Percy's P.O.V
We arrived at Mom and Paul's by 10am after Annabeth had had her weekly call with her family. Mom and Paul were going to spend the day together and then go out for dinner using Annabeth's Christmas present. The fact it had coincided with the weekend Estelle had decided to be mute was purely coincidental. But I knew mom was worried. Estelle had never been so quiet, not in her entire life, unless she was sleeping.
"She's in her room, still not speaking. She nods that she's okay, but if that were true, surely she'd speak to us." My mom said sadly.
I kissed her cheek. "I'll let you know what I can find out." I promised.
She and Paul left to go about their day. I hoped we figured it out soon otherwise I knew mom wouldn't be able to enjoy her day with Paul.
Annabeth and I made our way to Estelle's room and when Estelle saw Annabeth her eyes lit up. But still she said nothing.
"Hey Estelle, Annabeth and I were thinking we could do whatever you wanted to do today." I said trying to coax her into telling me what that would be. "So what will it be?" I asked leaving the question open so she couldn't just nod.
"Nothing? Huh" I said. "We could play princesses or watch Disney?" I asked trying to give her options and again I got no response. "Come on Estelle, please talk to me." I pleaded. I'd never had Estelle ignore me before, at least not like this, I didn't know what to do.
"Seaweed Brain, I have a bit of experience with vows of silence. Why don't you set up a Disney film and I can have a chat with Estelle. We'll be out in a moment." She said leaving me no room to argue. I kissed her cheek and headed out to the living room to do just that.
I hated having to rely on someone else to help my sister, but I didn't understand what would cause her to stop talking. And she said or hadn't said, that she was okay so it couldn't be anything bad right? And if it weren't bad, why would she take a vow of silence as Annabeth called it? And when had Annabeth taken a vow of silence?
Mom was really upset that she didn't know what was wrong. I'd never pulled anything like this when I was a kid and I know I wasn't an easy kid. I suddenly felt really guilty for not being an easy kid seeing how hurt mom was by Estelle's silence. I hoped that I hadn't hurt her in a similar way as a child. I certainly hadn't meant to, and I was surer than ever that Estelle didn't know she was hurting mom with her silence either.
The fact Annabeth was helping me with Estelle right now, while I felt guilty about all my past mistakes as a child, meant more to me than I could ever tell her. I hadn't known Annabeth very long, but I knew I loved her, and I wanted to tell her. But I would wait until we got home from Virginia, I didn't want her to feel pressured to celebrate Valentine's Day just because I'd told her that I loved her. No, I would wait to tell her.
Annabeth's P.O.V
I sat on the edge of Estelle's bed. I knew why Percy couldn't control his frustrations he was worried about both his mom and his sister, and it was clouding his usual ability to help.
"You know," I said making sure I had Estelle's attention before I continued which I did. "I once stopped speaking to my dad for a whole day because he said I couldn't go to the opening of a new monument. To be fair it was pretty silly of me to think I'd be allowed to go to another state to see the opening but still I vowed not to speak to him until he spoke to me first. He let me cool off for the day before coming to explain why I couldn't, at the grand age of eight, jet off to another state. So I understand the vow of silence. I'm not going to ask you to break yours, but would you at least nod for yes or shake your head for no if I'm close to why you've taken it?" I asked. Estelle nodded her head and I smiled at her.
"Thank you." I said. "Is it something to do with your mom?" I asked. Estelle shook her head, no.
"Your dad?" I asked. Again Estelle shook her head no.
"Someone at school?" I asked. Estelle nodded. Okay someone at school I could work with that.
"Is someone picking on you?" I asked, hoping the answer was no. Thankfully Estelle shook her head, no.
"Good. Okay, is it to do with a teacher?" I asked. Again Estelle shook her head. No.
"A friend?" I asked and again the answer was no. But something told me I was close.
"Someone you want to be a friend?" I asked and finally I got it. Estelle nodded.
"Okay, do they not want to be friends?" I asked and Estelle didn't answer.
"You don't know?" I asked and she nodded she didn't know.
"Why don't you know?" I asked and then said, "sorry vow of silence." I smiled at her trying to figure out how I could make that one a yes or no answer.
"Is it more than one person?" I asked. She shook her head no.
"A girl?" I asked and she shook her head no. So a boy. Estelle had lots of friends, both male and female, so I didn't understand why this should be different.
"Have you spoken to him?" I asked. She didn't answer. And I frowned surely, she would know.
"You don't know?" I asked again and again she didn't answer.
"I'm not asking the right question, am I?" I said and she shook her head no.
"Am I close?" I asked and she nodded.
Come on Annabeth work that brain of yours. If she hadn't spoken to him, she would have said no. But she didn't. So has she tried speaking to him? Had he ignored her?
"Has he spoken to you?" I asked and she shook her head no.
"But you've tried to speak to him?" I asked and she nodded.
"Okay I think I understand. You're not going to speak until he speaks to you, is that it?" I asked. Estelle nodded. She was very dedicated to the cause, very stubborn like her brother.
