Page 31 of All for her Forgiveness

He, for some reason I don't understand, has always been the least fond of Pam. He might even feel animosity towards her.

"You know why. Pam is like a little sister. She went through hell when she was a child and survived. Whatever I can do to make her life easier, I will do."

"She's not a child anymore, Hades," Dionysus says. "She's almost eighteen, and the way she looks at you . . .”

He doesn't finish the sentence, and he doesn’t need to. I'm not a fool. I know that some time ago, Pam stopped seeing me as just a protector, and that's why my connection with her has turned into phone calls. Only on her birthday do I take her out for lunch, and even then, with Vina alongside us.

"She will never be more than a ward to me. I don't see her as a woman. Even if I were attracted to her, which is not the case, I would feel like a pedophile because I saw her grow up, go through all the stages of childhood and adolescence."

"I know you're not attracted to her. I know you, Hades. If you wanted her, your attention to Pam would be different. And I agree with the part that seeing her grow up practically makes her a relative for us," Zeus speaks now. "We're just thinking a few steps ahead, making sure you can see that too."

"What I see ahead is Pam graduating from a good university. In the future, she will find a husband who will love her and value her, they will build their own family, and somehow, she will overcome the past."

"That’s a good speech, but you know life doesn't work that way, brother," Ares says. "The path for all of us is usually full of stumbles.”

“When she was a child, I promised I would protect her forever. It doesn't matter if she becomes old one day; it will always be my duty to keep my word.”

“It’s not just a matter of keeping your word; you truly consider her as a sister.”

“I’m not denying that. Blood is important, but it's not everything. Pam has always been the perfect child. Something must be happening to make her feel lost and stray from her path, but I think things will get better when she goes to college."

None of the three say anything, simply because they know it wouldn't help. We are as stubborn as mules, and we would rather die than break a promise.

Past

NEW ORLEANS

"Hades?" the voice of my grandfather's housekeeper sounds tearful when I answer.

I'm in the car, on my way to a meeting. "Vina? What's wrong?"

"My daughter . . .she's dead."

"What?"

"She hurt her back, and now I’ve just received news that she's dead."

Damn it!

I know her eldest daughter lives here in New Orleans, although now, thinking back, I've only heard her talk about the woman a handful of times at most.

"How did she die so suddenly?"

"I don't know exactly. I'm going with Pam to the funeral. It seems she overdosed on pain medication. I'm on my way to Louisiana. Actually, I'm at the airport, but I wanted to know if you could arrange for someone to handle the paperwork for Riny's house, my son. I don't know how to deal with these things, and . . .” She stops talking and starts crying.

I try to think of what to do. By a twist of fate, I came to New Orleans as soon as the meeting with my brothers ended because yesterday, I received a proposal to acquire some casinos that are being put on the market. "Today, there's nothing to be done, but I'll leave a message for a lawyer to contact you. He can help you."

"Grandma, I want to talk to him," I hear Pam say in the background.

"Hades doesn't have time for idle chatter, girl."

"I’ll be quick," Pam insists. "Hades."

"What do you want, kid?"

"Don't call me that. I feel like I'm three years old."

"Aren’t you exactly that?" I tease.

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