Olympus Drive Book 1: Everything is Fine

Chapter 2

Della

The day passes slowly. I try to focus on my lessons and not the incessant pattering of rain outside. Basil stays on task and directs the boys well, remaining moderately cheerful for them. I help him with dinner. Then, once dinner is done and Luke and Hector have had their showers and have been put to bed, Basil and I slip back downstairs to the living room to watch the fire. It's drafty in the old house, so Basil will sit up watching a fire to warm up the kid's rooms.

"Why do you think they aren't back?" I ask.

"Something happened. Something held them up. Obviously," he says. He's sitting on a cushion near the fire, the glow playing on his dark hair and solemn face. 

"I want to do something."

"We can't leave. You know that," he sighs.

"I still—I can't stand to think of them out there," I say, sitting down next to him.

"I know—neither can I. But I'm the only one free to go and I can't leave you here with the little ones," he says.

"I'm fine," I am not fine.

"You threw up all morning yesterday. You should rest," he says, moving a cold hand on top of mine. "What you're doing is important."

"It feels weird to me," I say, quietly.

"Me too."

"You haven't said that," he acts like he's fine. Like he agrees with our dad. When I—don't know if I do anymore.

"That's because I have to be strong for you," he says, shrugging.

"I know it's important. And there need to be more of us. But I still—now that it's happening I don't want it. I don't even like it when Hector wakes me up in the morning---how am I going to feel when a baby does it all the time?"

"We can take turns. Every other night, or something. We'll move the crib to my room and you can sleep," he offers, trying to smile at me, "We'll work it out. I promise."

"Okay," I know it makes him feel better to solve everything but I don't think he can.

"You can go to bed. I'm fine," he says, giving in and leaning against me a little.

"I'll stay," he needs to sleep and I know he won't. He'll sit here all night watching the fire. "I checked Luke's insulin. He's only got a few days worth."

"Damn," Basil sighs, "We're gonna have to go into town."

"Yeah, do you know where dad got it?"

"He told me. He told me everything. He was always paranoid that something was gonna happen to him. I guess it did."

"Do you think Helen and Raven---just wouldn't come back?"

"Raven would come back, she'd miss Luke," he says, shaking his head.

"What did Helen say to you before she left?" I ask. She was really mad at me. Like really mad.

"Many things---I was mostly trying to calm her down. She was mad she couldn't get pregnant---at first I thought it was just before you. Then I think it was instead of you," he sighs. Helen has had a crush on him since we were tiny. That was largely harmless and to an extent I think he reciprocated her feelings.

"Are you mad I told her?" I was hoping to tell her that I was pregnant, in conjunction with how much I don't really want to be and that Basil and I don't like each other at all romantically this is just something we have to do. I got through the 'I'm pregnant' part before she started crying.

"No, she needed to know, and I told her it didn't mean anything. And that she and I would have a kid someday and that it was fine. And she kissed me and told me she loved me," he says, staring into the fire, "And I didn't say it back."

"Was she upset?" does he not love her?

"I was going to. Dad interrupted us and told her to go get ready. I just---I don't know if I would have meant it," he says.

"You don't have to like her," I say.

"I do though---I love her, and I love you too of course you're my sister---I just don't know if I like her like that," he sighs, "I don't know. And I thought I'd see her that night and now it's been four days. And we're gonna have to go into town."

"Yeah," I don't want to leave, "Why all of us?"

"One, strength in numbers, two I'm the only one fit to go myself and I can't leave you three alone. Hector doesn't listen to Luke and you don't need to be chasing after both of them," he says.

"Hector doesn't listen to anybody but you."

"And occasionally not even me."

"He's little to be taking out," I say.

"He'll be fine. It's not like he walks on his own two feet anyway," he makes Basil carry him places. A lot.

"Day after tomorrow then?" I ask.

"Yeah or tomorrow, we need the insulin, and we need to make a list of whatever else we need. And give the boys a talk about listening to us," he says, tiredly.

"They'll be scared."

"Yeah hopefully that works in our favor."