6. Calliope
Calliope
A set of enclosed stairs leads up to the second floor of the Café's building where Clara lives.
I'm relieved I didn't opt for heels with how steep the stairs are.
The whole day was a whirlwind, and I couldn't decide what to wear.
After work, I rushed back to my cottage, rummaging through my closet.
It had been a long time since I just hung out with friends.
Finally, I settled on something casual but cute, pulling on a chunky knit beige sweater over brown leggings.
Still, I felt unsure about my choice. Taking a deep breath, I climb the stairs and try to shake off the anxious thoughts swirling in my mind.
The door swings open, flooding warmth out into the cold. I sigh when I realize I made the right choice fashion-wise. Clara is wearing her usual flowing dress, which looks more appropriate for a commune than a book club, but the other girls are dressed similarly to me, in sweaters and comfy pants.
Clara's apartment truly reflects her eclectic personality.
The walls erupt in a riot of colors, adorned with vibrant wallpapers featuring everything from swirling galaxies to funky geometric patterns.
The kitchen is a celestial realm with moon phases on the walls.
In the living room, the wallpaper showcases a magnificent tapestry of wild animals—lions, peacocks, and elephants that seem to come to life.
Crystals of all shapes and sizes hang from the ceiling, catching the light and casting colorful patterns against the walls, while dream catchers sway gently from the recently opened door.
Various plants thrive, adding a touch of nature to the chaos that is Clara's home.
Each corner holds something unique, making the apartment feel like a whimsical treasure trove.
"I love your apartment," I tell her sincerely.
"Thanks!" She accepts the wine I offer and gestures toward the sitting area.
Winnie, Rose, and Sunny are gathered around a low, round coffee table, sitting on colorful cushions that wouldn't look out of place in a yoga studio.
I choose a pink cushion adorned with various symbols I don't recognize.
As I try to settle onto it, I lose my balance and end up half on my back.
The other girls have the decency to pretend they're looking elsewhere. I've never been more grateful that I'm not wearing a skirt, or I'd have flashed them my daisy underwear.
"We were just getting started," Clara says as she expertly sits down and hands me a glass of the wine I brought.
She places the open bottle in the center of the table, which is arranged with an assortment of cheeses, chocolates, fruit, and—to my surprise and delight—Oreos.
I grab a few of them immediately, and Winnie grins at me.
"Oreos are my absolute favorite," she says.
I nod vigorously.
"We were just talking about page three hundred and eight," Clara says.
I look between them in confusion. I should've taken better notes.
However, I notice the other girls looking confused, too. Clara suddenly pulls out a copy of the book from nowhere. To my astonishment, it's filled with color-coded tabs. When she opens it, I see highlighters in various colors and notes written in the margins with different-colored pens.
Now, I love to annotate as much as anyone, but I've never seen that many tabs in my entire life. I'm wholly and thoroughly impressed, and I tell her so. Clara blushes.
"It's just a little hobby, and it helps my writing," she says.
"Writing?" I ask, intrigued. She blushes an even deeper shade of pink. Her hair is different than it was earlier in the week. The top is still a light almost white color but it now fades into pink instead of purple.
"Right now, I'm waitressing to pay the bills. But I have a few self published books out there," she confesses.
"What do you write?"
"Fantasy and romance, though not necessarily together,"
"Well, if you ever need a beta reader, I would love to read anything you've written," I offer. She beams at the suggestion.
"As a librarian, you must have thought about writing, too?" she asks.
"Oh no, I love books and adore reading, but I'm not interested in writing my own. I think it's similar to cooking—some people love to eat but don't want to cook delicious food. I just want to enjoy books and share that enjoyment with others."
Clara nods as if that makes perfect sense, and it feels good to be understood. I've always struggled to connect with people, but with this group, it feels natural.
"So," I say, trying to steer the conversation back on track, "page three hundred and eight."
"Oh yes!" Clara deftly flips to the right page and lays it on the table for all of us to read.
She points at a passage highlighted in pink, which also includes the annotation "WTF?
!?!" The passage reads: "Erin took his massive cock in her hands.
The tips of her fingers didn't touch when she tried to grasp it in both hands. "
We all look at each other. Sunny raises her hands to form an O-shape, with her fingertips slightly apart. The circle this creates is larger than her face. There's a moment of silence before we all burst out laughing.
"How big is that dick, and how is that even pleasurable? Who wants something so big it literally, not figuratively, going to rip you down there?" Clara says over our laughter.
"Gah!" Winnie yells, shaking her hands as if she's flicking the image away from her.
"I think I must have skimmed over that. Jesus," Sunny says. "This whole book was very sexy and romantic, don't get me wrong, but those parts—Fuck!"
Some of the book club is spent talking about the book, but the talk soon turns to town gossip, the Ice Festival, the alpha Mayor's new beta husband, and whether this constant snow will ever end.
Eventually, the conversation shifts to the newest celebrity hookups and omega bonding.
"Are any of you bonded?" I inquire. Many bonds are formed during omega heats.
Sometimes bondings are followed by a ceremony or party.
Some couples do a formal wedding but that's usually between couples and not packs.
Bond marks can be visible, and certain couples and packs choose to wear rings for the occasion.
However, I don't see any on these women, though that doesn't mean the bond marks aren't hidden beneath their clothing.
"No, none of us," Winnie confirms.
"Not yet." Clara winks. "How about you?"
"I was in a serious relationship before I came here, and I thought we would get married," I admit.
"But it didn't work out." There's a moment of silence.
I dread this part, where people try to figure out how to react or what questions to ask.
The questions are the worst. To my great surprise, neither happen.
"Well, fuck him," Sunny says, causing Clara to burst out laughing. "We know you're nice, so he must have been a real jerk." I can't help but giggle.
"He really was," I confirm, taking another long sip of wine. It was something I didn't see about him until the very end.
Winnie reaches across the low table and takes my hand. "We're glad you came here." My eyes burn, and I fight back tears. I hardly know these women but they all seem too genuine to not believe in their sincerity.
"Oreo?" Rose asks, holding a small stack of two cookies. I laugh and happily take them.
The rest of the night is filled with lively gossip, wine, book recommendations, and fun.
By the time I leave, we've chosen our next book.
Winnie picked a nonfiction title, prompting Clara to groan.
However, we agree to meet for brunch two Saturdays from now.
I feel lighter than I have in... I don't even know how long.