A Forgotten Maiden

Chapter 16

The next few days at the Jackson household passed by in a blur of normalcy—at least as normal as things could get, considering everything that had happened. Eve was slowly adjusting to her new life there, her nerves easing little by little. She had a room of her own now, which was a huge improvement from what she had back at her mom's place. There were no screaming fights, no sudden, terrifying outbursts. Just quiet. And stability.

Percy and Calypso were careful not to push her too hard. They gave her space when she needed it, but they were also there when she wanted company. Eve found herself gravitating more towards Sally. The way she cooked, how she kept the house so warm and inviting, was unlike anything Eve had ever known. It was something simple, something she'd never experienced before. A home.

There were a few tense moments, of course. Every now and then, she'd catch a news broadcast or a radio snippet talking about her—Eve, the runaway. Her mom had reported her missing, of course, playing the role of the concerned parent. The news channels had painted Eve as some troubled teen who might've fallen in with the wrong crowd, though none of the stations ever really questioned why she'd run in the first place. But as time went on, the news coverage became less frequent, and Eve tried to put it out of her mind.

It wasn't like anyone at school was talking about it. Percy and Calypso were protective, and no one dared bring up Eve's situation in front of them. If they did, she had no doubt Percy would shut it down in a heartbeat.

Two weeks later, things were finally starting to feel... normal. Or at least, as close to normal as Eve had ever experienced.

They were all gathered around the dinner table—Percy, Calypso, Eve, and Sally. The smell of grilled chicken and roasted broccoli filled the air, and Eve dug in without hesitation. She was ravenous, as always, her appetite never quite satisfied, but Sally never seemed to mind. In fact, she always made sure there was enough for Eve to take second or even third helpings.

"This is amazing," Eve mumbled between bites, her voice muffled by food. "I didn't know food could taste like this."

Sally smiled warmly. "I'm glad you're enjoying it, Eve. I'll make extra next time. I know how much you love it."

Eve nodded vigorously, practically inhaling another bite of chicken. It was still a strange sensation—being cared for like this. She wasn't used to it, and sometimes she felt a pang of guilt, but she'd stopped resisting it. She needed it. She needed this.

As they ate, the conversation turned to school, as it often did. Sally asked how classes were going, and Calypso was quick to mention something about their Greek class—her favorite, obviously. Percy mostly kept quiet, though he'd occasionally mutter something sarcastic about high school being more of a battlefield than Camp Half-Blood. Eve snorted into her broccoli at that one.

Then, inevitably, the topic shifted to homecoming.

"So," Sally said, setting her fork down and looking between Percy, Calypso, and Eve, "homecoming's coming up, isn't it?"

Percy groaned. "Do we have to talk about that? It's just a school dance."

Calypso elbowed him playfully. "It's not just a dance, Percy. It's kind of a big deal, at least for some people."

"How are you feeling about the whole homecoming thing?" Percy asked, leaning back in his chair, genuinely curious.

Calypso smiled softly, twirling a strand of her hair. "Honestly? I'm kind of excited. I've never been to anything like it before, so I guess it feels... special."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Special, huh? Guess that means we're going together, then?"

Calypso rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile that tugged at her lips. "Is that you asking me?"

Percy returned the smile and nodded, to which she reciprocated with a larger smile.

Sally's eyes drifted toward Eve, who had been unusually quiet during the conversation. "What about you, Eve? Do you have anyone you want to go with?"

Eve blinked, clearly not expecting the question. She stared down at her plate, her fork paused mid-air. "I... I don't know," she said quietly. "I'll probably go alone. If I go at all."

"Alone?" Calypso asked, tilting her head. "You don't want to ask anyone?"

Eve shook her head, her face flushing a little. "No. I mean, I wouldn't even know how to... I've never really... No, I'm good. I'll go by myself if I go."

Before anyone could try to convince her otherwise, there was a loud, sudden pounding on the front door. The noise echoed through the house, making everyone freeze.

Percy sat up straighter, his eyes darting toward the door, immediately on edge. "What the hell?"

"I'll go check it out," Calypso said, already standing and walking toward the door.

Percy didn't sit back down. Instead, he stood off to the side, just out of sight but ready, his body tense. Eve sat frozen at the table, her fork still in her hand, but her eyes were wide with fear. She didn't say anything, but Percy noticed the way her whole body seemed to shrink in on itself.

Calypso unlocked the door and pulled it open. She gasped audibly, stepping back in shock.

Standing there, with a wild look in her eyes and her clothes disheveled, was Eve's mother.

Percy's blood ran cold.

Eve's fork clattered to the table as she stared at the open doorway, her face pale and her hands trembling.

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife, and no one moved, no one spoke. The only sound was the harsh, ragged breathing of Eve's mother as she stood in the doorway, glaring at them all with a look that sent chills down Percy's spine.

Calypso's voice came out as a whisper, almost like she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Eve..." she called softly, without turning her head, "your mom is here."

That's where it all stopped.