Chapter Text
The day Zeus came back, it stormed. Lightning flashed outside the window, and there was a chill in the dry Californian air. Thalia had gotten into the habit of staying late at a Mom and Pop shop after school in the past couple of years. They knew her, and they knew the things Beryl would get up to. So they let Thalia stay and do her homework, and have a few hours of peace. A good portion of the time, this habit would lead Thalia to get home when Beryl was either out somewhere, or already asleep. Then she’d make herself dinner and have a relatively quiet night until the next day. Often, she’d wake up to Beryl sick from drinking, or with a hangover. She was always nicer after a night of drinking, especially when Thalia made her breakfast, or got her medicine, or held her hair back. But it would never last long, and she was never kind at night…unless she wanted something, that is.
When Thalia arrived home the night Zeus returned, it was earlier than she’d ever dared to come home in years. It was only six thirty, but the sun had already set. She’d tried to stay at the shop longer, but Freddie and Monica wouldn’t let her.
“Please,” Thalia had pleaded, feeling so safe in their tiny shop full of knick knacks with photos from their wedding and their family on the walls. “Please, just a little longer.”
Monica had knelt in front of her, dark hair streaked with gray pulled back from her face, with such lovely hazel eyes full of concern. “Thalia, honey, you can’t. There’s a bad storm coming, and I simply will not let you walk home.”
“I’ll be okay,” Thalia protested, tears starting to sting her eyes. “I promise. I’ve done it before.”
Freddie knelt next to Monica. His deep brown hair had gone gray long ago, and glasses balanced on the edge of his nose. He’d wrapped his favorite leather jacket around Monica’s shoulders, left in a shirt that, apparently, had been made when he and his friends formed a band when he was a teenager. Freddie reached out and took Thalia’s hand gently, not flinching as her little hand trembled in his. “Not this time, kiddo,” he said softly. “We wouldn’t be able to live with ourselves if something happened to you.”
“But she might still be there!” Thalia cried, her voice breaking. “It’s too early! Please don’t make me go back yet!”
Freddie tensed, and tears filled Monica’s eyes. Thalia had never really told them what happened at home. She learned the hard way that most people would take Beryl’s word over her’s. But she was sure that Monica and Freddie had an idea of what was going on. Not that they had any proof. But, for them, a six year old spending hours in their shop every day was proof enough.
Monica took a shaky breath and brushed Thalia’s hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry, baby. We can’t let you stay here, and I have a hard enough time with you walking home in the dark as it is, let alone with the horrible storm that’s on its way.”
“Then take me home with you!” Thalia pleaded. “I’ll be good! I promise! You won’t even know I’m there!”
Monica broke eye contact and pulled Thalia in for a tight hug, running a shaky hand through Thalia’s hair. “Oh, honey, we would if we could. I promise we would.”
Thalia buried her face in Monica’s neck, inhaling the sweet, flowery scent of the perfume she’d come to associate with safety and, dare she say, home. She knew why they couldn’t. Their neighbor was the police chief, and they’d already had so many issues with him. And he’d have an absolute field day if they showed up at home with Beryl Grace’s kid.
Thunder boomed outside and Thalia yelped, gripping the back of Freddie’s jacket. She knew that Freddie and Monica were having a silent conversation without even having to look at them. Finally, Monica started to gently extract herself from Thalia’s grip.
“Give us a second, honey,” Monica said softly, wiping away Thalia’s tears. “We’ll be right back, okay?”
Thalia nodded, allowing Freddie to pick her up and set her on the counter next to the register on their way to the back room. The rain had started to come down in sheets, a pitch black sky punctuated by brief flashes of lightning. Despite the sound of the rain, and Monica and Freddie’s hushed tones, Thalia could still hear them as they talked.
“We have to get her out of there,” Freddie whispered desperately.
“We can’t bring her home,” Monica said, though she didn’t sound too enthusiastic about it. “Darrell–”
“Fuck Darrell, Monica!” Freddie whisper-shouted. Despite him not actually yelling, just hearing the word come out of his mouth nearly made Thalia flinch. Freddie almost never swore, and never at Monica. “I swear to God. I hate sending this little girl home, not knowing if she’s gonna come back the next day. I’m about ready to take Beryl to court myself, if not for the risk of that poor kid getting put into foster care.”
