Poseidon (The God Chronicles)

by Solomon, Kamery

  As my door shut softly behind me, Talley yawned and whined from the couch.

  “I know, you’re hungry,” I said, wrapping my towel tighter around me.

  She followed me into the kitchen and I pulled out her bag of food, pouring a good amount into her bowl before carrying it outside.

  “Happy eating,” I said with a yawn.

  “Amy and Matthew?” Sy asked, confirming before we got out of my car.

  “Yes,” I said, nodding, looking over at their house.

  They had lived in an apartment when John was alive, dreaming of the day they would buy a house and start a family. Matthew, being a few years older than the rest of us, finally finished his doctorates and bought this place as soon as he was hired on at the hospital.

  There was nice rock and cactus landscaping with a big tree right in the middle of one side of the yard, shading the sidewalk we walked up on from the little light that was still peaking over the mountains. As always, the house was painted in desert colors, matching all the others on the street.

  We rang the doorbell, Sy holding the salad I’d made, and waited for the steel bar and glass door to open.

  “Hey!” Amy said, unlocking the screen and letting us through. Her Capri pants and tight t-shirt showed off the tiny bump her pregnancy had produced.

  “You look so cute!” I gushed.

  “Really?” she asked, a look of relief passing over her face. “I was worried I just looked fat.”

  “No way,” I laughed. “There’s definitely a baby in there.”

  “Thanks,” she beamed.

  “Now why wouldn’t you believe me when I told you that?” her husband said, coming down the stairs, his dress pants and button up shirt a little wrinkled after a long day at work.

  “It’s a girl thing,” Sy explained, moving the salad and holding one hand out. “Sy, nice to meet you.”

  “Matthew.” They shook hands shortly and Amy took the salad.

  “Why don’t we all sit down?” she invited. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. We can visit while we wait.”

  “That sounds wonderful. Do you need help with anything?”

  “It’s all taken care of,” she said, smiling.

  “This way,” Matthew directed, leading us through their open living room and around the corner to the pretty brown, wood table.

  Sy held a chair out for me to sit in, the perfect gentleman.

  “Thank you,” I said as he took his seat next to me.

  “So Sy,” Matthew said, settling into the place at the head of the table. “Tell me about yourself.”

  “There’s not much to share,” he laughed, grabbing my hand that rested on the table.

  “Why don’t you start with how you met Audrey,” Matthew said, eyeing our grip.

  “I was out swimming,” Sy started, smiling at me. “And there was a girl out on the rocks who slipped and fell in. Naturally, I hurried over to help her.”

  “Wait, you were the one who saved her?”

  “Yes.”

  “How romantic,” Amy sighed, taking the seat closest to her husband.

  “How did you end up here?” Matthew asked, cutting her off.

  “I moved here to look for work. I’m also thinking about checking out the university as well.”

  “Didn’t California have any jobs for you?” Matthew’s brows were pinching together and a cloud of worry started to overshadow dinner.

  “Sometimes a change of pace is nice,” I butted in. “Amy, how is your pregnancy going?”

  “Don’t get me started!” she laughed. “There’s so much—some of it is so gross! Lots of really TMI stuff, if you get my drift.” She giggled and poured herself some water from the pitcher sitting in the center of the table.

  “You must be loving it,” I pushed, catching Matthew looking at Sy’s hand around mine again.

  “Oh I do, Audrey,” she beamed. “It’s the most wonderful thing in the world.”

  Right then, a timer went off in the kitchen, signaling dinner was done.

  “It’s ready!” Amy beamed and stood again, Matthew following suit.

  “How can I help?” Sy asked, standing as well.

  “We’ve got it, thank you,” Matthew said shortly.

  In a few moments the settings at the table had been completed with a lovely casserole dish and our salad.

  “Wait till you see what I made for dessert,” Amy teased, laying a napkin over her lap.

  Matthew picked up his plain, silver fork and went straight to eating without saying a word. My worry level increased—this was not how he normally acted.

  “So,” I started, trying to ease his tension. “How’s working at the hospital? Amy told me you’re loving it.”

  “I am,” he said, wiping his mouth. “There’s something about saving lives that makes me feel like I’m making a real difference in the world. Right, Sy?”

  He ate another bite of his salad and stared pointedly at Sy, waiting for an answer.

  “I guess so,” he said after swallowing. “This is delicious, Amy. Thank you for inviting us.”

  “Yes,” I said, knowing that Matthew was going to stick with whatever was bothering him. “We’re very happy to be here.”

  “Oh, I bet!” Matthew said, throwing his fork down.

  “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Amy asked in alarm.

  “I thought I would be okay with this,” he said to her. “But I’m not.

  “Shame on you, Audrey. Going around with another man only a year after your husband has passed? It’s a disgrace!”

  “Matthew!” Amy cried in alarm.

  “No!” he yelled back, standing up so quickly that his chair slid back several inches. “John was my best friend! I will not stand for this—” he gestured to Sy and myself, “To soil his memory in my very own house!”

  I remained silent, staring at my plate. It felt like I was being repeatedly slapped in the face, the piercing weight of his words stinging me over and over again. Tears pushed at the invisible walls holding them in place.

  “Matthew, stop it!” Amy pleaded in full on panic, tears streaming down her own face.

  “I will not,” he snarled at her before turning back on me.

  “You did not deserve John. He could have had anyone he wanted and, for some reason, he picked you.” He said the last word like I was something dirty and unworthy of John’s notice.

  “You need to calm down,” Sy said, standing and placing a hand on my shoulder.

  “Don’t tell me what to do!” Matthew raised his hand, pointing a finger at us. “You didn’t even wait for his skin to cool!”

  “I didn’t even see her again until a few months ago,” Sy said in our defense.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Matthew spat out. “I will not sit at my own table and watch this—this misguided hero worship happen! You think just because you saved her you can take her as your own? She belongs to someone else!” Spit flew from his mouth as his face reddened, rage filling him like a poison.

  “Matthew, please,” Amy sobbed.

  “She’s still wearing his—” at that point, Matthew looked down and realized I was no longer wearing my wedding ring. His mouth opened and closed several times, hurt and despair radiating from his eyes.

  “Get out of my house,” he said quietly.

  “Matthew,” Amy pleaded.

  “Quiet!” he snapped.

  I sat frozen, my worst fears come to life. Amy was crying uncontrollably on the other side of the table, her napkin held to her mouth. Sy stayed where he was as well, hand still on my shoulder.

  “I said get out!” Matthew yelled, sitting back down.

  I didn’t need any more encouragement. With tears about to break loose, I grabbed my bowl off the table and ran to the door, flinging it open and hurling myself outside.

  “Thank you for the food, Amy,” I heard Sy say as he walked out behind me, shutting both their door and the screen behind him.

  I fumbled with the keys, trying to unlock the
door, and dropped them on the ground. Before my shaky hands could pick them up, Sy had them.

  “I’ll drive,” he said, taking the salad from my hand.

  I nodded, lips trembling as silent tears began to roll down my face.

  He walked me around the car, opened the door, and made sure I was buckled in before getting in the driver’s seat. As we drove away, my silent tears turned into wailing that I couldn’t stop. Snot ran down my face as my whole body shook, racked with the hurt that I was experiencing.

  “Calm down Audrey,” Sy said, taking my hand. “This isn’t your fault. He shouldn’t have done that to you either.”

  “It is my fault,” I gasped. “I knew this would happen when our friends found out. I knew they would hate me.”

  “He doesn’t hate you,” Sy disagreed softly. “He just hasn’t finished his mourning yet. He hasn’t processed everything like you have.”

  “Have I?” I cried. “Or am I just being stupid? Am I being selfish and only thinking of myself?”

  “Only you can answer that, Audrey,” he replied softly. “As for me, I don’t think you didn’t wait long enough. I’ve been alone a long time. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have the one you love ripped away from you. I pray it never happens to me. But, if it did, I don’t think there’s any shame in trying to find happiness again.”

  I cried harder, my heart hurting at the loss of a friend. What if everyone acted in this manner? What if Amy was the only one who thought it was fine? I didn’t know if I could take any more scenes like the one I’d just been a part of.

  Sy parked in my regular spot at the complex and helped me out of the car, holding onto me tightly as we ascended the stairs. He used my keys to open the door to my apartment and lead me inside, greeting Talley as she came up to us.

  “Go into the bathroom and wash your face off,” he instructed gently, pointing me in the right direction.

  I did as he said, my tears finally slowing. The door clicked shut behind me. The reflection in the mirror showed the marks of tragedy on my features. A mess of mascara and tear trails greeted me, my hair hanging in my face.

  Matthew’s words reverberated through my mind and I sucked in a breath. Someone who’d loved John now hated me. It felt worse than I’d imagined it would.

  I turned on the faucet and did as Sy instructed, knowing it would calm me down and help me relax some. After a few moments, all traces were gone except for the puffiness of my eyes. I opened the door and stepped into the hall, turning towards the living room.

  “Back here,” Sy called from my room.

  I turned and found him in the doorway, my pajamas in hand.

  “Here, put these on,” he said, handing them to me as I got closer.

  I sighed and went into the room, laying the shorts and t-shirt on the bed. There was a new wave of tears threatening to show themselves as I struggled with the buttons on my blouse. I’d only made it about halfway when I felt gentle hands on my shoulders, turning me around.

  Sy gently undid the rest of the buttons for me and slid the fabric off my shoulders. Once I’d slid my arms out, he took the shirt and folded it, laying it on top of my dresser. I kicked my shoes off, they landed under the bed, and slid my slacks off, handing them to Sy as well. For a moment he stopped, staring at me in my cami and boxer shorts before handing me the clothes he’d picked out before.

  “Just the shorts will do,” I said quietly. “I’ll wear this shirt to bed.”

  He handed me the bottoms and I slid them on, the tears slipping through again.

  “Oh, Audrey. I’m so sorry,” he soothed, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my forehead.

  He turned to the bed then, folding down the covers and gesturing for me to get in. I did as he asked, allowing him to cover me up like I was in grade school again. He walked around the side of the bed then and climbed in next to me, pulling our bodies close together, my back to his front under the covers.

