Hades

Chapter nine: Persephone

I wrapped my coat tightly around me as I waited for the train. I was going to go back to the hospital to visit my mother. She only had ten and a bit days of life left. Guilt crawled it's way back into my stomach again. I had been so worried about myself dying, I failed to take notice of my mothers constant headaches.

I blew out fog from my nose and mouth. It was like the breath of life was leaving me. Except it wasn't. It was leaving my mother. The train pulled up five minutes late and I climbed on board. I sat down an stared out the window until the train reached my stop. I realised that it was the first train ride I had ever gone through without reading a book.

The elevator doors opened in front of me and I stepped in. I pressed the button that had the number 6 on it. The doors shut and the elevator lurched upwards.

"Clarice," A voice said next to me.

Hades stood there, leaning against the wall, his hood pulled over his hair. I tried smiling in reply. I don't think it worked.

"I finished 'To kill a Mockingbird'," he told me. "I liked it. A lot."

I was about to tell him off. I didn't have the patience to talk to him about books. But then I realised he was trying to distract me from my mother's situation. "Really? Who was your favourite character?"

"I think I liked Jem the most," he said. "He was a good brother. I've always wanted a brother like that."

I smiled. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. We walked to my mother's hospital room. Jon and Ron were sitting on her lap and she was reading them 'Goldilocks and the three bears'. I couldn't help but smile. She seemed to look so much better. It was as though her glum future was just a freakish nightmare that everyone just awoke from. Except it wasn't. It was reality.

Dad had gone to work even though he really didn't want to leave mum alone. He ended up going anyway, after mum said she was going to be fine with just Ron and Jon about seven times.

"The end," mother announced as she closed the book.

"Yay!" Ron cheered.

"Again!" Ron said excitedly.

"I think that's quite enough now," mother said sternly, though she was smiling. "Look, Clarice is here."

"Hi mum," I said my voice cracking. I couldn't stop the wave of guilt that swept over me.

"Hello darling," she said as she gave me a hug. "Oh! Hal! How nice to see you! Come on, give me a hug!"

Hades backed away a look of fear evident on his face.

"Don't be shy!"

The situation was so awkward I couldn't help but laugh. "Hades doesn't really like hugs."

"Doesn't like hugs?" My mother asked appalled. "How do you express your love to your boyfriend?"

"My...what? Oh no, Hade--Hal and I are just friends," I replied my cheeks feeling warm.

My mother frowned. "Hal, do you want to be more than friends with my daughter?"

Hades looked taken aback by that question. "I--I..."

"Mum, we're just going to go for a walk now," I interrupted. "Goodbye."

I pulled Hades my his sleeve out of the room. As I turned around to shut the door, I caught my mum winking at me. I couldn't believe she was actually that embarrassing.

"I'm sorry about my mother," I apologised to Hades once we were outside. "That has never happened before."

Hades smiled. His freckles rippled across his face giving off a mesmerising effect. "Don't worry about it."