Olympus Drive Book 2: Nothing to See Here

Chapter 31

Basil

Why did I leave my wine glass way over there on the cabinet? Maybe Stamos is right, I don't love myself enough. If I did I would have brought the wine over here by the bed where I could reach it while Helen snuggles and sleeps. She was sad today. I don't know why, other than everything. She thinks about her time in the Underworld, a lot. I know it's hard for her. And it scares her. She likes to wake up and see me there and know monsters aren't coming because I'm there. And I was gone last night because I'm a jerk. Well last night was self care. That's what our dad calls it anyway. He hardly said anything to me today; he's probably pissed too oh well.

"Daddy?" little Dara's voice from the other side of the door, trembling a bit. She probably had a nightmare. She never comes and asks though.

I stand up, smoothly as possible so as not to wake Helen, and am about to go to the door. Helens' hand seals around my arm, her nails digging into my skin through my velvet coat.

"Don't you dare," she says, opening bloodshot eyes, slowly.

"Daddy? I'm really scared," Dara whispers I can hear tears in her voice.

"I said, don't you dare," Helen says, still holding my arm.

"Don't make me choose between you and her. Because you're not going to like my choice. You don't have to like her you don't have to talk to her. But she is my daughter and it's not her fucking fault she's here it's mine and I know that, and I'm not going to abandon her not for you not for anyone, do you understand me? She is my daughter, it is my fault she exists she has no one but me and she's four fucking years old and she's scared and she wants her dad. You are thirty eight years old and yes life has been hell for you but I am doing what I can for you because I do love you. But. But that is still my daughter So don't make me fucking choose because my choice is her," I say, my voice dripping with anger I didn't know I had.

"You won't—" naturally the heat bubbles from her hand into my arm, but as it does I shock her, with more lightening than I'd necessarily intended, knocking her off the bed onto the floor. She twitches then goes still, completely unconscious. Good.

Little Dara is standing in the hall, in a fuzzy pink unicorn onesie, holding a teddy bear as tears bubble down her already red face.

"Darling, what is it?" I ask, kneeling down.

"I'm really scared Daddy. I saw a monster outside the window," she says, her voice shaking.

"Shh, it's okay, come here you know I won't let monsters hurt you? Neither will your icky Uncle Hector," I say, picking her up. She clings to my neck immediately. I doubt it was a monster. The night creatures don't come up here anymore.

"I know. I'm sorr.y I got scared."

"No, no, you never have to be sorry you were scared. I wasn't even asleep," I'm still fully dressed and annoyingly close to sober, "Come on. We're going over to Grandma's."

"I'm scared of going outside," she mumbles, clinging tightly to me, tiny on my shoulder, little fairy child. She is small for her age should I be taking her to doctors? Lisa took the twins to the doctor all the damn time but I thought that that was just because there was two of them.

"I'm not gonna let anything get you---hey, girls, wake up, we're going over to your grandmas. Get your backpacks."

"Why?" Elena asks, as she gets up. She was reading under the covers of course she was. I help her down from the top bunk of the bed. They have Della's old room. We're in Helen's, Isa is in Hector's, Thyme is in mine, and Dara is in Raven's. Helen does it differently I'm aware. I put them to bed tonight so that's how I did it.