Behind the Calypso curtain: how the sirens’ personalities reflect my own

While the events in the story never happened to me personally, I spent a fair amount of time putting myself in the shoes of the characters who did.
I’ve had the idea of an all-female cast for a while and they wound up being split between parts of myself, other characters in fiction that stuck with me, and the type of girls I wish I was personally friends with.

Ruby

Of the twins, Scarlet got all of my best ideas and Ruby I never really knew what to do with as from her “rivalry” with Amber.
But in retrospect, I realize we had more in common than I’d intended. Particularly when it comes to conflict resolution.
I try to amicable whenever possible, not pushing the issue because i hate fighting and don’t want to ruffle feathers. But we both have that breaking point and we’ll flip out when we’ve had enough nonsense.

A last minute thing I added was how Scarlet was the sister everyone in school wanted to be friends with and Ruby felt overlooked because she’s not as forthcoming. I’ve definitely been in a number of situations like that and I’ve lost friends because the stronger personalities won out and I couldn’t compete for their attention.

Vanessa is the diplomatic one, always resolving conflicts and making sure everyone gets along and stays on task.
Our common thread is our background. We both come from good families and were pushed into higher education for a better career, opposed to following our artistic passions.
Then we have a split where Vanessa was brave enough to pursue hers and I just sucked it up and I did what I was told.
I suppose you could analyze and interpret Vanessa’s arc as a worst case scenario when you cut off ties with your family to pursue your dream. She has the career she wants but it came with the caveat of a possessive jealous boyfriend… which had “you’re not allowed to have a career because I don’t trust you” potential.

Emilia

As had been stated dozens of times, she embodies the innocence we all once had.
To be quite honest, I’m still very much like that.
In general, I tend to take things at face value and I’d rather be an idealist than to automatically assume the worst in people. The way she’s spellbound by Talia has definitely happened to me a couple of times with certain people, people who push the limits of what you thought was possible.
But anything sexual… I have no experience at all and for years it was an uncomfortable thing to experience in media. With age, that’s gotten better… but I’m sure if I ran into a situation like Emilia did with Talia and Rodrigo hooking up in the alley I would’ve reacted the same way.
And actually I did run into a similar situation in college and I only just remembered it recently. My roommate had her boyfriend staying over. I got up to use the bathroom. I came back and walked in on them. They stopped, it was awkward, I went back to bed and we never spoke of it again. It was dark so I saw nothing but it wasn’t difficult to figure out. The only other thing I still wonder to this day- how did they think I was going to be gone? And at the very least, a little warning would’ve been nice. A previous roommate a previous year asked me for privacy for a few minutes and I gave her that.

Scarlet, I think, is the friend all of us wish we had. She’s such a sweetheart. Of course I gave her one of the heavier plot lines… it’s crazy how resilient people can be and how they still show up for others in their lives despite what’s happened in theirs.
I’m not sure if there’s any part of me that became part of her. Other than paying tribute to Rocket from sucker punch and embodying survivors of incest (there was a movie character and a memoir I read on a website where people submit work for feedback), she’s an aspirational character more than anything else.
The only thing remotely close is how she’s hesitant to be on stage on her own and some of her scenes with Javi where she’s uncertain about letting down her guard- some of those fears are definitely my fears. Just because I’m a Leo doesn’t mean being the center of attention doesn’t make me nervous.

Talia
This whole story began with her and it was her story. Over time, that became a little less true as others jockeyed for position and demanded more from me as a writer.
I didn’t intend for this and I half wonder if it’s what wound up happening. But there came a point where Talia went from being the hero of the story to possibly the most hated character.
I mean, I get it. She exercises control over things to make up for the fact control was taken away from her. But a lot of it was for selfish reasons.
Other than the fact we don’t often let people into our personal problems, we don’t have that much in common.
She’s the ideal I feel like a lot of us aspire to be but not if it means people will resent you down the road because they realize they only have their own self interest at heart. If her stubbornness didn’t have ripple effects that put others in harm’s way, this would be different. She’s extremely flawed protagonist, which often makes her unreliable. And maybe this is just me not being a good writer but her logic is flawed for sure.
Once I dropped my original idea (where Alejandro was her pimp but he eventually lets her go because JP makes her happy), I thought it would be an interesting idea to explore- someone who chooses the world’s oldest profession as a lifestyle. It’s gotta be someone with a lot of emotion baggage.
There’s one character in the underground who says what a lot of people will probably think while reading this- where does Talia get off choosing this profession on purpose? Not quite the same but it’s like Rosalie questioning why the hell Bella wants to give up humanity to become a vampire. Another of those little connections I didn’t intend to make but I see after the fact.

No, prostitution isn’t meant to be glamorous. It’s something people are coerced into and they’re kept in it because someone else is controlling them. Entering that world on purpose kinda suggests you have a low opinion of yourself and this is a way to compensate for that. Talia has everything set up so she has full control but it’s just a way of putting a wall between hers and others.
In that sense, we have something else in common. Being up front, vulnerable and honest with other people is hard, especially when you’ve been given very little reason to trust them. But again, it’s a situation where maintaining that momentum would get exhausting. It’s in short bursts but we see that take its toll on Talia. With Talia it’s easier for the reader to see than her friends, whereas with Amber, I feel the depths of her frustration but it’s not quite as apparent on the page.

And before cutting away, I would probably look the most like Talia. Except she’s more exotic, prettier and she has green eyes while mine are brown and boring,

Amber

To me, that name is associated with the mean girl in movies that doesn’t like the female protagonist. Or worse, steals away their boyfriend or the guy they have a crush on. But it’s also a name that signifies strength- a girl who lives without apology and doesn’t care what others think of her. Or at least they act like they don’t care…

As a writer, I usually pick names for my characters in one of two ways. Either I have the character in my head and the name just fits. Or, I have a name I’ve always liked and want to bring it to life. Or it pays homage to someone I liked in someone else’s work or from my own life.
Amber is a name I’ve come across a few times in movies and once in my own life. But here I’d add that old caveat where “any similarities to persons (living/dead real/fictional) is purely coincidental."

Once I knew I was using that name, my original intention was to write the mean girl character who either gained popularity with her strong personality or the complete opposite.
Then once I started writing, she became SO much more. I had all these ideas and more came out as I was writing. Some things I didn’t even realize until I started editing.
Someone else might have a different opinion, but I think this mix of 80s Prince protege and 50 shades of grey worked really well.

It’s kinda funny how Ruby and Amber are polar opposites when it comes to dealing with conflict. Particularly when a therapist could read this and conclude that they represent the two sides of me being at odds with each other.
And in pretty much every situation, I’m more of a Ruby than an Amber. And I wish it was the opposite. Amber is essentially me unfiltered. If I straight up said what I thought instead of second guessing whether my words would hurt someone’s feelings.
It’s pretty much an internal conflict I’ve had my entire life. As much as I hate it, I’d rather be agreeable so people will like me than to be brutally honest and risk people hating me.
Amber was fun to write just so I could play around with things I know I couldn’t get away with in real life. But if I were to be objective, the idea of portraying that persona for so long sounds exhausting. She makes it 5 years- I doubt I’d make it one. Never mind the sexuality stuff, it would take so much energy to maintain that extroverted energy for so long. I’ve been in situations where I’d have to bring it professionally and it’s like a muscle I have to build up. Then once I’m out of that mode, it’s hard to get up the momentum to bring it back.

And as much as Amber seems to claim she doesn’t care what people think of her, she does… particularly she cares what a handful of people think of her.
You can put on as many personas or walls as you want. People always crave acceptance of some kind.

...

You know, I'm at the end of this and just noticing there's a lot more of myself that went into this than I realized. And it's a lot... 

So the only thing really left to do is to talk myself down, repeat a few times "you are enough" and celebrating the fact this project was seen to fruition.
And if it's lucky enough to get published and for people to read it, I hope they come away feeling empowered. Seeing parts of themselves in these characters but they're the kinds of characters that are remembered for years after reading about them. 

