Chapter Twenty-Eight

Father Time

The woman in the water was no longer the girl from small town U.S.A. Ava spilled onto a bench built into the bridge and practiced the breathing techniques taught to manage shortness of breath due to the Hemophilia. Only she was getting more lightheaded. Maybe someone, the woman Ava saw in the water, had fallen in. Needed rescuing.

Peeking over the bridge again to see the older Ava, she decided she needed rescuing.

Frantic screams echoed around the river and into the thick forest. No one rushed to her rescue this time. No Zeus. No dad. No grandpa. No Jack.

This line Zeus fed her about being so close to the sun aging people differently was absolutely the understatement of the century.

A flutter caught Ava’s attention. Help, at last, was coming. From across the field of flowers a small, chunky, naked cherub swooped down and hovered in her face. Aghast, Ava pointed at him and closed her eyes and screamed again. Louder. “I am in Oz. Where are your clothes?”

Right here, right now, Ava knew she’d lost it when she worried more over his lack of clothes—one eye peeked… yes definitely a boy, than the fact she’d somehow skipped the prepubescent years, the need for pimple creams, braces, the dreaded teen years, all her school dances, her first boyfriend, her first kiss… Pointing at the winged chunky angel, a naked winged, chunky angel, she slapped her cheeks and rubbed her eyes. Barely able to mutter a word, she whispered, “You’re an umm, an angel?” before uncontrolled giggles took over. It proved to be the insane type of laughter that when people hear it, they step backwards away from you because they know something is about to happen. Maybe she got too close to the flowers after all.

The pint-sized being straightened his crown of shells and feathers. “Cherub. Trust me, I’m no angel. When you catch your breath, we’ll talk about me not being the only one naked.”

“Huh?” Ava’s neck snapped down and she gasped. The little being knocked her on her tush. Okay, maybe she fell on her own. Cherubs! Her mouth gaping wipe open, she tucked strands of hair behind her ears to get a clearer view. “Oh my god what happened to my clothes?” Her tee-shirt looked like it went through the dryer ten too many times. The seams were split open. A swatch could cover more skin. Her shorts resembled a thong. And the boots needed to come off immediately. Were her feet being bound? She barely squeaked out, “No! Please? Wait,” while she frantically tugged off one boot and then the other. Ava needed answers. This second. “I need clothes! I can’t go back to the palace like this!”

The cherub zipped around to her side and pat her shoulder. “Why not? People run around here in a lot less, especially after one of Dionysus’s celebrations.” With that he flit in a zigzag pattern into the thicket of the woods just beyond the water’s edge, giggles echoing.

Ava thought about chasing after the putto, but four things stopped her. First, she didn’t think her shaking legs were up to the chase and secondly, he was in his birthday suit with his junk swinging in the breeze. Ewh! Her mother would kill her for running off after an exhibitionist. Third, he looked better in his birthday suit than she did in her current state of public lewdness, and lastly, she needed to confirm she hadn’t gone bonkers, which happened to be the easier of things to digest. Instead, she dragged her trembling body back up to the rail, craned her neck to the top of the support, counted to ten and peeked over the side of the bridge and glanced into the water. Same woman still there wearing the same scowl Ava knew was on her face, only the woman in the water looked amazingly perturbed. Frantic fingers began touching body parts, patting newly formed lumps, seeing a foreign image that somehow took over or occupied Ava. How? Was she possessed?

So much for the new lunch box for first grade. Maybe a new Louie V bag would do.

Now laughing uncontrollably.

Freaked out? The term inferred something plausible a person could digest in due time. This, her aging into a young woman over night was more like trying to win a hotdog eating contest. She gagged at the very notion.

Kids don’t age twenty years over night unless they have the disease Progeria, and then they die because well, sadly it is Progeria, a fatal disease where you continue to age out. She’d learned the word from her stint at the hospital. A friend had it. And then she didn’t.

