Aria frowned as she saw the top post on reddit. She glanced over to Clarice, who was driving them back home from the hospital. "This doesn't look good."
"What?" Clarice asked curiously.
"Some internet sleuth has figured out that Calypso is Notestoremember," Aria said tensely as she read the post. "Let me read it to you."
I've discovered the identity of Notestoremember…sort of. To start with, I had a cousin who was in the hospital with a terminal illness. There was a young woman named Calypso who regularly visited his hospital to put on a small performance for all of the kids there. He said the night she sang to them his terminal illness vanished. The doctors kept him in the hospital for another week to do some tests to try and figure out if he was really better, and if so, how he got that way. The same musician who was there the night he recovered made another appearance a week later. This time, my cousin recorded some of the performance on his phone. After watching his video, I was amazed at the beautiful music this young woman composed. I decided to do some digging, and I found out she visits over a half a dozen children hospitals in the region. The hospitals she visits have a higher patient recovery rate than any other hospital in the nation, and by a huge margin. The recovery rates are so high that people will move their children all the way across the nation to get what they think is superior care.
I decided to interview more of the children who have recovered from these hospitals, and there was one overarching theme in every case. After Calypso put on her performance the patients would recover within a few hours. I spoke with dozens of former patients, and it was the same story every time.
So, now on to matching this mysterious musical healer up with the owner of the Notestoremember YouTube channel. After studying the video my cousin took of Calypso, I noticed she had the exact same violet eyes as Notestoremember. She also had matching lips, chin, and jaw, according to a facial recognition service I used. She even had the same color of lipstick.
I also analyzed the hands as she played the instruments, and they were scarily similar. I had a forensics AI compare the hands, and they were a match.
During my investigation I also discovered that Calypso has been visiting these hospitals for more than twenty-five years. As you can see in the video of Calypso, she doesn't look a day over twenty years old. You will also notice that her eyes are significantly larger than normal human eyes.
Now we know what Notestoremember really looks like beneath her mask. However, we still don't know who she is, since Calypso appears to be a pseudonym. The hospital doesn't have any other name on record for her either.
"Oh no," Clarice gasped as Aria finished reading it. "We have to warn Calypso before the media descends on her."
"At least they don't have her real name," Aria said with a sigh. "We need to warn her not to go to the hospital in two days. There are going to be an insane number of reporters and fans filling up the hospitals."
"What are the odds that this came out on the day that we visited her?" Clarice asked with frustration loud in her voice. "Just when we were going to get to spend more time with her too."
"She even said she expected more people to figure it out," Aria remembered, squinting as she recalled the beautiful woman's comment. "She said life just has a way of extrapolating events after they happen once and that she was sure there would be more people making the connection soon."
"What is she going to do?" Clarice wondered in a worried tone. "This has been her life's mission for over a hundred years. She's probably going to have an existential crisis or something if she can't go to the hospitals to help children anymore."
"Oh shit!" Aria swore in consternation. "We need to go to her house right now."
"What, why?" Clarice asked warily.
"They revealed what she looked like," Aria said, anger boiling inside her at the idiot who had revealed her identity. "If she stops to get gas, buy food, or even get out to walk around, people are going to recognize her now. Someone will almost definitely follow her home and reveal her location to the world."
Clarice got off on the next exit. "Okay, get her place up on the map and let's get over there."
They quickly rerouted their destination and began driving again. Aria felt a tight knot of worry in her stomach as she thought of all of the bad things that could happen to their oblivious little angel if the world found out who she was. The more she thought about it the more distraught she became.
"We need to get her somewhere else away from her home," Aria warned tightly. "It won't take long for someone to track her down. She's not human. You know what they'll probably do to her if they catch her."
Clarice blanched. "Oh my god, I didn't even think about the damn government. She would probably be seen as an alien or something."
"Exactly," Aria nodded, nervously wringing her hands. "She'll probably get locked up in a lab somewhere and nobody will ever see her again."
Clarice increased her speed, tickets be damned. It took them another hour to get to her house. Calypso was just pulling in ahead of them when they arrived, thanks to Clarice's excessive speeding. She parked the car in the driveway as Calypso pulled into her garage. Aria jumped out of the car and ran into the garage, knowing she probably looked batshit crazy.
Calypso looked out her window at Aria with a questioning expression that turned to concern when she saw how distraught Aria was.
"What's the matter, Aria?" Calypso asked gently as she exited her car.
"Somebody found out that you are NOTESTOREMEMBER," Aria blurted anxiously. "They also found out about your healing abilities and blabbed it all over the internet, so everyone knows what you look like now."
Calypso's face fell. "Oh, that's a shame."
"It's more serious than that, Calypso," Aria told her urgently. "The things you can do, your physical appearance; we are worried the government will come after you too."
"Why would they?" Calypso asked in puzzlement.
"They'll probably think you are an alien or something," Clarice explained as she joined them in the garage. "Even if they just think you are a human, they'll want to put you in a lab to study so that they can figure out how you do the things you do."