The Sirens of Calypso- Epilogue

            The next morning, while he was in the middle of packing his belonging to return home, Juan Paulo received the call he’d given up hope would ever come. The men who saw his showcase loved his music and drafted a contract to sign the band to their label. As soon as he was ready, they offered to pay the expenses necessary to record an album. 

            Throughout the call, he cast numerous glances in Talia’s direction ranging from grateful to suspicious. The timing of this was a little too convenient for his liking. She’d later tell him her “acquaintance” Carlos helped with the negotiations as his way of returning an old favor he owed her. 

            The caveat, which Talia wasn’t yet aware of-- their main studio was located back in America. Although taken aback by the news, she immediately decided it didn’t matter. Juan Paulo broke the news to her after finishing the call. Anticipating a long-distance relationship as the only option brought an ache to his chest and wrinkles in his forehead. Talia throwing him against the wall for a passionate kiss erased all of that tension, but only for an instant.

            “Wait, Talia,” Juan Paulo asked after slipping out of her grip, “what about Calypso? Your dancing? I don’t want you to resent me because I’m the reason you gave all of that up."

            She nodded, although it was more of an acknowledgment to her inner thoughts than his. “You’re right but this is something I’m also doing for myself.”

            “I’m not sure I understand…"
            A tiny hint of a smile lit up her face. “I think you do. Vanessa knew it was true before I was ready to accept it.” She shook her head. “It’s strange to think the people who saw me sing last night, even they knew I have not been myself. That’s why, before I perform for an audience again, I must… as you Americans say… ‘work on myself’ so I may be worthy of their admiration and support.” 

            Both of them had a seat on his bed and she rambled through a list of ideas she'd cultivated over the past few weeks. Specialists she could see, group meetings she could attend. Once she finished, she took his hand and ran it along the scars on her elbow. His heart skipped. He knew Talia had never allowed anyone else the same opportunity and he prayed he’d never be foolish enough to betray that trust. “There will be times your career will put distance between us and we cannot be together all the time. But if I need you… if only to say ‘you’re doing fine’ or ‘everything will be all right’…”
            “I will.” Juan Paulo reached toward her cheek with his opposite hand, pausing for a moment before she acknowledged it was ok, and stroked it. Another kiss wasn’t far behind, but just as quickly, it gave way to a heartfelt embrace that lasted more minutes than either of them cared to count.

*    *    *

            For Scarlet and Javier, this caveat came with its fair share of complications.
Although it’d been years since he and his mother left America, a reluctance to return stayed with him. It took some coaxing from Scarlet to face those feelings head on and he caved. After further investigation, he learned that karma finally caught up with his father. His new family, which Javier suspected had some overlap with his old one, didn’t work out for him any better. This second woman had come from a large family and a network of friends within her community. So when they began seeing her less frequently and faint remains of bruises when they did, they sprung into action. They corroborated a domestic violence complaint against him and a prison fight signed his death warrant shortly afterwards.

            Despite Scarlet’s unwavering support and insistence on accompanying him, her wellbeing and that of their child remained a constant in his mind. Her pregnancy continued to go well, but her growing nerves about motherhood made most days an emotional rollercoaster. Along with the other sirens, Javier brainstormed different ways to put her at ease. Whether they took turns staying with her in America or she stayed on the island and Javier made regular trips back to spend time with her. In the end, it was decided that Javier would participate in the studio sessions that required his input and Juan Paulo would handle the promotion for the record on his own. As much as he couldn’t bear to leave Scarlet’s side, he also wanted her to live in comfort and that could only be in a place and with friends she knew well. 

            It became clear to both Juan Paulo and Javier that their lives were going in different directions. Luckily, their management team at the record label was flexible and agreed to whatever the terms they decided. Javier always had the freedom to return, whether it was part of the band or if he wanted his own solo career, once his affairs with Scarlet and their family were in order. The same courtesy was extended to Steve the drummer, who had been actively working with La Scala’s owners on their new business venture. Rumor has it that they’re planning a new “battle of the bands” competition to coincide with Calypso and Eclipse’s entertainment events.

*    *    *

            In addition to being partners in life, Amber and Alejandro are now business partners, running both Calypso and Evangeline’s. Their latest idea of growing an audience for Evangeline’s—establishing an all-male dance crew led by Michel and Misha to rival the sirens. Even without Talia at the helm, this is sure to be an uphill battle.

           As for Calypso, Emilia will take Scarlet’s place in her routines with Ruby during her maternity leave. She's also working on a number of fairytale inspired routines. She hopes one day to produce her own theme night, a dream Amber and the others can’t wait to usher into reality.

            Talia’s future with the sirens of Calypso remains uncertain. While the others eagerly await news of her return, they plan to uphold her legacy as long as there are people to come see them dance. The club's future has never looked brighter.

***

I wrote this story a different way than my creative process typically goes. I'd usually get an idea and follow it from start to finish, perfect chronological order.

With this one, I wrote whenever I was inspired and I'd figure out at a later date where they fit in sequence and whether I need something new to connect different scenes. 

As such, this created one major problem I didn't have a solution for until now.

I had no idea how this story was going to end and I wanted to do more than getting the key couples together and ending it. And with this, I think I finally found the right balance between showing where the characters' lives are going and hinting at future possibilities. Cuz I really don't know where they'll end up 5-10 years afterwards. 

Some ideas I do have for the times ahead:

*The other day, I saw a flicker for a moment with Talia and JP while listening to Rob Thomas. He wrote a lot of his "Cradlesongs" album while his wife was going through a difficult illness and I can imagine JP being that source of comfort for Talia. And he could do a solo album similar to that or Ed Sheeran's "-" album, which was partially inspired by his wife, who was dealing with the double-whammy of pregnancy and cancer. Although the songs that would be shared with the public, Talia has the last say, naturally.

*I don't know whether Scarlet is having a boy or a girl; I'll leave that for the reader to decide. In the future, I can imagine her and Javier touring as a musical act and she'll alternate between dancing to his songs or singing them along with him.

*I also don't know whether Amber and Alejandro's sex life will be as kinky as her style is now or he'll help her revert to something a little more vanilla. If I ever explore that, I probably wouldn't be sharing it with other people, lol

*I'd like to think one or several of the sirens, after they've reached an age when they stop dancing, will work in the public sector with other women who'd experienced similar hardships.

*And possibly, one day, the Calypso brand could expand to America and other countries. Clubs featuring troupes of female dancers. Although without the mob connections and prostitution, so the stage shows won't be quite as elaborate. 

For anyone who made it all the way to the end, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.

Maybe in the near future I'll put together my own dream cast list if this ever became a movie or Broadway musical. But this is it for now.

The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 52- Open Arms and Open Hearts

