Dandelions

Athena Grant

Edited 27/10/2025

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"Would you look at that," Athena cooed, her voice warm with delight as she studied the picture she'd just received. "It seems someone is enjoying Venice."

She tilted her phone toward Bobby, who was at the stove flipping French toast with the practiced ease of someone who'd done it so many mornings it had become second nature.

"Look at your boy," she said, her tone teasing but affectionate.

On the screen, Buck reclined across a gondola, the picture of contentment. Sunlight poured over his face, soft and golden, giving his skin a gentle glow. His hair, which usually had a mind of its own, had decided to behave just long enough to look windswept instead of chaotic. The blue of his shirt matched the water so perfectly it looked deliberate. But knowing Buck, it probably wasn't.

Athena zoomed in a little, mostly for her own satisfaction. His smile wasn't forced, if anything he looked happy, content. It tugged at her heart.

Bobby leaned closer, squinting at the screen before flipping another slice of toast. "He looks like a travel magazine ad," he said, smiling. "'American Firefighter Discovers Peace in Venice.'"

Athena laughed, thumb brushing the edge of the phone before she let the screen go dark. "He looks good," she commented softly.

"He looks good... healthy," Bobby added, relieved.

"He deserves it," Athena replied, setting her phone down on the table. "He's been through so much, and he still manages to be one of the kindest people I've ever met."

"Buck's one of a kind," Bobby agreed, placing a plate of French toast in front of her. A proud smile curved his lips. "I'm just glad he's finally starting to see that for himself."

As Athena reached for her fork, her thoughts drifted back to everything Buck had endured. A mix of frustration and empathy bubbled in her chest. "Those parents made a mess out of him," she muttered, unable to keep the edge of anger from her tone.

"They're trying to be better," Bobby reminded her gently, knowing this was heading to one of her famous rants.

But Athena wasn't one to let things go easily. She turned toward him, eyes sharp. "Some things don't deserve forgiveness. Neither Buckaroo nor Maddie deserved what those DNA donors put them through. It's too little, too late, if you ask me."

"Maybe," Bobby sighed, familiar with his wife's sense of justice. "But it's not our call," he pointed out softly. "It's theirs, and they've chosen to give them another chance."

Athena exhaled through her nose, her anger giving way to reluctant acceptance. When Bobby leaned down to kiss her goodbye, she met him halfway. "The Buckley siblings are too kind," she murmured. "How Margaret and Phillip ended up with children like them is beyond me. Must've been divine intervention."

"Goodbye, Athena," Bobby said with amused fondness, shaking his head as he gathered his things. He adored his strong-willed wife and always will.

"Goodbye, Bobby," she replied with a playful smirk, watching him leave with that same glint of mischief that first captured his heart.

Her attention shifted when her phone began to ring, the familiar ringtone of her boy cutting through the silence of the house. "Good morning, baby. How's Italy? Shouldn't you be having dinner by now?"

For a moment, there was only silence on the other end. Then Buck's voice came through, tense and uneven. "'Thena, I'm at the airport."

"Airport? Why?" Athena's concern grew instantly. She leaned forward in her chair, her plate of French toast forgotten. "You still have a week of vacation left. Did something happen?"