Chapter Twelve
Date

Despite the fact that I was feeling tremendously better about myself, the rest of that day was still spent reminding me why I was a good person.  It wasn’t really necessary, but it was greatly appreciated.  While I didn’t really like being the center of attention – that was always my sisters’ schtick, and since I didn’t want to be anything like them, I tended to avoid it – but considering I was only human, it felt nice every once and a while.  Typically, I only enjoyed that sort of attention from my parents, because I had competed all my life to get it.  Sure, it wasn’t that hard in Papa’s case, but even though it was clear he preferred me over Penny and Phoebe, sometimes he still couldn’t focus all of his attention on me.  And that’s the way it should be, really.  After all, Penny and Phoebe were his daughters as well, and sometimes he did need to focus on them as well.

Of course, since it was usual just me and Maddie, there was never really any problem in the attention department, but it felt different.  When it was just the two of us, we could focus on each other and our problems, and it wasn’t anything special.  But now that I was amassing a rather large group of friends, having them all concerned about me and focusing on making me feel better was a little embarrassing.  I never really perceived myself as that special to have people that concerned about me.  That’s one of the reasons I wanted to live a normal life rather than an elite one, because I felt I didn’t have a right to be treated differently.  I was just as human as everyone else, and I didn’t have any more right than then did to be treated better simply because my family happened to have money.

It was an odd concept where I was from, where all the girls were used to getting elite treatment because they could throw money around.  I used to be like that, back when I was little.  I expected to be treated a certain way, at least until I started spending time in places everyone goes to, and started seeing the disappointed faces of the girls who were just like everyone else.  I began to realize that, deep down, all of us were equal, and that we should all be treated exactly the same.  That’s when I started my mentality of wanting to be like everyone else, because I knew it just wasn’t fair.

But I also knew that it wasn’t because I was rich that my friends were trying to do this for me.  Sure, it was because some of my friends (most of my friends) were gods that we got to hang out in a secluded spot that was beautiful beyond reason, but even people without any money at all could have friends who wanted to make them feel better in any way they could.  Yes, it was embarrassing because I wasn’t used to have this much attention focused on me, but at the same time, I didn’t really balk at the idea.  I knew I could enjoy it without feeling guilty about it.

Well, a little guilty.  Mom and Papa had no idea where the hell I was, and I wondered from time to time if they even realized I was gone.  I mean, I hadn’t even gone down to breakfast!  Surely that would make them suspicious.  But then again, I did typically spend all day in my room if I could, especially since Penny and Phoebe started their show.  I doubt that would even notice, and the only people who would notice my absence were my sisters.  And screw them, I say.

Still, Maddie was nice enough to insist that I tell Mom and Papa that I spent the day with Maddie if they asked, and she was ready to have her parents lie for me.  I just let extremely early so I could have breakfast with them, and didn’t tell Mom and Papa because, let’s face it, it’s Maddie.  Plus, I was eighteen years old now, so I could go wherever I wanted without having to tell them first.  It was a courtesy, sure, but not necessary.  Penny and Phoebe injected that right all the time once they turned eighteen.  Or I could just say I plum forgot.

I also have to say that, while I was a little wary of spending so much time with gods at first, I quickly began to realize that, despite their immortality, they weren’t really all that much different from regular people.  Sure, most of them had superiority complexes you wouldn’t believe thanks to their power, but the ones I were with were extremely humble.  Eros, for example, only messed with other gods, mostly because he knew of his power over mortals.  Hedone had been taught by her father to respect mortals rather than see them as beneath her.  Zephyrus was too minor a god to really view himself as that much greater than the gods, and Persephone was too good-natured to worry about it.  Sure, she’s punished mortals before, but usually with good reason.

Still, as we sat around relating stories of our lives, I think both Maddie and myself began to feel a little inadequate.  All four of the gods had this grand stories to tell, and are antidotes, which seemed to hilarious at the time, just didn’t seem to stack up.  They held on to our every word, of course – Eros was the only one who had to force himself to look impressed, but only because he was apparently spying on us at the time. 

But what surprised me more was the fact that, while Hedone and Persephone had to sort of put on a fake smile for Maddie, Zephyrus seemed to be genuinely interested in what Maddie had to say.  It got to the point where she was literally just talking to him, it seemed, and the fake smiles turned into genuine ones as they were observing.  I didn’t want to say anything, but I was highly suspicious of what was going on, considering the fact that Maddie never took an interest in guys like that.  I didn’t count Eros, because she was only interested in him because he was my boyfriend, and they both knew that they needed to befriend each other in order to make my life less complicated.

