" You are so stubborn! " Athena smirked.
" I'm not! Owww! " Triton snatched back his arm, which was wrapped tightly with string he had been messing around with.
" You are also a hothead. " She remarked, observing how his tan face took a bright shade of red.
" Just let me cut it at the center and - "
" The center is where its the most tight! I'll just deal with it myself, I already had this handled. " Triton scowled.
" Right. You had this handled when you were curled up beneath the sand and sucking your thumb. "
Face taking an even brighter shade of red, he almost screamed.
" I wasn't sucking my thumb! There was a string there too, and I was on the floor because I tripped over your basket! "
" I also didn't realize you were such a klutz as well. "
Athena resisted the urge to burst out laughing.
" I will have you fired for this! " Triton howled, struggling against Athena's tight grip on his arm.
He heard a snap and for a split second thought she broke his arm. Triton snatched it away and inspected it fearfully.
" I thought you broke it! "
" A simple, ' Thank you! ', would suffice, you know. " Athena said calmly as she put the string in her basket to dispose of later.
" Thank you. " grinned Triton.
" You're welcome. " Athena smiled. She turned around, and headed out towards the kitchen.
Triton sped up and asked,
" Where are you going? "
" I'm going to the kitchen to help prepare a feast for your father, because today is his birthday. " Athena replied.
" Oh ok. That's cool. What are you making him? "
" I will make him some sweet biscuits with some plants and sugar. What did you get him? "
Thrown off by the sudden question, he sputtered,
" What do you mean? "
" What do you mean what do I mean? You didn't get your father anything? "
" No... " Triton grinned guiltily.
Aghast, Athena questioned,
" Why? "
" I forgot it was his birthday until this morning. I figured I could pick up some litter from the humans and- "
" You forgot your own dad's birthday? "
Face turning red from embarrassment, Triton said,
" Surely you have forgotten one of your parents' birthdays too! "
" I don't have parents. The servants took me in after they found me between some rocks and sand. " Athena said calmly.
Though her face was calm and positive, her eyes betrayed her. They were full of longing and sadness.
Triton was quiet. After a moment, he murmured,
" I'm sorry. "
" Never mind that. We shouldn't spend time worrying about the past. We should focus on right now. Would you like to help me make him biscuits? " Athena asked cheerfully, suddenly looking excited.
" Uhh.. " Triton was uncertain. He had never made anything in his life.
" You look like you have never made anything in your life! Don't be so scared, its easy and fun, and your father will be so happy. Appreciate your dad while you can. "
" I'm not scared. Let's go make the biscuits. " He said, then sped off towards what he though was the kitchen.
" The kitchen's the other way! That is the bathroom for Females Only. " Athena called out to him just as he entered the door.
Triton turned around and headed out, too embarrassed to say a word.
Athena laughed softly, then led him to the kitchen.
Five cups of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon later, perfect rows of biscuits filed out of the oven in lined trays.
Triton shook his head to shake out the flour from his head while Athena tested the biscuits.
" That was messy. I'll send servants to clea-" Triton was cut off by Athena, who chuckled as she said,
" No. We are going to clean the mess you made. You forget that this flour is enchanted by your father himself to make the flour, and every other ingredient, work as it does on land. It won't just disperse into the water for your father to cleanse, it will fall directly to the ground. You shouldn't have thrown it at me. "
" Sorry. " Triton smiled cheekily.
As they cleaned, Triton thought about what Athena had told him earlier. I don't have parents. Only then was Triton beginning to understand that while he had been forgetting his dad's birthday every year, Athena had had to live without one all her life. Appreciate your dad while you can. He hadn't noticed how sad her voice had sounded. He knew right then that what she had really meant was, Don't take your dad for granted. Triton thought about his mother. Had he taken his mother for granted? Mother had died a long time ago by some illness he had been too young to understand.
I will make my mother proud. I will make Athena proud. I will make my father proud. I won't take anything for granted again.
And so Triton continued to clean, determined to change for the better.