"Oh," Calypso said quietly. "Yeah, I see what you mean."
"We've got to get you out of here," Aria told her hurriedly. "It won't take them long to figure out where you live. Please, come with us. We'll keep you hidden until we can figure something else out."
Aria eyes filled with tears as her fear of harm befalling Calypso flooded her mind.
Calypso stared into her terrified eyes, then pulled her into a comforting embrace. "Shhh," Calypso murmured comfortingly. "It's okay."
Aria was enveloped by an overpowering sense of love as Calypso held her tightly. She felt the fear burning away as the strength of Calypso's love overwhelmed every other feeling. She clung to Calypso, trying to hang on to the sense of calm. Calypso just held her there for several minutes as she regained her composure.
"Better?" Calypso whispered gently.
"Yeah," Aria replied, taking a long, shuddering breath.
"Okay, let's start packing," Calypso said with a smile. "I haven't moved in a long time, this will be exciting."
Aria giggled in relief and amusement at the unexpected silver lining Calypso had found.
"I'll go get a moving truck," Clarice told them, her lips also twitching. "How big should it be?"
"No need to worry about that," Calypso replied easily. "I'll just pay a moving company to come pack it all up and put it in storage until we figure out where I can go. We can just pack some essentials and take the cars."
"Doesn't that cost a lot of money?" Clarice asked doubtfully.
"I had a trust fund from my parents that I invested into an oil company when I was about fourteen," Calypso replied matter-of-factly. "It turned out to be a good investment over time. At least, I think it has. I haven't run out of money yet."
"Are you an oil baron?" Aria asked suspiciously. "Don't tell me the theory that you were a billionaire ended up being right."
"Oil baron?" Calypso frowned at the term. "I'm not sure what that is. I'm not really sure how much money I have. I typically just go to the bank every Spring and withdraw two hundred thousand dollars. The bank manager told me that was the interest in my savings account, so I wouldn't need to actually pull any of my money out."
"Yep, they were true," Clarice snickered in amusement. "Sounds like somewhere between fifteen and fifty million dollars, depending on your interest rate."
"Clarice, the number cruncher," Aria commented wryly.
Calypso didn't pack very much. Aside from her clothes, she packed a few small instruments, including a beautiful violin that was clearly an antique. She also grabbed some shepherd's pipes, and a small harp.
"Your car is going to be registered in your name, so as soon as they find your name they will be able to identify your car," Aria noted with concern. "Would you be okay with leaving your car and just driving with us?"
"I don't want to be a burden-," Calypso began, but was cut off immediately by Aria.
"Good," Aria interrupted with a smirk. "That's settled then. Let's get out of here. I'll look up a moving company while we drive so we can get your stuff out of there as quickly as possible."
Aria sat in the back seat next to Calypso with her laptop so they could organize the moving company. They had another two hours of drive time. It was 3am and Aria was beginning to feel the toll of the long day.
They scheduled a call with the moving company for the next day and then closed the laptop, leaving the back of the car dark.
"Do you need me to drive?" Aria asked Clarice, trying and failing to keep the fatigue out of her voice.
"I'm good, Tweedle-Dee," Clarice assured her with a wink in the rearview mirror. "You get some sleep."
"No, I'm good," Aria replied quickly, then yawned widely.
"Sure you are," Clarice laughed, her eyes twinkling in the rearview mirror as she looked back at her. "I guess you're just trying to catch flies then, eh?"
Another yawn was her only reply.
Calypso was watching the two of them fondly, her large, violet eyes devoid of any fatigue.
"You should get some sleep," Calypso told her kindly. "You look exhausted."
"Aren't you tired?" Aria asked sleepily.
"I don't really get tired," Calypso answered wistfully.
"Like, ever?" Clarice asked disbelievingly.
"Yeah," Calypso nodded. "Sometimes I think it would be nice to be able to shutdown and experience oblivion for a while. My connection to light keeps me from ever getting tired though."
"Wow, I'm not sure if I feel bad for you or if I'm envious," Aria mumbled as her head began bobbing tiredly.
"Shhh…" Calypso shushed her quietly, gently pulling her down to lay in her lap. "Sleep now."
"If I must," Aria mumbled.
Calypso began to hum a melody that lulled her down gently into a deep slumber. Laying in Calypso's lap, she felt the now familiar blanket of love that was Calypso's aura completely envelop her. She smiled contentedly as the tender warmth of Calypso's heart radiated throughout her soul.
XXXXX
Aria awoke to the feel of fingers gently brushing her hair. She opened her eyes, feeling as if she had slept for twelve hours. She slowly sat up as the front car door opened.
"Are we there already?" Aria asked in surprise.
Clarice looked back at her curiously, noting how alert she looked. "Yeah, we're home. You look peppy. Sleep well?"
"I feel like I slept all night," Aria replied vibrantly. She looked at Calypso. "Did you do something to recharge me or something?"
