End of the Line

#39 - Destination Vacation

Chapter 39 - Destination Vacation
published: Wednesday, 23 October 2019

"Okay, if we die next week," Leo declared. "I want the world to remember how innovative we were."

Annabeth rolled her eyes as she watch Leo nearly take a tumble when his foot caught on a small rock. Chairs from the dining room were stacked up in his arms as he struggled to carry them off the ship.

Her eyes lit up when she caught sight of Piper, who was leaning over the side of the ship and beckoning for Annabeth to come closer.

When Annabeth obliged, Piper explained, "I've finished doing Hazel's hair. All she needs to do is put on the dress."

Annabeth shot her a thumbs-up in return. "Good job heading up the bridal prep, Pipes. Go get ready, then bring Hazel down at 6.30 sharp."

Piper nodded in a display of understanding before she disappeared down the stairs. Annabeth turned back to her other jobs — Leo was arranging the chairs with the help of Jason, who was doubling up as Frank's one-third of best men.

Since there were so few of them even present, Hazel and Frank had decided to name all of them their best men and maids of honour — Leo had insisted on being a maid of honour as a joke, so Annabeth had been granted an official bestmanship.

It was a small, impromptu wedding, but Annabeth was quite pleased with what she'd managed to coordinate. They'd set up the wedding buffet on a picnic blanket — unconventional but cute nonetheless. Jason had found a bunch of flowers for the bridal bouquet earlier, and Percy had been frantically trying to piece together a presentable wedding suit out of the few scraps of clothes Frank had.

"Hey," someone said breathlessly from behind her. Annabeth turned around and couldn't hold in her laugh when she saw an exhausted Percy cradling Jasper in his arms, rocking him back and forth rapidly to soothe the child.

"He won't stop crying," Percy begged. "Relieve me of babysitting duty — please."

Annabeth rolled her eyes as she held out her clipboard for the exchange. As Jasper was delivered into her arms, Annabeth glared at Percy. "You are useless," she said with a tone of finality.

Percy winced apologetically. "Sorry."

"There's a list of things on there that have to be done before the wedding," Annabeth instructed carefully, slowly bouncing Jasper up and down. "They're your jobs now."

Percy visibly paled. Apparently, weddings were just as daunting as babies. Nevertheless, he gave her a mock salute and hurried off to get Frank and Jason down to set up the alter.

Annabeth spent the next half an hour sitting cross-legged on the shore, pointing out the horizon to Jasper. He giggled and fussed as she rolled around with him in the sand.

"We're gonna save the world for you," Annabeth whispered softly to him. The setting sun illuminated the clouds with streaks of orange. Both of them lay on the shore, staring up ahead. "So you don't have to do any of this when you grow up."

Jasper curled into her side, his tiny breaths puffing our and blowing up a few grains of sand each time.

"Annabeth!" It was Percy, jogging off the ship. "We're ready," he told her with a grin, beckoning her to the makeshift aisle. Annabeth kissed Jasper lightly on the top of his head before she swept him back into his arms and followed Percy.

There were four chairs set up to make an aisle in the middle, and two trees that craned are the front made up their archway.

Frank was standing under the trees with Leo and Jason at his side. He was wearing a white shirt and a blazer — probably from Jason. Annabeth glanced around at her friends; they'd all had to improvise when it came to formal wedding clothing.