Olympus Drive Book 5: Situation Normal

Chapter 36

Jasmine

"Mum!" Thyra and Edis skip into the green house, faces tight with concern. Their little matching black dresses are rumpled already from play. I do tell them they don't have to let their father pick out their clothes but of course they love it.

"What is it? I thought you girls were helping your grandma today?" I say, frowning. I wanted to be alone, horrible as that sounds. Zag was up all night with the hounds so I felt compelled to watch lest he slaughter them (again). I know that Hector can reanimate them, but still.

"That's tomorrow," Thyra sighs.

"Yes, it's not today. This morning is Than's day off and he said he'd practice fencing with us but it's been two hours and he didn't come," Edis says, sadly.

"I---I'm sorry. I'm sure he's doing something for your father," I say.

"He's not, daddy said."

"He was—" I don't know how to say it's my fault. It's my fault he's angry at us. Everything is my fault.

"Do you think he's mad at us?"

"Because last week we said we hated him having his own apartment."

"And that since he was working for dad we'd make dad have him move back in."

"We were only joking because we miss him!"

"But do you think he's upset?"

"I'm sure he's just busy—maybe he went to see Ari and forgot," I say, as smoothly as I can.

"We don't want him to be mad."

"We miss him is all."

"We don't even care about fencing we just don't want him mad at us."

"I'm sure he's not, but I'll ask him. Look, he probably just forgot, that's all. Go ahead and fence with each other," I say, putting my hands on their shoulders, "All right? You can email him later if he hasn't turned up and tell him you miss him and hope you didn't upset him."

"Oh good idea!"

"Yeah we'll write him; that way he has to read it!"

"Thanks, mum!"

The girls run off. I sigh. First I side with Zag when he's being a monster, then the girls call him their dad's employee? And not their brother? I realize they were just being silly and wanting him to spend time with him, but I know he gets hurt. We've all been rotten to him haven't we? Hell, knowing Dare they probably called him a peasant (again) and he decided to write us all off for good. We don't deserve him to talk to us after how we all act.

Of course he hasn't texted me.

I call him, again. This time though, I leave a voicemail.

"Hey, it's---" your mother? Would that upset him? "I'm really sorry. I just---you have every reason to quit speaking to us and I know we're all jerks to you, especially lately but---I do love you okay? I just want to be sure you're okay, please let me know you get this? I love you and I'm gonna do better, I promise. I've been a terrible mom to you and I don't want to be that okay? I'm really, really sorry just---please at least text me and let me know you're all right? I love you."

I hang up. Nothing. Hector hasn't said he didn't turn up for work. He would—wouldn't he?

"Did Than report for work yesterday?" I ask, walking into my husband's office.

"No, he's off, yesterday and today—why?"

"But he always works Thursdays," I say, frowning.

"That's because he's always picking up overtime. He'd said he was going to but I assume he changed his mind. Why? Is he bothering you?"

"He's my son--- he's not bothering me," I say, "Why would you say that?"

"Loafing around the house I mean, it's an expression," he says, looking up, frowning, "Has he been bothering you being lazy about the house?"

"No, of course not! I like having him around."

"Then why are you asking?"

"Because he hasn't been around," I sigh, near tears, "And I miss him and I barely know his schedule these days and I rowed with him last time we spoke and he's gentle and I feel like I've upset him and the girls thought that they'd upset him and now he's not taking my calls."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize where you were coming from," Hector puts down what he's doing to come around his desk.

"Have you heard from him?" I ask, not moving forward for a hug like I think he thought I would.

"Yes, of course. He finished his shift like usual day before last, these are his days off. He's probably with his problem boyfriend."

"Probably," I relax a little.

"I'll have him call you."

"No don't do that. It's fine—it's fine," I say, turning to go, "I'll talk to him later." I don't deserve to talk to him.

I walk down the hall, and I find myself calling Dare. Come on, pick up.

"Yes, mommy dearest?"

"Dare, what was the last thing you said to Than?"

"That he was a peasant and needed to cut the cord and possibly grow a pair."

"What??"

"..."

"Dare why would you say something like that to your brother?" I stutter, angrily. Seriously? We were ALL cruel to him?

"I was only giving him shit; it's good for him."

"No! It is never good to be cruel to someone," I choke back a sob, "Why would you say that to him?"

"It was the other week. I asked him if he wanted to come for a drink and he said he wasn't allowed to drink on work nights and I said the aforementioned statement. He laughed and retorted something clever. He wasn't hurt, why? Is he whining to you that I was mean to him? Little snitch."

"No! He's quit talking to all of us because all of us were rotten to him," I groan.

"Oh. I doubt he'll be angry for long."

"Call him. Right now. And apologize, we are all apologizing for the way we acted."

"He won't answer he doesn't answer his phone he texts because he's not a hundred and five or however old you and father are---"

"Darius Rhea-Lopez."

"Fuck. Fine. I'll call him, but I'm telling you he knows I was giving him shit because he's my baby brother."

"Which is why you shouldn't say those things to him!" I hang up.

Next I call Ari. If he's there fine. Fine. I just need to know he's okay and needing to cool down. He deserves it after how we've all been.

"Hello?" Ari asks, cautiously.

"Is Than with you?" I ask, quickly.

"No, why?"

"Doesn't he usually visit you on his weekends?" I ask, wincing. I and my husband aren't Ari's favorite people.

"He used to."

"Used to? Did you break up?"

"I suppose yes, he and I ah—had a bit of a falling out. I got upset at work," Ari admits, "I thought he was Gale, coming to collect a soul and—ah---threw a brick at his head."

"You're kidding me," we literally all abused him this last week?

"Unfortunately not. No, I'm not exactly popular with him, understandably. Sorry."

"Okay," I hang up, well aware he doesn't want to talk to me. Ari too? Seriously? Does this happen often? That we're all cruel to him at once? I can't believe us. We all let him down. I just hope he'll let us make it up to him.