The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 30- Whistling a New Tune

            Whenever Talia had a huge fight with Alejandro, Vanessa would come back to find a dump sitting in place of their apartment. Condom wrappers and various unmentionables strewn around the sitting area and Talia’s bedroom. She’d be up half the night cleaning the mess while the bedroom door remained closed, cries and gasps on the other side so loud she had to crank up the volume on the stereo in her own room just to tune it out. Even when she was in disarray, Talia still carried on like she had control of her life.
            Vanessa arrived back home a quarter to midnight to find Talia sitting in the middle of the living room sofa with destruction scattered all around her. The greatest casualties: the bathroom mirror and the ornate one from her bedroom, reduced to glass shards. Instead of condoms, there were various articles of clothing, most of which looked brand new, flung in every possible direction, almost giving the impression her shopping bags had exploded.
            As for Talia herself, her lax posture gave no indication that anyone else had entered the room. Her entire body was slumped forward, her face buried deep in her hands.
            Vanessa took everything in stride as she traversed the room, choosing to keep most of her thoughts to herself. She peeked into Talia’s room, finding all of the drawers in her dresser ripped out. Their contents were spread all over the floor, the bed, even hanging from the lighting fixture in the ceiling. After throwing her purse into her own room, Vanessa leaned against the door frame and heaved a heavy sigh. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were the one who was broken up with.” Talia shakily inhaled, her throat raspy, but otherwise didn’t respond.
            As Vanessa went about her business dressing down for bed, she filled Talia in on her recent “adventures” with Emilia (who called Vanessa shortly before she arrived home to check in) and Amber. Occasionally she’d raise her voice to ask if she was paying attention but nothing verbal came from the other room. It wasn’t until her teeth were brushed that she checked on Talia again. Her line of sight wasn’t angled toward the floor anymore, but she continued staring into space.
            Seeing her friend in this state made Vanessa’s chest cavity ache, but after a long night of offering a sympathetic ear to Emilia, she didn’t have the mental strength or desire to take care of anyone else tonight. Before she knew it, the tact she usually had for these kinds of situations was completely gone.
            “Listen, Talia. You made this bed for yourself a long time ago. It’s about time you slept in it. I’m not fixing anything for you anymore.” The moment she turned her back, her ears picked up the faintest jingling of jewelry from across the room.
            Talia had shot to her feet, but her ankles were shuddering uncontrollably. Her voice was ragged as she gasped, “why should you stop now after telling all those personal details to Juan Paulo so he could try and fix me? Information you had no right to tell anybody!”
            “What was I supposed to do, Talia? Stand by and let you waste away your life being unhappy with yourself? What kind of friend would I be if I…”
            “You dare to call yourself my friend after what you did? No, you are a traitor.”
            Not giving an inch, Vanessa nodded with absolute certainty. “And you are the most selfish person I’ve ever met. I’ll always be grateful to you for helping me all those years ago, but since that day, you’ve only thought of yourself. Calypso isn’t just a place for you to air your dirty laundry. It’s about all of us mending our scars and making a better future for ourselves. But you’re too afraid to let go of your past because unlike the future, it’s a narrative you can control and spin a thousand times over, so you’ll always have an excuse not to try!”
            Talia nodded, finally saying after letting it all sink in, “so… I’m both selfish and a coward? Fine. I see how it is.” As she strode toward the bedroom doors, her expression remained neutral and it put Vanessa on edge. She may have found her second wind for that speech, but her four-inch height advantage meant nothing against a furious Natalia if this escalated into a fight. Thankfully, it never came to that. Talia stopped in front of her long enough for Vanessa to see eyes red around the lids and makeup smudged from crying before she locked herself in her room.

The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 29- Tickets to more than her own show

 

            Amber had to go ahead to make sure everything was set to go, leaving Vanessa with the daunting task of escorting Emilia to the venue. Turning her head in different directions at regular intervals, she remained vigilant about their path of trajectory as well as their surroundings. This was her first time making this journey without Amber’s guidance and with Emilia by her side this time around, her level of apprehension was twice as high. In an effort to ease her conscience, she added, “just as a precaution, when we get into the thick of it, maybe it would be best if you kept your eyes towards the ground.”

