Melpomene arrived at Clio's door as darkness finally overpowered the last light of the sun, though the hungover heat from the day still billowed up off the pavements, still radiated off the brownstone walls that lined the street. She'd pulled all her hair up, stabbed it through with two wooden daggers to keep it off the back of her neck. Her pale dress was light and a little clingy, and Melpomene was thrilled that her breasts were filling it out so much better than they had when she bought it.
She was less thrilled about the gnawing emptiness inside her, a feeling she couldn't sate.
Okay... not less thrilled. A different type of thrilled. Every negative emotion was all part of the glorious tapestry of living, after all.
Melpomene touched her thump to her lip, inspecting the faint shadow of damage. The cut itself had healed, but the mark hadn't completely gone. A third kind of thrill.
She gave herself a small slap on the cheek with the back of her fingers, reminding herself this evening wasn't all about her. Little Ella was starting school (they speed toward the end of their lives so fast!) and Clio had a new man with an enemy that wouldn't be deterred by death and the two sisters were long overdue a catch up. Balancing a bakery box full of baklava in one hand, Melpomene let herself into Clio's cosy, booklined house, following her ears through the house - it smelled warm, and cosy, and of food - till she found her sister.