Annabeth's P.O.V
It was later afternoon before we called Sally and Paul back.
"Hi Sally" I said as Percy joined me out by the salt water fountain in the garden. He set a glass down next to me before settling himself down too. Nightshade was not far behind him and she tried to jump into my lap but mistimed it and ended up toppling into my lap instead. It was sweet how excited she was, I sat stroking her head as we continued to converse with Sally.
"So mom, how's the book coming?" Percy asked.
"Oh, I can't wait to read the next one" I added before she could answer and Percy smiled at me.
"It's coming along, but Estelle is taking up much of my time. Not that I mind but, it's not going as quickly as the others" she says and I can tell she wouldn't have it any other way.
"Maybe I could come and look after Estelle for a day so you can write?" Percy says to his mom and I felt my heart swell, he was so sweet to offer.
"Oh Percy hunny, don't worry I'll get there I'm sure"
"I know you will mom, and I'm sure Malcolm wouldn't mind covering for me for a day"
They carried on back and forth until eventually Sally relented and said that it would be nice. Percy agreed to ask Malcolm later and let her know when he could get into the city. I knew he also really missed his little sister and wanted to spend more time with her.
A cry came from behind Sally. "Oh kids I'm going to have to -"
"No it's okay we'll wait" Percy said and I got the impression Estelle had been on his mind a lot today. Sally came back with a two year old that looked so much like Paul. I thought about how much Percy looked like his dad too.
"There's my little Star" Percy said and I could see how thrilled he was to see her.
"Pwcy" she yelled back "Abeth" Estelle had recently started speaking and she was doing really well to even get Abeth out at this age.
"Hi Estelle" I said smiling back and she smiled back at us before Sally passed her to Paul who went about giving Estelle her dinner. We decided we'd let Sally get back to her evening with her daughter and husband and disconnected our connection.
I looked at Percy, "you've really missed her today, haven't you?" I asked, he offered his hand to me to help me up; I placed Nightshade on the floor and accepted it.
"Yeah I have" he admitted.
"We'll make more of an effort to visit" I promised.
~~ 3 weeks later ~~
I sat on the back porch with Nightshade sketching wedding dress ideas. I was waiting for Piper to arrive and it suddenly occurred to me that she was running late. Piper was a lot of things but late was never one of them and I suspected the reason was my brother Malcolm. Over the past few weeks she had been helping Malcolm find love and she said it would help her heal. It had been a couple of years since Jason had died and it had shaken Piper to the very core. As a daughter of Aphrodite she felt every emotion no matter how powerfully it came to pass, she had also taught me that burying my emotions no matter how painful they were wouldn't do me any favours. I don't think however, that she expected the answer to helping the two of them would be each other. And, if even I could see it, Piper had to know, I wondered if Malcolm had figured it out yet. I really hope so I thought to myself smiling.
"That one's pretty" the sound of Piper's voice pulled me back into the realm of reality.
"Thanks" I say smiling up at her "I'm still not sure I'll go with it but I guess that's the same as the other five I've drawn"
I noticed as I looked at my friend that her face is a little flushed and I say as much to her.
"I ran here because I was running late, sorry by the way" she said.
"No problem, I hope the holdup was worth it?" I asked raising an eyebrow at her to let her know that I knew exactly where she'd been.
"Yes" she responded and looked a little embarrassed and it occurred to me that it might be because Malcolm's my brother. I put the sketch book down and put Nightshade on the ground to run around the garden. I moved over on the bench swing and invited Piper to sit next to me.
"Would you like to talk about it?" I asked and it occurred to me that some of her embarrassment might be guilt for moving on from Jason.
"Do you mind? I know it isn't exactly what we had planned to do today and it might be a little weird" she admitted.
"Of course I don't mind" I replied and turned to face her sitting cross-legged and she in turn did the same.
"So you know you asked me to help your brother find love?" She started and I nodded I wasn't going to give her a reason to stop. "Well it started off with me just trying to show him that his brain wasn't going to help him with that-" she paused and then added "at least not totally" I guess she must have remembered how my mother thought of love. "And, I didn't really think about it much at first but, as we continued to meet up the more effort I put into how I looked before I went to meet him-" I could tell this was hard for her, but I was glad she felt like she could talk to me. "-I thought maybe it was just being a daughter of Aphrodite thing y'know?" She asked and I realised she expected me to answer her, and not being a daughter of Aphrodite, I had to admit to myself at least that I really didn't know.
