Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, stood in front of her bathroom mirror, her reflection staring back at her in disbelief. In her hand, she clutched two positive pregnancy tests, the pink lines glaring up at her like a neon sign. She felt a lump form in her throat as she tried to process the news. How could this have happened? She was the goddess of love, for crying out loud. She should have been more careful.
A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Hestia, the goddess of the hearth and home, standing in the doorway. "Aphrodite, what's wrong?" Hestia asked, noticing the tears streaming down Aphrodite's face.
Aphrodite wordlessly held up the tests for Hestia to see. Hestia's eyes widened as she took in the news. "Well, this is one surprise I wasn't expecting," Hestia said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
Aphrodite sniffled and told Hestia that the father was her ex-husband Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking. Hestia raised an eyebrow. "Aphrodite, I don't mean to be rude, but how drunk were you that you got knocked up by your ex-husband?"
Aphrodite laughed despite her tears. "I was definitely not drunk, Hestia. I had a one-night stand with him at a party eight weeks ago."
Hestia put a comforting arm around Aphrodite's shoulders. "Well, it looks like the gods have a sense of humor. Twins, huh?"
Aphrodite nodded, still in shock. "I need to go to the hospital and get checked out. Will you come with me?"
Hestia smiled. "Of course, Aphrodite. Let's go."
---
The hospital waiting room was sterile and cold, a stark contrast to the warm and inviting hearth that Hestia presided over. Aphrodite fidgeted nervously in her seat, her mind racing with a million thoughts. How was she going to tell Hephaestus? Would he even want to be a part of the children's lives? She had always heard that he was a bit of a flake.
Hestia patted Aphrodite's hand. "It's going to be okay, Aphrodite. You're going to be a wonderful mother."
Aphrodite sighed. "I just hope Hephaestus is ready to be a father. He's always been a bit of a flake."
Hestia laughed. "Well, he did create the most beautiful woman in the world, so he can't be all bad."
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Yes, but he also created some of the most hideous statues in existence. I just hope our children inherit my good looks and not his lack of artistic ability."
Hestia chuckled. "Well, they are gods after all. I'm sure they'll be just fine."
Just then, a nurse called Aphrodite's name. It was time to find out more about the mythic surprise growing inside of her.
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