“I know, but we’re not in a position to fight her,” Monica insisted. “Despite the trouble she’s gotten into, Beryl is still largely regarded as Hollywood’s sweetheart right now. If she could get enough people on her side, she could convince anyone that both us and Thalia are lying. She could try to sue us for everything we have. We could lose the shop, our savings.” Monica’s voice broke, and Thalia knew that she was trembling the way she always does when she’s trying not to cry. “Freddie, she could try to make it so that we never see Thalia again. She could do something to Thalia, or take her away, or a million other things. I don’t think Beryl’s…violent… But I don’t think we can take that risk.”
“But we don’t know what we’re sending her back to,” Freddie protested, his voice wavering slightly. “She hardly tells us anything.”
“She tells us enough,” Monica said firmly. “Likely more than she ever realizes. But she was dealing with Beryl for years before she even found us, love. I have to believe she has a system to keep herself safe.”
“We’re her system, Monica!” Freddie’s voice cut off, and Thalia knew he was running his hands through his hair, the way he always did when he was frustrated. “She’s terrified at the thought of going back there before a specific time. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in that house that makes a six year old spend so much time in our random little shop.”
“I know,” Monica insisted. “But we can’t help her if we can’t see her. And if Darrell sees us bring her home, or take her to school tomorrow…”
Freddie sighed unhappily. “I know, I know.”
“We’ve had this conversation since she started coming here, love,” Monica said gently. “Until there’s a way to get Thalia out of that house for good, the only thing we can do is the same thing we’ve been doing since she found us.”
Freddie took a shaky breath. “I hate this.”
“I know,” Monica whispered, her voice tight with emotion. “I do, too. Come on. We’ve kept her waiting long enough.”
They emerged from the back room seconds later, Monica wiping at her eyes and Freddie blinking rapidly.
Freddie glanced out the window of the shop and grimaced. “It’s getting really bad out there.”
Monica smiled sadly and brushed Thalia’s hair behind her ear. “Let us drive you home, honey. I can’t let you walk home in this.”
Thalia tensed, remembering the first and only time she’d accepted a ride home from them. When she’d gotten back, she’d found Beryl lounging in an armchair in the living room with a glass full of whatever she’d decided was her favorite alcohol for the month in her hand. She’d seen their car pull in, and had seen Thalia hug them goodbye. It was a bad night.
Thalia took a stuttering breath and shook her head. “Sh-she’ll get mad if she sees your car,” she whispered. “Even if she just sees the headlights, she’ll know, and she’ll get angry.”
Monica and Freddie exchanged a pained look.
“Across the street?” Monica offered hesitantly.
Thalia hiked her shoulders up and shook her head, staring at the floor.
“The corner, then,” Freddie said softly. “We’ll follow you in the car, make sure you get in safely. It’s raining hard enough that it won’t be suspicious if we drive slow.”
Thalia sniffled and nodded. “As long as she doesn’t see you,” she said. “I–I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
Thalia swore she could see their hearts break.
“Oh, honey,” Monica said, tears springing into her eyes again as she pulled Thalia into another hug. “You don’t need to worry about us.”
“You just focus on staying safe,” Freddie agreed, putting a gentle hand on Thalia’s back. “No matter what she does, or what she throws at you, we’ll always be here. All you need to worry about is getting through it, and we’ll help you in any way we can.”
Monica pulled away from the hug and held Thalia’s face in her hands. “You’ll get through this. This isn’t forever. You’re going to get out of here someday, and you’re going to do great things.” She pressed a fierce kiss to Thalia’s forehead, tears running down her cheeks. “We love you, Thalia. Don’t you ever forget that there are people in this world who care about you.”
Thalia managed a nod before she burst into tears, prompting Freddie and Monica to hold her for a little while longer. In that little shop with wedding and family photos on the wall, and old cassette tapes from a band that no longer existed, Thalia knew she’d found a family all her own. And, so, she felt safe, even as a storm raged on outside, and the thought of going home loomed on the horizon.
Minutes later, Thalia had crawled into the backseat of their car, her backpack clutched to her chest. Their Dodge Caravan smelled exactly like the shop; a mixture of Freddie’s cigarettes and Monica’s perfume. It should’ve been a repulsive smell. But it reminded her of them. And she loved it. Thalia was already soaked due to the walk to the car, but neither of them seemed to care. Even Freddie, who’d go on for hours about how much he loved this car. Thalia allowed herself a small smile, wondering if they didn’t care because they loved her more.
That night had surprised her. As affectionate as Monica was, neither she nor Freddie had ever told Thalia they loved her before. They showed their love in other ways, sure, but they’d never actually said it. And it wasn’t exactly the most common phrase to come out of Beryl’s mouth, either. In other words…it felt good to be told she was loved, and to have the person actually mean it.
