“I really am very sorry. I’d hoped the nightmare would scare you enough to wake you and make you want to run.” Morpheus spoke quietly, barely above a whisper, his wings folded meekly behind his bare chest. He stayed on the other side of the room, next to the door, as if he were afraid to come any closer.
“It’s fine,” I assured him once again from my bed. “I know you were trying to help and I’m greatly appreciative.”
“We both are,” Zeus said from his chair next to me. “Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t taken action—Kronos could have killed Karly in her sleep just like in the dream.” A soft smile graced his face as he took my hand in his, leaning against the side of the bed to kiss my forehead.
“Again, thank you, Morpheus,” I said warmly.
“It was all I could do at that point,” he shrugged, sliding his hands into the pockets of his black jeans.
“It was much more than that.” Zeus stood, moving towards him, a smile of gratitude on his face. “I would like for you and your father to come back to Mount Olympus.”
“Back?” I asked, confused.
“Long ago, my father angered our mighty King,” he nodded his head in respect to Zeus before continuing. “Because of what happened, he was banished and warned that he would be killed if he ever came back.”
“Zeus,” I said, horrified. “How could you do such a thing?”
“You mustn’t hold it against him,” Morpheus said, hints of the first smile I’d seen appearing on his face. “He was a different person then. You have done much to better him, if you don’t mind my saying.”
“It’s true, it’s true!” Zeus laughed, clapping a hand onto Morpheus’s shoulder. “I apologize for my hasty judgments. Please, accept my apology and return home, to your family.”
“Thank you,” Morpheus said, slipping from under Zeus’s grasp. “But it is much easier to work with dreams where we are now. My father is very old and sick as well—I will extend your invitation to him, but I’m certain we will stay where we are.”
“If you are sure,” Zeus said after a moment. “But you are always welcome here.”
“Thank you.” Morpheus bowed his head, moving to open the door. “I imagine Karly needs her rest, and my father will be waiting for me.”
“Thank you,” I said once more.
“Safe journeys, my friend.” Zeus returned to his seat at beside me as Morpheus left, the door clicking shut softly behind him.
“Do you think he could tell?” I giggled
“Tell what?” Zeus said, taking my hand once more.
“That we’re engaged!” I was on cloud nine, despite everything that had happened.
“How could he tell? You’re not even wearing a ring,” he laughed. “Besides, it’s not official until I get down on one knee.”
“Sure it is,” I said, tugging on his hand until he crawled up onto the bed with me.
“Well, it doesn’t count to me until then.” Wrapping his arms around me, he placed a kiss on my lips and pulled the blanket higher up around me. “Now, go to sleep. Morpheus is right, you need your rest.”
“Yeah, Mom. I know, I should have woke you up before we left, I’m sorry. I’ll remember if there’s ever a next time. Love you too.”
I clicked the cell phone shut, a massive sigh blowing through my lips.
“Were you talking to your mom?” Zeus asked as he came through the door, a breakfast tray in his hands.
“Yes. She was upset that we left without telling her—understandably—but I think it will blow over fine.” Smiling, I sat up higher in bed, gladly accepting the tray of food and kiss that Zeus presented.
“What did you tell her happened?” he said, stealing a piece of toast off my tray and flopping onto the bed next to me.
“Roommate emergency,” I replied through a mouth of food. “She thinks Jessie and her sisters were in a car accident, but that they’re fine.”
“Why didn’t you tell her the truth?” He moved in closer, resting his head on my shoulder.
“I will, eventually. I’m just not ready yet.” I laid my fork down, having suddenly lost my appetite.
“Hey,” he said, noticing my change in demeanor. Soft, comforting caresses moved down my arm. “The time will come. I’ll be there to help you, and everything will be fine.”
“If you say so.” I snuggled closer to him, deeper into the bed.
“How about some good news, to lighten the mood?” he spoke up again after a few moments of silence.
“Lay it on me,” I sighed.
“Alright,” he said, sitting up and moving the tray away. “Since I know how important school is to you, I called all of your teachers and asked about finishing the semester from home. Ironically, I told them you’d been in a car accident. After explaining that you were home recovering from multiple injuries, they all agreed to let you finish and receive full credit.”
“That’s wonderful! I bet you used your usual charm to accomplish that,” I teased.
“Maybe,” he laughed. “But, that’s not all.”
“What more could there be?” I asked, raising my eyebrows at his secretive look.
“It’s about the art show.”
“Did my painting win anything?” I inquired excitedly, sitting up all the way.
“No.”
Disappointment radiated through me at his reply. Nodding, I laid back down, defeated. I couldn’t even win a prize at a school show. How did I ever think I could be a working artist?