I wouldn’t mind, of course, if Maddie developed a crush on Zephyrus.  Zephyrus, after all, seemed like a nice enough guy, one that deserved a little happiness in his life.  And I was pretty sure, if he wanted her to, Maddie would be more than happy to provide it.  It would just be a little weird, knowing that Maddie wasn’t an incarnation of anyone.  It would mean that Zephyrus was interested in her for no other reason than she was Madeleine Douglas.  And knowing that she caught the attention of a god like that was just strange. 

Not to mention that would mean that both of our best friends liked each other, and I had to wonder exactly how often that happened.

I decided I wasn’t going to dwell on it too much.  After all, all I was going on was their mutual interest in each other for a whole day, and I suppose I was looking too much into it because I didn’t want Maddie to feel like a third wheel or something.  I found my other half – literally – and I just wanted my friend to have the same sort of happiness, I guess.  If anything, I was just happy that they all got along as well as they did.

Too well in some cases, like those involving Hedone, if you ask me.  She was trouble, I could tell, although not in a bad way.

As much as we wanted to, though, we did need to get back.  Maddie needed to get home and prep her parents just in case (they were less worried about her disappearing than m parents were, thanks to them trying to be ‘cool’ parents, and because they happened to know that Maddie doesn’t really go anywhere), and I needed to get home because that’s where I belonged.  If I had my way, we’d all stay on Mount Olympus together forever like this, far away from scheming sisters, reality shows, and vengeful mothers.

Well, actually, if I had my way, Mom and Papa would be here with us, but that didn’t matter.  Maddie and I were mortal anyway, so we didn’t really belong living amongst the gods.  At least not yet.

Luckily for all of us involved, Mom and Papa hadn’t noticed I was gone.  They just assumed I had come down for a late breakfast, and that they had both managed to miss me.  It’s happened before, once or twice, but I couldn’t think of a time when I hadn’t seen either of my parents all day.  But then again, I had more reason to hide right now.  I was expecting Phoebe to be hoping mad about me disappearing, because I’m sure today would have been the day we’d get fitted for our dresses.  Instead, it was Penny with her normal arguments.

“Sweetheart, Psyche is entitled to spend all day in her room without seeing you if she wants,” Mom said, sounding tired.  “As much as you seem to want to, you can’t rule her life.  She wants no part in your little show, so you can’t force her to come out of her room.  You’re more than welcome to film here, but not if you’re just going to boss your sister around.”

Penny just sort of glared at the both of us.  “Whatever.  She’s really no fun, anyway.  I don’t know why I bother to culture my dear baby sister anymore.  I try to help, and this is the thanks I get!”

“Trust me, Penny; I don’t really need any help from you,” I said dryly.  “I never have, never will, and that’s just the way of it.  Besides, you can’t film me anyway.  I don’t know why it bothers you so much when you can’t ‘help’ me.”

Penny’s eye twitched, and I knew I was going to face the consequences eventually.  It was just that with Mom present, she couldn’t risk it.  It didn’t really bother them that I was Papa’s favorite, so long as he continued to allow them to walk all over him, but she also knew that meant that she could be cut off if either of them found out exactly what she would do to be on occasion.  She made Aphrodite look like my friend in comparison.

“You know, sometimes I wonder if you’ll get tired of seeing me all the freaking time,” I commented to Eros when I came upstairs after proving to Papa that I was still alive as well. 

He blinked at me in surprise.  “Um…,” he started to say, looking a little uneasy.

I held up a hand.  “I know, I know.  You’ve waited centuries for me to accept you again, and you’re just making the most of it.  I understand, trust me.  It’s just a little unusual, that’s all.  I’m just wondering when you’re going to get sick of it, and you’ll start looking to have personal time again.”

“I don’t need personal time, Psyche.  You are my personal time.  Besides, all I have to do it wait until you need it, and then I can have all I want.  Are you sick of me already?”

“God, no,” I said.  “I just think it’s sort of sad that I’ve come to just expect you in my room when I come up.  Don’t you have god of love duties to attend to or something?”

He shrugged.  “Not really.  On occasion I do, but really, think about it.  The world’s moved on since we were in power, following the same trends that we started.  The seasons come and go, the sun rises and sets, and people fall in love all the time without my help.  They’re not going to stop now that I’ve found something else to preoccupy my time.”

