Disclaimer: The character, Aurelie, belongs to Columbiagroupie. Thanx a million.
Calliope was bright and beautiful. Her new confidence showed in every aspect of her nature. Many suitors desired her and brought her gifts, but most were ignored. She had set a high standard for herself, and none of the customers of the Moulin Rouge met up to it.
Satine had taught her how to manipulate men, and she used her new talents whenever possible. Calliope remained chaste, but the men ate out of her hand just the same. She wanted only one man, and none of her suitors could begin to compete.
Most of the diamonds had grown envious of Calliope. The only one she felt truly close to was Satine. They had developed a new intimacy with one another. Calliope had become accustomed to Satine and Christian's unspoken language with one another. Although, she adored them both often she would become sad around them. She longed more and more everyday for the man she had loved since childhood, and seeing Christian and Satine together, only made her aware of the distance between them. Calliope mostly kept this desire to herself, but Satine could see the anguish in her face.
One night, Calliope had witnessed a brief interlude between Satine and Christian where arrangements were made for them to meet in his flat. After he was gone, Satine questioned Calliope.
"Ma cher," she began. "is this a look of distaste that I see on your face? Do you dissaprove of Christian and I?"
"Oh no," exclaimed Calliope. "Satine, you and Christian were meant for each other. How could I ever dissaprove of your soulmate?"
"Well," Satine looked at her puzzled. "What is it then? Why do you always frown when I am with Christian?"
Calliope looked at the floor.
"Tell me," Satine persisted. Calliope remained silent. "Well, if I told you my special secret, would you tell me yours."
Calliope looked up and smiled. She couldn't possibly think of what it could be that Satine had not already told her. She grew curious, and the walls of protection melted away. She nodded.
"Alright," Satine began. "A couple of months before you came here, I found my daughter. Her name is Aurelie. I had given her away at birth. Please, don't think less of me. I was only sixteen at the time, and I hadn't been here at the Moulin Rouge for very long. I had no money."
Satine began to cry. Calliope hugged her and tried to console her. "Oh, Satine, I could never think less of you."
"Oh, Calliope," Satine's face brightened. "She is such a sweet darling little girl. I would like for you to meet her sometime."
Calliope smiled. "I would like that."
Satine wiped her eyes and composed herself again. "Now, ma cher, it is your turn. What is your secret?"
Calliope smiled. "Just like you, I have a secret love."
"Oh," exclaimed Satine, "that is wonderful, but why does it make you so sad?"
Calliope stopped smiling. "Because I left him behind when I ran away."
Satine was stunned. "But you said that you never loved Edgar."
"Oh," Calliope began to explain, "I don't love Edgar. His name is Michel, and he is my brother's friend, but he never knew how I loved him. When I see you and Christian together, I miss him terribly. I long for him, Satine, that is why I become so forlorned."
Satine smiled gingerly. "Calliope," she began with a soothing tone, "you did not need to keep this a secret from me. Believe me, darling, I understand"
This story is being crossed over to a story cowritten with Columbiagroupie aka Moulinwriter. If you would like to visit the homepage where this story is being written, go to www.geocities.com/moulinwriter.
Calliope was bright and beautiful. Her new confidence showed in every aspect of her nature. Many suitors desired her and brought her gifts, but most were ignored. She had set a high standard for herself, and none of the customers of the Moulin Rouge met up to it.
Satine had taught her how to manipulate men, and she used her new talents whenever possible. Calliope remained chaste, but the men ate out of her hand just the same. She wanted only one man, and none of her suitors could begin to compete.
Most of the diamonds had grown envious of Calliope. The only one she felt truly close to was Satine. They had developed a new intimacy with one another. Calliope had become accustomed to Satine and Christian's unspoken language with one another. Although, she adored them both often she would become sad around them. She longed more and more everyday for the man she had loved since childhood, and seeing Christian and Satine together, only made her aware of the distance between them. Calliope mostly kept this desire to herself, but Satine could see the anguish in her face.
One night, Calliope had witnessed a brief interlude between Satine and Christian where arrangements were made for them to meet in his flat. After he was gone, Satine questioned Calliope.
"Ma cher," she began. "is this a look of distaste that I see on your face? Do you dissaprove of Christian and I?"
"Oh no," exclaimed Calliope. "Satine, you and Christian were meant for each other. How could I ever dissaprove of your soulmate?"
"Well," Satine looked at her puzzled. "What is it then? Why do you always frown when I am with Christian?"
Calliope looked at the floor.
"Tell me," Satine persisted. Calliope remained silent. "Well, if I told you my special secret, would you tell me yours."
Calliope looked up and smiled. She couldn't possibly think of what it could be that Satine had not already told her. She grew curious, and the walls of protection melted away. She nodded.
"Alright," Satine began. "A couple of months before you came here, I found my daughter. Her name is Aurelie. I had given her away at birth. Please, don't think less of me. I was only sixteen at the time, and I hadn't been here at the Moulin Rouge for very long. I had no money."
Satine began to cry. Calliope hugged her and tried to console her. "Oh, Satine, I could never think less of you."
"Oh, Calliope," Satine's face brightened. "She is such a sweet darling little girl. I would like for you to meet her sometime."
Calliope smiled. "I would like that."
Satine wiped her eyes and composed herself again. "Now, ma cher, it is your turn. What is your secret?"
Calliope smiled. "Just like you, I have a secret love."
"Oh," exclaimed Satine, "that is wonderful, but why does it make you so sad?"
Calliope stopped smiling. "Because I left him behind when I ran away."
Satine was stunned. "But you said that you never loved Edgar."
"Oh," Calliope began to explain, "I don't love Edgar. His name is Michel, and he is my brother's friend, but he never knew how I loved him. When I see you and Christian together, I miss him terribly. I long for him, Satine, that is why I become so forlorned."
Satine smiled gingerly. "Calliope," she began with a soothing tone, "you did not need to keep this a secret from me. Believe me, darling, I understand"
This story is being crossed over to a story cowritten with Columbiagroupie aka Moulinwriter. If you would like to visit the homepage where this story is being written, go to www.geocities.com/moulinwriter.