            Shortly after leaving Calypso, Scarlet told the others to go ahead without her. Javier offered to walk her home and the others said their goodbyes before parting ways for the night.
            Ruby and Emilia swapped ideas for what songs to perform, whether they’d go up together or as two separate acts, for the duration of the walk. Although she hadn’t planned on it, Vanessa wound up spending this time watching Talia. This was an event she looked forward to every year as much as the rest of them, but she was missing the typical spring in her step. Her attention was also focused, almost exclusively, everywhere else but the path in front of them.
            Lively chatter surrounded them on all sides. Couples or groups of friends gathered at the cafe tables. Buskers on every corner, each with instrument cases filled with fair amounts of cash deriving from a wide assortment of countries. Eclipse was two blocks away from Food Truck Central. Its various cuisines filled the air, combining into one very tempting sweet and spicy aroma. It was enough to distract Ruby and Emilia from their current train of thought. A new conversation, one that was more mouthwatering, took its place as a result.
            Talia’s concentration wasn’t so easily broken. Her thoughts were no longer under her control and she made no attempt to amend that fact. She’d lived in the city for over a decade and made a multitude of memories in the process. Yet everything, even the most rudimentary details, reminded her of Juan Paulo. The places they got together in secret between rehearsals. The night she left in the middle of a show to act on her feelings for him. At the end of it all, she found herself at the place where it all began. The others went inside to sign in and select their songs, but she stopped short of going through the door. She ran her fingers down the wood grains as her mind wandered and she had to remind herself every few seconds to breathe.
            Suddenly, the door moved away from her and she jumped six inches back, jostled back into reality. “Talia?” Vanessa came back out, closing the door and leaning against the frame. “What’s wrong?”
            “Nothing, it’s just…” She shook her head. One quick deep breath later, she added, “so ridiculous… acting like this over one stupid American boy.”
            Reaching over to pat her shoulder, Vanessa flashed an understanding smile. “Come on, let’s have a drink. Ruby and Emilia are due to go on in a few minutes.”
            An invisible force field typically separated the sirens from everyone else so they could go about their lives outside Calypso with some anonymity. The night of the big karaoke contest was the one exception. Between performances, a number of people came up to their table, offering kind words and small tokens of appreciation— a mix of flowers and jewelry from souvenir kiosks. Two schools of thought dominated the rest and it surprised Talia in ways she’d never expected. Amber had garnered a small following and she happily agreed to send their compliments her way. As for the other, a few patrons who’d come from the show earlier that evening expressed how long it’d been since they’d seen her fully enjoy a performance. After the stream of admirers ran dry, Talia remarked, “I never realized…”
            "Yeah,” Vanessa concurred, “you’re a great actress but you can’t hide everything behind that facade.”
            “Maybe I am losing my touch…”
            Vanessa caught something in her tone and leaned across the table. “What are you saying?”
            “I have to decide something. I need to see how the rest of the night goes before I make my final decision.”
            Almost startling Talia a second time, Vanessa grabbed the hand resting on the table and squeezed. “Just remember, you’re not alone. Whatever it is, whether you like it or not, we have your back.”
            “Thank you. I will be sure to remember that.”

(If only the Animal Crossing characters wore shoes...)

            Ruby and Emilia came out next. For anyone in the room that had anything pressing on their minds, those worries fell by the wayside for the next three to four minutes. In a funny twist of fate, all of those rehearsals of Emilia learning the twins’ roster of routines wound up paying off in a huge way. They traded vocal lines from one section to the next and the one not singing was dancing. The chorus featured a lot of flamenco flair with quick circular arm movements and spins. When it came to the verses, they stuck to their specialties. Ruby had jive flicks and kicks in all directions; Emilia’s step work created the same visual effect but drew influence from the Emerald Isle. Had they had more time to prepare, they would’ve brought some cowgirl boots to match the country flair of their music. The applause and cheers they received moved across the room in waves. It was impossible to determine who received more praise. In the end, it didn’t matter. 

            “Well done, both of you. Especially you, Emilia,” Talia beamed with pride as she pulled her in for a hug.
            “Thanks, Talia,” she replied, taking a moment to put the copper colored trophy on the table. It was shaped like a microphone stand and had “Summer’s End- Karaoke Champion” etched along the base. She turned back to face her, her mouth askew with confusion. “But why didn’t you compete?”
            “I did sign up when it was first announced but after what happened between… I just couldn’t imagine doing this without him.”
            The MC from the contest swung by their table a short moment later. “Congratulations again, ladies. We’re going to close down in ten minutes so if anyone wants one last crack at the mic…” His eyes swept over all of them but the fact they lingered on Talia the most didn’t go unnoticed.
            The other sirens spoke at once, their enthusiasm steadily growing over time. Words jumbled together and buzzed in Talia’s ears as she scanned the room. Juan Paulo was nowhere to be found. But before her heart could start sinking, something astonishing happened. It slowly dawned on her that the entire room was chanting her name. If it was possible, the reaction when she finally agreed was even louder.
            As she discussed the details with the MC, Talia’s group of friends netted the majority of her attention. Once or twice she thought she read Juan Paulo’s name, shortened or otherwise, on their lips and the immediate response was a shrug and a faltering smile. Regardless of what their conversations entailed, she knew one thing for certain. This would be the final performance she gave for a long time.

            The song she chose was another duet between an all-male band and a guest female artist. On the monitors, different lines were assigned to the two singers taking part in the duet. Instead of following the screen’s instructions to the letter, she instead sang the lines that fit the message she wanted to convey. She had nothing to offer but love and forgiveness; if her feelings weren’t reciprocated, she would accept the consequences and move on with her life. As she transitioned from verse to pre-chorus bridge, her voice started shaking as countless emotions surged through her veins. Regret, sadness, but primarily, a desperate hope unlike anything she’d felt before. Her eyes closed and she poured every fiber of her being into the chorus. One or two words differed from what was scrolling across the screen, but nobody noticed. The sentiment remained the same.
            Talia turned away, fixing her gaze on the blank wall on the far side of the room, to compose herself. As she inhaled to begin the next verse, another voice beat her to the punch and her heart leaped forward upon recognizing it. Quizzical whispers and murmurs cascaded through the audience; no one knew where the voice was coming from. Even the spotlight swirled aimlessly, unable to pinpoint its source. The only thing that registered with Talia in that moment was how Juan Paulo brought just as much passion to the lines he chose to sing.
            The music hit its big crescendo in the same instant Juan Paulo stepped out of the crowd onto the catwalk. The widest smirk broke across Talia’s face. She stepped away from her microphone and let her body do the talking. But instead of the seductive moves she was famous for, the unbridled energy in her movements bent her body a million different ways. A strange yet beautiful combination of jazz and contemporary. Emilia had shown the other sirens the different styles of her own training over the past week. Compelling as this choreography was, how and when Talia found the time between Amber’s rigorous rehearsals to put it together remained a mystery to everyone.
            The duet finally came into play for the final iteration of the chorus, both voices now singing as one. Talia’s heart thumped against her ribcage, sensing his presence drawing closer to her with each passing second. She leaned heavily into the character of the music to keep her ankles steady, but as long as he was there to catch her, crumbling wouldn’t have made any difference. On the last line, she finally found the courage to turn around.
            Even with everything that happened between them, nothing had changed since the day they met. The warmth of his gaze told her he had no intention of leaving her again. Out of his back pocket, he pulled out an open envelope with his name scribbled across the front in her handwriting. Her hand clapped over her mouth; her 11th hour idea worked better than she could have imagined.
            Reassuring her with a kind smile, he whispered, “I accept your apology… I’ve missed you so much.” Dropping the envelope on the ground, he reached with both hands and laid a deep kiss on her lips. After he pulled back, Talia did the one thing she’d been wanting to do for what felt like forever. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight.
            The room erupted in applause, the sirens barely audible above the rest of the crowd.
            Talia broke away and asked, “Do you want to get out of here?”
            “Talia, I thought you’d never ask…” He took her hand and together, they ran out the back door and made the journey back home.

*      *     *

            Two months ago, she would have said otherwise. Now, there was no doubt. That night was the first time Talia made love— and it wouldn’t be the last.

            They returned to her apartment and all of the walls she’d put around herself crumbled in an instant. Contrasting with the previous instance he’d spent the night, Juan Paulo was given complete control of everything. Their lips were never further than a few inches apart as his thrusts sent a barrage of shivers through her entire body. Some in places she’d never felt them before and they took her breath away.
            But what truly set this time apart from all the others was the fact she didn’t just want Juan Paulo for her physical needs but the person she was when she was with him. On stage, she had been hailed as a goddess. With him, she felt human. More than anything else, that was what had terrified her about him the most. That kind of vulnerability exposed a weakness in her she wasn’t ready to face. But as she laid in his arms, staring into his eyes, she saw there had been nothing to be afraid of.
            For a while afterwards, things were quiet. Talia stroked Juan Paulo’s arm as if to commit every inch to memory. He ran his hand over her ear and through her mussed-up hair. A lot had happened in the time they were apart; it was difficult to find where to begin. Predictably, Juan Paulo took the chivalrous step to go first.
            “Emilia looked amazing tonight.”
            “Oh… yes, she’s come a really long way.” Talia looked down and swallowed hard. “There will never be enough thanks for what you did for her.”
            His quick response to that was a nod and a warm smile. But it just as quickly faded. “If you didn’t know any better, you would have no idea. But I guess that’s what you sirens are about. Always good at bouncing back.”
            “Yes, but it never should have happened. It was my responsibility. If I had known when I started this with…” Talia bit her lip. There was no way to proceed without disclosing her entire history with Rodrigo. She only foresaw one result if she did and couldn’t even bear the thought.
            Once again, Juan Paulo superseded her expectations and confessed, “I know. I heard the whole thing from him.”
            “What?”
            Squeezing his eyes closed for a moment, he took a deep breath before recollecting his version of the events. “I left everything on the stage that night. It impressed the men from the label but I wasn’t proud of it. Javi took care of closing up shop for the night and I walked home with only my thoughts for company. After how I performed, I didn’t want to face anyone because I was afraid they’d see right through me. So I took shortcuts through the alleys. Vanessa got me acquainted with them when we went out that one night. That’s when I heard them…”

“You know, it didn’t have to come to this. You could have just left me and Talia to our business. But because of your meddling, I lost my arrangement with Talia.”