            Emilia nodded, obeying immediately. After they turned a few more corners, she noticed a sudden increase of litter. Shreds of women’s clothing, mostly lingerie. Occasional patches of white powder. Foil wrappers of various colors. Then, to her alarm, several used condoms. At which point, she grabbed onto Vanessa, who told her to shift her gaze downward and avoid making contact with anyone they might run into.
            Streetlights grew scarcer as they neared their destination. Every other corner had scantily clad girls propositioning anywhere from one to five men. Some of them were being shoved into walls as men assaulted them from behind, gagged so their screams couldn’t be overheard. ***
            All of this gave Vanessa the incentive to increase their walking pace. The only saving grace was Emilia following her instructions to the letter, so she missed the worst of it. Across their various conversations, Amber had told her about how The Underground specialized in S&M. After seeing just a glimmer of that forbidden world, Vanessa couldn’t for the life of her understand how Amber could handle those kinds of mind games. Even for someone as sexually experienced as she was herself, it was too much.
            Unfortunately, when she resumed her duty as navigator after the multitude of distractions, Vanessa couldn’t tell one street corner from the next. Music was playing far in the distance, but the streets were so intertwined with one another, it was impossible to discern the proper direction. She sighed, realizing she had no choice but to ask one of the “locals” for directions. When they found one that was free, far away from the majority of the action, Vanessa advised, “Emilia, keep your attention on me and let me do all talking.”
            Sensing their approach, the girl cocked a curious eyebrow, “You two are Calypso girls, aren’t you? Always dressing to impress. What brings you to this dingy side of town?”
            “Do you know where we can find Isaac’s old place. Amber invited us to tonight’s show.”
            “Sure,” she exhaled a puff from her cigarette, “just keep on this road for a couple blocks and it should be on your right.” Her eyes were bloodshot and caked with eyeshadow. “Why she’s trying to create an honest business in a place like this is beyond me.”
            Vanessa dismissed her comment with a shrug and a canned response. “Amber has her own reasons for what she does, but they make sense to her.”
            The girl kept babbling like she had a larger audience to impress. “And as much as we dislike Amber for what she did in the past, Natalia is no better. She gives prostitution a bad name by actually enjoying what she does. This is not meant to be a life choice… or something you voluntarily give into.” She studied Emilia a little closer and shakily pointed, “Either this one is a complete sociopath or she’s putting herself at risk being in Natalia’s company. As well as ours.”
            Vanessa quickly positioned herself between the stranger and Emilia. “Maybe Amber’s plan is to change things here too. So nobody will have to resort to any of this anymore.”
            “Highly unlikely. To make change, you need power. Even if she had Natalia in her corner, your bosses… the main anchor of their business is in this neighborhood. They’d lose serious investments if this neighborhood cleaned up. Most of us, we’re forced into this business because our bosses get us addicted to drugs that come from your bosses’ associates. Whether she accepts it or not, Amber can’t change this neighborhood. In one form or another, prostitution will thrive and we’ll remain slaves to the system.”
            As Vanessa tried to lead Emilia away, she asked, “what did Amber do that you hate her for?”
            After a smirk and slight cock of an eyebrow, she answered Emilia’s query, “If you really want to know… she got one of our best girls killed.”
            Emilia gasped and all of the color drained from her cheeks. Noticing the sudden change, Vanessa took immediate action. “Thanks for the help. C’mon, Emilia.” She quickly secured an arm around her shoulders and led her toward their destination.
            Once they got far enough away, Emilia exhaled the breath she’d been holding. She whispered, “That’s not true, is it?”
            “Not exactly. Isaac used to own this place that Amber’s friends have been trying to take over for the past five years. His girlfriend was Amber’s roommate. Isaac killed her when he found her in bed with another girl. Then after Amber debuted as one of our sirens, he tracked her down with designs to kill her too.”
            “Oh my…” Emilia freed herself to brace against a crumbling brick wall nearby. “I need some time to process this.” Vanessa rubbed her shoulder to ease her panting and shaking. “What happened after that?”
            “Isaac ceased to exist after that night. Having support from the brothers and Alejandro can come in handy with a lot of sticky situations. After what Isaac did, not just to Amber, but his girlfriend and her lover, he couldn’t be allowed another opportunity to exact his revenge.”
            “Revenge?”
            “He blamed Amber for his girlfriend’s change in sexuality. I imagine that’s what led to this rumor that she’s a ‘ladykiller.’”
            For a reason she couldn’t explain, that word stuck out in Emilia’s mind. Coupled with the curious fashion choices of the residential streetwalkers, she imagined the lot of them spontaneously breaking into song like something out of a modern movie musical. And they’d spin a couple of verses about all the wrongs Amber had committed in her short-lived time in their neighborhood. It was amusing in a morbid sort of way. But this wasn’t the time or place to be amused so after taking a few extra moments to regain her composure, she resumed the conversation.
            “And what about what Talia believes of Amber? She says she’s talented but doesn’t know how to be a team player. Ruby won’t come out and say it, but I’m pretty sure she believes Amber’s only concerned with herself.”
            “You’ll just have to decide for yourself what you believe, Emilia. You never truly know a person until you get to know them personally.”
            “Yeah, you’re right.” She noticed Vanessa had stopped walking and followed her line of sight. Except for the neon sign overhead, the rest of the old building had clearly seen better days. Some of the shutters were hanging off the hinges, all of which were in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint. The siding, in varying shades of gray, was half old and half new. Its most curious feature, in Emilia’s opinion, was the door, which looked like the entrance from an old Western saloon.
            After taking it all, Emilia shrugged. “It’s not a looker but the place does have a certain charm to it.”
            Vanessa could only shake her head. “If Talia knew this was where we were, she’d have an aneurysm. At least when Alejandro pissed her off, she had a certain M.O. so I knew what to expect. This is going to be something else.”
            “Makes me glad I didn’t follow through with trying to get those two together. If things went south, she might have completely forced him out of the business. I couldn’t imagine dancing with anyone else behind the bar.”
            “Yeah…”
            Emilia shrugged and took a deep breath, knowing what she had to do. “Maybe you should go and check on her. I can handle things from here.”
            “Are you crazy? I am not leaving you alone in this place.”
            “I won’t be alone. I’ll be with Amber.”
            “But…”
            “Look, she’s wanted this collaboration for so long. She wouldn’t be foolish enough to risk all that the moment she gets what she wants.”
            Finding herself out of excuses, Vanessa relented, “Well… that’s a good point. But call me as soon as you get home so I’m not up half the night worrying about you. Promise?”
            “Yeah, promise.” She quickly added as Vanessa began to take her leave, “for the record, I hope the home you come back to isn’t too bad.”
            “Thanks…” she halfheartedly replied. Knowing Talia for as long as she has, the next 24 hours at minimum were going to be hell.

*     *     *

            Nobody was sitting at the bar or any of the pub tables. The crowd of fifty plus surrounded the stage, cheering the performers on. The two guys, if not for their slight difference in height, appeared identical in their movements. Their smooth footwork and the fluidity in their arms could only be described as “graceful.” Their bell-bottom pants and open shirts accentuated their features just as well.
            Emilia immediately recognized Amber as the girl in the middle. Her top gave way to a little cleavage, matching her mini skirt as if they were one garment. Both were a dark brown, a few shades lighter than her hair color, with varying patterns of striping that almost matched her skin tone. Compared to her club attire, it was less flamboyant and ultimately proved she could exude her degree of sexuality without having to try too hard.
            The sway of her hips, during her samba walks as well as her quick cha-cha steps, kept precise time with the music. When she wasn’t moving, their clasped hands and arms formed complicated crisscross patterns that they navigated like professionals. The guys fawned over Amber when they weren’t supporting her with their partnering. She received their fawning with flirtation that Emilia found to be very playful. The lyrics, much like the rumors, passed her off as a snob, but she didn’t see it that way. She just saw three good friends enjoying themselves, encouraging the crowd to feel the same.
            Everyone paid for their drinks and contributed to the tip jar on the bar before making a hasty boisterous exit. Emilia quickly got out of the way and waited patiently next to the bar for the three dancers to reemerge through the drawn curtain. The high of the performance made those 10 minutes pass in no time at all. Amber hugged the guys, Emilia heard her call them “Michel” and “Misha,” one at a time, lingering in each hug for a few seconds.
            “Thanks for coming tonight, Amber.” Michel, the taller of the two, made his way to the bar. “We couldn’t have done this amazing thing without you.”
            “I’m happy to help whenever I can. You know that.”
            Emilia made the decision then to approach the stage. Misha helped Amber into her jacket and spied her. She blushed, but he just smiled and cupped Amber’s shoulder with his hand. “Your guest is waiting for you.” She looked down and the edge of her lip curled into a smile. He patted her on the back and left them alone. Amber approached the edge of the stage and knelt down to Emilia’s eye level.
            “I was getting a little worried. Where’s Vanessa?"
            “I told her to check on Talia and I’d be fine here on my own.”
            “And she believed you? That’s surprising.” Emilia’s face turned red and puffed up. Anticipating her next statement, she clarified, “I mean, everyone else has been so overprotective of you and insistent that the two of us could never be alone in a room together. I just never expected to get everything I wanted because you were the one bold enough to make the first move.”
            “Thanks… I think… she was kind of on edge about what she’d come home to so I thought that was a better use for her time than being here babysitting me. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve washed my hands of Talia. I’ve had enough of her petty excuses.”
            Amber crossed her arms and cocked her head sideways. “I guess I should ask about what happened between you two, but it can wait until we’re back at my place.” She jumped off the stage to take her place beside her, “Just do me a favor and try to keep up.”
            As they left, Emilia took one last look at the old building when the name on the neon sign caught her attention. “Who’s Evangeline?”
            “An old friend that’s not here anymore. She taught me to embrace the Underground lifestyle and it made me tough. Sometimes I wonder if she’s proud of me or if she’s even watching from where she is.”
            “Did you love her?”
            “She was like the big sister I never had… she kissed me once when she was drunk and I didn’t pull away. Maybe I did, I don’t know.” A moment of silence followed before she resumed the conversation, “how much did Vanessa tell you on your way over here?”
            “Not much, just a little about what happened with Isaac. She felt the need to defend you to me after one of the local girls mentioned an ugly rumor.”
            “The ‘ladykiller’ rumor.” Surprise didn’t register in her tone. “After our business started picking up, fewer street corners are being occupied by girls I used to waitress with. Things are getting better around here, but there’re always going to be a few who take part in the BDSM practices popular in The Underground.”
            Emilia’s eyes were wide, but she quickly mastered herself. Their eyes met again and Emilia immediately waved off whatever concern she may have had. “I’m okay. It’s just been a crazy night.”