True to their word, Freddie stopped the car on the corner of Thalia’s street. They turned to look at her, both clearly unhappy with the situation.
“You’re sure that coat’ll be enough?” Freddie prompted.
Thalia nodded. “I’ll change in the house.”
“And there’s going to be food you can make if Beryl hasn’t made anything?” Monica asked.
Thalia nodded again. They’d offered to buy her food, but Thalia had already put off going home as much as she could.
“And you have our landline,” Freddie said, giving her a pointed look. “If anything happens–”
“I know,” Thalia said softly. “Thanks.”
They exchanged one last pained glance before Monica let out a breath and nodded. “Okay.” She paused and pressed a kiss to her fingertips before reaching out to cup Thalia’s cheek. They’d already had to scrub Monica’s lipstick off Thalia’s forehead, so they were being extra careful. “We love you, sweetheart. Be safe.”
Thalia nodded and let Freddie pat her knee before she braced herself and stepped out into the freezing rain. She walked as fast as she dared, holding her backpack above her head to shield her from the brunt of the rain. Freddie’s headlights illuminated the path in front of her, and she mentally prepared herself for what she might be walking into. Hopefully, Beryl had gone out and was stuck waiting out the storm somewhere. Or maybe she’d already gone to bed.
As she approached the house, her heart skipped a beat. Of course she wouldn’t be lucky. The living room lights were on, as was the porchlight. The combination of the two was a sure sign that Beryl was home and awake.
Before she made her way up to the front door, Thalia dared to cast a glance over her shoulder at Freddie and Monica, still approaching slowly in their Dodge Caravan. Monica made a heart with her hands, and Freddie gave her an encouraging smile. Thalia smiled softly and nodded, squaring her shoulders and making her way to the front door, bracing herself for the worst. But the worst was not what she found when she opened the door.
“Thalia!” a cheery voice called from the living room, making Thalia stop dead in her tracks with the door still open. It was Beryl’s voice, alright. But Beryl’s voice and ‘cheery’ were almost never included in the same sentence. Which could only mean something incredibly weird was going on.
Just as Thalia was reaching this conclusion, Beryl appeared in the entryway, looking more put together than Thalia ever remembered. Her blond hair had been washed and styled, and she’d put on a new, brightly colored top and jeans. Her feet were bare, but her fingernails and toenails had been freshly painted. She’d put on makeup for the first time in weeks, going for a softer and more natural look than Thalia had ever seen on her before. She was also smiling, which was so unsettling that Thalia almost took off running to catch up with Freddie and Monica.
Beryl surged forward to hug her, but stopped short. “Oh, baby, you’re all wet. Did you walk home?”
Thalia nodded hesitantly, not trusting herself to speak.
“Alright, let’s get you into some dry clothes,” Beryl said, reaching behind her to push the door shut. As she helped Thalia out of her jacket, Beryl’s eyes twinkled. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Instantly, Thalia was more on guard than she already had been. A new guy would definitely contribute to all this. Suddenly, Thalia wished she’d gotten herself lost so she wouldn’t have to deal with this. It’d been months since Beryl had brought a new guy home. She should’ve suspected it would happen sooner or later.
As soon as Thalia got her shoes off, Beryl ushered her to the living room, where a man had claimed Beryl’s favorite armchair. His face was stoic and stern, and his blue eyes were calculating. His dark hair, speckled with gray, had been pulled back into a bun at the base of his neck, and he had a well-maintained beard. He wore a crisp, dark suit, not unlike the ones Beryl’s co-stars would wear to interviews.
When he saw Thalia, he smiled, but there was no warmth. “Hello, dear one,” he said, his voice deep and booming, to the point that Thalia could hear him clearly even from across the room.
“Thalia,” Beryl said softly, “this is your father, Zeus.”
If Beryl’s hands hadn’t been gripping her shoulders, Thalia would’ve staggered backward in shock. Despite the fact that he’d left, her father was one of the few topics that would not always result in an angry Beryl. If she was drinking, she would be angry at everything. But there had been a few mornings where Beryl had spoken softly about him, and where she had gently cradled Thalia’s cheek, saying: “You look just like him.”
But Thalia was angry. Why does he show up now, after six years, nearly seven, of Thalia dealing with her mother on her own? Does he want something? Did he just decide now was the time to step in? Was he actually here because he cared?
