Chapter Ten #3
“I thought about my family’s phone numbers, and suddenly, I was listening to their phones. I wasn’t there. No one noticed I was taken, and no one was looking for me. I went to them and remained in the corners, watched the family events, and tickled the new babies. Even yours.”
Olyna was silently crying.
“So, I have been living in your phones, even Ted’s.
It never occurred to me that she was forgotten.
She was mentioned when she showed up, and then the mentions were deleted.
It was weird, but I didn’t know about you until your curse broke and suddenly everyone was talking about you, and Sabin and Nora were explaining the forgetting. ”
Ted inhaled. “The phones came alive.”
“And then you remembered me, went looking for me, so I talked to you, and you helped them find me.”
Ted smiled. “Were you really naked on my couch?”
“No. I was energy. I didn’t type; I thought. I didn’t sit; I just was. Think of me as a little storm cloud moving around, crackling and nosey.”
Olyna asked, “How are you physical?”
“I thought we told you. Ted called the ladies who set her loose and explained me. They contacted a sculptor who made me a body that looked like mine, but it was made of marble. That is what I moved into before they could break my curse.”
“And then you came to us.”
“Well, Ted was invited. I just tagged along.” She finished Ted’s nails and leaned back, cleaning up.
She put everything away and got the autoclave running a cycle.
He had gotten her dozens of manicure kits, wrapped in paper and ready for new people.
The six sets of trimming side clippers were her favourite, and four were ready for their heat bath.
It took five minutes to get everything sorted, and she sat on her chair and looked at her relatives. “So what do you think of my handiwork?”
Ted beamed. “These little guys are adorable.”
Lucia nodded. “Tap your nails on the table and tell them to run.”
Ted slowly moved her fingers over the table, tapped the new nails, and said, “Run.”
The little robots popped off the nails and started scrambling on the table.
Lucia smiled. “They can take orders, pick locks, pick a pocket. Whatever you need them to do.”
“Wow. How do I get them back on my nails?”
“Ask them?”
Ted leaned forward, her braids sliding. “Come on, little guys. Time to come home.”
The little robots looked at her, and each ran to their nail, jumping into place.
Ted grinned. “I am going to have such fun with you little guys.”
Lucia said, “I think that there is some leftover cake and ice cream if you two are interested.”
Ted laughed. “Very interested.”
They left, and Olyna kept staring at Lucia with a sort of wonder.
Lucia shrugged and headed back to the kitchen.
She paused when she saw the giant, an orc, and one of Olyna’s alphas sitting at the table and working on the leftovers. “Hey!”
Yorwell paused. “There are still some left.”
“Ice cream as well?”
The orc had a bowl that was nearly empty. “Oops.”
The orc moved his hand, and a gallon of ice cream appeared. “There, my lady. Acceptable?”
“I have to try it. I don’t judge on looks.” She scowled at him.
Ted cackled. “Still looking into souls, Lucia?”
“Sure. Whatever you call it.” She was looking around at the cake and found one with chocolate and cherries. She yanked open the ice cream and inhaled. It was good. Creamy and vanilla in the scent.
She got a few scoops and perched on a tall chair next to the counter. “Ladies, have at it. Push them out of the way if necessary. They can take it.”
Ted smiled and helped herself. Olyna waited and asked, “Lucia, may I tell Anya about the circumstances?”
“You already did. Your phone was wide open while I was working on you. I heard Grandma holding a hand over her mouth and trying not to sob.”
Olyna smiled weakly. “Cellphones.”
Lucia nodded. “Now you are getting it.”
Ted chuckled. “She finally has a physical manifestation of the power she had all along.”
Lucia smiled and looked toward Yorwell. “I am also aware that she was not the only one on that call.”
He smiled. “I did not want you to have to repeat the tale.”
She looked at him and kicked her feet. “So you know how to throw a party.”
He smiled. “I know how to order food. I am not an accomplished host.”
Olyna said, “Lucia knows all of the components to a large party. She can help.” Olyna checked her nails and smiled. “I may try and lure her to one of my salons.”