*      *     *

            Bras and panties were strewn throughout the loft’s main room. Emilia also observed, with some apprehension, a couple blindfolds, frayed scarfs and a pair of handcuffs hanging off one of the chairs. Amber grimaced, promptly removing the handcuffs from view. “Why don’t you get the kettle boiling while I straighten up and slip into something more comfortable?”
            “Sure.” On her way to the kitchen area, she peeked into the bedroom. Comparatively, it was immaculate as if it hadn’t been lived in for days.
            Amber returned to her side just as the kettle began to whistle. She had traded her clothes for leather black lingerie, dark stocking feet and a white shrug sweater. Emilia took half a step back, looking her up and down. “I think you’ll like this tea. It’s full of flavor and very sweet. At least I like to make it sweet.” She added two teaspoons of sugar to each mug before stirring in enough milk to turn their contents white. Once they got relaxed on the sofa, knees inclined inward, she asked, “So what changed your mind?”
            Emilia stared at her steaming tea, unsure where to begin. “I really looked up to Talia. Even before I auditioned, I wanted to dance like her. What she did tonight… who breaks up with someone who’d do anything for them only to hook up with some random guy in an alleyway? I thought she had more class than that.”
            Nearly choking in response, Amber quickly put down her mug and grasped onto her seat cushion “Hold on, hold on. Shit! She broke up with him? Un-freaking-believable!”
            She shrugged her shoulders before taking a sip. “What makes you say that? I mean, hasn’t she done this hundreds of times?”
            “Yeah, yeah, but it was never this serious. Shit…” Her grip loosened but the head shaking continued.
            Emilia, meanwhile, remained confused. “I didn’t think you cared that much about Talia’s love life.”
            “I don’t.” She covered her face with one hand. “But Alejandro has spent years chasing her. Since the day he met her. Just this once, he deserves someone who actually gives a damn about him.” Her eyes, darkened by anger, widened with horror the next time they met Emilia’s.
            “Oh my gosh…” A tear formed and began sliding down Amber’s right cheek before she caught it. “How long have you liked him?”
            “A long time... He and his family were so good to me when I came here. Just because she had the million-dollar idea to save our business, it’s all about Talia and what she wants. What she needs. What about my needs? I get two nights a week to be a star on that stage and I’m stuck with the same tired routines.”
            “You’re not the only one... I had an idea the other week, but she said it was too unpolished. Now I’m starting to think it was too tame for her to get behind.”
            “Oh, that’s right. I remember. So, what was the inspiration behind it?”
            “An ex-boyfriend that my friends warned me about. I put in a lot of time with Scarlet and Ruby and we had so much fun. I just wanted to contribute, you know.”
            “Yeah, I know that feeling all too well.” Amber shrugged, equally demoralized. “Maybe if this good mood of hers lasted a little longer, I could have run my latest idea by her and had a better chance of getting it approved.
            Interest piqued, Emilia asked, “What is it?”
            “A theme night. We wear leather clothing and accessories and dance to songs that empower us.”
            She raised an eyebrow. “So you’re dressed like this to get inspiration?”
            Amber looked down, using the shrug to cover herself. “Oh. Vanessa likes to lay around in lingerie, so I thought I’d give it a try. It can be very freeing. Good for creativity too.” She collected herself before continuing. “I don’t know what the other girls have said about me, but I’m not my reputation. I’d actually give anything to get away from it.”
            “Why do you do it then?”
            “I had to lower myself to this level just for Talia to consider me worthy of the ‘siren’ brand. And clearly, that’s the kind of girl Alejandro wants.” She trailed off, staring into the distance. When she came back to the present, she asked something she’d been dying to bring up all night, “Did he… say anything about my performance tonight?”
            “He seemed more concerned about the schedule being changed without his knowledge. But he did say it’s been a while since he’d seen you enjoy yourself up there.”
            She nodded thoughtfully to herself. Emilia waited for further comment, but none came; either because she was absorbing the compliment or reflecting on why that hadn’t been the case for a long time. Despite her bravado, she was slowly gathering the fact Amber had her own insecurities buried deep inside. Then she offered, “If you want, I can talk you up to Alejandro and maybe…”
            “Tsk…” Amber rolled her eyes, “should have figured being a virgin made you a hopeless romantic.” Seeing Emilia avert her gaze with flushed cheeks, she added, “ok, I’ll stop with the self-righteous comments. I appreciate the thought, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, we need to put on a kickass show. Things have been so chaotic lately that’s probably the one thing Alejandro wants the most right now.”
            “Agreed.”
            At different times, both of them took sips from their tea. Thanks to their engrossing discussion, their drinks had cooled down to lukewarm. Amber shrugged it off and gulped the remnants in one fell swoop. “This might be asking for a little much after all you’d witnessed tonight, but would you be up for stepping outside the box a little?”
            Images of the girls from The Underground and Talia having sex in the alley flickered through Emilia’s mind. As rattled as she was, she knew that she had to keep an open mind. Amber had impressed her so much with her dancing and she didn’t want to let her down the moment she joined her. “Um, sure. What did you have in mind?”
            Sensing her hesitation, Amber gently leveled it with her. “I was thinking you could be the opening act.”
            “Oh wow… nobody’s asked me to do that before… I’d love to.”
            “Great.” Amber grabbed one of the CDs sitting on the side table and handed it to her, “give this a listen and do some brainstorming over the next couple of days before we begin rehearsal. It’ll be the main soundtrack for my theme night idea. Personally, I think this album is her best work. It’s very theatrical but under all that flash, there’s plenty of good substance to work with.”
            “Ok, cool. Thanks.” Emilia finished her tea and gathered herself to leave. She had one hand on the door when she added, “I know I’ve been saying a lot tonight that I don’t want to be treated like I’m helpless but would you walk me back? Just this one time?”
            Amber’s entire face lit up like it would be her greatest pleasure, but she quickly dialed it down and coolly said, “sure, if it’ll make you feel better. Let me just get my shoes.”

***

Music: 
"Ladykiller" by Maroon 5

- I'm sure my interpretation is probably wrong but when I first heard this song, I thought Adam Levine was warning other girls about an ex-girlfriend of his. He could just as easily have addressed his warning to other guys with designs of dating her. 
But I swear, if this story was a musical, it would be my own version of the Jailhouse Tango from "Chicago" and take place in the Underground streets, performed by the other prostitutes as the others try to avoid them.

"Tickets" by Maroon 5

-occasionally on Dancing with the Stars, they'd have routines where there's a girl and two guys either dancing together or swapping in as her partner. In this case, it would be a samba

And just because I have nowhere else to put this bit of trivia, part of the reason for Amber's "origin story" came about- I bought pop duo Karmin's EP after seeing them perform on Ellen and almost all of the songs felt like they could be part of the same story. 
In the end, though, I don't think any of those songs wound up becoming part of the actual story. Although I could easily see Amber dabbling in hip-hop with the likes of "Told you so". If she had a happy dance scene, that song would play. 
I'm also kinda disappointed "I'm just saying" didn't manifest into anything, although "Tickets" would probably have similiar moves.

Evangeline's namesake came from a song by Juliet Simms from The Voice. Her All or Nothing EP has a good range of music, but that one always stood out. It gives me major 70's vibes... and it made Evangeline seem like the type of girl that both men and women would fall for. But again, that might be my perrsonal interpretation.

