The sensation of Star's hooves making contact with the ground roused me.
My mouth felt dry and faintly tasted like horse hair. My arms stung with the pins and needles sensation after hanging at my side for so long. I pushed myself upright and rubbed the lingering sleep from my eyes.
I blinked hard and rubbed my eyes again.
Surely, Star couldn't be serious.
I dismounted and numbly reached for the sugar cubes I'd stashed in my pocket. She happily munched on them, profusely giving her thanks for the sweet treat.
I'll be nearby if you need me! she said, trotting off to do who knows what.
My breath caught in my throat as I gave the colonial home a once-over.
Everything seemed to be in order. The rose bushes in the front garden were in full bloom, bursting with a mixture of red and pink roses. The windowsill planters had their fair share of flora, too – marigolds, daisies, and cosmos.
Soft yellow lights illuminated the interior and exterior of the house. I caught a glimpse of May Castellan moving about her home.
I hadn't planned on returning for a long time. After two consecutive trips to Tartarus, cleaving and releasing Luke's soul from Nico's, and nearly dying at Camp Half-Blood, neither my head nor my heart was ready to discuss Luke's final moments with his mother.
But she deserved to know.
Against my better judgment, I trudged to the front door and rang the doorbell.
The door swung open a few seconds later.
"Mrs. Murphy, I already said that your order would be ready by tomo..." May's words died as she took a good look at me. She gasped and took a halted step backward. "Andy?"
"Can I come in?"
"Yes. Yes, of course." She opened the door wider and stepped aside. "Right this way."
This time, her home smelled of oranges, lemons, and vanilla. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days played on the TV in the living room. I swallowed hard at the new pictures she'd set up around the living room and on the walls – all of Luke, most of which I'd given her. The memorial she'd assembled over the fireplace made my chest ache something fierce. I found it easier to focus my gaze on the ground.
May gestured for me to follow her to the kitchen.
I'd caught her in the middle of baking based on the state of things. She had flour, butter, eggs, sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, and lemons scattered about the kitchen island. A dirty double boiler rested on the stovetop. A bowl of custard sat near the fridge, waiting to be used.
On the other countertop, I saw three cake boxes, seven muffin trays, and twelve cookie boxes, each sealed with a sticker containing May's bakery logo.
"Impressive," I said, waving toward her baked goods. "That's a lot to get done in one day."
"Don't I know it," May chuckled, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "Is there anything I can get you to drink? I've got water, tea, coffee, lemonade, or something stronger if you'd like."
"Water's just fine, thanks."
May handed me the filled glass. I took a few sips, quenching my parched throat, and set it aside.
"How's business?" I asked, trying to break the ice.
"Booming," she said, willing to play along for now. "At the rate I'm going, I'll have to start looking for an actual storefront. Not to mention searching for qualified employees and the headache that comes along with running a small business."
YOU ARE READING
Changing the Future
Fanfiction"Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood..." With one sentence, her life would be changed forever. Andy Collins could never have expected how her love of reading turned into something right out of her favorite series, plunging her into a world where...
