Chapter Four
2027 Words
Ally was deep in thought in her room. Where she had been for the past several days. Her curtains drawn, the room dark, she needed to get away from here. She had a feeling that her secret would be found out, but she had to protect her sisters.
She jumped at the knock on her door, she didn't feel like company, she wanted to be left alone. Chusi walked in, "Alright, let's go," she said.
"Go where?" Ally asked.
"We are going out," Chusi said, heading to Ally's closet.
"We?" Alyona asked.
"Yes, me and you," she informed her, walking into the depths of the closet to find her some clothes. Her hands fell onto the gown from that night. Chusi stifled a gasp at the sight of it, she knew then exactly what happened to Alyona as she took in the stained and torn gown. Pushing it back down into the recesses of the closet she dug around until she found a pair of jeans and a soft t-shirt in her favorite color, peach.
She came out of the closet and handed the outfit to Ally, "Now go get in the shower and get ready," she said.
"For what?" Ally asked as Chusi pushed her into the bathroom.
Chusi grinned, "Pedicures," she said.
Once Ally was in the shower, Chusi knew who else needed to join them, Freya and Esmerelda. Esmy would be able to help Ally whereas the other couldn't even fathom how she felt.
Chusi waited on the chair in Ally's room until the young woman came out, the steam and perfume from the bathroom following her like a locomotive leaving the station. Her skin held the glow of someone who was trying to scrub away her memories. This strengthened Chusi's resolve to get Ally help.
**********
Abigor was pacing in his hall again, he was at a loss over everything that Brigid had done. Why had she done it? He picked up the nearest item, this time a book, and threw it across the room.
"With your temper, it's no wonder people don't want to be around you," came the all too familiar voice of Apollo.
Abigor looked up, "Don't you ever use a door?" he asked sarcastically.
Apollo laughed dryly, "Why, so you can avoid me? What fun would that be?" he asked.
"No, I wouldn't avoid you," he insisted.
Apollo laughed, "You're not a very good liar," he said.
"Why are you here?" he asked growing impatient with the pushy god.
"Because, I can't leave you alone until you get your act together," he snapped. He was just as tired of coming here as Abigor was of seeing him.
"Well, my act is just fine," Abigor said snarkily.
Apollo looked around, his eyes filled with distaste, he didn't even bother to hide any longer.
"Have you even begun to take care of your father's affairs?" he asked.
"What affairs?" Abigor asked.
"Well, that explains a lot," Apollo said, rolling his eyes.
"My father took from the pirates just like all the other kings of the Isle," Abigor said.
Apollo laughed outright at this statement, "Not only have you let this place fall into ruin, but you really have no clue," he said. He said jabbing the demon in his thick skull.
"What?" Abigor said, "The minions know that when a ship gets stuck on the reef they are to take what we need and sink the ship," he said. Abigor rubbed the part of his head that Apollo had just jabbed, did he have to poke him so hard? Damn, it hurt.
"That's another thing, why haven't you allowed them to do their jobs?" Apollo asked, looking around the hall in disgust, using a sandaled toe to push another piece of the broken vase out of his way.
"Because I want to be left in peace," Abigor said defiantly, crossing his arms.
Apollo laughed at Abigor's reasoning, "You can be left in peace in a clean space," he insisted. "Where are the minions?"
"I don't know," he said. "I just send them away anytime they come in," he explained. As he was speaking there was a small knock on the door.
"Ah, just in time, " Apollo said, "Come in, come in," he called warmly.
The door opened and in walked a small female minion. She was carrying a silver serving tray with Abigor's lunch, she looked alarmed to see two people in the room.
"There are two masters today?" she said quietly, afraid of the punishment she would receive for not bringing enough food for two.
"It's fine," Apollo said seeing the trepidation in the minion's body language. "What is your name?" he asked.
"Wash, sir," she said quietly.
Apollo didn't understand at first, "Wash what?" he asked.
The minion looked up at the god, "Just Wash, sir, that is what minion was called by the other master. Wash, because that is what minion did, washed."
Abigor looked at the minion, he felt slightly guilty that he didn't know their names. "You are dismissed, Wash," he said. Making it a point to use the minion's name.
As the minion walked towards the door, Apollo called out to her, stopping her. "Wash, please let all the housekeeper minions know that they are to begin their duties again. Today," he said giving Abigor a look that gave no room for arguments.
Abigor was about to say something, but seeing Apollo's look shut his mouth. If there was one thing he was learning was that don't argue with the gods. His head was still throbbing from where Apollo poked him, but he wouldn't give the god the satisfaction of seeing him rub it again.
The minion walked out the door, and as she closed it, she could feel an unfamiliar sensation fill her belly, she had two jobs now!
Apollo looked at Abigor, "Now about your father's affairs," he continued, "Stealing from ships may have worked when Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Henry Morgan were alive, but, " he said. "As you can plainly see, there hasn't been an influx of ships through your waters. Which, I am sure has made the mermaids bored as well," he said.
