Bold: Modern Greek

Ballet Shoes

Chapter Three

Honey Lamb

"Papa…!"

A warm, aggressive embrace was soon around her arms. The embassy was still the same, though her father showed more greying hair on his head of thick dark hair.

"Penelope, my sweet… So happy to see you."

Dimitris Onassis was Ambassador of Greece to the United States for over thirty years. He held his position with great responsibility and vigour. Despite their great loss, he got back his enthusiasm and charisma after a few years of mourning, though it was never the same confident stride again.

Soon, they were at the grand dinning hall, Penelope greatly chewing on her roasted lamb. The honey sauce exploded in her mouth. Various traditional Greek dishes were presented on the table.

"How's work? They're treating you right, aren't they? Giving you the right work?"

"Everything's going fine…" she smiled.

Living in America, that was how she learned English, though with her father and relatives, she usually spoke Greek. Being the Ambassador's daughter, she knew some basic phrases of other languages. Some parts in Europe, others spoke more than one language.

"I've been coming back from out of the country and I'm in one piece," she placed a hand on her father's hand. "Don't worry… I'll be alright."

"Aye…" her father sighed. "After you were an officer to a detective, I was happy for you. I let that slide. Now that you work for the government… You're risking your life everyday."

She swallowed. "It's what I want, Papa… I'm happy as is, especially in America. Don't worry about me."

Her father breathed. "As long as you are careful… After what happened in New York, I'm glad you weren't around when that happened."

So far, SHIELD tried their best to cover up whatever strange beings came through to the other side. From what she read, Norse God Loki tried to attack New York. Every single detail of what happened was surreal. Actual gods of legend actually existing. If Norse Gods existed, could Greek gods exist? It was just a part of Greek Legend. A tale to entertain children. Either way, working for SHIELD couldn't get any more strange.

"You're getting old…! Meet someone, get married… make babies! Give me grandchildren before my time comes."

Her eyes looked to her plate, a smile on her face. "Papa…"

It was typical of her father to bring up marriage and finding someone to settle down with. A part of him was only teasing, though being his only daughter, she could see the need to push her. Her cousins were already married with children. Dimitris would bring up how her Aunt Paris was already a grandmother of three. She was just about thirty, though SHIELD kept her busy.

"Are you seeing anyone? Are you and Brandon still together?"

"Papa, I haven't had time to see anyone, let down hold a relationship… I'm out of the country most of the time."

Flashes of that set up date Natasha pulled on her with Steve went through her head. She wondered what Dimitris would thought, his daughter on a blind date with Captain America.

Her father gently rubbed her fingers. "I just want you happy, beloved."

A heavy sigh was let out of the Ambassador, as he turned his head to the end of the dinning hall. A painting of his wife, Penelope's mother was hung on the wall. A woman in a green dress posed in the painting. Her blond hair was painted like gold threads. Her blue eyes were like pearls. Her face was gentle, though they still commanded power.

Georgia Helen Lias Onassis.

"Ah, Penelope… I miss your mother everyday."

Penelope looked down on her plate more solumely. "I know…"

Her father told her she looked so much like Georgia, though she inherited her father's grey eyes. Dimitris loved Georgia very much. He had dates with other women, though he never remarried.

"You have grown as beautiful as her…"

She looked up at him, breathing. "Thank you…"

"I knew I was strict as a father when you were growing up, but the things I did were only to protect you."

After her mother was assassinated, Dimitris took extra precaution to protect Penelope. She still remembered that argument when she told him she didn't want bodyguards following her around constantly. She hardly had time to be a child.

"I always knew you were capable of protecting yourself, darling… and I am so proud of you."

She used a hand to clean a stray tear on her face. Despite having a career that placed her life on the line, her father actually was proud of what she did, when she was a police officer and a detective.

After all that arguing, he was still proud of her. "Thank you…"

"Have you been doing any ballet? I loved to see you dance when you were little."

She swallowed. "I haven't been back in ballet in years, Papa."

Dimitris turned, realized he treaded on an edgy subject. "I'm sorry..."

After the cooks came by and cleared away the dishes, he got up.

"Shall we go see Mama now?"