The Protector

Chapter 2

"Thanks sissy. Is all of this for me?" Cora said as she looked up from her wheelchair.

"No I got mom a bear claw."

"Oh, ok. Hey you left your phone in here. When did you get a Blackberry?"

"I didn't. Shoot he must have slipped his phone in the wrong bag."

"He who, the cashier?"

"No the guy that paid for the food."

"Wait you can't just walk away and not tell the story. What guy?"

"Well long story short a man almost hit me in the parking lot and he felt so bad he ended up buying our food."

"Oh, I see." Cora's eyes twinkled.

"Do not give me that look. No playing match maker!"

"I am not. Just think about it though. He paid for your food and the ACCIDENTLY" she put extra emphasize on accidently. "Slipped his phone in the wrong bag? Sounds like to me you have a rich guy with a big heart and a little crush!" Cora is now clapping in excitement.

"Ok, first of all we don't know it was done on purpose, and secondly that was not a date this next meeting won't be a date either."

"IT IS RINGING!"

"It says 'the office'. Should I?"

"It is probably him calling from his desk phone. PICK IT UP!!!" Cora screeched with excitement.

"Ok, ok, shh calm down I'll put it on speaker."

"Hello, is that you Alessa?" His voice questioned sweetly from the speaker.

"Yes it's me. As you know I have your phone"

"Yes and I desperately need it back," he chuckled sweetly. "My lunch break is at 11:15."

"Where do you work I can drop it off."

"Umm I work in a secure area; you would need clearance just to get to the parking lot. It will be easier if I come to you."

Cora's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Yeah you have a pen handy to write down the address?"

"Don't worry about it. I tracked the phone on the internet I have you location. I'll see you soon."

"I'll be here!" The phone call ended.

"Eeeeeeeeek!" Cora squealed with delight.

"What is all the commotion about in here?"

"Alessa has a date!" Cora could barely contain her excitement.

"No I do not. Geez you are a hopeless romantic. A man at Moon Dog paid for my food after nearly hitting me with his car and he must have got our bags mixed up because I ended up with his phone. He is coming here on his lunch break to pick it up."

"That is nice of him, but you know I don't like strange people in the house, especially when your sister is not well."

"Mom, I am fine. I just need to get out in my garden and then I will feel a lot better. Besides he is rich, we can finally get Alessa married up and out of here!" Cora teased.

"Ha ha ha, very funny."

"Just be careful."

"Mom I am 21 and Alessa is 25. Cut the cord already why don't you? Why do you have to freak out every time somebody comes over here?" Cora said her voice was strained now, she was nearly in tears.

"Because you girls mean the world to me, it would kill me if something happened to you. The world is full of bad people."

"Come on Cora; let's get out in the garden." I knew that the sooner I could get her out in her garden the better she would start feeling. It has always been her place of solace whenever mom got to be too much.

"Be careful girls."

Every since I can remember my mom has always been very protective of us. Cora always seemed to get the brunt of it all. Cora was born with a very rare auto immune disease. Mom kept her out of school because of. She said she was too fragile, that the other kids would make her sick or hurt her. Winters are very hard for her. She would spend most of the winter in her chair. It is so strange that like clock work on the first day of spring she is back to being her bubbly self.

She has always had a green thumb. Every year she plants a huge garden that is really more like a mini farm. Her plants grow faster and bigger than any I have ever seen. On Thursdays mom takes the surplus down to the farmer's market and sells them. She always comes back and tells us stories of how people just rand and rave about Cora's produce. People come from miles around just to get some. Her garden is her world.

To tell you the truth, I'm not sure if she has even been out the house in the past year. The last time she went away from the house was for a doctor's visit and mom made me take the day off so I could go with them. She says Cora isn't safe without me. I guess it is a sister thing, or because I seem to be the only person that can bring her out of her panic attacks.

Cora is absolutely beautiful, her beauty rivals any celebrity you can think of. Her skin is smooth and perfectly even, the color of the richest soil on earth. Her hair is long and falls in gentle waves of the darkest ebony to her hips. Her is hair is so dark that in certain light it nearly appears an emerald green of the spring leave. It is her eyes that always captivated people the most, they are as blue as the sky on the clearest you can ever imagine. When she walks her hips roll like the wave of the sea slow, steady and seductive. Walking is an understatement for her movements, its almost like gliding. Her voice is warm and comforting like the summer breeze. She is the embodiment of beauty. When she goes in public people, especially the men, all stop and stare. It has always made her have a panic attack, all of the attention.

I can always get her to calm down before it gets out of control. When she was about ten years old she had a huge panic attack in the middle of an earthquake. It was the strangest thing I have ever seen, it was almost as if the earthquake and she were in unison. Mom said some times dogs and people with heighten senses and feel these type of things about to happen and panic. I don't buy it, this was something different.

