Greek Times for a Future Girl

My Dilemma

I didn't even have a second thought the moment my mom stepped through the portal. The moment I saw her, I gave her the biggest hug I could ever give anyone. I couldn't believe that it had been almost a whole year since I last saw her. I missed her so much. Our sweet moment ended when Mom broke off the hug, wiped away my tears, and got a better look at me to see if I was injured or not. When she saw that I looked fine -thankfully not seeing the giant bite mark I had on my leg after Hecate's attempted Underworld takeover, she gave me a warm smile before going into Angry Mom mode.

"You had me worried sick, young lady!" she scolded me. "Room empty, no phone call, not coming home after going to the museum? You could've been kidnapped! You could've been killed!"

I gave a nervous explanation to leaving like I did. "I'm sorry, Mom. I wasn't really given enough time to explain."

"Well, you best hope I give you time to explain before I ground you for a month, Ariadne Michelle Plousios." Mom threatened.

My eyes widened and my mouth slammed shut in fear at that threat. If you thought that I thought Hades was scary when I first met him, you've obviously overlooked the wrath of an angry single mother you've known your whole life. Because that, dear readers, is a truly frightening thing. Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned.

"Michelle?" Hercules repeated that name.

I felt my cheeks turn red in embarrassment that my friends now knew my full name. "My middle name."

Mom looked up at Hercules after he spoke and stared in shock. "Good Lord, is that-?"

"Yeah, it's him, Mom." I quickly answered before she started acting like -well- like someone who never traveled to another dimension before.

"I don't believe it." Mom said. "I thought it was weird the first time I came here, but this is something I have to get used to."

"Wait, you've been here before?" I asked in disbelief. Mom came to this world before? And she never told me?

"Accidentally. It was before you were born." she told me. "Before your father..."

"Oh." I said in understanding.

"Um... Ms. Aria's Mom?" Icarus nervously asked up.

"Call me Sirena." Mom introduced herself to him and the others.

Icarus nodded. "Right. Ms. Sirena, how did you know Aria was here?"

"Well, that's an excellent question..." Mom stopped because she had no idea who Icarus was and looked at me to give her his name.

"Icarus." I helped her out.

"Icarus." Mom said as she noticed Pain and Panic standing next to Cassandra. "And I'm afraid it involves their boss."

She looked over at the three teenagers. "You kids better head home. This is a mother-daughter matter now."

"Yes, ma'am." Hercules gave her a nod before pointing out something important. "But the vortex-"

"It's called a portal, boy." Clotho corrected. "And we'll close it."

The Fates nodded to each other before they all closed the portal up as if they were sealing up an envelope. And just like that, the one way back to my old home was sealed up, but Mom was still with me this time.

"It'll open again in three days," Atropos told us before looking at my mom. "Unless something will reveal itself to her."

"I told him we'd tell her together." Mom told the Fates. What was she talking about? What did Hades have to do with this? And how did Mom know him personally?