Mistakes

Disappointments and Joy

It was a mistake- it was always a mistake. Love was an endless plague; he couldn’t help falling in love with her amazing beauty and natural poise, with her spunky attitude and her stubbornness to not fall in love with him. He never regretted falling in love with her and he never will; it was just the matter of the deep emotional pain now left in his chest. She didn’t love him- he ruined her life. He was so sure that he would come back and he would rescue her from the evil island; it was his plan, his mission. When he finally did come back- when he fulfilled his promise- his plans were torn into pieces like his heart and thrown in the sea around the island, only to be eaten by sea monsters. 

He had never wanted to gaze upon the evil look of hatred plastered upon her beautiful flawless face. Her caramel hair, in the usual braid on her shoulder, looked thin and worn, no longer holding the natural beauty as it always had.

His thoughts grew wild as he stared at the endless sky around him. Leo was alone now and that's the way he wanted it to be. He hardly doubted his friends had even recognized the fact that he had left. They would eventually, and he knew that, or at least some part of him wished it to be so. The other part of him just wished they would not look for him. He didn't want to be found. He had other responsiblities now. He had done his job and the world was safe, but it wasn't just him; he had Sammy now. 

Once the stars had illuminated the night sky over camp, the celebration finally over, Leo had left his cabin and found his way to his pride and joy- the Argo II. He didn’t look back as he began his search for the only love of his life. He shouldn't have found the island he was destined to never find again, but he did- but the Fates had good reason. It wasn't all fun and games. 

With great relief, he parked his large ship on the shore and stepped onto the beach, the sand soft beneath his old sneakers calming his nerves and sending a calming chill across his bones. He called out for her, expecting to see her smiling at him and welcoming him in with open arms as she made him a meal and they created their plan to escape the cursed island. But the happy reunion never came.

The second Leo laid eyes on Calypso he could feel the hatred and venom even from across the beach. He was greatly surprised to see her so disgusted and angry. Leo walked slowly towards her, shocked at what he saw, because behind her in a small crib made of twigs and sticks lay a small child.

“Take him and leave, Valdez,” Calypso’s words shot out like venom. Leo felt his heart shatter. Every monster he had killed in the Giant war he did with intentions of coming back and finding Calypso, but she didn’t even want him.

“Is he mine?” Leo asked, confused. He remembered the time when it could have occurred; it was how Leo knew she really loved him. Calypso didn’t answer him with words, only a glare was received.

“I will not have this demon spawn ruin my life. Now take him and leave,” Calypso hissed, causing Leo’s heart to shatter and crumble. He didn’t even know it could fall apart any more than it already had. He had hoped that she would be different from all the other gods and goddesses. He couldn't have been more wrong. 

“But Calypso-“ Leo started in utter disbelief. He had a son with the love of his life, and now she didn’t even want him around. She was cursing the very ground he was standing on. 

Calypso was now holding the small crib carrying the innocent offspring of their love.  “Just take him and leave. Leave and don’t ever try to find me again. Live your life, raise our son. Tell him stories of me, but I don’t want to be a part of his life. Leave Valdez- just leave,” Calypso said, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Leo reached out and grabbed the crib holding the most innocent life form he had ever seen. He had no idea how to raise a child, but he needed to learn. He would have to learn.

Leo took the crib and walked back to the Argo II, still in utter disbelief. He gazed upon his son, so innocent and pure. He moved his fingers up and caressed his son's smooth cheeks.

His hands reached up to touch the side of his ship as he prepared himself to get aboard and leave her behind like she wanted him to, but he couldn’t. He had worked so hard and suffered too much to just let her kick him out. 

“Hey! Calypso!” He shouted, his voice quivering with anger and disgust. He had the words in his mind. Who do you think you are? Do you know what I have faced for you? But Leo couldn't bring himself to yell at her. 

“What’s his name?” His voice softened at the mention of his son. His son. He would never be able to get used to hearing that.

Calypso stood at the top of the beach in a spot where she could see Leo clearly but still stood far enough away so that he wouldn’t notice her. “Name him Valdez. I don’t want any part of his life!”

Leo heard her shouts and felt himself growing more and more upset. He didn’t have his mother around him for very long, but he knew that a mother should be kind and respectful and should actually care for the child. At least that’s what Leo had always been taught.

Fuming, Leo began to work his way onto the ship. He placed his son on the deck and took one final glance at the place he was so ready to come back to and greet with open arms. The place he was hoping he would never have to see again, but he wasn’t planning on leaving like this. Calypso wasn’t with him, which wasn’t the way he wanted everything to go. Leo glanced upon the beaches and the trees, the little island so full of life and so welcoming. Yet the place where Leo had truly fallen in love  was nothing more than heartbreak and an aching memory now. He finally realized that it was all a trick; the calming winds and the perfection of the trees, the whiteness of the beaches and the blueness of the seas. It was all a trick, it welcomed you in and slowly it ruined you. 

His son began to cry as if sensing his father’s angst or realizing that he would never see the mother that birthed him ever again. Leo sighed moodily, causing Festus to click in a witty reply. Leo only glared at the mechanical dragon as he tried to make the crying child stop.

Leo picked up his son from the makeshift crib and began to rock him back and forth, humming a Rolling Stones song. He couldn’t remember the name, but his mother used to sing it to him when he was little and upset. "Hey! You! Get off my cloud. Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd," He hummed. 

Leo stared into his son’s dark almond eyes like his mother’s and pushed a small tuft of black hair out of the child’s face. His son stopped crying as he stared up at his father, mesmerized.

Leo smiled for the first time since his journey to save Calypso began. He tickled his son’s little pudgy belly, causing his son to giggle. “Sammy. I will call you Sammy, and maybe one day, mijo, you will have all the luck with the ladies."

Sammy gurgled quietly and snuggled up against Leo’s arms, quickly falling asleep. Leo smiled as he placed a kiss on Sammy’s forehead. Gently he placed his small one month old son into the makeshift crib and brought it up with him to the control panel.

Leo sighed as he tried to push the memories out of his head. She was nothing more than the mother of his son now. Leo couldn't love someone so heartless. He had to forget her. 

“Let’s head home Festus. I’m done with crazy women for now,” Leo stated calmly as he stared at his sleeping son.