"Maybe?" Calypso answered uncertainly. "I was humming a song that made me think of renewal and rest while you slept. It seemed like your aura was absorbing energy from it for a little while."
"Well, thank you," Aria told her gratefully. "I feel much better now."
Calypso smiled her angelic smile and squeezed Aria's hand. "I'm glad I could help."
"Let's go brainstorm and get a better lay of the land," Aria told her. She looked at Clarice. "You go get some sleep."
Clarice nodded, her eyes finally showing her fatigue. They exited the car and went up into their apartment. Aria was thankful that it was so early in the morning so that none of her neighbors would see Calypso on her way to their apartment.
Clarice went to bed as Aria showed Calypso around the apartment. "Here's the kitchen, where we keep a pretty good stock of fresh foods. Are you hungry?"
Calypso flushed, avoiding Aria's eyes. "I don't really eat food."
"What do you do to it then?" Aria asked dryly.
Calypso laughed that golden laugh and the blush faded. "I just never get hungry. I think I'm getting some kind of nourishment from this bond of light."
"That must save a lot of money," Aria noted enviously. Inside, her mind was goggling. She doesn't eat or sleep? This angel theory is getting less crazy by the minute.
"I never really thought about it," Calypso murmured thoughtfully. "But yeah, I guess that could get expensive."
"Let me show you the guest bedroom," Aria said faintly, leading her to the other end of the apartment. "I know you don't sleep, but you'll have a place for some privacy."
There was a queen-sized bed, a desk, and a bookshelf in the room. Calypso's large, violet eyes were bright and excited as Aria took her around the apartment. The presence of her aura had filled their apartment when she had entered it, saturating the area with a sense of love and compassion. Aria could tell she was ecstatic to not be alone anymore. She was a being that seemed to thrive on helping others. Being alone for who knew how long must have been lonely for someone so gregarious.
"We have a few instruments too," Aria informed her as they walked into the living room. There was a variety of electric and acoustic guitars on stands around the room. A large keyboard sat against one wall with a computer screen in front of it. A large harp sat in a corner of the room, with some small percussive instruments nearby.
Calypso immediately went to the harp, her face lighting up as if she was meeting up with an old friend. "Do you mind if I play it?"
"I would love for you to play it," Aria replied fervently.
Calypso began plucking a few strings as she tested the tone. She smiled, clearly pleased with the harp's sound. She closed her eyes and began plucking out a melody that sent chills down Aria's spine. Calypso began singing softly as she played, her voice splitting into a multitude of voices. Aria barely dared to breathe for fear of defiling the beautiful sounds serenading the room. Hearing Calypso play in person made her YouTube compositions sound lifeless in comparison. The air in the room felt alive with emotion as her song wove a tale of gratitude and appreciation. Her expressive voice radiated emotion and her large eyes almost glowed with passion as her whole heart went into the song.
When she finished, Aria realized her cheeks were wet with tears. There was so much power in the sentiment of her songs that it triggered an unconscious emotional reaction.
"Wow, that was beyond beautiful," Aria told her, her voice thick with respect. "Thank you."
Calypso sighed contentedly as she fondly stroked the frame of the harp like an old friend. "I guess I was feeling a little anxious without my instruments. This made me feel much better."
"It made me feel much better," Aria told her playfully.
Calypso laughed, brightening the room with her mirth. "I can't tell you how happy I am to be with the two of you. I guess I never noticed how lonely it had gotten on my own."
"I can only imagine," Aria replied gently, studying the beautiful musician fondly. "I'm so glad we came back out to see you so that we had this opportunity to be with you. I know it sounds so cliché, but I feel like we have an angel in our home."
Calypso's face lit up like a sunset, but her eyes were soft as she smiled shyly back at Aria. The room seemed to glow with her powerful emotions, filling it with love and appreciation.
"I'm going to check online and see what's going on," Aria informed her lightly. "Just make yourself comfortable. This is your home now too."
"Thank you," Calypso replied, her eyes shining with silver tears. Aria stared for a moment, convinced that her eyes were playing tricks on her. She walked over to Calypso curiously and gently reached up to brush the tear away from her cheek. As she stared at the quicksilver tear on her hand, it evaporated into mist. Her hand where the tear had touched began glowing softly and she suddenly felt a powerful surge of rejuvenation flush through her system.
"You are always full of more surprises," Aria told her wonderingly.
Calypso blinked after watching her quicksilver tear evaporate. "I don't think I've ever cried. Is that what tears are supposed to do?"
"Maybe for angels," Aria replied with an affectionate smile.
Aria walked over to her laptop near the couch and opened it up to see if the reddit post had led to any more breakthroughs. As she looked at the main news page, her heart sank. The main headline for the day was titled, NOTESTOREMEMBER'S IDENTITY FINALLY REVEALED, AND IT'S EVEN STRANGER THAN YOU COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
Being careful to keep her outward calm, Aria read through the article.
