Return of the Goddess

Chapter 28

     Alvina was terrified. Charlie wanted Mandi to be her mother too and she felt the same way. She was so scared that Cassidy was going to be there. Lucy was sure that she was gone, but Alvina wasn’t. She woke up from a dream in the middle of the night. Lucy was barely awake bobbing her head.

     “You want me to drive? I’m wide awake,” Alvina asked.

      “Sure, I’ll get off the next exit,” Lucy lifted her head a little. She got out and they switched places. By the time the sun peeked over the distant mountains she pulled into a gas station a mile away from the neighborhood. She hid the car, locked the doors and fell back asleep.

     *     *     *

     Mandi hugged Cassidy close swaying from side to side. Charlie ran up to the house he was born in and they stood blocking the door.

     “Come in and have a cookie dear,” Mandi beckoned for him to come inside. He ran through and sat at the little table. Mandi and Cassidy awkwardly stared at him as he ate. Where did Genna go? Where were Lucy and Alvina?

     “You shouldn’t be alive Charlie,” Cassidy smiled deviously. She took a dagger then dived at him. He got up and ran outside. Lying at the steps of the door were three dead bodies. He couldn’t see who they were so he took is sword and pushed the top body over. His heart beat picked up as he hoped that they were not his missing friends. As the first body fell over limp he saw the face of the girl he loved. Her eyes were open and stared into his soul. He wanted to cry out for help but he knew she was already long dead. Alvina, his favorite baby sister was dead and so was his best friend. He was about to jump over them and ran but then a sword went through his stomach. The only way he could tell was because he could see the tip of it as he looked down. It didn’t even hurt though. He turned around to see who had stabbed him, expecting to see his sister. Instead standing in her place was his mother.  As he fell to the ground onto Lucy and Alvina they laughed at him as he breathed his last breath.

          *          *          *

     Charlie woke up suddenly. The stress from meeting his mom was getting to her. Alvina told them they were a mile away from so they freshened up then drove the last mile. Lucy pulled into the driveway of a small cottage like house. The walls were made of stone and the door was the shade of maple wood. Charlie got out and headed for the door. Genna got out and went with him. As the door bell rand Alvina and Lucy got out of the car. Seconds later a young woman around the age of thirty five answered the door. She had blonde hair and green eyes.

     “Mom?” Charlie stared in awe at the woman.

     She grabbed Charlie and pulled him into an embrace, “I was hoping you’d come and find me.” She then hugged Lucy, “Thank you Lucy.”

     Genna smiled and held out her hand, “I’m Genna. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

     “Nice of you,” Mandi laughed. “And you are?” she asked Alvina.

     “This is Alvina, my sister.” Charlie introduced her.

      “Wonderful,” Mandi hugged her as well. “Let’s get inside. I just made some of Charlie’s favorite double decker chocolate cake.” They walked in and sat at her old fashioned table in the kitchen.

     Genna bit into the cake, “Yum. What is this called again?”

     Mandi looked at her in alarm, “Chocolate cake?”

     “Mom, Genna’s a goddess and doesn’t know much about simple everyday things.” Charlie laughed.

      “Yep, I’m Hermes favorite niece,” Genna joked.

     “You two are dating then,” Mandi made Genna almost choke on her cake.

     “How did you…”

     “I just know. So Charlie, will you be staying with me or are you going to run off again,” Mandi asked.

     “Depends. Where’s Cass?”

     “She left. I told her to never come back.” Mandi’s eyes got red. “She was the first one I saw in the world after my time in the Underworld. She told me about how she exchanged your soul for mine so I told her to leave. She shouldn’t have killed you. Wait! Why are you alive?”

     “Genna brought me back.” He squeezed her hand under the table. “I think it would be safer for us to go back to the safe house. Cass could get mad and kill us both.”

     “I’ll go pack a few things then,” she went up the stairs.

     *          *          *

     Mandi had the whole Hermes cabin begging her to be their mom within an hour of reaching the safe house. She told them stories and even had a bed in that room now. That night they all sat around a fire in the back yard roasting marshmallows and goofing around. Poppy and Mesi sang mesmerizing songs with their beautiful soprano voices. Blaze, Sage, Seth, Chelsea, Alvina and Lucy told stories giggling every time Seth told them a joke. Genna and Charlie sat back and took in the scene. Everyone was harmonizing, peacefully getting along. Even Sage and Blaze.

     “I can’t wait to go on more adventures with you guys,” Genna smiled. Charlie kissed her lightly on her cheeks.

     “I love you,” he whispered in her ear. Genna leaned farther into her boyfriend’s chest.