            Juan Paulo shook his head with disgust. “The sheer arrogance… I know its kind well but never like that. I heard Emilia… her screams thrust me back into reality. I knew I had to get to her before it was too late. I’ve been carrying that knife for years, but I never pulled it on anyone until that moment. For every evil thought in his head, I would make him pay.”
            The hand stroking her hair clenched and shuddered at the reminder. It hurt but Talia was so caught up in the flashback it didn’t register. Offhandedly, she added, “he did pay… Amber and I saw to it.”
            “Wait, what?” Juan Paulo gasped. He noticed his fist and immediately drew it back into himself.
            “Only the three of us know about this. Well, four including Alejandro.” She rolled her eyes but in a more playful way than she had in the past. “He’d wanted to take revenge on him for a very long time. Personal history going back long before we met. But he insisted we should not know the feeling of taking a man’s life. To my knowledge, Alejandro had only murdered one other but of course I only heard this from Amber.”
            “Wow…” Taken aback, the tension in his frame relaxed. “I don’t know Alejandro as well as the rest of you, but I wouldn’t have known he was capable of doing something like that.”
            Talia tilted her head to catch his eye. After succeeding, she said, “I could say the same about you.” A question formed on his lips but she insisted on continuing. “The scar you left in his neck. Any deeper and he would have bled out in seconds. I know you love Emilia like I do but that tells me there was something more behind it.”
            “Yeah…” Without further prompting, Juan Paulo sat up in bed and told Talia about his sister. Whether it was her understanding and patience or the fact he’d had this conversation twice already, it was hard to be sure. He only knew that telling the story a third time was much easier. Only when he got to the end did his emotions get the better of him. He buried his face in his hands. No tears fell but his voice did enough crying to make up the difference. Talia leaned her head on his shoulder and rubbed his back. At the end of his monologue, there was an addendum he’d reserved specifically for her. “When Javi invited me to spend this summer with him, I almost didn’t come. I was in a really bad place, still grieving what had happened. Then I met you… and Emilia and the others… and I felt alive in a way I hadn’t in a really long time. Sometimes I still feel guilty that I’d found happiness in a life without her.”
            “If your sister knew what you did for Emilia, she would be so proud of you.” His response caught in his throat but a self-deprecating laugh quickly followed in its place. “When I was mad at you because I thought you wrote that one song about me… it was about her, wasn’t it?”
            He nodded. “And what Vanessa told me about those things about your past, I thought you were settling for less than you deserved. The same way she did. So if I saved you…”
            “You have, Juan Paulo. It may have taken longer than it should have but I know I am better… I will be better, because of you.”
            Then it was Talia’s turn to dredge up the ghosts in her past. Nothing was off limits. On at least three occasions, she expected him to make an excuse to leave because he couldn’t handle it. This fear was never realized. In fact, it was during those moments Juan Paulo’s hand squeezed hers as they clenched on her lap. She got what she thought would be the hard part out of the way first: the truth about her promiscuity and how her legion of clients helped finance Calypso. She made sure to put extra emphasis on the past tense of this arrangement, a gesture Juan Paulo assured her wasn’t necessary. Only the future mattered now.
            Hoping to offer additional reassurance while she paused to gather her thoughts, he leaned forward to kiss her on the neck. She moaned as blood rushed to her head. As much as she enjoyed it, the fire building in her belly made her uncomfortable. “Juan Paulo, please…” Her voice wavered until it broke, “please stop.” He quickly obeyed and she scooted away from him just enough to catch him off guard.
            “I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”
            She bowed her hand, self-consciously combing her hair out of her face. “No...” Picking her head up, she wiped away a tear with the heel of her hand. “No, I love you… so much. You are so sweet and I want so badly to… how can I explain? This makes me want to give myself to you again… and again. To where I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”
            Juan Paulo replied, “all right. I think I understand what you’re saying.”
            “I don’t want what we have, whether we’re together now or… I don’t want that to be everything we are to each other.”
            “Hey…” He waited until she looked him in the eye before offering another smile. “I love you too and we’re together now if you’ll have me. So whatever it takes to make you happy, tell me and I’ll do what I can to make it work.”
            Talia slowly closed the space between them and Juan Paulo allowed her the courtesy to explore on her own. She kissed him firmly on the lips, making the most of every second she allowed herself before forcing separation between them.
            Without further hesitation, she went into the second half of her series of confessions. As she talked about her complicated history with her stepfather and her addiction, the back of her mind dwelled on her recent conversation with Amber. About how her body was “conditioned” to be receptive in uncomfortable circumstances. It made her realize another thing they had in common. Their pasts determined their sexual preferences and habits that were difficult to break. Falling in love helped her recognize that she didn’t want that physicality to define their relationship.
            “I admit—I really admire people like you and Scarlet. You have felt so much pain and were made to feel so helpless, but you’re able to move forward and find new passions. And what do I do with my new life? I’m still the same damaged girl I was when my stepfather overdosed.”
            “I still feel bad about saying those things to you. That was out of line.”
            “No, Juan Paulo, you were absolutely right. You were right about everything. I’ve lived a lot in this life but I still have a lot to learn. Especially about myself.”
            “You’ll get there someday. I believe you.” Smiling with a light blush coloring her cheeks, she weaved her fingers around his and squeezed his hand in response.
            Unbeknownst to either of them, the sun had begun to creep in through the blinds. They’d been talking all night. Vanessa was staying at Emilia’s to give them privacy so there was no outside stimuli to snap them out of their private bubble. But they eventually realized they had to get some rest.
            With a sigh, Juan Paulo said, “this has been the best night I’ve ever had. I’m just afraid I’m going to wake up and all this will be gone. Well, it’s going to be soon anyway. Summer is almost over, and this silly American boy needs to go make an honest living back home.”
            Talia smirked, “who says this has to end?” She retreated under the covers and encouraged him to do the same. She flipped on her other side and pulled his arm until it wrapped around her waist. Resting in each other’s arms and listening to each other breath, a dream-filled sleep eventually overcame them. Although nothing either of them dreamed held a candle to what had just become their new reality.

***

Music:

Ruby and Emilia's duet

"Timber" by Kesha (featuring PitBull)

    -if Ruby and Scarlet continue doing twin routines in the future, I imagined they'd dance to a lot of pop/country. This song is very poppy but the harmonica always struck me as country. 

    -the style could combine those big flamenco arm movements with a little Texas two-step. Then of course some of the specialties of the performances as mentioned in the text

Talia and JP's duet

"My Heart is Open" by Maroon 5 (featuring Gwen Stefani)

    -When I first heard this on their "V" album, I wanted SO BADLY for Gwen and Adam Levine to perform it live on The Voice. I can only assume (and blame) the reason it never happened on Blake Shelton because he and Gwen started going out and it would be odd for Adam to sing it with her instead

    -Another of those instances where I had the scene in mind, put the song in this context later on and did some editing to mix the two together

And this may sound really silly, but I still haven't completely figured out the ending of the story yet. I have a partial postscript written but it needs work. 