"Maybe, in part it was" I started "you know maybe indirectly she was trying to help."
"Perhaps, I know how I feel and I'm kind of torn about it. I don't want to be unfair to Mal, but I don't want to dishonour Jason either." I raised my eyebrow when she called my brother Mal - he hated having his name shortened the one time someone tried well let's just say it didn't happen again, until now apparently.
"I think I know someone who might be able to help" I said and I pulled her over to the sea water spring and asked to see Thalia.
"Annabeth, I'm really not sure-" Piper started but was cut off when Thalia started to speak.
"Hey Annie" she greeted me.
"Hey Thals, I was wandering if you could do me a favour, is now a good time?" I asked aware that she was on one of her hunts.
"It is. What's the favour?" Did I mention how much I loved my best friend?
"Piper, has a little conundrum" I try to explain without mentioning Malcolm, I don't think I did that good of a job in the end. "Do you think you could have a chat with her?" I ask knowing my best friend knew me well enough to catch what I hadn't asked out loud.
"Sure" she responded and I left her and Piper to talk and went back to the porch swing to try and finally sketch the dress I wanted to weave for my wedding day.
I sat sketching thinking maybe I was never going to sketch the dress I knew I had my heart set on. I sighed and placed my book down and picked up Nightshade.
"Hey girl" I say scratching her ear "what do you think I should do?" I asked her but before I can fathom an answer I hear Thalia call "is that Nightshade?" I figure that the two of them have finished talking about Jason so I headed over with Nightshade.
"How are you feeling Piper?" I ask "did this help?"
She looked at Thalia and Thalia smiled at her "yeah it did, thank you Annabeth"
I smiled at her "good" but before I could say more I was interrupted by Thalia.
"Look how much you've grown! Oh, I'm coming to visit you within the week; if I wait any longer you'll forget me." Nightshade's tail was wagging so fast it was a blur; I seriously doubted she'd forget Thalia.
"Looks like she has her own love affair" Piper whispered to me and I started laughing so hard that I almost couldn't breathe and Piper joined in.
"Shut up you two!" Thalia said before continuing to coo at Nightshade. "Any I best get back to the hunt we're about to break camp! Annabeth I'll stop by in the next few days"
"Be safe won't you?" I said before we say goodbye and break the connection. Nightshade whimpers a little she really likes Thalia, Piper chuckled as ruffles the fur on the top of her head.
"So, shall we get to what I actually came by to help with?" She asks me.
Piper's P.O.V
Annabeth left me at the iris message with Thalia and I had no idea where to start. Annabeth had tried to explain without really explaining so that I could tell Thalia myself and that almost made it more difficult to figure out where to start. Thalia brought me back to the conversation, I must have been quiet for too long.
"So, you feel guilty about finding love since Jason is gone and you were in love with him" Thalia says and it's not a question but a statement and for a daughter of Zeus it's very perceptive.
"How did you?" I started
"Look just because I have turned my back on the love of men, doesn't mean I don't know how it feels. It was part of the reason I accepted the offer to join the hunt. And, anyway you can't be around Percy and Annabeth without being affected by their love even if it is only to admire how truly they belong together." She said.
"They do don't they, they're the embodiment of true love, sometimes when I look at them it's almost like they have an aura of love around them, which I guess they do." I say and I'm getting off topic.
"Listen, Piper, I loved Jason too. I know how much he loved you and I'm not saying that to make your pain worse I'm saying it because it's true. All he ever wanted was for you to be happy and I believe he still wants that for you." She says to me.
"Thank you, that's really nice of you to say but I feel like I'm being unfaithful to him but, at the same time I know I need to open my heart to Malcolm."
"Wait- Malcolm like Annabeth's Brother, Malcolm?" She asks
"Yeah, why is that a problem?" I ask
"Nope" she says popping the P like she's really pleased about something.
"What?" I ask, getting a little worried at this point.
"Oh nothing - I just can't wait for Annabeth to experience a daughter of Aphrodite dating her brother"
"Why? It's not that bad is it?!" I ask
She chuckles "oh Piper, Jason loved you with everything he had, but some of the conversations we used to have, let's just say you kept him on his toes" she was smiling like the memory made her happy and I was glad.
"So, you're sure he'd be okay with this?" I ask.
"100%, so tell me how you and Malcolm happened" she says and sometimes I forget how much Thalia likes gossip even if she has sworn of love.
