Chapter 4
Why did the baby cross the road? Because it was stapled to the chicken.
Something's been eating at Apollo ever since the strike at the hospital. He won't tell me what, so I can't help him. He might be nervous since we're performing tonight, but you can't really tell. Oh well. My dad gave me the day off because of it, probably because he want Aemelia to make me beautiful. I need it, since I've been spending more than ten hours working in a busy emergency room for the past week. I look like a zombie with insomnia.
I hate it when Aemelia brushes my hair. It's not her fault, it's just that I have a lot of really long, really frizzy hair. I try to brush it, but every time I think I get it smooth, it just frizzes back up again. Life really isn't fair that way, but what'cha gonna do about it? It usually takes hours to get it into a manageable condition, which is why I don't go out into public very often. Well, that's not really the reason, but I like to think it is.
"Do you have any idea why there was a strike a few days ago?" I ask Aemelia.
"No," she frowned. I've lived with her too long, I know she's hiding something.
"You're lying to me." She says nothing. "Come on Aemelia, I know you want to tell me." She purses her lips and continues to brush my hair. I sigh and stay quiet, making the moment awkward intentionally.
"Some people were protesting against the government. I don't know why. If you tell your mom that I told you I swear to god I'm gonna murder you in your sleep," she blurts out. I struggle to keep from laughing. Aemelia gets so worked up about not being able to talk, and then when she does start talking she can't because she's so angry. Sigh, I love this chick. She's practically my sister. She's been around since before I was born. She's not that much older than I, being only twenty-six. In the seventeen years I've known her, she's never once told me much of her life. The most I've gotten out of her is that she came here when she was seven, and will stay here until she dies. She tugs at a knot, making me squeak.
"Sorry," she says, not stopping brushing my hair. She just brushes it harder, making me cringe.
"Watch it. That hurts."
"Sorry! Jesus. Your hair is really frizzy today."
"Oh stop! I'll do it myself," I grab the brush from her hand and start untangling the little knots at the end. "Get out my costume please." she walks out of my bathroom and returns a few minutes later. I have to go back to work tomorrow, which is unfortunate. I'm going to be exhausted, and then I have to deal with my idiotic interns. Meh. Until then, I better enjoy the day while I can. Two hours until the performance, one and one half hours to get dressed and ready. Good bye freedom.
Aemelia brings in my costume, which contains so much pink that my brain will probably explode. Pink. Diana would have killed to have this wardrobe, and have it covered in diamonds. Such a priss.
I guess that this won't be so bad. It could be worse. My dad could have signed me up for a night shift in the maternity ward. I shudder. That place is torture, whether a woman's in labor or not. Most women are bitchy when they're pregnant, and you can't deny that. I dress into my first costume
I'm fidgety. That's just the way I am. I can sit still for a while, I just bite my nails and scratch at stuff. Not my fault, I was raised like that. My dad's the same way. He and I just can't sit still for long periods of time. It's kind of annoying, but it apparently means that I'm smart.
"I'm gonna just nuke your dinner when you get home, okay Hera?" Aemelia calls from the kitchen. I'm sitting in my bedroom editing some pictures I drew. Apollo should be here any minute to pick me up. I still need to fix his car.
"Yeah whatever," I yell. Suddenly I hear a door slam, which is most likely Apollo's doing. He doesn't know his own strength. I save my work and run as fast as I can down stairs in four-inch heels. Apollo opens the door again and we both rush out, because Adriana will murder us both if we do not make it there on time. Murder us brutally, may I add, with the sledge hammer that they keep for emergencies. Adriana may be pint sized, but she's a frickin' pit bull.