Myrtle’s strange fascination

Mishka was relieved and happy to be going home. She had achieved more than she had expected tonight. She had seen the inside of the mansion before Gillian and before those two work colleagues of hers.

She had seen and danced with Bruce, the designer, the owner of the mansion and famous designer.

The dance had been a lot of fun because she had been herself and she had seen Bruce dance. He was a different person from the one that she had met in the woods. Very elegant and formal, except when he danced.

“He’s a good dancer. But then, he is a designer and they often have many talents,” Mishka thought to herself. “Not to mention the fact that he has super powers with him being a wolf,” she added.

“So, does being a wolf mean that one has the unfair advantage above others who have to slave and work twice as hard to gain his kind of success?” she asked herself.

“I will have to go and visit Joan again to find out what I don’t know yet about this amazing, fantasy world of werewolves,” Mishka told herself as she drove.

Freddy had been very happy that she had showed up.

“Next time you will have to sing and come without a mask,” he had declared when he had walked her out to the parking area before she drove off.

Tonight she also met the model called Elle, who had taught her a thing or two about the world of modelling and about Bruce’s personality and work ethics.

She and Elle were going to meet again to discuss many other topics. They had fun in the bathroom after Mishka had removed her mask and revealed her face.

“Then, I don’t know about Gillian really, but those two colleagues will be disappointed to know that I went to see the mansion before them and didn’t tell them,” Mishka told herself as she drove home.

“But, I can’t tell Gillian that I was there. She would never forgive me for going without her,” Mishka thought to herself.

“Too many secrets to keep these days. How am I gonna manage to keep them all separate?” she asked herself.

Back at home, she unlocked the side door and walked down the hallway on her way to the staircase. When she passed the TV room, she heard voices and sounds from the television set. That meant that her grandmother had not switched it off before going to bed.

“Let me go in and switch it off,” Mishka told herself and walked into the TV room. She stopped in surprise at the doorway when she saw Myrtle still sitting there, rooted in front of the television.

“What’s she still doing watching TV?” Mishka asked herself. She stepped back into the hallway softly.

“Has she heard me?” Mishka asked herself. She then walked silently down the rest of the hallway towards the staircase.

“What’s she watching so late?” Mishka wondered. She then stopped just in front of the staircase when she remembered what Cook had said earlier that evening.

“Can it be that Grandma is still watching that show about witches?” Mishka murmured softly.

She then walked up the stairs slowly, looking over her shoulder occasionally as she walked.

“So, she didn’t notice me popping into the TV room just now. I guess that she’s really caught up in that program,” Mishka told herself.

“But now, why would she watch a show about witches? Maybe she does have a tendency towards that side of life,” Mishka told herself as she closed her bedroom door behind her. She stood for a while, thinking.

“If I want to find out why she watches the show I should go and watch it myself as well, then I will know exactly what she gains from it. Maybe it’s just for entertainment and fun?” Mishka asked into the silent bedroom.

She then undressed and took the quick shower that she had promised herself earlier on.

“So, Freddy wants me to go and sing at one of Bruce’s fashion shows,” Mishka thought with a smile as she stood in the shower.

“What if Bruce invites me for more shows after that? It can really spark off my music career sooner than I’ve planned,” Mishka thought to herself. “And I won’t even be going far for success. It’s right here in my neighbourhood!” she thought with a broad smile on her face.

“Neither one of Dad or Grandma can then complain about me going off very far to chase my music dreams,” Mishka continued with a giggle.

“Let me not daydream, though. Maybe Bruce actually has artists who usually appear at his big shows,” Mishka told herself as she dismissed the idea of singing for Bruce.

“Better focus on Grandma and her strange show for now,” she told herself as she got out of the shower.

“But, can Bruce have a girlfriend? He looked so detached and confident in the woods, that it’s hard to imagine him being in need of a life partner,” Mishka thought to herself.

“If he did have a girlfriend, he would be keeping her at arms’ length, so that she wouldn’t interfere with his plans. Not someone possessive, as Freddy has suggested,” Mishka thought to herself as she dressed into her pyjamas and gown.

“If Grandma sees me in my pyjamas she will know that it’s a weekday night and that I was out only briefly. She will also realize that I can’t watch her show with her if it finishes after my regular bedtime,” Mishka mumbled boldly before heading out of her bedroom door.

She then walked down the stairs, up the hallway and turned into the TV room. The television set was still on but Myrtle was beginning to get up.

“I thought that you were going to watch this show with me,” she complained when she noticed Mishka coming into the room.

“Uhmm, it’s still on, so I can still watch,” Mishka responded.

“Oh, it’s almost finished. I’m only stretching my legs a bit,” Myrtle responded without taking her eyes off the television screen.

“If she knows that I went out again tonight, she has either forgotten about it because her focus is on this show, or she’s waiting to pester me about it later,” Mishka thought to herself.

So, she sat down to watch the remainder of the show on the screen.

“Oh, it is a show about witches. Gosh, they’re ugly! Why do you want to watch this, Grandma?” Mishka asked with a disapproving grimace on her face.

“That only shows how they look on the inside. They’re actually very attractive in the flesh,” Myrtle responded.

“Oh, that sounds deep and you’re engrossed in this, I see,” Mishka remarked, frowning at Myrtle who was grinning in delight as she continued to watch.

“She herself looks scary now in the reflection of the TV light,” Mishka thought as she observed.