found me hiding on the beach, I got in his face, and he nearly
drowned me to teach me a lesson in humility,? she blurted, tears of
exhaustion brimming in her eyes. ?Then I went to Claire?s to cry on
her shoulder and tell her I was a Scion. Then I flew home, where
Creon attacked me, tried to break my neck, and stabbed me in the
247/395
heart. You pretty much know the rest. Now I just want to take a hot
shower and lie down because I?m freezing cold and itchy and I
don?t think I can handle anything else happening today.?
?Okay. You go shower,? Luke said, nodding tightly as he stepped
out of her path. ?I?ll wait for you in your room.?
Helen staggered up the stairs and ran into the bathroom. She got
into the shower and began to cry. Sitting down in the tub with the
spray fanning out all around her she couldn?t stop the tears any
longer. She tried to be as quiet as she could, and hoped that the
droning rush of water would mask the sound of her crying.
When she finally got it all out she dried off, put on a sweetsmelling
tank top and pair of sweatpants fresh from the laundry,
and went back into the foggy bathroom to finish her evening ritual.
As she flossed and brushed her teeth, she heard her dad come
home and turn on the TV in the living room. She went to the top of
the stairs and shouted a good night down to him. He grunted a
good night back, but he was too engrossed in the Red Sox race to
October to start a conversation. Helen went into her bedroom.
Lucas was waiting for her in there. When Helen saw him, lying
on top of her covers fully dressed with his shoes kicked off, she
stopped and stared at him from the doorway. He was too long for
her little-girl bed, but even so he looked just right lying in it. He
stared back at her for a moment before he swallowed painfully, lifted
up the covers, and motioned for her to get in. When she