Seven Years After The Car Accident
Poseidon blew up a balloon, envious of those who were setting up the tables and chairs.
"Do you think he'll be surprised?"
Poseidon turned to Ariel after blowing up a green balloon. "I hope so," he said. "Has he ever had a surprise party before?"
"Not to my recollection. My father never really likes to celebrate. I knew he would never agree to a retirement party, but I'll be damned if he didn't get one."
They are currently at the aquarium setting up Nerus surprise retirement party. Nerus is out with Percy on rescue calls, some of which are fake calls so they wouldn't have to come back earlier than expected.
"Soon enough we will be doing yours next. You're going to be the oldest one here." Delphin smirked while hanging streamers.
Poseidon grimaced; it was true that he would be the oldest one there. "I still have a good twenty years before I do retire."
"And they'll catch up on you, remember how I used to make fun of you for being old? Look at me now, my hair is graying!" Delphin cried while showing off three strands of his hair that turned gray.
Poseidon snorted, "I call it karma, but please don't talk about graying as I beat you by a light year."
Delphin held his smirk, "I noticed that you've been more stressed these last couple of weeks. Have you and Athena come to an agreement?"
Poseidon frowned; he didn't like being reminded about Athena. They had met together to try to come to a peace treaty between the two of them for Percy's and Annabeth's sake.
"No." Poseidon grumbled.
Ariel frowned, "Isn't Percy's and Annabeth's wedding in two weeks?"
Poseidon sighed, "Yes it is. The hold up is Athena wants me to admit to a crime that I haven't committed. Long story short, someone tampered with the school pipes during my senior year, making all of the running water saltwater. She's adamant that was my doing, but I never tampered with any pipes."
"And if you lied and said that it was?" Ariel prompted.
Poseidon frowned, "Then I will fuel her ego and she will brag about how she's right when she never was."
"Couldn't that also fuel your ego, as she would be wrong in the end?" Delphin asked.
Poseidon paused, "I never thought of it from that perspective before, but you might have a point. Though I think it would be even worse if she finds out I lied later on."
Ariel nodded as she straightened the sign out, "lying will not be the answer. Does Annabeth know the truth?"
"She does, and bless her heart, she tried to tell her mother, but Athena is convinced I brainwashed her."
Delphin shook his head, "I'm not sure what you can do in that situation? Just don't start any fights at the wedding; fights and weddings don't mix."
Poseidon snorted in remembrance of Persephone and Hades' wedding, "You don't say."
"Have you heard from Triton? Did he pick up the cake? Is he bringing Calli too?" Ariel asked.
Poseidon smiled at the mention of his granddaughter, "He's picking up the cake and yes, he's bringing Calli."
Long story short; Triton met his wife Libya during his first day of college in Australia, and they graduated together at the top of their class in Marine Biology. Three years ago they graduated, moved back to the states, and tied the knot. The next year they had a daughter Calliste whom Poseidon spoils.
Calli is a frequent visitor at the aquarium, as Triton often brought her here when he worked full-time, and all of the employees adored her.
"Good! We all love her." Ariel smiled.
Delphin snorted, "We all spoil her."
Poseidon nodded as he blew another balloon up. It seemed every time she visited, she ended up leaving with a new toy.
"Paw Paw!"
Poseidon let the balloon deflate as he heard his granddaughter's call. His eyes searched the ground to see where she was lurking. It didn't long to find her as she was running towards him with her arms stretched out.
He crouched down and lifted her up into his arms. She let out a giggle before squeezing his neck. Calli had her father's sea-green eyes and smile; she inherited her mother's caramel hair.
"I think you've grown since the last time I saw you. Soon enough, you'll get too big for me to carry you."
Calli let out another giggle.
Poseidon scanned around the room, looking for his son. He found him standing around one of the tables, setting down the cake.
"Hey Calli! Do you want to help me decorate the sign for Nerus's party?" Ariel asked.
Calli nodded and squirmed in Poseidon's arms. He set Calli on the ground and watched her toddler legs wobble before she ran to Ariel.
Poseidon pulled out his phone to send a text to Percy, letting him know everyone had arrived. He put his phone back in his pocket and dejectedly picked up another balloon.
"It looks like you're having a great time."
Poseidon jumped not realizing Triton moved on from the cake table to join him. After his brief surprise, he tossed the pack of balloons to his son.
"I'm having a blast. Why don't you join in on the fun?"
Triton grabbed a balloon and blew it up halfway before frowning at it.
