The Parenthood Drabbles

Old Bird

Old Bird

In the style of Grandmother Zhang and Mars

Her tired eyes fluttered open, but even before that she'd sensed that someone was sitting next to her. She was old and dying but she'd raised enough children to know when someone was near, and lost enough of them to know when trouble was around. She recognised the exact brand of trouble with only a glimpse of his face.

"Hey Old Bird," he said. "Remember me?"

"Of course I do," Mei snapped. "My daughter never loved a man more. But clearly you don't remember me since I don't like birds."

"Emily did, I know."

Mei relaxed. He was really who she thought he was if he knew that much about her daughter.

"I haven't forgotten all the little quirks you Zhangs come with. It's only a matter of speech," he continued.

"Remarkable, yes, yes, yes. But if you're looking for Emily, you can leave now." Mei said. "She's..."

"Dead. I know." The god said.

"Indeed. And your son..."

"Frank-"

"I'm assuming you mean Fai considering that's his name." Mei said. Sweet baby Jupiter, why could nobody get it right? It was on paper, Mei had to have the paperwork somewhere around here.

He likes Frank better, Emily warned me that you'd try to tell me otherwise." Mars said. "Anyways, he is on his way here."

"What?" He's supposed to be at Camp! Why in the name of Olympus and Hades did they let him out?!"

"He's leading a quest."

"Why in the name of all things good and sweet would they let him do that?!" Mei scowled. This was getting worst by the second. She shouldn't have woken up. This day was too much like a Monday morning.

"He's leading a quest I assigned him, and doing a really good job at it too." The god said defensively, like Emily would have stood up for Frank under Mei's nitpicking. "They're on their way to Alaska, but they need a place to crash for a while."

"As you probably have noticed, the house is surrounded. It's not an easy pick. I'm not going to see my grandson again, don't humour me. Why do you think they'd come here? "

"It's what Zhangs do. You manage to find and get yourselves home and stop by one last time before going off somewhere dangerous. Or at least Emily always did."

"Yes, well, what Emily did isn't necessarily the family motto. You'd make her poster child of Zhang discipline over my dead body which, granted, may not take that much time or effort right now, given the situation." Mei said.

"Emily was a fantastic woman. You were always hard on her, but even you must admit to that." The god said.

"She took a few... detours. Getting too involved with gods would be one, accepting to do you and your friends' dirty work for fun would be another, her disappointing grades, her sassy mouth, her total disinterest in university... But yes, she was a fantastic woman. I am thankful she didn't always listen."

The old woman was really quiet for a while. The god was right there. The god that had fallen in love with her daughter, fathered Mei's only grandchild. Right there, at the foot of her bed out of all things.

"You know, she never really told me who you were."

The god's face was split with a grin.

"And you didn't ever have an idea? You'll be disappointed with yourself, Old Bird."

"I'm dying. Humour me. Who are you?"

His smile was crooked. "Mars Ultor," he answered. "God of war."

The old woman groaned. "Emily Zhang..."

He laughed. His laughter was full and contagious. "You should blame yourself for not guessing earlier, Old Bird. It was rather obvious."

"I was using Fai's genetic baggage to guess. You missed a few spots." Mei grumbled.

It was quiet for a while longer.

"What I said earlier was true. She never loved another man like she loved you. Even I know it. Something about you blew her away, satisfied her and snuffed out any further emotions you'd have after meeting a boy at twenty-five. But just at first glance there is no way in hell I could pinpoint what about you did it."

"Ma'am, I don't think I've loved a woman like I've loved your daughter for the last millennia. She was something special. Something higher than the gods blessed me with her, and her son being mine."

"Don't humour me."

"I'm not," Mars said.

"Then why did you leave her? Why did you break her heart, and broke it so well she couldn't fix it?" Mei asked.

"That's between her and me, don't you think?"

"She's dead. I'm not. Talk to me, Mars Ultor."

The god grinned, as if Mei was amusing.

"She was scared for her baby. She thought the stars were already turned against him enough without a god's presence and scent interfering bringing attention to the family. It hurt me not to be able to interfere in any way, and Emily was too preoccupied and anxious around me. We just lost it."

"That kind of tragedy, eh?"

"I wouldn't call it a tragedy."

"Well I would. As angry as I should be with you for sweeping my daughter off her feet and to the stars, I need to thank you. As mad as I am with your realm for killing my daughter, I have to thank you for that too. And as mad as I am with you that my grandson grew up without a father, I have to thank you for being here for him right now, in this room. I am also mad at you because I have to thank you so many times."

"What for?" Mars asked a little surprised. Perhaps he was used to getting slapped or chased out of the village with pitchforks. Perhaps Mei would have done that too if she weren't dying and suddenly realising how short life was and how much that short time meant after all. They said that you were wise in old age, but really you were only wise on your deathbed when suddenly you weren't worrying about anything anymore.

"You swept my daughter off her feet and to the stars, you gave her a job that made her feel necessary and good and you gave me a grandson and made him who he is somewhere under all his bulky, oxen foolishness. Thank you."

Mars looked shell shocked for a moment.

"Is this a first?" Mei asked.

This wasn't the tough-as-nails, feisty, demanding, old hag horror stories Emily had entertained him with, obviously.

"Thank you for your daughter, Mrs. Zhang." Mars stuttered after a while. "And thank you for raising my son."

"Did I have a choice?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Mars said. "Go back to sleep and I'll make sure the house stays intact until Frank gets here."

"With pleasure," Mei Zhang said closing her eyes for the second to last time before they shut for good.