Looking up at the ceiling, she replayed the weird dream she had last night. Her beautiful pup, Shadow, had come to her in his adult form and curled up next to her during the night.
She talked to him like she did when he was a puppy and would curl up next to her at bedtime. Just like he did then, he would whine a little as if he was talking to her then lick her cheeks.
With that memory in her mind, she was able to relax with the knowledge that he was never forgotten or gone from her. He was with her always.
Now she needed to refortify her fortress so that she could go back to her house and assess the damage that was left behind. She knew she needed new dishes, groceries, pots and pans, well…everything.
She couldn’t remember if she needed new appliances or anything else. She knew that every single penny she’d beensaving for the last six years would officially be wiped completely out with fixing the house back to normal.
When she heard the knock on the bedroom door, she jumped slightly. Guess it was time to face the others.
“Come in,” Athena hoarsely told the knocker.
“Hey, bestie! Thought I heard you up moving around. Mom made breakfast for you. It’s your favorite.”
“Thank you. I-I don’t have any clean clothes,” Athena admitted, looking down at her hands. “I need to go shopping.”
“Got you taken care of. Here’s a bag with a pair of undies and a bra. Even got you some cute sandals to show off that smoking pedi we got yesterday.”
Athena couldn’t help but chuckle when Deidra wiggled her eyebrows. She always knew how to make her laugh in the bad moments.
Athena breathed deeply as she looked around the room she’s slept in multiple times. It had always been her favorite space when she stayed over for events she’d been invited to.
It wasn’t a large room to begin with. It held a full-size bed, with a headboard that was black and had round poles spaced out, two nightstands on either side of the bed, and a desk that held a lamp and a few books about the history of WW1 and WW2.
On both sides of the desk, that sat opposite the bed, stood two tall bookshelves that held books, trophies, and photos of Draco as a kid, a teenager, a track star, a football star, and a few of him in his military uniform throughout the years. While the furniture in the room was black, the walls were painted darkish blue.
She always felt at peace in this room. Safe. She couldn’t explain it.
“I didn’t mean to keep your brother out of his room last night,” she whispered softly.
“You didn’t. He’s staying at one of the hotels in town with the rest of his team. I get it, even if Mom and Dad would rather him be staying here.”
“Yeah. I need to go by the house to look over the damage again. Then I need to go shopping, get a hotel room, and make some calls to get the house and car dealt with. I need to decide how to deal with Chris and Rob before they come after you and your family because of me…”
“One, your house is being dealt with as we speak. Two, same as your car. Three, before the welcome home party, Mom and I are taking you shopping. Draco and his team, along with my dad and my other brothers are at the house now taking care of what needs to be fixed. They are even adding a few things to the place to make it safer for you to be there if one of us aren’t with you.”
Athena felt the tears starting to fill her eyes. These people were not her blood family. She’s only known them for ten years and yet they have treated her as one of their own since day one.
“Dee, that’s too much! I need to find out how much everything is to pay them back.”
“You’ll do no such thing, young lady. You are family. Family takes care of each other,” Katarina Blackwood proclaimed from the doorway. “Now, breakfast is ready. Come eat, then get you a good shower. There are clothes in the bathroom for you to wear. Once you’re ready, we will go by your house and see how the men are doing and what still needs to be gotten before we go shopping.”
Athena looked between the two women as the ears slid freely down her face. She’s always been alone in her life.
Always! Even in the early stages of her friendship with Deidra, she held back out of fear.
“You s-still need to finish the prep for the party this evening,” Athena stalled, trying to come up with more excuses.
“Already dealt with. The food is being catered. We got a party planner to help with a good portion of it. Stop stalling, young lady. Chop, chop.”
Athena tried hard to hide the smirk but lost when Deidra quirked an eyebrow as if to say, “the queen has spoken”. Shaking her head, she got out of the bed, put her hair in a bun and got breakfast.
Athena chose not to mention her dream about Shadow with Deidra. He came to her in her dreams to comfort her and show her that he was still there for her.
After making small talk with Deidra and her mother over breakfast, she went back upstairs and grabbed a quick shower. Looking at the clothes that were left out for her, she decided to put her jeans from last night back on and the clean T-shirt that was obviously one of the brothers, due to the size.
She brushed out her hair and brushed her teeth, making herself as presentable as she could. Once she was ready, she took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror for a few minutes, mentally telling herself her daily morning affirmations.