Poseidon held back a sigh as the reminder of the wreck hit him with full force. The car accident seven years ago severely damaged Triton's lungs, and now Triton's capacity to exercise or to do normal tasks without being winded has diminished. He could still swim and do rescues, but he wasn't as fast as he used to be. He took the pack of balloons away, kicking himself for letting Triton try to do something his lungs couldn't handle.
Triton had finished blowing up the rest of the balloon before asking, "How's it going with Athena?"
Poseidon rolled his eyes, "Fine."
"Are you going to pull it together in two weeks?"
Poseidon whacked the back of his son's head with the pack of balloons.
"I may not get along with Annabeth's mother, but that doesn't mean I'll create a confrontation at my own son's wedding. I'm not Demeter."
"I'm just making sure. I don't think I could live through another awkward wedding."
Poseidon rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to make a retort.
"They're here!" Delphin shouted from the window.
Poseidon tossed the package of unblown balloons under the table; he would clean them up later.
"Surprise!" The whole aquarium erupted in a chorus as Nerus and Percy entered the building.
"Huh?" Nerus asked.
"It's a retirement party, dad! We want to celebrate your work before you leave." Ariel patted her father's shoulder.
"Celebrate? I just been on three calls where there was no -" Nerus spun around to Percy. "Did you make those calls up? Was no sea creature in trouble to begin with?"
Percy scratched the back of his neck, "Kind of."
"Dad, it got you out of the aquarium for a bit. Let's go check out the cake." Ariel took her father's hand and led him to the cake table.
"You bought me cake?"
Poseidon smiled at the confused expression on his coworker's face; he was clearly not used to having any celebrations around him.
"How was he?" He asked Percy.
"I thought I had heard every swear and slur out there before today. I was so wrong."
Poseidon snorted. "I thought so too, then I went with Nerus to help with the oil spill in the Gulf. I had to keep a journal with all the words spewing out of his mouth. I didn't understand the stereotype of sailors and their colorful tongues until I met Nerus."
"He sure does get creative with some of the words. Other than the three fake calls, we answered two other legit calls."
"I'm assuming they went smoothly as you didn't bring any creatures back?"
"Yes. The first being an octopus stuck in a plastic water bottle, the other one being a manatee stuck in a net."
"It's always the same rescue. Plastic or a net carelessly thrown into the ocean. Humans are going to destroy this world." Poseidon grumbled.
Percy nodded before something caught his eye, "Is that a piñata?"
"Delphin thought it would be a good idea."
"Does he not know Nerus?"
"From what I learned over the years is that Delphin has an exceptional talent for not knowing how to read people. It's not the worst idea, since beating something up with a bat might alleviate some of tension for going on three fake calls."
Percy smiled at the last sentence, imagining Nerus attacking a poor piñata with a bat.
"Maybe it will be fun. Perhaps if he doesn't tear it up too badly, we can bring it to your wedding."
Percy shook his head. "It wouldn't go with Annabeth's theme she had in mind. Speaking of which, have you and Athena made up?"
Poseidon deflated, "No. But I can promise to not start anything and not to engage if she does."
Percy sighed, "I guess that's better than nothing."
"Percy, come sign this card for Nerus!" Tyson called out.
As Poseidon watched his son disappear into the crowd of employees celebrating, his eyes wandered to where Triton had gone; he was over by the photo table with Calli perched on his hip. He was showing her all the different photos the aquarium had of their rescues.
"Did you really have to throw me a party?"
Poseidon jumped, not noticing Nerus sneaking up on him.
"Well, yes. I wanted to commemorate the work you've done for this aquarium. You've been here since I opened this aquarium twenty years ago, and you're my longest employed coworker here. You've been by my side through my first couple years of not knowing if I could keep this place open, you were with me during the oil spill, you've watched my sons grow, and you were with me during the time I couldn't protect my sons from my father. So yes, I'm throwing you a party as a thank you for not only being one of the best seamen I know, but also for being there to keep me sane when I needed it."
Nerus sniffled, "I've got to say that was beautiful, Poseidon. You are like a son to me."
"And you as my father."
"I would've given anything to be the one who actually killed your father."
Poseidon snorted. "Don't we all?"
Nerus clapped his shoulder, "Thanks for the party, but let me get one thing straight; I will not be going anywhere near that piñata, no matter how much Delphin begs."
Fair enough.
Quick Ages:
Poseidon: 43
Nerus: 67
Delphin: 34
Ariel: 31
Tyson: 32
Triton: 25
Libya: 25
Percy: 23
Annabeth: 23
Calliste (Calli): 2
Calliste -In Greek Mythology Daughter of Triton and a nymph Libya.