Persephone’s Fall – Page 26
Hades eventually escapes the bakery, and meets me across the street. A quick cab ride (I insist) uptown, and we’re back in the climate-controlled bliss of my hotel. New York in the summer is sort of like being trapped inside the world’s largest oven. It sucks.
I wonder if the apartment that Hades has always dreamed we would share will have air conditioning.
I’m going in for a fitting on the gown next week. Hades wanted something simple, I wanted something extravagant. We settled on a contemporary design with some added frills. The gown is costing something like eight thousand dollars. I thought Hades’ head was going to explode when I told him that. I think he’s starting to figure out though that every time he reacts that strongly to something, it just makes me want to push that button even more.
I’m getting bored. I look up at Hades, smirking, and say “I’m surprised you don’t want us to elope and get married by some bargain-basement priest who wants to be paid in whiskey.”
“I considered suggesting it, but decided that you would be unlikely to agree.”
“You’re no fun, Hades. That’s your problem.”
“Mmmm. You may be right. What time do you want to go argue with the people from Demetrios tomorrow?”
Demetrios is the trendy restaurant where we’re holding the reception. We’re renting out the entire place for the evening, something that they don’t usually do, but money always talks, and my father knows the owner. I’m sure they’ll do a great job, but they’ll also try to rip us off wherever possible.
“I don’t know, Hades. Whenever. What are they going to do, use the cheap salad forks? Who cares?”
Hades looks up, genuinely annoyed. “You know, Seph, you could at least fake a little bit of interest in your own wedding. You don’t seem to give a shit about any of this.”
“I see little reason to pretend to be excited about something I have no real choice about.”
“You don’t understand, Seph. I’m saving you.”
“You keep telling me that Hades, and I keep not giving a shit. You go ahead and save me all you want, but don’t expect me to go down the path with you skipping and singing. You want this so bad? You get to drag me, kicking and screaming. And don’t even start about how I’ll thank you later. I don’t care.”
Hades gets up, paces back and forth a few times. He looks angry, but he also looks stressed about something. Eventually, he sighs, and sits back down on the couch. “I can’t do this right now, so you win. You’re right, it’s stupid. I’ll go by myself, and take care of it.”
I hate it when Hades gives up before we can really even get into the good part of a fight. Truth is, If he’d just stood up for himself once in a while, I might have considered his romantic advances more seriously.