For the record, I did plan on ending the story with this long-awaited reunion between Talia and JP. I've seen a couple of movies that ended in similar ways. The second "High School Musical" movie and "The Biggest Fan" with Chris Trousdale. It always sort of annoyed me how a couple reconciles at the end of a movie with a few quick words or a song and the movie just ends. So I actually came back to this chapter a couple of months later because I had to add. And today, I was still adding more. I'd spent so many pages building all of this up, it needed to be hashed out properly.

And yes, I could choose to end it here. But if anyone's fallen in love with these characters like I have, they're gonna be at least a little curious about how lies ahead for them in the future. What happens to them and their relationships after the screen fades to black. 

I'll let you know as soon as I have it figured out. 

The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 51- Something about the Chase

            As was the case every year, the final night of Calypso’s busy season coincided with the end-of-summer karaoke contest. Although Eclipse enjoyed a fair bit of success in its five years of operation, this cross promotion ensured a massive payout for both venues.
            Talia considered bringing La Scala into the fold but through Javier, she quickly learned that wouldn’t be necessary. After Juan Paulo did the showcase for the label executives and heard nothing back from them, he lost all interest in performing. The other bands under contract made a valiant effort to fill the void left behind, but to no avail. La Scala closed to the public shortly after. Talia apologized to the owners, taking full responsibility, but they reassured her this was only a minor setback. They were already working on plans to draw extra business next year, including a “battle of the bands” competition among other musical prospects.
            Amber briefly considered making a similar arrangement with Evangeline’s but the time wasn’t right just yet. Despite procuring a small following in a short time, The Underground remained too dangerous for garden variety tourists. Matters would have to wait until she discussed the logistics with Alejandro. It was too much to expect the complete eradication of the drug-fueled prostitution, but she hoped with his help, precautions can be put in place to keep the two worlds separate.
            Without question, the big night was one for the ages. There were two last minute snags, but the record-breaking crowd was none the wiser.
            Scarlet dropped out of all but one of the numbers she’d committed to. Despite the fact she was now taking in enough calories for two, she didn’t have as much energy for herself as she’d had in the previous weeks. Her participation in the karaoke competition would solely depend on how she felt by the end of the night.
            Then in irregular fashion, Talia arrived five minutes before showtime. This caused additional apprehension because her solo was the opening number. While Amber didn’t appreciate Talia’s tardiness, her tone was surprisingly calm when she asked her about it. “You were the one who wanted to open the show tonight. If you can’t commit to being here on time…”
            “I know, I know… I had another meeting with the brothers and I lost track of time.” Anticipating more questions to follow, she added, “they wish us luck on our show tonight. And there may be some more changes going into next season… some things still need to be decided but once they are, I will let everyone know.”
            As Talia got into position, Alejandro brought something curious to her attention. “My uncles messaged me two hours ago saying you’d left and to wish the rest of us luck. What else have you been off doing?”
            She shook her head but the eye roll that followed was oddly humorous. Talia’s attitude toward Alejandro had changed dramatically over the last few weeks; he’d confessed to the others on numerous occasions that he still wasn’t used to it. “There are no guarantees but karaoke this year may be a little different. Now you’re the one slowing us down. Start the music.”
            Offering a playful smirk of his own, he responded, “Right away, boss.”

            The curtains open, revealing the interior bar set from Amber’s show. Sitting at the baby grand piano, Talia plays along to the dramatic keys that open the first song. She gets up from the bench two measures later to take her position center stage. The hip hop beat is new territory for her, but she entrances the audience with her sultry demeanor and seductive belly rolls the same way she had since day one. Then as the tempo picks up, her pacing follows. She twirls over to stage left, sashaying her hips in slow motion to fuse cha-cha and belly dance, and repeats the pattern on stage right.
            A collective gasp rolls through the crowd, breaking into patches of excited whispers, when the music suddenly shifts into a new song at the conclusion of the first chorus. The curtains close momentarily. A light fog fills the stage, followed by the unfurling of a purple oriental rug. Talia reappears but she isn’t alone. Wearing a similar belly dancing outfit, but in royal blue, Amber joins her. Their other accessories include three bangles on their right arms and ornate headpieces with matching silk veils running down to their shoulders. The fog ebbs away. A landscape painting depicting a vast desert with a large castle in the background serves as their backdrop.

            These first two songs had a few key elements in common. Both fused hip-hop beats with poppy hooks and recounted a former life when control had been taken away under false pretenses. But the second was especially unique because it was by an all man band with a female guest vocalist—the first time Talia danced to a song led by a male artist. Amber introduced it to her after they handled the situation with Rodrigo but before discussing the details with Emilia. It took a little convincing but once Talia found herself in the story, she was on board—on the condition Amber performed the number with her.
            The combination of their personal styles worked together so well, they left the impression they’d been dancing together for years. Bombastic hip-hop arm movements met the precise hand gestures of Bollywood. During the instrumental breaks between sections, they swayed their bodies side to side as if the rug under their feet was their flying carpet. Individually, they traded solos during the verses—Talia during the first and Amber the second—but the common ground they shared in their lives came through in their chemistry. It escaped everyone else’s notice but as the big finish approached, Amber noticed silent tears streaming down Talia’s face. She was too caught up in the moment to realize the same thing was happening to her. It wasn’t until after they took their bows and the curtains closed, they allowed themselves to break down in a cathartic embrace. Nobody said anything; nothing needed to be said. They simply shared a smile and began preparations for the next number.

            The interior set is back on stage, the baby grand stage on the right and the bar setup to the left. With her back to the audience, Emilia stands alone between them. She wears a white blouse with flourishes of blue breaking its outline. A matching blue skirt adorned with jingling bronze coins sits just below her waistline. On the barstools, Talia, Amber, Vanessa and the twins sit to offer morale support. They also present a fun guessing game for the patrons; who will leave their seat to join her?
            Her right hand resting on her hip, Emilia shimmies three times with the percussive slam that begin the next song. She quickly turns 180 degrees and begins to dance. The fast-paced back-and-forth motion of her hips contrasts amazingly with her slow-motion cha cha steps as does the combination of her youth and confidence. The rare breed of confidence that typically only comes to those with years of experience.
            Emilia leaves Talia’s signature style behind and brings her classical training into the fray. She floats daintily on her toes, seamlessly moving between ballet and tap. The highlight and biggest crowd pleaser: a series of pirouettes in perfect sync with the record scratch stutter placed on the vocal. After proclaiming her destiny will remain exclusively in her own hands, Amber flanks her on her left and Ruby on her right. They move together as a unit as they retrace every step. In doing so, the music and all of the accompanying visuals will be impossible to forget.

            Everyone gathers around Emilia to congratulate her. Their voices jumble together in their excitement, each one indistinguishable from the next. Then one of the twins breaks away and walks over to the piano. She exhales as she sits on the bench. Then she starts playing a few chords without the support of a backing track. There’s a massive gasp from the audience when they realize what’s happening. The other sirens stop their chatter and turn their attention in the same direction.
            She pauses and says, “this is my first time doing something like this so forgive me if it isn’t perfect.” She resumes playing, vocalizing soon following. Cheering quickly crescendos from the back of the room to the front when everyone realizes it’s Scarlet. She blushes, “thank you,” and starts singing a slower version of her song. Two lines in, Amber and Ruby clap their hands above their heads. They repeat this every other note until the rest of the room catches on. Scarlet takes a deep breath and hits the chorus with a massive outburst of emotion. As flawless as her playing, her voice maintains its strength the whole way through. Suddenly she stops and calls out, “now, Alejandro!”
            The lights fade to black but a spotlight flashing in different colors randomly shifts around. When the house lights illuminate, Scarlet is at center stage with Amber, Ruby and Emilia behind her. Each one is wearing a wig streaked with different mixtures of highlights. Honey brown for some and bright reds and oranges for others. A costume change had also occurred under darkness. Bare midriffs and belly dancing outfits are out; sparkling dresses with fringe running down the middle of the bodice are in. Big and bold choreography, seesawing a fine line between samba and salsa, catapults everyone’s euphoria into the stratosphere.

