Come Back to Me[Sequel to YME and Crossing Paths]

Chapter Forty-Four: Innocence is a Blessing

Chapter Forty-Four: Innocence is a Blessing

Percy

The next morning, I sat in bed, contemplating life. I really did it too much. Maybe it's an ADHD thing. I thought about how in less than three months, I would marry Annabeth. I was ecstatic that it was finally happening. Only, last night had scared me. I knew what happened hadn't been her fault, but I couldn't help but be a little angry. The rule she'd set for me and continued to follow herself(of no drinking when kids that need to be taken care of are around), she'd broken. I found it slightly hypocritical, considering how angry she'd been at me not too long ago. So instead of waking her up softly like I normally did, I got out of bed and went to the bathroom to get dressed.

Most days, I couldn't help but marvel at how far I'd come. Not just because of nepotism(there was certainly some of that when my father decided he wanted to hire me straight out of college), but because of my own work. I knew that all the children of the 'Olympians' experienced this. It did seem a little cruel, however, that a lot of them had walked out on our lives until we were useful in the business world. It made absolutely no sense.

I threw on a blue button-up and some business pants before going back into the bedroom, where I found Annabeth laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Morning," I greeted her, combing my hands through my hair.

"Morning," she replied tiredly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Divine." Annabeth swung her feet off the bed and trudged to the window.

"You don't sound very divine." I raised my eyebrow.

"I am pretty hungover," she admitted bitterly. "I have a meeting with my mom this afternoon. Won't that be fucking lovely?"

"I thought you had a meeting yesterday?"

"We did. She's retiring."

I choked. "She is? She loves her job!"

"My mom is getting old, Perce. She needs a break. Besides, she's been working as Cheif Executive Officer for around forty years now."

"Right," I nodded. "She's putting you in charge?"

Annabeth nodded sluggishly. "She said that it won't be too hard to make the New York branch the main branch again, so we won't have to move."

"Nice." I nodded, unsure of what to say for the first time in a while.

"You alright? You're acting strange." Concern laced through her words.

"Yeah...I'm fine." I bit my lip and nodded.

Annabeth looked doubtful, but she let it go."Okay," After a few moments, she spoke again. "Are you mad? About last night, I mean."

I sighed. "A little, yeah."

"I can't help what happened, Percy." she defended herself.

"You could have paid attention to how much was in the glass."

"Like how you paid attention to the full glass of whiskey on the counter?" her eyes narrowed.

I looked away. "And after that, we agreed not to drink in front of them. You deliberately went against your own rule."

"One glass is different. And clearly, the waiter was being stealthy or some shit, because even Hazel didn't notice!" Annabeth spun away from the window to face me. "Neither of the kids was hurt. Nor did they care. Both of them," she swallowed, looking like she was holding back tears, "are much less naive than they used to be. Two years ago, Annie couldn't tell the difference between whiskey and apple juice."