*takes place between bk2 and 3*
Location: Sally's apartment
People involved: Percy, Sally, Paul, Lydia (Maddy's mum) and Maddy
Time: 7:27. Dinner time

Lydia: this Christmas ham looks amazing Sally.
Sally: why thank you Lydia. Your daughter Maddy is also quite the chef.
Maddy: *blushes* Sally!
Sally: well it's true.
Percy: very.
Maddy: hey Percy can you pass the peas?
Percy: gross, peas. Take 'em. *hands over peas*
Maddy: 'scuse me mum *reaches over*
Lydia: *looks at maddy's arm* OH MY GOD.
Maddy: *realises her SPQR mark is showing* *quickly pulls down her sleeve* uh... When in Rome, do as the Romans do? *smiles sheepishly*
Percy: that's what I said when Mom found out about my mark! *laughs*
Lydia: *to Sally* How could you let my daughter get a tattoo?!
Maddy: It's not a tattoo! It's a... Percy could you please help me explain this delicately?
Percy: it's a mark given to those who aid the Twelfth Legion, and the amount of lines underneath your symbol corresponds to the amount of years you've helped the Legion. It's a Roman thing.
Lydia: *is confused*
Percy: I have one too. I got mine when I was seventeen. *shows Lydia his arm* I have two lines, one from when I was seventeen, and one from the year just gone by. They're not tattoos, and every Roman demigod has one. Maddy and I are one of the few Greek demigods to have them. It's one of the highest honours for an outsider.
Lydia: oh... Well... I'm not sure I feel about it...
Maddy: it never hurts. We're fine.
Lydia: ok then.... *still somewhat confused*