The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 12- Some Like it Hot

            

            By the time Vanessa was finally able to jostle Talia awake, it was nearly noon. She clasped a hand to her forehead as a sharp migraine shot through. Moments later, she groaned, folding in half like a lawn chair.
            Vanessa rubbed her shoulder. “What do you want to do, Talia? Should I go and get rehearsal started?”
            “Uh huh,” she gasped through her clenched teeth, “it will be you, Amber and Ruby tonight. I cannot go on.” She hissed, “Everything hurts.”
            After gathering some clothes and slinging her purse over her shoulder, Vanessa peeked in on her, “Are you sure you don’t need anything before I leave? Some pills for the pain?”
            “No! No medicine. This will have to pass on its own.” She sighed, “I had the worst timing to try to do this thing with Juan Paulo. Now I have pain in my head and cramps in my stomach.”
            “Just remember, any of us are a phone call away, okay?”
            “I will.” Vanessa turned to leave when Talia called her back. “Hey Vanessa…”
            “Yeah?” She rushed over and leaned through the doorway again.
            “Thank you. I am so grateful to have you sail the ship in my absence. And that you don’t fawn over me like an invalid when…” She hissed again, holding her stomach.
            “Anytime, Talia. Calypso is my family too, after all.”
            Although it wasn’t a common topic of conversation, the sirens were generally candid about their cycles. Following Talia’s example as they did with dressing appropriately for rehearsal, they planned accordingly and worked through whatever pain coincided with it. But they were always granted leeway when complications arose.  Because Talia was averse to taking any drugs, her two to three days of purgatory were the worst of anyone’s. Unfortunately, her current abstaining from sexual activity deprived her of the only other remedy, so she was in for a rough time. Before blacking out from the pain, she moaned, “Why did it have to be a Wednesday when I feel like this?”
            Since the inception of the club, Talia always reserved Wednesdays for herself and her most important clients. Along with at least one other night a week, which changed regularly, Calypso closed to the public and opened only for VIPs among the brothers’ associates. Disagreements in their line of work were not as common as they once were, but Talia always made herself available as the brothers’ trump card whenever a situation called for it. Naturally, these were the only nights that weren’t a part of Emilia’s contract to ensure she wouldn’t be exposed to their shadier dealings.
            Alejandro was already on site readying the bar when Vanessa arrived to set everything up for rehearsal. Casually, he asked, “No Talia today?” She returned a solemn nod. “Can’t say I’m too surprised to hear that. She wasn’t in a fit state when I walked her home last night.” He worked his way through a new case of glasses, polishing them to perfection. “Everything she’s going through just to get rid of this one guy… you think it would be a lot easier to just give in.”
            “I agree with you, but this is Talia we’re talking about. She always has to do things the hard way.”
            Ruby and Amber showed up within the next few minutes, each taking inventory of the room with the same befuddlement. Amber shrugged, breaking the silence first. “It figures that the one time I’m on time and without an axe to grind, Talia isn’t here to appreciate it.”
            “Be nice, Amber. The anguish is particularly physical today and might be for a couple of days.” She maintained eye contact for a few extra seconds to make sure her point was understood.
            It worked. Amber’s smug posture relaxed.  “All right, then. Which performance do you want me to dress up for, boss?”
            “I’ll tell you what. Let’s mix it up. You wear what you feel like wearing and I’ll follow suit.”
            “Hmm, I like the sound of that. Back in a flash!” Beaming, she rushed up the staircase with more spring in her step than either of the girls had seen from her. But to make sure the standards of the club remained in place, Vanessa shouted after her, “Don’t forget, we’re here to work, not goof off!”
            “Oh, don’t worry,” she turned back, “I plan to make the most of this rehearsal.”         
            Ruby joined Vanessa’s side as soon as the door closed. “She’s up to something…”

“Yeah, I’m getting that sense too. Amber did accuse Talia of sticking her in a rut when she stole one of her songs the other day. Maybe she’s been working on new choreography…”
          “Speaking of Talia, is she still not taking drugs to ease the pain?” Vanessa replied with only a nod, more focused on Amber’s eventual reappearance. “I honestly don’t know how she does it. It’s gotta be torture.”

“Especially with everything else she has going on. She swore she’d be fine with the pain passing on its own and I know she hates getting sympathy, but I wish I knew how to make things easier for her.”

            Ruby’s eyes lit up. “You know, I think I might have an idea that might help. Even with medication, Scarlet had it really rough a couple of months ago when she was having a sleepover with Emilia. She gave my sister advice that really helped, and she then passed it on to me. It has to do with heating up a hot water bottle, wrapping it up in a pillowcase and holding it on your stomach. It really is a huge help.”

