Page 40 of Ruin

“Dove?” Gigi says, sounding confused.

“It’s a nickname I used to call your mom,” Zeus explains to her.

“You knew my mom before you was our new mailman?”

“Gigi, this is Zeus. The friend I was telling you about.”

Gigi stares at me, puzzled. “Your friend is our new mailman?”

Me and my big, stupid mouth.

“Oh. Well, um, I…I…” I’m faltering.

“I was your new mailman.” Zeus steps in for me, crouching down in front of Gigi so that he’s eye-level with her. “But I’m not very good at it, so your old mailman is coming back.”

“Oh, that’s sad for you. But I’m happy that Burt’s back, so he can tell me more jokes.”

Zeus’s lip lifts at the corner. “I know I’m not your mailman anymore, but I’d like to be your friend, if that’s okay with you?”

Gigi’s big blue eyes blink up at me, looking for confirmation that it’s okay.

“It’s okay, Gigi.”

“Okay, we can be fwiends.” She steps a little closer to him and whispers, “Just so you know, I’m an awesome fwiend to have.”

Zeus chuckles. “I bet you are.”

“What’s your name?” she asks even though I told her it not one minute ago. “’Cause, if we fwiends, I has to know your name.”

“Zeus Kincaid.” He holds his hand out to her, and she puts her little hand in his. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Zweus is a funny name.” The way she says his name is the cutest thing ever.

Still, the parent in me has to call her out for saying his name is funny. “Gigi, that’s not a nice thing to say.”

“Sorry,” she says to Zeus, lowering her eyes and pulling her hand from his, retreating back to my side.

“It’s fine.” He smiles warmly at her. “It is a funny name. Not pretty like yours. But you know, Gigi, I was named after a god.”

Her eyes widen. “You know God’s name?” she says with awe.

Zeus chuckles. “Not God’s name. Zeus was a Greek god. The god of the sky. He controlled thunder and lightning.”

“I’s scared of thunder and lightning.”

“Well then, I’ll protect you from it.” He winks at her before rising to stand.

“So, shall we get going then?” I say. “Let’s put these inside,” I tell Gigi, taking the flowers from her.

“Can I open it now?” she asks, holding up the gift bag.

“Sure,” I tell her.

She pulls out the present, handing the bag to me, and lets out a shriek. “Mommy, look! It’s the Magical Princess Twilight Sparkle!” She hugs it to her chest.

She’s shrieking because she’s been desperate for one. But, with a price tag of a hundred dollars, it’s a tad out of my budget.

“That’s a really expensive toy,” I say to Zeus, my brows lifting.