Chapter Fifteen: Where I Put My Conversed Foot Down
Mr. D was not at the cabin when I returned and neither was Pollux. Not that I expected my brother to be there anyway, he was very adamant about sticking to the training schedule. But as I stood there waiting for my doom in the form of a leopard printed shirt wearing wine god, I suddenly wanted him to be here. Just having him around made me feel safe, like I wasn't so alone. Too bad the cards weren't in my favor right now and I had to just had to woman up and handle the oncoming storm.
Trying to relax my nerves I took a book from my book case and flopped down on my bed. Turning to the marked page I began to reread the story of a boy wizard and his adventures at school. My dyslexia had been a problem from day one when I began learning to read at the age of three. Mom was worried about me falling behind as I entered school so she had found extra help in the form of one Maddilyn Duncan. Maddilyn, I called her Maddie at her own request, had been twenty two at the time and a newly licensed special education teacher. Maddie was the middle child of one of our close neighbors and had agreed to tutor me when she was available. At just over five foot, the small woman held a strong presence and never took crap from anyone. At a passing glance no one would suspect the curly brown headed short woman as anything but sweet and defenseless. It only took one person to insult my inability to read basic words to change that opinion quickly. Needless to say we became the best of friends.
Through her gentle guiding and saint of a temper she taught me ways and techniques to help me understand what I was reading. There good days where I was able to work out words and sentences without problems. Then there were the horrible days when I got so fed up that I would throw tantrums and many a book. Time in between lessons were spent playing games, baking cookies in our kitchen (mostly her because I inherited my mom's lack of cooking skills), and goofing around. It is easily said that those were some of the best times in my life. In the end I worked with Maddie for about six years before she married her long term boyfriend and moved to Seattle. I still see her sometimes when she visits her folks during the holidays, she always asks me about the books I'm reading and if I met anyone yet.
Just as my nerves had fully calmed the door flew open and Mr. D came stalking in. Glancing at the small clock that sat on my dresser I noticed it had been an hour and a half since he left me to talk with mom. Seeing his still angered face had not simmered any told me that he hadn't managed to get a hold of Nico. Not that I really expected him to but still, a dead Nico was one thing I didn't need on my conscious. Deciding to play it cool I sat up and returned my bookmark to its place, setting the book to my side.
"You know it's considered rude to enter a woman's room without knocking." Technically it was Pollux's room too, but details bore me.
His glare locked onto me and I knew I wouldn't be able to shake it off. "Right now is not the time to be smart with me young lady." he growled.
I just shrugged. "There never is." I met his gaze head on. "You won't find him and I forbid you from doing anything to him."
"You seem to forget that I am the adult and you are the child. If I decide to skin that good for nothing boy alive that is no business of yours little girl." he snarled.
I stood up and put my hands on my hips. "No, you seem to forget that it is my business because he is my boyfriend. And he is not a good for nothing boy! Since the day I met him he has been nothing but caring and considerate. He may not be considered a man yet but he is not a boy, just as I am not a little girl. I may be a minor but a child is one thing I'm not. When are you going to realize that?"
"You will always be a child to me, I am far older than you can imagine."
"That is a bullshit excuse!" I snapped.
"Language!"
"No! I'm tired of you treating me like I'm five."
"You act like you are a five year old who cannot make good choices if your life depended on it."
"Oh how stupid of me. Making decisions on my own about my life makes me a child and doing everything you tell me to do makes me an adult. Thank you so much for clearing that up." At this point my sarcasm scale has gone through the roof.
"So sleeping with your boyfriend at sixteen is making a good decision about your life?"
Now I had it. "I. Did. Not. Sleep. With. Nico." I grind out through clenched teeth. "I didn't believe it was the right time. Even if I had, and mom agrees with me on this, that is my decision alone to make. One that she fully supports me in making."
The room went silent as his eyes widened in horror. "What did you two talk about?!"
I crossed my arms. "She thinks you're a hypocrite and that she trusts me to make my own decisions. Oh, and if you have any concerns to call her and leave me alone about it."
He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "That woman is the most unreasonable, insufferable, thoughtless person I have ever met!"
"And yet you slept with her when she was still a teenager so you really have no leg to stand on."
"There is a mortal saying that implies you should do as I say and not as I do."
"Yeah and there's a saying about leading by example and you blew that one too. How much stock do you really want me to put into these sayings?"
"You have the same problem your mother does with quick wit. It will come back to bite you one day." he glared at me.
"Goody for me then that I have a bigger bite. Now if that is all you wanted to discuss you may leave now." I picked my book back up and flipped to the page marked.
"What makes you believe this is the end of our conversation?" he demanded, but I didn't lift my eyes from the book.
"Well let's see. You stormed in here. Check. You insulted not only me but mom too. Check. You threatened the greatest and only guy I've ever dated. Check. You demeaned my abilities at making life choices. Check. I made my very excellent points. Check. You completely ignored them. Check. And now I'm angry at you. Check. And you're even more disappointed in me. Check. Did I leave out anything?" my voice was low and easily laced with sarcasm and anger.
He just looked at me not responding, but not holding back either. It was like for once he was trying to figure out what to say next without causing another screaming match.
"Do you really think so little of me and my opinions?" the snooty appearance of a god was still there in all its glory, but the words themselves seemed a little guarded. As if my view of him actually mattered to him at all.
"I think that after sixteen years of being without a dad or any father like figure has left me without a need for one. I don't need your opinions, I don't need your help, and frankly I don't need your hurtful words in my life. I have mom, she's all I need. Go be a father to somebody else." My voice never rose, but the force of them were as though I had screamed them at him. I saw a flash of emotion cross his face before he turned stony once more.
I didn't look up from my book as the door slammed shut. I stared at the first page long after the sound had gone, after the light had changed from the windows. I still hadn't flipped the page when the door opened again, gentle this time, letting me know it was Pollux who entered. He didn't say anything and I didn't say anything, but the silence said it all. And for the first time in what seemed like ages, I felt the need for a hug and someone to tell me that I had done the right thing.