percy stood up and walked into the kitchen. Something was in the oven. The timer had less than a minute before it would activite, so he went ahead and shut it off. Annabeth had fallen asleep while baking something. Uncharacteristic, indeed. She must've been pretty tired. Now he contemplated waking her up.
"Hey, Annabeth," he shook her gently. Her head lolled and she groaned in her sleep.
"Annabeth," he tried again.
She shook her head and looked up. "Huh?" She asked through barely parted lips. Her eyes were puffy.
"Hi," Percy knelt in front of her. "You okay?"
"Yeah, why?" She mumbled with her eyes half opened.
"I don't know, you just look like you've been crying or something. Or maybe you were just sleeping really hard."
"I'm alright," she rubbed her eyes. "What do you need?"
"Nothing, just checking up on you," he stood up. "You left something in the oven."
"What?" She sat up. "Did you turn it off?"
"Yeah, it's fine," he gestured towards the kitchen. "What were you even making?"
"Oh, I made a pie!" Her face brightened. "I've gotten a lot better at it!"
"That's good," Percy sat down next to her. "What do you want for dinner?"
"Food."
"Eheh," he scoffed. "I'll just make some sandwiches or something."
They had the pie for dessert. Annabeth called him a barbarian for eating apple pie with cheese. He told her not to knock it until she tried it. She didn't try it.
After they finished dinner, they engaged in the usual ritual of sitting on the couch, being lazy. They didn't turn on the T.V., instead deciding to just bask in blissful silence. Annabeth was falling asleep on his shoulder.
"How's Lukas today?" He put his hands on Annabeth's belly.
"I think he bruised a rib," she leaned against Percy's chest and closed her eyes. "Other than that, he hasn't moved a lot, today."
"Maybe he's been extra tired lately, too."
"He's bored."
He raised an eyebrow. "Really, now?"
"Yeah, you just bore him to death."
"Phrasing." Percy broke into a cold sweat when he heard his child and "death" in the same sentence.
"Actually, I think-"
Someone was banging on the back door. It sounded urgent and desperate.
"Who is that?" Annabeth demanded. "Who comes to the back door?"
"I have no idea," Percy unlocked the door and opened it slowly.
It was Cindy...cradling a small little boy.
"Please," she wheezed. "Help me."