The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 28- From Another World

 

            Unsure of whether or not Talia was following her, Emilia rushed through the backstage door. Luckily she’d arrived in between performances so no one saw her as she ran behind the curtain to the dressing room. After some rapid-fire knocking, she realized she was out of breath and started hyperventilating.
            Vanessa answered, her jaw dropping with astonishment. “Emilia? What are you doing here?”
            She only gasped, “Talia...” before letting herself in. Reapplying her makeup at one of the vanities, Ruby immediately stopped what she was doing as she watched the events unfold.
            “She’s not here. She...” Vanessa stopped short when she noticed Emilia wasn’t paying her any attention.
            Emilia paced the room half a dozen times, each step more unsteady as the next. Finally, she grabbed the back of the chair next to Ruby for balance. Observing how quickly her knuckles bleached from grasping so tight, Ruby asked “Emilia, what happened?”
            Shaking her head, she sniffled, “JP deserved so much better than this. I can’t tell him that I couldn’t… now I’ve let him down too.” The other two looked at each other, equally hesitant to be the one to go first. Emilia quickly made their decision for them. “Vanessa, can you call Amber? I need to talk to her about something.” She wiped away the watery residue, one cheek at a time.
            “Sure, but first you need to sit down and tell me exactly what happened.”
            She nodded and obeyed without any further comment.
            Ruby quietly slipped outside the door to give them some privacy and dialed Amber. She must not have read the caller ID because she picked up right away. “Hey Vanessa, can I call you back later? I’m already running late for…”
            Ruby sighed, “Amber, it’s Ruby.” She quickly added, “Don’t hang up. Emilia’s here and she’s asking for you.”
            She paused long enough for an inhale and exhale. “Go on…”
            “Wait, what are you running late for?”
            “None of your business! What’s this about Emilia?”
            Had this been their typical argument, Ruby would’ve called Amber out on her attitude. But time was of the essence, so she stuck to her primary objective, “Apparently she and Talia had a huge falling out. Vanessa’s still getting the details. Whatever happened, she’s really shaken up.”
            There was a long thoughtful pause. “It must be hard… learning someone you idolized isn’t as perfect you think they are.”
            Picking up the hint of smugness in her voice, Ruby cut to the chase. “Are you coming or not? Unless there’s somewhere more important you have to be…”
            After a pause half the length of the previous one, she relented, “Yeah, yeah, just give me a few minutes to get my shit together. I’m going to blow the roof off Calypso with a brand-new routine. No pyrotechnics required.” The line was dead barely a second later.
            Emilia came out of the dressing room, still rubbing her eyes as Vanessa lightly patted her on the back. “Go splash some water on your face and take a breather. We’ll get through this together, ok?” She nodded as her slow dejected stride took her into the restroom.
            Once she was inside, Vanessa’s entire body exhaled. “Is she coming?” She rested her back against the dressing room door next to Ruby.
            “Yeah, I’m sure she has a happy dance to get out of her system but she’s on her way to close for us tonight. She also let it slip about running late for some other commitment. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” Vanessa shook her head, too crestfallen to offer a theory. Chewing her bottom lip for a brief moment, Ruby finally asked the burning question. “How bad is it?”
            She groaned, rolling her eyes, “Talia didn’t just break up with JP. When Emilia tracked her down to talk some sense into her, she walked in on her getting hot and heavy with another guy. She didn’t get a good look at him, but it sounded pretty intense.”
            “Oh God...”
            “Yeah and that’s not even the worst of it.”
            “How is that even possible?” Ruby threw up her arms, exasperated.
            “Talia finally told her everything she’d been keeping from her. About what we used to do here to bring in extra revenue.” She leaned her head back and inclined it toward the restroom. “Obviously it’s been a lot to take in.”
            “Yeah, no kidding...”

*     *      *

            It didn’t take long for Emilia to compose herself, but she took full advantage of the privacy the others had given her to collect her thoughts. Her talk with Vanessa more or less confirmed something she’d suspected for a while. Since the beginning, the others treaded lightly around certain matters of conversation whenever she was in the room. She knew they saw her as this fragile virgin, but just because she was inexperienced didn’t mean she had to be shielded from the harsher realities of the world.
            As startling as Talia’s undignified display was, what upset her the most was all of the lies. Everyone else had done so to protect her, but Talia had clearly acted out of selfishness. This also wasn’t the first time someone she’d put her faith in let her down. Her grip on the sink tightened. “How could I be foolish enough to let this happen again?”
            All of a sudden, a flurry of excitement erupted outside. Realizing she still wasn’t ready to rejoin the others, Emilia immediately shut herself in one of the stalls. The distinct clacker of stilettos entered the room a second later, stopping in front of the row of sinks. Through the cracks on either side of the door, Emilia saw Amber putting the final touches on her makeup. She was dressed completely in pale pink with the exception of her white thigh-high boots. The texture of the synthetic fabric and how sections of it extended past her body reminded her of an alien race she once saw in a movie. As she turned her heel to leave, she said, “after you finish up in here, come and watch the show. You just might learn something.” Emilia peeked her head out the moment she left. Amber’s tone may have reeked of arrogance but deep down, she picked up on the slightest hint of elation.

*     *      *

            Emilia took her place in the wings backstage next to Ruby and Vanessa as soon as the music started. Instead of a poppy melody with Latin flair, the beat of this song was mechanical and involved a lot more bass. In other words, it was the type of music Talia would never allow in the set list. Taking further inventory of the stage, Emilia covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. At center stage was the cardboard cutout of a rocket; between that and the smoke machines rigged on either side of the stage, her impression of Amber’s clothing was surprisingly accurate. Her face betrayed no emotion and her hips had a slight sway to them. Otherwise, the majority of the movement was in her arms, which contorted robotically in different directions to add dimension to the beat and act out the lyrics.
            At its peak, Amber slowly approached the front of the stage to stand under a ghostly blue spotlight. She allowed herself the smallest smile as she addressed her audience through lip syncing. Then she turned her head in Emilia’s direction. The Egyptian-inspired lilac makeup that framed her eyes, much easier to see in this light, was stunning. In midst of admiring them, Emilia’s heart skipped when Amber winked at her. Then for the finale, she revealed a pair of glow sticks from behind her back and tossed them in the air as she’d previously done with her flaming batons.
            Emilia didn’t realize it at the time, but Vanessa and Ruby were taking turns looking her way because her gasps and cries of surprise were almost louder than the music. After feeling so deflated about the night’s events, her lungs swelled with the anticipation her life as a siren was truly about to begin.

