Treading Water

3

They joyed me with stories of Helios and his journey's as the sun. Dionysus joined us to tell of his boat parties and his light humor and warm aura. As we strolled through the hills of Greek Grass, the gods grew plants of great variety and Hestia brought to my attention how my father makes the plants grow and bring life to all. She told of his importance and his good deeds to the world and compared me to him in so many ways. It all only made me want to meet him even more.

"It's high noon!" Hestia called

"Let's hurry back" I began running to the front of camp and Hermes gave me a little boost, but he wasn't there

"Is he coming?" I panted

"Be patient" I sat at the fountain and waited far past high noon

"Look kid... It's not unlike a god to not care about their kid. I rotted in the Hermes cabin for half my life before Ares claimed me, but don't take it to heart. Dad's aren't as important as mom's anyway" one if the counselors took me home and much to my dismay, my mom was still home

"You look beautiful" I hung my head to hide my tears and grabbed something to eat

"What's wrong?" Marcus asks

"Nothing" I say

"I know you to well to talk that for an answer" he came and made me face him

"Talk to me" he sat me at the counter and I couldn't keep it together

"He doesn't want me" I sobbed

"He's a god, he was probably just busy" he says

"All the other gods were there. Even Zephyr and Eros and Eos" he rubbed my back and tried to offer something to eat but I refused and just went to my room...

When I got up, I took a long shower then put on skinny jeans, a camp shirt, a jean jacket, and white sneakers. I had a small breakfast then Marcus drove me to camp where I made offerings to Eos, Phaethusa, Lampetia, Helios, and Apollo. I went for an early stroll and tended to plants and harvested ripe fruit and vegetables then took a break on some grass to watch the sun officially rise. As the bleak blue sky turned gold, and as Helios followed Eos through the heavens, I couldn't keep from crying.

Just as I went to get up, a heard of sheep came bustling toward me, with 5 oxen in tow. I thought they would run me over so I ran but they stopped where I previously stood. A large rooster strutted to the front of the lines, calling loudly. I headed back to the base of camp and gathered some spare wood in a cart, tying an oxen to it to help with my journey. I made a pin upon the field and took my time to tend to the animals and prepare their pastures to hold clean water and nutrient rich, completely organic feed.

As high noon approched, I took a break with the sheep and laid in the grass, looking over their closed pasture to notice a golden- wooled, winged ram. I made a quick prayer to Athena and went to try and let it out without dying. I opened the fence and it saw me, quickly composing itself to charge. Instead of trying to outrun an animal, I stood my grand and tried to  best to tip it as the horns cane into my hands. I struggled at first but then I got it off balance and wrestled it until it stopped struggling against me and accepted my caress and hand of feed. I let it up and it shoot the grass from it's fresh coat before gently pushing at me and licking me.

"I apologize, I was unable to come yesterday. My steed were spooked and I was forced to tend to them accordingly" I looked around and upon doing a 360, I came face to face with a tan man with golden curls

"Who are you?" I ask

"I am Helios... Your father" he says

"Oh... I just thought you'd come with the Aureole on and flowing robes and a clean shaven face" I say

"It's been a rough week... I had to replace a horse early this morning and had to call Apollo just now to fly my chariot while I take a break" he says

"For some reason, I expected you to be darker since my mom isn't very dark" I say

"I'm lighter on a good day but you're darker because I kissed you a lot when you were a baby. You were a beautiful little girl but I hadn't had a kid in so long, I couldn't help myself... Your mother claimed that I ruined you but you're beautiful to me" he says

"Okay" I say

"I have pictures" he showed my printed pictures of us together each day after my birthday and got drastically darker by the day

"I have a video somewhere" he felt in his robes and pulled out a phone with a few small cracks in the screen. He showed me a video not him kissing me and my mom snatching me up and shouting at him about making me too dark. He then showed me another video of my mom putting oil on me and when he kissed I got far darker and she hit him.

"You don't look happy... I didn't think it was a big deal back then but for those people telling you that your skin isn't beautiful, just know that the sun happened to love you more than others" he says

"Okay" I say

"I can't tell if you're nervous or upset" he says

"Both I guess... You're an all-seeing Titan so you know all about me but I barely know you and you're supposed to be my dad" I say

"I don't know you, I just know your life. I don't know if you still hate whipped cream, if you like apple sauce still, or if you still suck on your fingers. I don't even know any of your favorite things" he says

"That's fair" I say

"I understand being disappointed. Your mom was never really there and you had nobody to turn to on truly depend on. Even if I was forced to leave, I can't just walk back into your life like nothing happened. I'm still a stranger and only time together can change that. I can't be here all the time because I'm the sun and not somebody that just assists and torments humans but if you're free at high noon, we could always schedule to have lunch together" he says

"I'd like that" I say

"This is for you" I looked around and saw a puppy struggling through the grass. It slowly made it's way to the shorter grass and ran a lot faster.

"Did you send the ram too?" I ask

"That was an accidental. It spooked my horse so I kicked it out of the heavens" he says

"I wish somebody defended me like that" I say

"What about Marcus?" He asks

"He can't do much because he's not my real dad... My mom got scammed out of 2 thousand dollars a few months back and so she drank some cheap wine and got to yelling and throwing things. I couldn't leave with him because he's not my real dad and she threatened him if he  would have taken me so I had to just lock myself in my room" I say

"I hope it was a one time thing... I care about you a lot to have never physically or emotionally been here for you" he says

"You seem to care more than my mom, but that's not difficult to surpass" I say

"Do you know what your mom's job is?" He asks

"No" he says

"Not really but I know she works at a club" I say

"Well, you're my daughter and I can't keep secrets from you but there's a guy she gives private shows to and she done more for him off the clock than she does for you. Marcus is a cover-up and he doesn't even know it, but if she really plans on moving in with him, you're welcome at my palace" he says

"Where do you stay?" I ask

"I'm supposed to ride in this gold cup everyday but I have have a penthouse loft here that I gladly reside in at night" he says

"Could I come over?" I ask

"Anything for you" he says