            While the others could have continued for much longer, the adrenaline boost Scarlet received from the cheering wore off after a minute. She finished the chorus before doubling over, panting heavily while wrapping a protective arm around her stomach. Someone must have signaled something to Alejandro because the music’s volume went down considerably.
            “Are you ok?” Amber patted her shoulder.
            Panting from fatigue, Scarlet replied, “I’m fine. We’re both fine. Just overdid it, that’s all. I’m sorry…”

            “Don’t be. That was amazing.” She turned to the crowd, “wasn’t it amazing?” They immediately responded. “Come on, let’s finish this.”
            Again, she and Ruby clapped on the beat and everyone else joined them. They sung the chorus and the venue shook as the rest of the room followed along. Scarlet pulled herself together and straightened her spine to face the back of the room. Tears streamed down her face; she was so touched by all of the love and support around her.
            Alejandro escorted Scarlet down to the bar so she could have a front row seat for the finale. She beamed when she saw Javier sitting there waiting for her. Words failed her as he kissed her twice and brought her into his arms for a loving embrace. She barely heard him above the noise but hearing “I am so proud of you” capped off what had been a perfect night.

            Back on stage, the set changed one final time to one of the exteriors from Amber’s show. Gas lamps, organized in two lines to create the illusion of a street, led back toward the facade of the club entrance. The sirens followed Ruby’s lead, all wearing black dresses with red LED lights sewn into them.

            Even with all of the highlights there’d been so far, they’d saved the best for last. The choreography screamed Broadway karaoke musical while invoking nostalgia of a bygone era of pop diva music videos. The song encapsulated the theme of the night while promising an even brighter future ahead. All the while, the sirens took turns looking at each other; big smiles on everyone’s faces only served to increase their own.

            On a whim, Scarlet watched the audience for a few moments. It was something she did every now and then to gauge what the general response was. She couldn’t recollect a single night in recent memory when things were this lively. Then she noticed something curious happening in the midst of it. Alejandro was working his way through the people, stopping every few feet to say a few words before continuing to the next party. Whatever was being said, he left with a bigger smile when he departed than when he first met with them.
            Javier whispered directly into her ear so she heard him clearly, “what do you think he’s up to?”
            “I don’t know… it’s a first for me too.”
            After what had been a thrilling evening, the curtains closed for the final time. Everyone left on stage was gasping for breath through smiles so big their cheekbones hurt.
            Emilia was the first to say, “great show, Amber…” Talia, Vanessa and Ruby echoed her sentiment in their own way, exchanging hugs and high fives with one another.
            Seconds passed slowly and a single word started working its way above the cheers. It wasn’t immediately clear at first but soon enough, the chants for Amber to give an encore roared above all other chatter.
            “Amber…” Ruby patted her shoulder, “they’re asking for you…”
            “Wait, what?” She shook her head. But after listening for a few seconds, it finally resonated. “No way… I thought maybe Scarlet after the reception she…”

            “It isn’t like you to be so modest…” Alejandro had just joined them backstage and a hot blush broke across her face. “Come on, you deserve this…”
            “You… you did this?” After getting a grip on herself, she exhaled, “ok… but I’ll have to sit down for this because I don’t think my knees can handle it.” She said her goodbyes to the others and promised she’d catch up with them at karaoke later. But even as she spoke those words, she didn’t fully believe them.

            The curtains opened one last time. Amber was sitting on the bench and Alejandro straddled himself over a chair on the other side of the piano. She couldn’t help but smirk. The last time they’d been together on stage like this didn’t go as well as she’d hoped but she knew without a doubt this time would be different.
            She tinkered randomly on the keys before addressing the patrons. “Scarlet’s boyfriend took a little time over the past week to teach all of us the basics. Having this piano was my idea so it only made sense.” She looked up at Alejandro and returned his smile. “Someone once told me they’d like to see me do something authentic and personal. As much as I want to go on and on about how this person makes me feel, how I knew for sure I’d one day get to this place… this song is the one I want to do in this moment. If you know it, feel free to sing along. If not, count to three and clap on three.”
            Once they got the timing down, she started actually playing the song. Alejandro covered his mouth to stifle a gasp; he was immediately blown away by this unexpected show of talent. Little by little, the size of the world shrunk and Amber only had eyes for the man sitting across from her. She changed a few lyrics as she went along to make it personal to the two of them. Whether anyone noticed, she didn’t know and ultimately it didn’t matter. Alejandro finally had her full attention. Occasionally she’d concentrate harder in an effort to read his mind. As far as she knew, he could just have been beaming at her as part of the act.

*      *     *

            After closing up for the night, Alejandro offered to walk Amber to the other venue, but she had other plans. “I think I just want to go home and rest. It’s been a crazy couple of weeks.”
            “All right, then. My offer still stands.”
            “I’d like that…”
            No further words were exchanged until they arrived at their destination. Amber spent so many years dreaming about what she’d do if they found herself in this position. In a dense fog of euphoria and exhaustion, she’d forgotten them all. Instead, she decided just to thank him. “Tonight was amazing… all of us really left everything on that stage.” Unlocking the door, she said, “tell the others I’m sorry I couldn’t join them…”
            “I’m sure they’ll understand.”
            She deliberated for a moment before saying, “well, good night…”
            Amber had her hand on the door, ready to push her way in when she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Amber…?”

            She turned toward his voice and Alejandro started caressing her cheek. The smolder in his eyes was brand new; not even Talia had experienced its likes before. Hers closed when he leaned in and their lips found each other. When the opportunity arose, Amber inhaled as much air as her lungs would allow. Traces of Alejandro’s cologne tickled the back of her throat. The next thing either of them knew, she pulled him inside and enthusiastically shut the door behind them.

***

There's a lot to unpack from this chapter. It's the last one that takes place at the Calypso club so it had to end with a bang. Hopefully I succeeded.

Talia's solo:

"Paper Gangster" by Lady Gaga

    -only up until the end of the first chorus
    -Her typical belly-dance solo with some quick turns to the faster piano notes

Talia and Amber's duet

"Princess of China" by Coldplay featuring Rihanna

    -apparently the music video for this song has visuals inspired by "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "House of Flying Daggers" among others. I haven't personally seen it but I was always curious why the princess's ethnicity 

    -I originally had this as a Talia heart song where she gets super personal but thought it'd be nice closure to have her and Amber do it together. Elements in the lyrics fit both of their backstories and it gets kinda emotional to listen to sometimes

    -Talia being a bellydancer was partially inspired by Mayte Garcia and her first project with Prince was "3 chains o' gold," which took place in Egypt so some of my visuals comes from that as well. And maybe a little of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin

Emilia's solo- later joined by Ruby and Amber

"Unprotected" by Britney Spears

Scarlet's solo- later joined by Ruby, Amber and Emilia

"Hair" by Lady Gaga

Group finale- everyone except Scarlet

"Stronger" by Britney Spears OR "The Edge of Glory"

    -admittedly, I had trouble figuring out how to describe this number so I just left it at a few lines

    -Britney Spears were very integral to Amber's playlist early on and that song came back into my life thanks to "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist". Where a character was fired for being the least productive coder, this was their kiss-off song and it was epic... when I played this song back today, I didn't get that epic vibe but the Lady Gaga song did so today. Either one could fit in this situation, depending on my mood

Amber's encore

"You & I" by Lady Gaga

    -This was one of those ideas that hit me like lightning and I ran with it. 

    -If this ever became a movie and I was able to clear all of the songs, I'd obviously have to change a lot of words. Probably wouldn't have the final bridge mentioning the three men. Instead of Nebraska, it'd be "my cool Calypso guy" (however cheesy that sounds) and 5 years "since I let you go". 