"Well we haven't happened yet, I just know my feelings are there. I'm hoping he's worked out how he feels and that it's the same as how I do. But, I'm working with a child of Athena and love isn't logical." I say and sigh thinking that maybe I've answered my own problem. Love isn't logical it never has been and it never will be. But, love is also infinite and I knew that I would always love Jason but that didn't mean I couldn't also love Malcolm.
"I hear you, I would say maybe Percy could help - but honestly that boy was about as clueless as Annabeth was" she says to me and I laugh.
"I don't think Annabeth was clueless" I point out "Percy either actually - based on what I've heard they were both totally in love they just didn't want to admit it to themselves, and if you can't do that then how can you admit it to the other person?" I ask rhetorically.
"You might have a point dove" Thalia says to me.
"Hey Thalia, thanks for this, it's really helped me" I say.
"No problem - Hey is that Nightshade?" She calls out to Annabeth. We continue to chat for a bit before Thalia promises to stop by to see Nightshade and we say goodbye. I looked at Annabeth she looked like she had a dozen thoughts swimming around in her head. I thought perhaps it was time we actually got down to what I had come here to help with and I tell her as much.
Instead of heading back onto the porch, Annabeth picks up her sketch book and we head inside.
Once she's fed Nightshade we head to her study/studio. I'd never been in here before it looked amazing although everything Annabeth built did. So much thought had gone into this room, it was incredible.
"Wow - Annabeth this room is amazing"
"Thanks Piper" she says and she sounds a little deflated, which usually meant there was something she was trying to work through.
"So..." I start and I don't have to continue as she sighs, sitting at a bench and gestures for me to do the same.
"I know I asked you to help me with my dress sketches Piper, but the truth is I already know what I want it to look like and I don't dare put it on paper because I know I'm not talented enough to create it."
"Annabeth, you're one of the most talent people I know, how do you know you can't weave it unless you try?" I ask.
"I can't really explain it because you haven't seen it" she replied pointing to her temple.
"Show me" I say pushing her sketch book towards her "sketch it out" I can see her hesitation as she picks up her pencil and for a while she stares at the blank page, twiddling the pencil through her fingers. I don't want to push too hard because I know she'll shut me down, so I let the silence do the work for me. Eventually she puts pencil to paper and starts sketching, and what starts to appear is beautiful, like even my mom would be jealous of this dress it's amazing.
"Wow Annabeth- its wow" I said when she finished.
"Thank you, I just have no idea how I'm going to create it, and nothing else I design comes close."
"You could ask for help" a new voice says Annabeth's head shot up so fast I didn't need to ask who was to know.
"Mom?" She asks, as Lady Athena stepped out of the shadows with - no way!
"Mom?" I ask and Annabeth and I share a quizzical look.
"It is tradition is it not?" Athena asks her daughter "for a mother and daughter to go dress shopping" she looks at my mother who looks ready to squeal and I guess that's all the confirmation she required.
"But, Annabeth doesn't need to go shopping" I say and realise I've interrupted Annabeth's mother and add "Sorry"
"Sorry?" My mother says "no my daughter don't apologise for getting this dress design on paper" she says to me and I roll my eyes.
"That wasn't-" I start but Athena holds up a hand and I stop.
"I know what you meant" she smiles and I realise that I have never seen the Goddess of Wisdom smile before, it's a little weird.
"Mom, the weave would be so complex" Annabeth says.
"I agree, my child we'll need a many looms to achieve the intricate detail you've designed. But, it's not impossible" I understood what Athena was doing here, weaving was after all one of her many specialties but what in Hades was my mother doing here.
"Mom, why are you here?" I ask her.
"Come on now dear, as a child of mine you should be able to figure that out" she tells me. I looked at Annabeth who gives me a look that says don't look at me she's your mother. I glanced down at Annabeth's design again, it's so beautiful, an empire style dress (and the symbolism of that wasn't lost on me) all one layer and within the silk were moments from Percy and Annabeth's life together. The bodice had no pattern of their life but the way she'd drawn it made it look like two waves from the ocean and sleeves that completed the dress looked like owl wings. It's like she thought of everything that made them, well them and put it into this dress.
I looked at the images of their life that she'd chosen, there was one of them sharing an Oreo near caged animals, there was one of the hugging in an air bubble, there was one of the two of them with stripes in their hair slow dancing, there was one of them kissing by a lake maybe and she was holding her Yankee's hat, there was one of them sharing cake at a table which looked like the Poseidon table at camp and so many more it's like it told the tale of their friendship and love and I knew instinctively why my mother was here.
