The content that was meant for this chapter is getting pushed to the next one (or later, we'll see), to cut back on length. So, a quiet chapter, but hopefully one you enjoy.
.
.
.
The note was written in green ink, on floral stationary that looked custom made.
To the Blofis Family,
What a fun night! Thank you so much for opening your home to me and providing such wonderful dinner and conversation. I had such a lovely time, and it was so nice to see all of you again. Let's do it again soon!
All the love,
Bree
Annabeth hastily returned the note to the kitchen windowsill as Sally re-entered the room. "—and I still have this great book about three year old development from when Estelle was that age, if you'd like to take it…"
Sally paused just slightly—had she seen Annabeth replace the note? Her eyes flitted from the paper to Annabeth, and then she continued as if nothing had happened.
Annabeth's mind was reeling. Bree had been here. They'd all met her—again. They'd all known about her—for how long? During the birthday party, clearly. What did they think of her? What did Sally think? And Estee? Annabeth had never written a thank-you note in her life. She'd bought the cards after her wedding, but they'd just sat and gathered dust until they got swept into the trash under a pile of junk mail.
Feeling sick, Annabeth politely accepted the book from Sally and went to find her daughter. Grace and Estelle were sitting on Estelle's rug, playing with Barbies. Annabeth frowned and crossed her arms, leaning against the doorjamb, but said nothing.
Jesus, I forgot you were like this.
She knocked softly against the doorframe. "Hi, there."
Grace's face lit up for a brief second, and then settled into discontent. "More time, mama."
Annabeth sighed, but smiled too. "You can have another minute, baby."
Estee shot up and hugged Annabeth tightly around the middle before going back to the rug. "Can you tell Percy he still owes me a beach trip?"
Annabeth's eyebrows creased. "Can't you tell him yourself? You see him more than I do."
Estee raised a speculative brow. "Do I?"
"Um, yes."
Annabeth's eyes fell on a book that had clearly fallen off Estelle's bed. She picked it up to place on the desk. "Hey, you're reading Nancy Drew? I thought you were still in your outer space thing."
Estelle looked up with an expression of faint distaste. "Bree brought it to me. It was her favorite. She's trying to get me to like her."
Annabeth dropped the book on the desk as if it suddenly burned. "Oh."
A hundred questions lit through her mind, but she swallowed them down. "You about ready, Gracie-girl?"
Grace scowled, but handed her Barbie back to her aunt.
"He misses you, you know." Estelle didn't look at Annabeth as she spoke. "I heard him telling my dad."
Annabeth's stomach froze. What on the gods' earth was she supposed to do with that?
She watched Estelle put jackets on the dolls, using studied concentration. The nine year old's brow was creased, a slight twist to her face, as though if she didn't keep concentrating, she might cry.
Could she be lying?
Estelle had been furious when the marriage ended. She had grieved in a more public way than anyone; crying, shouting, and refusing to speak to Percy for weeks. The thing was, Estee had known Annabeth her whole life; as long as she'd known Percy. They'd already been dating when Estee was born—the little girl had never known anything else.
Annabeth, Sally, and everyone else had tried to gently explain that Annabeth would always be in Estelle's life; Gracie's existence ensured it. It had made little difference.
Annabeth bent to the rug for a moment, running a hand over Estelle's hair and placing a kiss on her head. "Well, I miss you and soon we'll have to do something fun, just the two of us, okay?"
Estee lifted her head, wearing a small, grudging smile. "Yeah, okay."
Annabeth scooped Gracie into her arms and they made their departure, trying not to think any more of floral stationary and hand-me-down books.
…
"So, d'you think we could switch those nights? It'd be—"
"No. We can't."
"Annabeth, you'd be doing me a huge—"
"Oh my gods, Percy, find a freaking babysitter! Or better, just stay home and be a father to your daughter." Annabeth snapped, bending to sweep cheerios off the floor. "I already have plans."
The line went silent for a long minute. "Wow, you always know what to say, Annabeth. Thanks for that."
She dumped the dust pan into the trash. "Well if it doesn't work for me to rearrange our days, it doesn't."
"Yeah, I'm getting that."
"You can't just change your mind all the time, and expect me to not have a life. You need to be reliable."
He was silent.
"What is so important for you to do on Sunday, anyway?" She demanded.