*      *     *

            The roars of the crowd faded into the night, but their tremors echoed for miles. Amber stood unwavering at center stage, soaking it all in. The applause was invigorating, not because of the attention but because it was reassurance the audience was receptive to something new and unexpected from her. It made her more determined than ever to make this new project a reality. She shifted her glance stage right toward her colleagues. Emilia being present to see her work made it all the sweeter. After flashing them a smile, she searched the bar area for Alejandro’s reaction. To her dismay, his serious expression as he ran up the stage steps revealed he had business on his mind instead of the accolades she longed for. Suddenly she remembered her own bit of unfinished business for the night and disappeared into the dressing room to address it.
            “I must say, it’s been a long time since I’d seen Amber so carefree on this stage.” Vanessa and Ruby stiffened in unison, whirling around to find Alejandro bemused with his arms crossed. “Maybe I’m wrong here but was she not on the roster for tonight?”
            Emilia interceded, stepping out from behind the others, “it was my idea, Alejandro. I wanted to talk to her about something and she…”
            “Emilia?!” Alejandro stuttered as if someone had punched him in the diaphragm but was quick to regain himself. “Ok, someone better start explaining what’s going on here. If Talia finds out…”
            “She already knows.” Emilia interjected. “But with everything she has going at the moment, I’m probably the last thing she’s worrying about.”
            Not quite getting the message, Alejandro said, “Emilia, Talia adores you. Surely by now you must know this.”
            “Yeah but not enough to be honest with me about what I was signing up for. What kind of business Calypso was founded on. Or that’d I only do the dances she approved of and I wasn’t allowed to explore ideas of my own.”
            Alejandro found himself lost for words but before he caught his mouth hanging open too long, he redirected to the others. “Now I really feel like I missed something.”
            Emilia threw up her arms, expressing something halfway between a sigh and a groan. “Go ahead. Ask me to leave the room so the ‘grown ups’ can talk. Talia told me everything, although I didn’t exactly give her a choice!” Suddenly she clutched her chest and started gasping for air.
            “Ok, Emilia,” Vanessa rubbed her back, “deep breaths. Come with me this way.” Spreading her arm across her shoulders, she angled her toward the dressing room. Over her shoulder, both Alejandro and Ruby were wide eyed with panic. “Ruby, do me a huge favor and get Alejandro up to speed.”
            “Sure, of course. Do what you need to do.”
            Shaking his head, Alejandro wondered with a wry wit, “Is this seriously the first time Emilia is spending time with Amber? Because she’s already mastered her brand of sarcasm.”
            “I’m sorry, Alejandro.” Emilia gasped between shuddered breaths, “it’s been a crazy night. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. God knows you’ve heard this kind of talk from Talia hundreds of times already.”
            “No worries. But just so you know, everyone else wanted you to know everything up front. But Talia’s the boss so…”
            “Yeah, yeah I get it.” She offered him a gracious nod before going into the dressing room with Vanessa. Amber didn’t turn to face them directly but followed their reflections in her mirror as she applied a new coat of lip gloss. “How’d you like the show, Emilia? A little different than what you’re used to, huh.”
            “It definitely wasn’t something Talia would like but I loved it. I was also kinda surprised it wasn’t particularly risqué.”
            “Well,” Amber shrugged, “the rumors about my kinds of performances may have been exaggerated. But not without merit.”
            “Well, I may not be as experienced as everyone else here but that doesn’t mean I can’t handle everything that’s dished out.”
            Studying her more closely in the mirror, Amber observed, “Your body is telling me another story. Trust me, the kinds of things you see inside the Calypso bubble, that’s nothing compared to what else is out there. The people from my old neck of the woods would smell the virgin on you in seconds and eat you alive.”
            “Amber…” Vanessa warned.
            “I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that. And I won’t be asking her to do anything on stage she’s not comfortable with. But now that the flood gates are open, she needs to grow a thicker skin so anything that lies ahead won’t be as jarring.”
            Anticipating another ‘don’t talk about me like I’m not in the room’ type of outburst, Vanessa espied Emilia at the vanity next to her. She still seemed a little shaken up, but she was also on the edge of her seat hanging on Amber’s every word.
            “Listen, I have a gig on the other side of town I needed to be at half an hour ago. If you don’t mind staying up past your bedtime, I’d like you to come see it.”
            Vanessa hissed, “Amber, Emilia’s been through a lot tonight already. Don’t you think a trip through The Underground is pushing it a little too far?”
            “What’s The Underground?” Emilia asked, not sure if she should be excited or nervous.
            “It’s the part of the island tourists aren’t supposed to see. Not exactly the friendliest of neighborhoods. But if you can make the journey with your sanity intact, I know you’re ready to commit to working on this project with me.”
            Vanessa leaned over. “Emilia, you don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want to. Amber’s wanted to work with you for so long I’m sure she’ll still take you on even if…”
            “No, I want to do it. Everything with Talia has been a lot to take in, but I don’t want anyone else to get the impression I can’t handle what’s out there.”
            A smirk crossed Amber’s face as she spun around. “I like your attitude. So, here’s what we’re gonna do.”

***

Music: "E.T." by Katy Perry

...my original plan for this part of the story was Vanessa talking to Emilia alone and later escorting her to see Amber on the other side of town. Then I decided that it'd be asking a little too much of her without more dialogue and a proper meet and greet. 
It's another of those songs that came to mind out of nowhere, I ran with it and this is where it ended up.

