“We did the entire shoot in an office building hallway, with huge windows and bright sunlight pouring through, the city skyline visible through them,” Clarissa said.
“Sounds nice,” Valia smiled. “Tell me Nastya, do you ever go abroad to shoot your models?”
“Quite often Valia, why do you ask?”
“Have you ever been to Cyprus?” Greta asked.
“Twice, once when I was a teenager, I fell in love with it.”
“Greta and I would love to visit Aphrodite’s island, I would imagine there are some amazing locations to shoot at there no?” Valia asked.
“There are many Valia,” Nastya replied. “You should consider letting me shoot the two of you if you decide to go.”
“We just might take you up on that offer,” Greta smiled.
The rest of the dinner was a delight. Clarissa and the twins started telling Nastya about the Burning Man. They convinced her to lineup some unique models for a shoot there one day.
We should move to the other room soon and clean up, Valia thought, our others guests will be here within the hour.
Did I tell you I love you today? Greta asked in thought.
About sixteen different ways, Valia smiled.
Greta suggested that they move to the other room so she could clean up after dinner. Clarissa insisted on helping her and would not take no for an answer. Valia put a c.d. of her music in the player at a low volume. “This is a fabulous c.d., who is the artist?” Clarissa asked.
“You like it, really?” Greta asked. “It is Valia’s work.”
Clarissa could not believe it. “I had no idea she was so musically inclined.”
“I cook, she makes music,” Greta laughed.
They finished up in the kitchen and joined the others in the living room, Clarissa expressing her surprise at hearing the music being played was created by Valia.
“I dabble,” Valia replied, “and I think my plants like it.”
Just then the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” Greta said. She ran down the stairs to answer the door. Standing before her was a tall African woman, and Bowie in a long dark brown wool overcoat. “Valia?” he asked.
“Nope, she is older than I am,” Greta laughed. “It is a pleasure to meet you, quite a fan of yours.” “We’re going to the top floor.”
“Thank you.”
Upon entering, Greta introduced everyone to each other. It turned out that their new guests knew Nastya. Clarissa was obviously blown away, being as huge a fan as she was. After a bit of getting to know each other and refreshments, Valia put on the greeting she recorded earlier, a cover of a Beatle’s song titled Something. She recorded it mainly for Greta to hear, the vocal tracks a magical blend of multiple plants singing together to create the sound of a human voice, but she JTIKED the recording so that all who listened could hear the vocals. “Something in the way she moves, Attracts me like no other lover, Something in the way she woos me, I don’t want to leave her now, You know I believe and how.” “Something in her smile she knows, That I don’t need no other lover, Something in her style that shows me, I don’t want to leave her now, You know I believe and how.”
Bowie spent a moment trying to guess who did the vocals. Valia told him they were synthesized and left it at that. Greta went into the kitchen when the song ended and Valia immediately followed once she sensed her emotions welling from the other room. “Are you ok?” Valia asked.
“I wish we were alone,” Greta smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek, “that’s always been one of my favorite songs but I have never heard such a beautiful version of it.”
“That’s because the person it was recorded for is so beautiful,” Valia said taking Greta into her arms and kissing her deeply. She then JTIKED all of their guests except Clarissa that they wanted to leave.
“I would like to have you back to see my studio, perhaps collaborate on a track.” Valia said.
“I’d be delighted, what are the two of you up to tomorrow, there is a huge benefit to raise awareness for Women’s rights that Iman is hosting, you are welcome to attend.
“We’d be delighted,” Greta said
Their guests retired to their chauffeur driven vehicles and drove away.
“I didn’t get his autograph,” Clarissa laughed.
“He didn’t get yours either,” Valia smiled.
“Well, your first time in New York, the evening is not young but it is not old yet, how about heading out to see some sights?” Greta asked.
“Are you sure, you worked so hard on the meal and all?” Clarissa asked.
“Absolutely, Greta’s tour begins in ten minutes,” she giggled. “Valia are you coming along?”
“Oh, I would not miss one of your tours for the world,” she replied.
The girls spun around Manhattan for hours. They showed Clarissa many famous sites, including Strawberry Field. When they parked the car and walked into the park to see it, a flurry of snow began to fall just as they arrived. John was nowhere to be seen so they left at Greta’s suggestion that Clarissa see the city from above. “It is an amazing site to see this city from a birds eye view,” she said. They headed to the Empire State Building whose observatory was open until two a.m. After parking the car a block away, they took the elevator up to the top. It was an impressive site, But not like flying over it, Greta thought. After leaving the observatory, the tour continued for a while longer before they all decided it was time to call it a night. Clarissa’s flight left at eleven a.m. and the twins insisted on taking her to the airport to see her off.
The room that Clarissa slept in had the sweet smell of a tropical rainforest, there were so many plants in it. She found it comforting, and said that she loved it so much she was going to start collecting more plants herself.
The twins settled into a passionate lovemaking session that carried them from the bedroom to Valia’s studio and back. While in the studio, they listened to a live version of Something that seemed to bring Greta to a new level of passion when heard.