After a redditor managed to tie the identity of Notestoremember to a person going by the name of Calypso, internet sleuths quickly uncovered more details about the enigmatic owner of the most popular channel on YouTube. It was revealed that Calypso regularly visited eight different children's hospitals, leaving behind a mystery as children with terminal illnesses suddenly became healthy following her performances. We were able to interview some of the staff at the hospital, some of whom already believed that Calypso may have been responsible for the miraculous recoveries. Receptionist Julia Rinker revealed that she had suspected the young woman of healing patients for several years. When asked about her seemingly ageless appearance, Julia clammed up, worried that all of this attention would have a detrimental effect on Calypso's life and her mission of healing the children there. She may have good reason to worry, as the hospitals are quickly being swarmed by thousands of fans of the Notestoremember channel, hoping for a peak at one of the most famous musical figures of our age.
We were also told that her home was found by one of her overenthusiastic fans, who broke into it and filmed the inside, revealing all of the instruments used to create the music for her channel. There is no word on where Calypso is currently residing, as she wasn't at her home, despite her car being there. She may have gone into hiding after discovering that her identity was revealed.
Many internet denizens are angry with the YouTuber who revealed Notestoremember's identity, calling it a gross invasion of privacy. If she really is responsible for healing children at the hospitals, then his actions would also potentially result in the deaths of children who would have been healed by her magical music. He has offered a public apology, claiming he had not thought far enough ahead to the potential consequences of his actions.
The world waits with bated breath to find out if the Notestoremember channel will go dark, and children's hospitals quiet without her music.
Aria was proud of herself for maintaining an outward façade of calm as her stomach roiled inside after reading the article. Unfortunately, she had forgotten Calypso's ability to see beyond the physical.
"What's the matter?" Calypso asked her with concern.
"We got you out of there just in time," Aria sighed, feeling a sense of gratitude to the universe for small mercies.
"Oh," Calypso replied in understanding, her expression unreadable. She walked over and sat down on the couch next to Aria. "Do you mind if I read it?"
Aria reluctantly handed her laptop over, concern written on her face.
Calypso quickly read the article. Her eyes widened as she read, enhancing her look of vulnerable innocence. When she finished, she wordlessly handed the laptop back to Aria.
"We can totally disguise you when we go out so that nobody will recognize you," Aria told her reassuringly. "Maybe a hat, some sunglasses, and a change in the color of your makeup."
"Makeup?" Calypso asked in puzzlement. "I don't wear makeup."
Aria stared at Calypso's red lips and dark eyelids nonplussed. She hesitantly reached out and gently touched Calypso's lips. They definitely didn't have any makeup on them.
Calypso's face lit up like a sunset at the intimate gesture, and she stared at Aria uncertainly.
"I'm sorry, I just had to check," Aria said apologetically. "Did you get your lips and eyelids tattooed or something?"
"No, that is just their natural pigment," Calypso answered awkwardly, still blushing slightly.
"Wow, that's just not fair!" Aria complained enviously.
Calypso saw the twinkle in Aria's eyes and her lips curved up at the corners. "I know I've already said this, but I'm so glad to have met you. I think I really needed something new to happen in my life."
Aria impulsively put her arm around Calypso and hugged her. "Words can't express how happy meeting you has made me."
Calypso put her arm around Aria and rested her head on Aria's head with a contented smile. Aria thought about Clarice's comment about Calypso being an amnesiac angel and had to consider that she might be on to something.
Aria was interrupted from her reverie by the sound of her phone ringing. She picked it up, noting it was only 6am. She frowned when she saw her mother's caller ID, wondering what she could possibly want this early.
Reluctantly, she released Calypso with a sigh and answered her phone, immediately missing the metaphysical blanket of love associated with Calypso hugs.
"Hey Mom, is everything okay?" she asked concernedly.
"I could ask you the same thing," her mother asked, relief in her voice. "I saw your location over at the hospital where all of the craziness is unfolding and wanted to make sure you were okay. When I checked your travel history and saw where you had gone, I started freaking out."
Aria snorted a laugh. She and Clarice had always shared their location and location history with their parents in case anything ever happened. Her mother kept a pretty sharp eye on them because she said they were too pretty for their own good. After one unnerving stalker incident a few years earlier, her mother never went very long without checking on them.
"We're totally fine mom," Aria assured her mother, smiling widely. "I'm sorry for not sharing our plans with you. Clarice and I decided it was past time that we revisit the hospital and see if we could thank Calypso for saving our lives."
She felt Calypso's hand rest companionably on her back as she spoke, bringing another smile to her face.
"Wait, you went over to see her before all of this nonsense in the news started blowing up?" her mother asked interestedly.
"Yeah, crazy timing, right?" Aria said wonderingly, resting an affectionate hand on Calypso's knee.
"Did you get to see her?" her mother asked, intrigued.
"You could say that," Aria breathed, her smile threatening to split her face in half.
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. "She's with you right now, isn't she?"