At the mention of the mermaids Abigor stopped, "Wait, there are mermaids in my waters?" he asked shocked at the revelation. "Father never mentioned them."
Apollo shook his head, "You just didn't listen when your father spoke," he said poking Abigor again, this time in the chest.
"Will you stop, touching me?" Abigor snapped. He sat down behind the desk to eat. Offering some to Apollo, who declined with a wave of his hand and shake of his head.
"Someone needs to poke some sense into you," he said.
"You will need to have this place ready for interviews in two days' time," Apollo said as Abigor took a sip of his coffee. This bit of news made him choke and spit the coffee out across his desk.
"Interviews? Two days?" He said between coughs.
"Yes, you better look into all that your father did to make money here," he said. With that Apollo left the demon to his thoughts.
*********
Chusi and Alyona finished their pedicures, with Freya and Esmy joining them halfway through. Ally did her best to be friendly, it was just difficult to be pleasant to everyone with so much on her mind.
"Ally, are you okay?" Esmy asked, she could see that Ally hasn't slept well in what looked like weeks.
Ally nodded her head, "I'm just," she paused and looked at the ladies in front of her, "tired."
"You need to go see Circe, at Dreamers, she'll fix you right up," Esmy said.
"Oh, we are all going over there," Freya said, "I need more ginger candy. This baby is giving me quite the bellyache," she said rubbing her belly over the small bump holding her and Alev's baby.
As they were walking out of the salon, they heard the gentle voice of Clara, "Did someone say ginger candy?" she asked.
"Yes, we were going to Dreamers. Care to join us?" Chusi asked. She knew that Ally needed to be around strong women right now, to see that she wasn't alone. Ally looked at Chusi, who just smiled at her, reassuring her that she was okay with them.
They made their way to the small boardwalk shop and opened the door. Circe greeted them in her usual fashion, her brightly colored dress today making them almost squint. The yellows and peaches of the dress reminded them of sunshine and the warm weather that was peaking around the corner.
"Ladies, I was expecting you!" she smiled warmly. Dropping kisses on the cheeks of each woman in turn.
She turned around and reached for two bags of ginger candy. Handing one to Freya and one to Clara,
"This is for you ladies. Eat one now, you look positively green," she said.
Freya used to her aunt's bluntness smiled at her, "Gee, thanks, Aunt Circe."
"Oh, you know I love you, but that baby is busy growing and taking what you need," she said, pointing to the bellies of each lady.
She turned to Chusi, "How are you doing, dear?" she asked.
Chusi smiled, she knew what was going on, and she would play along, "Oh, I'm fine," she said cordially.
Esmy's turn was next, "And you?"
"The kids are making me tired, but other than that, great," she admitted.
"Then you need more, sleeping oil," Circe said. Turning to Ally, "And so do you, dear," she said reaching for her oils.
She handed Esmy's hers and then turned to Ally, "Just a small drop of this on your temples dear and it will help you sleep," she said.
As she pressed the small vial into her hands, Circe caught a quick vision. Keeping her composure, she turned and picked up a small necklace, beaded with rainbow moonstone, malachite, and sugilite.
"Wear this, love," she said.
Ally went to protest, but Circe insisted.
Freya's grumbling belly let everyone know that she was hungry. The ladies all giggled when Clara's joined in.
"I guess it's off to see Mary and my mother, " Esmy said. She could understand the womens' plight.
Once at the Cafe and seated they ordered their drinks. With the two pregnant ladies excusing themselves to the restroom, their babies tapdancing atop their bladders making them need to go, immediately.
Chusi could feel a small stirring in her own heart, she couldn't wait until she was pregnant with Bardik's baby.
Ally was sitting there quietly, trying to keep her face from showing her pain. When a small hand reached out and touched hers.
"If you ever need to talk about it," Esmy said softly. She could feel Alyona's ache.
"Talk about what?" Ally asked, feigning ignorance.
"I've been where you are now, Ally. Just know that I can listen if you want to talk," she said.
Ally smiled, "I'm fine. I swear," she denied. Her confident voice not reaching her eyes.
Just then Freya and Clara came back, a discarded newspaper in their hands.
Clara opened it to the horoscope section, knowing that these were a bunch of silliness, that wasn't to be taken seriously, she decided to add a little fun to their day.
She started with her own, and made her way down the line of women when she got to Ally, she asked.
"You're a Capricorn, right?" Clara asked.
Ally shook her head and grinned, "Nope, we're Aquarius," she said, "But Bardik is a Capricorn."
"Well, this is a girl's day out so no boys allowed, " Freya said, laughing. "So we don't care what Bardik is."
Clara adjusted the paper, "Aquarius, ah, there you are," she said triumphantly, "You will be taking on a great endeavor, Aquarius. Not many will understand."
As Clara was reading the horoscope, an ad on the other side of the paper happened to catch Ally's eye. She was captivated by the simple wording.
Wanted: a partner for a flourishing business. Must be willing to travel and be away from family for extended periods of time.
Ally knew what she needed to do.
- Writer