"You're here to weave love into the silk" I said, it was actually Annabeth's mother who let me know I'd got it right with a small nod of her head.
"I would" Annabeth started and I suspect she was going to say 'love help' but thought better of it in the presence of the love Goddess and said instead "Help would be good, thank you."
Percy's P.O.V
I'd been given special permission to bring Estelle into the Greek village over night for a few days and I was beyond excited. I was also trying to give my mom time to finish her book and you know some alone time with Paul - even parents need a little time to themselves.
I walked through the door and the house was eerily silent.
"Annabeth? Are you home?" I called out but I got no answer which was strange, but I put it to the back of my mind as I set up Estelle's travel cot one handed while she slept on my shoulder. I have to admit it was very tricky but eventually I managed it and placed Estelle in the cot while I put the rest of her things beside the sofa.
Suddenly something clicked; even if Annabeth wasn't home Nightshade should be around somewhere. I went off hunting for her and reached the door to Annabeth's study. "Nightshade are you in there girl?" I called and I heard her bark but I also heard voices.
"Percy, don't open the door" it was Annabeth's voice.
"Um - okay? Didn't you hear me call to see if you were home?" I asked.
"No I'm sorry I didn't, I'll be out soon okay?" She said and there was a pleading in her voice, whatever was happening behind that door, she didn't want me to see it.
"Okay, if it gets close to dinner and you've not come out yet, how many meals am I putting outside this door?" I ask half joking half serious, I knew when she got into a project that it was difficult to break her away from it. I also knew that whatever it was that she was doing it was probably for our wedding so I didn't want to interrupt.
"Um, four and Nightshade's" she said.
"Okay Wise Girl, just remember to take a break okay?" I said walking away from her study door I had projects of my own for the wedding I wanted to get underway but they would have to wait, I was on babysitting duty.
Estelle was still asleep in the cot when I got back to the living room and I was so thrilled that mom and Paul trusted me to keep her safe for a few days, although I knew I'd get an iris message at some point checking to see if she was okay.
I decided that I'd let Estelle sleep until four which was only half an hour away and then I'd wake her, maybe put a Disney film on for her and make her dinner.
I got to thinking about how lucky I was to have the people I had in my life, Annabeth, my mom, Paul, Estelle, my dad and many others. I looked at my sister and I wondered what adventures lay ahead of her because I knew they'd be so much different than mine, and I was really glad about that. I didn't want anything to happen to her, I swear if a boy breaks this little girl's heart they'll wish they got the luxury of walking through Tartarus. Percy! I scolded myself; your sister is going to be a strong and independent person just like your mom. The voice that told me this in my head sounded suspiciously like Annabeth's.
I woke Estelle and she decided that she didn't want to watch a film that she wanted to play tea parties. I being the best big brother ever agreed, obviously.
Annabeth's P.O.V
Percy almost walking in right when mom and I had just started to weave had sent me into panic mode for a couple of reasons. One: obviously it would have been bad luck for him to see what we were doing and two: my hands were holding the finest white silk for my mom so I couldn't get to the door to stop him.
It was just like him though to remind me to take a break and ask about food. When I said four plates my mom gave me a questionable look.
"What?" I asked her after I heard Percy's footsteps fade.
"You know I can conjure food, why did you tell him to bring four plates?"
"Because, there are four of us and if I'd have told him not to bother he'd have opened the door to insist I ate something" I said.
"I suppose I should be pleased that he's taking care of you" she said and I knew it was strange for her to say this. For the first five years of our relationship (I'm including our whole friendship so from ages 12-17) she'd seriously disapproved of my friendship with Percy and then reluctantly relented when we started dating at sixteen but I think she's only really approved of him over the past couple of years. Around the time he started knuckling down in school and college and around the time Estelle was born. I wandered what clinched the approval from her for him but I didn't dwell on it, I was just happy he now had it.
"Who's that?" Piper asked me and I pulled myself out of my thoughts.
"Who's who?" I asked her, still not really with it.
"I can hear a little girls voice with Percy, who is it?" She asked and the only person I could think of was Estelle.
"I guess it must be Estelle, his little sister. He was supposed to be looking after her today for his mom and Paul." I answer and wonder why he's brought her home with him and as I wonder I know I know why. He was being his usual thoughtful self and was trying to give his mom and Paul a break and I felt my heart flutter.
A squeal from Aphrodite brought my attention back to what we were doing.
