The Girl that Hades called Persephone

-28-

Seeing my mother stand on the porch after not seeing her for so long was like looking at an angel. I was so excited when I laid my eyes on her, and sense of being home I once again. Once we stopped the car, I didn't even wait for Hades to come around like he usually did. I sprinted out of the vehicle, ran to my mother and was embraced by her long arms. It was so nice to hug her.

"Little moon bug, how are you my little one? Has College done you good? Oh, look at you, you were supposed to gain weight, not lose it. You better eat all my food. I made you all your favorites."

"It's so good to see you, Mom."

"It's good to see you too my love." They looked out of the corner of my eye and saw Hades slowly getting out of the car. I have never seen her look so nervous and for some reason something and its eyes made me feel unsettled. Did he feel unsafe? Did he feel intimidated? Wait how he could feel intimidated?

How was the king of the underworld scared of my mom?

"Mom, I would like you to meet my boyfriend, H," I said, pushing the attention to him as he was walking our way. I lived up to my mother's face, but only to see that her white smile had dropped into a large frown, her eyes were very concerning as they look like they were being consumed by Flames of anger.

"This . . . This is your . . . Boyfriend?" my mother asked in a mostly shaking tone. I couldn't distinguish if it were fear or anger or a little bit of both?

"Mom, this is H. Yes, he's my.... we are dating."

He finally made it to the porch. He extended his hand out to her, " it's charming to meet you, mother of Persephone."

"H . . . hmm . . . Short for something?" my mother asked him a very sharp tone. I don't know exactly why, but she became very hostile and blink in an eye.

"It's short for Hades," I informed my mother. "Kind of how like my name is Greek."

"Hades . . . your parents must have hated you."

H's back stiffens up. "I suppose."

"Mom, are you okay?" I finally asked her, not sure how much I could take the uncertain feeling and negative energy coming out of her. She seemed to snap out of whatever it was and smiled widely at me. It was as if nothing had bothered her.

"Everything is fine dear, let's go in and celebrate this day. Your uncle Charlie is just inside, helping to put the food out."

"What!" 

"He's super excited to see you!" 

"Uncle Charlie!" I screamed. 

I ran past my mother to see that my uncle Charlie was inside just like she had told me. He wasn't really my uncle. We never really had any family. 

But Charlie was a pretty cool dude, and he works for my mom sometimes in the store. Uncle Charlie was a bit of an older man, who wore coke bottle glasses, had very thin hair, and seem to only own flannel shirts. 

He was like that dorky dad I never got to be around. 

He's kind of an odd duck that I absolutely loved having them around. He taught me how to play chess, and I had to show him how to play checkers. He didn't really understand the game which I found very odd.

"Uncle Charlie!" I screamed, going into the kitchen.

He turns around, just as surprised as I was an embrace into a huge hug. I remember my mom telling me how he actually had a family about 20 years ago. He just got married, and his wife had a baby. 

Unfortunately, his wife, child and him got into a car crash. He was the only one to survive. After that, he was a loner and didn't have much interaction with other people. He was kind of like us. He wanted to have a family, and so we embraced him as he embraced us.

"Oh! Steffi! I have not seen you in forever how is my college girl doing?"

"Doing wonderful! How is my favorite uncle doing?"

"Correction my dear, I am your only uncle. Saying I am your favorite is like saying how much you love are. It's all you got that makes me want to live."

"Have you been drinking already?" I asked raising my eyebrow.

"Maybe just a little. I'll pass you a glass when your mom's not working."

"How has she been doing?"

"Oh, you know how your helicopter of a mom is. I've been trying to get her mind off of things."

"Did she tell you it was bringing my boyfriend?"

He shook his head. "Oh no no no, baby Steffi has a boyfriend now? My Lord, I am just getting old at this point, aren't I?"

"Uncle Charlie, you were old when we met like 15 years ago," I teach them.

"Hey now, I'm the one preparing the food I'm just letting you know that. You're always nice to the person cooking your meal."

"I don't think that would make much of a difference, seeing how it will come out for either way."

"Oh, the college has made you very cheeky hasn't it?"

"Just a little. I better go get H, I just left him with my mother."

"Yikes, are you trying to scare him off? Is that what we are here to do? Because you know I can, you know I love weirding out people."

I laughed and shook my head. "I like this one."

"Well go save them if you like him so much."