Midas Is King

Three weeks, five days and twelve hours ago he promised to return. Why must I be so daft? I should have known better. Men tell lies; they are incapable of the truth. He never truly care, if anything I was just ‘the other woman’. Light peaks through the curtains to touch my pillows, disturbing my unpleasant thoughts. Groaning, I roll over, using my pillow to block out the sun, I really don’t want to be awake right now.

“Lele?” My brother’s concerned voice filters through the door, I don’t respond. When he came to get me, I had no idea that he would force me to stay with him. The authorities wouldn’t let me check myself out of the hospital, especially since no one could track down my passport. If it weren’t for my brother flying over with my ID and birth certificate, I think they would have stuck me in the psyches wars. Jack wasn’t even half responsible for anything, he stated that he caught me in bed with another man and was so angry that he just left. He also said that this was my way to cover up my infidelity, turns out you can make everyone believe you if you have the right amount of influence. Jack Daniels, CEO of all major airplane companies, golden boy, perfect son, generous benefactor to several charities. How could anyone possibly believe the truth after he spun his version so well? I’m just a nobody with a schizophrenic psychopath for a father. No job, no money, the people have always called me a gold-digger; no one will ever believe me, they never cared about me.

Needless to say, Jack forgave me for what I’d done. Or so he told the cameras, the wedding wasn’t called off; apparently we are ‘working through our issues’. If I tried to break off the engagement, he would no doubt just beat me again. In some ways being here in California with Johnny seems preferable to being trapped in New York with that monster.

“I’m going to work, please don’t stay in your room all day,” I can hear the strain in his voice, the disappointment and the worry. He didn’t fully believe Jack’s story, but that doesn’t mean he believes me either. Johnny seems to feel like I cried wolf, that maybe I did commit adultery and is just using this as an excuse. He does believe, however, that the majority of my injuries are from Jack. Which makes him the only one; the nurses, doctors and police in Greece seem to think they were self inflicted injuries. The sound of the front door slamming shut vibrates throughout the entire house. I sigh in relief, but before I can even move an inch an annoyingly bubbly head of blonde hair bounces into my room.

“Up! Up!” She cheers out, I swear Sadie must have been a cheerleader in a past life, the amount of energy that she has is incredible.

“Nooo” I mumble, shoving my face further into the pillow. She laughs, ignoring my response and moving to throw the curtains completely off my window. The sunlight hits my face and I huff irritably, why won’t this harpy let me sleep?

“Dress fittings are today though,” She whines, plopping down on my bed. Shit, I think, her weddings tomorrow. Sadie claps her hands victoriously while I groan in defeat. I’m trapped in her perfectly manicured talons and she knows it. Moving off the bed, she allows me to drag my body out of bed to get ready. When Johnny first brought me home Sadie declared that I was the ‘perfect replacement’ for the last bridesmaid she ran off with her bridezilla routine. My words not hers, if I had my way I would remain in this room for the rest of my pitiful existence, but Johnny forced me to accept the position. Or rather Sadie asked me nicely and I couldn’t turn her down because I didn’t want Johnny to hate me completely. He’s the only person who hasn’t left me. My mother and Jimmy both left me, not exactly by choice, my father has forsaken me, and Jack doesn’t count. All the friends I have ever made deserted me, same with boyfriends. Even a complete stranger who doesn’t know of my past has left me. Why Ares is so important to me, I don’t know; there is just something about him that draws me to him. But he’s gone too, just up and left. Broke his promises and everything, why I expected different from a guy -

“Get dressed!” Sadie cries, interrupting my depressing train of thought. Scowling at her, I grab some random clothes from my closet and throw them on. She tugs on my arm, leading me out of my room before I can even finish throwing my shirt on. Thankfully I manage to get the shirt on correctly just in time to be dragged outside. The other three bridesmaids are already waiting in the car, thoroughly excited for today, the wedding and for Sadie. Grumbling under my breath, I slide into the backseat with two of them, unenthusiastic about the prospect of having to put up with these fools all day.



