memory (hiatus)

Chapter 28: Do you want some lip gloss?

Piper's POV:

Aphrodite was crying. Huge, heaving sobs that consumed all sound and sight. Well, not sight. Piper could still clearly see the wall she'd been staring at all morning. But she'd seen Aphrodite bury her head into that pink billow, so likely Aphrodite couldn't see anything.

But certainly sound. Piper couldn't focus at all. She was so close to coming up with a plan that would get them out of there, but no, Aphrodite's crying kept on distracting her.

Piper didn't even get why she was crying. It had been a mostly normal morning, eating the food one of the guards had dropped off. An apple for Piper, a banana for Aphrodite, and, well, Piper had no idea what Hera had eaten, as she'd left for her work already. 

Unfortunately, according to last night's talk, Porphyion, was getting really close to waking, though it was taking a huge physical toll on Hera. Huge bags underlined her eyes, her eyes were swollen from lack of sleep, and Hera was always tottering, almost falling over when she came back from working on him. Gaia had her working way way way too much. Piper would have totally protested it, if she actually could do anything. After all, she was kidnapped. 

Then, as it was Wednesday, the guard also dropped off outfits, thoroughly disputing Piper's blackmail theory about Aphrodite.... though, Piper figured she just wanted someone to blame, honestly. 

Piper was given her usual seven outfits, smart looking but simple clothes. No accessories except a few hair ties. Everything she needed, not that that was totally not creepy....

Either way, Aphrodite got her bundle of pink outfits as usual, but she also got tons of accessories. Mostly expensive jewelry. But one of them had to be something bad, as she gasped loudly and ran out of the room, still clutching whatever it was. Piper only caught a glimpse of it, but it looked something like a ring.

After finishing eating her apple and unsuccessful talking to guards, Piper went back to her room, still trying to brainstorm a way out of here. She'd tried to go out the window, tried to get through the bars, but, yeah, nothing had worked. 

But, maybe, Piper had been collecting the utensils they'd given her. And, they'd given her a knife yesterday. And, maybe, if it was just in-between guard shifts....yes, they could get out of there. If only she could now focus, without the sound of Aphrodite crying!

Piper sighed and got out of bed to find Aphrodite. 

She found said person crying out her heart into the pink sheets and pillows of her bed. In her hand, she clenched a pearl ring. 

"Aphrodite?"

Aphrodite held up three things of pink lip gloss. "Do you want some lip gloss?"

Piper definitely didn't. "No thanks."

Aphrodite dropped them and resumed her crying. Piper sat down the sheets, avoiding her mess of curls. "Why are you crying?"

Aphrodite held up the pearl ring she'd been holding. "Because of this!"

Piper studied the ring. It had a silver band with green and clear jewels surrounding the pearl. It was simple and classy, and kind of reminded- wait, no, it couldn't be. Could it?

"Is that-" Piper hesitated. 

Aphrodite looked up, her makeup somehow still perfect and her eyes still dripping with tears. "Yes. That's the ring your father planned to propose to me with. Except, I said no, and then we had you, and then I left."

Piper wasn't really sure what to say. Then she remembered the packages she'd found in her dad's office. 

"What did you leave me?" she asked.