Aria gasped in amazement. "Mom, how could you possibly have guessed that?"
"Because I know you," her mother chuckled. "And you sound like you are on cloud nine. I remember sounding like that when your dad and I first met."
Aria's face shamed a sunset as she began spluttering into the phone. She felt Calypso shift beside her, but didn't dare to look at her.
"I would pay good money to see your face right now," her mother declared, laughter thick in her voice.
"I'm going to pay you back for this, mom," she threatened, trying to get her blushing under control.
"Can I talk to her, please?" her mother asked hopefully.
Aria snuck a peek at Calypso. She was watching Aria with a strange expression. It was somewhere between confusion and thoughtfulness. She muted the phone and forced her blushing face to look at the ageless woman next to her.
"My mom wants to know if she can talk to you," Aria informed her hesitantly. "It's totally okay if you don't want to speak with her."
The corner of Calypso's lips turned up as she watched the flustered Aria. "I would love to talk to Emily."
Aria blinked at the use of her mother's name, but handed the phone over to Calypso and pushed the unmute button.
"Hello, Emily," Calypso greeted her warmly.
There was a pause on the other end as her mother heard her own name. "Hi, Calypso. I just wanted to repeat the offer I made all those years ago. If there is anything you need, you just let me know. I've waited a long time to pay your kindness back, but I haven't forgotten."
"You and your family are such wonderful people," Calypso replied fondly. "I'm not sure what I would have done if Aria and Clarice hadn't showed up at my house and warned me about losing my anonymity."
Her mother paused as she put the pieces together. "We have several extra rooms at our house if there is any risk of people finding you over there. We can help you financially in any way you need as well."
"Thank you, Emily," Calypso said, her voice catching. "I'm so glad they came out to see me yesterday. I guess I never really noticed how lonely I was."
Aria put her arm around Calypso and hugged her comfortingly. "She's good on money, Mom," Aria said dryly. "She's an oil baron."
"Apparently, I'm an oil baron, Emily," Calypso told her mother. "I'm not sure what that is, but I've been assured that I am one."
"She invested in oil back in the 1920's," Aria told her mom with a grin. "She just lives off of the interest now."
"1920's?" her mother asked in disbelief.
"Mom, we probably shouldn't discuss this stuff on the phone," Aria said with a frown. "But suffice it to say that Calypso is endlessly full of surprises."
"You're probably right," her mother agreed. "Would you all like to come over for dinner tonight?"
"She doesn't eat," Aria replied, trying and failing to suppress a grin. "But I'll see if she's interested in coming over to visit later."
"I would love to visit," Calypso said eagerly.
"Okay, we'll see you tonight, Mom," Aria said with a quick smile at Calypso.
Calypso looked at her quizzically after she hung up. "What does it mean to be on cloud nine?"
Aria barely stopped herself from facepalming. "It's an expression that means you are extremely happy. They rate cloud types numerically, and nine refers to the highest type of cloud, called a cumulonimbus cloud." She tried to obfuscate the meaning with technical terms.
"And your mom felt like she was on cloud 9 when she first met your dad?" Calypso inquired curiously.
"Yeah, pretty much," Aria replied, daring her cheeks to blush.
"In that case, I feel like I'm on cloud nine too," Calypso told her with a jubilant smile.
Aria stared at her, feeling almost positive that Calypso was ignorant of the romantic connotations of the colloquialism. Aria settled for a genuine smile as she observed the angelic woman smiling back at her.
"I wonder how long Clarice is going to sleep," Aria said, mainly for something to fill the silence before her mind tied her thoughts into a pretzel.
"I could go energize her, if you want?" Calypso offered helpfully. "It seemed to work on you pretty well."
Aria felt conflicting emotions as she stared into large violet eyes. She felt an odd sense of possessiveness, not wanting to share her angel. She had always shared everything with Clarice, and it struck a discordant note in her soul to entertain such selfish desires.
"Okay," Aria heard her mouth answer on its own. "Let's get her recharged."
Calypso didn't move. She stared back at Aria searchingly. Aria suddenly cursed inwardly as she remembered Calypso could see straight past her words and into her emotions. She needed to be a lot more convincing.
"Sorry, I'm just being greedy," Aria told her sheepishly. "Come on, let's go super charge Clarice."
She stood up, pulling Calypso by the hand as she did. She pulled her along behind her over to Clarice's room. She quietly opened Clarice's door, and they entered her stepsister's room.
Clarice was sprawled out on her bed in shorts and a tank top, her black hair fanning out around her head. Her delicate features had softened even more with sleep. Calypso stared at her intently, an endearing smile on her face.
She walked over to the bed and laid her hand gently on Clarice's head. Aria didn't see anything, but she felt the ambient feeling of love around Calypso narrow and focus on Clarice.
Aria let out a relieved sigh when she saw that all Calypso was doing was placing a hand on Clarice's head. The stingy side of her soul had been expecting Calypso to snuggle up to Clarice in bed. She felt a sense of shame at her own selfish thoughts. Clarice was her best friend in the world. Aria had no claim on Calypso. She needed to convince the ugly side of her soul to stop trying to hoard the angelic woman.
