Chapter 15
Three Weeks Earlier – Sally's Point of View
I stood beside the door, staring at it monotonously. Silence enveloped me, and my mind kept conjuring the scene of Percy returning through it. The hope that my boy, my world… my light, would come running in, smiling like he always did, hugging me and saying that it had all been a cruel joke.
But no.
It wasn't a joke. It wasn't a dream, nor my imagination playing tricks on me. My beautiful baby had really gone away.
I knew, deep down, that it was the best thing for him. That this way, he had a chance to survive. Maybe, just maybe, in the future, I'd find him again. And I clung to that hope, like a mother grasping any spark of light in the darkness. I will find him again. I had to believe that.
But even knowing this, I couldn't stop the heartbreak that came in waves. My little boy was out there, facing a world that I knew he wasn't ready to face alone. It was as if a part of me had been torn away.
These feelings were confusing, almost contradictory for me. In the past, when Percy's father and I were still together, I thought I could never love anyone the way I loved him. He was everything I could ask for: handsome, charming, charismatic, with a presence that dominated the room. And that body… He wasn't just a god in name. I sighed just remembering.
But what I loved most about him was how he tried to protect me from everything. "Did someone hurt you? Leave it to me, I'll take care of it." That was his way.
Those feelings, however, were replaced the moment I held Percy in my arms for the first time. Everything I had felt for Poseidon was overshadowed by that small being who now depended entirely on me. That baby with his father's eyes and rosy cheeks… He became my life.
Seeing those ocean-blue eyes looking at me for the first time was a moment when everything made sense. I knew then that I would do anything for him.
The following years were challenging. As Percy grew, I noticed how different he was. He never fit in with the other children, always seeming more solitary, more introspective. And the struggles… Oh, how hard it was for him. School was a torment, with his battles to read, write, and keep up with others. I knew something about him was special, and that only made it more painful to keep the secret of his father.
I protected him. Maybe it was selfish, but I wanted to keep him with me for as long as possible. I didn't tell him about his father, or about his other family. Percy was my world, and I didn't want him to leave, seeking answers.
But, even so, he left.
I didn't know how long I had been standing there. The shadows had already swallowed the apartment, and my legs trembled from standing still for so long. Night had fallen, cold and relentless, but I couldn't move. I was lost in thoughts, fighting to push away the images of Percy facing unknown dangers.
Finally, forcing myself to move, I went to the bathroom. I started taking off my clothes, one piece at a time. First the blouse, then the jeans. Even the underwear, in a shade of blue that, ironically, had become my favorite color after Percy's birth. Each piece fell to the floor like a weight I was dropping, but that I couldn't fully rid myself of.
I stepped into the bathtub, filling it with warm water. As soon as the water enveloped my body, I let out a sigh I hadn't realized I was holding. It was soothing, but not enough. The water could ease my tired body, but not the weight on my heart.
I stayed there for a few minutes, immersed in my thoughts. My mind drifted from one memory to another: Percy's smile, his first words, his hesitant steps as he grew… He's so far away now, I thought, squeezing my eyes shut to hold back the tears.
After some time, I decided it was enough. I stood up, grabbed a towel, and dried myself slowly, each movement automatic. I put on my pajamas, a simple set, and of course, blue.
Returning to the bedroom, the emptiness was overwhelming. The space that once felt so familiar now seemed cold, lifeless. The small apartment echoed with Percy's absence. There were two beds in the room. One for me, and the other, always messy, for Percy.
I walked over to his bed and picked up his pillow, pressing it against my chest. His scent was still there, and that brought some comfort, but also pain. I lay down on my bed, his pillow still in my arms, as if it could help me feel his presence.
Even though I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep, the emotional exhaustion overtook me. I closed my eyes, and before I realized it, I had fallen asleep, hoping to wake up and find Percy there, as if nothing had happened.