20th of March, 1962
Tonight Elsa and Odette had a spectacular show in one of the local nightclubs, singing duets together and entertaining the audience with covers of recently aired songs.
Odette's birthday was in a matter of couple of days only. The birthdays weren't always her cup of tea at all. Almost every birthday of the love child was obnoxiously nothing than a total disaster.
She recalled ideally in St. Ursula and Florida's orphanage how the bullies always ruined her birthday days as they turned out to be one of her worst, dreadfulest days ever in her life. Days, which were far from oblivion. Until Elsa emerged in her life, her life became better as the first her real birthday days turned out to be the most gleaming, fulfilled with felicity. Little did she know how much Elsa, Massimo and Evelyn significantly changed her life for better as if she was in seventh heaven.
For her 17th, the young woman received a mere, nonetheless ethereally unique silver pendant which magnificently matched with each garment she had on herself. Whereas on her 18th birthday, the present she recrived from her secondary family was actually a gramophone disk with Elsa Mars's songs, sign of their remarkable, extraordinary friendship. She couldn't be more content, besides feeling special and encompassed with love and warmness which she craved for years and lastly she earned it. It even molted her frail heart that rapidly, vigorously hammered in her chest.
While the both women were in the dressing room, fixing their make-up and dressing up themselves in exquisite outfits since they are going to hold a spectacular show tonight, the younger lady seated beside the dressing table, applying peach pink lipstick on her plumpish lips as she wore stone blue gown with round neckline and satin long sleeves, sleeving her brittle, milky arms as its hem was vaguely transparent, exposing partly her pantyhosed, as long as tower legs, shoed in black classy stilettos. In the interim, the German emigrant was putting mascara on her long, thick eyelashes.
They were all alone, fortunately. They had the entire freedom to discuss whatever it intrigued them as well.
"My darling, are you still nervous?" The blonde inquired with her firm German accent, accentuating her speech as she glimpsed at her protège with a tad, sparkling smile, distorted across her bloody red lips.
"A bit." The brunette confessed, pursing her lips shortly after applying her peach pink lipstick, hence, popping them up freely. Her heart sluggishly pulsated in her ribs, placing a hand on her chest as her palm was pressed on the gown's fabric, feeling the motion of its heartbeat. Meanwhile Odette sensed her cheeks heating as its sanguine nuance airbrushed her porcelain compplexion. Heated cheeks, in fact, she was exceedingly uneasy for the impending show where she should sing for a few hours with her friend until the midnight hours dawn. "I have never heard of this song until I realized we should sing it today. I mean, I worked so hard, practicing it by singing it again and again. Just for myself!"
"It's alright, mein Liebchen! I know you enough well to downheart yourself." The older lady opted to embolden the younger one as her optimism timelessly oozed from her.
The truth was Elsa knew excellently Odette as she kept her wits about her. Every emotion and feeling she has already expressed. The secrets she has kept. She was like readen book in the middle-aged mother's vision. The girl no longer could hide her despondent feelings and emotions which racked her, overthinking to conceal them from the German emigrant.
When they concluded with fixing their make-up and putting their jewelries, thereafter they got from the dressing table as Odette yearned to smoke one more cigarette before the show begins at last.
"Oh Gosh! I need a cigarette before the show." The young lady cried out, wiping her clammy forehead with the back of her manicured hand as her nails were painted in pale dark blue since it's her favorite color.
"A cigarette before the show sounds perfect!" Elsa evoked as soon as they grabbed their cigarette packs and lighters, heading up to the club's balcony.
When the both women were on the balcony, they lit up their cigarettes, commencing to take drag off them, blowing severe dims, escaping their lips. Pair of hazel orbs contemplated the aesthetic nocturnal view from high, while they partly talked and partly hushing themselves.
"I can't believe tonight's show is going to be awesome. We are going to sing more songs and receive more appreciation from the audience." The love child commented haughtily, setting free a listless chuckle.
"Yeah, Odette! Even dancers are going to assist us during some of the songs. Making the show even more interesting."
