Hades II

epilogue

Stella

I was lying on the couch, the migraine had been a very real thing the day before, and today my brain felt like a pile of mush. It was only the second time since the accident seven months earlier I'd suffered from this type of headache, so I could handle it.

Hades lived here. He had ensured he wouldn't do any sort of grading or the like regarding Taylor and Adam.

Speaking of which, the door was unlocked, and Adam and Taylor entered at the same time.

They practically ran to the couch, sitting on their knees before me.

"What?" I asked. I'd only worked half the day, that was a deal I'd made with the headmaster, when the migraine rolled around the last time. Simply because more than half a day would spiral me into another migraine.

"Listen," Taylor said. "They were doing like, a beginning of year competition. The university is giving away five scholarships, which will pay half the tuition. For five students!"

"And obviously, we entered," Adam said.

I pushed unto one elbow.

"We won," Taylor said. "Both of us."

"How?" I asked.

"It was about the commitment, and then teachers had to vouch for us. Obviously, we had to have Hades helping, but also, like all our teachers."

"You are good students," I mused.

They both nodded.

"What?" I asked, confused as to why they were still so... excited?

"Stella, with these scholarships, and our jobs, and your job, and with Hades living here, you can start studying again." Adam said.

I blinked. It took my brain a few moments to work over those words. "What?" I asked.

"Yes!" Taylor said. "With both Adam and I being enrolled, and Hades teaching, it's possible that you can get a discount. He's handing in his thesis like, soon."

I nodded. December, or earlier.

"And they need him to actually teach, that's why he has been working so hard. He needed to have taught the right amount of hours, and then to have finished his thesis. As a faculty member, it's cheaper for his family to study, and given you're his girlfriend?" Adam reminded me.

"Doesn't that require us to be married?" I asked.

"Maybe," Taylor said. "But even as your girlfriend, he can ensure you get a certain discount. So think it over, you get a discount, Adam and I only have to pay half, and he's finished his thesis? You can take the classes you want to take."

I nodded. "Maybe." I whispered.

They both smiled wide smiles.

Someone pressed the doorbell.

I groaned and closed my eyes.

"I'll get it," Adam said and went to the door.

I looked at Taylor. "What..."

"It's Dad," Adam said.

I sighed. We hadn't really talked these past few months. Only yelled a bit.

"Let him in," Taylor said.

Dad entered the flat a few moments later with a bag he put on the kitchen island. "I know you're not feeling too good," he said to me. "I'm not here to disagree. Donna's not here."

I stood. "Why are you here?"

"Because I think it's about time we sit down and talk, and really listen. I brought food. Is Hades here?"

I shook my head no. "He's hanging out with a few friends."

Dad gestured to the bag. "Can we talk?"

I needed to solve this, or at least reach a point where we could agree to disagree or something. Slowly I nodded.

Dad smiled. "Thank you."

We gathered around the coffee table, Dad gave us each a sandwich, and we started eating.

"This girl came, it's a few months ago. She said she knew you," he looked at me. "And told me I should stop treating you like a child."

Melisandre? Or Melinoë? Whatever her name was.

"So, I figured we could talk about it?"

I smiled.

Taylor and Adam high-fived beneath the table and told Dad about the competition they'd won.

"You could save even more living with Donna and I," he said.

"But Dad, we want to live here," Adam said. "This is home now."

For the first time, it looked like Dad actually thought about what we said. I doubted he'd agree, but it was a start he considered the possibility that this living arrangement situation wouldn't change. We were grown-ups now.