Flowers For Apollo

Epilogue and Prologue

Summary:

Lester's (younger? twin?) sister finds his diary.

Apollo makes a promise to Meg.

————————————————————————

As far as Lester Papadopoulos was concerned, he was seventeen years old and lived at home with his elderly mother just outside of Tampa. He had a(n older? younger? twin?) sister who visited regularly and a baby sister(?) in California who called him her dummy and would help out with his mother's garden when she visited and he was teaching piano to. He also had a myriad of cousins who went to a camp up north he wrote constantly. They weren't allowed smartphones at the camp -- something about reception -- but they had a landline he called regularly and an ancient computer he would send emails to.

He liked music and poetry and was thinking about going to medical school. Maybe. He did pretty decently at school even if he could lose track of time easily. His mother always told him he could do whatever he'd like and she'd do everything in her power to see him pursue it. He had the best mom.

The truth was Lester Papadopoulos wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life stretched out in front of him. Something was missing he couldn't quite reach without becoming distracted, some great yawning thing tugging insistently at his mind that disappeared the second he walked through a door.

Sometimes, because Lester Papadopoulos was still, in fact, a teenager, he thought that void could be filled by one of the many pretty boys or girls at his school.  But how could he even ask anyone out with his hair always frizzing and a new pimple every day and the bit of flab around his waist that wouldn't go away?

(He thinks, sometimes, he used to be in much better shape and his hair was actually tameable and his jaw stronger, but the smile is the same. Puberty, he guesses, when this unsettled feeling washes over him.)

What Lester Papadopoulos did know was his sister could be downright annoying when she visited them.

"Artemis, give it back!"

His sister stood on his bed, holding a book with a cover of rainbow unicorns above him. She jumped in time to keep it out of his reach, laughing brightly.

"A love poem? At your age?"

He loved it when Artemis visited. She came by almost weekly and would sometimes bring one of her many (pretty) friends along. Like Bri! Even if Bri liked to prank him something fierce. But he hated it whenever Artemis found his diary. At least Meg had the decency not to rifle through his things. Usually.

Well, Meg normally just made a face at the contents and tossed it over her shoulder calling him lame, but it was better than outright laughter. Maybe he shouldn't have just left it out on his desk. Their mother never snooped so he never needed to hide anything.

"A flower floating on the wine red sea?!"

He gave up trying to reach for the diary and grabbed her by the legs. Artemis let out a sound she would forever deny was in the vicinity of a squawk as he lifted her up.

"Put me down!"

"Give me back my diary!"

"I said put me down!" She beat his shoulder with the book. Artemis was kind of heavy, but Lester learned long ago to never actually tell a girl that. He turned, focused entirely on walking out of his bedroom, down the hall, and through the living room with his screaming sister. Artemis knew what was going to come as he crossed the living room to the sliding glass door.

"Apollo, don't you dare!"

"Just try and stop me!"

He shifted his hold and Artemis toppled over his shoulder. Her fists on his back would likely leave bruises.