She was already reaching into her bag for her phone. “Well, anything’s worth a try. Excuse me for a sec.”

            Within a few rings, Emilia found her phone under a pile of laundry by her closet door. “Hello?”

“Hey Emilia, it’s Vanessa, how are you this afternoon?”

            Her smile remained stretched across her face, but a furrow formed between her eyebrows. “Hey Vanessa. What’s going on? Aren’t you at rehearsal right now?”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m calling. Can you do me a favor? Or should I say, could you do Talia a quick favor for me?”

            “Sure, anything.”

“Could you bring that hot water bottle to our place? Ruby was just telling me about your remedy, and it sounds like the kind of miracle Talia could use about now.”

            “Oh wow,” she gasped, “Ok, I’ll be on that right away.”

   “Thanks, Emilia. I know Talia will swear she doesn’t need the extra help, but just in case…”

        “I understand. Leave it all to me.”

After hanging up and leaving her phone at the bar with Alejandro, Vanessa returned to the middle of the dance floor. Amber had yet to emerge from the dressing room. Ruby tapped her foot for a few seconds until she completely lost interest. “I don’t know how much longer she’s going to take so I’m thinking I’ll get some food to get us through the afternoon’s rehearsal. Do you have any preference?”

        “No, I’ll pretty much have what Amber’s having. I’m not picky.”

“All right, see you in a little bit.” Without another look toward the stage, she strolled back into the warm summer breeze.

        “Didn’t think it’d be that easy. I was only going to be another minute anyway.” Amber’s signature stilettos clicked across the stage one commanding step at a time. She wore a leather vest lined with rhinestones at the seams with a black mini skirt.

Vanessa glanced her up and down with awe; these clothes were brand new to her eyes. “So, what’s the plan?”

        She raised her hand, holding up a CD. “Listening party. I want to tie at least six of the songs together into a story. I just need to figure out which ones.”

Pursing her lips, Vanessa flashed back to all of the tough conversations Amber had had with Talia. She didn’t envy being in her place right now, asking a question she already knew the answer to. “And why don’t you want Ruby in on this? She’d have a different perspective and might be able to help you decide.”

            Just as she suspected, she had no explanation to offer. Just the usual disdain. “Tsk, I don’t want her anywhere near this. This is going to be my shining moment. The one I should have had on my first night.” She shrugged off a groan. “But I want Scarlet and, hopefully, I’ll get Emilia as well. The four of us will each get a solo and there will be a big finale. That’s all I have so far.”

“Well, Talia will appreciate that this will be a group presentation. I’ll try to help with Emilia, but Talia’s barely listening to me right now and she’s my best friend.”

        “It’s so weird.” All the antagonism in her voice vanished. Vanessa took quick notice of this and found herself taken aback. “She’s getting so thrown off by this one guy that friendship means nothing. Except with Emilia, of course.”

“Of course.” She shared a knowing grin. “Come on, let’s get started.”

