Read Online Aphrodite's Workshop for Reluctant Lovers by Marika Cobbold - Free Book Online Page B

love is being brought into disrepute, yes, I’m afraid I do.’
    Of course Mother goes ballistic. Back in her own rooms she shouts and curses and paces and guess what, she blames it all on me. Since she was demoted from Aphrodite Urania to Aphrodite Pandemos she has lived in fear of being demoted further, possibly ending up having to move down from the summit like I did. Personally I don’t think that would be so bad because then we could hang out more but Mother just hates the idea.
    I have been about to go up to her and maybe put my arm around her, comfort her a bit but she turns and gives me this really mean sea-green look.
    â€˜Why did you have to go and get her together with that Townsend person, eh? Surely you could see that relationship had no future?’
    â€˜That’s so unfair.’ I back away. ‘You didn’t say anything against it at the time. In fact you told me just to get on with it.’
    â€˜That’s called
delegating
, Eros. You’re supposed to be able to handle such things by yourself, but oh no, someone’s become sloppy, careless, shooting off his arrows blindly in every direction with no thought about even basic compatibility or suitability.’
    â€˜That’s so unfair.’
    â€˜Oh do stop saying that.’
    â€˜You stop being unfair,’ I say, but so quietly that she can’t hear. ‘Anyway,’ I say louder now, ‘I’m not meant to think about those things: I’m just a boy.’
    Mother sinks down on her bed. She seems too tired even to rant. Instead she sighs; I hate it when she sighs.
    â€˜Oh Eros, you’re always just a boy.’
    â€˜And that’s my fault? Anyway, you’re supposed to be in charge of strategy.’ But even as I protest I know she’s right to be pissed at me. My heart just hasn’t been in the job lately.
    Truth is, I’m bored. So obviously it shows in the results. You should see my pending tray: man, it is stacked high. But think about it from my perspective. I work really hard getting people paired off; I mean I could just hang out with my friends and have a nice time but no, I work. And it feels thankless. I shoot – the person lights up as if they’ve just had a hundred-volt light bulb shoved up their arse.
She
loses weight.
He
walks around saying he’s finally realised what’s important in life. They love each other like no one’s ever loved before and next time I look they’ve cocked up.
    â€˜You’re right,’ Mother says suddenly. ‘I shouldn’t blame you. You do what’s in your nature. But Eros’ – she puts her hand out so I go over and take it – ‘Eros, I’m terribly afraid that they’ll demote me. I’m telling you, I couldn’t go through that, not again.’
    Everyone thinks Mother’s so strong but she isn’t really. Actually, she hasn’t been the same since that business with Adonis. She needs someone to lean on. I’d like that someone to be me but I know I’m not enough. I pat her hand.
    â€˜There there,’ I say. ‘It might not be that bad.’
    She snatches her hand away from mine.
    â€˜What do you mean it might not be that bad?’ Her eyes have turned granite, yielding nothing. It scares me when she goes blank on me like we were strangers, as if I’m nothing to her. And she starts to list all the stuff that would follow from demotion: loss of status and power, laughing stock, unbearable humiliation, the satisfaction given to Athene, not to mention Hera. She finishes off with, ‘And there would be no more family dinners for you, do you hear?’
    That really got to me. You might ask why. Guys my age don’t usually go out of their way to spend time with the olds. But it’s different for me. Being up here, having dinner with Mother and Grandpa and the others, sitting on those shit-hard gold thrones means you’re someone, that you