A fiction story by Melpomene and PSC based on characters and backstory created by same with a heavy dose of Greek mythology thrown in.

1-800-REVENGE


Marin, Bay Area, California

A telephone trilled from the first floor of the tall Victorian, followed by a cheerful call.

“I’ll get it.”

“Don’t you dare! Alec, stop her.”

A rather plump figure appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes cast down the sweep of steps toward the ground floor offices. “I believe it’s too late to stop her, Tess dear. I wouldn’t worry though. She’s been getting much better.”

“She’s not that much better,” spat the blonde who hurried out of a far room and began to descend the carpeted stairwell.

From the front office, a voice could be heard. “Hello, you’ve reached The Good Ones. We’re good and we’re one… well, actually we’re three but if you want to you can think of us as separate personifications of the same person… but that’s beside the point. If you’ve made a mess of things, we can fix it for you. No job is too big or too small for that matter. How can we help you?”

Alec followed her sister. “Well, at least she didn’t use any of her more colorful metaphors this time.”

“We’ve got to write a script for her to read if she’s going to insist on answering the phone,” Alec muttered as she shoved the door of her office open. One step into the room and she was beset by a fit of sneezes.

Meg glanced up from where she sat behind Tess’ desk, a pencil poised in the hand that wasn’t supporting the telephone and a smile plastered across her face. “Yes, we have an opening for this afternoon. Unless you mean you’re looking for a job in which case, no, I’m afraid three sisters is more than enough to do justice for our cause. Oh well, of course an appointment is just fine. Four thirty is perfect. Bye-bye now.”

Meg raised her head from the blank tablet of message forms, taking in Tess’ stern gaze. “What?”

“We have a client?” Alec prodded.

“Oh, that. Yes, she’ll be here at four thirty. She just made an appointment.”

“Who just made an appointment?” Tess asked through gritted teeth.

“I don’t know, she didn’t say.” Innocence shone from Meg’s face like a beacon.

Closing her eyes tight in an attempt to quell the rising anger, Tess continued, “And I don’t suppose you thought to get a phone number either. Meg, why did I buy those message pads if you’re going to refuse to use them?” Her rampage was cut short when she began sneezing again.

Alec offered a handkerchief to Tess and looked sternly toward their baby sister. “Now, Meg, haven’t we gone over how to take a proper message? You simply can’t continue to schedule appointments for anonymous people who may or may not show up. Next time please to remember to at least get their name and a phone number.”

“Alright, but I don’t see what all the fuss is about,” Meg said, rising from the leather desk chair. “I mean, it isn’t like we’re going anywhere this afternoon and she sounded quite pleasant.”

Tess glowered between sneezes. “First of all, have you forgotten about the incident with our equestrian-minded friends last month? As I recall, you let them come right in the front door before you even found out what they wanted to see us about. And I don’t care that you thought we owed it to Charles. He might be the epitome of gentlemanliness but the rest of his kind certainly aren’t. I thought the carpet cleaners were going to faint when they saw the mess.”

incomplete

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