"With some alcohol!" The young woman emphasized the word alcohol, attempting to test her best friend's patience in sarcastic manner. In the meantime, mischievous, vile grin hugged her peach pink lips, taking a puff off its length.
"No, no, no! Forget about alcohol. I don't want you to chunter our songs." The elder blonde swatted lightly, amiably Odette's shoulder, taking a drag off her cigarette.
"I was just joking. Of course, I won't violate your goodwill, Elsa!"
"Sometimes your jokes sound pretty serious." Elsa replied dryly with her firm German accent, peeping at the younger lady's face, noting her mischievous grin, imprinted on her face as she couldn't contain a thriving smirk across her bloody red lips. "I can see it on your face how sarcastic are you."
"Especially when it comes up to tonight's show. I want to bring some mood."
Instead of blandly responding to her utterance, they furthered with smoking in silence until they stubbed out their cigarette lengths on the iron balcony railing, then tossing them bluntly as the both singers got inside and took a studious look in front of the grand round mirror that stood beside them in the hallway. Making sure once again if they looked perfect for tonight's show.
"Well, hot goddamn! We haven't messed up our make-up at all." The young lady exclaimed plainly, approaching the mirror, zooming her face as she pursed her lips and toffing herself.
"For sure! The cigarettes are harmless for our lips and make-up unlike even the slightest touch of our fingers on your complexions." The blonde vouched, arching an eyebrow as Odette popped up her lips lastly, descending the stairs as their heels vigorously clicked, stomping the flooring.
Whilst Massimo and Evelyn were home alone in their mansion, currently seating on the kitchen table as they shared a dinner meal together as a father and daughter, they ate in silence their dishes such as green salad with roasted steak, relishing its serene, domestic atmosphere which encircled them. The absence of Elsa was a missing fragment of its unsolved puzzle for harmonizing the family ambience.
Massimo has been home for the entire day and helping Elsa with tidying and cleaning the rooms though Evelyn got back from school a handful of hours ago. Not only the teenager was jaded, but also she spent two hours studying afterwards. Then she helped with the dinner's preparation as she started cooking when she was actually 14.
"Mmm, it's so delicious the dish as always, Evie!" The middle-aged man added, savoring its scrumptious dinner meal as he was equipped with silverware eating tools by cutting on pieces the steak, taking a single bite in his mouth seconds after his utterance.
"Thank you, father!" The girl expressed her gratitude humbly, eyeing her plate bashfully as she savored some green salad. "I tried my best anyway."
"It's just perfect as always, no matter how imperfect do you think it's eventually." Massimo answered with a blooming, merry smile, curling up in the corner of his plump lips. "Your mother is always loving the dishes as you know."
"Yeah and I appreciate it though I am just 16. I have been cooking for straight two years." The adolescent sipped her glass of natural orange juice, consequently leaving it aloof on the dining table.
"Not only you are talented in cooking, even more in singing and dancing, Evie! One day you are going to be like your mother. A true star!"
"Do you think so?" The blonde girl enquired in demure manner as she glanced at her father, wiping with a mere handkerchief her clammy jawline and lips. "I'm shy and I just cannot lie about this circumstance."
It was true Evelyn was rather a bashful girl, although she has inherited her mother's indisputable eloquent voice, versatile dancing moves, besides she was naturally a good cook. Furthermore, the young woman was gravely alook like her mother in appearance by possessing the same elegant eyebrows, big hazelish-brown eyes with chocolate brown tinges from her father, the honey ringlet of tresses, cascading down to her upper back, Elsa's plumpish, ideally formed lips unlike her nose which was took from her father.
In spite of her coy nature, the high schooler was unarguably talented in cooking, singing and dancing and she had immense potential. Moreover she wasn't sociable girl at all. She had rather a small inner circle of friends, who encompassed her and can rely on them.
"Oh, sweetheart! That's the inner voice in your head, persuading you won't persevere. Of course, you will! You need some time and when you are about your mother's age, you will keep telling yourself you weren't right when you were back kiddo until you grew up, discovered by yourself your talents are going to play major part in your life."