"Gods mom!" Piper groaned "some of us still want hearing you know" she said and her mom didn't look too annoyed about it either.
"Sorry" I said "I think that one might have been my fault" it seemed a little too coincidental that my heart was fluttering right before the love Goddess squealed.
I couldn't help how my heart reacted to Percy. I couldn't dwell on the thought too much because a knock came at the study door.
"Dinners served" he said and I heard his footsteps fade away he was probably going back to Estelle. Before I could put the silk down to fetch it Piper had already raced across to the door and opened it dragging in the trolley of food Percy had left for us. He'd made one of my favourite dishes pork chops, spaghetti and a white wine based mustard sauce. He'd really gone all out on the presentation too, I suspected he knew who was in the room with me or at least had a decent idea.
Percy always paired this dish with a white wine but he had also provided soft drinks just in case. I was grateful I'm not sure my mother would have approved of me drinking.
I cleared a work bench of papers and set out dinner for everyone and placed Nightshade's water and food on the floor for her. She dived straight in which I didn't blame her for I was starving too and did much the same when I sat down to have a relatively normal meal with my mom.
"This" Piper said finishing her mouthful "is amazing! Where did Percy learn to cook like this? And, how come I've never had it before?"
I chuckled and wiped my mouth with a napkin before I answered. "Percy's Mom taught him to cook, this is actually one of my favourite dishes that he does. He comes up with some really great dishes. And, I guess I don't know, when we have you all over he usually lets the magic dishes provide the food, it's just easier." I reply and it is easier because then everyone gets what they want and there's no long prep time or copious amounts of washing up to do.
"Humph" Piper says clearly not impressed with my answer but I didn't really know what else to say. Percy was an amazing cook but it wasn't something he really shared with people ever. I think the only other person that knew how well he could cook was Thalia when she'd joked one time she visited that she missed the melt in the middle cheese burgers her favourite restaurant used to serve before they went out of business. Percy had looked up the restaurant online and had tried to copy the recipe as closely as he could figure from the picture he'd found of what Thalia had described, he'd made it for her the next time her visited, and she had said it was almost better than she remembered. I remember Percy being really proud of that.
"It's a very impressive dish" my mother said and I felt heat rising to my cheeks on Percy's behalf. I was please she appreciated his work.
"Wait wait wait" Piper said, "so not only does Percy look and act like well y'know Percy... the man can cook too? Next you're going to tell me he can sing too" I bit my lip thinking that actually he could sing, he didn't very often and usually the only people who got to hear it were his little sister (who he sang to) and his parents and me. "He can sing?" She asked shaking her head "well this I have to see"
"He doesn't sing for just anyone Piper" I tell her slightly amused.
"I bet he sings for you" she says almost accusingly.
"No not for me, though I'm sure he would if I wanted him to. Actually the only person I've ever known him sing for is his little sister Estelle. Its how he gets her to sleep." I smile at a memory of him doing just that, I glance at the clock and think it probably won't be long before he does that tonight.
Aphrodite looked ready to explode and I had to try really hard to resist the urge to roll my eyes. I knew I had an amazing guy, but somehow I think the Goddess wanted to show me just how so and I really didn't need her too. I knew just how lucky I was.
Percy's P.O.V
It was getting close to seven o'clock and I knew Estelle needed to be put down soon otherwise she'd never sleep. I'd taken all of her bags upstairs earlier while she napped so all I had to do was carry the travel cot upstairs and carry Estelle too. It wasn't the easiest task, not because of the weight just the shape of travel cots don't make turning in small places, like a stairwell, easy. Finally I got everything set up in the guest room and I put Estelle down and turned on the nightlight she always uses and hand her a bottle of black currant squash. She starts drinking and I started to sing to her to try and get her to nod off to sleep.
I picked a Phil Collins song 'Two Hearts' it was one of the ones I always picked to help settle Estelle when she was younger. I hadn't even got halfway through when she dropped her bottle and rolled on to her side to sleep. I picked up the bottle and set it on the dresser, and pulled the quilt up and tucked my little sister in. I set up the baby monitor and headed back downstairs.
As I sat on the sofa I thought maybe I should have read to Estelle, that's what Annabeth would have done. And, a lot of experts said it makes children smarter later on in life something about expanding their vocabulary. Having spent my entire life fighting with dyslexia, I wanted Estelle to have that chance of an extended vocabulary. I checked the clock on the wall; if I ran I could still make the book store. I got up and jogged to the study door.