Crap again. Did Zeus bring her here to die? Is this what they were going to discuss at dinner? Her stomach hurt. Her head pounded. And lastly her heart ached. She needed to get home to her grandparents. To Jack. To her normal mundane life feeding her horses, chasing chickens. Talking to Jack. Dressing Tia in doll cloths.

Yeah, totally normal!

Feeling like Tia did in heels for her first time…completely unsteady, Ava slowly made her way back to the palace, ducking behind trees, army-crawling in some instances so people wouldn’t see her. From ground level, the vast stretch of open space to the palace would be the toughest. No well-placed trees or ice sculptures, or cloth’s lines, or anything she could disappear behind should someone walk out and see the couture-less mess she’d become.

When something soft and furry brushed up against her ankle, Ava slowly turned to see who or what it was. She bit back a yelp and didn’t move a muscle, take a breath or blink. Frozen in fear pretty much described her current standings as a long sleek black panther sniffed her, jabbed its pink wet nose into her side, licked her leg, pawed her hair and then plunked down beside her. “Now I’m catnip! Please don’t eat me.” The cat’s thick tail swished playfully. Mischievous green eyes blazed. Long whiskers coiled out to the sides of the cat’s head. Incisors hung over the kitty’s lower jaw with the tip of its tongue slightly stuck out. From a jeweled collar dangled a nametag. Jill.

Jack and Jill. No one on earth would believe her.

And then she really laughed at that notion…on earth… Ava shook her head and held her hand out for the cat to sniff. The huge animal nudged her head beneath Ava’s hand and angled her head just so, so the cat could get behind her ears scratched.

Together she and the panther slithered across the grounds to the entrance. Thank heavens the doorman said nothing as she approached, one hand trying to be a fig leaf covering her front, and the other arm square across her bosom, but his smirk… thank God there was no form of video communications up here.

That she knew of.

Scratch that, she heard the clicks of a camera and the doorman’s snickers.

Charging full speed through the long, elegant corridor with the cat all but tripping her up, she managed to make it past all the creepy armored guys. Unfortunately, her imagination wasn’t imagining anything earlier. The armored statues were watching her. The helmets creaked that toe-curling noise of metal–on-metal…the eye slits glared an eerie neon blue color and followed her as she sped by. The panther growled, its hackles sharper than the razor wire on the gauntlets of the soldiers. Ava continued running all out up three flights of stairs, down the wrong hallway, and busted into the wrong room. The panther sauntered in like it owned the place. It probably did.

To her chagrin it was Aphrodite’s room she’d barged into. Absolutely no disputing it. This goddess had beautiful stamped on her forehead.

Not really, but she might as well have. But there was a flashing pink neon light that read, Love Shack, over her king-sized heart-shaped bed. Ava’s breath caught in her throat. Pictures did not do justice to the woman.

The goddess smiled. “Hello. We had bets as to how long it would take you to get back.”

The moment almost made Ava forget what she was about to say. “This is so cool,” was not it, but it came out raspy regardless.

Aphrodite leaned over and ruffled Ava’s hair and gently fingered a stray strand behind the girl’s ear. Ava swallowed and then tried again to say, “Hi,” and so much more, like ‘Wow, you are all betting on me like I’m this week’s entertainment,’ but her voice caught in her throat and squeaked. Instead, jaw as far down as it would drop Ava planted her face in her hands. “This is not how I ever dreamt of meeting you.”

“I’m teasing you child. You are beautiful. Come out from hiding. Let us get you proper attire for the evening. While I’m certain a few of the men would find your current wardrobe fascinating, there are a few who would find it scandalous. Hera for starters.”

The first thing to hit Ava were Aphrodite’s tempestuous eyes; they were stunning. Mesmerizing. Once she decided she was totally staring the goddess down she gave her the once over, a few times. To make things a little less awkward. A small snort, half giggle leaked out. Yeah, so much less awkward.