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight's show are going to take part 2 tremendously talented and charismatic ladies," The showman was wandering around the cabaret, earning swarm of applauds from the audience that have already took their seats, eagerly awaiting for the stars' arrival. They wholeheartedly contemplated the stage as the projector's light was utterly focused on the young showman, wearing his formal suit as his ivory smile flashed on his fresh, young-looking face. "It's going to be fun, isn't it?" He kept on as he directly questioned the whole audience.
"Indeed, we're!" The majority of fans cheered up, clapping their hands in excited way.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Elsa Mars and Odette Beatrix Martin Howard!" The showman ran up to the other side of the cabaret, while the both women stepped on the stage, earning raucous applauds as they were genuinely loved, despite Elsa's notoriety which she earned when she was a freak show owner.
"Good evening, dear fans!" The both ladies said jubilantly as one, roaming around the cabaret as they didn't take their eyes off their keen fans. "Aren't you excited for tonight's show?" The middle-aged mother posed the question to the audience.
"Yeah!" The fans whined gleefully, incapable of controlling their euphoric emotions for the forthcoming show.
"That's great! We start with a song with which we debut tonight's show. Let me see your smiles on your shining faces and hear you singing with us the chorus."
Suddenly the guitarman stepped on the cabaret as the song's instrumental commenced to play while the both women gestured with hands, grasping their microphones as their stilettos clicked.
"On a weekend pass I wouldn't have had time. To get home and marry, that baby of mine. So I went to the Chaplain and he authorized. Me to send for my Ebony Eyes. My ebony eyes was coming to me. From out of the skies on Flight 1203!" Elsa started singing the first lines of the song while Odette was waiting for her turn, swaying her hips leisurely with the older woman, earning the audience's massive clapping hands, cheering them up.
When the former Freak show owner and her friend held a show in one of the Florida's local nightclubs, Judy and Timothy were cuddling into one another's arms on the leather sofa in the living room, currently following the tv program with humongous enthusiasm, oozing from them. Their eyes were fixed on the screen. Megawatt smiles inked on their youthful, charming faces.
Jude was actually married to Timothy for 12 years since they fled Briarcliff and wanted to find Odette, their deprived, sole daughter they had, despite the fact they ended deliriously disappointed without any trace of her anymore. When they resigned from the church and fled Briarcliff, they moved up in Vermont, living in Timothy's owned two story mansion with a handful of acres land.
In spite of their splendid, blissful marriage they shared altogether as a married couple, the former nun fought with great depression for being incapable of finding her love child though Timothy's seldom depression he combats either, besides his comforts and soothing, honeyed words which molted his wife's heart.
Little did she know Odette's life nowadays even if she was still alive or otherwise dead. Timothy wasn't exceptional either. What the former priest felt since the first days of Odette's life was actually staggering him even worse. All he and Jude wanted to discover for themselves was whether if Odette's still alive or not. If yes, what's her contemporary life?
It was their first time watching their love child on the television as it has been almost 19 years since her disappearance though they shared a miniature, nonetheless sweet and wondrous moments with their daughter.
"There must be a cloud in my hea-ea-ea-ead. Rain keeps falling from my eye-eyes. Oh no they can't be teardrops! For a man ain't supposed to cry! So it must be rai-aindrops, so many raindrops. It feels like raindrops," The young brunette and the elder blonde sang in unison as their eloquent voices rang angelic anthems in the married couple's ears as they were all ears, paying utterly attention mostly to the younger singer in the duet. The camera was zoomed on the both women, earning inqusitive faces of the both former devotional members of the clergy which were fixed on the tv screen.
"Darling?" The middle-aged woman asked as Timothy had his strong, veiny hands on her slim waist, holding it as she nestled her thrown back head in the crook of his neck, inhaling inwardly his ravishing scent which she admired.
"Yes, rare bird?" The younger man responded with an equiry as his wife arched an eyebrow when the camera zoomed in even more in their love child's face, scrutinizing it without taking her focused eyes. Meanwhile he planted a kiss on the top of her head.