“Relax Johnny, she will be here,” I mutter, secretly hoping that she doesn’t show up. Yesterday was pure torture. The entire bridal party did not shut up for one second; if I had to listen to one more ‘Oh My Gawd’, I would have killed them, I swear to Zeus I would have. He flashes me a grateful smile, happy to be reassured. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, why did he even like her in the first place? I push Johnny towards the door of the church. No matter how much I hate her I won’t let my brother break a tradition as old as time by seeing his bride before the wedding. Thankfully he gets the hint and makes his way inside the church. Sadie and her other maids were on their way to the church, hopefully they get derailed, leaving me alone to meet them at the church. Turns out Sadie only wanted me in the wedding to appease Johnny, no surprise there. Her friends weren’t exactly quiet about it yesterday.

The only decent part about this wedding is my dress. A Grecian inspired, high-waisted, flowy pale blue gown. The sleeves come down to my elbow, pulling tight to keep them there, the sleeves open up, revealing my arm as it leads up to a jewelled shoulder strap. The same jewels are used to pull the dress tight into the high-waist and a v-neck plunges down to meet them. It’s such a pale blue that it almost looks white. My hair is pulled to the back of my head loosely where a silver clip holds it together. This dress looks and feels natural on me, almost as if I were meant to wear this type of dress my whole life.

“Aella!” Bridezilla shrieks at me as her limo pulls up, she looks stressed, “We are late! Help me out now!”
This is going to be a long day, I think agitated, moving to help her and her obnoxious wedding dress out of the limo.



The wedding seemed to take an eternity. First I had to help her royal highness into the church, than fix her hair, and then I actually had to attend the ceremony. Now Johnny is forcing me to attend the reception. Thankfully it’s only a short drive from the church to the ocean-front reception area. With little trouble, I manage to sneak away from Sadie and her friends in order to walk along the beach. Alone in the near twilight, I feel more relaxed and at ease than I have been in a long time. Finding a rock near the ocean’s edge I sit down, grateful for the chance to rest my feet. The heels Sadie forced me into were killing my feet the whole time; they hurt way too much to be comfortable. Without a second thought, I reach down and pull them off, chucking them as hard and far as I can into the ocean. The splash is almost invisible from where I’m sitting and as they meet the water a particularly big wave hits the shore in front of me. The sea mist drifts up and over me, and I smile slightly, breathing in the salty air.

“I wouldn’t advise that child,” A scratchy work out voice calls to me. I jump and turn around in surprise; I thought I was alone out her but obviously not.

“Why not grandmother?” I ask the elderly woman respectfully, she has the air of someone who has seen too much in her life. Her hair is long and shock-white, braided down her across her shoulder, and even though it is still warm out she has a shawl wrapped around her frail body. A short rough barking sound slips from her lips and I quickly understand that she is laughing at my question.

“Oh dear child, you know nothing, do you?” Her voice is soothing and gentle but her words are meant to chastise me, “You look so much like your aunt in that dress, but you don’t know her do you?” I shake my head; this elderly woman seems to know more about my family than I do.

“Grandmother, what is it you know of my mother’s family? I question, I know it’s not my father’s side of the family; he has no siblings or even cousins, only him. She makes that barking noise again and the hair on the back of my neck begins to stand on end.

“Not your mother’s sister, you’re fathers, your real father that is.” I stare at her blankly, my mother never cheated she wouldn’t have, she couldn’t have... but it would explain why I look nothing like the rest of the family. My golden brown hair and hazel eyes have always stood out amongst the dark-haired blue eyed Sparks. Even my mother didn’t have blond hair; hers was black hair as well.

“I can tell that you have been greatly wronged, my child. You cannot let this go unpunished. Take revenge on those who have dared to harm you. For the pride of your real family you know in your heart what you must do. Jack cannot remain unpunished. He has wronged you, betrayed the sacred promises he has made, and betrayed the gods.” Her unseeing eyes bore into mine, shock courses through my brain as it recognizes that she is blind. She radiates knowledge despite her illness, and I don’t seem able to look away from mesmerizing hazel-green eyes.

“Grandmother, how do you know all this?” I whisper, her words wedging themselves into my soul. She is right; I cannot let him get away with this, who is to say he won’t do this again to some other poor woman after he kills me? She doesn’t respond, just smiles at me and walks away. In silence, I watch her disappear into the distance; every word she said rang true. It is time that I make the final sacrifice.