In the morning Greta awoke to find Valia at the open bedroom window, JTIKING three Western Sandpipers with a message that would be passed on to seagulls along the U.S. coast, who would pass it on to the shark population in the Atlantic, who in turn would pass it on to seagulls on the other side of the Atlantic, making its way to the winter flamingo population in Southern Cyprus, and from there across the island through every species still around in the winter, to locate and return a visual of Olga Koladaitis.
“That is quite a task you have initiated, how long do you think that will take?” Greta grinned from the bed.
“Until long before Teddy needs us to discuss the parts in his film.” Valia replied.
“Could you give me the numerical version?”
“Approximately 28.73697 hours, approximately,” Valia replied.
“Pick twelve cities you would like to visit east of the Mississippi River,” Valia said.
“Well, let’s see, Here of course, Boston, Provincetown, Montreal, that’s in Canada, Toronto, Windsor, Detroit, Cleveland, Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Miami, why?”
“Come with me,” Valia said handing Greta her cashmere overcoat. Clarissa was still sound asleep when the twins appeared in the Pontiac. “Just sit back and let me do the driving,” Valia grinned. The Pontiac vanished from the garage, reappearing in the first of the cities on Greta’s list, only to vanish from there and continue in kind, one after another, city after city, with blinding speed and accuracy, stopping long enough in Miami to pick up a few Starbucks lattes, then reappearing in their garage back in Manhattan.
“Was that our vacation?” Greta asked. “I forgot to send postcards.”
“I really loved Canada, and Miami’s palm trees,” Valia giggled.
“Yeah, me too,” Greta grinned.
They appeared in their locked bedroom with ample time to share one of their infamous showers together before waking Clarissa to get ready for her trip back to Chicago.
&nb
sp; “I believe that right about now, there is a young lady in Cyprus who is looking at her instruments in awe and disbelief,” Valia said before stepping into the shower.
“Why, can she see us?” Greta asked.
“No, but we will see her, very soon.”
Greta fixed breakfast while Clarissa showered and got ready for her trip. Valia had never been to an airport and decided to tag along to see Clarissa to her plane.
“Here, this is for you,” Valia said handing one of her plants to Clarissa, ‘she’s fallen in love with you overnight.”
“Really, why thank you Valia,” Clarissa said giving her a big hug.
“I have something to put her in for your trip back,” Valia smiled, “her name is Alya.”
They secured the apartments and headed off to the airport, but not before a stop at Starbucks. Greta advised Clarissa that they would not be traveling to Chicago for the Thanksgiving Holiday. “We find it easy to give thanks each and every moment of our existence, besides, the holiday just makes me furious when I think of what was done to Native Americans,” Greta said. “But we’ll send mommy something nice for her and her friends to enjoy since they love the holiday.”
After parking at the airport, Valia put a security JTIK on the Pontiac. As a matter of fact she and Greta had decided to put their lives into a very secure lockdown until Olga was located. Looking at the large planes through a window, “With little effort, these large vehicles could be powered pollution free,” Valia said. “There is simply no desire to do so.”
“Somehow, I think that day might not be too far off,” Greta smiled.
“I certainly hope so,” Clarissa laughed. “Although, I would miss the smell of an airport, for some reason I love the smell of aviation fuel and gasoline for that matter.”
“Well, here is where we have to leave you darling since we do not have tickets,” Greta said. “I am going to miss you as usual my dear friend.”
“As will I,” Valia said giving Clarissa a big hug.
“You are going to make me get all emotional if you don’t stop,” Clarissa said.
“Come with us to Cyprus, we can arrange for it to happen during Christmas break,” Greta said.
“I will speak to Robyn and see what her schedule is, ok?”
“Have a safe trip, let me know you got home safe,” Greta said as they parted company once again.
On the drive back into town, Greta put a new c.d. in the player. “I wanted you to hear some Bowie before tonight,” singing along to the song playing, “I will sit right down, waiting for the gift of sound and vision, And I will sing, waiting for the gift of sound and vision.”
“His room should have been green, the song would have sounded happier,” Valia smiled.
Chapter 32
I Wish I Were The Moon Tonight
"My dear, you are in for quite the learning experience,” Greta laughed turning the television on to CNN. She even made a bowl of hot buttered popcorn for the show.
“I am?” Valia asked.
“Yes, now pay attention while I tell you what is about to take place.” Greta continued. She could not stop laughing. “You have been on the You Tube yah? Well, silly and serious humans from around this country video taped questions and submitted them to be asked of the Republican Presidential Candidates, those are the guys, and I do mean guys only, who all hope to be the next President of this here United States.”
“They all look so sad.” Valia said.
“Sad, now you could not have chosen a better word.”
“There are more than twelve definitions for the word,” Valia said.
“Yes, and they all apply here in one way or another, you will see, Greta grinned.
“The popcorn is good,” Valia said reaching for more from the bowl. “The earliest recovered evidence of corn being popped was found in New Mexico and was popped over four thousand years ago.”
Greta gave Valia a serious look but could not hold it for long as she burst into laughter. “I love having a sister who is a walking encyclopedia.”
“And I love having a sister that can make such delicious popcorn,” Valia laughed.
