=Chapter Forty=
•*•
The Adult Toddler
=
Saturday, 28th of September

I took Bella downstairs, luckily the customers we had must have left, so they didn't see the hysterically laughing Bella being dragged out the front door.

Liz watched curiously, and I shrugged, promising to tell her the tea later.

Liz nodded, understanding my wordless gesture. 

As soon as we made it outside I pulled out a whistle that I always kept on me when possible.

Of course it was the bronze whistle I used (very rarely) when I needed to call Mrs. O'Leary.

I smile as I see the stupid engraving on it, reminding me of Leo. He really did give us a scare when he magically appeared out of nowhere (death as we all thought) with Calypso of all people on his arm.

Yes I thought I had died. It was hilarious.

Correction- Leo thought it was hilarious.

Anyways, Hopefully Nico wasn't currently in use of the Hell Hounds service. As much as I love to see my cousin, this would be an awkward situation to explain.

Bella had slowed to a chuckle, seemingly bored with me.

I blew into the whistle and Bella scoffed at my action.

"Oh no scary, a- ah!" She yelped as Mrs. O'Leary jumped from the shadows and slobbered all over me in excitement. I struggled to keep my grip on Bella as I was attacked by the massive playful ball of fur.

"Hey girl! Sorry to call you. I need some help. I think it's time we went to visit my mom." I told her softly.

Mrs. O'Leary merely awaited mounting and I pretty much picked Bella up and put her on The hell hound, not caring if Bella was now actually a little scared.

She wasn't going anywhere.

In seconds we jumped through the shadows and landed in an alley near mom and Paul's apartment.

I decided not to bring Bella inside with me. The last thing I needed was mom to freak out, possibly even scold Bella into oblivion for what she's done.

What did I do? Glad you totally asked!

I merely used some dirty puddle water to bind her wrists and ankles and make (don't ask how idk either) a gag to keep her quiet.

I left her there and walked around the corner to the stairs to my parents apartment, and knocked.

Mom opened the door, Estelle at her legs.

"PERCYY!!" Estelle squealed.

I grin.

"Hi little sea star." I greeted, and mom pulled me into a hug.

"You never give me a break, do you." She said, and I could tell she was holding back tears.

"I'm really sorry. Someone was.. being very... very petty." I explained shortly.

"I'm really happy you're here. I might have trouble letting you go now that you're back." She smiled jokingly.

"Yeah i think you've got a few more gray hairs now that-" my mom poked me in the side making me laugh.

"Okay, okay, sorry!" I chuckle.

Estelle raises her hands in a grabby grabby motion, and I pick her up.

"Percccyy!!" She grins.

"Estelllle!!" I grin back.

"Where's Paul at?" I asked.

Mom lets me in and I go to the kitchen, following the smell of cookies.

"He went to a teachers party." Mom laughed. "I think all they do is play board games."

I smiled in response.

"Mm when do you not have cookies freshly baked?" My mouth watered as I snagged a cookie for Estelle and one for me.

"Percy! She's just had two!" My mom scolded me.

I shrugged helplessly. "Hey, how was I supposed to know! Let me spoil my little sister."

"Not at the cost of her health." Mom rolled her eyes.

"Oh no, three cookies equals an early death!"

"I missed you." Mom said softly. "You and your silly humor. It's been far too long."

Mom looked like she might hug me again, and not that I was going to run from it, I just wasn't here for a social visit.

"Mom, I'll come visit again soon. But I actually have a favor." I said, setting Estelle down, who huffed dramatically but shortly forgot her disappointment when she remembered her cookie.

She waddled off to who knows where giggling secretly.

"What's going on, Percy. That text we got was so scary. And it came from you too." Mom said quietly.

"It was from someone I worked with. She didn't like me very much." I responded.

"I thought after all you've been through.. after all we've been through.." mom sighed letting her sentence go mostly unspoken.

"I know. After everything.. it seems ironic that I would die to something as.. normal as a robbery." I finished.

Mom sighed. "It's hard to think of that as normal.. but considering how crazy your life is.. I suppose it is an anticlimactic ending." She wiped some tears forming as she laughed.

I didn't laugh, only smiled sadly.

"Mom, where is medusas head?" I asked, finally bringing up the subject that would cause our reunion to come to an end.

"In the attic... in that same box duct taped and then put into a wooden box nailed shut.." mom answered cautiously.

"Can i borrow it."

Mom and I stare at each other before mom finally relented. "Of course. Be careful. Percy."

We hug one last time and I go to the hallway and open the hatch in the ceiling, the ladder unfolding before me, and revealing the eerily dark room.
I climbed up it nervously, reminding me of the days of going up to the attic in the big house to consult the oracle.

Inside I saw many normal attic things.. old furniture.. boxes labeled photos, another labeled clothes.

And then I saw in the far back, a wooden box labeled in red DO NOT OPEN!

Ah yes, the box I'm definitely going to open. I picked it up, feeling the insides roll around which made me cringe in disgust.

Once I made it down the ladder i set the box down and pushed the said ladder back up into place.

Mom poked her head into the hallway and nodded when she saw the box.

"Be careful, okay? There's a cloth in there covering the head but it could've fallen off." Mom instructed.

Estelle was back at mom's legs, cookie long gone but the chocolate stains ever remain.

"Percyyyyy!" She smiled, running towards me. Mom caught her and Estelle whined.

"Percy will come back soon." Mom said to her softly.

"Yup! I sure will. Mom.. do you want me to return this?" I asked, lifting the box slightly.

"No. I don't need it... I'd like it gone please." Mom nodded.

"Okay. I'll come visit sometime for an actual visit, and I'll call to let you know too," I smile, letting mom side hug me and show me out.

"Okay, bye honey," mom waved.

"Bye!" Estelle waved.

I waved back.

"Bye guys!"

I walked down the steps and to the alley where thankfully Bella was still waiting.

"Mm!" She glared furiously.

I wasn't sure how to get into the box so I threw it at the ground a few times until it split. I took the cardboard box out, the very one I used way back when I was 12.

I flicked my wrist and let all the water/ice restraints leave Bella and I opened the card board box, using my water to form a glassy mirror to peer into the box. Luckily the head was still covered by the cloth.

I took it out and was careful to not look at it.

"What is that." Bella huffed. Sitting like a grumpy toddler with her arms crossed.

"Well.. it's something like a camera. So you might as well smile." I shrug, taking off the cloth.

Bella frowned and stuck out her tongue in reciprocation.

Ironically that was the moment she looked at medusas head and..

Boom, just like that in a second she turned to stone.

I quickly covered the head and put it back into the box.

I looked at the stone cold statue, already picturing the description.

The adult toddler

"Time to call a museum.."

I went to a pay phone and called the same art museum in soho.

"Hi, I'm the daughter of Sally Jackson, that one artist who sculpted The Poker Player? Yeah, I just did my own sculpture. Yeah, I call it The Adult Toddler."

•*•

Hello hello hello,
I'm on a roll!

Last one for today.
(Also 40th chapter wow)

Anyways Bella is finally gone!! WHOOOOOOOO YAY
🎉

Hope you all will have a *phonetastic* day (again)

Bella and Gabe, they def are related.
Maybe even an estranged daughter lol

^^For reference this is exactly how I imagine Bella's statue.

Anyways..

Toodles!

💙🍪