Apparently, Thalia took too long to respond, because Beryl gripped her shoulders a little tighter, nails starting to dig in.
Thalia swallowed and waved hesitantly. “Uh, hi.”
“Now that Thalia’s here,” Beryl said, releasing her grip on Thalia’s shoulders, “we can eat! The pasta’s just about done.”
Thalia raised her eyebrows as Beryl disappeared into the kitchen. She’d never really cooked for anyone, even the guys she’d brought over. Thalia couldn’t remember the last time Beryl had cooked for her.
As Thalia sat heavily on the couch, Zeus leaned toward her, studying her with those eyes that flashed and gleamed in the light of the lightning strikes. “So, how was school?”
Thalia resisted the urge to scoot away from him. “It was…fine.” Why was he interested in how she was doing in school? They literally just met.
Zeus cocked his head to the side slightly, maintaining oppressive eye contact. “You seem apprehensive.”
Thalia frowned and gritted her teeth. She didn’t know this guy, and she was not about to piss off the wrong person. “You could say that.”
Before either of them could say anything else, Beryl called them to dinner.
The dining room was the only room in the house that was kept pristine. Mostly because they never used it. Thin, flowy curtains that matched the table runner framed the window, and the table was actually set. The cabinet in the corner of the room was full of heirlooms and fine china Beryl had inherited from Thalia’s grandparents. The bowl of dusty fake fruit that always sat in the middle of the table had been moved to make room for the pot of pasta. The table, made of varnished oak with chairs to match, had room to sit six, but Beryl had set out place settings at the three seats closest to the window. Beryl had taken the liberty of getting Thalia a glass of juice, and was currently setting down a plate full of pasta at her seat. Zeus took the seat at the head of the table, his back to the window, and stood for a moment with his hands on the back of the chair. Beryl finished serving him and herself and mirrored him behind her own chair. Thalia gave them both an odd look before deciding it would be safest to follow their lead. Finally, Zeus seemed satisfied and nodded, pulling his chair out and sitting down. Beryl followed his lead, as did Thalia.
They ate silently, with Thalia being the only one that was tense. It was as though they were a normal family. It was like they were a family on a sitcom, but no one had given Thalia a script. So, instead of looking at either of them, she focused on eating, droplets of water dripping off strands of her hair and onto the fine white napkins Beryl had dug out of some cupboard or drawer.
“So, how was school, honey?” Beryl asked, her voice still cheery and light.
Thalia swallowed nervously and glanced up at both Beryl and Zeus before answering. “It…it was good. I made a friend. And my teacher is really nice.”
Zeus smiled again. “That’s good. I’m glad.”
Silence settled over the room again, and Thalia started to pray that they’d be done eating soon so that she could just go to her room. But, of course, she wasn’t that lucky.
“Your birthday is in about two months, right, dulcissima?” Zeus asked casually.
Thalia wasn’t sure what that last word meant, but she nodded hesitantly. She had a feeling that Zeus wasn’t the type of person to be too happy if he was ignored.
“We should celebrate!” Beryl suggested. “You could invite your new friend, Thalia.”
Thalia resisted the urge to slump down in her seat. It was rare she’d get a ‘happy birthday’ from Beryl, let alone a party. But she plastered on a smile, hoping it would be enough to pacify them. “Yeah. Sure.”
The next day, Thalia left school an hour early and walked to Freddie and Monica’s shop.
Monica poked her head around the corner to smile in greeting, but her face fell when she saw Thalia. The older woman rushed over, checking over Thalia for any injuries.
“Sweetheart, school doesn’t get out for another hour, what are you doing here?” Monica asked, her voice full of concern.
Thalia let out a breath, trying not to shake and break down. “My dad’s back.”
“That deadbeat?” Freddie snapped, storming up to them from the back room.
Thalia nodded. “He-he was acting like a dad. Like he’d just been gone on a business trip or something. But…he said I have to go straight home from school. He said it’s improper for a little girl to be out that late.”
Freddie gritted his teeth. “As if he has any right–”
“I’m gonna try to listen to him,” Thalia interrupted.
They gaped at her, eyes full of concern. Thalia was never one to just ‘go along with it’, and they both knew that.
“It’s just…” Thalia sniffled and fiddled with the zipper on her jacket. “She seemed so happy. She offered to throw me a birthday party. I don’t wanna make him mad and…and make him leave again…and make things go back to the way they were.”
Freddie and Monica exchanged a glance before surging forward and enveloping her in a hug.