“I suppose this is true.  I guess I still need to get used to the mentality of a god or something.  I keep thinking on human terms.  I suppose so long as you don’t get possessive of me, then we’ll be all right.”

“Yeah, no.  I do want to be around you as much as possible, but I’m not going to get mad if you make other plans with other people.  The only time I might get mad is if you’re going to be around some guy I don’t know.  But,” he shrugged, “one advantage of being a god is that I can spy on you without either of you knowing, and making a judgment call from there.”

“That…doesn’t really make me feel any better, Eros,” I admitted.

He grinned.  “I figured spying on you while being invisible is slightly better than outright refusing to let you do anything at all.  Don’t worry; I trust you enough.  And if you happen to meet a guy and fall for him, then, well…it really wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Eros!”

“What?”

I shook my head.  “Seriously, you’re pathetic.  I don’t like you going all emo on me.  I’m not going to say that I won’t fall in love with someone else, because I don’t want to end up breaking the promise if I do, but the way I feel about you right now, it’s highly doubtful.  Besides, do you really think I’d put myself through all this crap with you mother just to turn around and fall in love with some other guy?  You’re unbelievable.”

He gave me a sad sort of smile.  “I know, and I apologize.  It’s just…I’ve been rejected so often in the past that even with you actually accepting me, I still have to prepare for the worst.  There’s a reason they all hated me, and it’s sort of strange that you would be so different, and it makes me worry a little.  Why are you so different?  Maybe’ll it turn out that you weren’t meant for me at all.”

“I’d think you of all people would know best.  You’re the god of love; can’t you tell when two people are meant to be together?  I thought that was part of your job and whatnot.”

“Sort of,” he admitted.  “All I get are orders to make two people fall in love with each other.  I know I fell in love with Psyche, but sometimes I do wonder if I forced her into something she wasn’t meant to be in.  I mean, my powers don’t work on myself, after all.  Maybe my perception was off on her.”

“Eros, seriously, stop,” I told him, shifting my weight so I could put my hands on my hips.  “I might not know what went on in the past, or why all those other reincarnations rejected you, but I do know how I feel about you, and that’s all that matters to me.  Could I fall in love with someone else?  It’s possible, sure – I’m young and this love is new, so I can’t be too sure it will last.  Do I want to fall in love with anyone else right at this moment?  Hell no.  I’m even learning to put up with your god bullshit in order to stay with you.”

“God bullshit?” he asked, looking a little hurt.

“You know what I mean.  Being a mortal in love with a god isn’t all that easy, you know, but I’m willing to make the effort if it means I can be with you.  And that doesn’t even count your mother.  So stop feeling so damn sorry for yourself, and just accept the fact that, at least at this moment, I do love you, and I don’t intend to stop any time soon.”

He looked a little surprised, since neither of us had really said the ‘L’ word to each other yet.  It’s been implied, of course, but not outright said.  “You…you love me?” he asked in an odd tone.

“Yes,” I said, deciding to go ahead and let it be said.  “I do.  I love you.”

He looked a little shell-shocked for a moment before giving me a happy crooked smile.  “I love you, too, Psyche,” he told him, although I knew that much already.  It was nice to hear it, though, I realized, and I grinned back at him as he ran a hand against my cheek before pulling me closer to give me a light kiss.

This kiss was a little different, though, since it was full of acceptance and knowledge.  It was nice, and I was making a point to enjoy it before he suddenly pulled back, surprising and disappointing me.  “What?”

“I want to take you on a date,” he said seriously.

“A date?” I asked, still unsure what he was up to.

“Yes, a date.  An honest to God date.  I heard you questioning what we were, exactly, and I want to make it official.  And I think I’m ready for your parents to know about me.”

“Are you sure about that?  You seem a little wary about Papa knowing about you.”

“We could…come up with something that’d make him a little less inclined to murder me for accidentally kidnapping you, I’m sure.  But yes, I’m sure.  I want you happy, Psyche, and I think all this lying to your parents is making you unhappy.  If you’re willing to sacrifice your comfort to be with me, than I can certainly do the same for you.”

“So…a date.  With the Greek god of love.”  He nodded, looking worried now that I was questioning it.  “Well, that ought to be beyond interesting.  Yes, let’s go on a date, Eros.”

He grinned at me again before resuming kissing me like he hadn’t interrupted the activity at all.