"Thank you for letting me know. Shall we go and watch that Disney film with Percy?" She nodded, I smiled and made to get up.
"Maybe we could extend the nods and shakes to your parents and Percy just so they know you're okay. Would that be alright?" I asked and Estelle nodded. I knew she'd already let Sally know she was okay but at least until she went back to school, she could communicate a little more this way.
"Thank you, Estelle, let's go and see which film Percy's chosen."
We settled in the living room on the sofa and Percy looked a question at me. I motioned for him to start the film and he did. Once Estelle was fully emerged in Finding Nemo, I took my phone out and sent Percy a text.
Annabeth: She's okay. There's a boy at school that won't talk to her when she talks to him. She's taken a vow of silence until he talks to her.
Percy: How did you figure all that out without her talking to you?! I'm going to text mom and let her know. Thank you!
Annabeth: That'd be telling. Why don't we take her to the park after this?
Percy: Good idea!
When we got to the park Estelle grabbed my hand and pulled on it to get me attention. Once she had it, she pointed to a boy her age.
"That's the boy?" I asked and she nodded. I looked to where she was pointing. He was sitting on his own in the middle of the park with what looked like a train. There were a lot of kids in the park, but he sat in his own away from everyone. I noticed a mom on a bench nearby watching him closely and she looked sad.
"Why don't you go and play with him?" I asked. She shook her head no.
"Because he won't talk to you?" I asked. And she nodded. I wandered for the first time if it were because he couldn't. A lot of children struggle with communicating maybe he was one of them.
Estelle and Percy went over to the swings and I walked over to the women on the bench. "Excuse me," I said, "are you the mom of the little boy with the train over there?" I asked.
"I am" she said.
"Hi, my name's Annabeth and over there on the swings is my boyfriend's sister Estelle Blofis, she's in your son's class I think." I said.
"Oh Estelle," she said with a smile and sought her out with her eyes before turning back to me. "She always says hello to my son, Oliver, nice young girl."
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. May I?" I asked gesturing to the spot beside her.
"By all means" she said, and I took a seat next to her.
"You see Estelle has taken a vow of silence and she's taking it very seriously. She's not said a word since she came home from school on Friday."
"What does that have to," she paused, and I could see pieces clicking together for her. "Because of Oliver?" She asked.
"Until he speaks to her, she's refusing to speak." I said nodding. "I was wondering, is he shy, or is it something a little more than that?" I asked not really knowing how to ask someone if their child struggles with speech.
"Well he is shy but that's not why he doesn't speak. He's deaf, has been since birth. He says hello in the best way he can, but she won't understand him if he signs to her." She said.
"I'm sorry, that must be hard." I said. "Would it be okay if I told Estelle that Oliver is deaf and maybe I could translate for her. My sign language is a little rusty as I don't use it often. But she wants to be his friend. Would it be okay to try and facilitate that?" I asked.
"That would be wonderful, thank you." She smiled and me and she held tears in her eyes that threatened to fall.
"Thank you, I'll just go and have a word with Estelle. We'll be back in a moment, I'm sure." She smiled and nodded at me before I made my way over to Percy and Estelle.
"What was that about Wise Girl?" Percy asked me.
"You'll see in a moment Seaweed Brain." I said. Before crouching down to Estelle's level. "Hey, I need a favour, can you do me a favour?" I asked her and she nodded.
"I need you to end your vow of silence. I know I said I wouldn't ask you too, but Oliver isn't not talking to you because he doesn't want to, it's because he can't." I said trying to explain it in the best way that I could. "Oliver can't hear anything, he's deaf which means he doesn't understand you when you speak to him. And he can't speak to you because he doesn't know what the words should sound like. Does this make sense?" I asked and she nodded.
"Oliver speaks using a different language, called sign language. He speaks with his hands. But you won't understand because you don't know it yet. I could teach you if you like?" I asked. She nodded.
"How about, for now I just translate so you can play together?" I asked and she nodded.
I stood but and Percy beamed at me, and I smiled back him thankful that I had managed to help.
"You're a genius," he said, "I'm going to call mom." He kissed my cheek and took out his phone to call his mom. I held my hand out to Estelle.
"Ready?" I asked, she took my hand in response. We made our way over to the patch of grass Oliver and his mom sat on. I sat down opposite, and Estelle did the same.
Oliver noticed Estelle and a huge smile lit up his face as he waved at her.
"He's saying hello." I said to her, as obvious as it was, I thought I would tell her to encourage her to speak interact.
"Hi Oliver" she said smiling too as she waved. It was so nice to hear her speak again.
Oliver signed 'do you want to play?'
"He wants to know if you want to play?" I told Estelle who smiled and nodded. Oliver passed her a train and then continued pushing the train he'd been using around. Estelle did the same with the one she'd been given. Percy joined us not long after.
"Mom says you're an angel." He told me settling down next to me.
"That's sweet of her to say." I said.
