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It was August 18th. The was the hottest day of the summer so far. In two weeks, Paul would be teaching back at Goode High School. It was Percy’s 17th birthday.
Sally sat on a barstool just outside her kitchen, her head in her hands, fingers massaging her forehead. Dark thoughts rushed into Sally’s pounding head, as her mind wanders to her missing son. Earlier that morning, she had made blue chocolate chip cookies. Sally had smiled as she mixed in the food coloring, and had hummed the tune of “Happy Birthday to You” as she was watching the dough slowing transform into cookies. But as she had put on her blue oven mitt, and pulled the baking sheet out of the oven, she suddenly felt the urge to cry.
Sally had quickly set the cookies carefully into the small, blue cookie jar on the countertop, away from her sight. The comforting smell of baked goods had not left Sally’s small apartment, and she was grateful for that, because although she needed no reminders of Percy’s absence, she still wanted to remember how her son would rush to the kitchen every time she baked his favorite blue cookies. How he would grab one without worrying about burning his mouth. How the first cookie he ate would always end up part way smeared across his face, staining his lips blue, like a chocolate bruise.
She especially didn’t want to forget the way his mouth would bend to the childish grin that, in all 17 years, had all always formed every time he would grab a cookie off the cooling rack.
Those thoughts of sticky fingers and blue mouths, soon turned to cut fingers and bloody mouths. Thoughts of Percy never seemed to stay pleasant these days. Sally had no clue what could be happening to her little green-eyed boy during his disappearance, and that had left her mind to wander to the worst. She had faith in her son, but she did not know how much he could take. Sally just wanted him home. Safe, and eating his birthday cookies.
She sighed, starring again at the little blue cookie jar on the countertop. Sally jumped as she heard the shrill chime of the doorbell fill the room. As she headed over to the door, she internally racked her brain in hopes of knowing who was beyond her door. Paul had just left less than twenty minutes ago. Annabeth had gone off in search of Percy. Confused, she opened the door to reveal two teenage figures. Sally’s eyes widened and she lost her breath as she recognized them.
“Mom.” The male figure surged forward and wrapped his arms around her. Sally instinctively wrapped her arms around him, only to realize he had gotten taller since the last time they hugged. Even through his bulky sweatshirt, she could feel he had more muscle then before. But when she finally let go of the breath she had been holding, and breathed in his fresh ocean smell, she knew he was her son. “Perseus.”
Sally finally stepped back, hands still gripping his shoulders, so she could examine him. Despite the heat, he wore a bulky, navy sweatshirt, and blue jeans. His black, disheveled hair had been cut roughly, like the barber had been in a hurry and trimmed it with a chainsaw. When Sally saw his face it bore the same childish grin she loved. Tears glistened and ran down his intense, sea-green eyes, she supposed she too, was also shedding tears. Though they both knew they were tears of joy and relief. Relief that they could have this opportunity. Joy to have each other again, mother and son.