To be in the presence of this woman, this goddess, well it made her head spin. She wore a princess fitted ivory lace gown and had her thick auburn hair down in long soft curls. The rose-colored crown adorned with pink sapphires matched her lipstick perfectly. Ava couldn’t match her socks. Nerves thrumming, Ava clasped her hands together, her fingers on her left hand tapping the fingers on the right hand in the ‘make a church steeple’ sort of pent-up energy. Back to breathing techniques… Toss in another snort or two because now the goddess looked like she was fighting back laughter. Ava wanted to die. Legs wobbly, Ava headed for the door.

Aphrodite murmured from a divinely soft, soothing voice, “Let us begin anew.” And just like that, the panic button in Ava’s gut switched off.

Did Aphrodite somehow know Ava thought about bolting to the edge of the cliff and leaping? She had no poker face skills, so most likely yes. Ava had been fast forwarded to a new chapter in her life. At the very least twenty years of her life vanished overnight. Zeus mumbled something in her ear on their ascent about time warps and whatnots, but this? She had freaking boobs. Boobs! Cupping the foreign lumps in each hand Ava gave Aphrodite a despairing wide-eyed gaze and a drawn out, “Ughhh! How? They. Are. Ridiculous.”

The ethereal goddess approached Ava, seemingly floating with flawless poise across the floor. She made being so beautiful effortless in the manner Ava did looking like a crash test dummy going through a window.

“Breathe, Ava.” Aphrodite coaxed the girl into a chair before she spilled onto the floor. “Yes, what you have witnessed is a shock, but it would have happened eventually in your home. Here things happen somewhat faster, on a grandeur scale. You get used to it. Nothing else about you has changed. Your quick mind remains as brilliant as the day you arrived. Your skills at acclimating your environment will catch up to your body within the next day or two. I’ve brought you a new wardrobe. Try the clothing on. If none is to your desires then we’ll hit up Athena, although her taste in apparel is downright,” Aphrodite scrunched her perfect little upturned nose before finishing, “dull. I love the woman don’t get me wrong, but our tastes differ in everything. I will see you at dinner tonight. The green gown—wear it. It matches your eyes.”

Ava made her way to an armoire that could’ve been on Fifth Avenue in NYC. She fingered through gowns, dresses, armor, negligees, some black leather straps with fur cuffs attached…

Aphrodite chuckled before saying, “Not those.” Ava glanced over her shoulder to Aphrodite and the woman blushed as she rushed over and plucked them from Ava. “Too soon, kid.”

A few nervous giggles left Ava. She bent over and picked up a pair of knee-high patent leather boots that showcased five-inch stiletto heels. “OMG, Tia and I can twin, not! I’ve worn sneakers and galoshes the last six years and barely managed to remain vertical in them. Do you have anything a little less deadly?”

Aphrodite gave a gentle shake of her head no. “I’ll have Athena drop off a few pairs of shoes. The reflection glass is in the bath. Wave your hand after you’ve showered, and you will see the true you. If you have further need call Zeus. The god does love coming to the aid of damsels in distress.”

An irked eyebrow shot upward on Ava. “Ah, hold up!” Her attitude finally made it up the last flight of stairs… “Is that what you think of me? A damsel in distress? I’m no such thing. Just a bit freaking overwhelmed.” She couldn’t help how many octaves her voice rose. “There’s a difference. Five minutes ago, I was all about Disney princesses and now I’m like one?”

Aphrodite interrupted Ava, “—There’s our girl. You’ll be fine. Your new shape accentuates every inch of you.”

Ava waved her hands in Aphrodite’s face and pointed to her chest/breasts with what could only be described as sheer horror. “What do I do with the girls?”

A smile, genuine, favored the goddess’s soft pink lips. She grabbed both of Ava’s hands to still the trembling young woman. “They are what men refer to as voluptuous. Yours are a bit fuller than the rest of us up here. Must be the hormones, steroids, additives they put in cow’s milk to feed babies. Take the afternoon to rest, get acquainted with the new you, and when you come to dinner, look more ravishing than the meal, all right? It’ll help. Tonight, you’ll meet Thor, Hermes, our gentle giant Hercules, my son, Eros, and Apollo will be there as well. Oh, and Hera, my dear ex-mother-in-law and my ex, Hephaestus. Once he’s spoken, you’ll understand the ex.” Aphrodite closed her eyes and shook her head. “Watch your back.”