Estelle and Oliver played nicely for an hour, and I didn't have to translate much at all really. Because, as much as it was when I was five, 'play' was a universal term. They mostly played with the trains until Oliver had to go and then Estelle didn't want to stay at the park anymore. When we got back to the Jackson-Blofis apartment Estelle wanted to play princesses and Percy being unable to deny his sister anything agreed to do so.
Percy's P.O.V
I was bathing Estelle ready for bed after a long day of activities. I was really glad she was speaking again.
"I'm sorry I worried you, Percy." Estelle said to me.
"It's okay Star, I'm sorry I wasn't much help. I'm glad Annabeth was." I told her.
"Still favourite?" She asked and I smiled.
"Of course, am I?" I asked and she nodded. It was a little thing we said when Estelle was younger. That she was my favourite family member, and I was hers. Her asking if she was still my favourite and me telling her that of course she was, was just our way of saying everything was good.
"Percy?" Estelle said after a few moments.
"Yes Estelle?"
"Are you going to marry Annabeth?" She asked.
"Hopefully, one day Estelle, why do you ask?"
"I think I have a new favourite." She said and she meant except for me. I smiled.
"Oh yeah?" I asked as I washed the shampoo out of her hair.
"Mhmm, Annabeth" she said proudly.
I smiled. I knew it would be Annabeth.
"I'll have to tell Jason." I teased,
"Nooo! He'll hate me." She wailed and my heart nearly exploded with joy.
"No he won't Estelle, Jason loves you." I told her.
"You sure?" She asked and I smiled and nodded.
We were silent for a bit as I put conditioner in her hair.
"I'm glad you like Annabeth." I told her seriously as I rinsed her hair out again.
Once Estelle was out of the bath and dressed for bed, we joined Annabeth in the living room for a story and hot chocolate before she went to bed.
Annabeth looked exhausted bless her, she had spent all day on the go entertaining my sister, without complaint.
I set three blue hot chocolates down and Annabeth picked up the book Estelle had pick out.
I watched my little sister cuddle up to my girlfriend, as my girlfriend read to her about Disney princesses. I couldn't fight the smile that graced my face, nor could I help feeling that I could get used to that sight.
Mom and Paul got home around nine. Annabeth had fallen asleep on my shoulder while we were watching tv.
"Hey kids, how was she?" Mom asked sounding a lot brighter than when she had left this morning.
I slipped out from under Annabeth and gently laid her down in the sofa. I gestured to the kitchen and mom and Paul followed me.
"She was fine, once Annabeth worked her magic, she was back to being our Estelle." I said.
"I said it earlier and I'll say it again, you're girlfriend's an angel." My mom said.
"I know" I replied looking back at the sofa. "How was your day?" I asked.
"It was lovely, thank you hunny." She said to me and once again I found myself looking to the sofa.
"To be honest mom, Annabeth did most of it. I think Estelle really took it out of her today. I hardly did anything except bath her." Told my mom.
"Bless her, she's an-"
"Angel" I finished "you've mentioned." I smiled it was important to me that my mom liked Annabeth. I was just now coming to the understanding that maybe Estelle wasn't the only one with a new favourite. Though I suspected from her time working with Annabeth at the shop she'd been a favourite in another way for a while now.
Annabeth was slowly winning over the heart of each one of my family members, and I loved that almost as much as I loved her.
Luke's P.O.V
His plan to ruin their lunch date hadn't gone exactly to plan. I mean Josh had ruined their lunch date, but he'd been aggressive towards Annabeth and friendly with Percy which I didn't understand, and he had not calculated for it.
All I knew for sure was that we had pushed Annabeth and Percy closer together. I hated that.
What was so great about this guy? He had hated me since Thalia had been hospitalised when we were younger. I pushed her a little too hard, it had been an accident, but he hadn't forgiven me for that. Like Thalia was his property or something like she needed him more than she needed me. He'd ruined that friendship for me.
Then when I bumped into Annabeth here in New York with the possibility or catching up and maybe asking her on a date, he'd managed to ruin that too.
Couldn't he just go and get his own life? Why did he have to take mine? Next weekend we were going to take him on a trip. He had it all planned out, after his shift at work on the Saturday he would knock him out and we would hold him hostage long enough to ruin his Valentine's Day with Annabeth. Then I would swoop in and comfort her and start the process of her cutting him out of her life.
This time next week Percy Jackson would cease to be in her life, and Annabeth Chase would be on her way to being mine.
Ψ
~Author's Note~
Hi all, apologies for the slightly late update, I'm on holiday with my family and we're trying to have as unplugged a week as possible, but I still wanted to get this chapter out to you all. I hope you enjoyed it please let me know!
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Going Dark – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying! Chris was missing you're very eagle eye on the details – not going to confirm or deny your theory as I don't want to spoil anything, but Chris has a role to play for sure! Let me know what you thought of this chapter!
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Thank you all for the follows, favourites and reviews they are absolutely the best motivation to continue writing and I really appreciate you all! Please continue to post your theories and favourite moments I love to hear them all. Happy reading and stay safe! :)