"It doesn't matter. Clearly. Just forget it."
"Fine."
"Great." His voice was laden with sarcasm. "I'll see you Sunday, then."
"Yup."
The line went dead—had he just hung up on her? Did he consider that a goodbye?
Annabeth stared at her phone for two and half seconds, and then threw it against the wall.
…
The New York sidewalk was brisk and bustling, the morning air smelling of rain and smoke and leaves as Annabeth and Grace walked hand-in-hand to the bakery.
They were busy counting sidewalk lines and discussing the latest episode of Scooby Doo, and Annabeth wasn't being very vigilant; it had been ages and ages since she'd experienced any sort of monster-related disturbance, and so far Grace had flown entirely under the radar.
So she wasn't paying attention to any of the fellow pedestrians, to those in her immediate path, or to the couple who had just emerged from a bookstore to their oncoming right, until—
"Daddy!"
Annabeth's head jerked up at Gracie's delighted shriek. Sure enough, Percy was standing on the sidewalk only a short distance ahead, accompanied by—a girl.
Annabeth's stomach dropped.
Percy saw them at the same time. And then Gracie had let go of Annabeth's hand and went running down the sidewalk, straight into his arms. He swept her up automatically—what choice did he have?—and Annabeth watched as Grace tightened her little arms around his neck, elated at the surprise meeting.
Annabeth followed at a wary pace.
The girl with Percy looked their same age; mid-twenties. She had shiny, auburn-brown hair—miles of it. She was wearing faded jeans and a white, slightly cropped t-shirt. Her pretty face was covered in freckles. Bree.
Bree's eyebrows had flown up at the three-year-old who had materialized out of thin air and launched herself at Percy. It only took a moment for her curious wide-eyes to find Annabeth, and then look between the three of them, obviously putting the dots together.
Annabeth felt herself detach. Whereas moments before she'd been present, smiling, and absorbed with Gracie, she now felt her face become cool and remote.
Percy gently disentangled Gracie's hair from her fairy wings, answering her questions as she chattered to him. The wings had been a birthday gift; they were large and sparkly and Gracie had absolutely refused to take them off since her party.
He and Annabeth met eyes. "Hi," he said quietly. Their most recent phone call darted in and out of her mind.
Annabeth just nodded. She'd stopped a safe distance away.
He clearly could see this, and he walked over anyway, bringing Gracie back. "I see we were right about the wings."
"She hasn't taken them off. They give her enchanted fairy powers."
"Let's hope those are the only powers we see, for a while," Percy gave a half-smile.
Annabeth said nothing. After a moment, Percy glanced over his shoulder to where Annabeth had glanced. Bree was hovering by the storefront, obviously unsure about whether to insert herself. Her eyes were big and shining with curiosity, looking mostly at Gracie, but also darting to Annabeth, and then looking anywhere else.
The three-year-old daughter who she hadn't been allowed to meet yet, and the elusive ex-wife. Who knew what she'd heard about Annabeth?
Annabeth could see Percy trying to make a split decision. It's too late, she wanted to tell him. None of us want to be here, and yet here we are, so you have to introduce us. It's all too late.
He'd obviously arrived at the same conclusion. "Bree," he said, raising his voice a little, and she came closer, smiling cautiously at Gracie.
Annabeth hung back again as he introduced Gracie to Bree, but she distinctly heard him call Bree his "friend."
Gracie, who could go either way with new people, suddenly decided to play shy, ducking her head into Percy's shoulder and barely speaking. Annabeth couldn't help it; she felt a stab of satisfaction.
And then, just for a moment, she looked at the three of them circled there under the awning of the shop, the morning sun making Gracie's messy curls glow. Bree was laughing, asking Grace about her fairy wings; she had a flannel jacket tied around her waist. Percy's jacket. Percy's hair was messy in the unique way it always was in the morning, like he'd just gotten out of bed. They probably had.
She hadn't noticed the natural silence that had fallen, but suddenly they were looking at her. "And, uh…this is Annabeth." Percy gestured between them. To his credit, his voice was solid. "Annabeth—Bree."
She let Bree come to her. The other girl's eyes were big again—she wasn't good at hiding her emotions. She was obviously nervous.
"Hi, Annabeth. Nice to meet you." Bree held out her hand. Annabeth waited only a second before shaking it.