The show began with the usual introductions. “Oh my, this is a bit scary as well as being sad,” Greta said.
The twins had returned their hair color to its original golden glow. It attracted a larger audience viewing their images online, and a larger audience is exactly what they wanted for the work they had planned in Cyprus with two photographers.
One by one the candidates listened to people singing, acting or literally shooting their questions on specific issues at them, most of which had to deal with dramatic problems created by Twine and his band of political barbarians. Valia said most of their words were lies. When one candidate was asked a question about what Jesus would do about the death penalty, Valia began a commentary on the dangers of religion, citing a seemingly endless list of the worst atrocities mankind had ever lived through created by one religion or another. “To accept someone who is deeply rooted in religion, or can convince the majority of the masses that they are, in a country as powerful as yours, would lead to the worst holocaust your world has ever seen.” Valia said. “On my world the word for what Jesus was is Uppesti. It means One Who Enlightens, and is in no way unique to your world,” Valia continued. “Nearly all species in the universe have experienced their own version of Uppesti in early critical stages of their evolution.”
“Nearly all?” Greta asked.
“There are countless forms of life in the universe that have no concept of good or bad, they simply exist.”
“Ah, but you mentioned the ‘E’ word,” Greta laughed. “Most of these boys at least claim they do not believe in evolution.”
“They are lying for votes, all but one who at this very moment is asking forgiveness from Jesus in case he answered the question on the death penalty wrong,” Valia smiled. “Have you seen enough?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for the popcorn,” Valia said. “Now I have something to show you.”
Valia touched Greta’s hand and in an instant they were in her studio. She turned on her Studio Macbook as she called it, and started a video that showed a young woman with long silky black hair pulled back into a ponytail moving around a large room with computer screens scattered about on counters and tables, along with an abundance of lab equipment. “Meet Olga Koladaitis,” Valia said.
“She’s kind of cute,” Greta said before looking at Valia and bursting into laughter. “Does she know who and where we are yet?”
“She is very good at what she does,” Valia replied. “She did but that has been altered.”
“I see,” Greta smiled.
“I have actually been aiding her in her work.”
“Have you been to Cyprus without me?” Greta cried, acting out the part of a disturbed weeping jealous lover. “You’ve been to Cyprus without me, boo hoo.”
“Are you going to be asked to cry in Teddy’s movie?” Valia asked.
“Guess there’s no fooling you?” Greta replied. “Ok, I give up, how did you acquire this video?”
“Watch it again,” Valia replied.
Greta watched the video again, this time noticing a bird sitting on a perch overlooking one of the main tables. “Well she has to have more than one if that one is in the shot?”
“They are Nyasa Lovebirds, she has a pair of them.”
“Now they are beautiful,” Greta said.
The phone in their upstairs apartment started ringing. “A call, so late in the day, who could it be?” Greta asked holding her hands together looking up at the ceiling.
Valia willed her Studio Macbook off and in a blink they were both back up in their apartment. “Hello?” Greta asked. Standing behind her, Valia put hands on Greta’s shoulders already knowing what the call was about.
“Greta, it’s Abi in Carbondale,” Abigail said. “I don’t know how else to say this, but Jamina is in Rush Hospital in Chicago, her mother called here
because Jamina gave her your number as a friend emergency contact, I never had it changed.”
Tears began forming in Greta’s eyes, as she knew what Abigail was about to tell her before she even spoke. “Evidently she was found on a street somewhere on the west side of the city.” “There was a witness, but the police are doubtful as to the accuracy of his account because he is homeless and an alcoholic.”
“Rush is a large place, did you get detailed information as to where she is?” Greta asked.
Abigail gave her all the information she had received from Jamina’s mother.
“I am sorry that I had to hear your marvelous voice under such horrible circumstance,” Greta said. “I will see what I can find out and let you know ok?”
“Please do Greta, Jamina is one of the nicest human beings I know,” Abigail said, obviously crying now.
“I will, now don’t you worry, take care of yourself and give our best to Mya,” Greta said before hanging up.
Valia had already gone to the bedroom laying out what they would wear for the trip. “The weather shall be quite wintry,” she said, noticing the rage welling up inside of Greta.
“I think you had better drive.” Greta said.
They did not even remove the Pontiac from the garage as it vanished in a whisper reappearing on Paulina Street heading south, a few blocks from the hospital parking garage. Greta insisted on paying to park before they disappeared from the car and were standing in a dimly lit hospital room.
Jamina lay on the hospital bed in traction. Her right leg and left arm were elevated, she looked like she was covered in bandages from head to toe, her left eye and mouth the only features visible through the bandages on her face. Greta’s tears soon turned to rage, “I swear if it is the last thing I do, I will find who did this to her,” she sniffed. “Valia can we do anything?” she asked starting to cry again.
Valia did not answer immediately as she quietly scanned Jamina’s body, her eyes closed as she did.
“Her injuries are severe, life threatening and beyond my power to heal at this time, but we may be able to help her,” Valia replied. “I am going to need you to focus on me and nothing else. Do not open your eyes until I tell you that it is safe.”
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