"Annabeth, I'm leaving the baby monitor outside the door, I've got to run a really quick errand I won't be long can you keep an eye on Estelle for me? I'm sorry I know your busy" and before I could carry on she answered me.
"No problem Percy, knock when your back and I'll give the monitor back." Gods she was amazing.
"Thanks Wise Girl" I said before for sprinting as fast as he could out of the front door into the heart of the village, he made it to the book store in record time.
"Percy, its late is everything okay?" Another of Annabeth's siblings asked.
"Yes, fine just had to make sure I made it before you closed" I said between taking large breathes to replenish my oxygen supply.
"I was hoping for an illustrated children's book, to read to my sister" I added the last part because the last thing we needed was for one of Annabeth's siblings to think she was pregnant when she wasn't. Gods imagine the look on Athena's face, she'd blast me so hard I'd end up in Tartarus, I thought to myself. I shook the thought from my brain; I never wanted to end up there ever again.
"What kind of thing were you thinking?" He asked me.
"Harry Potter - the first one, my mom read it to her while she was pregnant- supposed to settle her" I hurried out a vague explanation, thankfully he had the book and within five minutes I was sprinting back towards the house.
I knew Annabeth was more than capable of looking after Estelle but I knew she was busy and I hated to disturb her if it wasn't necessary. I placed the book on the table in the kitchen and went to knock on the study door only to find Annabeth surfacing from the study.
"She's awake?" I asked her and she nodded, I kissed her and said "I've got it, don't worry" I race off up the stairs and gave Estelle the bottle again, immediately she settled down. I should have put it back in the cot before I went downstairs, I scolded myself. I started singing again to get her to give in to sleep again.
I didn't know how long she'd been standing there but when I finished the song and got up to go downstairs Annabeth was leaning against the doorframe.
"Hey" I said and I noticed how tired she looked. "Have you finished your project?" I asked.
"No, not yet, but for today I have. We're going to pick it up again after Estelle has gone home." She said and then added "I need you to promise me something"
"Anything" I replied.
"Don't enter the study, until I say it's okay to do so." I wandered what was so secretive that I couldn't see it.
"Okay" I agreed "I'll wait" I said it's not like I ever used the study really anyway that was her room and that's the way she liked it.
"You look exhausted" I noted as we left the guest room.
"I feel exhausted" she agreed and did not fight me when I suggested that she also went to bed.
Annabeth's P.O.V
I heard Estelle stirring and asked Piper to take over holding the silk while I went to check on her. But I did make it out the door of my study before Percy kissed me and told me he had it. So I returned next to my mother and started smiling as Percy's soft singing came across the baby monitor next to me.
"Maybe, we should call it a day" my mother said and I appreciated it more than I thought I could show her. Everyone seemed in agreement and I wrapped the silk I had around a spindle. And placed it next to the loom my mother had been using. I then went and got a clean drop cloth to put over everything.
"Thank you mom, Lady Aphrodite" I said and they nodded in response before flashing out, and then it was just Piper and I left.
"He's actually not that bad" Piper said as we took the empty dishes into the kitchen.
"Oh Gods he'd kill me if he knew you were hearing this" I said.
"I can keep a secret" she said and I smiled appreciatively at her.
"Thanks for everything Piper, you were a great help today" I said.
"Oh yeah" she said rolling her eyes "I think actually you helped me more that I helped you"
I laughed and hugged her as we reached the door. "Let's agree to disagree on that point then" she smiles and nods before setting off back to camp. I headed upstairs to find Percy, I leaned on the doorframe of the guest room watching him sing to his sister. A familiar set of butterflies started to appear in my stomach as I thought about what a great dad he was going to make.
Percy told me I looked exhausted and I felt it too, I didn't fight him when he suggested that I also went to bed even if it was early. He disappeared off downstairs and came back with a book, I must have looked really confused because he said "I thought I could do some reading with Estelle, but it's not my strong suit so I thought I'd practice the first few chapters so I didn't mess it up." He sounded really nervous but I thought it was really sweet that he wanted to read to her. "Can I" he paused "would you mind if I read out loud next to you while you sleep?" He asked and I smiled.
"Of course not Seaweed Brain, I'd love to hear you read." I said as I climbed into bed, I knew I wouldn't be awake too much longer but I hoped I lasted a little while to help him.
~~Author's Note~~
Hope you enjoy Please let me know what you think!
ILovebookshi – thank you for your comment hope you enjoyed this chapter!