“It didn’t win anything because someone bought it.”
Shooting back to a sitting position, mouth gaping open, I grabbed Zeus by the shoulders.
“Are you serious?” His responding nod and smile was like a shot of adrenaline to my system. Laughter bubbled up inside me, breaking free the same time as my tears.
“Why are you crying?” Zeus said, concern etched on his face.
“I’m a real, working artist!” I laughed, grabbing his hands. “It’s been my life’s dream, and it’s finally come true!”
All of the schooling, all the practice, everything I’d gone through, hoping to realize my dream had been worth it. I didn’t need to live in San Francisco—I didn’t need to be anywhere but here with Zeus.
“Who bought it?” My face felt like it was going to spit in half, the grin I wore was so huge.
“I’m not sure,” he laughed. “But I can find out if you really want me to.”
“I do! I want to thank them.” I couldn’t wait to tell my parents, to prove I was successful.
Crawling out from under the covers and swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I gingerly moved to grab clean clothes from my suitcase. Zeus had sent someone back to the hotel to get my things and make sure no one remembered I’d been there.
“Whoa, hold on there!” He said, grabbing my arm and carefully pulling me back. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I can’t just lay around all day with news like this! I want to celebrate, call my parents, tell the whole world that I did it!” A struggle to escape his grasp ensued, ending with me back in bed, the covers pulled up to my chin.
“It’s only been a few days, babe,” he said softly, fingers running through my hair. “You’re still hurt, you need to rest. The healers said you can’t go anywhere for at least a few weeks. We have to know you’re okay first.”
“I feel fine,” I argued. “A little sore and tired, but I can handle it!”
“I’m sure you think you can,” he said softly.
“I know I can! Stop treating me like a child!” Anger rolled within me, fueled by my tired state.
“Karly, calm down! I wasn’t trying to treat you like anything but yourself!” Zeus slid away from me in alarm, his hands held up in defense.
“You’re acting like I’ll explode into a million pieces if I get out of bed!” I yelled.
“You almost died!” he roared back. “Do you know how that makes me feel? To wake up one morning
and have you gone? Then, I discover that, not only did you run off, but my biggest enemy has captured you and plans to publicly sacrifice you! My heart stopped beating at the thought! Every minute, every second after that was like an eternity—time spent thinking I was too late, that I was going to live the rest of forever without you. When I saw that you were alive, I fought as hard as I could.”
“And you saved everyone, I know, I was there!” It wasn’t fair for him to be yelling at me like this. He’d basically said this before anyway.
“You didn’t see you though! You didn’t see the blood covering every inch of you, or the glass stuck in your skin. You didn’t see the cut on your neck that could’ve ended you. You didn’t see the love of your life dangling in the air, halfway strangled to death, while your own father readied a killing blow!”
My mouth popped open in shock. I’d never thought of how seeing me in that state would have affected him. He seemed so strong and sure of everything he did. Was it possible that he was scared of things too?
“I almost lost you, Karly,” he said, his voice getting softer, pleading. “It was happening right in front of my eyes, and I could hardly do anything about it. This I can do. I can make sure you stay in bed, rest, and get better the right way. Please, let me do that.” He sighed, laying down on the bed and wrapping his arms around me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” I whispered. “From now on, I’ll listen to what you say. If it’s that important to you, I can do it.”
“Thank you,” he said, nuzzling his face into my hair.
As the weeks passed, my wounds healed nicely. Luckily, I would only have a few scars that could easily be covered with makeup. True to my word, I’d followed all of Zeus’s instructions, but I was getting very restless.
“Am I ever going to get to leave this room? I mean, I’m on Mount Olympus! If you’re going to keep me from walking around, couldn’t you at least get a wheelchair for me or something?” I laughed at Zeus’s pondering face. At least he’d let me start sitting in the chair beside the bed. I only had to complain about bed sores a million times before he finally said I could.
“You know,” he said, smiling as he came over and took my hands. “Christmas is next week. I seem to remember your parents expressing great desire for us to come spend it with them.”
“That would be wonderful! When can we leave?” I didn’t care where we went, as long as it was out of this room.
“Well, aren’t we eager?” He laughed.
“I do miss them,” I said defensively.
“I know you do,” he purred. The softest of kisses were placed on my forehead. “ You’re also strong enough to be out and about again. That’s why I thought we could leave now.”
“Right now?” I jumped up, excitement racing through me like lightning.
“Right now!” Zeus laughed, swooping in for another kiss on the lips.
Quickly, I helped pack my suitcase, chattering endlessly about the holiday.
“Are we going to tell them we’re engaged?” I asked as we left the room.