Aria walked over to Calypso. "How long do you think it will take? Should I get you a chair?" Aria whispered.
Calypso glanced up at her and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, but I'm totally fine standing. I'm not exactly sure how long it will take. This is all kind of new to me."
Aria stared at Calypso narrowly for a moment before going out of the room to get a chair. The selfless woman was once again trying to be too kind for her own good. She was the pleaser of all pleasers.
"Thank you," Calypso said gratefully as Aria sat the chair down. Her eyes watched Aria fondly as her emotions played across her face transparently. She reminded Aria of a child in a way, before they learned to hide their emotions. Her insanely expressive eyes stared something close to adoration at Aria as she sat down.
Aria stepped behind her and began massaging her shoulders. Calypso tensed her shoulders initially, but as Aria continued kneading them gently but firmly, she relaxed and leaned back into the massage. A groan escaped her lips as Aria dug into muscles that had probably never been worked.
Aria wasn't prepared for the emotional reaction to the shoulder massage. Calypso's eyes filled with quicksilver tears and the room was suddenly blanketed in such an intense wave of love and gratitude that her knees nearly buckled. The beautiful woman had always been so selfless and compassionate to everyone else but had clearly never had that tenderness reciprocated. Calypso was nearly overwhelmed with her feelings of gratitude to another person selflessly striving to make her feel good. Aria could feel just how much Calypso craved the touch of another person, though she suspected, not necessarily in an intimate way. Her life of solitude had deprived her of anything but the most superficial contact with other people.
Aria spent the next half an hour working on Calypso's shoulders and neck. The room was saturated with the sense of contentment and wonder as Calypso's powerful aura projected her emotions. All too soon the moment ended as Clarice's eyes popped open, looking alert and full of life.
"Hi," Clarice greeted Calypso with a questioning look, her lips curving up slightly.
"Good morning," Calypso smiled down at her warmly as she removed her hand from Clarice's head. "We wanted to give you a recharge like Aria got on the drive over here."
"Is that why I feel like I've slept for a week?" Clarice asked as she stretched and sat up. "Thank you, Calypso. I feel wonderful."
"Me too," Calypso said dreamily. "Aria has been giving me a shoulder massage while I sat here. I had no idea it could feel so good. I was hoping you would sleep for another hour."
Aria and Clarice broke into gales of laughter at the rare humorous quip from Calypso. She smiled affectionately at them, her large eyes filled with love.
"You have been neglected for too long," Aria told her firmly. "You are in desperate need of pampering."
"That's not true," Calypso objected half-heartedly. "I've had the children at the hospitals to engage with, as well as the receptionist and a few nurses."
Clarice shared a knowing look with Aria.
"Let's be honest here," Clarice said sternly. "You interact with hospital staff for a minute or less, then work on healing the sick. Almost all of your interactions are one-sided and initiated by you."
"But that's the way I like it," Calypso insisted, her words at odds with the look of emptiness in her eyes. "I'm a nurturer. I find joy in helping others."
"You are a nurturer," Clarice agreed gently. "But that doesn't negate the fact that you still need to be nurtured too. You are like a flower that has offered all of its water up to the surrounding plants while never receiving any water for yourself. You are too worried about inflicting a burden on other people, to the point that you don't accept the compassion other people wish to share with you for fear that it will be an imposition that drives them away."
"And you couldn't drive us away no matter how imposing the action," Aria added resolutely. "You are stuck with us, and we are going to pamper you whether you like it or not."
Calypso's eyes had grown more vulnerable as Clarice spoke. When Aria finished, Calypso's eyes filled with quicksilver tears that began streaming down her face. She sat trying to articulate a response, but words had failed her.
Aria leaned down from behind Calypso and wrapped her arms around her comfortingly. Clarice reached out and took her hands gently as she stared into Calypso's large violet eyes. "It's okay," Clarice said tenderly. "We are here with you now. You don't need to hide your feelings from us. We love you and will care for you. Just let it out."
Calypso's violet eyes started to glow softly as more quicksilver tears flooded her cheeks. As the tears fell away from her face they evaporated into a silver mist. One of the tears made it all of the way to Clarice's hand. Aria gasped as Clarice's hand began to glow softly. Clarice let out a soft sigh as her eyes suddenly glowed white for a moment. Some of the tiny lines of worry around her eyes smoothed out and vanished. Her face subtly changed, her features becoming slightly softer and even more feminine.
Calypso closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her lips turning up into a radiant smile. She squeezed Clarice's hands, her eyes still closed.
"I've waited so long for this moment," Calypso murmured softly, a few more tears dropping from her cheeks. "I really needed this release. Thank you."
"Yes, you did," Aria agreed gently.
The sound of knocking at her front door made Aria jump in startlement. "Who could that be?" she asked in puzzlement. She pulled out her phone to check the camera, but it couldn't connect to her door camera.
