Persephone

8. Roses ✔

Hades

"Those bloody sirens," I yell, "How did they even get here?"

Don looks at me worriedly, "I don't know but I think someone knows."

"Knows what?" Persephone asks.

Don gives me a nod. I did not want to tell her, not now at least, it is dangerous and a little too soon for her, but it seems like I did not have a choice.

"Persephone dear, it's a family issue and we aren't comfortable talking about it," Fifi replies politely.

Persephone blinks, she seems taken aback by Fifi's response.

"It's okay, I understand," she replies.

Thank the gods.

"Why don't you go home?" I speak.

She shakes her head, "I just started my job, Mr Wilson."

"Persephone, something traumatic just happened to you, it wouldn't be right for me to leave for work."

She sighs, "Please don't let me go home."

"Why not?" I ask her, concerned.

She clears her throat, "I don't have a home."

I look at her confused, I could have sore she lived in an apartment like yesterday.

"What do you mean?"

"I got kicked out this morning," she says slowly.

I am stunned, "Why?"

"My landlord put my rent up and I couldn't afford to pay it, I'm two months overdue, things haven't been great at the flower shop either," she explains.

"You can stay here with Hades," Don suggests, I look over my shoulder

She refuses, "I can't, it would be intruding."

I walk to her and stand in front of her, "We insist."

She steps back, "Mr Wilson, you're my boss. It's unethical."

"Well, you're fired, now you can live here and don't even think of arguing with me," I say firmly.

She opens her mouth to say something and then quickly closes it.

Obedient, I like it.

You are such a sadist.

Poseidon!

"Where is your stuff?" I ask, ignoring my brother's comments in my head.

"In my truck," she says shyly, "I was planning on sleeping in the truck"

I shake my head, "A beautiful girl like you cannot sleep on the streets."

She blushes and I kiss her forehead.

---

Persephone

So, I got kicked out this morning, tragic, I know. My landlord is an asshole. After skipping my rent twice, he decided to kick me out. I had spoken to him about why I could not pay, and he seemed to understand, but I guess I was wrong.

I look at Hades, and I cannot help but feel like he is not telling me something. After that little incident, everyone started acting weird, and I did not know why but as Fifi had said, it was a family issue.

Hades walks me to the truck to help get the bags I had packed; we walk back into the house to find Don and Fifi having a heated discussion.

"Are they okay?" I whisper to Hades as we climb up the stairs.

He is quiet for a while, "They'll be okay."

I follow him to a passageway, and he walks down the passage to a room. He opens the door, and we step inside. The room is painted white. There is a king-size bed in the middle with white sheets. The room was nicely decorated.

"This your room," he says, putting the bags down on the floor, "You have your bathroom and closet, and my room is right across."

"Thank you, Mr Wilson."

"Please call me Hades," he smiles.

I smile, "Okay Hades, I promise I'll try to find another place by the end of the month."

"No rush, you can stay here as long as you want,"

His kindness is overwhelming, I walk to him and hug him.

"Thank you,"

He wraps his arms around me and sighs, "You are welcome, Persephone."

I then hear his heartbeat; it was beating fast.

"Are you okay?" I ask, looking up at him.

He nods, "Yes why?"

"Your heart is beating fast."

He chuckles, "You do that to me."

I do not respond; I pull away from him and blush.

"I like you, Persephone."

Again, I say nothing. He could not like me; he did not even know me.

"I know you feel the same way. You just haven't thought about it,"

"Maybe but thank you again, Hades," I say.

He walks towards the door, "Pleasure is all mine. I'll leave you to get familiar with the room and then when you're ready you can come downstairs."

I nod, "I have to go to the flower shop later."

"Okay, I'll go with you" he offers.

"No, you don't have to."

"I insist, and I think it would be right for me to introduce myself to Mama June."

He was not wrong, "Okay."

"Excellent," he smiles and then walks away.

I did not know how the hell I was going to explain everything to Mama June, it has been a busy couple of days, and honestly, I am not coping very well.

My phone rings, and I pull it out of my pocket. It's Mama June.

"Mama June."

'Hello dear, are you okay?'

"I'm fine, how are you?"

'I'm good dear. I just wanted to let you know that Hermes will be running the shop with me from now on. There won't be any need for you to come to work anymore.'

"Wait, what do you mean?" I say, holding back my tears.

She could not fire me, not now.

'Dear, I've made the decision for the flower shop to be run by a family, just to keep it safe.'

"Oh, I understand."

I did not, I did not.

'Thank you dear for everything. Whenever you're free just come by and drop off the keys and the truck.'

"Okay, I will," I croak out.

'Okay bye, Persephone.'

I hang up the phone.

What is happening to me? First, I get kicked out of my apartment, I lost a contract, then my job, I have a crazy blackout dream, and I am now living with my boss with his weird family. Something in my gut was telling me that it was only just the beginning of all my problems, problems that are beyond my control.