The Sirens of Calypso- Chapter 50- Nothing Left of Yesterday

            The end of peak tourism season was fast approaching. Talia typically wrapped it up with a big showcase. Each siren was in charge of one routine, either one of their “greatest hits” or a preview of what they had planned for the following year. The one caveat was that they all had to fall under the same theme.
            For the first time, Talia handed the responsibility of coordinating this special night to someone else-- that person being Amber. She received the honor with an understandable amount of skepticism, but it didn’t take much to convince her. Talia’s biggest selling point: after extensive research, she concluded that Amber’s theme night was the most successful in Calypso’s history in terms of both money earned and customer satisfaction. She also conceded that the old formula had grown tired and stagnant so fostering fresh new ideas was essential to its future.
            Two days of brainstorming with Talia and Emilia later, Amber knew exactly what she wanted. For starters, everyone who wanted a solo would get one. All three of them hoped Scarlet would finally have the courage to do one herself.  Emilia considered her opening number from Amber's show but decided instead on the idea that came out during their first rehearsal together. She shared the song choice with Talia and she agreed that it was perfect for her. (“I admit. I was too protective of you. That is to blame for everything that went wrong between us.”) Amber would reprise her solo from her theme night. She also planned to bring back her old quartet routine that featured the twins, Vanessa and herself. Then in the end, everything would culminate in one massive energetic group number.
            While Talia and Emilia met with Vanessa to go over the details, Amber called Scarlet to discuss the same with her. The lukewarm reception she received once she finished her pitch caught her off guard.
            “Is everything ok?” Amber finally asked after a long pause.
            “Yeah, I’m ok. Listen, can we meet somewhere? I have to tell you something and I want to do it in person.”

*    *    *

            With the exception of Alejandro, Calypso was deserted when Amber arrived. Scarlet was sitting on the edge of the stage, staring at her feet as they hung down. She noticed the grave experience on Amber’s face and she put on a reassuring smile in response.
            “You don’t have to be so serious. I promise it’s nothing bad… although it's kind of a big deal.” Amber exhaled, taking her time as she sat herself beside her. Beaming while looking down, Scarlet blushed. “I haven’t told any of the others about this so right now this is a little secret just between us. Even before I found out who you really were, I wanted you to be the first one to know…”
            “Know what?”
            A few happy tears fell as she said, “I’m pregnant.”
            “Oh wow… um, congratulations, I guess? I mean, if you’re happy about it. I know how difficult it was for you the last time....”
            “Yeah, I know. I've been talking to Dr. Rodriguez and he said I should be okay this time. It's been a lot to process but I think... yeah, I am happy."
            “Ok, good, then I’m happy for you…” Amber stuttered. She noticed how she’d rested her hand in the space between them on the stage and suddenly felt awkward. As “Amber”, she kept her warmest feelings locked inside and was never comfortable enough to express them openly. But on an occasion like this, “Carmen” wouldn’t have hesitated. “Um, I’m still not used to…”
            “What? Showing any sort of affection now that you’re not hiding behind some new identity?” Amber opened her mouth to object when Scarlet playfully rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone you’re a big softie under that tough exterior.”
            Amber cracked a smile, “shut up,” before pulling Scarlet in for a warm embrace. She made a mental note to be careful of her midsection as she increased her grip strength. She wanted badly to articulate how much she’d missed having the close friendship they once had but never found the words. Scarlet offering equal strength in return was thankfully all the confirmation she needed that she understood.
            After they separated, Amber asked, “So… when you were having stomach issues during rehearsal, it was this?”
            “Apparently, yeah,” she shrugged, “I had really bad morning sickness for the first couple of weeks. The night of your show wasn’t even the worst of it, but I think finally things have settled down.”
            “That’s good… So, does Javi…”
            “Not yet. I invited him to come by here later so I’ll tell him then.” Her smile dissipated as she added, “I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while but with all that’s happened, I didn’t know the right time.”
            “I’m sorry but how did you keep something like this secret for so long? You’re usually bursting to talk about stuff like this.”
            “Hmm… that’s part of the reason I wanted you to know first. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of this until I was ready. Emilia and my sister would be fawning over me. Talia would be asking me a lot of questions I don’t have answers for yet. But with you, it’s the same reason I slept on your couch while I was figuring things out with me and Javi. I knew you would give me the space I needed until I was ready.” Scarlet paused as she read the clock in the back of the room, which read a quarter after 12. “And pretty soon, you’re going to be working with everyone on the showcase. I want to be part of it but I’m not sure how much I can be involved. The last thing I want is to overdo it.”

            “Hey, don’t worry about it. Whatever you feel comfortable doing is fine by me. Any ideas?”
            “I know how much everyone wants me to do a solo so I guess I’ll do that.”
            “Again, only if you want to.”
            “No, really. I do. The routine I meant to do the other night is really important to show people. It’s the closest thing I have to capturing what I went through. Do you have any spare ideas for twin routines? I talked to Ruby about it on my way over here but neither of us could come up with anything.”
            “Well…” Amber folded her hands on her lap, knitting her fingers tightly together. “I don’t know how much you’ve heard about this from the others, but…” She spent the next several minutes taking Scarlet through the series of events that unfolded between her and Rodrigo. The assault, Ruby reporting it to Alejandro (an overstep she’s now extremely grateful to her for) and going to The Underground with Talia to deal with him one last time. Through the course of this monologue, Scarlet placed her hand over Amber’s and squeezed whenever she cringed or her voice broke. In response, Amber flashed her a grateful smile and used the strength it gave her to press onward. “After that, I got an idea for a routine to sort of bring it to life… but it might be a little too cutthroat to show to the public.”
            “Then, we’ll just dance it for ourselves. What did you have in mind?”                          “There’s one country song I like that would sum it up perfectly. Basically, two women find out the same man had been sleeping with both of them. Then they come together to exact their revenge.” She grinned in spite of herself. “Even for me, it’d be overdramatic. Alejandro would sit in for the object of your fury. Each of you would take turns stabbing him in shadow. Then in the end, he and the chair he’s tied to will slowly sink into the pits of hell.”
            Scarlet stared at a random wall as she pieced it all together in her head. She nodded thoughtfully and smiled. “Some good flamenco choreography and it could be a real showstopper. But you’re right. It might be too much. Wouldn’t want anyone outside our circle getting the wrong idea.”
            Her attention strayed to her stomach. She rubbed it a couple times for good measure before securely wrapping an arm around it.
            “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have those some fantasies about our father. Putting him in his place for what he did to me. To both of us.” Sighing mid-exhale, she explained, “I learned something else recently. My first night back with my sister, the nightmare came back. After Ruby finished calming me down, she told me something she’d been holding back for years.”
            “What was it?” 
            “She said she kept it from me for my own protection. But after what happened with Emilia, she decided it was time to tell me the truth about what happened when she left home. Our father found out about Calypso from the co-owner of the strip club they ran together. He knew where I was and he was ready to come here in order to bring me back. Ruby tried to stop him so he attacked her. Somehow, she had just enough room to reach around and pull the gun he’d been keeping in his back pocket. And she shot him…”
            “Wow…” Amber gasped, shaking her head. She looked up toward Alejandro to gauge his reaction. He was at the bar doing paperwork as usual, but the rigidity of his upper body indicated he’d heard every word. “Alejandro was saying the other day how taking a life can change a person. I just thought Ruby was less approachable than you because she spent more time trapped in that house. Now it all makes sense…”
            “Yeah, it does.” Scarlet sighed, cracking a smile. “You know what we need after all this? A karaoke night. Eclipse is having their annual end-of-season contest in a couple of days. There’s still plenty of time if you want to sign up and join us.”
            “I don’t know…” Amber stopped short when she saw Scarlet’s sad puppy dog eyes. “Ok! I’ll think about it! Although I’m not sure what the point is. It’s not like I’d stand a chance against the reigning karaoke champions.”
            “So what?” Scarlet gave her a playful shove. “Besides, we do it for fun just like every other time we go.”
            “Yeah right,” she scoffed, but could only smile. “Knowing you, you probably signed up as soon as the flyers went up.” Suddenly, Scarlet gasped and Amber braced her shoulder as if to protect her, “What, what’s wrong?”
            “Nothing…” She shook her head, dumbfounded, “I can’t believe I forgot about that. This baby has made me so scatterbrained.”
            “What is it?”
            “The guy who runs the contest told me something interesting. How Talia signed up with a partner for the first time.”
            “A partner? Do you think it was Juan Paulo?”
            “The signup sheet was first posted over a month ago. It wouldn’t surprise me.”
            “I hate to pay Talia a compliment but the two of them really did look good together. I asked her the other day if she wants to get back together but the jury’s still out unfortunately.”
            “Hi Scarlet…” A smooth male voice called out to her from across the room. At first, it felt centuries away. When Scarlet adjusted her focus and saw Javier standing clear as day in the middle of the dance floor, a mix of emotions surged through her body. It was so overwhelming, each feeling impossible to distinguish from the next, she was visibly shaking.
            “Hey Javi.” Carefully getting to her feet and walking down the staircase off the stage, she slipped off her shoes before bulldozing her way into his arms.
            “Whoa,” he gasped as he fought to keep his balance, “you’re a lot stronger than I remember.”
            After holding onto him for several minutes and passionately kissing him for a few more, she whispered everything she’d been holding back into his ear. Amber covered her mouth to hold back any outbursts threatening to come out. She and Alejandro looked each other; with all that Scarlet had been through in her life, they couldn’t have been happier for her. The moment her big news hit him, Javier was beside himself with joy and it was his turn to hold and kiss her all over.
            “Ok, that’s enough.” Amber groaned through her smile. To her shock and everyone else’s, Alejandro chimed in, “I know, get a room.”
            Scarlet broke away, giggling, “oh yeah? What about you two? Everything’s out in the open so there’s no reason you can’t…”
            In another unexpected move, Alejandro saved Amber the trouble of answering, “I’ll tell you what, Scarlet. When we’re all done for the season, I’ll ask Amber on a date and we’ll go from there.”
            “Really?” Her jaw dropped open. Everything happened so fast, it was a lot to expect him to immediately return her feelings. But this prospect was a step in a direction she’d dreamed of for a long time, which was more than she could’ve asked for.
            “Like I said the other day, we have a lot to talk about. And I wouldn’t mind seeing if this leads somewhere…”
            On their way out, Scarlet told Javier about the karaoke contest. He doubted Juan Paulo would attend in any capacity but he vowed to do everything he could to make it happen.