Ava’s lips thinned while she peeked up at the goddess. “What about Jack?”

“In your short time here, you’ve befriended a panther who hasn’t given anyone other than your Jack, the time of day unless you were its dinner. Interesting. Until tonight, my little lady.”

“Nice ditch on my question.” Ava plopped down on the edge of the bed and gave an upward jaw thrust to the goddess hoping for a different outcome.

Aphrodite turned over Ava’s hand and placed a slight kiss on her palm. With a sexy wink and demure nod, the goddess departed leaving Ava with a molehill of new clothes and a mountain of questions. Reveling in the moment, trying to make sense of things that were inconceivable Ava stood… slowly, and once somewhat steady, proceeded to rummage through Aphrodite’s hand-me-downs. Forces greater than her brain took over the body’s response; the shoulders hunched, the eyes clamped shut, the nose scrunched, the lips formed a huge grin, and the feet bounced. “Hand-me-freaking-down from the goddess herself. How I spent my summer vacation, definite A+.” While Ava danced and jumped up and down the panther pounced into the center of the pile of dresses and rolled through them leaving black fur all over everything.

Cats! Doesn’t matter what galaxy they strut around; they still believe the world is their playground.

Thinking ahead to her trip home, her grandparents would not recognize her when she returned. Heck, she barely recognized herself. Her strawberry blonde curls cascaded past her tush and held one white streak going down her left side. Then came the breasts. They weren’t huge, but they were bordering on it, and they were uncomfortable. The stupid things bounced and jiggled with every step. The gowns Aphrodite gave her… well they accentuated, Aphrodite’s word—not hers, the voluptuous things, again, Aphrodite’s words.

Ava’s baby-faced cheeks slimmed as well. Beneath all the pudge people used to pinch on her she found she had high cheekbones.

Freckles, apparently, they weren’t going anywhere.

Her emerald eyes appeared greener, her lashes longer. Her legs now looked like a runway model; long, slender, strong, and so ridiculously fast maybe she could keep up with this panther, Jill, who now lay sprawled out across the bed, its huge head cushioned on a pillow, its thick black tail swooshing in a playful manner.

Ava crawled up next to the cat and lay beside her stroking the cat’s velvety soft coat, scratching under her chin, prolonging the discussion she and Zeus needed to have. Adult things.

No kidding! Her turning into one being the main topic of conversation.

Speaking of adults…Jack. She wished he were here, showing her all this life had to offer, what he had to offer. She really missed him. How? It had only been a short time they’d known each other. He had somehow finagled his way into her heart, her life just when she needed him most and now, she needed him in her future even more. She felt it as easily as she breathed. His antics. His carefree attitude. He nailed charm, compassion, and sincerity while still able to poke fun at himself. She missed him so badly it hurt in places she didn’t know she had until today. Made it hard to catch her breath, to sleep not knowing if he was safe. Were his feelings mutual?

Everything in this castle was larger than life, except Jack. How would he survive once he came home? How would she survive once he left her? Once he was his old self again? And he was old(er).

What had he asked of her in the first minute they met? A simple kiss with a not-so-simple admission of love: Men, why are they so complicated?

Would it be that easy to set him free? Would she forever be under his spell if she did those two things? Something inside her chest, centrally located around her heart flip-flopped. It might be harder holding the words back.

Trying desperately to stuff the girls into the skintight outfit Athena directed her to wear, Ava wondered who, other than her grandparents would believe her when she tried to tell them about her adventure.