Of course, that left of the issue of actually telling my parents.  We had to come up with a cover story, of course, since Eros obviously wanted to keep the kidnapping angle out of it.  That was the reason why he was avoiding the matter, although the solution proved to be easier than I realized.  The problem was that I didn’t want to say that I met him at college, because that would raise questions that Eros would have to make up on the fly, and who knows how many lies we’d be caught up in.  Maybe it’d be easier for him, I don’t know, but I wanted something simple.  And it was sort of funny how simple the explanation I came up with was.

Still, I knew it was going to be hard telling my parents, considering the fact that I never really did go out on a date before.  Penny and Phoebe were dating well into junior high, whereas I still cringed at the thought of being around boys in high school.  Sure, they had the experience, but it wasn’t the sort of experience that could prepare them for me dating.  After all, I was completely different from my sisters.  It was going to prove interesting, I could tell.

One difference being that I was going to tell my parents I was going out on a date.  Penny went on half a dozen before Mom even found out, kissing boys and going a little further before anyone had a chance to sit down and talk to her about the matter.  Phoebe went on dates without realizing they were dates, mostly because they were group dates at first.  Me, I was outright going to tell them.  They’ve already had a talk to me about boys, so at least that was taken care of, but I couldn’t help but feel extremely awkward about this whole situation.

Naturally, Mom and Papa could pick up on my uneasiness easily.  It was like when it was important, they couldn’t figure out anything was wrong, but when I was actually going to tell them, they knew immediately.  “Psyche, dear, what’s the matter?” Mom asked me as I was staring at my cereal.  “You seem out of sorts.”

I let out a sigh, figuring the only way to go about this was to dive right in.  “I have a confession,” I started out.

Both Mom and Papa looked surprised, the latter going as far as to fold up his paper carefully to give me his full attention.  “Yes?” they asked at the same time.

“Well, I know Mom at least thinks that I’ve been going to Felipe’s island because I like Felipe, but the truth of the matter is that I actually met someone else there that I have a connection to.  When I went back, it was so I could see him again.”

“And you’re telling us this now because…?” Papa asked carefully.

I sighed again.  “Because he happens to be in town and wants to take me on a date.”

“Oh, is that all?” Mom asked.  “Why didn’t you say so to begin with?  Is he a native of the island, or what?”

Papa gave her an incredible look.  “Mom, seriously?  There’s no natives on Felipe’s island.  They’re all summer homes.  His father owns some sort of Greek shipping company that’s ridiculously huge or something.  I don’t know.  We didn’t really get into that.  I just thought it was funny that he was Greek.”

“Really now,” Papa said, really interested now.  Fortunately, despite being an extremely famous Greek himself, he didn’t really know the other wealthier Greeks, mostly because he was so poor when he was living over there.  It wasn’t until he decided to move here after he married Mom that he made his start, after all.  “Now I’m really interested in meeting the young man.  I’m gathering he’s picking you up soon?”

I nodded sheepishly.  “I’m sorry; I should have told you sooner.  It’s just that I wasn’t sure if I’d actually see him again.  Felipe hasn’t exactly been around all that much for me to ask him to let me come.”  This was true.  Felipe had some sort of family emergency or something, and disappeared about a week after I had come back from Mount Olympus the second time.  The family wanted to keep it on the downlow, but it sort of worked out for a reason why I hadn’t been back.  “And then he contacts me yesterday saying he was in Winchester because he wanted to see me again.”

Mom let out a happy sigh.  “That’s so romantic, Psyche,” she informed me.  I sort of figured she would think that.

“So you’re going on a date,” Papa said in a serious tone.  I nodded.  “Today, I’m gathering?”  I nodded again.  “And I trust you know that we’re going to want to meet the young man, right?”

“Why do you think I’m telling you?  I don’t want to spring this one you.  ‘Oh, by the way, I have a date right now, see ya!’  I’ve seen Penny and Phebes do that one too many times.”

Papa chuckled slightly.  “Well, with them, it was more of a shock when they didn’t have boyfriends.  But I really don’t understand why you didn’t tell us sooner.  We wouldn’t have been mad, koritsáki mou.”

Actually, the reason why I didn’t tell them was because I hadn’t thought of that excuse, although I realized I probably should have.  If I had, I’d have given it to them as soon as they started going off on me about being in love with Felipe.  Once they saw Eros, I think they’d understand why I’d never have been into Felipe.

I shrugged.  “I know; I guess I just wasn’t ready to admit that I was interested in someone.  I’ve only known him for a little bit.”

“Sometimes that’s all that it takes, Psyche,” Mom said, grinning over at Papa. 

