Six Years Later

A bird chirped from a distant tree.

"Elise! Watch out for those fireworks--you never know what the Hephaestus kids are up to!" I call out.

Elise wrinkles her nose, frowns and releases the pyro equipment. She skips towards me in her blue knit sweater and boots and says, "Where's mommy?"

"--No Noah, not yet," says a familiar voice in the distance.

We both turn to see a woman walking with a toddler, who, judging by his crossed arms, was not happy.

"Does that answer your question?" I say, turning towards Elise.

She smiles, the glee almost bursting out of her. "Mommy! Mommy! Look what daddy showed me!" Elise says, and races towards the woman, tugging the cuffs of her dress, leading her towards a cabin.

The woman gives me a wry smile.

"Come! Come!" Elise exclaims, as she drags the woman along.

Once we're inside the cabin, Elise produces an old ballpoint pen.

"It's just a pen," Noah groans in disappointment.

Elise sticks out her tongue while the woman and I exchange a glance.

The woman picks up the ballpoint pen and says, "Now, Noah, is this just a pen?" as she removes the cap.

The pen grows and extends into a gleaming orange sword, riveted at the hilt.

Noah gapes and Elise says, "See! See! Daddy used this sword on his first quest. He must've slain like--a thousand monsters."

"Now Elise," I say, rubbing the back of my head, "a thousand would be a bit of an exaggeration."

Noah tries to pick up the sword but I wag my finger. "Your mother was actually on that quest with me. It was on that quest when I grew feelings for her."

Helen blushes and covers Riptide, returning it into a pen.

"Gross," Noah says, pretending to puke.

Elise only looks on in wonder.

"She also knit me a shirt, which I still have. Though," I say, scratching my head, "it doesn't fit anymore."

"But hey," I say, turning towards Noah, who is tampering with a ceiling lamp, "maybe you can wear it when you're old enough."

He looks at me and cocks his head, as if envisioning himself thirteen years in the future.

The ringing of a bell interrupts us.

"Come on kids, it's lunchtime. Join your guardian satyrs," Helen says, gently pushing them out of the room.

"Race you to the big house!" Elise yells.

"Last one there is a rotten Centuar!" Noah yells back, as they bound onto the path and eventually, out of sight.

I sit down on a bed and sigh. "I thought they'd never leave," I joke.

Helen smirks. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" she says, and takes a seat beside me.

I arch a brow.

"Since we've been on that quest," she adds. "So much has changed. I never would have imagined ending up here, married and all."

"Yeah," I concur, thinking back. "You were almost left behind."

She looks at me for a long time. "It's funny. Of all things, that is what you remember first."

"I mean--uh--I can never forget the quest that taught me to become proud wearing my own shoes," I say.

"I'm glad I spent it with you," I add, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and tapping her nose.

She pushes my hand away playfully and leans in. "You better be," she teases.

A strange rumbling sound stops us both. I realize it's coming from my stomach.

Helen stands up and grabs my hand. "Lets have some lunch, son of Hermes," and we stroll to our picnic table where we had shared countless meals and conversations.