“We’re always here for you, honey,” Monica whispered fiercely, pressing a kiss to the top of Thalia’s head. “No questions asked.”
Thalia sniffled again and nodded, not trusting herself to speak, but hoping and praying that things would be better.
Thalia didn’t get a birthday party that year. Earlier in the morning, she’d taken herself to the park to meet up with a friend. Everything was fine when she left. Beryl was happy, Zeus was set to show up at around three in the afternoon. It wasn’t even that cold, despite being three days before Christmas.
But when Thalia got home, she opened the door to the sounds of an argument.
“You can’t do this to me again!” Beryl shrieked.
“Beryl, please–” Zeus’ voice responded tiredly, as if this was an argument he’d had many times before. “You know–”
“No!” Beryl shouted. “It was difficult enough the first time, with you leaving me to raise that wretched girl alone for six years! Now you expect me to do it again?”
Tears stung Thalia’s eyes as she froze in the entryway. Wretched girl… Then, she gritted her teeth, not allowing the tears to fall. What was so difficult about raising her? Thalia had essentially raised herself all these years. Beryl couldn’t take credit for that. And now here she was, acting as if Zeus had left her with a monster, rather than a little girl. Thalia nodded to herself before backing out of the entryway, closing the door quietly behind her.
Fine, she thought bitterly, shoving her hands in her pockets and starting the trek back to the only place she felt welcome. If I’m such a problem, I’ll just go. Not like she cares enough to notice I’m gone, anyway.
The little bell above the door twinkled cheerfully as she entered the shop, alerting the occupants to her arrival. Monica poked her head around a shelf and shot Thalia a grin, balancing a box in her arms.
“Hey, sweetheart!” she greeted, setting the box on the counter. “What’s going on? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your party?”
Thalia sniffled and wiped her nose. “I don’t think there’s gonna be a party, Monica.”
Monica frowned. “What–?” Suddenly, she seemed to notice the unshed tears in Thalia’s eyes, and the way she pulled her jacket closed like a shield. “Oh, honey. What did she do?”
It was then that Thalia broke, sinking to her knees in the middle of the shop she’d come to love so dearly as she sobbed. Monica was there in an instant, the comforting smell of flowery perfume washing over Thalia as she was pulled in for a hug. She was vaguely aware of Freddie entering the main shop from the back room to see what the fuss was about. Without a word, he patted Thalia’s head gently and closed up shop. Thalia heard the familiar click of the door being locked, and the sound of the open sign being flipped to closed.
“C’mon, kiddo,” Freddie said gently, gathering her up in his arms. “Tell us everything.”
They sat her down on a counter in the breakroom, drying her tears as Monica made hot chocolates for the three of them. Monica pressed a mug into Thalia’s hands and she stared down into the drink. Little marshmallows floated on top, and Thalia wanted to cry all over again. But she took a shaky breath, and sipped the warm drink.
“I didn’t stick around to find out what exactly happened,” she started, her voice raw and full of emotion. “But I walked in on an argument. Between her and my dad. She…she said it was difficult enough the first time, raising me alone. And now, apparently, it’s happening again.”
Monica almost dropped her hot chocolate. “She–She’s– Oh my God.”
“She’s too unstable,” Freddie said, setting his mug down on the counter. “There’s no telling what she could do. We saw what happened when he left the first time, but this–” Freddie shook his head. “Kiddo, we’ve got to get you out of there. This has gone on for too long.”
Thalia took a deep breath. She’d thought about it a lot on the walk over. She didn’t like it, and she knew they weren’t going to. But she shook her head.
“What do you mean, no?” Freddie asked gently.
“She’s having a baby,” Thalia said softly. “I’m the only one in that house that will know how to protect them from her. If my dad and I both leave…I don’t know what she’ll do.”
Monica exchanged a look with Freddie before kneeling down so she could look up at Thalia. “Honey,” she said firmly, “that’s not your responsibility. You shouldn’t take that on yourself.”
Thalia exhaled slowly, trying to put on a brave face. “I know. But it doesn’t feel right to leave someone else in the same, and maybe even a worse situation than I’ve been dealing with.”
Freddie gritted his teeth, fists clenched at his sides. “It’s his fault,” Freddie spat. “He left to begin with. And now he’s back, just to do it again. Sometimes I really wish I could give him a piece of my mind–”
“No!” Thalia yelped. Since Zeus had come back, it became clear to her that he was someone that was not to be trifled with. And there was no way she was going to let Freddie find out what Zeus was like when he was pissed off. Thalia sighed. “If this is anything like it was before, he’ll be gone before the baby’s even born. And he won’t be back. I can deal with my mom. I really can. I promise.”