I was all the way at the other end of the mall when it started. As soon as it hit I knew I had to get to Cora and I had to get there fast. So I took off running in the direction I thought she was. I didn't know where she was exactly but it felt like she was pulling me to her. When I found her she seemed so broken. She was laying there on the ground curled up in a ball, so helpless. I took a hold of her hands and told her to look at me and only me nobody else. Within seconds of eye contact she was settling down and so was the earthquake. That was the last time she had a panic attack and the last time we went to the mall

Cora was very weak this morning but each step closer to her garden we came the life began to return to her face. The morning was overcast and glooming but the sun and Cora seemed to meet each other in the garden. She slowly took a seat in the earth, frappe in one hand and just let the sun energize her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in and out before sipping her warm drink. Me on the other hand, my body was wrecked from the long shift and the thought of climbing down to the dirt made my soul and back ache

"Now that mom is gone, tell me about my future brother in law." Cora teased between sips of her coffee

"Ha, not quite," I rolled my eyes, she was always the romantic. "I don't have time for love"

Cora made a pained expression on her face and looks down at her mug. I didn't mean it like that. I would do anything for mom and Cora. Sacrificing for them is what I am supposed to do. What would I look like letting them struggle just I dint want to be bothered. I know at times she feels guilty and like she is holding me back some how but that is not the case. I have plans for my future. Just waiting on the right time is all. How can I flip this?

"Besides, he was too short. I would have to get a step ladder to put in the back of truck just for him to get in."

Good that got a smile out of her!

"So in this scenario you would be the one driving him around in the beast and not him taking you in the beamer? Ah modern love!" Cora snorts at the last remark

"In this complete fantasy scenario where a random rich guy falls in love with over Moon Dog's and a lost blackberry? Absolutely"

"Well I am still waiting on those details." Cora has finished her coffee and now starting to move about her garden, plucking rogue weeds.

"Blond, gorgeous eyes the color of the sky right before a storm. He had one of those carefree playful smiles. You know what I mean, like being good looking came natural," I paused for a moment hoping she didn't comment on the fact that I just admitted this mystery man to be good looking. She was distracted by her war on the weeds to catch it. "Cool guy hair cut. Well put together guy that will only always be disappointed in me."

"Alessa, stop."

That definitely got her attention. She has always been the pretty one but I see the anxiety her beauty brings her and I'll take my dime a dozen forgettable face over that any day. She does not like it when I put myself down though. She is the type that finds beauty in everything, even me.

"Anyway, it was a fun fantasy while it lasted. I'm going to go show and lay down until he gets here. Do you mind if I grab something to put on."

"Go right ahead, you know the way. I can smell ya from here!"

I took a sniff of myself and man was she right. 24 hours in an ambulance with just OK air conditioning in the middle of August does not exactly leave on smelling like roses and the end of the day. I made my way into Cora's room. It was more like an indoor botanical gardens. I still have no clue how she got the plants she does to grow indoor year round! We are not exactly the same size. She is petite and yet somehow manages to still be curvy and me on the other hand, not so much. Its not a bad body at all don't get me wrong. This is a body built for battles of all sorts and sports of all types. It just doesn't fit well into her delicate, petite clothes. So I grabbed a pair of legging, a crop top. Crop top isn't my style but the way it is cut, loose fitting, should give me some ability to breathe.

I hope in the shower and take advantage of their oversized hot water heater and wash my hair. There is something so therapeutic about a nice hair wash and deep condition, beside they had the good shampoo over here. Mom uses the herbs and fruits to make their own soaps, skin and hair care products. My hair thanks me by springing to life when I get out the shower. I toss some shea butter and coconut oil on my hair and decide on 2 quick easy afro puff. I wipe the condensation off the mirror and take a look at myself. I guess I am pretty, it is hard to know after standing next to Cora and Mom for so long. Chocolate colored almond eyes stare back at me and my button nose, and full lips. Not luscious like Cora's but they are there. Thin face with high cheek bones as oppose to Cora and mom's heart shaped faces.

The blackberry alerts on the sink pulling me from my trance. It is a text message from "THE OFFICE" which read. "Don't be rummaging through my photos, I cant be held responsible for you falling in love with me over them "

I don't have your passcode to get in, so I guess we will never know. SEND

DING* Does this count as a lunch date?

I roll my eyes. Maybe I was wrong about this guy and he was actually fliting. "Only if you bring the lunch." SEND. A small smile grows in my face.

*DING* Deal

*DING* Shall I grab some for your Mom and sis too?

"Sure." I don't remember talking about them to him but honestly I have been awake for well over 24 hours now. I make my way over to the couch and let the exhaustion take over.

I wake up to the sound of the doorbell. Erebus is here, I try not to let the excitement inside me grow to an exponential amount. I can not help to smile though. I straighten my now sleep induced wrinkled shirt and fluff my puff on the way to the door.

I take a deep breathe then open the door. "Hey."

He looks different from this morning. Worn down somehow from the day. "I hope you like Panera." He manages a half hearted smile.

"Come on in, my sis is around back in the garden, we can eat there is you like? You ok?"