"I'm going to see who's there," Aria told the two of them warily. "Stay in here, okay?"
Calypso nodded, her eyes still closed and smiling her radiant smile. The site caused butterflies to try and escape Aria's abdomen.
She went to the front door and peered through the spyhole. The next door neighbor was standing outside. She cautiously opened the door.
"Hey Cynthia, what's up?" she asked the middle aged woman in a voice she hoped sounded normal.
"I was just curious if your power went out as well, or if it was just mine," Cynthia said, peering at her curiously.
"I don't think so," Aria said, turning to look into her apartment. She frowned as she realized the power had gone out. "Oh, I guess it is out. I didn't even notice."
"Okay, I guess it's the whole building then," Cynthia sighed. "I'll call the management company. It's hard to work from home without power."
"I'm sorry," Aria told her, wincing her commiseration. "Thanks for making the call to management."
"It was pretty weird," Cynthia told her, looking hesitant. "I felt kind of weird right before it went out. Kind of euphoric. Did you notice anything odd a few minutes ago?"
"Nothing," Aria replied blankly, forcing her expression to look innocent. "We are in solar maximum right now, so maybe there was a powerful solar flare from the sun. They can knock out the power and cause some odd psychological effects."
"Oh," Cynthia said, her expression relaxing. "Maybe it was something like that."
"Good luck," Aria smiled at her, closing the door.
Aria frowned as she began making her way back to Clarice's room. It seemed a little too coincidental that the power went out right after Calypso had a powerful emotional release. Then there was the problem of having neighbors so close that Calypso's powerful aura could affect their moods. They needed to find a different place to stay.
"Who was it?" Clarice asked curiously as Aria entered the room. She was still sitting on the edge of the bed holding Calypso's hands.
"It was Cynthia," Aria answered with a meaningful look at Calypso. "She wanted to know if our power was out too. Apparently it is out."
Clarice raised an eyebrow, her eyes conveying her understanding. "It seems like we lose power at least once a month here."
"Do you remember how we were talking about getting a house instead of staying in an apartment complex?" Aria asked Clarice casually.
Clarice blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, having so many neighbors makes it hard to play our music without disturbing people. You want to go house hunting or something?"
"I was thinking we could go to Mom's house until we find something suitable," Aria replied with a small grin. "She called while you were asleep and wants us to come over tonight. All of us."
"You told her about Calypso?" Clarice asked in surprise.
"Mom is too smart for her own good," Aria told her wryly. "She saw our location history and made an intuitive leap."
"That woman," Clarice shook her head, but her eyes were filled with affection.
"I've been meaning to ask you something, Calypso," Aria began, looking at Calypso quizzically. "How did you know my mom's name was Emily?"
Calypso finally opened her eyes to look at her and Aria gasped. The violet eyes looking back at her had somehow been magnified into a much richer shade of violet. There were intricate weaves of lighter lavender around the border of her irises now. The overall effect was mesmerizing, capturing Aria's gaze and holding it tightly. Is this what all of those tears were hiding?
"When I look at your aura it has your name etched onto it," Calypso explained, her voice filled with a new timbre that made you hang on to every word. Her voice seemed to caress the soul now, causing small tingles to shoot down Aria's spine. Her voice and her eyes changed? Is this all a result of her finally releasing her grief and loneliness?
"What do aura's look like?" Clarice asked in fascination.
Calypso looked at her in perplexity. "You can't see auras?" she stared at them in surprise.
"Normal people can't see auras," Aria told her in an amused tone. "Have you gone your whole life thinking everyone can see auras?"
"Well, you do seem to know what they are," Calypso pointed out defensively. "How would you know what they are if you can't see them?"
"It's mainly used as a metaphor," Clarice explained patiently. "It refers to the way something feels, such as somebody having an aura of power about them. Back in the eighteen hundreds when mysticism became popular, they redefined it as a kind of energy that surrounded people, possibly as a result of the spirit creating a shield around the body to keep it safe from the threat of possession by evil spirits. People can't actually see aura's, though they often have pictures from cameras that seem to show evidence of an aura."
"Thanks, Professor Clarice," Aria grinned sardonically. "What's on tomorrow's history lesson?"
"Quiet, Tweedle Dee," Clarice admonished her with a wink. "I have to show off when the opportunity presents itself."
"So, what do they look like to you?" Aria asked Calypso in fascination.
"A healthy aura glows a bright white color," Calypso replied, her eyes staring at what Aria now knew to be her aura. "It has colors that will ripple through it like waves based on a person's emotional state. When someone is anxious, the waves are more turbulent. When someone is sick, it is like a parasitic entity has attached itself to the aura and wrapped it in black and red cords. When I first saw you, your aura was almost completely extinguished by the weight and complexity of the cords wrapped around you. When I sang for you it shattered the cords, allowing your light to shine out once more."