“We will—at the right moment,” he said mysteriously.
“How will I know when that moment is?” I laughed.
“I’ll let you know.” He winked, grabbed my hand, and we were gone from that accursed room.
“Merry Christmas!” I called, waving goodbye to Aunt Violet and her family as they drove away.
“What a wonderful Christmas Eve party,” Mom said dreamily. “We had better get to bed so Santa can stop by!”
“Mom,” I laughed. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Do what?” she said innocently, slipping back inside, her festive sweater disappearing around the corner.
“Humor your mother, Karly,” Dad chuckled as he followed her inside.
“How was your walk with Dad?” I asked Zeus once we were inside as well.
“It was nice,” he said nonchalantly.
“Well, what did you talk about? Did you tell him about . . . you know . . . our news?” I practically bit my lip clean through in anticipation of his answer.
“No, I didn’t. It didn’t feel like the right time.” He shrugged, walking down the hall to his room.
“Wait!” I said, following after him. “When will it be the right time? I’m having a hard time keeping it bottled up!”
Laughter filled the air as he grabbed me, our lips meeting in a sweet kiss. Hands caressed my arms, fingers swirling patterns on my skin.
“We should go to bed—you know, for Santa,” he said as he broke away.
“You’re so mean,” I giggled as he pushed me towards my own room.
“Goodnight, my love,” he whispered softly.
“Karly, will you marry me?”
I’d awakened that morning to blinking lights, fresh cinnamon scent, Dad’s doughnuts, presents under the tree, and the traditional glitter footprints left by “Santa.” It was all expected, right down to the box of oatmeal I got in my stocking every year. But this—my mother sobbing, aunts screaming over the speaker phone, Dad, who never cried, wiping a single tear from his cheek, and Zeus on one knee in front of me, a black box and diamond ring in his hand—I hadn’t seen this coming. Now I understood what he meant when he’d said a proposal wasn’t real until there was a ring.
As I looked into the eyes of the man I loved more than anything or anyone in the room, I said the one thing my heart had been screaming since he first kneeled on the floor.
“Yes!”
Epilogue
Zeus
Karly.
I’d never been so happy to wake up and see someone in the bed next to me.
The white silk sheets whispered over my skin as I quietly slid closer to her. Her warm, soft skin glowed in the morning light, like the rest of the room. Long, perfect hair fanned out over her pillow, framing her beautiful face. Her hands rested on her chest, holding the sheets there. I smiled at the glittering ring on her finger.
She was so beautiful, my June bride walking down the aisle in her brilliant white gown, her father in his tux at her side. Not even Hades—who always had something negative to say to me—could find a single flaw with her as Poseidon and he stood by my side.
She’d cried as she danced with her father at the reception, hugging him tightly. I asked Mary to dance during that time, since I had no mother of my own. I truly felt like part of the family, celebrating a love that would last for an eternity.
After a cheerful goodbye, we left the reception and arrived at a much different, but equally significant, celebration. Twinkling lights wafted through the air above us, lighting the way to the shores of the River Styx. It was there that my family—the Gods of Olympus—welcomed Karly into their midst. Our hands were joined together in a sacred, everlasting vow, effectively crowning her as my Queen and a Goddess.
Much eating, raucous music, and dancing followed as each deity presented their gift to us. At long last, the celebrations were over and we retired to our new home on Olympus.
I grinned as I remember what happened then. Karly had been so nervous, staring at the white, silky, canopy bed. It was adorable. Trying to ease her anxiety, I circled my arms around her waist, moving her hair out of the way, and kissed the back of her neck. She melted at my touch, a sigh escaping her. It was all the encouragement I needed.
I spun her around, my lips descending on hers like they were water and I was a man dying of thirst. My tongue slipped inside her mouth, re-exploring the joy I found there. A crushing embrace held me close, bodies pressing together. Breaking away from her mouth and moving on to her neck, my hands found the zipper of her dress, pulling it all the way down. Sliding the fabric off her shoulders, I slowly pushed her back onto the bed, laying myself on top of her.
What happened next was beyond anything I could have imagined. It was different from my previous experiences—completely free of lust and full of love. When I looked at Karly in Vegas, it felt like my world had completely shifted, c
omplying to anything she wanted. When I looked at her on our wedding night that feeling was magnified a thousand times. I was positive I would never want another woman for the rest of my life.
As I smiled down at my beautiful, sleeping wife, she sighed, rolling over, and opened her eyes to look at me.
“Good morning,” I said softly, tucking a stand of hair behind her ear.
“Good morning,” she said, smiling. “I love you, Zeus.”
“I love you, too, Karly.”
I had never known such happiness in my entire existence.
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