Mother Seems Concerned

Demeter—Mother—seems concerned with me as we pick apples together.

“You seem so pale. What is happening to you?”

I can’t tell her about my nights with Hades or my dreams of Zeus. That’s not part of the bargain. When I’m up above, I’m supposed to stay up above.

So I murmur, “I couldn’t sleep well last night.”

Mother puts her arms around me.

“I love you so much and I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Hades had to take you off. He had a job he needed done in Hell and you were his choice, but I miss you so much when you’re gone. I’m flattered of course that he found you so irresistible but I really didn’t want you to go.”

“What’s your life like when you are down there?”