Of Waves and War

7: perhaps one day he will come home

Penelope

I am content in my weaving, barely noticing night as it falls. Telemachus came home early from school saying his teachers let him go as he's far ahead of the others. He is ahead, but his face was stained with tears. He does get bullied so. I didn't press him and we barely spoke over dinner. Now I'm back pretending the world doesn't exist. It's a bad fault of mine, but when the world is cruel I'd sooner live in memories. And right now I would pay any price to be back in that olive tree in my father's garden. Eating stolen chocolates and watching the stars come out.

"Look, there's the scorpion, the one that chases Orion across the sky," Eulises said, lounging in the branches, staring up at the heavens.

"I don't see it," I said, tossing him another chocolate. He caught it, grinning wickedly.

"It's just there, see that line below this branch here—oh it's rotten to describe. I've a book. I'm afraid I usually have little patience for staring at things, but when I was small my father had a book he'd read from and tell me the stories of the stars, and point them out to me," he said, tipping his godly head back, shaking it a bit as though to get a fly from his face.

"Sounds nice," I said, as I'd never had such a book.

"Do you think they will restock these?" he asked, studying his treat.

"I'm going to hope so, but I may not be of the humor to go in," I said, "I don't like parties."

"Why?"

"I mean, I suppose they're fine but everyone will be fawning over Helen like they do, they're disgusting, men, present company not excepted."

"Offense taken," he laughed, not offended at all.

"Well aren't you interested in men?" I mean he was wearing a purple coat and slinking about being pretty.

He laughed then, lightly, like the world could never amuse him but I did, "I am interested in people who interest me. Nothing more nothing less, usually that is nobody. Because very few can hold my attention for long."

"Oh, so I should be honored?" I asked.

"Yes, definitely," he said, grinning broadly, though, "Come on though. You must get some pleasure out of parties even if your sister is the more popular one."

"Didn't you see her?"

"Hmm? No," he said.

"Liar."

"Yes?"

"You saw her; everyone sees her she's beautiful," I said, smothering a laugh.

"So are you," he said, frowning.

"I am not," I said. I knew what I looked like. I was short and thick compared to my sisters. I had plain dark blonde hair that I usually just braided. I was fine looking but nothing like special. My mother said I'd get a nice enough husband. That was all. I didn't much care about it either because I didn't care to just marry anyway and I didn't like talking with people. "People don't look at me."

"I refuse to believe that," he said.

"It's true, nobody in that room probably even realizes I'm related to Helen let alone a member of the family, they won't notice I'm gone, I guarantee it," I said.

"Fine, I bet you they would recognize you," he said.

"Bet me what?" I asked, frowning.

"A box of chocolates, I bet you, a box of chocolates, that if we go back in there sporting stupid accents that do not match, claiming to be entrepreneurs seeking investors for something I've not thought of but will presently, they'll notice you in ten minutes," he said, sitting up, a sly grin on his face.