The Story of Paul Cooper: Book Two

Aphrodite's Mistake

“So, wait a minute- why are my friends here again?” I asked, trying to clarify something, since nothing was really explained.

                Aphrodite sighed.

                “They’re here because I felt bad for you, etcetera, etcetera, and summoned them here, to Olympus, without the council of the Council, etcetera, etcetera, and now they will either be sentenced to an eternity with Hades or an eternity here,” Aphrodite sighed lazily. Let’s just say that this action ticked me off.

                “No, I know that, but why?”

                “Because I felt bad for you. All alone, without any love from people you care about.” Aphrodite yawned again, and I thought that with one more yawn, Athena and I would both love to personally kill her- even though that’s not really possible. But, I guess it is, since that’s how I disappeared.

                Recap: My own mother, Delia, killed me and Jack to protect us from starting a horrible war, but she used some special weapon that killed gods, since that’s what I am. Somehow, we were with Hades for thousands of years, but Hades sent us back in 1996 (the year I thought I was born in) and we were, uh, reincarnated. I guess.

                Moving on, I looked to Athena, her gray eyes flashing.

                “So that’s it? They have a year?”

                Athena nodded, and her face was grim. However, Aphrodite looked bored, and stood up.

                “Yes, they have one year, or else their sentence will be with Hades, my insufferable uncle. Aphrodite will be on trial with the rest of the Council, for her actions. But, for now, you and the others- that is, the other demigods living here on Olympus, not your friends- will be living as usual,” Athena explained. “That is all.”

                I got the queue to leave.

                I walked slowly back to my ‘room’, more like penthouse, and took my good ole time. Hey, I wasn’t in any hurry. I was a god, and time was different for me, if there was such a thing as time for a god. I was just about to turn the corner for my hall, when I heard voices, and they didn’t sound happy. I dove behind a pillar, and listened as the voices grew closer.

                “…No, you listen to me! She said she didn’t want to talk about…them yet, so let it go! She’s been like this since she talked to Achilles down in the Underworld. Believe me, the Underworld’s not the happiest place to go for therapy. I’ve been there,” said the first voice. I immediately recognized the voice for Hermes, Jack’s dad.

                “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ve been there before, too. And, I completely knew this was coming! Prophecy, you know. Besides, Paul’s got a lot on his mind, we shouldn’t force him- or Jack- to do anything yet, give them time.” I knew the other voice as my own father, Apollo.

                “I know, Apollo, I don’t want to force them into anything either. But Delia’s been dying to see them- she hasn’t spoken  to them since that day at the camp last year. I waited so long to see my own son here, on Olympus, but one thing I never wanted to see was his friends in danger! Can’t you do anything?” Hermes snapped, obviously annoyed.

                “I tried. I tried talking to Artie- sorry, Artemis- and she said that she couldn’t do anything to stop Aphrodite’s power unless Zeus overruled Aphrodite. You can try to help, too. We are gods, smarty-pants,” Apollo taunted, his voice sounding annoyed as well.

                There was a pause, and I heard the flutter of wings, and the patter of sandals on the marble floor. Then, Hermes continued.

                “It was hard enough losing Delia for ten years. I don’t want to lose Jack to Hades for eternity, even if I go to the Underworld constantly,” Hermes sighed. He sounded so much more serious now, than before.

                “You thought it was hard? She was in love with me first, Hermes, then you had to go all jealous-brother, and Aphrodite and her cursed arrows. If Poseidon and Zeus hadn’t made that rule that she couldn’t get married to any of the gods-”

                “And you think she would have married you anyway? That’s not the way Delia rolls, man,” Hermes said, mocking Apollo’s speech. Believe me, I’d mock him too. “At least I’ve accepted the fact that she wouldn’t marry me. Like you would be a good husband- faithfully, I mean. That’s not how you are, and me too. We need to keep our demigod children going- and plus, the way we are, it’s a flaw that we fall in love with mortals.”

                “I agree, man. Look at Jack and Paul- Zeus was furious when he found out that we had god-children. Oh, Daddy-dearest,” Apollo sighed. I tried to prevent myself from laughing.

                There was a chime-like noise from somewhere down the hall, and Hermes groaned.

                “Need to go. Demeter wants me to send some flowers to Persephone. What’s the big deal with flowers, I’ll never know. You know, I think Botticelli got it right when he painted ‘Primavera’. He got it that I was ignoring everything then,” Hermes sighed, and then there was the noise of fluttering wings again, and he was gone, I guess.

                I waited in silence for Apollo to leave, but I never heard anything. I quickly and quietly stepped out from behind the pillar, and I lost the will to speak when I saw what I did.

                It was my dad, Apollo- but it wasn’t.  I mean, the whole floor, every marble item in the proximity, which was everything- it was all illuminated by a golden light, and the light was coming from Apollo. His whole form shimmered, and he looked like he could be the Sun- no pun intended.

                He must have sensed I was standing there, because he turned around. I was too stunned to speak, but when he looked at me, his blonde hair seemed brighter, his eyes were gentler and more powerful, his body seemed strong and peaceful.

                “Paul,” he said, and his voice was different, but the same, and everything. “I was wondering when you’d see one of us like this. You can do it, too.”

                And then, I forgot all about my friends and their one year to figure things out, forgot about how Hermes and Apollo had been talking about my mother, and how I hadn’t seen her since the year before, and how Athena and Aphrodite had seemed so magnificent and intimidating in the upstairs room.

                I then realized: I was seeing my father in the divine form, something that no one but a god or goddess ever lived to see.

                Then, I thought, wait, Apollo said I can do it too, I’m a god- and so, I closed my eyes, and thought about things. All right, don’t laugh, but the image of the Disney Peter Pan came into my head, saying, ‘Think happy thoughts’, and so I did.

                Apollo laughed, and when I opened my eyes, the room seemed a lot brighter.