Of course, the only downside of telling my parents that I had a date was that Mom got a little obsessive about it.  Penny and Phoebe had pretty much shut her out when planning their first date, and considering I was rather clueless about the social aspects of being in a relationship – a fact Mom knew all too well – Mom was more than happy to help me.  I didn’t mind, actually, since it was always great to see Mom happy.  To make things even better, today also happened to be a day that the reality show was taping elsewhere.  I got lucky that Penny seemed to have listened to reason, and is waiting for the fitting.  Or else she was told the dresses weren’t quite ready yet.

I wasn’t entirely too sure what Eros had in mind, just that he wanted to take me on a date.  I had a feeling it was just going to be a simple dinner and a movie, because that was highly traditional, but that suited me just fine.  Still, not knowing what we were doing – I told Mom that he wanted to surprise me – made it difficult for Mom to settle on a look for me.  She wanted me to look nice, but not too nice in case we were doing anything casual.  And she didn’t want me to look like I was desperate.

In the end, I ended up in one of my many causal dresses, my makeup done to extenuate my natural beauty, and my hair done up in an elegant half-do, because Mom wanted to show off my natural waves.

To be honest, I looked good.  Mom did a good job of making me pretty without trying too hard, and I looked like I was, in fact, just going out on a date with someone.  Eros was going to be pleased, I was sure.

He had his timing down perfectly as well, probably because he was watching us.  As soon as we were settling down to wait for him, he rang the doorbell.  Papa looked impressed.  “Typically, I’m sitting in here with the poor sap while your sisters are still getting ready,” he teased as we all stood to greet him when he was let in. 

He cleaned up nicely as well, toning his look down from a playboy millionaire to a guy meeting the parents for the first time.  He still sort of ha a frat boy look, but that was mostly because of his dark skin and light hair.  He even seemed a little nervous, which I think was genuine, so that he didn’t come off as overly confident in himself like most of the socialite males tended to do.  Papa looked even more impressed with this.

Mom attacked him first, and I don’t think she could help it.  “Hello, welcome to our home!” she greeted.  “I’m Helen Karalis, Psyche’s mother.  And this is my husband, Nik.”

Eros shook both their hands when they were offered to him.  “It’s an honor to meet you both.  I’m Eros Acidalia.”

Papa looked about ready to laugh, but Mom didn’t catch onto his name, at least not at first.  “Acidalia?  Any relation to the fashion designer Aphrodite Acidalia?”

“Unfortunately,” he said dryly.  “My, um, older sister.  My parents thought it would be hilarious to name us both after Greek gods of love, in case you’re wondering.”

Papa still looked amused.  “That would explain it.  Still, how strange that you managed to find our Psyche?  It can’t be mere coincidence.”

Eros eyed me, and I rolled my eyes.  “Well, I’ll admit that her name is the first thing that caught my attention.  Naturally, I’m as familiar with the myth as she is, and I thought it was rather hilarious as well.  But then I actually started to hang out with her, and…yeah.”  He looked appropriately sheepish.

“Well, Eros,” Papa said, entirely too amused.  “What are your plans with my daughter tonight?”

“I’m not too sure,” he said candidly before realizing what he was saying.  “That is to say, I was planning a dinner and a movie, but as to where and what we’re seeing, we’ve yet to discuss that.  I just got in, you know, and I’m not sure what the options are.”

Papa nodded at that.  “How late do you plan to keep her?”

“How late is she allowed to be out?” he asked, although he did know when my curfew was.  Not like I had one, considering I didn’t actually go out.  But it sounded like a good answer to that question.

Papa and Mom exchanged impressed expressions.  “For a first date, I’d say midnight.  I can’t imagine there being anything playing that would show that late, anyway.”

Eros nodded solemnly.  “Then I plan on having her home sometime before midnight.”  He paused.  “Probably sooner.  She’s not much of a night owl, after all.”

I glared at him, even though it was completely true.  I knew I shouldn’t be mad – it wasn’t like our date was going to end and then I wasn’t going to see him immediately after or anything like that.  It was still embarrassing, though.

Mom pulled me aside as we were preparing to leave.  “Oh my God, Psyche,” she muttered to me.  “You’re date is extremely good looking!  I’m half in love with him myself just looking at him.  I mean, he has nothing on your father, of course, but…wow.”

“I know,” I giggled slightly, although it was weird hearing my mother say that.  But that was just the effect Eros had on people.  “I feel like I lucked out.  Looks and brains?  Not to mention he’s interested in me.  He’s, like, almost too good to be true.”

“You behave now, you hear.  Don’t scare him off or anything like that.  This one’s a keeper.”