  “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do,” he said, running his fingers through my hair. “You get to make your own decisions. That’s what’s so wonderful about life.”

  “Matthew hates me,” I cried softly.

  “He doesn’t hate you. He just doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know why you choose to do the things you do.”

  “I’ve never seen him like that before.”

  “He’s hurting because he misses his friend. Give him time, he’ll come around.”

  “I’m sorry I brought that onto you,” I apologized, rolling over to look at him.

  “That’s not your fault either,” he said, smiling.

  “I’m so—”

  “Stop apologizing for things that aren’t your fault, Audrey,” he said sternly. “Matthew was in the wrong tonight, not you.”

  “Will you stay here tonight?” I asked, exhaustion finally taking over.

  “I’d planned on it,” he confessed. “You rest and I’ll be here in the morning.”

  “Okay,” I said, yawning.

  We laid that way in silence for a few moments before I spoke again.

  “Sy, would you be mad if I started wearing my ring again?”

  “Not if it was because you wanted to,” he said after thinking about it. “I don’t think you do though. I think you’re afraid of more people reacting the way Matthew did tonight.”

  “So,” I said defensively. “What’s wrong with me not wanting to hurt people?”

  “Honestly, Audrey,” he sighed. “It’s me being with you that’s hurt Matthew, not the ring. If you’re going to use that logic, then you’re going to have to get rid of me. Is that what you want?”

  “Of course not!”

  “Okay then. If you want to wear your ring for you and no one else, then I won’t be mad if you put it back on.”

  “What if I want to wear it so my friends will be happy?”

  “Then it’s for your friends and not for you. Didn’t I just say that?”

  I sighed and rolled back over, snuggling up against him.

  “I haven’t had anyone in bed with me since John,” I said softly, changing the subject.

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  “No,” I said, looking at the picture on my nightstand. “It’s nice to not feel alone.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Good morning, beautiful.”

  I snuggled further into Sy’s arms before opening my eyes, relishing in the warmth that I was feeling.

  “Good morning to you, too,” I smiled.

  He kissed my lips easily, slipping his tongue in for a second.

  “I could get used to this view every morning.”

  “Sure you could,” I teased. “Messy hair, morning breath, runny makeup. That’s every man’s dream.”

  “Why shouldn’t it be?” he laughed. “Is there something wrong with wanting to spend every moment with someone?”

  “No,” I said, smiling softly.

  I stared at him for a few minutes, taking everything in. He was still wearing his now wrinkled jeans and shirt from the night before and his hair stuck up in every direction like he’d been electrocuted.

  “What are you thinking?” He reached up and brushed my hair back, intertwining it with his fingers.

  “Not much,” I laughed. “Why?”

  “Just wondering,” he said nonchalantly. “Do you have plans for today?”

  “Actually, no,” I said. “Isn’t that a surprise?”

  “Good.”

  He tugged me even closer and pressed our lips together, his hand sliding from my hair to my back.

  “I think we should get out of bed,” I suggested, pushing away and smiling at him.

  “Why?”

  “Because we’re easily carried away,” I laughed, sitting up and placing my feet on the cool floor.

  “Do you want to go for a run this morning?”

  I looked over my shoulder, watching as he sat up and ran his hands through his hair.

  “Honestly? Not real
ly,” I sighed. “I still feel kinda blah, you know?”

  “Don’t let him bother you any more, Audrey. I mean it.”

  “I know,” I said quietly.

  “He’ll get what he deserves,” Sy mumbled, scooting to the edge of the bed and standing up.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Huh?” He turned to look at me, an innocent puzzlement plastered on his face.

  “He’ll get what he deserves?” I stood as well and walked to my dresser to rifle through its contents, looking for something to wear the rest of the day.

  “Uh . . . karma, I guess.”

  He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

  “Do we have to leave the room and get ready for the day?” he whined.

  “Yes,” I snickered, leaning my head against his and setting my hands on top of his.

  “Then I’m going to get my good morning kiss,” he growled, picking me up and tossing me back on the bed.

  “Hey!” I laughed, as he climbed on top of me, pinning my arms down and sitting on my hips.

  “I have a rule,” he informed me quietly, his voice dripping with seduction. “If I wake up next to you, you have to be thoroughly kissed before we part ways.”

  My breath caught in my chest as his face came closer to mine. Every cell in my body went on high alert, ready to experience anything he had to offer.

  His eyes burned brightly as he brushed his lips over mine, holding off the kiss for longer than I wanted. Goose bumps rolled over my skin and I shuttered in anticipation, arching my back in an effort to be closer to him.

  “I don’t think so,” he teased, tightening his hold on my wrists and stretching my arms out further so I’d have to lay down flat.

  He leaned in again, our lips colliding roughly. The fire I felt every time he kissed me leapt to life, bringing out the side of me I normally didn’t let loose. Before I knew what was happening, my hands were free from his, fisted in the front of his shirt.

  His mouth broke away from mine as his hands pushed my cami up off of my stomach and slid it over my head, tossing the shirt onto the floor. I purred with contentment as lips caressed my shoulder, moving down my arm and then jumping onto my bare abdomen.