The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 27- Flames to Dust

            By the time Talia sorted out her various purchases, freshened up and arrived at her destination, the band’s showcase was already in full swing. They had the crowd’s full attention so she completely escaped notice as she found a place to stand against the back wall.
            Before launching into their next selection, Juan Paulo addressed the room, “All right, we have a special treat for you guys tonight. Javi and his girlfriend have been working on adding some new moves to our performances and the time has come to show them off. You might recognize her from the sirens of Calypso. Put your hands together and give a warm welcome for Scarlet!”
            He immediately ripped into an electric guitar solo Talia recognized from the band’s audition. Scarlet entered the fray moments later, taking center stage as a dancer for the first time in her life, and she owned every second of it. Her lightning fast cha-cha steps and sensual belly rolls gave the song new dimension that made the original version pale in comparison. Juan Paulo had said the idea behind it came to him in a dream. Talia couldn’t help but wonder if her presence had been there as well, if she looked as gorgeous to him as Scarlet did to the audience now. In the decade she’d known her, she couldn’t recall an instance where Scarlet looked this happy.
            For much of the night, Scarlet wore the same dress. Flourishes of yellow and tangerine mixed together flawlessly. Its mullet skirt feathered out behind her, allowing her legs plenty of room to carry out their various tricks. Cha cha remained her signature style, but for the occasional slow song, she switched over to rumba or tango. While she played off both of the guys, the electricity was far more apparent with Javier, especially when they locked eyes. Resisting the temptation to blush added an element of suspense, at least in Talia’s eyes, as to whether or not they’d run off at any moment and surrender to their urges. This amusing image made her smirk, but she shook the ridiculousness of it out of her head. Scarlet may be crazy in love, but she had more restraint than that. Other than herself, Amber was the only other siren she could imagine pulling off such a stunt. Her sense of sexuality was always front and center in her routines; it wouldn’t surprise her if that carried over to her personal life.
            Talia was so caught up in her own imagination she didn’t come up for air until the final number.
            She did a double take before it dawned her that the stage setup had changed. A pole had been installed far stage left, but it was cleverly disguised as a streetlight. Leaning against it, Scarlet wore a little black dress with a hem adorned with fringe. Her eyes had a smokier look thanks to some extra eye shadow and mascara. The large drum set was gone and a pair of tom-tom drums and hi-hat cymbals took its place. Javier switched to bass guitar. Only Juan Paulo remained unchanged with his acoustic guitar straddled across his lap. He sat at the end of the stage, his legs dangling over the edge.
            The lighting scheme was also different. Until now, the house lights had been dim with the stage fully visible. The floor lamps were now on a lower setting and both sides of the stage had their own spotlight. The band was illuminated just enough so they could still see their instruments. Instead of Scarlet supporting the band, they were now supporting her as her routine became the center of attention.
            Things started slow with a series of rumba moves. She walked to one side of the pole, held on with one hand and sashayed her hips left to right. Crossing over behind it, she repeated the steps on the other side. Then she leapt onto it and slowly spun her way back to the ground. Talia nodded to herself, intrigued by Scarlet’s portrayal of a streetwalker, but something didn’t sit quite right with her and she didn’t know why.
            The drummer picked up the pace, moving from just dusting the tom-toms with brushes to adding a cymbal for more rhythm. In response, the stage’s lighting scheme resumed as normal. Anticipation started building in the center of the audience and fanned outward through a barrage of cheers. Talia shot out of her pensive daze. Her jaw dropped when she realized Javier put down his bass and was now dancing as Scarlet’s partner. Their style of tango alternated from standard to Argentine depending on the tempo of the music. She didn’t know how much experience he had in this area, but he supported her with the ease of a pro.
            As gorgeous as the spectacle was to behold, Talia couldn’t bring herself to enjoy it. Something was still bothering her that she couldn’t put her finger on. She studied Juan Paulo for a moment before it finally hit her and the impact felt like the sky had fallen on top of her. Her hand immediately reached for the back wall to keep her from falling to her knees. His lyrics were getting too specific, too personal and, as they’d always been, they were about her. There were details from her past she’d never told him, but he’d somehow guessed at with terrifying accuracy. Her perfectly crafted façade, he’d seen right through it, and he played off her deception like it didn’t matter to him. Her flaws, he not only magnified, they endeared her to him.
            Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Scarlet wiping the sides of her face, leaving behind a glittering residue on her cheeks. A line repeated in the chorus about the tears rolling down her face every time they met in close quarters and she was applying makeup mid routine to bring this startling image into reality. Meanwhile, those same tears came back, but Talia’s cheeks were so hot with embarrassment they evaporated on contact. Furious, her ears buzzed so loud that the rest of the lyrics never reached her. She rummaged in her handbag for her cell phone, hit a few extra buttons to undo the actions she’d previously taken with this one contact, and sent a quick text.
            The crowd filed out of the building, taking no notice of Talia amid their elation. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to stave off hyperventilation before opening them again. Juan Paulo exchanged high fives with everybody except Scarlet, whom he eagerly threw his arms around to congratulate. Javier pulled her to his side and kissed her on the top of the head. As usual, her blush was visible from the back of the room and after a giggle, she pulled away and offered a couple high fives of her own.
            Scarlet gazed around the room, reflecting on a job well done, when something caught her eye. “Talia, hey!” She leapt off the stage and rushed over to hug her. “What a nice surprise! But what about Calypso? It’s Wednesday.”
            “Yes, yes, I know. Not to take anything from your sister and Vanessa, but I had a hunch this was the best place to be tonight. You were amazing out there. Like you were a brand-new person.”
            “Oh, thank you,” she leaned against Javier and beamed up at him, “I couldn’t have done it without Javi’s encouragement.”
            “Don’t sell yourself short, mi amor. The beautiful pictures you made with the dance. That was all you.”
            Scarlet blushed, stammering over her words as he gave her a squeeze and another kiss, “I never thought I’d be able to do anything like this. Or that I would have someone like you to do it with me.”
            “Well, this calls for a celebration.” Talia removed her wallet and took a few bills. “Javier, Scarlet deserves a nice meal for a job well done. Here, it’s on me.”
            “Of course,” he accepted her offer, “but really, this is a team effort. We should all go.”
            “No, you two go ahead. I have my own business with Juan Paulo tonight.”

Once they said their goodbyes, Scarlet and her boyfriend left arm in arm.
            Rubbing the back of his neck, Juan Paulo gave a light chuckle, “I was starting to think I wasn’t going to see you at any of our shows. I certainly hope it lived up to all your expectations.” His blue eyes were warm as always, but they couldn’t reach Talia’s frozen heart. She succeeded in keeping her true feelings locked behind a guarded smile, but everything she said going forward contained a hidden meaning only she was privy to.
            “Don’t be so modest, Juan Paulo. Tonight’s performance met every expectation I could possibly have.” She looked briefly at the clock on the wall behind his head before adding, “It’s late. We should probably go as well. I’d say keep up if you can, but that’s never been a difficult thing for you, has it?” She winked before darting out the back door into the alleyway. Now that her back was turned toward him, any hint of amusement on her face vanished instantly. Her purse vibrated twice and she nearly ripped it in half retrieving her phone. The response to her message had the most blatant display of egotism she’d ever experienced, but it supplied her with the alibi she desperately needed.
            Juan Paulo had gotten an expansive tour of the city’s side streets over the past several days. Talia always led him in a different direction, but their final destination remained the same. The previous night when she led him back to her place instead of his, he took as a sign that some serious progress was about to be made. But as their surroundings became too familiar too quickly, he began to realize that wasn’t the case.
            “Wait, you’re taking me home?” He demanded after catching up with her. She’d stopped dead in her tracks in front of his residence with Javier to send a quick text reply. When she didn’t answer him right away, he asked, “Talia, what’s going on?”
            “You’re smarter than I gave you credit for.” She smirked, her back still turned. “Something came up and I need to work tonight.”
            “Ok… I’m not sure if I follow.”
            “I have not been doing my job to the fullest of my ability. I need to make up for all of the time... so much lost time this summer.”
            “Lost time?” He stuttered, “What do you mean, lost time? Is that all this has been to you? When you came here looking for me and we first got together, I thought it was because I meant as much to you as you do to me.”
            “Hmm,” She whirled around, her arms crossed, “if I really mean that much to you, you had a very peculiar way of showing it tonight.”
            To Juan Paulo, the last minute had been a whirlwind. Talia not only put her walls back up, but they came with extra reinforcements. This sudden reversal left him scratching his head, trying to figure out what changed. But when she ran a hand down her cheek the same way Scarlet had during her dance with Javier, the fog cleared and he didn’t like what he saw on the other side. “My new song? That’s why you’re doing this?” Her eyes narrowed, providing all the confirmation he needed. Matter-of-factly, he stated, “The inspiration behind that song comes from a couple different sources. Nobody will be able to connect all of those dots back to you. I swear on my…”
            “So you’re saying some of the dots come back to me?” She spat venom at him. “Unbelievable…”
            “You have to let me explain.” He held his palm out. “Are you emotional like that with anyone else? It makes me worry about you.”
            “That is none of your concern. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
            But before she could make her escape, he quickly grabbed her hand. “Talia, please wait.” She gasped out of surprise, but feeling his touch still warm against her skin, she reconsidered. “I get it. You’re scared about letting me in. That I might understand you better than you think I do. As I told you before, I will wait for you to let your guard down for me. No matter how long it takes.” He leaned forward. Her eyes automatically closed as she felt his lips press tenderly against her forehead. “Your faithful subjects will be just fine. They can get along without their princess for one night.”
            Her eyes flickered back open. Talia closed her hand into a fist and tore it out of his grip. Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Juan Paulo almost fell over, but quickly regained his balance. She gulped down the bile in her throat before speaking. “Is that what this is? That’s all I am to you? Some damsel in distress to be rescued? If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t be keeping me from doing what makes me happy.”
            Juan Paulo took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure. “So… this time we’ve been spending together, that wasn’t making you happy? Was it just another part of the ‘siren act’ you were telling me about the other night?”
            “No. Our time together, that was no act. I was very happy, Juan Paulo. Then you insult me like this. Now it feels like another lie… you men do nothing but lie…”
            “I don’t understand. How did I insult you?”
            “Someone else called me princess once,” she turned to face him and feverishly jabbed toward her chest with every word, “and he broke my heart and took everything from me! But of course, your song would know all about that…”
            “Wait, hold on a second,” he put his hands on his hips, his head on a slight tilt, “There’s a saying about how happiness is the best revenge. So why do you insist on throwing your happiness away? I think you’re afraid to let go out of the past because you don’t know who you are without it.” He paused to gauge her reaction, but she only shook her head at the ground separating them. “Well, I’ve got news for you, Talia. If he still holds this much power over what you do with your life, he already won. It’s no wonder you haven’t been able to heal after all this time. Vanessa told me on our dinner date how you still cry yourself to sleep some nights. She’s worried about you. I am too.”
            Overcome with fury, Talia’s voice teetered on the edge of losing control. “I don’t believe this. That is the last time I trust her with anything!”
            He shook his head, trying to hide his disgust. “You can’t be serious… she’s your best friend. And you’d turn your back on her because she confided in someone who wants to help you as much as she does?”
            “I don’t need help!” Unable to control herself, Talia slapped him across the face. “Your ridiculous talk of heroics… how dare you think so little of me?!”
            Rubbing his sore cheek, Juan Paulo had just about had enough himself. “He probably tried to help you too… and when he realized he couldn’t, he overdosed so the monster he created would be left to destroy herself. It took a decade, but it looks like that bullet finally hit. All that’s left is this poor damaged girl that can’t be repaired by anyone. Not even herself.” As easily as that zinger rolled off his tongue, the regret set in almost immediately. Her deer-in-the-headlights expression told him he’d gone too far. “Talia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
            “Yes, you did.” Her eyes blazed through the tears. “Now I see how it is. This is over.”
            “Talia, please…” he started as she rushed past him into the night, “…I’m sorry.”