Lucia continued to eat her ice cream. “I will tell you respectfully to get bent. Working on bitchy socialites who can’t sit still was only useful when I was paying my way through school. I don’t miss being hit in the face and having an auntie laugh it off.”
Olyna blinked. “What?”
“Oh, yeah, hitting the mouse was a sport. They tried to goad me into a response so they could save money on their nails. Once I learned their game, I just took it, saved every penny, and quit as soon as I could. Only my regulars missed me, but when the curse activated, they were confused at the photos on their phones from past amazing nail art. They couldn’t remember where they got it, and it caused some tension. ”
She swirled the ice cream in her bowl.
Olyna blinked. “You worked at Stellar.”
Lucia smiled. “I did. And at the dress shop. I got paid half as much as other family, but I worked a lot, and it all added up.”
Ted looked at her little robots. “You do amazing work.”
“I am aware. But now, it will be a hobby for friends instead of an obligation for women who don’t want to pay for it.”
Ted smiled. “If I was to pay for this, how much would it cost?”
“Those little nubbins? Two fifty for the design and eight hundred for the enchantment. Auntie’s repairs would have been fifty.”
Ted blinked. “Wow. How long will these guys last?”
Lucia ate some more ice cream. “Up to you. If you want them removed, they can be removed. If you want to keep the little guys, you can have a pouch or case made, and you can summon them from there. Either way, you will still need a fill-in a few weeks.”
Yorwell chuckled. “You really enjoy this art.”
“Yup. For the right people, it can be really gratifying.”
“What will you put on your own nails?”
“I don’t know yet. Perhaps representations of the signal. I am still deciding. It’s tricky to do my right hand.”
Yorwell smiled. “Did you want to learn stone carving?”
“I find three dimensions awkward.”
“Painting them seems within your grasp.”
“Lucky try.” She smiled.
He snorted and walked to her side, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her forehead. “Tired?”
She looked up at him and sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. I feel like I didn’t finish my homework.”
Yorwell looked at those around them. “Everyone out. It has been nice to meet you, but she hasn’t slept in years, so when she feels tired, she needs to act on it.”
He set her bowl down and picked her up. “I will return to say my farewells in a few minutes.”
Lucia was blushing, but she said, “Bye, ya’ll.”
Ted grinned, and Ted’s orc gave a small wave.
Olyna looked surprised. “Good night, niece.”
Yorwell smiled and carried her up the stairs.
“Well, that was embarrassing.” She leaned her head against his shoulder.
He chuckled. “I can bear it. You need rest. It will help you integrate with the statue.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The magic works better if your body isn’t moving.”
She snorted. “Fine. Be logical.”
Yorwell kissed the top of her head.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Getting you used to me with a thousand small non-threatening contacts. When you are feeling more yourself, I will start with massages to take the knots out of your shoulders and hands.”
“And get more familiar with my silky self.”
He chuckled. “Precisely. Get ready for bed. I will be up in ten minutes to tuck you in.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I am going to dream of not doing my homework.”
“Then, I will give you homework to do.”
He pressed his head to hers, and she saw glyphs and patterns and designs for protection. “Think about those as you settle to sleep.”
She laughed as he set her on her feet. His shirt draped across the foot of the bed.
He kissed her softly and headed downstairs.
She went about her evening routine, remembering things as she moved.
When she finished the rituals of night preparation, she was yawning, and the shirt slipped over her.
She turned off the lights, the sound machine was already on, and there was a nightlight coming from it.
She had light, she had sound, and she had safety.
It was an excellent start to the new life she wanted to have.
The future was looking bright, and she had a purpose, but first, she needed sleep.
She wasn’t going to remain on the sidelines anymore.
There were women still trapped by curses, and she had just learned the spells to tear the curse apart.
She just had to sleep and let it sink in.
It would take time to shape her magic into that of a giant, but she was a quick study.
She could manage. She had just gotten a whole new family, after all, and it wanted to give her a backrub.