Unexpectedly Expecting (Previously Known As Unexpected)

21 - Annabeth

I laid down on the couch in the big house, embarrassed to go back to my own cabin. In fact, I was embarrassed to go anywhere in camp. I survived the depths of hell and 2 great wars and I was irresponsible enough to get pregnant. What does that do to my image?

I've never been embarrassed about what people thought about me, and I never thought I ever would be. I was supposed to be a badass, and now here I am. 18 and about to be a mother of 2. If anything, I was embarrassed of myself.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Percy came and sat beside me with a huge, stupid grin on his face. "How you feeling?"

"I've been better," I admitted.

"Your cabin was looking for you. I didn't tell them where you were, though. I figured you wanted your privacy."

"Thanks." I lifted my face and placed a gentle kiss on his mouth. "You always know what makes me happy."

I laid my head on his shoulder and his arm came to wrap around me. He kissed the crown of my head and murmered, "I love you, Wise Girl."

I snuggled closer to him. "I love you too, Seaweed Brain."

--------

Later that night, at 6 o' clock, Rachel took Percy took me down to the Pavillion, blindfolds over our eyes. I was terrified of tripping and having something happen to the babies.

"Can you please tell us where we're going?" Percy asked. I could feel him close, on the other side of Rachel, who stood between us.

"Nope," she said. "I'm sworn to secrecy."

"That's reassuring," I mumbled.

"Oh, come on, you know what I mean."

Eventually, we stopped. I saw light around my blindfold and felt that I was no longer standing on grass but on solid concrete. We were at the Pavillion.

"Okay, you guys ready?" Rachel asked.

"We've been ready," Percy groaned. "Can we take these stupid blindfolds off now?"

"Yes."

I took mine off and saw some of our friends crowded into the Pavillion. Friends from the cabins, from camp Jupiter, everyone who was close to us. Piper, Hazel, Frank, Reyna, everyone. Food and wrapped gifts were everywhere you turned.

"Guys," I said, "what is this?"

"It's your baby shower, you goob," Piper said with a smile on her face.

"Guys-"

"Don't even think about telling us we didn't have to do this," said Frank. "You guys are about to be parents. You need all the help you can get."

Tears started welling up in my eyes. I put a hand over my mouth and tried to stop, but it was useless. Hormones suck.

"Hey, hey," Percy cooed, rubbing my back. "It's okay, don't cry."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys. I- I mean-" Another wave of tears washed over me. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Everybody got up from their seats and came to give us a group hug. I nearly broke down then and there, but I restrained myself.

Rachel was the first one to pull away. "Well? Are we here to cry or to have fun? Let's party!"

--------

There were all sorts of appetizers, and the best part was that they were all tiny, so it was "baby food," as Piper called it. There were mini crackers, baby carrots, pigs in a blanket ("They look like little swaddled babies!" Katie exclaimed.), and a lot of other things. And everybody had an ice cube in their drinks with a tiny plastic baby frozen inside. Everybody had to wait for their ice cube to melt and then get the baby out of their drinks. If your baby had a red heart on it's butt cheek, every other person had to pay you 5 bucks.