*      *      *

            As she began turning in for the night, Emilia couldn’t help patting herself on the back for a day well spent. She received a text at the crack of dawn that she was off the clock and she took full advantage of the opportunity. For the first time since joining the sirens, she slept in until noon. After making herself a cheese and mushroom omelet with a glass of orange juice, not a single moment was wasted on anything frivolous.
            Positioning herself in front of the full-length mirror attached to her wardrobe door, she ran through all of the routines she’d learned over the past week. All of the steps had become second nature to her, so she used this exercise to work on her visual aesthetic. Now that she was getting more responsibility as part of the group, it was important she looked like she belonged. It couldn’t be blatantly obvious to any newcomers in the audience she was the latest addition of the group. Confidence had to shine through her eyes and reflect in the way she carried herself on stage. As the sun went down, she tried to apply the same principles to her own routine, but without Scarlet and Ruby, it just didn’t feel the same. If their visual presentation was going to be consistent across the board, they would have to figure out the perfect approach together.
            Just as Emilia began drawing her curtains closed, she stopped short when she saw Talia and Juan Paulo locked in an intense discussion on the street below. She’d received texts from Vanessa throughout the day so she was caught up on all recent developments. How he spent the night at their place and for one reason or another, Scarlet and Talia called off so it was just her and Ruby holding down the fort. She’d wondered why they didn’t ask her to be the third person, but ultimately decided she needed time to herself to regroup after a demanding week.
            Her inner thoughts suddenly screeched to a halt when she saw Talia slap Juan Paulo. “Oh my…” After quickly making sure everything was in order, she raced out the door and down the several steps of the complex. He had one hand on his doorknob when she called out to him. “JP? Hey, JP!”
            “Emilia,” he blinked to rule out a potential hallucination, “What are you doing here?
            “I saw what just happened from my window upstairs. What’s going on?”
            “We just had a big fight and both said things we shouldn’t have.” He shook his head as he reached to turn the key. “It’s done. I won’t be a problem for her anymore.”
            “That doesn’t sound like the Juan Paulo I know.” She reached for his shoulder and turned him to face her. Wherever Talia hit him left a huge mark on his cheek, but it was the matte finish of his irises that made her gasp. She’d never seen anyone look so defeated. But she refused to back down. “Remember what you said to me the other day? How we’re friends that can tell each other anything. I’m here to return the favor.”
            He sighed, the smallest smile crinkling across his face. “All right.” Over the next two minutes, he brought her up to speed on how Talia came to tonight’s show and took issue with one of his new songs. Because the other girls treated Emilia with kid gloves on certain topics of conversation, he followed their lead and was vague about the specifics. But he confessed that some of the lyrics came from things Vanessa had told him about Talia’s past. “It’s all my fault. I pushed her too hard to open up to me and I only made things worse.”
            Without hesitation, Emilia pledged her support. “No, it’s not your fault. I know you’re a good person, JP and you just wanted to help her. We all do.” She thought for a moment and decided, “You know what? I’ll talk to her. If she’s going to listen to anyone else now, I have the best chance.” She fled before Juan Paulo had a chance to dissuade her.
            Emilia proceeded down the normal route she took for her morning commute. But in her desperation to find Talia as quickly as possible, she began cutting through the alleyways with only the music blasting from Calypso for guidance. Acutely aware of the fact Talia threw herself into work when she’s upset, that was the most likely place she would be. Suddenly, she stumbled upon something so startling that she couldn’t move or speak. Talia’s arms embraced a man only a couple years older than Juan Paulo. Purrs of joy rumbled from her throat. Her outer leg was wrapped around the man’s waist as he thrust his body repeatedly into hers. Within seconds, her voice hit its highest octave, quickly followed by heavy panting from them both.
            When she couldn’t hold her breath anymore, Emilia gasped louder than she meant to. They both freeze and, in slow motion, turned their heads to face her. Even huddled in the shadows, Talia’s blanched visage was impossible to miss. She immediately shoved her partner away from her. Annoyed, he whirled around to zip up before leaving in a huff.
            Talia quickly replaced her black laced panties and smoothed out her dress before going after Emilia, who’d already began her speedy exit. “Wait, I didn’t mean for you to see that! Emilia, look at me.” She put a hand on her shoulder.
            The gesture stopped her running, but her touch otherwise had no effect on her. Her voice wavered, “JP needs the apology more than I do. How can do you this to him?!”
            “You don’t understand…”
            “No, I don’t! Please explain it to me! Who the hell was that guy? What were you doing with him?”
            Sighing, Talia confessed, “One of my associates I had some unfinished business with, that’s all.”
            “What kind of business.... wait a minute, one of? There are others? How many? How long has this been going on?”
            She crossed her arms and leaned against the nearest wall. “My stepfather worked for the brothers and caused a lot of trouble for their business. To make amends for his… actions, I offered them my help. I used my skills to woo some of their business partners who wanted to leave their organization because of him. In return, they paid me handsomely and I used the money to save what became Calypso. It was originally a restaurant they were giving Alejandro to run, but the economy fell hard, and it was losing money. Some of the other sirens did it as well, in the beginning, but when everything settled down, they left that part of the business behind.”
            Emilia took everything in stride, occasionally nodding to show her attentiveness. As fascinating as this history lesson was, she still had a lot of burning questions. “I know it’s policy for us to be entitled to our secrets, but why do I get the feeling there’s a lot more you’ve been keeping from me? Why hire me if you couldn’t be honest with me about any of this?”
            “You have a special quality to your dance most of us have lost after what we’ve gone through. I only wanted to protect you.”
            Breaking eye contact and crossing her own arms, she shook her head. “I heard what you told Vanessa the other day. How you didn’t think my routine was strong enough. Were you protecting me then too?” She raised her head just enough in an attempt to catch her eye, only to see she’d turned away as well. “That’s what I thought. You act like you care so much about my artistry, but when I want to express it in my own way, you can’t even tell me to my face why you won’t help me with it. But I know someone who will...”
            Talia shot up with a gasp. “Emilia, Amber is... she takes this business too seriously. You couldn’t handle it.”
            She rolled her eyes into a glare. “Whatever she has to offer can’t be any worse than what I just walked in.” Backing away, she concluded, “I’m so done.” Without another word, Emilia left Talia alone with only her thoughts for company.
***

Song inspiration: "All good things come to an end" by Nelly Furtado

Aside from the bonus track ("Te Busque" all in Spanish), this is the final track of tihs album... 
But it's not the end of the story. In fact, this is just a little past the halfway point. 