*     *     *

            Agile as a ballerina, Emilia took the stairs down her apartment complex two at a time. Once on solid ground, she was about to break into a run when a vaguely familiar voice caught her by surprise. “Excuse me!” Emilia looked over her shoulder towards the ranch houses across the way. The voice calling to her came from a young man with sandy blonde hair who’d just emerged from the one in the middle of the street. He was smartly dressed in a deep blue polo shirt that brought out his eyes. “You were at karaoke the other week, right?”
            “Oh…” The air of familiarity surrounding him solidified in an instant. “Oh right! You performed with Talia.”
            “That’s right.” He kept pointing at her as if it would help the rest of the puzzle come together in his head. “I remember. You went second after Scarlet. That smile of yours really lit up the room.”
            “Thanks, but that’s nothing compared to what Scarlet and Talia brought to the stage. Even at Calypso, I’m still an amateur compared to them.” She blushed, lowering her head.
            “Oh, you’re a dancer too? Wow, you look like you’re fresh out of high school. You must be something really special to join such an elite group so young.”
            “Oh, I don’t know about that, haha. There’s still so much I have to learn.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I auditioned as soon as I was old enough to try out. I used to peek in on their rehearsals on my way home from school... Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m living my dream. That I get to be one of them.” Catching her breath, Emilia gasped, “Oops, I didn’t mean to go on for so long.”
            “Don’t worry about it. Believe it or not, I know the feeling. Being excited about the fact you’re lucky enough to do what you love…” He quickly reined himself in when he realized he’d forgotten something. “I’m sorry, where are my manners? I’m Juan Paulo Esposito. My friends call me JP, but Talia always insists on calling me by my full name.” He held out his hand.
            She grinned as she took it. “Emilia De La Rosa. But I was Emily Rose before Talia gave me that new stage name.”
            “So Emilia, where were you off to before I interrupted your train of thought?”
            “Right…” She patted the object under her arm. “I was heading over to Talia’s to give her something.”
            “Do you mind if I walk with you? I’m heading over to rehearsal myself. It’s just a street or two away from Calypso.”
            “Sure. It’ll be nice to have company and the other girls, Talia especially, prefer if I didn’t walk the streets alone. Even though I know them pretty well by now.”
            He slipped his hands into his pockets as they set off together. “If you don’t mind my asking, what’s with the hot water bottle? Are you sneaking Talia some contraband?”
            “What?” Her stride skidded to a stop.
            “I’m sorry. It’s just that the last time I saw one of those was in a movie set in the prohibition era. They were mixing drinks in them.”
            “Oh right...” Relief washed over her once she got his meaning. “I haven’t seen that movie in ages. It seems like I barely have time for anything but dancing anymore. But dancing makes me happy so it’s all good.”
            “So, what’s it really for?”
            Her grin took a mischievous turn. “It’s my secret weapon for taking care of a certain nuisance.”
            “Not sure if I follow. I mean, you could fill it with cold water, freeze it and conk the jerk over the head with it.” He joked his answer as easily as he would with his friends, but after his last joke fell flat, he regretted it as soon as he said it.
            He quickly discovered he had nothing to worry about. Emilia started laughing, her tone clear as a bell. “You’re funny. No, it’s a girl thing. You wouldn’t understand it.” Taking a moment to observe the pastel colors of the stucco buildings, the growing rustling of crowds and scents of various food stands, she spun around. “I can make it from here. I don’t know if Talia is up for a lot of visitors right now.”
            “Sure, of course. Give her my best.”
            “I will. It was nice meeting you.” Both exchanged a smile and waved before going their separate ways. She promptly cut through the nearest alley on their left.
            Once she was out of sight, the mystery came together in his head. “Oh… gotcha. I sure hope she feels better soon.” He continued down the current street until La Scala appeared on his right.
            Most of the main roads in the city led to Calypso. Emilia’s building was located further away from the others, two streets over from the straightaway in a slightly better part of town. Vanessa and Talia’s residence was just around the corner from their club. Its massive marquee was just barely visible, but unmistakable all the same. She skipped up to the third floor and lightly rapped on the door at the top of the staircase. “Hey Talia, it’s Emilia!”
            Hissing while holding her stomach, Talia eased her legs over the side of the bed. “Emilia? What are you doing here?” To herself, she considered, “I knew I should have left the door unlocked…”
            “Don’t be mad. Vanessa only wanted to help and it’s not like I’m missing rehearsal or anything.”
            Talia concentrated on her breathing to regain herself. Once she did, her immediate thought was to make herself presentable. Unlike her cohorts, her sense of decorum carried over to every aspect of her life. The last thing she wanted was for Emilia to see her in sweatpants, the only article of clothing that was comfortable when her middle felt bloated like this. “All right, give me a minute.” Talia opened her closet and pulled out the most exotic robe she owned. It was a gift she received on her doorstep from one of her clients years ago. It was made from the softest silk, jet black, and decorated with bright orange and white koi.