"Hello." Her voice sounded subdued to her own ears. She could still feel the cool distance on her face.
Bree swallowed, and then her mouth set in a little line; she didn't seem very happy, either. Was it the mere fact of Annabeth's existence? The surprise collision? Or something even more specific—something in Annabeth's physical appearance?
"Okay, I think we're going to get going!" Percy said then, swinging Gracie back down. She clung to his leg.
"Daddy, are you going to come with us? Pleeease?"
"Nope." He ruffled her hair, and then crouched down to her level. "But I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I can't wait to see you then."
They could both see a meltdown coming on. Annabeth stepped in, scooping Gracie up and bouncing her slightly. "Say bye-bye," she said firmly but brightly, already starting to walk away. "You'll see daddy soon."
Gracie waved through her already-dissipating tears, and Annabeth made the mistake of glancing back; Bree was waving, too.
Swiftly, Annabeth faced forward again, lifting her chin and lengthening her stride.
…
"Wait, but what did she look like?" Piper leaned closer over the little table in the crowded bar, her face serious.
"I already told you!"
"No, you barely said. Give me more."
"Okay—she was small. Like, shorter than me. Petite. One of those people guys want to like…" Annabeth waved a vague hand. "Put in their pocket ,or something."
"Mmhmm." Piper nodded knowingly.
"Her hair was just…so shiny. I don't know. She was pretty."
"How pretty?"
Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "I can ask Percy to give you her number, if you're looking."
Piper ignored her. "Come on. You know what I'm asking."
And Annabeth did. The thing was, women loved Percy. Women of all ages—teenagers, ladies with gray hair. He could be dating a supermodel, if he wanted. But—that wasn't him.
"Pretty. In a…natural, low-makeup, chill sort of way. Nothing crazy." Annabeth flicked her napkin. "She looked like she's into…I don't know, cookie baking. Photography. Soccer, maybe. Yoga, probably."
"We like yoga," Piper pointed out, to be fair.
Annabeth took a long sip of her white wine. "She has custom stationery," she remembered suddenly. "Flowery. And really good handwriting."
"Ugh."
"Yeah.
They were quiet for a moment. "She sounds like his type, I guess." Piper said thoughtfully.
Annabeth stared at her.
"Well, besides the stationery. I'm trying to figure out what his type is, besides you!" Piper said. She considered. "He hates superficial people."
"What are you trying to get at, here?"
"Well, nothing. Just—if she ends up spending time with Gracie, obviously we want to figure her out." The note of protectiveness in Piper's voice was hard to miss.
"Yeah." Annabeth sighed. "I mean. If it comes to that…which, it seems like.." She looked away, across the bar. "I'll have more questions, too."
They fell into silence. Annabeth was grateful that Piper wasn't asking what someone else might—about Annabeth's own dating life, pressuring her to "get out there," herself. They both knew this wasn't the time.
She hadn't dated anyone since the split—not really. Neither had Percy, until now. She hadn't turned celibate, either; she'd had a couple of one night stands. None of them had felt very worth it.
"Travis Stoll's wedding is coming up..." Piper said, changing the subject. "I know he invited both of you. Do you think you'll go?"
Annabeth considered. "Honestly, I don't know. Percy's probably going, and I am just not up for that. Especially if he brings…her."
She knew it was hard for their friends to navigate their separation. They never quite knew how to handle it, so they mostly kept inviting both Percy and Annabeth to things, and left it up to the two of them to figure out.
Which resulted in neither of them showing up, more often than not.
Annabeth sighed, and then Piper did, too.
…
Piper crashed at Annabeth's, that night. The two of them wound their way home, arm in arm, a light rain beginning to fall around Cornelia Street. Once back at the apartment, Piper sat on the couch where she would sleep, and then Annabeth sat down next do her, laying her head on Piper's shoulder. They didn't need to say anything. Cars honked, and the refrigerator hummed, and rain drizzled against the window, falling late into the night.
.
.
.
Thank you for reading! There will be at least one more chapter.
I would LOVE to hear what you think about the different scenes, what stands out to you, what you like, etc., and just to talk about this chapter/the story with you guys! I read and love every single review. Also, if you want to chat about it, find me on tumblr (annabeth-in-olympus) because I can't easily reply to reviews here. (But I love them, and you).