Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2016 23:54:20 GMT -5
Clare was in the nursery angrily stuffing things unceremoniously in the diaper bag. There was a small suitcase of her own stuff packed by the door. A dryad nervously watched from the hall, not daring to get closer. Clare had been muttering for days, and the nature spirits even were getting a little weary of her. Clare was an emotional woman who had had a lot happen to her lately and – to be frank – she was tired of this. Christy was leaning against the side of her crib watching and somehow not crying, seeing her mother freaking out. It was like the little girl was in tune with her mother and her silence was a I’m here for you, mom. At least, that was how Clare liked to think of it.
Why was she so angry though? She was stuck. She was in this beautiful place with life all around her, but she had her daughter an no one else. Apollo had played a cruel joke on her, from what she could tell. He said he loved her. They even kissed, and that was supposed to be like really important, right? So where in the Underworld had he been for the one and a half months since them. Of course she had no idea here because news didn’t make it to this corner of Sicily, so he could have a valid reason, but in her angry little mind all she could think of was you could have sent a damn letter to tell me.
She walked over to the crib and got Christy out, dressing her in just about the only clothing that was not packed. Just to solidify her determination to stay strong, she did everything she could to make her daughter look amazing and adorable before settling her into his stroller. “Alright, Christina, let’s go home for a bit, okay?”
The dryad got the heck out of her way as Clare burst from the room with a total lack of grace, seeing as she was toting a suitcase, a diaper bag, and trying to push a stroller. Mom magic. She didn’t ask for help, and it was not offered. Though she did stop at the dryad’s side and take a deep breath. “If he comes back… do me a favor, okay? Tell him if he meant what he said, he needs to get his crap together.” The dryad, Willow, wiped a tear and hugged the woman she’d become close friends with. Clare sniffed, feeling the sting of her loss pierce again, and accepted the hug, since she had no arm to return it. “I’m going to miss you, Clare, Christy,” Clare nodded, “I’ll miss you too. I really will. Send a leaf?” Willow pulled away and smiled, nodding. Clare sniffed one more time to allow the pain, then Romaned up and headed down the long hallway to the nearest beachside exit.
Pushing a stroller through sand was pretty much impossible. Dragging a suitcase was a little easier. It took a solid 20 minutes of grit and determination to get to the Mediterranean’s edge. Due to the fact that Christy was not yet old enough to have developed the breathing water thing, Clare only pushed her into the water deep enough that the gentle waves lapped against her feet, which Christy thought was grand. Clare left the suitcase and diaper bag where they wouldn’t get wet, and knelt in the water next to Christy, trying to get as much contact with the water without leaving her daughter out of immediate reach. “Father? Lord Neptune? Can you hear me?” She dug in her jeans pocket and pulled out the granola bar, which was about all she had for this adventure for herself, and dropped it in the water as offering. “If you can hear me… I’m going crazy here. I have to get out. Please help. I… don’t know what to do.” Then Christy started sniffling, apparently sad the bar she thought was for her was now gone in the waves. Clare sighed and turned to face her. “Christy, that was for Grandpa Neptune. It would have been too hard for you to eat, baby. It's okay. Mommy will get you your puffs out of the bag once things are a little better, okay? I promise.”
TAG: @neptune
WORDS: 716
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