            Using various furniture items and walls to stay vertical, she shuffled to the door and unlocked it so Emilia could let herself in. She nodded to her with the usual air of respect before launching into her explanation. “I guess the tip I gave Scarlet a while back finally came full circle back to you.” She held up her offering so Talia could get her meaning. She nodded, somewhat mystified, but didn’t question her resolve. “I’ll just fill this with water and heat it up in the microwave for you. Do you have any old pillowcases hanging around?”
            “In the laundry closet.” She pointed backwards, half distracted and bracing a nearby dresser.
            Emilia set everything in motion before returning to her side. Assessing the situation, she held out her arm. “Come on, you don’t need to keep standing on my account. Do you want to go back to bed or sit on the sofa in here?”
            “I’d been stuck in my room all day. Over here is just fine.” The microwave went off then. “I can make it across the room on my own. Oven mitts are in the drawer to the left of the oven.”
            She sighed but kept most of the frustration bottled up. “Talia, this was my idea, remember? Just relax and let me handle this.” Everything went without a hitch. Her hands protected with the mitts, she made sure the stopper was snug before slipping it into one of the spare shams from the closet. “Here.” She helped Talia slip the bottle under her robe. She was able to hold it comfortably in place with her sleeves.
            Talia gasped with astonishment, “Oh wow, this feels nice.”
            “Give it at least 10 minutes and the worst of it should be taken care of.” Emilia plopped down on the cushion to her left. “JP sends his best, by the way.”
            “Ugh,” she softly groaned, her body folding temporarily.
            “Don’t worry, I didn’t elaborate. It turns out he lives in one of the homes across from my building. He was going to rehearsal and suggested we walk together.” She quickly added, “I parted ways with him before coming all the way here.”
            “Ok, good. Thank you.” Her body straightened up again.
            Half biting her lip, trying to concentrate so she wouldn’t burst out laughing, Emilia recalled, “He had some interesting theories about my care package you might even appreciate. He thought I was trying to sneak you booze or supplying you with a weapon.” Talia was immediately in stitches but could only laugh so long before she started hurting. Emilia reached over, rubbing her back. “Sorry. I guess this was the wrong time to mention that.”
            “No, it’s fine. I needed a good laugh. But I already knew Juan Paulo had a vivid imagination.” This comment was more of an inside joke, but judging from Emilia’s face, she hadn’t understood. “The way he saw me devour my drink last night, I can see how he may have got the wrong idea.”
            Her fair complexion ashen with shock, Emilia launched into a plethora of questions. “Wow, it’s only been five days since we saw each other. What have I been missing? Did Alejandro do something else to upset you or was it someone else?” When she didn’t come out with a reply right away, she pieced it together on her own. “JP? I don’t understand. You were so great together at karaoke. I thought…”
            Talia decided in that moment she had to choose her words carefully. Not just for Emilia’s benefit, but also not to place added stress on her body. “When I choose a tourist to do duets at karaoke, it’s an act. I’ve gotten really good at making men fall in love with me, but with Juan Paulo, I may have done too good a job.”
            Emilia shook her head. “What’s wrong with him? You just met. He couldn’t have cheated on you already.”
            “No, you are right.” Talia suppressed a chuckle. “But I cannot chance falling in love. Not after my heart has been smashed to pieces more than once.”
            “So, you really don’t hate men. I mean, you can’t if you trust Scarlet with Javi and Vanessa to date whoever she wants. You just don’t trust them yourself.”
            “Right. I am good at judging whether a man can be trusted or not.” She added with mild humor, “Most men find me intimidating, so they know not to cross my friends after I meet them.”
            “Yeah, Scarlet told me how she asked you to check out Javi for her and you approved.” She thought for a moment and an idea hit her right away. “What if you had someone check JP out like you do with the others?”
            She studied her face for a moment. Noticing the light of excitement in her eyes, Talia’s face paled immediately. “No…”
            “Relax,” Emilia braced her arm, “I wasn’t asking for myself. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I don’t have time for a boyfriend right now. Dancing keeps me busy enough… or at least it used to. I don’t think I’d been at a show since my debut the other week.”
            Bowing her head, Talia relented, “I am sorry about that. I’ve been so preoccupied with everything, I didn’t realize. Perhaps tomorrow with Vanessa and Scarlet… or Ruby if she isn’t available. Javier is taking up a lot of her time these days. I would not be surprised if she was at that new club right now watching him and Juan Paulo rehearse.”
            Anticipating a favor, Emilia leaned on the edge of her seat, “Since I’m not doing anything else today, want me to check in?”
            “Sure, it’s just up a few blocks from your apartment building. But be careful, all right? Call me as soon as you return home.”
            She fought the urge to roll her eyes, but it came through in her tone all the same. “Talia, I can handle a lot more than you think I can.”
            Her body sagged, exasperated. “That’s what the others tell me, but all the same, that’s why I found you that apartment in the safest neighborhood here.”
            Rather than draw out her point any further, Emilia changed the subject. She pointed to her stomach. “So, feeling better?”
            “Yes.” She moved the pillow sham aside and rubbed the area beneath it. Beyond the extra warmth, nearly all of the pain had melted away. “I actually do.”
            “In that case,” she stood up, “my work here is done. I should get going so you can rest.”
            The corners of her eyes threatened tears; she was so touched by the gesture. But all she could manage was a simple, “Thank you.” Emilia wrapped her arms around for a quick embrace before going on her way.