Stay Tuned- there's still a lot of fun and heartbreak left to be had.

...another note I forgot to add...
This scene had been planned long before I heard "Shoot Love" on the 5th Maroon 5 album, V... but I can imagine that song being performed by JP while he's trying to reason with Talia.

And the opening number with Scarlet dancing her first solo- that's set to "Out of my Head" by Daughtry. I actually had a dream where I saw someone who looked like Prince's first wife Mayte (a famous bellydancer in her own right before and after meeting him) dancing in a fenced in field to that song. Since then, I've never been able to imagine that song any other way. Although now, to be honest, I'm kinda sick of it and would be fine if I went a couple years before listening to it again.

The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 26- Waiting for Tonight

            Scarlet called Talia the following morning, jostling her and Juan Paulo awake. Digging through the blankets Talia left for him on the floor where he spent the night, he searched for his phone. Its illuminated screen showed a text Javier sent to him moments earlier.
            “Hey Scarlet, is everything all right?” She looked over at the clock and it was just after 6 a.m., the time she’d typically call the others if something suddenly came up.
            “Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. Amazing, actually. Javi showed me a wonderful time last night.” She giggled. A male voice and the sound of slow kisses were barely audible on the other line. “Anyway, would it be all right if I sit out tonight? We kinda have other plans.”
            “No, no problem at all,” Talia combed a few loose locks of hair behind her ear, “enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”
            “That means a lot, thank you. Listen, I gotta go. We have to get to rehearsal so we’ll be ready for tonight. I’ll let you know how it goes, bye...” Just like that, the call ended.
            Juan Paulo clarified, “Yeah, he’d been encouraging her to do this for some time and based off the text he just sent me, she’s finally ready. Guess that means I should be going too. I’ll see you after the show tonight.” He gathered his belongings and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before rushing out.
            Still in her lingerie, Vanessa leaned against Talia’s doorway and let out a big yawn. “So he stayed the night? This is a first.”
            Talia rolled her eyes at the insinuation, but her spirits remained high. “It isn’t what you think. Javier asked Juan Paulo to make himself scarce so he could have time alone with Scarlet. And we’ll be without her services tonight.”
            “So, what’s the game plan? Is Emilia going to take her place like you’ve been training her all week?”
            “If it were any day but a Wednesday, yes. It’s the hottest ticket of the week so you and Ruby will be handling everything tonight. I’ll let her know that she can take a well-deserved day off.” As she searched her wardrobe for daytime attire, she redirected, “Has all this time with Amber paid off? Will she be ready to present in two days?”
            “It’s been an interesting several days to say the least. And yes, she’ll be ready.”
            Beyond this blanket statement, Vanessa gave nothing else away before her own departure. She’d helped Amber narrow her setlist down to three potential songs for each siren and three possible group numbers. But she didn’t want to admit all of this was contingent on Emilia’s participation. After playing referee for so long, she decided she’d had enough. This was something the three parties involved were going to have to work out on their own.
            When Vanessa met Ruby at Calypso, it was clear from her enthusiastic smile that she was up to speed... for the most part. “So my sister had another engagement for tonight. I’m so happy for her, I could explode.”
            “Yeah, me too. Talia says it’s going to be just us tonight so we’d better get started.”
            Ruby’s cheeks finally got a chance to relax from all the smiling when confusion contorted her lips. “Speaking of Talia, where is she?”
            “Huh,” Vanessa spun around, finding no one, “that’s strange. I thought she was right behind me.”
            “Hey ladies,” Alejandro called over from behind the bar waving his phone, “Talia texted me to say she’s sitting out tonight as well.”
            “Another Wednesday?” Ruby stammered, “What’s going on? Talia doesn’t give this night up for anything unless she isn’t feeling well, but even that’s almost never.”
            “Yeah, weird. She’s sworn up and down that she isn’t super serious with JP yet. But something tells me this has something to do with him...”

*      *      *

            It was impossible to pinpoint the exact moment Talia resolved to shirk responsibility for the day. But once she arrived at that conclusion, it felt like the best decision she’d made in a long time.
            She rarely took time for herself to simply walk around the city and soak in the atmosphere. Despite the fact she’d taken the cobblestoned paths thousands of times from one destination to the next, they felt different under her feet today. Each individual stone she touched radiated a comforting warmth beneath her new sandals: a purchase from the first shop she ran into. The streets were quiet at first, but soon bustled with all kinds of activity from locals and tourists alike. It was usually easy to differentiate between the two based on wardrobe choices and mannerisms. Tourists wore a lot of graphic tees, shorts, flip-flops and cheap sunglasses (often sold at stands three pairs for a dollar). For locals, there was far more variety and style and they always dressed appropriately for the weather with minimal effort.
            To Talia’s amazement, she witnessed several people from both sides intermingling at the plethora of shops and outdoor cafes. Most were laughing and enjoying each other’s company like they’d been friends their entire lives. Tourism was the island’s most important industry, so it only made sense to be complimentary to them, especially when it came to the local cuisine and finding the best souvenirs to suit their personal tastes. Strange as it seemed at first, she also considered the possibility it’d always been this way and she just never noticed it before. She worked so much; she missed a lot of things other people considered common knowledge.
            Throughout the morning and afternoon, Talia procured numerous purchases for herself and others. Their wardrobe, for on and off the dance floor, had been in need of an update for quite some time. Around noon, she stopped by food truck central where she received a warm reception from the head chefs for her business over the years. They tried to offer her free samples as thanks. Knowing the impeding lunch rush was mere moments away, she had another idea. For today only, all of them would put up free samples of their signature dishes for everyone to try and Calypso would cover the food costs. Her only request was that her contribution remained anonymous. As she watched from the sidelines, she beamed at the scores of tips that accumulated. Most of the truck owners came to the island with nothing and spent many years building their businesses from the ground up, so every cent helped.
            Occasionally, young adults in their 20’s and early 30’s came up to her, asking for autographs and photos. She graciously agreed to every respect. Many were awestruck and some remarked how they never expected to find her out in the open. Talia offered nothing in response to theirs queries except a shrug or an overcompensating smile, but they gave her something to think about on the way back home. It hadn’t occurred to her how much time she’d spent on her own or with her closest friends, all of the experiences she’d missed out on by putting her work above everything else. Maybe in the future, she could have more days like this where she isn’t just performing for people, but spending time really getting to know them.
            Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a new sign in the window of Eclipse. It was for the annual End-Of-Summer karaoke contest. With a smirk, she went inside and signed herself up. Taking a quick look around brought her back to the night she met Juan Paulo. A lot had changed since then, and she was reviewing those memories with new eyes. Upon further reflection, she opted to put his name down as well. Whether their next appearance here would be together or separate acts, she couldn’t be sure, but she was already looking forward to the possibilities.