My Crown

Chapter 40

"She is quite straightfoward." Mrs. Leos smiles to her husband,
"Honey, relax. We just want to get to know you."

I look at the odd couple across from me. Hades is right, he doesn't take after either of them. Not in terms of personality.

"You're looking out for Hades." I realise.
"Well, our son is rarely romantically entangled." Romantically??

"There is nothing romantic about our entanglements." Probably not the best thing to say to his parents and sister, but their reactions are telling.

"Even so, you seem to have him," she pauses making eye contact with me, "enchanted."
Ah, she must still be pissed about that Albania thing.
That was funny.

It does feel good to know that someone as unattainable as Hades is interested in me.
But his interest is starting to bother me.

"Why are the girls here?" That's what doesn't fit. There are more efficient ways to bait me. Why kidnap Melly and Pam?

"You'll have to take that up with Hades. That's all him." Andy admits still playing beautifully.

"Great, which way is he?" He is who I came here for anyway.

"You'll have to go through us."
Why are they making this so complicated?

"Why are we here?" Of all places.
"When attempting to solve the mystery of you, all roads seem to lead back to the Morellis." She doesn't look up as the melody changes.

"Tell me about Lorenzo."
My heart stops beating for a second. This is going down a weird path.

"What about him?"

"Do you know where he is?"

"No." Not exactly. I only have a vague idea.

"How did you know him?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Do you want to get your friends back?"
When her eyes meet mine, I cannot help but admire her.
Say what you will about her, she is tough, fair, confident, cautious, loyal and smart. All the things a good don should be. A true queen.

Which is why, I have to remind myself that she is just looking out for her brother. Also, that she is dangerous.

"Do you know why Hades and I get along so well?" I decide on a more diplomatic approach.

"Because you have him under your thumb?" His mother guesses.

"Give your son more credit than that." He could never be under anyone's thumb.
"Hades lives completely in the present. He never cares about the past or the future, he is always in the moment." It is one of the things I like most about him.

"He once told me that when you focus on what was, you miss what is. So, you see, he is not obsessed over my past. And by not focusing on my past, he sees me for who I am."
Andy has never been able to look past not knowing my history.

"And where did that get him?"
"Where did digging into my past get you?"

She suddenly stops playing and smirks at me.
"I am so glad you asked."

No. She can't have found anything. It is impossible.

But as she retrieves something from the table behind her and places it on the table between her parents and I, I am entirely confused.

I reach for it calmly and smile as I stare at the innocent faces looking back at me.
I remember this day.

It was Zozo's birthday and his parents weren't home. I ditched work to cheer him up. Gigi baked him a chocolate lava cake that we demolished, before we spent the entire afternoon playing.