"Do you see this brunette on the tv screen?"
"Yes?"
"It's Odette Beatrix. Our daughter!" The former sister of the church's mildly puffy eyelids were pooled with bittersweet dew, tears betrayed to stream down her face. Jude started jadedly sniffling though Timothy ushered her to turn to him, alleviating her by wiping her tears and cuddle her even tighter and warmer.
Timothy somewhat recognized the young lady on the screen who sang in pale dark blue gown and was dueting with her friend, Elsa. Unless Jude raised the topic about their love child and her melancholy reborned once again. Her heart heavily ached in her ribs, incapable of controlling her sobs.
What they recognized in Odette was actually she actually eerily bear a resemblance to her both parents by deriving the former man of the cloth's nose, eyebrows and chestnut straight hair, while she possessed her mother's honey brown, plump, luscious lips. Even more the former bed-hopping jazz nightclub singer discerned her own daughter's voice which was melting their hearts, although they didn't have the opportunity to meet face-to-face.
"Falling from my eye-eyes! Falling from my eyes! Oh, there must be a cloud in my hea-ea-ea-ead! Rain keeps falling from my eye-eyes! Oh no they can't be teardrops. For a man ain't supposed to cry." The both singers carried on with its singing process as their melliflous voices jingled not only in their keen fans' ears, but also in the Howards' ones, flourishing smiles, radiating their vexed and beatifical condition in the same time. Vexed, because little they did know how talented is the girl and recognized her at last, while on other hand they were peculiarly happy for recognizing her though a tad hesitancy flooded their thoughts.
"Oh my god! It's her." The former nun stuttered reluctantly as the former holy man hugged her firmly without releasing her from his strong arms as she buried her face in the crook of his neck as its crystal tears tumbled down her yet youthful, beautiful face, contrasting the somber, atrabillous tears which were falling down her cheeks, staining her complexion. "Can't you see it's our daughter, who was took away from our arms almost nineteen years ago?"
"I can see it. I terribly ache to see her and tell her directly how much I love her." He attempted to reassure his subdued wife, patting faintly her spine as he moved up one of his hands to her mane of old Hollywood curls, combing his fingers through its glossy golden curls, admiring its softness and natural grace. In this moment, he momentarily pecked a soft kiss on her temple. "I hope she comes to perform a show one day in Vermont or near and come to see her."
"Timothy," Eventually they broke off the hug as she withdrew her face from his neck where it was nestled once, looking up at his chocolate brown eyes, fulfilled with optimism and wretchedness altogether. They admired one another's bewitching facial features. "I doubt it she's going to recognize us. She was a baby when we held her since her first breathing until the third day when they took her away from us."
"My rara avis, we have bright hopes to convince her we're apparently her parents without hesitation!"
"Timothy, ya still don't understand what a love child might feel when she sees both adults, standing in front of her and coming to the conclusion ages later they're actually her biological parents."
"So it must be rai-aindrops, so many raindrops. It feels like raindrops. Falling from my eye-eyes. Falling from my keeps on fallin'!" Elsa and Odette resumed singing as they paced up on stage, prancing as their stilettos frequently clicked in restless manner.
"I know but I assure you everything's going to be alright. At least, we acknowledged her condition. She's still alive for our own luck!" In the interim, the blonde turned on the other side of the sofa to follow the musical program with her husband as they eagerly contemplated the television screen, observing every motion which Elsa's protege demonstrated.
"Yeah and she's undeniably gorgeous! As gorgeous as you!"
"As gorgeous as her mother, honey!" Then he bended his head as he pursued for her succulent lips, pressing his lips on her. Subsequently, she turned to him as she locked up his gaze, sealing her berry coloured lips with his, highlighting her porcelain, yet tear-stained face. She subdued gradually her sobs as her last drying tears already stopped welling in her engorged eyelids, closing her eyes, relishing its romantic, ardent moment. Jude cupped his jawline in the palms of her hands, during the kiss process until they broke off the kiss at last, returning their absent-minded stares, darted to the television screen.
To be continued...