"Right as rain now," Erebus flashed his sweet carefree smile although it isn't the same as before, it was somehow missing something. "My boss is just on my case today. I have to do something I don't much care for anymore."

"Ah, got to give somebody the ax?"

"Yea in a round about way. It was over and issue that I thought long resolved but with new intel bringing things into play we were not aware of. I saw drop it but when big brother is the boss..."

"You know what they say, us babies are the troublemakers. Hi, I am Cora." Cora smiles sweetly and extends her hand to shake.

"Indeed you are." The man is all but speechless at the sight of her. It is something I should be use to by now but I was hoping that just once it would be about me. My shoulders slumped ever so slightly buy I righted myself but not fast enough as Cora shot me a pained look. "My name is..."

"Erebus." Mom said with a gasp, the sight of the man stopping her dead in her track. Cora and I gave each other puzzling looks. What is going on.

"Lyda." Erebus express now is completely void of all emotion. His light playful tone has now become deep and wrecks of on coming chaos.

"What are you doing here?" Mom, Lyda begins to shake to the point that the tray of lemonade she was carrying falls to the ground.

"Simply here to see if the rumors were true. I can plainly see that they are."

"What is going on?" I stood up from my seat and ask of the two parties firmly. "What rumors? How do you know each other?"

"Do they not know of the power they yield? You fool have you kept them in the dark all these years?" His tone mocking at this point. "Shall I or would you like to do the honor?"

"The honor of what?" I demand. I look over to Cora and she is working on a breathing exercise. I can feel her tension rising, she is going to have an attack. "Cora." I draw her attention to me and I give her our gesture we came up with to cue her on cycling through her breathing technique to gain control. She closes her eyes and starts big deep belly breaths.

"Oh how cute you think a little cute breathing technique will stop the destructive powers of the child of Hades?"

"Mom?" Cora and I ask in unison.

"That mantrinally woman is not your mother."

"It is true. I did not birth either of you, but I was giving the task of keeping you two safe and hidden." Lyda spoke now with her head high and proud.

"Ignorant woman, humble yourself."

"You will not talk to her that way. What is going on?"

"Did you really think tales of the most tasty fruits grown by a woman that looks like the embodiment of mother Earth with eyes like the sea would not draw attention? Tell them or I will cut you down where you stand."

"My name is Lyda. I was commissioned to be your guardian by your mother. Persephone. The goddess of spring,"

"Correction, the Queen of the Underworld. Continue." Erebus motioned with his hand for Lyda to continue.

She rolled hers eyes. "The GODDESS of spring was kidnapped by his VILE brother from her husband Apollo,"

"He is a weak god, continue,"

"She was pregnant with you Alessa, She convince Hades to let her give birth here as you were not a product of Hades. She entrusted me to raise and protect you. To never introduce you into this world. You were given medication while in you infancy to make you mortal and take away any ability. It was not 100% This is why you are stronger than most women. I also suspect your need to be in the medical field is your body trying to reconnect with the lost power of healing others. Like the way you pull Cora out of her attacks. A protector. It is still in you"

"Let's continue the story shall we? Now it is going to get good."

"She became pregnant a 2nd time. She hid the pregnancy by telling Hades that she wanted to spend a year top side to be with her lost daughter whom she never got to bond with. He approved."

"Because he is gracious, carry on." Erebus snarks with a mouth full of sandwich.

"For a year she stayed and the Earth saw its most bountiful of life for it. After giving birth, Cora was too given the medication. Honey you are life and death wrapped into one delicate package. All the medication did was cripple you. You were destined for greater things than this."

Cora had tears in her eyes. How can any of this be true. It makes too much sense to not be anything other than facts but I am in a state of shock. This is all a dream. This is the stuff we learned in school. This cant be right, can it?

"Why are you here?" Cora ask in a shrunken voice.

"Hades wants his daughter back."

Erebus stood up and made calculated steps towards Cora. Cora stood there frozen with fear. Lyda threw the tray that she had been carrying the lemonades on like a giant metal frisbee hitting Erebus in the back of the head. The hit was hard enough to send him to the ground. The god awful sound of metal clashing into bone was enough to wake both Cora and I from our state of shock.

"Girls you must go now. He wont stay down for long. I can not help you any further than this. There is a leather bond book under my mattress take it with you."

"Where are we supposed to go?"

"Athens."

"Ohio?" Cora asked confused.

"No, Greece. We have to get to Greece."

"Convene with the other Gods, they aren't doing anything but eating drinking. Tell Zeus who you are. He wont believe you because most of the Olympian essence is gone. Show him your necklaces, it is the ancient symbols of the time before language that only the Gods know of. A war is coming. Cora is the balance and Hades is going to want to kill her or control to take over."

"What about our mother, Persephone."

"Zeus will explain more child. Take the money from the safe. You don't have much time." Lyda reaches up and places a hand on each of their cheeks. "This is your time girls. The balance of life and death and its protector. LEAVE, GO."