Month 3 (March)

Artemis sat on the park bench in silence watching the little girl play in the sandpit with some other kids. She was babysitting her cousin Hebe (Hera's niece), and she'd decided to take the girl to the park. Hebe was only four and very quiet and shy, so it was pretty easy to keep watch of her. She wasn't the type of kid to run off.

Hebe was playing with all the other kids, and Artemis smiled at the interactions. There were parents all over the park, but Artemis did not try and socialize with them. She was not a parent, not in their age range, and hanging out at parks and talking to soccer moms was not high on her to-do list.

Of course, since this was a children's playground, there weren't exactly any people her age around, and there wasn't anyone she recognized other than Hebe. Artemis briefly began to worry if this was her fate. Sitting on park benches at 20 years old watching her kindergartener son or daughter play in a sandpit while she casually conversed with 30 year old women. Artemis knew for a fact that she did not want that life.

She was brought out of her thoughts when a woman sat down next to her. She turned her head, and her jaw dropped as she recognized the person. It was Percy's aunt Hestia. "Hestia?" She asked, not having seen the woman since Percy had introduced her to his family as his girlfriend about a year ago. Actually, that was a lie, they'd met once again when her and Percy went to Walmart to buy some Herschey's Kisses because Percy wanted to make a killer joke during the movie and ask her if she wanted a kiss.

That joke got him a pity kiss. A real one, not a Herschey's.

"Hello, Artemis dear. How are you?" She greeted ever so sweetly, holding her orange purse on her lap as she looked over. Her equally orange eyes burned into Artemis' soul. Artemis leaned back on the wooden bench, and looked over at Hebe. "I'm fine, just here babysitting my cousin. That's her with the brown hair and purple flower." She pointed, and the middle-aged woman got a good look. "A pretty little thing."

Artemis nodded, sipping on the sprite can she'd forgotten was sitting next to her. "I assume you heard about what's going on with me and Percy?" She said, still looking straight ahead. Hestia chuckled. "Better not word it like that in the future, my dear. You make it sound as if you two have broken up." The woman joked, and Artemis couldn't help but crack a smile.

Hestia sighed, her calm and happy expression never leaving her face. "And yes, I've heard. Percy told me. I'm happy for you both." She said, and the auburn haired teen hummed in acknowledgement. Hestia looked at her. "How are you handling it?" She inquired, and the daughter of Zeus shivered slightly, which wasn't normal of her.

Artemis breathed deeply, her eyes drifting to the ground in front of her. "I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited and all but... I'm 16, too young to be a mom." She thought out loud, and Hestia remained silent.

Artemis continued. "We've spent so long getting ready for it, and we're only like a third of the way through the pregnancy. I already feel sick. I'm getting morning sickness and mood swings, and the stuff I'm eating... oh gods. You know that last night an avocado cupcake? Who does that?" She reprimanded herself.

Hestia rubbed her back calmingly, and Artemis resorted to burying her head in her hands. She felt tears coming, but held them back, only for the sadness to be replaced with tiredness. "I don't know what to do, Hestia. We both want the baby, but face it, we can't be parents. We just can't. We won't know what to do, how to take care of it." She admitted.

Artemis pulled herself up, and looked at the woman. "I... I started looking online recently... at abortion clinics... and adoption centres. I... I think we should get rid of the baby, or at least give it up." The teen confessed, which made Hestia frown. At seeing the older woman's mood sour, Artemis silently began to weep. Trying to stop herself from crying out loud, she buried her head in Hestia's shoulder.

They sat like that for a little while as Artemis poured her eyes and feelings out. Maybe five minutes later, she had resorted to sniffles, and slowly lifted her head away from Hestia's shoulder. "Artemis, dear, I have something to tell you. Listen closely." She said, piquing Artemis' interest.

Hestia gained a faraway look in her eyes, and smiled softly. "When I was a little bit older than you, maybe 18, I had a boyfriend. His name was Priapus, and long story short, I got pregnant. I wanted to keep the baby, but he did not. He wanted me to get an abortion. I should have refused, I should have left him and kept the baby, but I didn't. I was 18, far from home, my parents refused to speak to me and Poseidon was still at boarding school. I had no one to turn to." She said, and Artemis' heart sunk.

For the first time, Artemis saw Hestia cry, and as a lone tear escaped the woman's left eye. "I got rid of it, and three weeks later, he dumped me. I was left cold and alone on the streets of some city. I've never felt worse than I had in that moment. I'd gotten rid of my child to be with him, and he left me." She said, and Artemis felt a tidal wave of sorrow and empathy wash over her. She couldn't imagine Percy dumping her, or making her get an abortion.

"Not just that," Hestia continued. "A few years later, in my early twenties, I tried to have a kid. I was single, so I just slept around. I felt like such a whore, but I knew it would be all worth it once I had a little bundle of joy in my arms. A month later, many sexual partners later, the doctor told me I couldn't have anymore kids. I've never had a partner since. I promised myself I wouldn't. Again, all for nothing." She admitted, and yet another tear trailed down her cheek.

Quickly wiping it away, she turned to Artemis. "My dear, keep the child. I know it might seem like a bad idea on paper, but it will be worth it, trust me. You never know when you can lose the chance forever, and your baby will slip in the endless void of time." She warned ominously, making Artemis feel like throwing up.

The woman dabbed at her cheeks again. "I'd better go. I wish you and Percy the best of luck. Keep my words in mind, my dear. Goodbye." She said, walking off down the path away from the teenager.

Artemis was left to dwell on her thoughts.