A Ship in Harbor is Safe

Athena nervously flicks her hair over her shoulder as she tugs at the hem of her blue top. “I look ridiculous, don’t I, Tyson?”

The dog is sprawled across the foot of her bed, within view of the floor length mirror on the closet doors, staring at her back.

“I should just text Jordan and tell him I ate some bad food last night, or something,” Athena runs the palms of her hands against her black skinny jeans. “I feel absolutely stupid.”

Tyson picks his head up and looks toward the nightstand, where Athena’s phone is buzzing.

She walks over, her black flats silent on the natural wood floor of her bedroom. Seeing the familiar name on her screen, she immediately answers, “hey.”

“Hey,” as usual, he has a natural happiness in his tone.

Athena smiles, “what are you up to?”

“I’m out, shopping with my sister. I haven’t talked to you in a couple days, so I just thought I’d call and see how you’re doing.”

A heat quickly rises up Athena’s neck, flooding her face and burning her ears. She smiles, biting her lip while thinking of a response. “Well, that sounds like a good time.”

“Yeah, I wish it was,” Sidney says quietly, like he doesn’t want someone to hear. “What are you doing today?”

Athena returns to her spot in front of the mirror, “I'm going to a cook out, with Jordan’s family.”

“Oh, wow,” Sidney sounds genuinely surprised, “and there you had thought he was avoiding you for a while.”

She shrugs, “I think he only invited me because he and Jared ran into me at the hardware store and he felt obligated.”

“If Jordan didn’t want you at the cookout, he wouldn’t have invited you, Athena.” Sidney gently, but confidently, reminds her.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“What time’s the cookout?”

Athena shrugs, “soon.”

“I guess I’ll let you go, then. Have fun.”

She smiles, “I’ll talk to you later.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Athena.”

“Bye, Sid,” Athena nearly whispers the words as she slowly pulls her phone away from her ear, and ending the call with the single press of a button.



For nearly an hour, Athena has been on the back porch with Linda and Tanya, who bounces Parker on her knee, just talking, while Henry, Jared and Eric are out in the yard, constructing the playhouse.

“Jordan was supposed to be here,” Tanya says after silence falls over the three women. “I have no idea where he is, though.”

Linda shrugs, “I don’t know, but he needs to show up soon. We’re not gonna hold off eating because he wants to be fashionably late.”

“Is he bringing Heather?” Tanya questions her mother-in-law, as she shifts her content, young son on her lap.

The older blonde shrugs as she sets her glass down on the table, “I would imagine.”

Athena lets her gaze travel out to the yard, where three of the Staal men are hammering at pieces of wood that are slowly beginning to take the shape of a miniature house. “Where’s Marc?”

“He’s still in New York, with his girlfriend,” Linda smiles as she slowly pushes her chair back. “He’ll be here in a few weeks, though.”

Athena nods, watching both women stand up.

“You wanna hold Parker for a little bit?” Tanya offers, standing with her son on her hip.

“Where are you guys going?” Athena speaks slowly, slightly confused.

Tanya comes closer to hand the young child off, “Mom’s gonna start cooking. I’m gonna help her.”

“I can come help you guys,” Athena says, accepting the child that Tanya hands her.

Tanya shrugs, “it’s probably best that someone stay out here and keep an eye on the guys, in case something goes wrong.”

Athena chuckles, even as the sliding glass door closes behind Tanya. She smiles and looks down at the young boy who is looking up at her, with large dark green eyes. Her voice is meek as it leaves her lips, “hi.”

Parker blinks, staring up at her. A giggle escapes his mouth, which makes Athena smile. His small hand reaches up and closes around a chunk of her hair.

“Yeah, that’s my hair,” she smiles, nodding slightly.

The young boy, instead of tugging on it like Athena expects, plays with the ends and runs his fingers through from her shoulders to the hair’s end. “Soff,” he giggles, and continues to inspect the hair.

“What’re you doing?” A familiar voice teases.

Athena looks up from the young boy that she has been looking at for at least five minutes, to see Jordan slowly closing the sliding glass door as he steps out onto the porch. She smiles, “just… hanging out with Parker.”

“I see that,” Jordan chuckles, nodding toward his nephew, “he’s, uh, pretty distracted.”

“I think he likes my hair,” Athena smiles, as the child leans back against her chest and stomach, looking at Jordan.

The look on Jordan’s face changes to one of visible excitement. “Hey, Parker!”

Parker shrieks a greeting toward his uncle that makes Athena wince, and she allows Jordan to swipe the child right out of her lap.

Athena catches Tanya anxiously looking out of the window of the kitchen, until she sees Jordan lifting her son into the air. Then, she is no longer in the window.

“Now you wanna show up?” Jared chirps from out in the yard.

Jordan sets Parker down, looking out into the yard, “it’s not my fault my alarm didn’t go off!”

“Hey, Parker,” Athena leans forward in her seat, speaking to the young boy quietly in attempt to gain his attention.

He looks away from his uncle, to her.

“You wanna go inside with me, see what Momma and Grandma are up to?” She asks, standing up.

When the young boy holds his hands out, Athena picks him up and rests him on her hip.

“Where are you going?” Jordan asks, turning toward her.

Athena slowly turns around, “I’m gonna take Parker inside… Is that okay?”

“Yeah,” he nods.

Smiling, Athena pulls the sliding glass door open and steps into the air conditioned house. She closes the door and slowly starts walking toward the kitchen, which is not a far travel.

“Hey,” Tanya says, looking up from the cutting board.

Athena smiles, “hey.”

“Athena, you haven’t met Heather before, have you?” Linda asks.

The young blonde moves Parker to her left hip and he rests his head on her shoulder. She tucks a chunk of hair behind her right ear, shaking her head. Her gaze meets the other woman’s, who is completely unfamiliar. “Hi, I’m Athena. It’s nice to meet you,” Athena smiles, holding her right hand out.

“Heather, it’s nice to meet you, too.” The girl shakes her hand and smiles, then going back to finishing up preparing a salad that will be eaten soon.

“Tanya,” Athena turns to Eric’s wife, “I think Parker’s a little tired. Do you want me to go lay him down for a nap?”

The tall blonde woman shrugs and nods, “sure. His room’s upstairs, third door on the right.”

Athena realizes, as she gently lays Parker in his tiny bed, that he is asleep. She leaves his room, making sure the door is cracked, and walks down the hallway to the bathroom. Closing the door, she leans against the counter and crosses her arms over her chest, covering her mouth with a trembling hand.