Aria felt a surge of love in her heart for their beautiful angel at the reminder of what she had done for them.
Calypso smiled at her warmly. "Right now, your aura is projecting love. The waves in your aura are deep and smooth.
Aria smiled back at her, letting her love for the other woman fill her aura.
"That means you can tell when someone gives you a fake name," Clarice said intently. "You would be great at catching spies!"
Calypso let out silvery peals of laughter as she stared at Clarice fondly, filling the room with an indescribable joy.
"What were your parents like?" Aria asked Calypso curiously. "Just tell me to mind my own business if you don't want to talk about it."
"Technically, they weren't my parents," Calypso replied, her eyes going distant. "They said they found me in the hollow of a giant tree when I was five years old. They had assumed that someone had abandoned me. The person I call my mother was unable to have children of her own, so she convinced her husband to keep me. I don't remember anything before that day. My father repaired musical instruments for a living. He taught me everything he knew of the instruments that he could play. That's where my love of music started."
"Did you eat back then?" Aria asked, fascinated. "What did they think of your abilities? Did they know about them?"
Calypso laughed at her rapid-fire questions, unconsciously pushing a stray lock of pale blonde hair behind her ear. "I didn't eat. They thought I was picky, at first. I wasn't sure how to convince them that I didn't need food, so I told them I was fasting. They were a religious couple and accepted that answer for a few days. After a week without eating or drinking though, they finally became suspicious and took me to a priest. He told them I was possessed of a devil and that they should leave me with him at the church until he could exorcise the evil spirit out of me. My mother refused. I remember she got into a huge fight with my father over the incident, but she got her way in the end. After that, they just pretended not to notice that I didn't ever eat. When I showed an aptitude for music, my father warmed up to me a lot more."
"I started healing people accidentally when I was singing in our church," Calypso continued musingly. "Everyone believed that it was god's work when people would get better after the hymns. My parents didn't find out it was me until my mother got really sick one winter. I sang to her one night and she instantly recovered. She made the connection with the healings at church and warned me to never let anyone know that it was me."
"What did they think about your eyes?" Clarice asked, enthralled as she stared at Calypso's beautiful eyes.
"They thought it was just a birth defect," Calypso answered, staring back into Clarice's eyes affectionately. "They were worried that it would attract unwanted attention, so they ordered some tinted glasses for me to wear."
"They sound like they really loved you," Aria said softly.
Calypso's eyes moistened again. "They did. They died in a house fire when I was thirteen. I was able to continue running the music store after they were gone. I still have all of those instruments at my house."
Aria rested her hand on Calypso's neck comfortingly when she spoke of her parents death. Clarice squeezed her hands reassuringly.
"Oh yeah, moving company," Aria blurted suddenly, pulling out her phone. "I need to call them now that it is daytime and get your stuff moved. We don't want to risk losing those instruments."
"I can do that," Calypso assured her, releasing Clarice's hands and standing up. "That is, if you don't mind me using your phone?"
"I've got this," Aria told her confidently. "I thought I remembered something about someone getting pampered. I know this woman who gives the absolute best back massages in the world."
"That's right," Clarice told Calypso with a wide grin. "You're looking at the best masseuse this side of the Mississippi."
As she spoke, Clarice opened up her closet and pulled out a folded up massage table and set it up.
"Just lay face down here and let me work," Clarice ordered Calypso firmly.
Calypso's face was a picture of warring desires. Before she could make any objections though, Clarice marched her over to the table and firmly pushed her down on to it. With a helpless laugh, she complied and laid down.
Aria grinned as she walked back into the front room and called the moving company. After twenty minutes of getting transferred between departments and put on hold, she was finally able to make the arrangements. She put the charges on her own credit card, content to either collect the money later, or pay it off on her own. As she waited for the moving company to process the order she could feel powerful waves of contentment washing around the apartment. Clarice had the hands of a goddess when it came to massages.
After hanging up the phone, she returned to Clarice's room to find Calypso groaning as Clarice's thumbs dug into her back muscles. She had pulled her shirt up to expose the skin of her back.
"Are you sure you aren't an angel?" Clarice was asking Calypso suspiciously as she worked.
"I don't have a halo," Calypso murmured, her voice filled with contentment.
"Well, you do have some muscles on your back that the rest of us don't have," Clarice told her challengingly. "I'm going to go out on a limb and assume this is wear your wings are supposed to be."
"I've always wanted to fly," Calypso mused dreamily. "That would be amazing."
Clarice shared a meaningful look with Aria, glancing significantly at Calypso's shoulder blades. Aria walked over and noticed two small ridges beneath the skin under her shoulder blades. She looked up to see Clarice grinning at her triumphantly. With a resigned sigh, she nodded. Okay, so she's an angel.
"The moving company is going to pick your stuff up tomorrow," Aria informed them. "I'm just having it put in a storage unit by my parents' house. Someone will probably follow the movers in hopes of finding out where you are, so I figured a storage shed would be a good way to throw them off your trail."