*      *     *

            By contrast, the other meeting wasn’t nearly as excitable. Emilia carried the conversation for the most part with the occasional abbreviated response from Talia and Vanessa. They smiled in her direction with equal enthusiasm but whenever they caught each other’s eye, they turned away or suddenly decided a different part of the room was more deserving of their attention. After what felt like the most awkward five minutes of her life, which was saying a lot considering how tumultuous the summer had been, Emilia had enough.
            “All right!” She jumped to her feet, catching the others by surprise. “I’m not going to be another go-between for you two. You need to clear the air and you better be done by the time I get back with our lunch order.” While she didn’t slam the apartment door behind her, Emilia used enough force to stamp a period at the end of her sentence.
            Vanessa smirked in spite of herself. “Seems like everyone has had a turn being the tactful one in our group.”
            “You were right, Vanessa… you were right about everything.” Like Amber before her, Vanessa had every intention of hurling a string of sarcasm at Talia in response to her comment, only to decide against it after observing her more closely. She held her body so tight that her larger-than-life presence had diminished. As had become habit for her, she rubbed the crook of her elbow in an effort to comfort herself. Then she looked her straight in the eye, admitting, “I have not been myself. I couldn’t tell anyone when I wasn’t ready to admit it to myself.”
            Talia showed Vanessa her scars and explained to her everything she had previously discussed with Amber. Vanessa gave the occasional one-word responses in between but otherwise gave Talia her full attention. When she was done, she sighed, “I know forgiving me is a lot to ask. I have done so many horrible things…”
            “You don’t have to explain anymore, Talia.” Vanessa shrugged out of exhaustion more than anything else. Then she offered a smile. “It’s like one of our songs… it’s hard admitting to others we’re only human. And I think we can all say from experience that no one’s words hurt as much as the ones we tell ourselves.” She reached over to massage her back and Talia offered a grateful smile in return.
            The rest of their time without Emilia’s company was mostly filled with silence. They took turns talking about the others and theorizing what they’d bring to the big show. Amber’s ingenuity and leadership came up more than once. It was hard to be sure whether Vanessa was more surprised of Talia’s complementary attitude or Talia relinquishing control so easily. Whatever the case was, the future of the sirens never looked brighter.
            However, somewhere in the midst of their silence, Vanessa couldn’t help but feel Talia was holding something else back. After calling her out on it, Vanessa assured her, “whatever it is, we can figure it out together. So, what are you thinking about? Is it about JP or…”
            “That might just be a lost cause. Even if he heard everything… you didn’t see the way he looked at me when he came here with Emilia. Like I drove a wrecking ball through his heart…” She sighed, leaning forward with her hands clasped on her lap. “I never thought I’d let another man be my biggest regret. And not even a man that deserved what they got.”
            “Well… he will be returning home soon so a clean break might have been the best thing…”
            “That is true. He was only a tourist so there was no point to…” She caught onto Vanessa’s defeated tone, asking, “you don’t really believe that, do you?”
            “What do you think?” She challenged her but Talia averted her gaze.
            “I didn’t think so… I would tell you to go after him but that didn’t work so well the last time.”
            “Yeah. The fact remains that I’m not you. I deserve someone that only has eyes for me.”
            “And whoever that is will be lucky to have you.”
            “Thanks.” Vanessa waited for the blush to drain from her face before offering, “seriously, do you want me to try talking to him? I will if that’s what you want.”
            “Hmm,” Talia bit her lip, “even if I said there was no point, I can’t stop anyone from trying. If I learned anything, I can’t control everything and it was foolish to think I could try.”
            Emilia returned to a more amiable and relaxed room and business resumed once lunchtime had come and gone. But during the in-between moments when Vanessa and Emilia gave each other their full attention, Talia’s mind wandered elsewhere. The situation with Juan Paulo had been weighing heavily on her conscience for weeks and it felt good to bring all of that out into the open.
            However, Talia had been giving something else a lot of thought over the past month. When her doctor gave her the okay to resume sexual activity after he prescribed a ‘hiatus’ for her, she had a long discussion with the brothers about her personal plans for the future. Even now, it was something she was on the fence about. If she decided to do what she was considering, how would she break it to the others? At the end of the day, she took away one thing that assuaged the mountain of concerns she had. If she decided to leave the sirens and start a new life somewhere else where she could get the help she knew she needed, Calypso would be in far more capable hands than hers had been for a long time.
***

This scene underwent a LOT of changes, some were super recent (as all last week).
I’d originally intended it as the twins doing a routine set to “2 black Cadillacs” and Ruby doing a solo to “Blown Away” (where this chapter got its title) while explaining to Scarlet what happened to their father.
Both are Carrie underwood songs and I see a really vivid story when I listen to both of them. I read one headline about “Cadillacs” inspiring a lifetime movie or series... I Googled but literally found nothing about whether or not it was actually made. The articles all date back 10 years ago.
That one is so vivid in my head, I literally see it on the “Dancing with the Stars” stage and it’d be a wicked tango/flamenco/paso doble.

Ultimately I decided all that was better off explained in conversation rather than devoting a lot of extra time to it. I also think I just wanted one last scene with Scarlet and Amber. I’d originally written Amber hugging Scarlet as her way of congratulating her but it didn’t feel true to her character. She’d spent all this time putting walls up and not showing affection openly. I hope I was able to make it more convincing in this version.
I’d like to think in another time or place, they could’ve been a couple and I’d love that for them. Although when I envision it, it'd probably be another mistaken identity thing with Ruby and she'd be the only twin that would return Amber's feelings... and it'd be a huge mess because Amber definitely wouldn't feel anything more than friendship for her.