Freddie stared at her with a mixture of pride, concern, and horror. “Not while also taking care of a baby! Thalia, this–” his voice cut off in frustration and he knelt next to Monica. “Kiddo, this is insanity.”
Thalia gave them a small smile. “I know,” she said softly. “But they, whoever this baby turns out to be…they don’t deserve to go through this. Like I did. They deserve to have someone in their corner, right from the beginning.”
Thalia swore she could see Monica’s heart shatter.
“Honey,” Monica started, her voice tight with emotion and tears threatening to spill from her eyes, “you shouldn’t even be thinking of stuff like that. You’re too young to see the world that way.”
Thalia sniffled and shrugged slightly. “Maybe. But aren’t I too young to have been dealing with all this up to now, too?”
Freddie sighed and shook his head. “I hate this. Kiddo, I, we–”
Thalia smiled. “I know. But, hey, at least they’ll have three people in their corner, right?”
Monica smiled sadly and stood, pressing a kiss to the top of Thalia’s head. “Of course, honey. We don’t like you staying there, but we’ll keep supporting you as much as we can.”
Thalia glanced at Freddie, who sighed and stood, pulling her into a tight hug. “Of course, kiddo. No doubt about it.” He paused and his eyes lit up. “Actually, now that you’re here, we’ve got something for you.”
Thalia frowned slightly as Freddie disappeared into the backroom, shooting Monica a questioning look. “What–?”
Monica smiled softly. “Well, we were going to give it to you when school started up again and we knew you’d be back but, well, seeing as you’re here now–”
“Aha!” Freddie’s triumphant voice interrupted. “Found it!”
Seconds later, he reappeared with a box, holding it gently in his hands. He handed it to her with a wide smile.
“There you go, kiddo,” he said softly. “Happy birthday.”
Thalia set her hot chocolate off to the side, letting Freddie place the box in her lap gingerly. She stared at it in awe, running her fingers over the surface. It was light blue, with glittery snowflakes all over it. The glossy surface of the box and the glitter reflected the amber light of the break room, and Thalia felt tears sting her eyes.
“For–for me?” she asked softly.
Monica smiled sadly and brushed a lock of hair behind Thalia’s ear. “Of course, honey.”
“You…” Thalia swallowed thickly, running her finger over a glittery snowflake. “You didn’t have to.”
“We know,” Monica replied, her own eyes a little misty as she pressed a kiss to the top of Thalia’s head. “But we wanted to. You’re worth it, sweetheart. Always will be.”
“Now open it,” Freddie murmured, his eyes glittering with quiet excitement.
Thalia blinked back her tears and nodded with a small smile. She pushed the disappointment from earlier out of her mind. This felt much more real, anyway. Carefully, she lifted the top of the box, finding something wrapped in tissue paper beneath. Hoping her hands weren’t shaking too much, she pulled back the paper, revealing soft, black leather. She lifted it carefully out of the box, holding a beautiful leather jacket in her hands. Thalia stared at it in awe, realizing that this must’ve been what Freddie’s leather jacket looked like when it had been brand new. It was several sizes too big, and a little stiff, but–
“I love it,” Thalia croaked out, not bothering to suppress a wince at how her voice cracked with emotion. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’ll grow into it,” Freddie promised.
“I–I don’t know if I’ll be able to take it home,” Thalia said suddenly, imagining the questions she’d get from both Beryl and Zeus if they saw it.
“We’ll keep it here,” Freddie said with a smile, reaching out to brush a lock of hair behind her ear. “When you can, it’ll be right here, safe and sound.”
As Thalia stared at him, she couldn’t help comparing him and Zeus. Where Freddie’s hair was silver, and left to hang free around his face, Zeus’ salt and pepper hair was carefully contained and kept out of his face. Zeus’ harsh blue eyes couldn’t hold a candle to Freddie’s warm brown ones, blinking back at her from behind his glasses. And, where Zeus’ smile had lacked any warmth, Freddie’s was like a crackling fire; warm, and gentle, and loving. In that moment, Thalia realized something. Zeus may well have been her father. But Freddie had been her dad from the moment she’d first stepped through the door of this random little shop, full of family photos and cassette tapes and old merchandise for a band that no longer existed. She’d had a family all along. And she was sure that, no matter what happened, it was something she wouldn’t lose.