“Mom, seriously?  How am I going to scare him off?  I spent a week with him, and he was willing to go out of his way just to come out here and have a date with me.  I don’t think he’s into easy girls like Penny and Phoebe.”

“True enough.  Just…behave anyway.  I’m required to say that because I’m your mother.”

I laughed nervously.  I had a feeling she was saying that not because she was a mother, but because it was something that she said to Penny and Phoebe as well, which most likely went in one ear and out the other.  At least in Penny’s case.  Phoebe was at least ignorant enough to actually listen to Mom when she was younger.

They finally let us go, and Eros visibly relaxed once we were outside and walking to my car.  “Wow, Eros, the great Greek god of love, nervous about meeting the parents?”

“Hell yeah, I was.  Do you even realize that that was something I never had to do before?  The first time I just took Psyche and made her my wife without consulting her parents yet.  After that, I never got far enough to meet with her parents in an admirable setting.  Once or twice, I met with them so that I could court her, but usually she’d come in and reject me right away, so that never went anywhere.  Besides, your father is the great and powerful Nik Karalis.  He may be mortal, but he can still do things to me.”

“Right, my father,” I said sarcastically.  “You never had anything to fear from him, not after I realized I did have a way to have met you without mentioning the whole kidnapping thing.  Papa already adores you because you happen to like me.”

“Are you sure?  I thought it was customary for the father never to trust the boyfriend because he isn’t good enough for his daughter?  I mean, that’s how Mama’s acting about me.”

“Well, you also have the luck of being the third one.  Papa despises Donald, respects Nate, but he knows I would be the one who does things right and chose someone he approves of as well.  Not like it matters, but he’s right.  I doubt I could be with anyone who’d tick off my father, just because we’re so close.”

“Meanwhile, I feel proud of you for ticking off my mother.  It must be nice to have a good relationship with at least one of your parents.  And you have one with both!  Makes up for my terrible parents, that’s for sure.”

“Aw, I’m sorry you have such a rotten life.  On the plus side, it was extremely weird to see you talking with my parents while still being able to see your wings.”

He glanced back at them in surprise, probably forgetting I can see them now.  He smirked at me.  “Yeah, well, they’re just there to remind you that I am a god, no matter how normal I look.  Which, by the way, you look lovely tonight.”

I blushed.  “Thanks,” I muttered.  “Mom ‘helped’.  You didn’t tell me what you wanted to do, so we just had to guess.  You clean up nicely yourself.”

“Yeah, well, it’s easy for a guy.  Button-down, khakis, maybe a tie, and we’re good to go.  I know it takes more effort for you girls to clean up.  Although I doubt it took you all that long since it shouldn’t take that much effort to make you prettier.”

“Took all day,” I told him, “but most of that was just first date jitters from Mom, and I was just humoring her.  It really doesn’t take me too long to get ready for anything, but mostly I’m assuming that’s just an effect of being Psyche’s reincarnation.”

“Possibly, but that can only really take you so far.  I mean, yes, you’re as pretty as she is, but you don’t look the same.  I mean, hell, she was a blond.”

“Is there something wrong with me being a brunette?”

“Not at all.  I’m just saying you look nothing like her, that’s all.  I don’t actually have a preference to how you look just so long as you have a soul to draw me in.  I will say that, aside from Psyche, you are the prettiest reincarnation.”

“But I’m not prettier than your wife?”

He sighed.  “You have different kinds of beauty.  Hers was the exotic kind of beauty, sort of like your sisters, but she had kindness and brains to even it out.  You, on the other hand, are more like a classic beauty, a girl-next-door type, someone that just about anyone can look at and say is pretty regardless of what they’re into.  I happen to enjoy the girl-next-door type at the moment, so to me, you actually are prettier, even if that shouldn’t matter.”

“A girl likes to hear she’s pretty,” I scoffed, flipping my hair over my shoulder.  Eros snorted at me as I grinned at him.

I felt a little bad goading him on like that, since, like he said, it didn’t matter.  I knew he thought I was pretty, and that he loved me.  He said as much the day before, and he certainly sounded like he meant it.  It was just that sometimes, these questions just come out.  And I couldn’t help myself, even if I knew the true.

It didn’t matter.  All that mattered now was that Eros wanted to be a part of my life so much that he was willing to risk Papa’s wrath in order to be with me, and to make my life comfortable.  And here we were, going on our first date, and I really couldn’t be happier.

Chapter Eleven

The Trials of Psyche Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen