A stranger at her door

To celebrate the completion of her renovation, Calliope was cooking a special meal. All specialities of the great Maisean Empire. The audiobook was playing in her ears while she took the dessert out of the oven. Mind you, she made friends with technology as soon as she got acquainted with one. Although she couldn't read books due to her learning disability, she could hear the audiobooks. Of course, she wasn't aware that there was a thing called audiobooks in this universe. It was only when she used her smartphone, she got to know about the advancements technology had made. 

Did she mention that the interior designer installed some cool gadgets at her new home? All she had to do is say a thing and the gadget would do it on its own? 

Oh, no, she wasn't a caveman. It was just that she and technology always stayed away from each other. She was too busy improving the lives of others that she forgot about her own. 

As she switched the stove off, she heard the doorbell ring. She sprinted to open the door but then she realized that someone was ringing the backside doorbell. Nope, it was the correct front side. One wouldn't be able to know which side was the front and which one was back because both of them looked splendid. Now that she had installed a gate at the other side, it became front and she transformed the place she entered through the first time as the backyard because it was the right thing to do. 

Calliope opened the door to find a petite redhead with the most striking green eyes she had ever seen, standing on her door with a Tupperware box in her hand. Did she mention how gorgeous this woman was? 

The redhead was blinking her eyes continuously while staring at her. She had to put her hands on her eyes to stop them from blinking further. 

This made Calliope think for a moment if the redhead had some eye disease. 

"Oh gosh no," The redhead said with an embarrassed laugh. "I have this stupid and bizarre difficulty of not being able to stop blinking when I see an extremely beautiful person. Don't mind me." She added with a sigh, "But you are just too beautiful." 

"Did I say those words out loud?" Calliope asked hesitantly.

The redhead grinned. Her green eyes filled with mischief.  "You didn't. It's just that I could hear the monologue running in your head too clearly. It's a skill that took years for me to master." She extended her hand and added, "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Persephone Vitello. Your neighbour." 

Calliope had a look of realisation on her face. With a smile, she said, "You can call me Cali. I just moved here a month ago. Would you like to come in?"

Persephone leaned over and sniffed Cali's clothes. Then a grin settled on her face as she said, "Only if you will serve me the amazing dish you were cooking." 

Calliope didn't know what to say to her overexcited neighbour, "If you don't mind, why not! I'm celebrating my move here."

"You know we shouldn't celebrate alone. Good thing, I came to accompany you."  Persephone was feeling giddy as she entered the house. She was mesmerized by the beauty of the vintage decor. "You have one beautiful home."

"Thank you so much," Calliope said as she heard Persephone's words. "Why don't you sit while I bring us food?"

"Absolutely," Persephone beamed. Don't look at her with such a judgemental look. Everyone knew what Persephone could do for that special dish. It was Maisean's speciality but since her husband and friends hated that thing to death, she couldn't eat it at home and unfortunately, restaurants didn't serve it due to its unbearable stench. 

 When Persephone came to greet her neighbour with a box of homemade desserts, she hadn't thought that she would get to eat that thing here. She was shameless enough to ask the lady because she knew she was carving that dish not self-respect and dignity! 

She placed the box containing desserts on the table and as she was sitting on the sofa, her face fell on a familiar-looking novel. She immediately grabbed the book and traced the name of the author with a soft smile on her face. She unfolded the novel only to be welcomed by the sight of mesmerising mini painting notes. She watched in awe how someone had drawn all the major scenes of the book in such an exquisite and beautiful manner. Even the author hadn't written those scenes so competently, but the artist who drew those scenes just from text had done such a fabulous job. 

"I'm sorry for prying on your privacy," Persephone said as soon as she found Calliope entering the dining room with food. She placed the novel and the drawings back on the table. 

"It's alright," Calliope said as she placed the food on the dining table. 

"The author has done such a great job with this book. All those poetic techniques she had used have my heart," Persephone said with a sigh. She acted as if she wasn't the author of the same book.  

"She did?" Calliope said with furrowed brows. "I haven't read these books."

Persephone's face fell as she heard the lady. "I can understand. Fantasy is not everyone's cup of tea."

Calliope nodded with a smile. "You are right. But I had these books as audiobooks. I have listened to them so many times that I even remember the lines."