Astrid

31

"Cheer up, love," Adrian said sitting next to me.

They've been trying to make me happy the whole flight. Now we're almost there but my mood's still sour. Because Daemon and Adonis are not coming with us.

Adrian sighed and put the seatbelt around me since we're about to land.

I huffed. "Why couldn't they come with us?"

"They had something important to do. Besides Daemon promised he'd take you out after we go back home didn't he." Adrian said brushing a hand through my hair. "Now cheer up, love. Daemon or Adonis would be very sad if they knew you didn't have fun because they weren't there."

I huffed again.

______________________________________

We got out of the airport and there were cars waiting for us. I got into a car with papa, Soren, Anubis, Atlas and Eros.

Atlas was very funny. He kept whispering silly jokes in my ear that made me laugh and the other look at me like I'm crazy.

"Here's another," Atlas whispered. "What's red and bad for your teeth?"

I shrugged. "What?"

He grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Brick."

I laughed so hard that I snorted. His jokes aren't actually that funny, they're just silly but this is the first time I get to be silly.

Papa turned around in his seat to look at us. "What's got you laughing like that?"

"Atlas is telling jokes."

Eros snorted. "His jokes are lame."

"Yeah and how many times did you make her laugh again," Atlas retorted.

Eros was about to say something but pala interrupted. "Boys, stop." He then turned to me. "Baby, look we're here."

I looked outside the window, we were parked outside a beautiful beach house. I can hear the roar of the ocean from here.

"Come, let's go to the beach."

As soon as Eros said the words Anubis, Soren and Eros jumped out of the car and ran towards the back of the house.

Papa rolled his eyes at them. "Do you want to go to the beach first or do you want to freshen up?"

"I'd like to freshen up first." It's been a long flight.

Papa nodded as Adrian came towards us. "Did you guys take the luggage out?"

Papa shook his head. "Atlas is doing that."

"For free," Atlas yelled as he placed another bag on the ground.

"Yeah well yor are here to wait on us, right?" Adrian smirked.

"Uncle I'm telling you, if your son keeps doing that I'll throw him off a cliff."

Papa chuckled but then his eyes widened comically as if he remembered something important. "Where are the other boys?" He asked Adrian.

"Beach."

Papa heaved a sigh of relief. "For a moment I thought you kicked them out of the car."

"Why would I do that," Adrian scoffed.

Papa shrugged. "Astrid baby, you'll have to share a room with someone. Everyone's sharing. This house doesn't have enough rooms for all of us."

"Yeah, the other one we had is being renovated so we had to buy a new one so we told Rome to see into it but he screwed up. This is a big enough house but not many bedrooms." Atlas rambled.

I turned to Adrian. "Can I please share with you?"

"Sure."

"Uh- wait I think there's some misunderstanding here." Papa interrupted. I was hoping he wouldn't. "You want to share a room with Adrian? You know you can share with me right?"

I bit my lower lip. "It's just, you snore."

Adrian and Atlas snorted. Alexander, who I didn't notice till now said, "damn uncle. See, we keep telling you. But you never believe us. Now do you believe it?"

Papa spluttered. "I don't - I snore?"

We all nodded.

"Oh."

Oh dear. He looks so sad now.

"It's okay papa I'll share with you."

He smiled. "No baby. You don't have to. You can share with Adrian. But you have to promise to spend at leat two hours with me every day."

I nodded so hard I thought my head might fall off. "Promise."

"Alright, let's go choose a room." Adrian said placing his hand on my shoulder.

Alexander frowned. "Why do you get to choose first?"

"Cause Astrid's staying with me."

"So?" Atlas scoffed.

"So she needs the best room."

"It's okay, I don't need-" Adrian interrupted me before I could finish.

"Yes you do. Come on."

We looked at every room in the house, they're all very pretty. But one of them has the best view of the sea. It's also the biggest one. I ended up choosing that.

"Great. I like it too." Adrian agree with me. He also said that getting the best room is like the biggest flex. I'm not sure what flex means though but he's happy so I guess it's something good?

I sorted my clothes out, neatly placed them in the closet, took a shower, changed into something comfortable and beachy and went in search of anyone that's willing to go to the beach.

I knocked on a door and papa's voice told me to go in.

"Papa do you want to go to the beach now?" I said walking into the room. But judging by the state of the room he's not going anywhere for the next couple of hours.

"Papa! How on earth did you manage to get everything on the floor?"

"Uh- I don't know. I walked in and tripped on something and the next thing I knew was that my suitcase hit something then my briefcase flew in the air and fell over there and all my papers are on the floor."

"And your clothes too."

"Yeah and those."

"Here I'll help." I offered.

Papa smiled. "Have I ever told you that you're a blessing."

I blushed.

"Seriously, in a house full of boys if something like this happens they just laugh at you and get away so quick so they don't have to do anything. Lazy pigs. I don't know why I keep them."

I giggled. "They're your sons."

"Yeah they give me grey hair."

I giggled again. "Let's clean this up."

Papa nodded and I spent the next hour helping papa. He sorted his documents and I sorted his clothes.

"Thank you, my love." Papa kissed my cheek.

"It's nothing."

Papa smiled. He had a look in his eyes that he usually gets when he's looking at me. Suddenly his eyes watered.

"Papa, why are you crying,"  I asked softly.

"I love you so much," he said squishing me to his chest.

"I know. I love you too."