Where did she begin? Boobs? In your face. How to explain them would be a riot. Being micro chipped for a suitcase? Zeus had a sly look on his stone-face the entire time she was being fingerprinted. A pixy? That fit perfectly in doll clothes? A trip to Mt. Olympus? Zeus? No one would believe this. And finally, her very own Jack in the box? Jack was the golden ring of the carnivals. Ava’s new adult mind spun.

Sex flashed in the forefront of her mind more blaring than Aphrodite’s neon light. Why now?

She had no idea, but the six-year-old Ava thought it, sex, sounded dreadful. It sounded painful when she’d overheard her parents on more than one occasion. All the ‘Oh Gods!” that came from the room, she couldn’t believe Zeus hadn’t popped in thinking he was being summoned. The twenty-six-year-old Ava rather fancied the idea and needed a mentor to get her up to speed.

She needed Jack.

And she’d be mindful not to utter any, “Oh gods,” aloud for privacy’s sake.

A light tap on the door tugged Ava’s attention away from her delightful fantasy of exploring Jack to finding out who stood on the opposite side of the door. Could it be him? Could he have freed himself?

Snug in Aphrodite’s green ball gown with her hair done in a loose twist and sporting an emerald necklace defining her décolletage, Ava decided right here, right now, she could outdo any princess in the fashion department. She took a step towards the door and tripped, barely catching her balance before she took a header into the corner of a table. “Whoa!”

The grace part needed some serious work.

Handle on the knob, Ava creaked the door slightly ajar. The padding of paws and clicking of claws alerted Ava the panther came to her side. Jill brushed up against her thigh, and stuck her head out the door, placing her body protectively between whomever stood on the opposite side and Ava.

Outside stood Apollo. “Young lady, you need to come with me. Immediately.”

The cat’s pink nose twitched one split second before she leapt into action and headed down the hallway with her nose to the ground better than a cadaver dog on the trail of someone who had seen better days. “Jill! Wait up!” Ava hiked up the gown and gave chase while Apollo’s long legs kept him beside her without breaking a sweat. “What is it? Have you found Jack?”

“Early seating at dinner.” Apollo’s deadpan face gave away nothing. Ava and the over-sized kitten continued down the stairs, past all the skeletal armor suits with blazing blue eyes.

Over her shoulder she hollered, “You have to explain to me why those suits creep me out.”

With a quick break in his stride Apollo cranked his neck sideways to take in the abandoned army along the wall. Ava stopped long enough to notice his pupils dilate and then retract while one drop of sweat trickled down the side of his neck. He swiped it away and answered, “They must be haunted,” as if it were an everyday occurrence to have anything haunted in a home, castle, palace.

“Perfect!” Ava grunted. “One more thing no one will believe.”

They continued through the palace passing rooms adorned with paintings the small art shop in her hometown would kill to acquire. Lavish frames, some gold, some silver, intricate in detail. The rooms were excessive with furniture that bellowed obscene wealth and power. A gold table with elaborately carved legs held a floral arrangement that looked like someone stuffed an entire garden into it. Rose-colored sconces on each side of a walk-in fireplace flickered. A sofa made from deep purple velvet, adorned with cushions and throws sat directly in front of the fire. The room looked like something Ava’s mother would have read a romance novel in. She had to admit it did look rather inviting.

“All right, little lady, in about two seconds your life is about to change—”

Ava cut Apollo off laughing. “—Surely you jest. I passed two seconds hours ago. Unless you can turn me back to the kid I was yesterday there isn’t much that could surprise me right now.”

“Never say never, Ava. By the way you look beautiful.” Apollo’s hand on the handle of the door, he placed his other hand on her shoulder. “You need to answer one question before you go in. Allow your heart to speak before thinking. Give a clear concise response to me.”

Her head cocked to the side, Ava reached up and placed her hand atop of Apollo’s. “Why so serious, Apollo? What is it?”

“Ava, just answer this: Do you love Dionysus?”

Her lips slightly parted, ready to answer him the door swung inward to startle both of them. Ava took in the room and had the eerie sensation a royal funeral was about to take place. Hers?