*     *     *

            Rehearsal was already in full swing by the time Emilia arrived at La Scala. Her jaw dropped as she scoped the place. Although the interior decorating skewed more sophisticated with the red oak furniture and white tablecloths, the similarity to Calypso was uncanny. The presence of a kitchen, located on the right side of the establishment behind a pair of doors labeled “In” and “Out,” set the two venues apart. Alcohol was also limited to bottles of wine, sparkling water and, for guests with deeper wallets, champagne. Beyond the first two rows of chairs, the seating arrangement included two tables seating four and one large table seating a dozen. Clearly, the set-up favored exclusivity, therefore drumming up demand for admittance. With the exception of the trio on stage and Scarlet, who sat in the first row of chairs, the building was completely empty.
            “How’s it going, Scarlet?” Emilia asked as she sat next to her.
            “Oh hey, Emilia.” She beamed for a moment before remembering where they were. Then restrained confusion usurped her smile. “What are you doing here?”
            “I just came from Talia’s and I thought I’d do her a favor by checking in. Plus, I was curious.”
            “I heard from my sister she had to call off sick today.” Her eyebrows knit together. “How’s she doing?”
            “A little better. I lent her my hot water bottle and it might have been just what she needed.”
            “Oh good,” her entire body leaned over with a sigh, “she really does have it worse than the rest of us. She’s seen a doctor about it as well, but there isn’t anything out of the ordinary causing it. Thankfully.”
            The conversation naturally dropped as they turned their attention to the stage. Juan Paulo gave his all on vocals and every now and then, Javier would glance over to marvel at his level of commitment. Several songs flew by in a matter of minutes. Juan Paulo called out various key changes and the others kept up without having an ounce of difficulty.
            “He’s really good…” Emilia admired.
            Scarlet followed her line of sight to Juan Paulo and nodded in agreement.
            “He’d been on a roll since he met Talia. Aside from the night I was here with her and Ruby, I’ve yet to hear the same song twice. Javi’s known him forever and he hadn’t even seen him as prolific as he is right now. They’re really good as a band, but he’s done a few sets of singer-songwriter stuff that’s really amazing. The kind of music I hadn’t listened to in years, not since Talia limited our catalog to female artists.”
            When the band decided to take a 15-minute break, Javier and the drummer stayed with their respective instruments and discussed various matters for upcoming performances. Juan Paulo spied Emilia and jumped down from the stage to greet her and Scarlet. “Hey! Enjoying the preview, Emilia?”
            “Yeah. You were so good up there, JP.”
            Scarlet immediately did a double take upon noticing the familiarity they had with each other. “Hold on, when did you two meet?”
            “Just today,” Emilia responded, “apparently JP lives across the street from my building.”
            He shrugged, modestly, “It’s just for the summer. Javi lent me his guest room.” Then the subject shifted. “So, is Talia any better?”
            “She is. My trick seems to be helping.”
            “That’s good.” He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. “Did she say anything when you mentioned me? I assume she knows you’re here.”
            “It was a strange conversation.” She eased her hands on her hips. “She swears what I saw as chemistry at karaoke was purely an act.”
            He hung his head. “That’s what I’ve been gathering too. Honestly, I’m starting to run out of ideas. I know she likes me. She’s just afraid to admit it because she doesn’t want to get hurt.”
            Emilia relaxed her posture and grinned at him. “I think I have an idea that might work. Just give me a little time.”
            Scarlet was consumed by their avid discussion. As fascinating as it was to watch unfold, she couldn’t shake a certain nagging in her gut. Emilia and Juan Paulo had become friends so fast. The idea of him escorting her to work came to the table shortly after, arising from the fact they live closer to each other than she did to any of the other sirens. It made sense to her as well, but she knew Talia wouldn’t forgive her if she didn’t clarify something for him. The opportunity came after Emilia ran off to the little girls’ room.
            “JP, come over here for a second.” She led him to one of the smaller tables and both promptly sat down.
            His tone erred on the side of caution. “What’s up, Scarlet? Is everything ok?”
            “Everything’s fine.” She folded her hands on the table. “I just wanted to make sure you were aware of something. It’s about Emilia.”
            “Sure. What is it?” He leaned forward, keeping his voice as level as possible.
            Picking up on his apprehension, Scarlet put her hand on his, “I’m not saying all this because I don’t trust you. I’d spent enough time with you and Javi to know you’re good people. But you need to know that the sirens, we all think of Emilia as our little sister. Talia is especially protective of her.”
            “Oh,” he exhaled as the pressure came off, “so you’re just saying I should be careful.” “Exactly.” She remained serious, but said her piece as gently as she could, “Let’s just say if anything ever happened to Emilia, there would be hell to pay for the person responsible.”